10 Days in Los Angeles
🎬 Complete Itinerary & Cost Guide
10 days in Los Angeles lets you go beyond the highlights — take day trips, revisit favourites, and enjoy slow mornings. Here's a realistic day-by-day plan plus what it costs.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
This plan covers the essentials without burnout. Adjust based on opening hours, weather, and your stamina. Most days are 4–6 hours of activity with long meals and downtime built in.
Settle into your hotel, grab a light lunch, then ease into Los Angeles with Griffith Observatory at sunset. Don't overbook day one — jet lag is real.
Santa Monica Pier + Venice Beach. Pair it with a sit-down lunch nearby and an evening walk through a different neighbourhood.
Universal Studios Hollywood. Take the morning slow and use the afternoon to explore a quieter district away from the tourist core.
Getty Center (free). Pair with a long lunch — Best tacos outside Mexico are in East LA. Try Mariscos Jalisco truck.
Day trip to Joshua Tree. This day usually involves a longer journey so start early.
For trips of 10+ days, take an external day trip (mentioned in the highlights) or revisit Griffith Observatory at sunset at a slower pace.
For trips of 10+ days, take an external day trip (mentioned in the highlights) or revisit Santa Monica Pier + at a slower pace.
For trips of 10+ days, take an external day trip (mentioned in the highlights) or revisit Universal Studios Hollywood at a slower pace.
Use this day for whatever you didn't get to: a museum, a hammam, a long lazy lunch. The best memories come from unplanned hours.
Hit one final must-see (Day trip to Joshua Tree), pick up souvenirs, and leave time for a relaxed lunch before your flight or onward train.
What does 10 days in Los Angeles cost?
Estimates below are per person, including accommodation, food, local transport, and ~1 paid activity per day. Flights to Los Angeles are not included — they vary wildly by origin.
Los Angeles survival tips
Rental car is essential — LA is the most car-dependent big US city.
Best tacos outside Mexico are in East LA. Try Mariscos Jalisco truck.
Hollywood Walk of Fame is shabby and scammy. Sunset Strip is the real photogenic area.
When to go
March, April, October, November are the best months for Los Angeles — the climate is at its best and crowds haven't peaked. Avoid nothing really — but August can be smoky from fires.