From Las Vegas, my friend and I took a bus to Los Angeles. We left early in the morning and arrived in the afternoon. I did not expect it to be cold in LA!
We arrived to our hotel and checked in, eating a super late lunch. We also spoke with hotel management, who gave us an excellent idea of booking a tour to see all the famous places in LA in one day. I had planned everything out in my itinerary, but it was too ambitious. Thank goodness for Robin, who helped us fulfill our dreams in LA.
Here’s a list of some of the coolest places we saw in LA!
The Last Bookstore: I saw this iconic bookstore on Pinterest and wanted to check it out. I love books, the smell of fresh paper, and the stories that will be told through many pages. I knew I had to check this bookstore out. After a fast Uber ride, we made it downtown. The top floor with the cool curvy bookshelf was closed when we went there, but we were able to check out the wall of art and the cool bicycle lights.
LA Live: After being told it was too dangerous to walk around downtown at night, we decided to go to LA Live. We went there and saw large banners and a pavilion-like place. There were a few restaurants around the area. I’m sure there would have been more happening if it was a weekend.
Nixo Patio Lounge: I didn’t want to give up on the night. We looked around, and I heard an instructor providing instructions. My friend and I decided to check it out – we saw it was a salsa class. In the spur of the moment, we signed up, not knowing that it would probably be one of the most magical nights ever. We took a class and learned salsa, bachata, and cumbia. It was so fun dancing with many people and learning new moves. I danced with some experts, who showed me amazing steps. If I could go back, I would do it all over again.
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The next day, we got ready and hopped on the tour bus early in the morning. We didn’t get down at every place, but it was certainly worth the entire day’s trip: Forum, SoFi Stadium, SpaceX Tesla, View of LA (14 Lane Highway), InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown (check in at the 70th floor), California Science Center, LA Coliseum, University of Southern California, Fooderies, a 200-year-old tree, LA Convention Center (LACC), Cecil Hotel, Skid Row, LA City Hall, Broad, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Olvera Street, Greek Theatre, Capital Records, and Santee Alley.
Murals: There are a lot of beautiful murals by talented artists in LA to admire. Be on the lookout for some beautiful walls!
Griffith Observatory + Hollywood Sign: I was scratching my head trying to figure out how to see this famous sign (given some of the logistical issues I read about) – our tour guide took us to Griffith Observatory, and that’s where we saw the beautiful Hollywood Sign including a view of downtown LA. It was surreal seeing something that you only see in photos in real time. I was more excited about the rest of the places we would see after this spot.
Hollywood Boulevard: We stopped here for a break before lunch. We saw the famous TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX, Hollywood Walk of Fame, palm trees, the Hollywood Roosevelt, and other cool spots here. I stopped by CVS to grab some necessities and a little souvenir for my collection. We walked around and saw so many famous celebrities’ stars.
Original Farmers Market: I was confused as to why we would go here, but it turned out to be one of my most favorite places in LA to see. There are many vendors who have amazing offerings including desserts, candy, food, and more. If you want some good food and treats to take home, this is the place to check out.
Waffleshot: This is one of the best places I have ever visited because of its unique chocolate/coffee little shot. I’ve never had anything like it before, and it is so good.
Rodeo Drive: We had only 10 minutes to spend here as our tour guide could not park the bus. My friend and I ran across the street and made it to this iconic place. We took photos by the famous Versace store and walked back to our bus. I think more than the actual places, it was being able to see all these so quickly, which was the real thrill.
The Richest Neighborhood: Our tour guide took us all over Beverly Hills, and we saw some of the most famous celebrities’ houses including the following: Michael Jackson (the house he died in), Beyoncé, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jones, George Clooney, and Uncle Phil’s house from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Santa Monica Beach: This beach was so pretty to see in the late afternoon. We took our shoes off and ran to the swings first, frolicking in the sun. Then we ran as fast as we could to the shore, running around in the water. We did not go all the way to the pier, but we enjoyed walking around in the sand.
Venice Beach + Sign: Technically, Santa Monica Beach was the last beach that our tour guide was going to take us to. We asked him if he could drop us off at Venice Beach so we could walk around the area. It was gorgeous at sunset – we saw the famous sign and was so excited to see the sun say goodbye. We sang and danced until the moon woke up.
Great White: We were starving and needed to eat before meeting with some friends. We found this cafe, which had really cool light fixtures. The Kale Pesto Pasta was out of the world and so was the refreshing cucumber drink – I highly recommend going here if you want a great meal and good ambiance.
Perch: We met my friends here at this pretty rooftop – we left our stuff with security and went to the top, where we got a nice view of the city. The cocktails were tasty and perfect right after dinner.
Urban Light: Of all the places we saw in LA (and even in the world), this is my favorite of all. I wanted to go here since I saw the film No Strings Attached – it was pretty during the day, but at night it was breathtaking. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more romantic and beautiful at night with the different lights and pillars. I love hugging trees – now I love singing near pillars! According to the website, this is by Chris Burden and is the entrance to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); these 202 street lamps pay tribute to the old city life in LA and can convert to solar power.
The Grove: On our last day in LA, my friend and I went back to the Original Farmers Market to eat a good meal and get another Waffleshot. After a great brunch (with pasta and pizza from Patsy D’Amore’s Pizzeria), we walked over to the Grove, a shopping center with a cute fountain in the middle. Since we couldn’t dress up on the other days as planned, we wore our best outfits and took some pictures by the fountain, reminiscing the highlights of our trip.
Charlotte Tilbury – The Grove: I love watching YouTube videos of the iconic MUA Charlotte Tilbury; I knew I had to go inside this enchanting store just to see the magic of her makeup. We walked in and saw many wonderful shades of red lipstick, light fixtures, and a glam room for photos. It is worth a visit if you love makeup and celebrating life with color!
Palm Trees: When in LA, you will see palm trees that remind you of the beach. As an ode to our trip, we took some final pictures by the trees before dashing back to our hotel to go back home.
Me. Poojah.