Top 10 Things to Do in Southern California (Beyond Disneyland!)
If you’re doing a Disneyland trip, you’re probably actually taking a Southern California vacation, and want to see Los Angeles and beyond. Here are tips for doing just that, because, unlike Walt Disney World–the Vacation Kingdom of the World–Disneyland has less of an all-inclusive feeling, so visitors tend to make Disneyland and Disney California Adventure part of their trips, rather than all of the trip. (Last updated March 18, 2018.)
In fairness, this is arguably as much a result of the spectacular diversity and beauty that California offers as compared to the…*crickets*…you can enjoy in Florida. (Native Floridians, I kid. My great-grandparents were snowbirds and I spent a lot of time in Florida, outside of Walt Disney World, growing up. To this day, manatees remain my favorite animal. (Sorry goats.)) Joking aside, there is a lot to do in Southern California, and you could easily spend a week of your vacation doing things outside of Disneyland.
In our free eBook, 101 Things to Do in Southern California we cover our favorite favorite things to do outside Disneyland. Over on our non-Disney blog, TravelCaffeine, we have a wealth of resources dedicated to visiting the state, including a series of blog posts about California points of interest and our Ultimate Guide to Los Angeles. That’s a great starting point if you’re planning a California vacation and are trying to figure what else to do besides Disneyland…
My preferred itinerary for this kind of trip is flying into SAN, LAX, or SNA and out of SFO (and doing a one-way rental car in between) and taking “The Great American Road Trip” up Pacific Coast Highway. However, this post of the top 10 things to do in Southern California is a more approachable list for a first-time foray into California outside of Disneyland. (Perhaps I’ll do “The Great American Road Trip” post later, if there’s interest.)
10. Knott’s Berry Farm
Despite having a Season Pass there last year, I think this is the first time I’ve ever mentioned Knott’s on the blog (update: since this post, we’ve written our Guide to Knott’s Berry Farm). I’ll admit that I don’t have the same attachment to Knott’s as many people who grew up with it in SoCal. I view it as a ‘tale of two parks.’ The park proudly proclaims itself as “America’s 1st Theme Park,” and from this perspective, I love it.
Ghost Town is well-themed, but with a kitschy charm. Attractions like Calico Mine Ride and Timber Mountain Log Ride rival Disneyland in terms of quality. For me, nothing surpasses Mystery Lodge, which was rumored to have been developed for Epcot, and definitely has an EPCOT Center quality-vibe to it. Oh, and if you remember longtime Disneyland performers Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, you can now find them at Knott’s Berry Farm as Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies.
Then…there’s the other half of the park. The amusement park. It’s pretty clear just from wandering the park that it lacked leadership and cohesive direction at some point, as newer, exposed amusement park attractions are plopped down in various spots with little rhyme or reason. I have nothing against amusement parks, and these rides are fun enough, but they are a stark contrast here to the more intimate vibe of Ghost Town and the themed areas of Knott’s.
If you can score a deal on tickets or happen to be visiting during Knott’s Boysenberry Festival (that’s the legendary Fun Bun pictured above), it can be worth checking out, but there’s so much to do in SoCal that it’s otherwise difficult to recommend to all but the most adamant park enthusiasts. If you’re only going to do 3 theme parks, I’d stick to Universal Studios Hollywood, Disney California Adventure, and Disneyland.
9. Death Valley National Park
California has more National Parks than any other state (take that, Alaska!), and the diversity of the lineup is quite staggering. At the far end of the spectrum is Death Valley National Park, a place with a fairly bleak reputation that precedes it. With that said, I think Death Valley National Park is one of the most underrated places in California, and one of my favorite spots in the state. There’s far more here than hot weather and some of the alien landscape of Star Wars.
Of course, there are spots you’ll go expecting to see the twin moons of Tatooine in the distance, like Zabriskie Point, Dante’s View, and the rolling Mesquite Dunes. Then there’s also the gorgeous hikes through the canyons and hills, haunted moving rocks, starry night skies, and even vibrant wildflowers. It’s a park you can spend a lot of time exploring, and one I’ve returned to again and again despite the drive time.
If it weren’t for the fact that Death Valley is almost a 5-6 hour drive from Anaheim, it would rank near the top of this list. If you’re willing to invest the time (or are traveling to Las Vegas), you will be rewarded by a National Park that exceeds most people’s expectations.
