Los Angeles: Planning Your Trip and Getting Around

Planning your trip to LA? This post covers some of the big-ticket items: transportation, ideas for visiting LA on a budget, and suggested Downtown LA itineraries.

Public transportation—Must you have a car in LA?

I heard a lot about how you have to have a car in LA. You don’t. Dearest Reader, no way in Hades was I renting a car. Not only did I not want to spend the money, I flat out, absolutely, did not want to drive in LA. Who would? The multi-lane freeways and the traffic are notorious. Even if you enjoy sitting in traffic, parking is difficult and expensive and the whole driving thing is a boatload of trouble.

LA has a good subway system, quite underutilized, it would seem. There are also buses and aboveground trains. Forget the buses (except Downtown Dash*), since they must enter the wicked LA traffic. The subway doesn’t, being underground. That would make it great, even if it wasn’t. Which, actually, it is.

*Downtown Dash buses go all over DTLA, especially to points of interest.

The single issue with the subway: there aren’t as many stations as there could be. It’s not like NYC or Paris where you’re always close to a subway station. If, like me, you are staying just a couple blocks from a station, you’re in business. If you want to visit LA on a budget and utilize the subway, take that into account when planning your trip and booking your hotel. You’ll also save some money, because the subway stations tend to be in the less tony neighborhoods of LA. LA Metro Transit is adding stations as we speak, so ease of access will improve.

How to use the LA subway

Get a Tap card

It’s easy. Buy a metro card, which you can do online when you’re planning your trip, or at the station before you catch your train. The metro card works on the subway, the aboveground trains and the buses. Just tap it (thus the name) when going through the gates.

Know what color line you need

Be very clear what color line you are on. If it’s possible to get on the wrong train, I do, and I did. OF course. You won’t if you stick with the right color. There are big boards telling you what train is coming and what train is there. Keep an eye on that, because the trains themselves don’t have signs.

Count the stops

Count the stops. On my first trip, I could hear the stop announcements perfectly. I thought, aha, this isn’t like the NYC subway with the garbled speech of transit workers. On my third trip, though, I couldn’t hear the stops at all. The announcement would go: “next stop” (spoken clearly) then loud STATIC STATIC STATIC. Helpful! I was on that train with a nice couple from England. We all had boarded the wrong train and were now getting on this one to go backwards then get on the right train. Fun times.

Reliability and safety

Though I heard LA public transportation wasn’t reliable, it seemed fine to me. The trains came frequently enough. At most I waited 15 minutes. I don’t know if people say it’s unreliable because the trains are late, but as a tourist, you don’t really have a timetable, so who cares. As far as safety, I did notice all the subway stations I entered had a couple of police officers outside the entrance or just inside. I was kinda glad about that—I was solo, and I found there not being many people in the subway a bit spooky. That said, there were no incidents whatsoever, and the subway stations are super clean and spiffy.

Planning your trip: LA neighborhoods

I cannot speak widely to this, except to say that LA is very much made up of different neighborhoods with unique characters. When planning your trip, it’s a good idea to make like I would in NYC: choose to stay in the neighborhood with most of the things you want to see (or with a short subway ride to them). Maybe choose the neighborhood where you most like to eat the food, as that’s likely where you’ll be cruising for snacks and dinner, or want to get some food in your face close to your hotel. LA is huge, and you don’t want to spend all your time transporting yourself from one location to another. At least I don’t.

The neighborhoods I experienced: Thai Town, Little Armenia, Downtown LA and the following DTLA sub-areas: the Financial District, Bunker Hill, Civic Center, and Historic Downtown including the Broadway District, the Old Bank District and Gallery Row. Bee spent some time in Burbank. LAX. LAX isn’t really a neighborhood, but it was an experience. We were an hour early to the gate for our return flight and I waited in line that entire time to get a coffee and muffin. Then I somehow managed to get in line for the wrong flight. OMG. I shared the coffee with Bee even though she GOT ON THE PLANE WITHOUT ME.

This is a good segway into how I don’t always pay sufficient attention to what is going on around me. It’s always a good idea to stay alert when in a place you’re not familiar with. Duh. That said, while our East Hollywood neighborhood wasn’t exactly posh, and some of the apartment buildings or condos had rather ominous locked gates, we felt safe enough walking to and from dinner after dark.

