JSLALALAND

BEFORE YOU LAND

Everything I wish someone had told me before my first trip to LA

Everyone asks the same few things: traffic, where to stay, safety, how much to tip. Save this and skip a lot of wrong turns.

Translated from Jasmine’s original Chinese. The illustrated slides are on the interactive reader.

Key points

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  1. LA FAQ: the LA questions I get asked most

    If you asked me, 'What do I need to know before my first LA trip?', honestly, it almost always comes down to these few questions. Save this and hopefully your LA trip has fewer wrong turns. Everything I wish someone had told me before my first trip to LA: Rent a Car? Safety? Parking?…

  2. Q1: Do I need to rent a car?

    In LA, driving yourself is pretty much the most flexible, practical way to get around: the sights are spread out, distances are long and traffic is heavy, so without a car you're really limited. To rent you'll need: your Taiwanese license + an International Driving Permit (the US doesn't process it for you, so get it at a motor vehicle office before you fly); usually you need to be 21+, licensed for a year, and under 25 there may be an underage fee. My recommended coverage: third-party liability (SLI) + collision (CDW) is the most complete and avoids big payouts; plenty of premium credit cards already include CDW…

  3. Q2: Is LA traffic really that bad?

    Yes! Maybe even worse than you think. Don't estimate time by distance: 15 km (about 9 miles) can be 20 minutes, or an hour. Rush hour, roughly: weekdays 7–10 a.m. and 2:30–7:30 p.m.; Fridays 2:30–8 p.m., jammed straight into the evening. My one rule when planning: two to three areas a day, max. Don't zigzag north, south, east and west, and you'll be in a much better mood. In LA, dista…

  4. Q3: Where's best to stay the first time?

    For a first trip, I usually recommend: West Hollywood (food, shopping and nightlife all easy), Culver City (nicely central, not too far from lots of places), Malibu (for the ocean and unwinding, a night or two) and Silver Lake / Los Feliz (for a more local LA). My advice: don't switch hotels every day. Instead of hauling luggage around, give that time to living. Where y…

  5. Q4: Is LA safe?

    Same as any big city. Don't leave your bag in the car, don't leave luggage on the back seat, don't wander empty places late at night, and don't leave your camera or laptop in the car because it's 'just for a sec.' The most common thing in LA isn't a movie plot; it's a smashed car window and stolen stuff. Areas to be especially careful in: Skid Row (DTLA), South LA, Compton, Watts, parts of Boyle Heights, parts of Downtown…

  6. Q5: Is parking easy?

    Easier than a lot of Asian cities, but you have to read the parking rules, especially the curbside signs: Street Cleaning, No Parking, Permit Only… If you can't read them, just find a paid lot. Learn five signs and you're set: No Parking Any Time (red curbs usually mean this too), Street Cleaning once a week, 2 Hour limits (check the time direction), Permit Park…

  7. Q6: How much should I tip?

    These days I usually figure: coffee, no extra tip needed; sit-down restaurants, 18–23% is common; Uber, about 10–20% depending on service; hair, nails, spa, 20%+. Restaurants in more detail: regular areas 18–20%, tourist and beach areas 20–23% (up to 25% at dinner), fine dining 20–25%; takeout usually none. Common extra fees: Health Fee, Service Fee, Kitch…

  8. Q7: How much cash should I bring?

    Barely any. LA is a card city; coffee, parking and most farmers market stalls take cards or Apple Pay. When you'll need cash: street vendors and food trucks, some old parking machines, and if you want to tip in cash (up to you). My advice: keep a little cash on you, no need to exchange much. LA runs on cards. Cash is just a backup.

  9. Q8: Is LA hot all year?

    Not at all, and first-timers pack wrong more than anything. Days are warm (22–28°C / 72–82°F), nights can drop to the low-to-mid teens (12–18°C / 54–64°F), and the sea breeze is especially cool; I always have a light jacket on me, even in summer. Every year in early to mid June there's June Gloom: the beach cities get blanketed in coastal fog, gray and sometimes drizzly. The LA outfit key: layers (Layering is key); the beach runs 3–5°C (5–9°F) cooler than the city…

  10. Q9: How many days is right for LA?

    3 days = the classics (Hollywood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Griffith, the Getty); 5 days = you start to feel LA life (exploring neighborhoods, café brunches, slow beach days, a farmers market, sunsets); 7+ days = you find your own LA (your favorite coffee shop, wellness experiences, day trips to Malibu/Ojai/P…

  11. Q10: What's the best season to come?

    There's honestly no 'don't come' season in LA, but if I had to pick: September–November is the most stable weather with fewer tourists (18–26°C / 64–79°F); April–June has flowers in bloom, but watch for June Gloom; July–August is the liveliest and busiest (22–32°C / 72–90°F, peak-season hotel prices); December–February has the odd rain, but the post-rain LA sky is unbelievably clear. My own favorite is LA in the fall, when the light goes gold. There's no wrong s…

  12. Last, and the thing I most want to say

    Lots of people come to LA wanting to fill every day. But if you can, leave one afternoon unplanned: walk the beach, go to a coffee shop, watch the sunset, or just sit. I've always felt the real LA isn't in the sights; it's in the moments you didn't plan. The best moments in LA are usually the ones you didn't plan. Later in this series, I'll share more local…

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Read it with the slides →The illustrated version on the LA Guide →

An original JSLALALAND field guide by Jasmine Chang (@jslalaland).