8. Walt Disney Connections
Walt Disney, the man, left a lasting legacy on Hollywood, so it should come as no surprise that there are tributes to him and locations of significance that Disney fans might find worth exploring. (If you’ve stumbled upon this list and aren’t a Disney fan, there are probably better places of interest for you.) These include the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall, Walt’s Barn, and Tam O’Shantner Restaurant. (We aren’t fans of the restaurant, but everyone else seems to love it.)
However, nothing is more iconic and interesting than the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. This is still Disney’s working headquarters, and as such, is not open to the general public. This means you either need to know someone, or pay to take the Adventures by Disney Southern California tour. It’s honestly a shame that the Walt Disney Family Museum isn’t in Southern California. I love the Bay Area, but there’s far less reverence for Walt Disney there than exists in and around Los Angeles.
On TravelCaffeine, we even have a 1-Day Walt Disney-Inspired Los Angeles Itinerary that takes you to places Walt used to visit, as well as landmarks in the city that have a Walt Disney connection.
7. Universal Studios Hollywood
We’ve only been going to Universal Studios Hollywood since last year, and in that time, the transformation of the park has been somewhat remarkable. The opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was the ‘big’ thing, but many placemaking projects have been ongoing to give the park the same level of polish as Disneyland. While it’s still somewhat of a different animal (and Potter aside, doesn’t have the same thematic depth as Disneyland), it is a very worthwhile park.
This is true for even those who have visited Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. While most of the attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood are redundant to those parks, one is not. That’s the Studio Tour. This is a 45-minute plus tram tour through the working backlot of Universal’s studio, and is a lot like the old Backlot Tour at the Disney-MGM Studios (back when the tour was good). If you are only interested in this Studio Tour, you might broaden your potential options beyond just USH, and also consider the Warner Brothers Studio Tour and Paramount Pictures Studio Tour as alternatives.
Read our comprehensive Universal Studios Hollywood Trip Planning Guide for more info and tips for visiting USH!
6. San Diego Safari Park
Ever asked someone from San Diego what they think of Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Trick question. You don’t have to ask, because they will almost always volunteer that they think, “Animal Kingdom is nice, but I’m not easily impressed because I’ve been spoiled by the San Diego Zoo.” I had heard sentiment similar to this for years before living here. I get the pride that native Californians have, but frankly, anyone who thinks the San Diego Zoo is better than Animal Kingdom must be hitting up the Green Cross before heading to the zoo.
Same goes for the nearby Safari Park, albeit to a lesser extent. While I think the San Diego Zoo is the best zoo in the United States, aside from the panda display, the premise is the same as any other ole zoo. It’s just nicer. At least the Safari Park is doing something totally different. It still lacks the lavish theming found at Animal Kingdom, but it’s unique and offers an experience that rivals what Disney did with Animal Kingdom. Oh, and when you’re done, stop by Kennedy’s Karne for some life-changing carne asada fries. You’re welcome in advance.
5. Explore Los Angeles
Like so many major cities, Los Angeles is a love it or hate it place. And, I think–almost without exception–the people who hate it only do so because they haven’t gotten to know it. Yeah, there’s traffic, smog, crime, and poor mass transit. There’s also one of the most diverse populations of any city on the planet, beautiful weather, thriving art communities, tons of events & entertainment, and it’s a culinary mecca. That’s just scratching the surface of the “pros” of Los Angeles.
To get to know L.A., I’d recommend picking one cultural focal point for each day you have in the city, parking and doing that thing early in the day, and then taking some time to wander around after that. If you try to cram too much into the day and have to drive all over the place, you’re just going to get frustrated. For example, if you want to visit the California Science Center to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour (highly recommended), do that, and then maybe wander over to Exposition Park, the Natural History Museum, and the USC campus. Find a hole-in-the-wall spot in nearby K-Town for some Korean BBQ or drinks to end the day. After seeing the City of Angels’ heart, I think you’ll understand why it’s a world-class city.
4. Joshua Tree National Park
Aside from Channel Islands (which is only closer due to its visitor center–the actual parks are not), the closest National Park to Disneyland is Joshua Tree at around a 2 hour drive. I’ll be honest: I don’t think Joshua Tree holds a candle to Death Valley in terms of things to do. However, if you are only doing a day-trip, you’re only scratching the surface of each, and on a superficial level, Joshua Tree is fairly compelling.
