Los Angeles,
California

Writing this guide has intimidated me the most because Los Angeles is a large city and I know I’ve only scratched the surface. I’ve been afraid that the spots I’ve found won’t seem cool to locals or that I’ll sound ridiculous. But what I love about the spaces I’ve found and enjoyed in LA is that they are the kind of places where it doesn’t matter if you’re cool or ridiculous or somewhere in between. I never thought I’d feel at home in LA, but these spots provided moments of belonging as I traveled through the city. I hope you enjoy them, too!

Unlike the Des Moines city guide, this LA city guide is divided by topic rather than by neighborhood. This is because that’s how I explored the city. I had specific destinations and recommendations to check out and drove directly to them. I did meander the surrounding neighborhoods a little, but primarily explored by hopping from destination to destination.

walkability & transit

Everyone told me it wasn’t possible to affectively use public transportation in Los Angeles. But on my last trip (a week), I had a tiny budget, so I decided, out of necessity, to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised that buses came regularly and on time, trains were clean, and the cost was affordable. I walked about fifty miles that week and was only took an Uber once (because my phone with transit directions was about to die). Don’t believe the folks who tell you it’s not possible—it is! If you’re a public transit girly and comfortable navigating cities like this, you can do it here, I promise.

I recommend, in most cities, to buy a day or week pass. It’s often cheaper overall and then you don’t have to worry about reloading it or getting stuck somewhere without a transit card. If I recall, my entire week cost less than $20, which is cheaper than both Chicago and New York. You can find out more about pricing and passes here, and more about routes here. Per usual, I also recommend using google maps to find your routes.

vintage

At some point during 2020, I stumbled upon a vintage store on Instagram called Bearded Beagle. To this day, it’s one of my favorite spots in Los Angeles for affordable (there are options under $50) vintage. If you’re looking for actual thrifting, however, you might have to trek a little further. I found some good jeans at the Super Thrift, but it is harder to get there without a car.

Bearded Beagle

Neighborhood: Highland Park (this is my favourite)
Address: 5820 N. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90042
Transit access:
Yes! I took the bus here.

This shop is great for vintage tees and jeans, but not in a pretentious Depop bro way. They always have at least a couple items I have to take home with me, be it sunglasses or a pair of 70’s jeans or an oversized tee. And they do in-store trading, if you’re local and have vintage you’d like to find a new home!

food

I may or may not have treated myself a lot in LA. Personally I blame it on getting Covid in November and subsequently watching all 19 season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. This introduced me to the names of some fancier spots in LA and when I arrived, I spontaneously decided to try them.

So some of these restaurants are in my normal price point, but there’s some that are very delicious but also a little more expensive.

Beechwood Cafe

Neighborhood: Hollywood Hills
Address: 2695 Beachwood Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90068
Transit access: Yes! You can get here without a car.
Price: $4-25
Food: coffee, breakfast food
Vegetarian/vegan options: yes! I spotted a vegan burrito.

You know I had to. The girls who get it, get it. But if you go, be respectful of the space, tip well, and be kind to the servers and other guests! You know, treat people with kindness.

coffee

The last time I was in LA, I was on a pretty tight budget. I grocery shopped for my own breakfast and ate Chipotle kids meals for dinner (seriously a pro-tip), but I always went to a coffee shop. It’s my favorite way to explore a city. Finding a new coffee shop often puts you in a cool neighborhood and allows for walkability and exploration.

Dinosaur Coffee

Neighborhood: Silver Lake
Address: 4334 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Transit access:
yes! I took the bus here.
Food: pastries
Vegetarian/vegan options: I’m not 100% sure food-wise, but I assume so. They do have alternative milk.

This was one of my favorite discoveries on my last trip to LA. There was natural light, the baristas were friendly, and there was a good amount of stimulation, but not too much noise.