6 Days in Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, California the city of the stars and the glitz and glam! There is so much more to this area especially if you're an outdoorsy person. My uncle moved out here a few years ago, so I've gone out to visit twice now, and here's how I recommend spending 6 days in Los Angeles, California-

Day One: Hop off the plane at LAX, Grab Lunch, Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier

Start off day one with a dream and your cardigan (if you know you know). Most morning flights land in LA around late morning / early lunch time. Stop for lunch close to the airport at KC's Crepes Cafe for some delicious savory crepes. Head to Venice Beach and enjoy the shops and walking up and down the board walk. The beach was also very pretty to walk along, and is the calmer escape of the hopping boardwalk! While Venice Beach isn't the most glamorous place, it's definitely a unique place to go and walk around.

End the night at the Santa Monica Pier where there are even more shops and restaurants as well as plenty of rides! We enjoyed just walking up and down the boardwalk taking in the views of the ocean and beach down below. There are so many different food spots here, but we ate at Big Dean's Ocean Front Cafe.

Day Two: Hollywood, Warner Bros Studio Tour, Hollywood Sign Hike, Muholland Drive

Head into downtown Hollywood for day two! While this is an extremely touristy area, it's definitely an experience to at least check it out on your trip to LA! Start off by walking the Hollywood walk of fame and look for your favorite celebrities.

Today is a total tourist day and that's okay! Head over to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum for such a fun experience seeing your favorite celebrities in wax form. There are a few of these museums throughout the US, but this is the first time I've ever been to one before this one, and it was so much fun!

After finishing up at this museum, head to the Warner Bros Studio and do a tour of the studio. I'm not a huge tv or movie bluff but this was still an awesome experience! You start off the tour by traveling around the outside lots by shuttle, even getting the chance to go inside some of the sets. You get a chance to see the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. fountain, and see recreations of the indoor sets of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and the Big Bang Theory. Finish the experience at the studio with the Marvel and Harry Potter area, which my boyfriend absolutely loved!

Finish the afternoon with a hike to the Hollywood sign, one of my favorite hikes in the LA area! This hike is about 6-miles out and back and is moderately difficult, make sure you go the full length up behind the Hollywood sign because the views are breathtaking!

End your time in this area by driving Muholland Drive, the area of some of the most expensive homes in the world housing several hollywood celebrities. Not only is it so cool to see these huge, gorgeous houses, but the road also offers views of the Los Angeles basin, the San Fernando Valley, downtown LA and another view of the Hollywood sign.

Day Three: Joshua Tree National Park

Spend day 3 at Joshua Tree National Park. This is about a 2-hour drive from LA but not a bad drive at all. I have a whole post about spending 1-day at Joshua Tree, but you can easily explore a lot of the park in just a day. My three favorite spots in the park were Skull Rock, Keys View, and Ryan Mountain. Ryan Mountain is about a 3-mile hike that has spectacular views overlooking coachella valley and the dessert down below. Joshua Tree is such a unique park to explore and a great photo op spot!

Day Four: Point Mugu State Park & Ventura

Grab breakfast at Cafe Aroma in Thousand Oaks on the way to the Malibu area for some more hiking for day 4! This place had probably the best mocha I've ever had in my life and the shop itself was so cute!

Continue heading down to the Malibu area to hit Point Mugu State Park. While we were here, we hiked the Ray Miller Trail, a 5.5-mile moderate hike with panaramic views overlooking the Pacific Ocean. You can also fish, scuba dive/snorkel, swim, view wildlife, surf/windsurf, and geocache in this park!

Head about 30 mins west to the town of Ventura to explore the town. Grab lunch at Tacos el Diablo before heading to Ventura Coast Brewing Company to hang out and grab a drink or two. After the brewery, walk along the walkway and watch the surfers down below. There are so many awesome shops in Ventura all within walking distance of the main part of town, including a Patagonia store!

Day Five: Malibu, LACMA & Beverly Hills (The Grove)

Grab breakfast at one of my favorite LA breakfast spots, Eggslut in Venice Beach. I seriously make this sandwhich on my own at least once a month. I love it!

Head back down to Malibu area to Point Dume. Yes a little bit more hiking, but this is hardly a hike. The 1.1 mile trail takes you up the Point Dume cliffs for breathtaking views of the ocean down below. Such a great spot to watch seals, dolphins and even whales during whale watching season. This is an extremely easy hike and such a neat spot to hangout for a bit and take in the views down below.

After spending your morning here, head into the city and channel your inner star. Another touristy, but fun spot, head to the LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) and explore the outdoor exhibits, including the famous lampposts. If you have time, head inside and check out those exhibits too, but the outside offers enough to walk around for a little bit.

After finishing at the LACMA, head into Beverly Hills and explore the Grove. The Grove is a spot that offers great shopping, restaurants, and entertainment in an open air environment. Head over to Rodeo Drive to explore the luxury boutiques and beautiful surroundings. Rodeo Drive was definitely just a spot for some serious window shopping, but still a neat stop to add to your itinerary!

Day Six: Topanga State Park & Back to the Airport

Head to Topanga State Park for day 6. Topanga state park is located in the cliffs and canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains featuring 36 miles of trails. We did the skull rock trail while we were here, and while the weather was absolutely miserable, it was an awesome hike! This park is also a historical/cultural site, offering picnic areas, exhbits and programs, a vista point, family programs, and geocaching. If you have time before your flight back home, head back to the Santa Monica Pier to walk around one more time before heading back to LAX.

Here are some of my breakfast recommendations:

Cafe Boheme (Playa Del Rey)

Cafe Aroma (Thousand Oaks)

Foster's Donuts (Thousand Oaks)

Eggslut (Venice Beach)

Yum Yum Donuts (Playa Del Rey)

Here are some of my lunch/dinner recommendations:

KC's Crepe Cafe (Playa del Rey)

Tacos el Diablo (Ventura)

Simmzy's (Long Beach)

In n' Out Burger (Literally all over, overrated but a must try experience!)

Tandoor-A-India (Playa del Rey)

Cafe Pinguini Italian Restaurant (Playa del Rey)

Playa's Pita (Lebenese) (Playa del Rey)

La Bodega Cafe (Los Angeles)

Sucre n' Sel (Macaroons) (Marina del Rey)

I hope this post helped give you some ideas of how to spend almost a week in Los Angeles, California. LA is such an experience every time I've visited, and I've come to really appreciate all that LA has to offer! Thanks for reading and remember, there's always more to be explored :)

-nicole elizabeth