JSLALALAND

BEFORE YOU LAND

First Time in LA

Don't try to do it all on a first trip. Here's my honest take on 15 classic spots: which ones are worth staying for until dusk, and which you can snap and leave.

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

Key points

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  1. First time in LA: the 15 places I'd take you

    Not the most famous places. Just the ones worth experiencing first.

  2. This is the Los Angeles I keep coming back to

    Start with the classics every first-timer should see, then ease into the way of life only locals know.

  3. 01 · Griffith Observatory

    If I could only recommend one place, it'd probably still be this one. Not for the planetarium, but because standing here, you finally get it: just how big Los Angeles is. Daytime, dusk and night are all worth it. Best time: golden hour.

  4. 02 · Santa Monica Pier

    On a first LA trip, you still have to see this classic. Yes, it's touristy, but walk down the pier, smell the sea breeze, and you'll know you've really made it to California. Don't leave before sunset.

  5. 03 · Venice Beach

    If Santa Monica is the postcard, Venice is the real LA. Skateboards, surfing, street performers, Muscle Beach: chaotic, and totally free. This is the LA you see in movies.

  6. 04 · The Getty Center

    If I could pick only one museum, it'd be the Getty. It's not just the collection; the whole place, the architecture, gardens, mountain views and light, is gorgeous. And it's free (parking's extra). Beauty you can walk in.

  7. 05 · Hollywood Sign

    Worth a look, but don't linger. Lots of people think Hollywood is all of LA; it's really just one small piece. My advice: snap your photo and move on. See the sign, not the hype.

  8. 06 · Hollywood Walk of Fame

    Worth walking once on your first trip, but lower your expectations: it's busier, and more ordinary, than you'd think. Come for the experience, not the glamour.

  9. 07 · Beverly Hills

    You don't have to buy anything, but it's very much worth a stroll. Rodeo Drive, palm trees, boutiques, mansion streets: all classic LA scenes. You're here to experience.

  10. 08 · LACMA

    If you love art, you have to come. Besides Urban Light, the new David Geffen Galleries are so worth wandering slowly; I could spend a whole afternoon here.

  11. 09 · The Original Farmers Market

    On your first trip, don't just do restaurants; do a market too. Open since 1934, almost a hundred years now, it's a chance to try lots of different foods in one go, and The Grove is right next door, so pair them.

  12. 10 · Malibu

    Lots of first-timers don't plan for Malibu, but it's always been one of my favorite places. The coast highway, the sand, ocean-view restaurants, sunsets: it's less a sight and more California itself.

  13. 11 · Abbot Kinney

    I really recommend first-timers plan one afternoon for slow wandering. Coffee shops, boutiques, restaurants, design brands, all very LA. No rush; just browse at your own pace.

  14. 12 · Downtown Arts District

    If you think LA is all beaches, come see this. Galleries, coffee shops, restaurants, design spaces: totally different from the LA you picture. Creativity is everywhere.

  15. 13 · The Broad

    Modern-art lovers will love it, and it's free. Pair it with Walt Disney Concert Hall and Grand Central Market. #Free #ModernArt

  16. 14 · Grand Central Market

    You have to eat here once on your first trip. Mexican, Japanese, Korean, coffee, dessert, it's all here, and perfect for sharing with friends. Eat together, share together.

  17. 15 · Pacific Coast Highway

    Last, not a sight but a road. Roll the windows down, put on music you love and just drive the coast. Sometimes the most memorable part isn't the destination; it's the drive.

  18. If I only had three days, here's how I'd do it

    Day 1: Hollywood → Griffith → LACMA → Farmers Market; Day 2: Santa Monica → Venice → Abbot Kinney → Malibu sunset; Day 3: The Broad → Grand Central Market → Arts District → Bever…

  19. LA is huge; save some for next time

    Really loving a city isn't about seeing all of it in one go; it's when a few places start pulling you back again and again. Save this for your first trip to Los Angeles.

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In this series

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

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