So I am someone who has never gone on an actual vacation (unless you count an overnight trip to Cannon Beach, Oregon). I also belong to the American socioeconomic status of “has never been to Disneyland.” Given this, taking a trip down to California becomes kind of a big financial and logistical and exciting ordeal. I’ve done a ton of research in preparation for the short time I will be spending in Los Angeles this spring break, and here are the things I’ve decided one must do when visiting.
1. Hit the Beach!
As much as I love checking out Washington beaches or driving down the Oregon coast, there’s something seemingly always missing from those beaches that SoCal beaches are bound to offer: sunshine. After three long winter months of frozen fingers, pale skin, and vitamin D deficiency, there is nothing I want more than to lay out on a beach and soak up the sun. Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach are popular spots. And if you’re staying downtown, Santa Monica is around only a 15 mile drive away (though LA traffic may make it feel longer). If one has more time and wants to explore somewhere less touristy and more lowkey than Santa Monica, they can check out Malibu Beach further West, or Laguna Beach further East.
2. Stroll Melrose Ave. for the Perfect #grams
Melrose Avenue offers many cute places to shop and eat. And if I weren’t dipping into my savings to fund this trip, I might check out those places. What’s free to the people, and really more of a right than a privilege when visiting LA, are the many Instagrammable spots the area has to offer. Start at Glossier’s super cute showroom, where mirrors that read: you look good are begging for your perfect mirror selfie. And while you’re waiting for your order of balm dot com to be ready, take a picture in their canyon room. A short five minute walk from Glossier is the infamous pink wall at Paul Smith. Five minutes more puts you at this rainbow wall located at The Paper Bag Princess. Another five more minutes down Melrose is Sorella Boutique, whose Girls Tour mural is the perfect place to pose with your Spring Break squad. In the final stretch, make your way to Milk Bar LA to pose in front of their sweet cake mural. Speaking of cake…
3. Treat Yourself
Now I’m not much of an actual foodie, but it is known that I do appreciate a good dessert spot. If you’re already posing in front of Milk Bar LA for the ‘gram, why not step in and try their Crack Pie, Cereal Milk soft serve, or cake truffles? There’s this kinda bougie place downtown called Bottega Louie. And while anywhere with a $15 salad and valet parking is out of my element, this place has the cutest boxes of macarons. That’s two dollars for something that will be eaten in .2 seconds, but the cute little sprinkles on the birthday cake macaron make it arguably worth it. I know it’s technically not dessert, but I found out that chicken-and-doughnut shops are kinda a niche thing that exist. Combine savory and sweet by checking out Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, where you can literally get a chicken sandwich with doughnuts as buns. God, I love living in the future. Lastly, ice cream is the quintessential dessert, making it essential on any vacation. From McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, to Little Damage’s signature charcoal soft serve, there is no shortage of cute ice cream shops in the LA area.
4. Visit a Museum
Los Angeles has so many museums to check out. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is pretty popular. There you can find the infamous Urban Light piece, which has basically become a Los Angeles landmark. The Getty Center has impressive art, stunning gardens, astonishing architecture, and a killer view. Located downtown is The Broad, which houses many contemporary art collections, including Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrors Room. Reserve your free ticket online ahead of time to avoid standing all day in the ticket line, though. There’s also a Museum of Death, if, you know, you’re into that sorta thing.
5. Enjoy the View
I don’t know about anyone else, but my apartment has a great view of the alleyway trash compactor. That being said, the opportunity for me to overlook one of America’s most iconic cities doesn’t come around very often. The Griffith Observatory offers not only breathtaking views of Los Angeles, but also has an array of cool space-related exhibits and a planetarium.
Whether you’re at the Amalfi Coast, the Grand Canyon, or in your own place of residence, it is important to take a few moments to think about and appreciate where you are. I know and understand that it is such a privilege to have the means to travel somewhere. I also know and understand that it will be many many more paychecks before I can visit California again. I figure I might as well enjoy the view while I am able to.