A Los Angeles One Day Itinerary for Unforgettable Adventures

Los Angeles in 24 hours can be a challenge, especially if you’re like me and get FOMO! Luckily, I’ve lived in Southern California my whole life so I’ve been to LA a lot.

If you are wondering what to do in LA for a day, the first thing you have to think about is your mode of transportation. Getting around Los Angeles is not easy.

There is no good quick public transportation. There is limited train access. Everything is spread out. So your best options are renting a car or getting an Uber or Lyft. 

Los Angeles One Day Itinerary

Stop #1: Santa Monica and Venice Beach

10am – 1:30pm (3.5 hrs)

For one day in LA, I highly recommend going to the beach. SoCal is known for their beaches and there are many!

The most popular beaches in LA county are Santa Monica Beach, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Venice Beach, Malibu, Redondo Beach and Long Beach.

You could easily do a Pacific Coast Highway Road trip and visit all the major SoCal beaches. But if you’re only going to be in Los Angeles for 1 day, it’s understood that Santa Monica and Venice Beach are the beaches to visit. 

Santa Monica is located where the 10 fwy, Santa Monica Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway meet. You’ll want to visit Santa Monica for its iconic pier, games, rides and a plethora of shops and restaurants at Third Street Promenade.

And, of course, take some time to dip your feet in the water if you dare. The water is very cold here! Santa Monica is quite posh, so it’s filled with nice stores, restaurants and hotels.

But if you want a more edgy vibe, you’ll want to visit Venice Beach for their street performers, the Boardwalk (aka Ocean Front Walk), Muscle Beach, skate plaza, the canals and Abbot Kinney Boulevard.

Abbot Kinney Blvd. has a bunch of cool restaurants and shops which is a good place to stop for breakfast or lunch.

I’ve allotted 3.5 hours to roam around, enjoy the vibes and choose the things you want to see. You can stay at one beach the whole time or get a sneak peak version of each place.

Just be aware, that if you are walking between the beaches it will take about 35 minutes each way or if you rent a bike about 15 min each way. An e-bike or scooter will be even faster.

It’s best to eat lunch in Santa Monica or Venice Beach as there are plenty of great restaurants and a variety of cuisines.

From pasta to sushi and burgers, there are many options to choose from. The next stop has food options as well but not as many and it will be more expensive.

A few restaurant recommendations in Santa Monica are:

1212 Santa Monica – New American cuisine which serves brunch, lunch, dinner and even have a happy hour. Modern décor, spacious and fun.

The Albright – For something more low key and quick, try this place. Popular dishes include fish and chips, clam chowder and calamari. It can’t get more California than fresh seafood by the beach.

Sweet Maple & U Dessert Story – You can’t go wrong with the Millionaire’s Bacon. Sweet and savory mixed together. It’s dangerously good! Great for brunch and lunch, it’s also the place to be if you have a sweet tooth.

There’s food along the Venice Boardwalk. However, it’s primarily junk food. Think carnival fair food: French fries, pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, shakes and funnel cake.

Here are a couple of healthier recommendations in Venice Beach:

El Huarique – Peruvian food at its best. It’s beach front so you won’t miss it. Try the lomo saltado or rotisserie chicken. Good for a quick bite and quality food.

All’ Antico Vinaio – This place is always busy, so much so there is a line out the door. If you’re looking for authentic Italian sandwiches, this is the place to be. You may have to wait about 20 minutes so if you don’t have the time, try somewhere else.

Regarding parking, there are paid lots and meters in Santa Monica and the cost can range from $7-$18 per day. There is no free parking on the weekends but residential areas may have free parking.

Most lots may offer free parking for the first 90 minutes or so. Just be sure to read all the parking signs before you park.

Sometimes there are restrictions and you don’t want to get a ticket or get towed. If you’re there on a holiday, some lots offer free parking as well. There are also EV lots if you want to charge your car.

Venice Beach has paid lots and metered parking. But you might find free parking on some streets. The further away you park, the less you’ll pay. And during the summer it will cost more vs. winter.

Drive and Park: 1:30pm – 2pm (30 min)

Stop #2: Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills

2pm – 4pm (2 hrs)

Los Angeles in a day should also include Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. When you think of LA, you think of celebrities and the rich and famous. Rodeo Drive which is a 2 mile long street in Beverly Hills is the quintessential area for the rich and famous.

Lined with the most expensive stores, it’s a hub for luxury and fashion. Walk along Rodeo and feel the glamour. It’s like no other place you’ve been to before!

