4 Days in Los Angeles: A Day-by-Day Itinerary

Get ready for palm trees, world-class art, film history and big Pacific sunsets. This 4-day plan is made for first-time visitors who want the Los Angeles icons without spending the whole trip stuck in traffic. Each day stays in one part of this sprawling city, so you spend your time exploring rather than crossing it.

You’re in for a sunny, feel-good trip. The pace is relaxed but full: two or three main stops a day, long lunches and a golden-hour view every evening. It works on the Metro plus the odd ride-app hop, and it is built around museum closing days, so check the start-day tip below before you lock in your dates.

At a glance

Day	Area	Highlights
1	Downtown LA	Union Station, Olvera Street, Grand Central Market, Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Broad, Little Tokyo
2	Hollywood and Griffith Park	Hollywood Walk of Fame, TCL Chinese Theatre forecourt, Los Feliz, Griffith Observatory at sunset
3	Brentwood and Mid-Wilshire	Getty Center gardens and art, LACMA, Farmers Market area
4	The coast	Santa Monica Pier, beach path to Venice, Venice Canals, sunset on the sand

Best start day: Tuesday to Friday. The Getty Center, The Broad and the Griffith Observatory building are closed on Mondays, and LACMA is closed on Wednesdays. Starting between Tuesday and Friday keeps Days 1 to 3 clear of those closures. The beach day works any day of the week.

Day 1: Downtown LA, old and new

Morning

Your LA adventure starts downtown, where the city began. Head to Union Station, the grand rail hub that is also where the FlyAway bus from LAX arrives. Take a few minutes in the main hall, then cross Alameda Street to Olvera Street (about a 5-minute walk), the historic heart of the original pueblo, with market stalls and Mexican snacks.

From there, walk about 25 minutes to Grand Central Market, or ride the Metro B or D Line two stops from Union Station to Pershing Square and walk a few blocks. Aim to arrive for an early lunch, when the food stalls are at their liveliest.

Afternoon

Right across Hill Street from the market, ride the little Angels Flight funicular up Bunker Hill (check the fare on its official site), then walk about 10 minutes to Grand Avenue.

Head first to the Walt Disney Concert Hall for the free self-guided audio tour. Tours run daily from 10am to 3pm, the last tour starts at 2pm, and no reservation is needed. The schedule can change around performances, so check the Music Center tour page on the morning of your visit.

Then cross the road to The Broad (221 S. Grand Avenue). General admission is free. The museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 11am-5pm, Thursday 11am-8pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pm. It is closed Mondays, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Pre-book: reserve a free timed ticket for The Broad on its official site (walk-ups are available but not guaranteed). Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room needs its own advance reservation.

Evening

Walk about 15 minutes downhill to Little Tokyo for dinner: ramen, sushi, mochi and plenty of small shops. Night owls can carry on into the neighbouring Arts District for murals and breweries.

Day 2: Hollywood glamour and Griffith Observatory

Morning

Lights, camera, action: today is pure Hollywood! Take the Metro B Line to Hollywood/Highland. You come up right onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which runs along Hollywood Boulevard from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue and along Vine Street from Sunset Boulevard to Yucca Street. There are more than 2,800 stars, so pick a few favourites to hunt down using the official Walk of Fame directory.

Stop at the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre to compare your hands with the famous handprints in the cement, then stroll east along the boulevard to Hollywood/Vine (roughly 15-20 minutes on foot without stops).

Afternoon

From Hollywood/Vine, ride the B Line two stops to Vermont/Sunset and grab lunch in leafy Los Feliz.

Then hop on the DASH Observatory/Los Feliz bus from the Vermont/Sunset station up to the Observatory. According to the Observatory, it runs daily from 10am to 10pm, stops in front of the building every 20-25 minutes and costs 50 cents (35 cents with a TAP card). Bring exact change if you are paying cash, because drivers cannot give change.

Griffith Observatory opens at noon Tuesday to Friday and at 10am on Saturday and Sunday, closes at 10pm, and is closed on Mondays. Entry to the building, the grounds and the public telescopes is always free. Planetarium shows cost extra, so check prices and showtimes on the official site and buy your planetarium tickets early in the day.

Evening

Stay for sunset. The terraces give you sweeping views over the city and towards the Hollywood Sign, and after dark the lights spread out below you like a carpet. Check the Observatory calendar for public telescope viewing, then ride the DASH back down to Vermont/Sunset.

