5 Days in Los Angeles
🎬 Complete Itinerary & Cost Guide
5 days is the sweet spot for Los Angeles — enough to see the major sights, eat well, and have one unscheduled day. 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.
Hit one final must-see (Getty Center (free)), pick up souvenirs, and leave time for a relaxed lunch before your flight or onward train.
What does 5 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.