Planning your trip: LA on a budget

Enjoy free attractions

I’m a bit embarrassed to say I only spent about 50 bucks my entire weekend in LA. (Not including the coffee, water, and muffin I bought at LAX before boarding, which alone almost cost $50, or our Uber rides to and from the airport.) We arrived Friday night, had a really delish and inexpensive dinner whose leftovers I ate for breakfast (frig in hotel room, yay). Saturday I spent $5.50 on a metro card. The only money I spent downtown was under $10 in Grand Central Market for lunch. All the other attractions I enjoyed were free. See 10 Unforgettable Things To Do in Downtown LA and Unforgettable Downtown LA, Part Two.

Find cheap eats

We were lucky: Bee’s group had a lot of delicious Thai food catered. We bought water and snacks a time or two at the Walgreens on the corner, and that was about it. Sunday we spent the day at the Songkran festival, which was within walking distance. We got more delicious Thai food, with enough leftovers for dinner Sunday and breakfast Monday.

You many not be as lucky as we, but it’s totally possible to find plenty of great cheap eats in LA. I highly recommend Zankou Chicken.

Stay in a cheap hotel

Our hotel was provided for us. It was a budget 2-star hotel, more like a motel. There’s a lot of them in East Hollywood and they have their own singular charm. Don’t expect luxurious touches like soft beds or noise-proof windows. Our room was huge, though, with a frig and an eating area, and it was clean. I liked staying in the neighborhood as there’s a lot of great Thai (Thai Town) and Middle-Eastern (Little Armenia) food, and many of this good food is inexpensive as well. It was also close to a subway stop within a short ride of downtown.

Pro tip for budget hotel beds: they now have inflatable single air mattresses that are lightweight and compress very small. Invest in one and put it in your luggage to make your hard hotel bed more comfy. Also good for camping. (*Snort*)

Planning your trip: Suggested downtown LA itineraries

I suggest staying somewhere fairly near downtown and taking the subway (to learn how to use the LA subway, see above). Or stay downtown itself, if you can afford it. Your main time constraints will be whenever your timed admission to the Broad is and the times the Walt Disney Concert Hall is open for audio tours (most days between 10 am and 2 pm, but check their calendar). Note: If you drive, there’s parking below the WDCH and in several lots near the Bradbury building. Google Joey’s Parking.

More note: This is a super packed itinerary. I’m assuming you’ll pick and choose a little according to what interests you most. If nothing else, the opening and closing hours of attractions will constrain you. I’m giving some of the hours below to make it clear what the window is, though be sure to check hours for the particular day you’ll be visiting.

Hours of important itinerary attractions

• LA Central Library
  10 am–8 pm Monday thru Thursday, 9:30–5:30 Friday and Saturday, 1–5 pm Sunday.
• OUE Skyspace is open on the weekend for views, unlike City Hall’s observation deck. 10 am–10 pm daily, $25.
• Walt Disney Concert Hall (WDCH) has free self-guided audio tours most days between 10 am and 2 pm, but check their calendar.
• The Broad Closed Mondays.
  Tuesday and Wednesday 11 am–5 pm; Thursday and Friday 11 am–8 pm; Saturday 10 am–8 pm; Sunday 10 am–6 pm.
• MOCA Closed Tuesdays.
  11 am–6 pm MWF, 11–8 Thursday, and 11–5 on weekends.
• City Hall Observation Deck NOTE: CLOSED WEEKENDS! The free observation deck is open during regular business hours (8 am–5 pm, Monday through Friday). 
• Grand Park 5:30 am–10 pm daily.
• Angels Flight 6:45 am–10 pm daily.
• Grand Central Market 8 am–10 pm daily.
• Bradbury Building 9 am–6 pm Monday through Friday, 9 am–5 pm Saturday and Sunday (note: you may only access the lobby and one stairway and landing)
• The Last Bookstore is open daily from 10 am–10 pm, and till 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

DTLA ITINERARY, OPTION ONE

Option 1: Start at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (opens 10 am) and the museums. Go on to Grand Park, Civic Center, Angels Flight, Grand Central Market, the Bradbury Building (closes 5 or 6 pm) and the Million Dollar Theater. Proceed to the LA Library (closes between 5 and 8 pm). End at the Last Bookstore (open till 10 or 11 pm). Have a big breakfast beforehand and plan on a late lunch at the Market.

