4 Days in Los Angeles

Last month my younger brother came to visit us in Los Angeles. Not only was it his first time visiting us here in LA, but it was also his first time to California. So we wanted to make the most of his time so he could see and experience as much of Los Angeles (and California) as possible.

We haven’t hosted too many visitors, which made me realize I’ve never had to put together itineraries for exploring LA. Somehow this realization then made me realize I didn’t even really have much LA stuff on my site in general. And the only guide I’ve ever really done is one I put together after my first visit here, long before moving to LA was even in the plans. So I’m doing what I can to remedy that as quickly as I can, starting by writing out the exact itinerary we did with my brother during his 4 days in Los Angeles. Keep reading for all the details and for more LA and California content hop over here!

THE GUIDE

NOTES

A few things to keep in mind- like I said above, this was my brother’s first time to California so we wanted him to see as much as possible, not just only see things directly in LA. He’s also very much like me and into food but definitely not into touristy things. We also hadn’t seen each other for 3 years, so that combined with his late night/early morning flights meant we kept things a little more chill and didn’t jam pack our days.

THIS GUIDE IS FOR YOU IF…

-If you want to see a little bit of everything…LA, surrounding areas, beach, hikes, etc.

-If you’ve been to LA before and want to see more of what the surrounding areas offer

-If you’re using LA as a base but care more about spending time outside the city

-If you want a more chill, west-side based, outdoor focused, relaxed trip

-If you’re focused more on things like hiking, going to the beach, going for drives, less touristy things versus going out to eat and just seeing tourist attractions

-If you’re going to be with family or a group so you need ideas that work for larger amounts of people

DAY 1

BREAKFAST BURRITOS- My brother got in super late/super early (depending on how you look at it), so we had a slow and late start to the day. First priority after coffee was to get him a breakfast burrito. Because every trip to LA should start with a brekkie burrito. We have a few we like, but we took him for our number one favorite from Cervetteca (we like ours with bacon, no beans). Theirs is huge, delicious and packed with the perfect ratio of all the right things, including crispy potatoes, but the thing that really seals the deal is their spicy mayo sauce that it comes with. I’m drooling writing this just thinking about how good it is!

EXPLORE THE CANALS-Walk around the canals, Venice Pier and Venice beach area

VENICE PIER- Walk out on the Pier to get great views looking back at Venice as well as up and down the coast

FIRST FRIDAYS-It was the first Friday of month so we took my brother over to First Fridays on Abbott Kinney. First Fridays is essentially a bunch of food trucks that line the street, with some parts of the street even being closed off. There’s usually live music, a good crowd and it’s just a fun way to try a bunch of different food.

PIZZA NIGHT-Home for pizza and fire pit hangs; if you wanted to go out for pizza right around the Abbott Kinney area, I would say you can’t go wrong with Gjelina. In fact, Gjelina is kind of a must, especially if you’re a first time visitor or haven’t eaten there before. You just can’t go wrong here and they get everything right every single time. And if you can’t make it for dinner, at least try to make it for brunch one morning.

DAY 2

BREAKFAST- Another slow start, with breakfast at home; if you wanted to go out, I’d suggest checking out Great White

IN N OUT- This feels a bit like a right of passage for a first time trip to LA/CA, so, of course, we had to take my brother. However, if you’ve been before, then I’d say skip it in favor of a burger from The Window, Hi-Ho or even the one at Dudley’s (if they’re open). P.S. My In N Out order is double double, animal and protein style, fries well done, animal style, extra sauce on the side, and a Neapolitan shake.

COASTAL DRIVE SOUTH- We took my brother on the slow and scenic route to show him as much as possible heading south, stopping in Palos Verdes to take in the cliff views, then stopping at the Point Vicente Lighthouse, before making our way into Newport and Balboa Island. We walked around Balboa, grabbing a coffee at Huskins and a frozen banana (a must if you’re on Balboa), then continued the drive down int Laguna and ending in Dana point for sunset.

DINNER AT HOME- We were pretty wiped after a long day of exploring + we had a late lunch and snacks, so we weren’t hungry for dinner and decided to just end the night at home. I made my short rib ravioli (I had some extras in the freezer), but if you wanted to go out down south, for a casual dinner with great views, we love Crystal Cove Shake Shack. For a pasta dinner back in Venice, I’d say Scopa, Felix (can be hard to get in and you usually need a reservation weeks in advance) or Uovo (more casual, but still incredible, option) are all great!

DAY 3

FARMER’S MARKET- It wouldn’t be a trip to LA without at least one visit to a farmer’s market. We took my brother to our go-to one, the Brentwood Farmer’s Market, to pick up a few things for the week and to make a fancy brunch at home.

BRUNCH IN THE BACKYARD- We made a BIG spread with things almost all from the market. On the menu- cheesy scrambled eggs, crispy sweet potatoes, bacon, an arugula salad, fresh tomato wedges, fresh fruit salad, baklava and yogurt (Mom’s yogurt at the market is incredible!). If you wanted to go out for brunch, I love Gjelina (like I mentioned above) and Little Prince. For a more casual option, I suggest grabbing some treats from Tartine.

EXPLORING + HIKING- We headed into Topanga so my brother could see both that and some of the canyon roads. We then stopped at one of our favorite hikes that I’ve mentioned before, Tuna Canyon. Not only is the hike a great workout, but the views are just beyond! It’s a bit of a trek to get to it, but so worth it!

DINNER- My brother kept talking about a chicken dish that loves to make and really wanted to make it for us, so we settled on that for dinner. I realize as I’m writing this guide we somehow ate a lot of dinners at home and now I’m not quite sure why! Haha For dinner out- I would suggest Elephante or The Proper roof top.

DAY 4

MORNING BEACH WALK- We took my brother to see the Venice sign and skate park (something that could also have been easily grouped in with the canals and Venice pier).

MALIBU- We drove all the way up the coast, popping onto Decker Canyon road for a bit so he could see the views + such, then taking him to see the planes near the base in Point Mugu (not necessary but for a guy/someone into planes, etc. I guess it’s cool to see haha). Then we stopped for lunch at a classic spot, Neptune’s Net. We continued making our way back down the coast, stopping at some favorite spots such as Leo Carillo, Point Dume and Surfrider to take in the views and do a beach walk.

STREET TACOS FOR DINNER- It isn’t a trip to LA without a street taco (or 4), so we took my brother to one of our favorites (on Lincoln, outside Whole Foods). The al pastor are where it’s at. I mean, the other things are good, too (also love their burrito), but trust me, don’t sleep on the tacos al pastor and add lots of fresh cilantro (but watch out for their sauces and pickled veggies because holy fire! It’s like entering the 7th ring of hell and I’m pretty sure your mouth doesn’t stop burning for an eternity).

SUNSET- We ended at one of the best spots for sunset (IMO), the Bluffs Park in the Palisades. It’s great to walk around, bring a picnic or simply just take in the sunset. But be warned, it does get windy so bring layers and/or blankets (especially thicker/warmer ones if it’s fall-spring seasons)