L.A. Guide- 7 Day Itinerary

Stop #1: Joan’s On Third for some yummy brunch! I got the Chinese chicken salad which was HUGE, but so delicious, as well as a freshly squeezed lemonade! I honestly wish we could have gone back again within our trip, but I’ll just make it a stop for the next! (instagram: @joansonthird)

Stop #2: Hollywood Walk of Fame– honestly I just wanted to do this to see it, so I think if you’re a tourist it could be fun, but after about 30 minutes of looking down and reading stars… we were over it. So instead, we decided to ride some scooters! Learn from my mistakes and do not ride on the sidewalks!! It’s illegal!!

Stop #3: Beverly Hills Hotel for a little people watching, photos, and drinks! Drinks are expensive, but as to be expected! I’d recommend getting the “Hotel California” drink- super refreshing and yummy! Feel free to walk around and take photos, everyone was really nice! (instagram: @bevhillshotel)

Stop #4: Santa Monica Pier for golden hour/ sunset! (we went home first and changed, then ubered!) Such a fun spot with so much energy! We walked the pier and then went on the Ferris wheel about 10 minutes before sunset! Tickets are $10, but a fun thing to do once if you can! Definitely bring a sweater at night because it’s chilly!! (instagram: @santamonicapier)

Stop #1: The Butchers Daughter on Abbot Kinney Blvd for breakfast/brunch. This little spot is the absolute cutest! Great healthy options, and indoor/outdoor seating- I got the açaí bowl and it was beyond delicious and rather filling!! (instagram: @thebutchersdaughter_official)

Stop #2: Manhattan Beach! (about a 20-25 minute ride from The Butchers Daughter) We put in the pier as the ending location which was perfect. The beach is free! Make sure to bring water and/or snacks because no-one comes around offering them!

Stop #3: Some shopping on the main ave! We loved stopping in at Hermosa Girl and Katwalk! It was hard not buying everything in sight because everything is just too cute!

Stop #4: Simmzy’s for a little late but light lunch- cider beer and Cesar salad with shrimp on top! Really yummy and great casual vibes- you can go wearing whatever! (instagram: @simmzys)

Stop #5: Venice Canals Honestly I didn’t think the canals would be something I’d think about again or want to go back to see in the future, but they were so beautiful and peaceful to walk through. Not only that, but the homes on the canals are BEAUTIFUL and I want to live there- hahaha!! (Instagram)

Stop #6: VENICE sign for the beginning of sunset. This sign is hanging over an intersection, so you have to wait for the light to turn red and then run and grab your photos as fast as you can! OR you can just stand on the sidewalk and snap away! Be smart and cautious!

Stop #7: Venice Beach Boardwalk! Just further down the road from the sign you’ll hit the boardwalk/ beach! It’s a very lively and active area with street performances and tons of people hanging out, roller blading, skating, etc. Watching the sunset here was absolutely beautiful! (instagram: @venicebeachboardwalk)

Stop #8: The Rose Venice for dinner! It’s so cute and SO YUMMY! We had the Brentwood Sweet Corn Agnolotti and Patatas Bravas. Both were ridiculously good, outdoor and (instagram: @therosevenice)

Stop #1: Walk Abbot Kinney Blvd and shop! The boulevard is so cute with palm trees lining the sides and tons and tons of shops along each side! Great coffee shops to stop in also: Zinque, Intelligentsia, Blue Bottle, Cha Cha Matcha (boutiques/shops open around 10:30!)

Stop #2: Greenleaf for brunch/lunch! I got the avocado toast and my friend got the stir-fry- so delish! Ask to sit in the back room- it’s super cute and rustic looking! P.S. It opens at 10:30 on the weekdays just as a heads up! (instagram: @greenleafchopshop)

Stop #3: Runyon Canyon Hike! Though we wanted to do this around sunset, because of our schedule we did it around 3:00 pm. It was hot, but totally doable! There’s a hard, unpaved trail and then there’s an easier, paved trail- we did the easy haha (stay to your left when entering the hike)! Views are great, but if you want that sunset, get that sunset!!

Stop #4: Griffith Observatory which was about a 25 min ride from the hike! Honestly this place is beautiful, BUT I would highly suggest visiting at sunset/night time. The views were almost the same as we had seen on the hike, so I definitely want to come back next time to see it in a different light! (instagram: @griffithobservatory)

Stop #5: Wildcraft for dinner. This is a little cute Italian place in Culver City and it’s so yummy! Also, every Thursday, the City Hall puts on a performance! (we ate here on a Thursday night and had live music from across the street!) (instagram: @wildcraftcc)

Stop #1: Uncle Bills Pancake House for breakfast/brunch in Manhattan Beach (1 mile from Hermosa!) It was so incredibly yummy and beyond adorable! Seating inside/outside! So close to the beach too! I got the three eggs with two muffins (banana nut and blueberry) still salivating thinking of them haha! (instagram: @unclebills_mb)

Stop #2: Hermosa Cyclery to rent bikes and ride them up and down the beach path! (It’s about a 30 minute walk from Uncle Bills, or a 3 minute Uber!) Rates vary on the length of time you intend to be out, but it’s so worth it and so enjoyable! We biked about 6 miles round trip! *be sure to bike towards Manhattan beach for the lengthier ride! (instagram: @hermosacyclery)

Stop #3: The beach! The cycling store is right on the beach, so we dropped off our bikes and went straight there! Enjoyed the warm sun and dipped our toes in the water!

