We love LA (if you know Sharon, you know what a big deal it is for her to sign onto this statement) and have so many recommendations for what to do in the area.
Please note that the vast majority of museums and venues recommended here require proof of vaccination or an official negative test for entry, and LA restaurants, as private businesses, have the right to require proof of vaccination. Don’t leave your vaccination card at home, and make sure you have a digital version on your phone for backup.
Also, Los Angeles is dense, and the traffic is no joke. When planning your trip and excursions, do not create an itinerary that has you hopping all over the area within a day; we strongly recommend planning each day around a general neighborhood.
Art, History, and More
The Getty Villa (not to be confused with the Getty Center) is where we proposed to each other. It’s hard to name what we love more about the Villa: the gorgeous and uncannily transportive scenery and architecture that makes you feel like you’ve been dropped in Italy, or the incredible collections of historical art, artifacts, and sculptures that would take days to get through. (Don’t try to see it all in one visit.) The gift shop is, weird as it sounds, one of our favorite LA bookstores for its exquisite collection of curated books. (The day we got engaged, we left the Villa with a bag stuffed with books about and inspired by antiquity.)
Admission to the Villa is free, but requires advanced reservation—which fills up fast. Parking is $20/car, which is how they get you.
The Getty Center is a smorgasbord for art and architecture lovers. We love running around the stunning modern buildings, which feature even more stunning views of LA (and a gorgeous garden that’s nothing to sneeze at). It’s also impossible to take in all the collections in one day; we recommend looking up their current exhibitions ahead of time and going in planning to only see one (two if you’re really ambitious). The Center is—and we truly mean this—worth braving the 405 for.
Admission to the Center is free, but requires advanced reservation. Parking, like at the Villa, is $20/car.
You know the LACMA for Urban Light (the installation with all the streetlamps) which is, honestly, the least interesting part of the museum. There is bound to be at least one piece—if not multiple—at the LACMA that has you utterly transfixed. Some favorites: Chris Burden’s Metropolis II (a hit with kids) and Do Ho Suh’s 348 West 22nd Street (the moment you start looking at all of the detail, your brain melts).
The LACMA charges admission; before ordering tickets, check if you qualify for free general admission. (We love them though, so they’re worth giving money to.) Parking is $18.
If you love art, free admission, and bite-sized museums you can knock out in a day, The Broad (pronounced “brode”) is the place for you! We are so charmed by this place, which features both gorgeously sculptural architecture and an astonishingly great collection of modern art. It also happens to be on one of our favorite street corners in Downtown LA, right next to the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Admission to The Broad is free, but requires advanced reservation.
The Natural History Museum of LA County (really)
Even though you will be here for our wedding, it’s worth a second visit! Yes, you will have enjoyed private access to its most popular exhibits (the Dinosaur Hall is a completely different vibe when it’s open to the public) but there are other exhibits we love and recommend. Bryce’s favorite (besides the dinosaurs): the Visible Vault, featuring a rotating collection of Mayan, Aztec, and Incan artifacts that beats the British Museum (we said what we said). Sharon’s favorite: the Gem and Mineral Hall, which will singlehandedly turn you into a geology enthusiast.
Tickets for non-members max out at $15.
If you have limited time to take in a very LA-specific museum, are an Ice Age nerd, or just prefer doing your educational exploration outside, we recommend the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. The indoor section (full of wooly mammoths, sabertooth tigers, and dire wolves) can be knocked out in under an hour, and the real draw is the outdoor area, where you can look at the sulfurous bubbling of a real tar pit, run around the grounds, and contemplate the unpleasantness of death by tar pit.
If you are a kid and/or a space geek, you’ll love the California Science Center. Seeing the Space Shuttle Endeavor up close is an experience—you can actually look up close at where space debris bounced off its protective tiles—and its space travel exhibit is a must-see. Its other exhibits are full of interactive, kid-friendly displays and activities, and the entire museum is a love letter to the power of science.
Admission to the permanent exhibits is free, but requires advanced reservation. Special exhibits (which are worth the cost) cost extra.
The Petersen occupies one of the coolest-looking buildings in LA, and its exhibits are so fascinating that they’ll pique your interest even if you’re not a diehard car person. We highly recommend shelling out the extra cash to access the Vault, which features cars from popular movies and TV shows (Fast and Furious fans, we’re looking at you) and extremely rare cars previously owned or driven by royalty, presidents, and former dictators. And 007 fans, don’t miss the current “Bond in Motion” exhibit.