Part 1: Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grand Park, Civic Center, Grand Central Market, Angels Flight

Take the subway to the Grand Park/Civic Center stop. WDCH is a short walk up the hill on 1st street. Visit one or two of the trio here, the Broad, MOCA, and WDCH. Afterward, walk north to Grand Park (notice the interesting buildings along the way) and walk down through the park. Check out any of the Civic Center buildings that strike your fancy. Go to the City Hall observation deck (Monday thru Friday only) if you’d like to see some free views.

IF YOU GO to City Hall ( (Monday thru Friday)

IF YOU GO to City Hall, afterward, head South on Spring street for 2 blocks. Keep your eyes peeled for street art in the parking lots around here. Check out the murals on the Victor Clothing Co. midway between 2nd and 3rd streets. Continue north, take a right on 3rd, and visit the Bradbury building on 3rd and Broadway. Exit the Bradbury on Broadway and check out the Million Dollar Theater across the street. Go in to Grand Central Market for some snacks, and exit the market on the other side of the building to see the Angels Flight.

IF YOU DO NOT GO to City Hall (Weekends)

IF YOU DO NOT GO to City Hall, walk about 3 blocks south of the park on Hill Street. You’ll run into the Angels Flight. On your left will be Grand Central Market. Grab some snacks and exit the Market on the other side, which is Broadway. See the Million Dollar Theater next door and go into the Bradbury building across the street. Come out of the Bradbury on 3rd, take a look at the great mural on Victor Clothing Co. across the street. Walk down to Spring street, take a left, and check out the murals on the back side of Victor.

Part 2: Street Art and The Last Bookstore

The Last Bookstore is on Spring Street and 5th, so walk around a bit if you want to see street art (I went east as far as Main Street, though there’s more beyond that) then head west on 5th to Spring.

Part 3: Historic Buildings, LA Central Library

Head over to Pershing Square. From here you can walk to the PAC Mutual building, the Millennium Biltmore, the Hilton Checkers, the LA Central Library and the adjacent Maguire Gardens. The Torrey Pines Bank building is at the corner of 5th and Grand. You’ll also be right by the US Bank Tower with the OUE Skyspace LA, for views that are not free and a crazy ride, if that’s your bag. Keep in mind the library hours. Take the subway back to your hotel from the Pershing Square station.

DTLA ITINERARY, OPTION TWO

Option 2: Start at the LA Central Library (opens 9:30 or 10 am), go on to the trio, Grand Park, Civic Center, Angels Flight, Grand Central Market, the Bradbury Building and the Million Dollar Theater. End at the Last Bookstore. This itinerary is for early birds (LA style). You’ll need to get lunch somewhere around the library or the trio and eat dinner at the market. Note: On Sundays the library doesn’t open till 1 pm, so this itinerary won’t work as well, since the museums and Disney close by 5 or 6. Go on a Friday or Saturday to take advantage of the longest opening hours.

Part 1: Historic Buildings, LA Central Library

Take the subway to the Pershing Square stop. Position yourself on 5th street. (Optional: You can take a right for a block and a half to visit the Last Bookstore now, or go at the end). Go left 2 blocks on 5th to Grand Ave. On Olive Street is the entrance to the Millennium Biltmore. Continue on 5th to the LA Public Library and the adjacent Maguire Gardens, with a little detour to the left on Grand between 5th and 6th to see the Hilton Checkers and the PAC Mutual building. (Optional: OUE Skyspace LA) The Torrey Pines Bank building is at the corner of 5th and Grand.

Part 2: Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grand Park, Civic Center, Street Art, Last Bookstore

Once you leave the library, go across 5th and head up the Bunker Hill Steps. (I missed these, but they look lovely: a Los Angeles version of Rome’s Spanish steps.) Take a right on Hope and a left on Grand. A couple steep blocks remain. Alternatively, you can skip the steps and take the Downtown Dash to the trio—the Broad, MOCA, and WDCH (Route B). Get your museum on and check out the Concert Hall. Go from there to Grand Park, and proceed with one of the Option 1, Part 1 itineraries (going to City Hall or not), visiting the Last Bookstore at the end and returning to your hotel via the Pershing Square station.

Energizer Bunny Option

If you really have a lot of energy, take the subway from Pershing Square to Little Tokyo for drinks and/or dinner.

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