First of all, you have Joshua trees as far as the eye can see, so there’s that. I was mesmerized the first time I saw one of these and could not stop talking about them…my Californian friend was slightly bemused by this, so I guess they don’t have quite the same impact on everyone. (For what it’s worth, I’ve seen many Joshua trees since, and I still am in awe of them.) In addition to the trees, there’s also the Cholla Cactus Garden, Arch Rock, great camping, fun hikes, and more. You can check out my Things to Do in Joshua Tree National Park for other ideas. Suffice to say, it’s a good day trip, and you could combine it with Anza-Borrego Desert State Park or a trip to Palm Springs, too.
3. Beautiful Beaches
Unless you count Trader Joe’s (which I seem to have to visit everyday), we go the beach(es) more than anywhere else in Southern California. Outside of maybe Hawaii, nowhere in the United States matches Southern California’s beaches. With that said, not all beaches in SoCal are of equal quality, and the most popular beaches are some of the worst ones (I’m looking at you, Santa Monica). For one thing, the beaches closest to Disneyland are in Long Beach, Seal Beach, and Huntington Beach, and all of these leave something to be desired.
If you are willing to travel a little farther, I would highly recommend going south to Laguna Beach or north to Malibu. These two cities are home to some of the nicest, most pristine stretches of coastline in California. Once there, avoid the popular main beaches and look for more secluded spots. In Laguna, my favorite is Victoria Beach (followed by the coves in Heisler Park). In Malibu, nothing beats El Matador State Beach (pictured above). The latter can get fairly crowded on weekends, so try to visit on a weekday.
2. Griffith Observatory
There are 3 places we have taken every guest who has come to visit us. The first is Victoria Beach in Laguna Beach (above), and the other two spots are the top 2 locations on this list. Griffith Observatory (and Griffith Park, generally) deserves its own mention outside of the “explore L.A.” entry on this list because it’s just that good (and free!).
Let’s start with the obvious reason to visit Griffith: to see a famous Terminator filming location. That should be enough to sell any sane person on this spot. If not, it’s an observatory, planetarium, and astronomy museum with great views of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and the Hollywood sign. On our most visit to Griffith, we actually hiked out to the Hollywood sign, which was a fun experience, and unlike any urban hike you’ll ever experience. That can be fairly time-consuming, so it’s not for everyone. One thing that everyone should see, though, is the Tesla Coil display.
1. In-N-Out Burger
I feel like I’m beating a dead horse with this one, since I mention it so frequently you’d think I have an endorsement deal. (Talk about #LifeGoals. I’m not one to sell out cheaply, but if they offered me free burgers to plug their food, I would SPAM YOU ALL SO HARD!) Seriously, though, In-N-Out makes the list because it’s a California institution on par with Disneyland (I’m not even exaggerating), and since it’s really easy to knock this one out.
Even if you don’t want to go too beyond Disneyland, it’s still not too difficult to find an In-N-Out Burger. You can practically walk to one from some of the hotels around Disneyland Resort, or grab it on your way to/from the airport. In-N-Out Burger is glorious, and represents all that is great about California’s laid back burger culture. (Whatever you do, don’t go to Ruby’s. While it looks like an iconic slice of California burger and car culture, it’s garbage meant to lure in unsuspecting tourists.)
This doesn’t even begin to cover everything there is to do in Southern California. Hitting all of the points of interest in Los Angeles, San Diego, the Beach Cities, and soaking up their unique cultures would take years, so it’s not something you can expect to accomplish in a week or two-week vacation. Hopefully this list is a useful starting point if you’re visiting, though!
As for the Disneyland portion of your trip, check out our other planning posts, including how to save money on Disneyland tickets, our Disney packing tips, tips for booking a hotel (off-site or on-site), where to dine, and a number of other things, check out our comprehensive Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide!
Your Thoughts
SoCalers: do you agree or disagree with this list? Any other spots you’d add to the list? Places on this list that you don’t like? Hearing from you is half the fun, so please share any questions, tips, or additional thoughts you have in the comments!
One caveat on the Griffith Observatory: That is a hellish drive up a narrow road on the side of a cliff without guard rails to get there. It’s scarier than a roller coaster for some people.
I didn’t mind since I was doing the driving and felt in control, but wearier passengers might want to close their eyes and not look out the window during your ascent. The view from the top is spectacular, though. =)
Great list and I’m sad that I’ve only done about half of these.
I’m still young so maybe there’s a chance.
Thanks,
Mike D.