General admission maxes out at $17. The Vault self-guided tour is, honestly, a miss: the cars move around so often that half the cars in the recorded tour aren’t there, and some of the best highlights in the vault aren’t featured on the recording. Either purchase the self-guided ticket and grab a docent to show you around when you’re there (they’re very enthusiastic, so it’s not an imposition if they’re available), or just make things easier and purchase the docent guided tour.
Experiences
We can’t think of anything more quintessentially LA than a summer evening at the Hollywood Bowl—taking in a world-class performance under the stars with a picnic spread, surrounded by mountains and with the Hollywood sign in your sightlines. Even Sharon, who can be a bit of a purist about (classical) musical experiences, endorses the Bowl. Check the Hollywood Bowl’s calendar for events before and after our wedding, and remember that it’s worth it to be closer to the stage (with the seats that come with tables, if you can swing it). We highly recommend enhancing your experience by calling Andrew’s Cheese Shop and ordering one of their Hollywood Bowl cheese-and-charcuterie bentos, which we’ve always found to be a perfect spread, complete with freshly baked baguette. (Allow ample time to get from Andrew’s to the Bowl.)
The Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens
We love the Huntington so much that it was on our shortlist of potential wedding venues. You could easily spend days at the Huntington; the library and art collections themselves are staggering. (Some highlights: the famous “Blue Boy” painting, an original Gutenberg bible, one of Shakespeare’s folios, and a letter written by George Washington.) However, the gardens are so sprawling and impressive that we have done multiple visits without ever stepping indoors. Our favorites are the Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, and the Cactus Garden, and the Children’s Garden is highly interactive and appropriately proportioned fun for little ones. Fans of the show The Good Place will also recognize many Bad Place backdrops at the Huntington.
A gentle warning that San Marino does get intensely hot during the summer; wear light clothing and sunscreen, and pack or buy water. You’d also be cool—literally and metaphorically—toting a parasol. And a trip to the Huntington means walking for miles and miles, so leave the cute-but-impractical shoes at home and bring comfortable footwear.
Restaurants
Los Angeles is the undisputed food capital of the US (come at us, NYC!) and no amount of time will ever be enough to experience what this area has to offer. Here are our personal picks, based on repeated visits—we really think you can’t go wrong sticking to this list, which starts at the coast and goes inward.
Unless otherwise stated, all these restaurants are places in which you can feel comfortable rolling in wearing your cleanest sweatpants or done up in your fanciest designer outfit. (It sounds bizarre to anyone not from here, but LA, while an image-obsessed town, also never actually cares that much about how you’re dressed.)
Service and staff at all these places are consistently top-notch, but please remember that the pandemic has wreaked havoc on the usual order of things, and the influx of summer tourists tends to mess everything up. We encourage you to make reservations whenever possible, lead with kindness, and tip generously. And when in doubt, remember that we’re regulars at most of these places (meaning the staff sometimes tells us about their nightmare customers—you don’t want to be one of them).
If you’re driving, many restaurants in LA have valet service and 99% of the time it’s well worth the cost. Most valet services use apps or Square, but we also recommend keeping a $5 or $10 bill on hand to tip the valet driver.
Santa Monica & Venice
La Puglia
(424) 229-5902
1621 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Whenever we have guests, La Puglia is the first place we take them. We’ve tried everything on the menu—no joke—and haven’t ever had a bad meal. We’re very partial to Southern Italy’s cuisine (it’s lighter and more seafood-focused than what Americans typically think of Italian food) and the wine selection here is top-notch. What makes this place an absolute winner, though, is the people; the staff are so caring and passionate and always make us feel at home. Service here is delightfully reminiscent of what dining in Italy is actually like—don’t come here when you’re in a hurry. (Bryce’s standard order is the Marta and a glass of Selva Rossa; Sharon’s current go-to is the Leone and a glass of the Ugo.) Reservations on weekend evenings are recommended.
Birdie G’s
(310) 310-3616
2421 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Birdie G’s never fails to blow our minds; the menu changes weekly and does amazing things with the humblest and most unexpected of ingredients. The menu is designed to be shared; we find that ordering one dish from each course is sufficient for a two-person dinner, and if you’re in a party of 3+, the prime ribeye is worth it. Definitely get the Relish Tray—the onion dip is divine and this remains the only dish we’ve ever had that uses iceplant. Their Rose Petal Pie is their “famous” dessert, but personally we think the Empress Date Bundt Cake and Chocolate Cake are way better. Reservations are required, and plan on valeting the car for $10 plus tip.
