Hidden gems in Los Angeles
Skip the tourist circuit. These Los Angeles spots are the ones locals actually send their out-of-town friends to.
Top spots in Los Angeles
Griffith Observatory
OutdoorsLos Feliz
Free planetarium with the city's best skyline-and-Hollywood-sign combo.
Venice Beach
OutdoorsVenice
Boardwalk performers, Muscle Beach and rollerbladers at sunset.
The Getty Center
CultureBrentwood
Free hilltop museum, Richard Meier architecture and ocean views.
Runyon Canyon
OutdoorsHollywood
Quick hike with celebrity sightings and the classic LA-basin panorama.
Grand Central Market
Food & DrinkDowntown
Century-old food hall — Eggslut, tacos, fresh juice under neon signs.
Where to eat
Bestia
$$$Italian · Arts District
Pasta and charcuterie in a warehouse — hardest reso in LA.
Guelaguetza
$$Oaxacan · Koreatown
Seven moles and live banda music on weekends.
Republique
$$$French bakery / bistro · Mid-Wilshire
Stunning Charlie Chaplin-era room, all-day pastries to dinner.
Howlin' Ray's
$$Hot chicken · Chinatown
Nashville heat in LA — the line is the lifestyle.
n/naka
$$$$Kaiseki · Palms
Niki Nakayama's 13-course modern Japanese tasting.
Frequently asked
- Locals' under-the-radar picks include Griffith Observatory, Venice Beach, The Getty Center. These are the places that don't show up on the first page of mainstream travel guides.