Los Angeles Visitor Guide 2024: Everything You Need To Know

Published by: BouncePosted
Hollywood sign

The biggest city in California, Los Angeles, needs no introduction. As the home of Hollywood, Los Angeles is a city that has had an outsized effect on the world's culture for more than a century now. Even people who have never set foot in the United States are familiar with the City of Angels and its major landmarks.

Of course, there's more to LA than Hollywood. As the largest city in the most populous state in the US, Los Angeles is one of the country's cultural and economic powerhouses. It's also one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Different cultures collide here, creating fusion that you won't find anywhere else. And beyond the city itself, Los Angeles is also blessed with great beaches and the stunning scenery of California. 

It all adds up to a fantastic place to visit. No matter what brings you to LA, you won't be short of things to do. Drop your bags off at one of our Los Angeles luggage storage partners and enjoy your trip!

9 Best Ways To Experience Los Angeles

Sprawled out along the Pacific coast of Southern California, the City of Angels is one of the icons of the American dream. With Hollywood and its movie studios, Rodeo Drive, and the must-see Walk of Fame, there is much here for the traveler wishing to experience what all the fuss is about.

While you're in Los Angeles, you'll want to make the most of your time there. There are so many different ways to explore the city that we've put together our list of the top nine best ways to explore Los Angeles with the help of a handy tourist guide.

Best Instagram tours – We Love Tours

We Love Tours is one that is a little unique. They will get you to all of the most Instagramable places in the city so that you are able to grab those all-important shots you need to pump up your social media feed. After a tour with them, your friends will all be green with envy. To book your tour and find out more about what sites you will be visiting call them on 1 818- 384-2531 or email at info@welovelatour.com

Best Classic Car experience – Classic Experiences

This is a boutique travel agency that provides one of the chicest private travel experiences in Los Angeles. Their experienced guides will take you on one of several tours in your choice of an open-top Cadillac convertible or the latest top-end SUV. Whether you choose to cruise past celebrity homes, wind your way along the coast to Santa Barbara or even ride in style to San Francisco, this company will help you tour in style. Call them on 1–888–988–7725 or email them at info@classicexperiences.com

Best OJ Experience – Cool LA Tours

Company owner and tour guide, Adam, is native to Los Angeles and ideally qualified to guide you through the inner workings of this city. He offers a number of tours including the Real Beverly Hills Housewife tour and the #Pump Rules tour, but by far his most popular tour is the OJ tour during which you will revisit not only that most famous of crime scenes, and the infamous Mezzaluna restaurant, but do so while being driven in a white Ford Bronco 4x4. Sound familiar? Email Adam at adam@coollatours.com or call him on 1 – 310 – 614 – 4163.

Best Nature Adventures – Bike and hike LA

Despite being a densely populated city, there are plenty of opportunities to experience nature and get out into the great outdoors in the Hollywood Hills. This company has experienced guides who will be able to take you and the family so that you can get up real close to that most famous of Los Angeles features, the Hollywood sign. Another popular hike is to the Griffith Observatory. Here you will get not only spectacular views of the city but get to tour the Observatory itself. Afterward, you can catch an Uber back to town or hike back down to the Greek Theatre car park. To find out more about these and other Bike and Hike adventures email info@bikeandhikela.com or call them on 3 – 237 – 968 – 555

Best Segway Tours – Another Side of Los Angeles Tours

If you are keen on saving the environment then this might be a tour company that you want to speak to. They specialize in non-polluting Segway, e-bike, and walking tours so that you can be sure you are not adding to your environmental footprint while you explore. They offer diverse and wide-ranging tours including the Ultimate Hollywood tour, Santa Monica and Venice Beach tour, and tours of Beverly Hills by either bike or Segway. Email them at info@AnotherSideTours.com or call them on 1 – 310 – 289 – 8687

Best Cartoon Car Adventure – Sunny Day Scoot

One of the most important things that set this tour company apart from other tour companies is the use of their tiny little cartoonlike cars in which you will get to zoom around Los Angeles while you take in some of the most awesome sites. These cars are so cute that while you are visiting the tourist sites, you may well find people snapping shots of you. You will be able to visit things like the Hollywood sign, those all-important movie studios, and famous film locations, or you could opt for a drive through the nation's largest urban park where you might see deer, coyotes, and hawks. To find out more of what these guys are about, call them on 818 – 687 – 2668 or email them at fun@SunnyDayScoot.com

Best Paddleboard Tours – Life Fresh Adventures

This is a company that takes an altogether different approach to visiting Los Angeles. Instead of looking inwards to what the city has to offer, they have chosen to take advantage of the scenic mountains and breathtaking ocean that many take for granted. They offer a series of e-mountain bike adventures that will enable you to escape from the city for a few hours and experience some of the abundant nature that so often goes unnoticed in Los Angeles. They also offer paddleboarding adventures and hiking tours.  Contact them on info@lifefreshadventures.com or call 310 – 948 – 8487

Best Walking Discovery – LA Walking Tours

Much of what LA has to offer can best be experienced on foot. This company aims to both educate and entertain their clients as they wind their way through both the history and architecture of this great city. The public tours last for two hours each but they also offer private tours which they can tailor-make to suit your requirements. Find out more about what they have on offer when you email them at bookings@dtlawalkingtours.com or call them on 213 – 399 – 3820