Sidecar
(310) 587-0022
631 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
One of the best things you can do for your well-being is ordering a fresh donut or two at Sidecar, walking down Wilshire to the bluffs overlooking the ocean, and enjoying your warm donut while watching the waves. It is scientifically impossible to be unhappy doing this. (Sidecar doesn’t use preservatives, and the enjoyment level of their donuts drastically drops off when they get cold, so we don’t recommend ordering a huge box to go; Sidecar demands that you seize the moment.) Everyone recommends the Butter + Salt, and everyone’s not wrong, but Bryce’s favorite is the Old Fashion, and Sharon’s is the Vanilla Bean Glazed. Expect to wait in line—it’s often long, but moves fast.
Curious Palate
(310) 395-2901
395 Santa Monica Pl, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (Third floor of Santa Monica Place, an outdoor mall)
You might think we’ve lost our minds, recommending a restaurant in a mall next to a movie theater, but Curious Palate is no Cheesecake Factory. (Of which there is one within view of your table.) Curious Palate, like many of its snobbier brethren, gets its produce from the famous Santa Monica Wednesday Farmer’s Market and makes their own pastas, ketchup, and baked goods in house. The menu is so expansive that you’d expect duds, but literally everything we’ve ever ordered has been solid. Our go-to favorites are the steak frites, fish and chips, and Mediterranean pasta salad. The staff are exceedingly friendly (and patient!) and parking in the mall’s garage is free for the first 90 minutes. Curious Palate usually takes walk-ins, but they get frantically busy at the most random times—even the staff can’t figure out if there’s a pattern—so to be on the safe side, make reservations.
Huckleberry
(310) 451-2311
1014 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
There is no shortage of brunch places in Los Angeles, but one of our go-tos is Huckleberry. (It’s also everyone else’s go-to; on weekends the line goes down the block.) It’s always a solid quintessential LA brunch here: the breakfast burrito never fails us, we enjoy the huevos rancheros when it’s on the menu, and the fried egg sandwich is delightful (and messy). Don’t sleep on their fresh pastries, which would make Paul Hollywood weep. Parking behind the building is free, and they don’t do reservations.
Solidarity
(310) 393-8831
1414 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Comforting Polish food in a place that feels like somebody’s house: what’s not to love? The servers are all lovely and warm and friendly and happily willing to talk through whatever questions you might have about the menu, which just adds to the homey charm. Definitely get the pierogies (our favorites: potato and cheese, mushroom). Sharon’s personal favorite entree is the pork schnitzel; Bryce’s is the stroganoff. Order a dessert crepe because 1) it’s a perfect coda to the meal and 2) your server will present you with a card for a free dessert on your next visit, signed with their name, which makes you feel like you’re being personally recruited to some secret dessert society. Parking is free in the attached lot. Reservations are recommended, but we’ve had good luck walking in.
Bay Cities
(310) 395-8279
1517 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Bay Cities is home to maybe the most iconic sandwich on the Westside: The Godmother. It has won over even the most sandwich-ambivalent among us, and it’ll make any beach picnic or outdoor concert better. Get it with the works and on their house-made Filone bread (which is made fresh throughout the day and so good that whenever we buy a loaf, it’s gone within the day). The sandwich stands on its own, but if you want to class up your picnic spread, the marinated mushrooms and marinated artichokes are solid sides, as are their selection of desserts. (We’ve also strayed and tried their other sandwiches—all are good, but we so rarely want anything besides The Godmother.) Parking is free but limited, and plan on waiting in line and getting your sandwich(es) to go.
Hiho Burger (with locations in Marina Del Rey and Mid-Wilshire)
(310) 469-7250
1320 2nd St Ste. B, Santa Monica, CA 90401
We’re about to say something that we know will start multiple fights: this is the best burger in LA. We said it! Hiho doesn’t do “fancy” burgers—for your blue cheese and truffle concoctions, mosey over to Stout—but we’d argue that when you’re in the mood for a burger, nothing scratches the itch like a classic. The Hiho Cheeseburger (either a double or triple patty, depending on how hungry you are) is the only thing you ever need to order, with a side of fries and a vanilla milkshake or root beer. And while we’re not here for the service, we’re often astounded by just how friendly and warm the staff are—which feels like a small miracle given the fast pace and ratio of tourists. Hiho doesn’t take reservations, we recommend eating your burger there while it’s hot, and parking in the garage across the street is free for the first 90 minutes.
