Guides
Here’s Everything You Shouldn’t Do When Visiting Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a beautiful and vast city full of all kinds of different cultures and attractions that make it a wonderful city to visit. But it can also be a very complicated and frustrating city. Especially if you don’t know what not to do! And that’s why we’re here.
We talked to LA locals and got the inside scoop on everything that should be avoided when visiting Los Angeles. Some things on this list might surprise you, but just trust us! You don’t need to bother with these tourist traps.
DON’T FLY INTO LAX
Los Angeles International Airport can be an absolute nightmare. In fact, in 2018, it was ranked the second busiest airport in the country. The security lines are always long, the terminals are always crowded, and you’ll be lucky to ever find a seat or the all-important power outlet.
The good news is, there are options. The Long Beach Airport isn’t all that far away (about a 30-45 minute drive from Santa Monica), and the Burbank Airport (AKA Bob Hope Airport) is an absolute dream. Take it from me, do whatever you have to do to fly in and out of Burbank!
DEFINITELY DON’T BOTHER WITH THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is typically a must-see for any first time visitor to Los Angeles. All those famous names on the sidewalk, all the people dressed up as famous characters waiting to pose for a picture. Heck, you might even run into a celebrity!
Not. You will definitely not run into a celebrity. It’s definitely just some names on a sidewalk (so what if they’re famous?). And those people dressed up as famous characters can be extremely annoying and will always demand money after you take a picture for them and give you a real hard time if you don’t. Not to mention how many other people will be there! This is definitely not nearly as worth it as you may think.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF TRAFFIC
Everyone’s heard about the famous LA traffic and I’m here to tell you… it is very real. Sometimes it seems like it doesn’t matter what time of day it is, traffic is always bad. Heck, even the weekends can be bad! So it’s very important to prepare yourself for the time you will lose being stuck in traffic.
Now, I’m not saying, “Don’t go anywhere! Never leave your hotel!” I’m just saying, prepare yourself accordingly. Venice and Santa Monica are definitely worth a day trip, but just be prepared to spend as much as an hour or even more on your commute to and from. And download Waze while you’re at it! It’s a fantastic GPS app that always finds the quickest routes.
THIS ISN’T NEW YORK. DON’T JAYWALK
Some people, when visiting LA, think it’s just another major city where people jaywalk all the time and nobody cares. Well, that is certainly not the case! For one reason or another (I suppose it’s because it’s the law), the Los Angeles Police Department takes jaywalking very seriously! I myself know multiple people that have gotten jaywalking tickets in Los Angeles. So don’t risk it and just wait for that little man to tell you you’re good to cross the street!
DON’T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF NOT VISITING DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
If I were writing this article fifteen or even ten years ago, I’d probably be telling you to definitely avoid downtown LA. But the city has done such an amazing job cleaning up and revitalizing the downtown area that it would not be a massive mistake to not check it out while visiting the city.
The vibe and energy down there is just incredible these days, with cozy cafes, immaculate restaurants, and hip bars that make you feel like you’re on the east coast. Places like Disney Concert Hall, Grand Central Market, The Broad art museum, and the Arts District are among the areas downtown that are the favorites of locals.