Solo Travel in Los Angeles
🎬 The honest guide for going alone
Los Angeles is doable solo but takes more planning — strong solo-dining culture. Here's everything you actually need to know: safety realities, where to base yourself, solo-dining culture, and how to meet people without trying too hard.
Why Los Angeles is harder for solo travellers
- ✦Strong solo-dining culture
Is Los Angeles safe for solo travellers?
Los Angeles is generally safe for solo travellers — including solo female travellers — provided you follow the usual urban precautions. The main thing to watch out for is this:
Hollywood Walk of Fame is shabby and scammy. Sunset Strip is the real photogenic area.
General solo safety tips that apply here: keep your phone in a zipped pocket, don't flash valuables, take Uber/Bolt/Grab over street taxis at night, and let someone know your rough plans for each day.
Where to stay solo in Los Angeles
For solo travellers, base yourself somewhere central enough to walk to dinner safely after dark. Avoid pure-residential areas — you want a neighbourhood with restaurants, cafés, and street life.
Eating alone (and not feeling weird about it)
Los Angeles has strong solo-dining culture. Counter seating at smaller restaurants is normal — chefs often chat with single diners. Best tacos outside Mexico are in East LA. Try Mariscos Jalisco truck.
How to meet people in Los Angeles
- ✦Walking tours on day 1 — free or cheap, and the best way to meet other solo travellers in your first 24 hours.
- ✦Group food tours or cooking classes — guaranteed conversation over food.
- ✦Co-working cafés and digital nomad meetups (Nomad List has the local Slack).
- ✦Travel apps: BumbleBFF, Travello, and Backpackr work in most cities for finding meetup buddies.
Getting around solo
Rental car is essential — LA is the most car-dependent big US city.
Best time to visit Los Angeles solo
March and April are the best months — good weather and lots of other travellers around (which means easier to meet people). If you want fewer crowds, try shoulder months: May, September.