Blossom
(424) 268-4425
2821 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Here’s another controversial take: we think Blossom has the best phở on the Westside. Every bowl is firing on all cylinders: the meat is perfectly tender, the noodles are the perfect texture, and the broth is obscenely good. If you’re there on a Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday, shell out the cash for the Wagyu Miyazaki. We recommend their outdoor seating; it’s across the street from Clover Park, and Ocean Park Boulevard makes for pretty serene people-watching (it’s certainly less frenetic than some of the other east-west streets in Santa Monica). Metered parking in the area is relatively easy to find and extremely reasonable.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
(310) 314-2024
540 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291
When it gets hot on the Westside, nothing but ice cream from Jeni’s will do. The long line outside is a blessing in disguise; it gives you time to peruse Jeni’s expansive menu of current flavors and to change your mind multiple times. We unironically order our ice cream in the kids’ size; the flavors are strong enough that you’ll be sated fairly quickly. If you’re in the mood for a waffle cone, one of our hacks is to order it on top of the cup; the ice cream will otherwise melt in the LA heat faster than you can desperately lick it up and you’ll end up with a soggy cone and sticky melted ice cream all over your hands. Parking in the immediate area is a nightmare; your best bet is to find a space in one of the lots off Abbot Kinney, and walk.
Westside & Mid-Wilshire
Republique
(310) 362-6115
624 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Maybe it seems cliché to put one of LA’s most iconic restaurants on here, but it lives up to the hype. Republique has very different vibes depending on whether you’re here during the day or the evening, but it wears its many hats well; its ever-changing all-day brunch menu (order at the front) is on point, and its dinner menus (conventionally seated) are gobsmackingly good. Their case of freshly baked pastries doesn’t disappoint, and Sharon considers their matcha latte one of the best in LA. Bring a bunch of friends here, so you can order as much as possible. Metered street parking in the area depends a lot on chance; it’s worth valeting at the restaurant ($8.50 during the day, and $11.50 in the evening).
Pasta Sisters
(424) 603-4503
3280 Helms Ave, Culver City, CA 90232
True story: it was the pasta here that made Sharon seriously realize that she could see herself living in LA. The main reason why we can’t recommend more restaurants in Culver City—despite spending a lot of time in Culver—is that we keep coming to Pasta Sisters instead of checking out other restaurants. It’s very casual, unpretentious dining (you order at the counter and jump on whatever tables are available) and the simplicity of good ingredients really shines: the pasta is of course made fresh in house, and most of their main ingredients are imported from Italy. There’s a lot (by LA standards) of free parking in the Helms Bakery district, but it really fills up randomly, so be prepared to do some space hunting. After devouring your pasta, we recommend exploring the area—Arcana Books is just around the corner, and we love browsing HD Buttercup for unexpected home pieces.
Meals by Genet
(323) 938-9304
1053 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90019
We’re so spoiled in LA: in most places we know, Ethiopian restaurants are lonely posts scattered around the city, but here we have all of Little Ethiopia on Fairfax for the eating. Meals by Genet hits all our favorite notes (and for reference, our gold standard was the legendary Zeni’s in San Jose)—the injera is nice and tangy, the tibs are beautifully flavorful, and even the side dishes are nothing to sneeze at. It is absolutely bonkers that the kitchen is a one-woman show. Note that because of COVID, Meals by Genet is not currently doing in-person dining; current hours for takeout only are Thursday through Sunday, 5 PM to 8 PM. Parking (and traffic) around Fairfax is also a slog; plan accordingly.
Afternoon Tea at the Peninsula
(310) 975-2736
9882 S Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
We are huge, huge snobs about high tea; we’ve tried multiple places in London (including, of course, Fortnum’s) and are extremely disdainful of most attempts at afternoon tea in America. The Peninsula in Beverly Hills is, to date, the only tea service we’ve had in the US that meets our expectations. The Peninsula’s Living Room is beautifully furnished without being too fussy, and the leafy sunshine pouring in beats even the loveliest tea rooms in London. (Sorry, it’s true.) Each of the three tiers of food holds its own, the tea is properly brewed and poured, and the service is absolutely lovely. Reservations are absolutely required in advance, and tea will run $125/person before tax and tip. Make an event of it.