Stop #4: Hotel Erwin for rooftop sunset drinks! (after the beach we went home, freshened up, and changed for a night out- it was Friday for us!) A great rooftop overlooking Venice Beach and the sunset was unreal! Bring a sweater or a jacket because it gets super chilly up there! (instagram: @hotelerwin)

Stop #1: Road trip up to Malibu! This was a Saturday for us, so my friend drove us in her car! Though we hit a bunch of traffic on the PCH, it was such a beautiful drive!

Stop #2: El Matador Beach for some views and a short beach walk. The rocks are so beautiful, but it was insanely packed since it was Saturday. I definitely would NOT recommend this beach for sunbathing as the beach is super narrow and the waves are a bit crazy! For parking- there is a tiny parking lot, but most people park on the PCH. PLEASE BE CAREFUL and try to park on the side that’s closest to the ocean!

Stop #3: Malibu Pier/ Malibu Farm Cafe (at the end of the pier) The pier is so fun to walk down and take some photos! For the actual Malibu Farm Restaurant, call in advance to make a reservation if you’re going around late afternoon/ evening! No reservations necessary for the cafe at the end of the pier. The cafe still has super yummy food which is where we ended up eating!

Stop #4: Mulholland Scenic Overlook. Just in time for sunset, this drive/ scenic overlook was just straight up MAGICAL! Lots of twists and turns so if you’re prone to getting carsick beware! But it was truly beautiful! I think there are multiple locations to stop, but we just typed in “Mulholland Scenic Overlook” into gps and went there!

Stop #1: Melrose Trading Post! It’s only open on Sundays (9am-5pm), so make sure you make this your Sunday plan if you’re there!! $5 valet parking and $5 admission. There are TONS and TONS of vendors- clothes, home goods, food, coffee, live music, denim galore! EVERYTHING! It’s amazing and I wish I could be there every Sunday! (instagram: @melrosetradingpost)

Stop #2: The Bungalow in Santa Monica for a couple drinks mid afternoon. After the trading post we went and changed and then went to this cute spot. Extremely chill but fun vibes! Unfortunately it got cloudy, but would have been beautiful with a great sunset! (instagram: @thebungalowsm) *We then stopped by Elephante for a drink, but we were extremely exhausted so didn’t stay long or order food *

Stop #1: Urth Caffe (Melrose location) So cute and super yummy! I got the Egg Sandwich and a Thai coffee! Huge portions so go there hungry!! Or if you just want to grab a little coffee and pastry, you totally can too! After eating, we walked down Melrose for a little to digest and window shop! (SUR is about 5 minutes down the street if you care to see it!) (instagram: @urthcaffe)

Stop #2: Alfred Tea Room– a 7 minute walk from Urth Caffe! I honestly didn’t know what to get, so I picked something random BUT I feel like their matcha and boba are good if you’re into it or want to try it! Super cute outdoor area for photos! (instagram: @alfredtea)

Stop #3: The Grove to walk around! It’s seriously such a beautiful area even if you’re not interested in shopping! They have music playing over speakers, water fountqains, and a BEAUTIFUL movie theatre!! A must-see area of LA! (instagram: @thegrovela)

Stop #4: LACMA You can walk through the tar-pits (basically where dinosaurs and huge mammoths were found in tar) or you can just go straight to the urban lights! (instagram: @urbanlights)

Stop #5: UGO in Culver City for dinner. (to be honest, after LACMA it was almost time for the bachelorette, so I watched that and then we went out to dinner locally!)

Stop #1: Nasty Gal Showroom in downtown LA. This was a really cool experience for me because I got to meet who I’ve worked with! Their office space was beautiful and so chic!!

Stop #2: Eggslut for breakfast/ brunch at the Beverly Hills location. There are tons of locations- we just wanted to stay in the Beverly Hills area! I got the Fairfax sandwich which I thought was delicious! It’s a little messy to eat so be careful! (instagram: @eggslut)

Stop #3: Rodeo Drive! I was so excited to get here and honestly it did not disappoint. It is so incredibly clean and beautiful with string lights hanging and palm trees lining the road. I would definitely recommend coming here during the day but also around sunset! (Need to come back!)

Stop #4: Louis Vuitton Exhibit at the end of Rodeo. I am not one for high-end shopping, but I thought this exhibit was INSANE and AMAZING! So worth it (it’s free!) and great opportunity for photos too! *closes 9/15/2019* (instagram: @louisvuittonexhibition)

Stop #5 (the last stop): Salt & Straw on Abbot Kinney Blvd. Though it was a bit of an Uber drive, it was totally doable. This was my last day here, so we decided to grab some ice-cream which had been on our list! Super yummy! I got the honey lavender and coffee!! (instagram: @saltandstraw)