LAX and Surrounding Area can be overwhelming but jut decide whats most important to you and enjoy the tour....
Epic things to see and do in the Los Angeles Area:
1. The Pacific Coast and Highway 1
2. Beverly Hills
3. Santa Barbara
4. Melrose Design Area
5. Manhattan Beach
Pacific Coast and Highway 1 – Epic! What else can you say about this scenic roadway along the Pacific coast. With the Pacific Ocean and the rocks and mountains – the views are just stunning. I would say drive as much of Highway 1 as you can. Keep your eyes open and just appreciate the beauty. Now that being said – if you are the driver than there are areas that are difficult to relax and enjoy the views because you are trying to concentrate on the twists and turns, the traffic, bikes, motorcycles and people! It can be a bit overwhelming! But so worth it. Stop along the route for a cold beverage or a walk on the beach.
Little towns:
Carpinteria – we stopped into this town on our way up to Santa Barbara and I took advantage of the opportunity to jump out of the car and walk the beach and town. It was super cute with a large camping area too. There were little shops and restaurants that would lend itself to a perfect day of beach, shopping and eating. We had a great lunch and tasty beer at the local Rincon Brewery and really enjoyed chatting with the servers and other locals at the bar.
Santa Barbara – Based on the fact that our daughter works for the Marriott, we decided to take advantage of the parent rate and enjoy a little weekend getaway and the Ritz-Carlton in Santa Barbara delivered beyond our expectations! The resort was fabulous! Right on the ocean where each room had a separate entrance. Our room was incredible with a fireplace and a patio. It was decorated in a traditional Spanish style and just gorgeous. There was a “cliff walk” along the ocean to the beach which we enjoyed walking. Unfortunately, the sand does have natural tar in it and although we watched where we walked on the beach, we got tar on our shoes. Of course, the hotel had cleaning stations to deal with the tar, but I had just never experienced that.
The pool area at the hotel was epic! We enjoyed our afternoon there! I cannot say enough about how much we loved the resort.
Later, we took an uber downtown and enjoyed walking the pier, the shops at the pier, the sunset and then had a fabulous dinner at the Bluewater grill.
Santa Monica – I liked the beach and the long, paved walk/bike path but the pier – well its just like the movies – crazy, busy and packed with people and activity! We enjoyed watching some seals play in the water and the people.
Pasadena – Super nice town. Loved all the old buildings and you can tell it’s a well loved and cared for place. Much more to explore here than we had time for
Beverly Hills – Very much what you do expect. Beautiful, great places to eat and high and end shopping. Beautiful homes and just super nice.
Occidental College – Since my niece is a student here we were lucky enough to get a student led tour. Gorgeous campus and she certainly loves it here!
Hollywood - Well that’s crossed off my list. No need to return. Go if you need to see the walk of the stars or if you are big movie buff. I wouldn’t plan a lot of time here.
Melrose Design Area – I loved this area. Loved the coffee shops, restaurants and all the wall murals. Worth the visit!
In & Out Burger – I thought my first experience was epic!
Los Angeles – I am not sure what I expected – maybe more of a Miami vibe – but it was not what I expected. My favorite building was the new Walt Disney Concert Hall. I like Central Market – mainly because there were lots of locals and the food was good, although the market was smaller than I anticipated. I also enjoyed Little Tokyo and experiencing our first “rolled ice cream” from the food truck there with my niece!
Griffith Park – The view is epic. You can go to the observatory and hike to the Hollywood sign. It’s exactly what you think it will be and filled with tourists and many different languages.
Manhattan Beach – Ah! This was an epic place to be! Despite the weather, which was gray and chilly, I thoroughly enjoyed a 7 mile walk from Manhattan Beach to Redondo Beach. It was stunning! There were homes to gawk at, an ocean to admire, cute little downtowns and many piers along the way. This is where I would love to come back to for a week and rent a place along this epic, paved walkway! It is the perfect place for anyone to enjoy with miles and miles of beach, walking paths, biking paths, sand volleyball courts, shops, restaurants and places to explore!
Overall, I am surprised that I didn’t fall more in love with the city and how run down much of it was. But, when you focus on the surroundings then you can find the perfect small town to fit your “stage” and vibe of life. And you cannot deny that the combination of ocean, mountains, hills, rocks and surf is truly magical!