Great list! I would also recommend San Juan Capistrano for visitors looking for something more rustic away from the theme parks. Also, I would suggest looking into a train pass, as you can take Metrolink or Amtrak basically all the way from Union Station to San Diego and avoid the horrendous LA traffic. In theory, you would think Downtown LA would be right near Hollywood (or maybe I just made that up in my mind), but if you do want to see Staples Center, Union Station, etc., AND the Walk of Fame in the same day, that will require some planning. Long story short, don’t do what I did and take the train into LA without a game plan just assuming you’ll be able to walk to everything.
PLEASE do a post on road tripping up highway 1! I actually tapped on your “Great American Road Trip” text thinking it was a link, to no avail.
Anyone visiting California for the first time needs to concentrate on either Northern or Southern California, unless you’re doing 3 weeks or more. (That’s doubly true if you’re already spending some days in DLR.) There’s too much to see and you can’t just rush around and cram everything in because 1) the state is huge, 2) traffic can be a nightmare, 3) some places you need to linger and enjoy the atmosphere (Yosemite, Napa Valley, Central Coast…), 4) if you try to rush up Highway 1 to see SF, you will experience a REAL LIFE submarine ride with Nemo and Friends…
In Orange County, I’d also recommend (if you like shopping) South Coast Plaza. If you’re a foodie, read up on the best Vietnamese restaurants around the Garden Grove area.
The best kept secret in LA is the subway. It’s limited but hits many tourist spots, including Hollywood, Grand Avenue cultural corridor, LA Live, Expo Park, K-town, Little Tokyo, and (via connecting shuttle) Griffith Observatory. You can also go to Universal Studios though I’ve never tried it.
Also if in season, try to go to the Hollywood Bowl. Another quintessential LA experience, all the nicer because it’s popular with Angelinos, not just tourists.
I hate to admit it, but I’ve lived in LA my entire life, and there are some on this list I’ve never experienced. Personally, the best part of SoCal has got to be the diversity. There are sooo many pockets of ethnicity, that can give you a glimpse into entirely different cultures, all within driving distance. This is especially true for Southeast Asian cultures. Head to Garden Grove (right next to Disneyland) to experience a bit of Vietnam. Downtown Long Beach has Cambodia Town. Monterey Park is basically ripped out of China/Taiwan. And of course, there’s Chinatown, Koreatown, and Little Tokyo, all in the heart of downtown. Also, you don’t have to look far to see the huge Latino impact in every city. It’s pretty amazing to think that you can sample all these different cultures all in one area.
I have to agree. I spent 6 days Vegas then headed to Anaheim with a plan to head to Monterey and San Luis Obispo after.
Stupidly I booked myself home to London from LAX, so unfortunately Monterey got canned. I made it to SLO luckily as staying at The Madonna Inn was on my bucket list.
Definitely consider having a north or south focus – that way you get to make 2 trips 🙂
I definitely need to make a stronger effort to see more of Southern California.
As far as what I have done:
Knott’s: Kind of a mess, IMO. You have two of the best rides ever in Calico Mine and the Log Ride, and you have a lot of mediocre roller coasters with no blending at all of “Old Knott’s” and “Amusement Park Knott’s.” Admittedly I need to give it another chance and spend more time in ghost time (and pick up the coasters that were closed…), but I think that parks like Dollywood and Silver Dollar City capture a similar atmosphere more effectively.
Universal: Come for the studio tour and the awesome view. Otherwise not much of a reason to go if you’ve been to Florida, IMO.
Warner Brothers Tour: No park attached, of course, but the tour is twice as long as Universal’s and is customized based on your group. If they find out you’re interested in a certain film, they’ll take you to where it was filmed if it’s possible. You also get to exit the tram and walk around some of the exterior sets! And about halfway through they take you to a museum with rotating props on display (when we went, Batman and Harry Potter) and might even take you onto a real set (in our case, Ellen). It’s a valid alternative IMO to the Universal tour.
I grew up on Wood’s Cove Beach and Victoria Beach. Good to see “Rapunzel’s castle” (what my sister and I called the cool stairwell) has lasted.
My three kids know where every In and Out is in California. Living in Lake Tahoe our closest ones are down in Reno, Nevada.
Really enjoy all your posts and pictures. Glad you are enjoying all the beautiful places in California, and of course Disneyland! Living in Northern California, we always make Disneyland a 5 day visit, which is just so fun and relaxing! Thanks for all the fun posts.