Rodeo Drive has stores such as Tom Ford, Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, Prada and Versace. Luckily you don’t have to buy a $15,000 purse. You can simply window shop or hop into a store to check it out. It’s like entering a new world.

If you’re feeling in the mood for coffee, tea or a pastry check out Avva Coffee which is close to Rodeo Drive. If you want to eat a meal around Rodeo Drive, be prepared to dine at $$$ or $$$$ restaurants.

This high-end shopping plaza also has some picturesque photo opportunities. You might recognize some of this area from the movies Clueless, Beverly Hills Cop and Pretty Woman. You might even spot a celebrity so be on the lookout!

Be aware that the boutique stores are generally open from 10am-6pm Monday through Saturday and 12pm-5pm on Sundays. So if you want to go into any of the stores be sure to be there before stores close.

There are a number of places to park where you can get 2 hours of free parking. There are other options for parking as well as EV charging stations.

Drive and Park: 4-4:30pm

Stop #3: Hollywood

4:30pm – 7pm (2.5 hrs)

If you’re the kind of person who likes the touristy stuff, you’ll probably want to go to Hollywood and see the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the TCL Chinese Theatre. But in essence, it’s pretty hard for a Los Angeles one day itinerary to not include Hollywood!

Now I must warn you that there are 2,700+ stars on the Walk of Fame. If you’re looking for a specific star, it would be best to look them up on the Walk of Fame website before hand to find their location. This will save you precious time.

If you desire, you could plan to watch an actual Walk of Fame ceremony. They are free to the public but they usually begin at 11:30am and end by 12:15pm.

So review the website for the most current information. The Walk of Fame is on Hollywood Blvd between La Brea Ave. and Gower St. and on Vine St. between Sunset Blvd. and Yucca St.

The TCL Chinese Theater is an iconic movie theatre in the heart of Hollywood Blvd. You may see a number of performers outside the theatre, impersonators or people dressed up as movie characters.

It’s a beautiful venue inside. If you don’t plan to watch a movie here, you can do a 30 minute walking tour of the facility.

Other iconic spots on Hollywood Blvd are the Madame Tussauds Hollywood Wax Museum, Hollywood Wax Museum (yes, there are 2 wax museums here), Ripley’s Believe it or Not, El Capitan Theatre, Pantages Theatre, Hollywood Museum and Ovation Hollywood (Hollywood and Highland).

Ovation Hollywood is a beautiful modern shopping and entertainment center with several floors. You could take some time exploring this area.

But to be honest the museums I mentioned are a bit old and cheesy. That being said, if you’re a movie buff and would love to see old artifacts, costumes and collectibles from American motion pictures and television, the Hollywood Museum may be of interest.

You probably only need about an hour there and the entrance fee is reasonable. Otherwise, save your money and time.

The El Capital Theatre and Pantages Theatre are nice to see from the outside, but a quick photo is all you’ll really need of these place unless you’d like to watch something there.

If you’re able to, schedule ahead of time, a Hollywood Walking Tour (guided or self-guided) to explain the history of Hollywood and point out iconic landmarks. The nice thing about these tours it that some of these are free. The tours last about 2 hours.

There are some places to eat dinner at Ovation Hollywood. But if you have the budget and can make a reservation ahead of time, I highly suggest going to Yamashiro Hollywood. It’s one of the most beautiful restaurants in LA.

Situated in the Hollywood Hills, it overlooks the city. The beautiful Japanese décor and landscape make this place romantic and gorgeous. It’s pricey but you’re really paying for the ambiance.

You could also try an iconic Hollywood restaurant. One that is right on Hollywood Blvd is Musso & Frank Grill. Established in 1919, this old Hollywood restaurant has stood the test of time. Frequented by many celebrities, it’s one of the most iconic restaurants in Hollywood.

The cuisine is American, steak and seafood. But they are also known for their Chicken Pot Pie (a Thursday night special). It’s a bit expensive, but if you can get a reservation and don’t mind the $$$ menu, you can say you’ve dined in a famous Hollywood restaurant.

If you don’t need to dine at a bougie restaurant, try Jemma Hollywood. It’s an Italian restaurant off Hollywood Blvd with delicious pastas and other Italian dishes. Or try Hollywood Burger for a more casual environment.

Parking in Hollywood is not cheap. You’ll likely have to pay for parking. Some lots are flat rate while others are based on how long you’re there. Parking at Ovation Hollywood could be a maximum of $20/day so keep that in mind if you decide to park there.