Day 3: The Getty and Museum Row

Morning

Get ready for an art-filled day with hilltop views. Be at the Getty Center for opening. Admission is free but needs a timed-entry reservation. Hours are Tuesday to Friday and Sunday 10am-6:30pm, Saturday 10am-9pm, closed Mondays. A tram carries you from the parking area up the hill to the hilltop campus, gardens and views stretching to the ocean.

Getting there: Metro bus 761 stops at the Getty Center entrance on Sepulveda Boulevard. If you drive, parking is $25 per car ($15 after 3pm, $10 after 6pm, free on Saturdays after 6pm), and payment is cashless. There is no street parking nearby.

Note that some galleries (South Pavilion, the plaza-level galleries of the East Pavilion and the North Pavilion galleries) are closed for renovation, so check what is on view before you go. Allow around three hours.

Pre-book: reserve your free Getty entry time on getty.edu.

Afternoon

Take a ride app across town to LACMA on Wilshire Boulevard. Journey times swing a lot with traffic, so leave a generous buffer. LACMA is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 11am-6pm, Friday 11am-8pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pm. It is closed on Wednesdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

For visitors who live outside LA County, adult tickets are $30, with $26 for seniors and students and $15 for ages 3-17. LACMA says timeslots can sell out, so book a timed ticket on its official site. Do not miss the forest of vintage streetlamps out front, a favourite photo stop.

Heads-up for late October 2026: the Metro D Line Wilshire/Fairfax station is closed from 23 October to 1 November, with buses filling in.

Evening

Walk roughly 15 minutes north along Fairfax Avenue to the Original Farmers Market area for a casual dinner from the stalls. If it is a Friday, you could stay at LACMA until 8pm first.

Day 4: Santa Monica and Venice

Morning

Save the beach for the grand finale! Ride the Metro E Line all the way west to Downtown Santa Monica, then walk about 10 minutes to the Santa Monica Pier. The City of Santa Monica says the pier and its attractions remain open during current construction work nearby.

Take a spin on the historic merry-go-round (open Monday and Thursday 11am-5pm, Friday to Sunday 11am-7pm, per the pier’s site), or peek into the small Heal the Bay Aquarium under the carousel building (Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 4pm). For the rides at Pacific Park, check opening hours on its official site.

Afternoon

Follow the beachfront path south to the Venice Beach Boardwalk, about 40 minutes on foot or a breezy ride if you rent a bike. Watch the skaters and street performers, then wander a further 15 minutes or so to the quiet, flower-lined Venice Canals. Finish with coffee or shopping on Abbot Kinney Boulevard.

Evening

Head back towards Santa Monica for sunset on the sand, then dinner around the Third Street Promenade before catching the E Line back.

Getting there and getting around

From LAX by FlyAway bus. The nonstop FlyAway runs seven days a week between every LAX terminal and Union Station in Downtown LA. Board on the Lower/Arrivals Level at the blue FlyAway columns. The one-way fare is $12.75, paid on board by contactless Visa or Mastercard, Apple Pay or Google Pay, or bought online. Cash and non-contactless cards are not accepted. Buses leave LAX for Union Station every 30 minutes through the day, with the last listed departure at 1:10am. Journey time depends on traffic, so use the live bus tracker on flylax.com.

From LAX by Metro. Catch the free shuttle from the pink LAX Shuttle signs on the Lower/Arrivals Level to the LAX/Metro Transit Center, then ride the C Line or K Line. Metro’s standard fare of $1.75 applies.

Taxis and ride apps. Taxis and ride apps pick up at the LAX-it lot next to Terminal 1. Walk there or take the free LAX-it shuttle from the green signs. Taxis are also available inside Parking Structure 3 (between the Tom Bradley International Terminal and Terminal 3) and at the far end of Terminal 7. LAX lists Lyft, Opoli and Uber as its authorized ride apps. The Walk of Fame says Hollywood is 12 miles from LAX, about 30 minutes to an hour by car.

Getting around. A Metro ride costs $1.75, with free transfers within two hours when you tap. Fares are capped: never more than $5 in a day or $18 in seven days. Pay with a TAP card, a contactless credit or debit card, or a TAP card in Apple Wallet. Cash works on buses only, needs exact fare, and does not count towards the caps. Children under 6 ride free with a fare-paying adult. For four days of tapping, you will pay at most $18 for Metro rides.

