Top 8 Tourist Attractions to Visit For Your First Time in Los Angeles
When you think of Los Angeles, what’s the first thing that pops in your head? If you’re like most people, you probably think it’s the mecca of the film and entertainment industry, and it truly is. People also look at it as the place where the “beautiful people” live… Plus, it’s the place to be if you want to have a higher chance of meeting your favorite celebs… so you can “snap it up” for Instagram. Los Angeles tourist attractions can be also celebrities !
To be fair, LA is all of those things, but it has certainly evolved into a culturally diverse city, and with its diversity, it’s earned itself the title of being the Creative center of America. That’s a pretty large title to hold but this thriving city has done a very good job of living up to its title. Visitors can experience endless shopping, interesting museums, and an impeccable culinary scene.
It honestly takes more than one visit to LA to truly experience LA, or at least an extended visit. For your first visit to Los Angeles, it’s recommended to first explore the “tourist” locations. “Tourist” locations might sound like it has a negative connotation to it but it really doesn’t, actually.
The tourist locations are what make LA the tourist destination that it is today and it’s what gets people interested in the city in the first place. Once you’ve experienced the tourist locations, then you can explore the LA native locations. It’s just like visiting a foreign country like India for the first time… If you’ve never been there before, you’re going to want to visit all the best tourist places in India first before venturing where the natives go.
One of the best parts about visiting LA is that you can take in every inch of the city scenery by renting a Los Angeles charter bus. This is especially perfect for when you have a large group visiting the city. For one, driving in LA is an experience unlike any other. Secondly, there is so much to see in LA that you’re going to miss a lot trying to drive on the busy streets. So when visiting Los Angeles, leave the driving up to the professionals and you just focus on taking pictures of all the famous locations you’ve seen on TV and in movies!
Whether LA is on your bucket list or you’re taking advantage of cheap ticket prices, make sure you have all your travel essentials, pack your bags, and come to the beautiful Los Angeles, California. Here are the top 8 tourist attractions you can’t leave without seeing.
Top 8 Los Angeles Tourist Attractions
1. The Hollywood Sign
Did you know that the Hollywood sign was originally constructed as a way to advertise for real estate in the Hollywood Hills area? Despite its original purpose, it eventually grew to become an iconic symbol representing the lights, cameras, and action that LA glamorously offers.
Visitors from all over the world make a point to get a picture of the 45 ft high letters that sit on Mount Lee.
2. Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios is famously known for its rides that are based on some of the biggest blockbuster hits. But what lots of people don’t know is that it’s also a fully functioning movie studio as well. While you’re there enjoying the Wizarding World of Harry Potter or looking at the amazing dinosaurs on the Jurrasic World ride, you might also be in the midst of an up and coming movie as well!
3. Griffith Park and Observatory
Griffith Park is the largest state park in California. It’s full of scenic walking trails and also houses the Los Angeles Zoo. The observatory is exactly that. The observatory is free to the public and has telescopes that allow you to view the moon and the sun.
4. Hollywood Walk of Fame
What better way to keep the memory of the world’s most iconic and beloved stars alive than to have their names placed on stars and have them embedded into sidewalks? If that’s not the biggest way to memorialize your favorite celebs, nothing is. For most people, this is the closest they’ll ever get to meeting these beloved stars.
5. The Dunes Apartments
Los Angeles is famously known iconic locations in film and TV and The Dunes apartment complex made its first television debut in the hit HBO comedy series Insecure. The scenes and characters are fictional but the apartment complex is very real. Since the show’s debut, fans are spotted on a regular basis taking pictures in front of the hilariously famous complex.
In fact, according to The Week magazine, the show Insecure has “romanticized” South LA and completely changed people’s view of it being a “bad” area and made people fall completely in love with it, The Dunes apartments included.
6. Rodeo Drive
If you’ve seen the blockbuster hit Pretty Woman, then you should take Kit De Luca’s advice and hit “Rodeo Drive, baby,” for a lavish shopping experience. If designer labels like VERSACE, Jimmy Choo, and Chanel are your thing, then head over to Rodeo Drive and shop til you drop!
7. La Brea Tar Pits & Page Museum
If you loved the movie Ice Age, then you’re going to love seeing a real representation of it at the La Brea Tar Pits & Page Museum. This is the only museum where you’ll find a pool of black tar in the middle of a city park… not what you’d expect to see in a park but what makes it famous is the fact that the tar pits have actually contributed to one of the world’s largest collections of Ice Age fossils.
8. Santa Monica Pier
Last but certainly not least, you can’t visit LA without visiting a beach. Santa Monica Pier gives you the beach life mixed with old fashioned amusement park life… You’ll be able to enjoy the cool breeze off the water along with a bit of nostalgia with the vintage roller coaster, wooden carousel, and the iconic Ferris Wheel. It’s the perfect spot for family fun.
Los Angeles Tourist Attractions Recap
In order to get a full experience of LA, you’re not going to be able to take it all in over the course of one weekend… it’s going to take at least a week. Whether you want to tour celebrity homes on a bus or do all the “touristy” things, make your first trip to Los Angeles one to remember, because one week won’t show you all that the city has to offer!