Drive and Park: 7pm – 8pm (1 hr)

Stop #4: Griffith Observatory

8pm – 10pm (2 hrs)

The Griffith Observatory is a beautiful observatory on top of a hill overlooking Los Angeles. It’s one of the most popular attractions in LA. Family friendly and great for all ages, it’s a beautiful building which provides one of the best views of Los Angeles if the sky is clear.

Griffith Observatory itself is free. What is not free is the parking which is quite expensive. There is paid parking closest to the Observatory but it can be a bit difficult so give yourself enough time. There is also paid parking along the road up to the Observatory.

If you want to park for free, there are lower lots that have a shuttle or you can walk up the hill. Just plan in extra time for parking as it gets busier as the day goes on.

It is closed on Mondays so if your one day in Los Angeles is a Monday, this won’t be an option for you. But if it’s Tuesday through Sunday it’s open until 10pm. It’s a great place to visit after dinner.

The Griffith Observatory allows you to take a bird’s eye view of the city below. At the Observatory you can explore their various exhibits, look through telescopes and even see shows. Shows can vary from 30 to 90 minutes. There is a nominal fee for shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium.

I hope this one-day Los Angeles itinerary works for you. Feel free to modify it as needed. With only a day in Los Angeles, it’s hard to mesh everything into one.

But these are the ‘must see’ places if it’s your first time. Now you might find that this itinerary is overwhelming. You might think it’s too much work and you’d rather let someone else take you around.

If that’s the case, you might find it fun to do an Los Angeles or Hollywood sightseeing tour. This can be a few hours or a full day, but it will give you the highlights.

You wouldn’t have to worry about driving, the traffic or figuring out where to park. The only problem with tours is that you generally only stay in one place for a short period of time. If you want to have more freedom and flexibility in how long you stay somewhere, it’s best to just do a tour.

For an almost 8 hour tour which takes you to Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach, Rodeo Drive, Griffith Park and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I recommend this tour.

Los Angeles Card Pass – If you plan to visit a bunch of different attractions in LA, you might be interested in the Go City Los Angeles Card Pass which can save you up to 50% on over 30 attractions.

But I wouldn’t recommend it, if you don’t plan the different places you’re going to ahead of time as you won’t get your money’s worth. 

Depending on how early you start and how late you want to end your day, these two areas are probably all you’ll have time for.

Getting from Santa Monica to Hollywood can take at least an hour and up to 2 hours if you’re driving during a heavy traffic hour. So monitor the traffic time to keep pace with the itinerary.

Nightlife with Only a Day in LA

Nightlife is one of those things where everyone has different taste and the hot spots are always changing. The good thing is that LA has so many niches for nightlife.

If you do a little research you can find something that interests you. While I won’t give specific recommendations here, I will just give a few thoughts on where you should start your search.

West Hollywood – best known for their LGBTQ crowd. They know how to party when the sun drops so if you’re down for a wild night, this could be the spot for you.

Hollywood – always has a variety of clubs and bars, but be careful at night as it can get unsafe if you’re not in the right areas. Hollywood has some of the most eclectic and diverse nightlife. 

Downtown LA – bustling at night but again, it’s not the safest. Stay only on the main streets. One street over and you could find yourself on Skid Row (large homeless encampment) so be aware which can be very dangerous. There are some rooftop bars and clubs that are pretty popular.

Santa Monica – has a number of diverse dive bars, lounges and live music. The beach vibe is generally more chill but you can find something livelier there as well. 

What to Pack for a 1 Day Los Angeles Itinerary

LA weather most of the year is wonderful. But during the winter it can get down into the 30’s at night. During the summer it can get into the 100’s. Sometimes it can be very windy and it doesn’t rain often.

Most of the time, weather will be nice but it does get a little chilly at night and it can get cold if you go into stores that blast the air conditioner.

For this Los Angeles one day itinerary, since you’ll be outside a lot throughout the day, consider packing layers and always check the weather before you come.

You never know what weather pattern is entering LA. Be sure to bring your sunscreen, sunglasses and good walking shoes. 

LA in One Day FAQ

Is 1 day in Los Angeles enough?

It’s enough to see what is outlined in this itinerary. If you are looking to see more than this, I recommend you stay for longer. 

Is this one day in Los Angeles itinerary family friendly?