Great list Tom! We also loved the Getty Center.
My boyfriend and I were talking on Friday about things we want to do in California whenever we get the chance, so this post was perfect timing! Let the daydreaming commence!
I went to LA in 2009 and could barely remember what we actually did there. Went for a cruise so we only spent a small amount of time in LA, we did the Warner Brothers tour and it was amazing! Especially with my sister being in a wheelchair that couldn’t fit on the tram, we got a private tour that was tailored to our favourites (Gilmore Girls and Friends). Definitely recommended!
When we were out there, we did #5, #3, #1, a saw the “regular” San Diego Zoo, but not the safari park. (Ohio has a similar “Wilds” park that is sister to the Columbus Zoo).
I’d put the California Science Center and seeing the space shuttle on the list. We chose that over the observatory.
I’d like to get out there again and visit some of the other parks (both amusement and national), as well as re-visit Disneyland.
An In ‘n Out “Animal Style” burger also includes grilled onions extra Thousand Island spread, mustard grilled patties, and extra pickles. You can also get fries Animal Style.
I have done the Hwy 1 road trip between San Francisco and LA twice , once in each direction, and honestly could do it annually for the rest of my life and not get bored. There is so much beauty and so much to see for all ages. My don’t miss experiences on this trip would include blueberry muffins at Apple Farm in San Luis Obispo , a beer on the patio at Hogs Breath Inn in Carmel, exploring early morning tide pools in Monterrey, hiking the Cypress Grove Trail ( perfect for kids) and lots more. I would love to hear your thoughts, Tom. Especially interested in how long you would suggest for this road trip. We did a few days in San Fran, a couple in San Diego/LA and only 2 days for the drive. Next time I would dedicate much more time to the stretch in between.
It really all depends upon your interests. There is a ton of beauty along Pacific Coast Highway, and you could stop at a lot of different beaches and parks (Martin’s Beach, Half Moon Bay, Pfeiffer, etc.) that could take 4+ days alone. If you want to turn it into a loop, doing the second half of the trip inland, going through Yosemite and Mono Lake & Death Valley or Kings Canyon & Sequoia, is also another way to add 4+ days to the trip.
Last spring break we took our two little ones on an 8-day road trip starting in Las Vegas (cheap flight from Chicago). We hit the awesome children’s museum (I don’t typically like children’s museums but this was pretty impressive), hiked Red Rocks, and checked out the more family-friendly strip attractions. We then drove into California for a night in Death Valley (spectacular), later a day at Manhattan Beach (the little aquarium was fun), and finally a full day each at Disneyland and DCA before flying home via SNA. We were tired at the end but it was a great blend of scenery, exploration, and fun. It was sort of weird being at the “faux National Park” at Grizzly Peak after being in a real one, but we’re National Park geeks and it’s such a well-done homage to the NPS experience that we still loved it.
Tom, I found this blog while researching that trip, and posts like this (which recognize and appreciate that there’s an awesome world both inside and outside the parks) that keep me coming back to read — despite having no upcoming plans to visit a Disney park!
Thank you! We are heading out to SoCal in October. As of now, we are flying into LAX then making the long drive to the Yosemite Valley and staying there 2 nights. Then driving back to stay at the Villas of the Grand Californian for 5 nights. I’ve been trying to plan and we would LOVE to be able to see/do it all in CA but a week isn’t nearly long enough. I wanted to go to Death Valley, Joshua Tree, SeKi, Yosemite and the Pacific Coast Hwy all on this trip but couldn’t figure out a route that would work since everything is so spread out. I guess we’ll just have to come back to CA in a few years and do the rest of the list!
In n Out Burger has been on the list from the very beginning though. 🙂
Just curious – why don’t you fly into SFO and then hit Yosemite, then drive to Anaheim? You would save about 3 hours of driving I think. The only reason I ask is because i’m considering a Disneyland / Yosemite trip as well this August.
I would also like to see a Cali road trip post from Tom.
I have kicked around flying into SFO, SJC, or SMF (somewhere closer to Yosemite) but the car rental rates are astronomical for pick up at a different airport than drop off. Almost $800-$1000 difference in rental prices. I’m used to flying to FL and there’s no drop off charge for using two different airports (MCO vs TPA). I just can’t justify the price difference vs the travel difference. But I watch the rates like a hawk so if something changes, I’ll definitely look into that. That’s why I like to fly Southwest…no change fees!