Best Hollywood Bus Tours – Hollywood Bus Tours

Owners Chris and Jason are native to the area and know Los Angeles like the back of their hands. They can not only show you the city, but they can also offer insights and local knowledge that you can only acquire after a lifetime of living there. They offer a full range of tours to all of the most iconic city sites including night tours. In addition, if you would like them to put together an exclusive package for your own private tour, they are willing to do so. Email them at info@hollywoodbustoursla.com or call them on 213 – 986 – 7688

Best Metro Tours – The Real Los Angeles Tour

If you want to experience Los Angeles in a way that is both authentic and eco-friendly, then Real Los Angeles Tours are the people you need to speak to. All of their tours take place on bikes or by using the Metro. Either way, you will get to travel the city as the locals do. They offer a wide variety of tours including the LA Food, History, and Design tour and an unusual downtown Los Angeles Murder, Mystery, and Ghost tour. You can contact them by calling 213 – 316 – 8687 or you can email them at info@reallosangelestour.com

Your luggage is bound to prove to be a hindrance if you aren't able to store it safely and Bounce luggage storage services have come up with a great idea in that regard. By linking up with local businesses they are able to provide easy to get to luggage storage locations near you so that you can enjoy your visit to the max.

view of beach over buildings

A weekend in Los Angeles

In a city like LA, a weekend will never be enough to see everything the place has to offer. Then again, a lifetime might not be enough either. If you find yourself in LA with only a couple of days to explore, there are few things you should make sure you see, especially if you're visiting for the first time.

  • Los Angeles is known around the world as the home of the movie industry. You can explore this heritage with a tour of Universal Studios in LA. As well as being able to tour the studios where some of the most iconic movies in history were made, you can also experience the thrill of the massive theme park that has sprung up around the studios.
  • To see a different side of Los Angeles, head to Santa Monica Pier. You'll find more rides and amusements here, along with restaurants and bars along the famous boardwalk. Plus, you'll be able to enjoy the reliably sunny weather of Southern California on the endless golden sand of LA's beaches.
  • Something like 220 different languages are spoken in LA, a testament to the city's long history of immigration. As a result, the city has a food culture that rivals anywhere else on earth. Take a food tour of LA and experience some of the best cuisine the city has to offer. Drop off any heavy bags at a Los Angeles bag storage to make your culinary odyssey easier.

Off the beaten path in Los Angeles

Los Angeles attracts millions of visitors every year, and its most famous locations are clogged with tourists no matter when you visit. The city is so big and home to so many different groups of people that there's always something new to see. Whether you're visiting for the first time or have lived in LA for decades, you can still be surprised around every corner.

  • "Whenever you are, we're already then," proclaims the sign above the Time Travel Mart. Yes, this is a store dedicated to time travel. With an ice cream machine that only works yesterday and roommate listings for cavemen, this unique store is a delight to visit. In fact, it's a nonprofit organization devoted to helping kids with writing and creativity.
  • Get some unique photos at the abandoned zoo in Griffith Park. The zoo was closed years ago, but the cages and animal enclosures still remain. Now daubed in the ever-present graffiti, it's a fascinating place for urban exploration. Drop off heavy bags at a suitcase storage in LA before you visit.
  • The weather is almost always perfect in Los Angeles, so getting outside is always a good option. Explore Echo Park and its lake, where you can rent a boat and paddle around or else just relax in the sun and enjoy a picnic. Popular with locals, this hidden gem is a perfect place to escape the city's frantic pace and recharge your batteries.

What to do alone in Los Angeles

Los Angeles skyline at night

Often, the biggest cities are the best places to be alone. Los Angeles can be a great place to explore by yourself. Whether you are visiting for business and have a few hours to kill or taking a solo vacation, you'll find plenty to do in Los Angeles that doesn't require a travel companion.

  • Explore the wonders of space at the Griffith Observatory. Opened in 1935, this science center has become an icon of the city. The planetarium helps you understand the mysteries of the cosmos without leaving the city.
  • The Getty is one of the top museums in the US, if not the world. Home to ancient sculpture from classical Greece and Rome, the collection also includes work by Titian, Rubins, Rembrandt, van Gogh, and other world-renowned artists. Heavy bags aren't allowed inside, so make sure you leave them at an LA luggage locker before you visit.
  • Explore interactive theater at one of LA's many theater companies. The Speakeasy Society, Just Fix It productions, and other companies offer immersive performances that draw the audience into the show and are the perfect way to break the ice with strangers.

The best souvenirs in Los Angeles

LA is definitely a tourist town, and you can find plenty of slightly cheesy souvenirs reflecting the tacky side of Hollywood. Bring home a plastic Oscar statuette or a Hollywood Walk of Fame star with your name on it to celebrate the kitschy side of the city. However, if you look a little deeper, there are other souvenirs worth picking up. For example, legendary California burger chain In N Out Burger has an impressive line of branded merchandise, including coffee mugs, T-shirts, and beach towels. Also, the Griffith Observatory offers some unique cosmic souvenirs inspired by space exploration. Or you could head to LA's Grand Central Market and pick up some authentic Mexican-American food to bring home, such as a jar of mole or some spicy peppers.

Los Angeles lockers

One of the world's biggest cities by land area, LA is a sprawling metropolis not known for being easy to get around. Walking often isn't an option, but the traffic in LA is notoriously terrible. However you find your way around the city, things will be easier if you don't carry more than you need to. Drop off any heavy bags at a Los Angeles luggage storage service so you can explore the city more easily. The less you carry, the more ground you'll be able to cover as you explore this fascinating city.

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