Los Angeles is as smog and traffic filled as you’ve heard, but it is also a city with some of the best beer in the world and plenty of fun things to do!
LA Tips:
Rent a car. I don’t always recommend renting a car, and you may think I am crazy with what you have heard about LA traffic, but I do recommend it. The city is massive and very spread out so a car is the easiest way to get around. Plus, rideshares like Uber and Lyft are quite expensive in the LA area.
If you are planning to Uber/Lyft from the airport you will need to take a shuttle from the terminal. You can’t actually order your ride until you get into the pickup zone but there are cars waiting for riders there.
Intentionally plan out your time. There are several cities within the Los Angeles area worth exploring—downtown, Anaheim, Costa Mesa, the beaches, and more—that are all spread out, so be sure to have a plan of attack for your visit.
If you are in town on a Monday or Tuesday be prepared that a lot of businesses (especially breweries) are closed.
Downtown LA and tourist sites like the Hollywood Walk of Fame are pretty run down—overall I found central LA to be quite dirty. It’s not quite the glitz and glam that movies make it out to be.
San Diego is closer than you think! It is about two hours from one downtown to the other, but both cities are sprawling so much that you can easily traverse between the two! I highly recommend exploring San Diego while you’re in the LA area—check out all of my San Diego recommendations here!
Doing a road trip? Check out my Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park guide here and my Las Vegas guide here!
Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations:
Monkish Brewing Co: Monkish is arguably one of the best breweries in the country. Their original taproom is located in Torrance, conveniently close to LAX if you are flying in/out of the city. They are best known for their New England IPAs which are absolutely spectacular, but their funky beers are delicious as well. They have a great patio space and food pop-ups Thursday-Sunday.
Monkish has a second location in Anaheim next to Farmer’s Park and the Anaheim Packing District. Parking can be a challenge here when the market is busy but it is worth it for their fantastic beers.
Bottle Logic Brewing: A powerhouse brewery specializing in Stouts located in Anaheim. They have a nice patio, a large tap list, and phenomenal beers.
Green Cheek Beer Co.: A top-notch brewery with locations in Costa Mesa and Orange. They have a wide array of beers to choose from, including a few guest taps, and they are best known for their Lagers. They also have a small food menu.
Windsor Homebrew and Bottle Shop: A curated bottle shop and homebrew supply store with locations in Anaheim and Costa Mesa. Their bottle shop selection is incredible and the Anaheim location also has a selection of beers on tap that are hard to find and highly rated.
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Highland Park Brewery: A fantastic brewery in downtown Los Angeles with a wide variety of beers and delicious food. Chill vibes, great beers.
Kings Brewing: Located in Rancho Cucamonga, Kings is best known for their thicc Fruited Sours but they also highly value a good crisp Lager. They have a massive tap list and a friendly team.
Homage Brewing: Homage has two locations—their original taproom is in downtown Pomona and they have a smaller secondary taproom in the Chinatown neighborhood of downtown LA. They are best known for their Saisons and Lambics which are top-notch.
The Bruery: The Bruery is a highly awarded brewery creating uniquely delicious beers. Their main brewery and taproom is located in Placentia, right near Anaheim, Their second location, Bruery Terreux Tasting Room, is 5 minutes away in Anaheim proper. This location houses their Lambics and Wild Ales, but you can get those on tap at the main taproom as well.
Monkish Brewing
The Classic Tourist Spots Actually Worth Visiting:
Griffith Park: A massive park with hiking, an observatory, access to the Hollywood Sign, a Greek Theater, the L.A. Zoo, tennis courts, a golf course, an equestrian center, and more!
I enjoyed the Glendale Peak Trail in Griffith Park that was 3.6 miles long and 67 flights up. It is quite exposed so be sure to bring lots of water. The trail can be popular but on a weekday morning I only saw a few folks. You get great views of the skyline, Hollywood Sign, and surrounding mountains.
Hit the beach! Whether it is Santa Monica, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, or any of the smaller beaches in between, spend some time at the Pacific Ocean.
Getting a picture of The Hollywood Sign: While in L.A. this is basically a must do, but it turns out it’s a bit harder than you would expect. You can go to the top of the park but then you are behind the letters and can’t actually read them, so I set out to take a photo from the front of the letters. As a heads up, Google says you can do this from “The Last House on Mulholland” but you cannot, they have closed the road. The entire Beachwood Canyon Neighborhood that is in front of the Hollywood Sign has signs up throughout it preventing parking and there are several roads closed because of tourists. I managed to snag a quick photo near 3389 Deronda Drive, but even that was technically not allowed.
Elysian Park: Another massive greenspace in the city! There is a good view of the skyline at Angel’s Point.
Check out the Top of the World: I did the Top of the World via Canyon Acres Trail in Laguna Beach that led to a great viewpoint of the surrounding mountains, ocean, and city. You can also drive up to right below The Top of the World if that is more your style. For the hike it was short but steep—2.7 miles long and 70 flights up. It is very exposed so be sure to bring lots of water. Overall it took me just over an hour and was a great workout with great views.
Griffith Park
Other ideas:
Radiant Beer Co.: Located in Anaheim, Radiant is a young brewery with vibrant branding and a nice patio. Their beers are solid and they were named 2021 GABF Small Brewery of the Year.
The Camp: A cute development in Costa Mesa with a bunch of shops and restaurants to explore.
Slurpin’ Ramen Bar: A small ramen bar located near The Camp in Costa Mesa with delicious ramen and other appetizers and sides.
Mumford Brewing: A solid brewery in downtown Los Angeles.
Sandbox Brewing Company: Sandbox is a small spot known for their Fruited Sours. They are located in an industrial complex in Montclair.