Yes, definitely! Every part of this itinerary has something exciting for kids, teens and adults. Kids will love the beach, watching the skaters at Venice Beach, riding the rides and playing the games at the Santa Monica Pier.

They will enjoy watching the street performers on Hollywood Blvd and looking at the stars on the Walk of Fame. And they will enjoy looking at the stars at the Griffith Observatory.

How many days in Los Angeles do you need? 

One day in L.A. can be done. But it’s only a quick snapshot. If you want the full LA experience, I’d suggest 4-5 days. But honestly there are endless things to do here. 

Can you do a solo trip to LA?

Yes! There are plenty of things to do in LA solo. You could easily do this itinerary solo as well. The only thing is it will be more costly traveling solo due to the inability to split transportation costs.

How do you get around LA on a budget?

Travel with other people to split transportation costs if you want to use Uber or Lyft or rent a car. Otherwise, you can use public transportation such as buses and the Metro which are fairly cheap.

However, buses will make it much slower for you to get around and the Metro doesn’t go everywhere. Check the schedules to see if they work for you.

Is LA a walkable city?

No. Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States. Everything is very spread out and most people travel by car to get to their destination.

How much money should you take on a trip to LA?

Los Angeles is not a cheap place to visit. However, you can spend as little or as much as you desire. How much money you take depends on what you want to do, where and how often you want to eat, how you plan to get around and where you stay. There are so many factors.

Is LA Downtown worth visiting?

Yes! You can see my recommendations in my Los Angeles 3 day itinerary article here for option 3B.

Can you walk around downtown LA?

Yes, you can. However, it’s very important to stay in the main areas. Otherwise, you may end up in Skid Row (big homeless community) or an undesirable area which could be unsafe.

Are pets allowed at all of the stops on this itinerary?

If you’re going to be in Los Angeles for a day with your pet, it’s important to know what is allowed. For the most part, pets are allowed. But there are some exceptions. Dogs are allowed at Santa Monica Beach Pier and the surrounding boardwalks.

They are also allowed on the Venice Beach boardwalks. However, they are not allowed on the actual beach. According to the ‘laws’ this is the case. But in actuality I have seen many dogs on the beach. So it doesn’t seem to be enforced.

Many stores on Rodeo Drive are dog-friendly, but please ask before entering with a pet. You can walk your dog on Hollywood Blvd., but keep in mind that this is a busy street.

It would be better to carry the dog if you can or push it around in a stroller. The only place where dogs are not allowed is inside Griffith Observatory. Also, restaurant policies may vary. If you take an Uber or Lyft, it’s up to the driver if they will accept it. 

Can you do a day trip to LA from another city such as San Diego?

It’s possible, to do a Los Angeles day trip but you won’t really see much. San Diego is at least 2 hours away from LA. So unless you only want to see one or two things, it’s really best to stay in LA at least one night and then go back to SD the next day. 

Final Thoughts on this 1 Day in Los Angeles Itinerary

Los Angeles is a BIG area. In fact, it’s the second largest city in the United States after New York City. So you can imagine there are a ton of things to do and see here. 

I will assume you are in good physical condition for walking and don’t have any special needs or requirements for getting around. If you do, please adjust accordingly.

It is best if your accommodations are within Los Angeles, no further North of Pasadena, no further West of Malibu and no further East of Long Beach.

If your accommodations are outside of this area, be sure to allow more time for traffic getting to your first destination and going back at the end of the day. LA traffic can be bad, so lessen your commute and stay closer to any of the stops in the itinerary.

I assume you have the whole day to dedicate to exploring Los Angeles. This means at least 10-12 hours. This would be something like 10am-10pm.

For this Los Angeles one day itinerary I will assume you have never been to LA and you would like to do the most popular activities, this means seeing what most people talk about when coming to LA.

Seeing Los Angeles in one day also means only getting the highlights of a few notable attractions.

Well that’s it folks. I hope this helps you if you were wondering what to do with one day in LA. This Los Angeles one day itinerary packs a good punch and you will experience some of the most iconic spots in Los Angeles.

If you have more time to spend in Los Angeles, check out these itineraries which include the Hollywood Hills hike, Universal Studios, the Getty Center, Grand Central Market and more:

Los Angeles Itinerary 3 Days

Los Angeles Itinerary 5 Days

Los Angeles Itinerary 7 Days

Looking to branch out your trip beyond Los Angeles? Stay tuned for upcoming itineraries for: 

Catalina Island

Palm Springs

Temecula

San Diego

Santa Barbara

San Francisco