Los Angeles Weekends: Beyond the tourist traps
Curious about what you'll do when you live in Los Angeles? If you like the idea of surfing at sunrise, getting artsy in world-class galleries, and are daring enough to try hiking to the Hollywood Sign, LA is calling you home! This list of fun things to do will take you from beaches to mountain peaks and give you a full tour of Los Angeles's iconic cultural playground.
Jessica, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Jessica is a born and raised Angeleno who has spent 30 years bouncing between East LA, the Westside, and the Valley, usually with a trunk full of boxes and a strong opinion about neighborhoods. She moved eight times between 2013 and 2023 and genuinely loves it, especially the decluttering part and the chance to reinvent herself with each new move. A former teacher of eight years, she has taught everyone from pre K kids learning their ABCs to high schoolers stressing over college essays. She loves California for the beaches, sunshine, hidden lakes, and hikes that feel like they belong in another state entirely. Her guilty pleasure is the Custard Front Drive donut from Donut Friend, she road trips whenever possible, and she is slowly working through a bucket list of every national park. She lives with two bonded cats, Marty the black cat and Jelly the tabby. At Snappy Scout, Jessica edits California guides with deep local instincts built over decades of real CA living.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What Will You Do in Los Angeles?
From weekend adventures to iconic road trips, here's how locals spend their time off.
On a Saturday with perfect weather
Hit the beach before 10 am or you’ll have to circle for parking
When the gals come to town for the weekend
Bottomless mimosa brunch in West Hollywood followed by Rodeo Drive window shopping
Dude hangout
Dodger Stadium with overpriced Dodger Dogs with beers and traffic-induced bonding
Rainy dreary day
Watch locals panic over drizzle at the Getty Museum instead
Intellectually stimulating
Griffith Observatory where you can pretend to understand space time
Artsy
LACMA's Urban Light installation attracting every wannabe influencer and tourist in town
Outdoorsy
Los Leones Canyon hike where everyone's dressed like they're on set
Fitness-oriented
Join the spandex parade rollerskating on the Venice Beach bike path
If you're a shopaholic
The Grove for overpriced retail therapy and choreographed fountain shows
With your dog
Laurel Canyon Dog Park where pups are more pampered than their owners
In need of a selfie
Paul Smith’s pink wall because originality is so last season
You have to see this
Sunset Boulevard at golden hour when the smog looks romantic
My Favorite Local Spot in Los Angeles
Love Catcher in the Rye in Toluca Lake. It’s a bar with drinks named after iconic works of literature. My go-to is “The Goblet of Fire” with smoky mezcal and a jalapeño for a drink that wakes up your taste buds. “The Gatsby” and “Pearadise Lost” are also fun to order and drink.
— Jessica Montes
California Local Expert
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