Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the opposite of San Francisco: sprawling instead of compact, car-dependent instead of pedestrian-friendly, sun-drenched instead of foggy. L.A. is not a city in the European sense — it is a huge, endless carpet of suburbs stretching over 1,300 km² and held together by highways. The metro exists but is ignored by most Angelenos. A rental car is not optional here — it is essential for survival.
But it is precisely in this seemingly soulless expanse that the charm lies. L.A. is a mosaic of completely different worlds: glamorous Hollywood, creative Silver Lake, beach-centric Venice, chic Beverly Hills, Latin American East L.A., Korean Koreatown, Ethiopian Little Ethiopia. Each neighborhood is its own world with its own cuisine, music, and lifestyle. Anyone who dismisses L.A. as superficial hasn't understood it — you just have to make the effort to look behind the facade.
The weather is the big plus: 280 sunny days a year, average temperature 22°C, practically no rain between May and October. However: The air can be stagnant (smog), the traffic is notoriously terrible (always plan twice as much travel time as the map says), and the distances are brutal — from Santa Monica to Downtown is 25 km, which can take 90 minutes in rush hour.
Hollywood & Griffith Observatory★★
Hollywood is a disappointment for many first-time visitors — the historic center of the film industry is now a touristy, slightly shabby boulevard with souvenir shops, street performers in questionable superhero costumes, and the famous Walk of Fame (over 2,700 stars on the sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard). The Walk is free and can be walked in 30 minutes — the stars are located between Highland and La Brea Avenue.
The real highlight is the Griffith Observatory (free!) on the Griffith Park hill. From here, you have the best view of the Hollywood Sign and a 360-degree panorama over all of L.A. — from Downtown to the ocean. At sunset, when the city below you is bathed in gold and the first lights come on, you understand why directors have been filming here for 100 years. The observatory itself is an Art Deco gem (1935) with free astronomy exhibits and a planetarium ($7).
For film fans, a studio tour is worthwhile: Warner Bros. ($70, the most authentic — you see real sets and props), Universal Studios ($110-150, more amusement park than tour — the Harry Potter World and the studio tram tour are great), Paramount ($65, the only studios still located in historic Hollywood itself).
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To the Griffith Observatory: Go during the week, preferably in the afternoon. On weekends, the parking lot is overcrowded, and you'll be stuck in traffic for an hour on the narrow access road. Alternative: Take the DASH bus from the Vermont/Sunset Metro station (free on weekends). Or hike up the Trails of Griffith Park (about 45 minutes, moderate incline).
Venice Beach & Santa Monica★★
Venice Beach is the California you know from movies: skaters, surfers, bodybuilders, street performers, fortune tellers, and plenty of eccentricity on a 4 km long beach promenade (Ocean Front Walk). The Muscle Beach (the outdoor gym where Arnold Schwarzenegger trained in the 1970s), the skatepark facility (the largest concrete wave in the world, with real pros), and the colorful walls of the Venice Art Walls make the boardwalk a permanent spectacle.
Behind the boardwalk lies the Venice Canal Historic District — a surprisingly quiet residential area along small canals, actually modeled after Venice (built in 1905 by Abbot Kinney). Colorful bridges, floating ducks, multi-million dollar homes — a stark contrast to the chaos of the boardwalk.
Santa Monica begins directly north of Venice and is much more refined: The Santa Monica Pier (1909) with its Ferris wheel and small amusement park (Pacific Park, free admission, rides $5-12) is the official end of the legendary Route 66 — a plaque on the pier marks the spot. The Third Street Promenade behind the pier is a car-free shopping street with restaurants, street musicians, and cinemas. The beach itself is wide, clean, and perfect for a beach day.
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For the perfect day: Start in the morning in Venice (Boardwalk, canals), then walk the beach promenade 2 km north to Santa Monica (30 min). Lunch at the pier or on the Third Street Promenade. Afternoon at the beach. Sunset at the pier — the Ferris wheel lights up at dusk. Parking: Almost impossible in Venice — use the parking structures ($8-15/day) or come by Uber/Metro (Expo Line to Downtown Santa Monica).
Getty Center★★★
The Getty Center (1997, architect: Richard Meier) is one of the greatest museums in the world — and admission is free. Even the journey there is an experience: a floating tram takes you up the hill to a gleaming white travertine complex that sits atop the hills of Brentwood, offering a 360-degree view over L.A. — from the San Gabriel Mountains over Downtown to the Pacific.
The collection includes European paintings (Van Gogh's "Irises" — one of the most expensive paintings ever sold — Rembrandt, Monet, Cézanne), sculptures, photographs, and decorative arts. The gardens (designed by Robert Irwin) are a work of art in themselves — a winding path leads through a central garden area with an azalea maze.
The Getty is never overcrowded (despite free admission), the architecture is breathtaking, and on clear days the view extends to Catalina Island. It is the perfect counterpoint to a beach day — culture at the highest level in an unrealistically beautiful setting.
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Parking costs $20 and is often full on weekend afternoons — come before 11 a.m. or take the bus (Metro 761 from Westwood). Saturdays are the most beautiful in the garden (garden tour at 10:30 a.m., free). The café on the terrace has surprisingly good food with an even better view.