I forgot to update that we ended up flying into Sacramento and flew home through Anaheim. 🙂
If you haven’t booked airfare, I’d also second the recommendation to fly into SFO (or Fresno, if flights aren’t exorbitant). Additionally, you can drive down from Yosemite through King’s Canyon and Sequoia; it adds more time to the trip, but it is infinitely more pleasant of an experience than taking the 99 through Bakersfield.
Korean BBQ is one of the great joys of being in LA and if you’ll be visiting LACMA or The La Brea Tar Pits, K-town is a hop, skip and a jump away. China Town is touristy and can get crowded but you can find some pretty awesome dim sum that rivals even the dim sum you find in China or Hong Kong. Golden Dragon is my favorite!
Not sure I’d make a special trip for it but, if you’re a huge Disney fan, you can head over to the carousel at Griffith Park where Walt first had the idea to build Disneyland. Alternatively, they have one of the original horses from the carousel on display at Disneyland in the Opera House on Main Street.
Ditto Tom with Santa Monica being one of the worst beaches – I just moved from Santa Monica and my friends and I refused to get in our cars on weekends. The beach is a huge part of life in So Cal but, unless you really love crowds, Malibu and Laguna are far better choices. Catalina Island is another cool option.
Agreed. K-Town, China Town, and Little Tokyo all have amazing food, and there are some options in the $10-15/person range that rival the best foods in the actual places in Asia.
I would love to see a road trip post! I’ve been wanting to do one and don’t even know where to begin… So many sights!
I’ll keep that in mind and will try to do one within the next 6 months. There are still a few things that I’d potentially include that I have not fully experienced.
SeaWorld though…
The main reason Knott’s, USH, and San Diego Safari Park made the list is because of the nature of this site. Even then, including SeaWorld and Lego Land would be a stretch. So many better, varied things to do in Southern California.
I get it, I love the less theme-parky nature of this post. SeaWorld is kust a really special place for me 😉
I would love to see a post on your suggestions for a California road trip. My husband and I have never been to CA and have been talking about doing a road trip from San Francisco to LA/San Diego for quite some time (or perhaps flying from SFA to John Wayne). (Another possibility is road tripping from Las Vegas to LA/San Diego.) I’ve tried working out details for both possibilities, but I just am not 100% sure if these places I’ve chose are really all that worthwhile or if I’m missing places we should see. I would like to go to Disneyland and California Adventure, but there’s so much else to see, too, that I have a hard time justifying being there for more than three days when we really could not afford to be there for a long vacation (I think 10 days tops for the whole CA trip). I’m a teacher, so I can of course only go during busy, expensive times, so we’d have to save for a considerable amount of time for this to happen, but I sure would love to make this work.
I think it really depends upon your interests. Aside from Death Valley, there’s really not much to see/do on the drive from Vegas to LA. It’s a lot of bare desert and blighted towns. By contrast, taking Pacific Coast Highway up to San Francisco is a beautiful drive in itself, with quite a bit along the way. This isn’t to dissuade you from the Vegas route, but I (personally) would not do it if I weren’t wanting to visit Death Valley.
I spent the first 34 years of my life in the LA area, and it’s always interesting to me to hear the views of a transplant. I agree with pretty much everything you wrote – especially INO – but would like to add some botanical gardens that I’m very fond of. I’d recommend: The Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino, Descanso Gardens in La Canada, and the LA County Arboretum in Arcadia. All beautiful places to enjoy the usually nice LA weather.
Definitely agree; all three of those places are awesome! I grew up in LA and just moved last year. The art galleries at Huntington are especially great and although the graffiti that’s all over LA has started to show up on tree trunks and bamboo in the gardens here (and at Disneyland), it’s still well worth a visit.
Along those lines, Balboa Park in San Diego is also nice.
Great post! My husband and I are heading to Southern California for our anniversary in a couple weeks- our itinerary right now is to arrive at LAX, spend an afternoon/night/morning there, then to San Diego where we’re spending two nights, then back up to Anaheim for three nights there. Our priorities are 1) seeing the Hollywood sign 2) in and out, seafood on the beach, Mexican food, and a then corn dog at Disneyland 3) USS midway 4) see the Pacific Ocean. Everything else is gravy!
If you’re only going to Disneyland for a corn dog, that might be the most expensive corn dog of all time! 😉
Knocking out the Hollywood sign is pretty simple by visiting Griffith Park.