Where to stay

• Downtown LA: best for transit. Union Station connects the FlyAway, several Metro lines and Day 1 is on your doorstep. Great for culture lovers and first-timers on a budget.
• Hollywood: central for Day 2, on the Metro B Line, with lively nightlife and easy access to Griffith Park. Good for film fans and night owls.
• Koreatown: a food-lover’s favourite, with late-night restaurants and Metro stations between Downtown and Hollywood. Good value for groups and families who eat out a lot.
• Santa Monica: beach mornings, ocean breezes and walkable streets at the end of the E Line. Ideal if you want a calmer, seaside base and do not mind longer rides to Hollywood.

Budget

Item	Typical cost
FlyAway bus, LAX to Union Station (one way)	$12.75
Metro ride	$1.75 (daily cap $5, 7-day cap $18)
DASH Observatory/Los Feliz bus	50 cents (35 cents with TAP)
Getty Center admission	Free (timed reservation)
Getty Center parking	$25 per car, less later in the day
The Broad general admission	Free
Griffith Observatory building and telescopes	Free (planetarium extra: check official site)
Walt Disney Concert Hall self-guided tour	Free
LACMA adult ticket (non-LA County resident)	$30
Hotels, meals, ride apps	Vary widely: check current prices

The budget in the summary box covers only transit and sights. It excludes accommodation, food, drinks, ride apps, shopping and flights, which will make up most of your spend in Los Angeles.

Practical tips

• Visa and entry: rules depend on your passport. Some travellers can use the Visa Waiver Program with an ESTA, which CBP recommends applying for as soon as you start planning. Others need a visa. Check the official CBP ESTA page and the US State Department’s visa portal.
• Closing days: Monday closes the Getty Center, The Broad and the Griffith Observatory building. Wednesday closes LACMA. On Thanksgiving (26 November 2026) and Christmas Day, the Getty Center, The Broad and LACMA are all closed.
• Book ahead: free timed entry for the Getty Center and The Broad, a separate reservation for the Infinity Mirrored Room, and a timed LACMA ticket.
• Go cashless: FlyAway does not accept cash, Getty parking is cashless, and tapping a card on Metro gets you the fare caps. Keep a few coins for the DASH if you are not using TAP.
• SIM and eSIM: buy an eSIM before you fly if your phone supports it, or pick up a prepaid SIM in the city. You will lean on maps and ride apps a lot.
• Dress: no special dress codes at these sights. Pack layers, since evenings by the ocean and up at the Observatory can feel cooler than the afternoon.

Heads-up

Los Angeles is a joy to explore, and a little planning keeps it that way:

• Use official pickup points at LAX. Take taxis and ride apps only from LAX-it and the designated taxi areas, and stick to the ride apps LAX authorizes.
• Mind the closing days. Turning up at the Getty or The Broad on a Monday, or LACMA on a Wednesday, is the easiest way to lose half a day.
• Griffith Observatory crowds. Parking near the Observatory is limited, roads may close when traffic backs up, and at busy times you may wait 5-15 minutes to get into the building. On Greek Theatre concert nights there are extra parking restrictions. The DASH bus saves the hassle.
• Getty renovations. Several galleries are closed for renovation, and there is no street parking near the Getty Center.
• Metro station closure. The D Line Wilshire/Fairfax station near LACMA is closed 23 October to 1 November 2026. Check Metro service alerts for any other changes before you ride.
• Santa Monica construction. The pier stays open, but parking and street access around it have changed. The City suggests taking transit such as the Metro E Line instead.
• Weather and outdoor plans. Before any hike in the hills or a long beach day, check the latest official weather and fire alerts, carry water and wear sunscreen.

FAQ

Do I need a car for this itinerary?

No. Every day here works with the Metro, the DASH bus and the occasional ride app. The one stretch where a ride app makes life easier is the Getty Center to LACMA hop on Day 3.

Which day of the week should I start?

Tuesday to Friday. That keeps the Monday closures (Getty, The Broad, Griffith Observatory) and LACMA’s Wednesday closure away from Days 1 to 3.

Are the big museums really free?

The Getty Center, The Broad’s general admission and the Griffith Observatory building are free. The Getty and The Broad ask you to reserve a timed entry. LACMA charges $30 for adult visitors who live outside LA County.

What is the cheapest way from LAX to Downtown?

The Metro: the free shuttle to the LAX/Metro Transit Center, then the C or K Line, for a $1.75 fare. The FlyAway bus ($12.75) is the simpler, nonstop option to Union Station.

Where is the best Hollywood Sign view on this plan?

The terraces at Griffith Observatory on Day 2, ideally around sunset.

Is 4 days enough for Los Angeles?

It is enough for the classic highlights at a comfortable pace. With extra days, add a theme park, a beach town further along the coast or more time in the museums.