Rediscover Los Angeles by Experiencing its Vibrant Mix of Outdoor Adventure, Cultural Attractions and Diverse Food Offerings

L.A. is a megalopolis brimming with passionate, relentless dreams, creative energy bursting at the seams and a food scene few cities can rival. Photo: trekandshoot/Getty Images

Fabled Los Angeles. For decades, America’s left coast capital has been a seductress at heart. A megalopolis brimming with passionate and relentless dreams, creative energy bursting at the seams and a food scene few cities can rival.

Charming and vibrant, tantalizing adventures await for those tempted to find them, with an intangible energy one inexplicably can’t help but feel. 

The host city for Super Bowl LVI, and future home of the 2028 Summer Olympics, is blessed with blue horizons and rugged canyons, cultural soul and soul food. You know about it, but not nearly enough. Once rediscovered, Los Angeles leaves an indelible mark with you wanting more. 

 

Head for the Hills

 

Strolling on Rodeo Drive and walking along Venice Beach are excellent ways to explore the city. But if you’ve been there, done that, and want more in the way of off-the-beaten-path memories, then head to the hills — literally.

Angelenos love a good hike, and there’s no shortage of parks and trails suited for all types of adrenaline junkies looking for a rewarding combination of a great workout with breathtaking views. 

Runyon Canyon in Hollywood is a short, yet challenging hike with a dash of people watching, while Malibu’s Corral Canyon features a 4-km trail where mountain air meets ocean views. The 7-km Eaton Canyon Trail, located 30 minutes east of downtown, features a 40-foot waterfall and pool, perfect for casual hikers, especially on hot days.

And then there’s Griffith Park, located only 15 minutes north of downtown, in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains. One of the largest urban parks on the continent, it’s home to the Griffith Observatory, the Greek Theatre, Bronson Caves and more than 112 km of hiking trails with views of the city below and the iconic Hollywood Sign. 

Sunrise over the iconic Griffith Park Observatory and Los Angeles skyline. Photo: Chris LaBasco/Getty Images

 

Immersive Museums, Cultural Attractions and Experiences

 

Step inside and explore immersive museums, cultural attractions and experiences, each illustrating the dynamic tapestry that makes up both the city, country and its people.

The Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall is the landmark home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, while the Getty Center gives visitors a chance to experience everything from contemporary American photography to millennia-old sculptures to Renaissance paintings. The Broad museum, dubbed “the veil and the vault,” is a striking, enigmatic home to 2,000 works, including collections featuring postwar and contemporary art.  

Inside, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art houses thousands of works, including nearly two-dozen by Picasso, while outside, an illuminated outdoor installation – Urban Light – is made of more than 200 old-fashioned street lights collected from communities across Southern California. Meanwhile, the California African American Museum (CAAM) within Exposition Park in South Los Angeles houses a collection of thousands of objects and artworks relevant to the American West, African diaspora and African Americans from across the U.S. 

The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles was designed by architect Frank Gehry. Photo: Kurt Krieger/Corbis via Getty Images

 

A Foodie Paradise

 

Let’s talk grub. Here, everything from Mexican, Italian and Korean to Chinese, Armenian and Japanese are done exceptionally well. You’ll want to start packing the calories on at Grand Central Market, the city’s largest and oldest public market. Opened in 1917, the market’s diverse food stalls offer everything from gourmet breakfast items and vegan ramen bowls to oysters and papusas. 

Order a pizza from Elio’s where pies are made in a wood-fire oven from the back of a Chevy and top it off with creamy Persian Saffron Rosewater ice cream from Mashti Malone’s. For vintage bites, head to the Donut Man for a Strawberry Donut (made with local strawberries and homemade strawberry jelly) or Philippe’s, a classic must-eat spot since 1908. Its French Dipped Sandwich is served on a French roll and dipped in the natural gravy of the roasts. Have it with any side and a coffee, which is only a whopping US$0.75, making it one of the best deals in town!