Light, Camera, Action! Fun Things You Can Only Do in Los Angeles!

Known to locals as simply “The Getty,” this L.A. institution will let you travel the globe without leaving the city. The Getty Villa is dedicated to European art — particularly Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art — and is breathtakingly grand. The villa was established first, before the rest of the museum, and it was built with pools, gardens, and sculptures surrounded by the kind of white marble columns that you’d expect from the Parthenon. The museum showcases everything from classic paintings to stone busts of emperors and goddesses. Perhaps the museum’s best known holding is Van Gogh’s Irises, which the Getty Foundation purchased in 1987 for a then-record $54 million.

You’ve seen Venice Beach even if you’ve never stepped foot in Los Angeles. The palm trees lining the coast are iconic images of a tropical paradise often used in movies and TV shows, and they’re all the more impressive for being just a stone’s throw away from a lively, eclectic boardwalk. You’ll find people of every sort at Venice Beach. From skateboarders and body builders to street performers and fortune tellers, not to mention food truck vendors. There’s always some kind of action happening at Venice Beach.

You’ll also find countless shops, cafes, arcades, bookstores, fashion boutiques, tattoo parlors, antique dealers, and other odds and ends. Another great thing about Venice Beach is that it’s just a small part of the greater neighborhood of Venice, so once you’re done strolling down the shore or the promenade, you can keep going!

Take a Film Studio Tour

Do you love movies? Have you always wanted to see where Jeopardy is filmed or walk through the creepy Bates Motel from Psycho? L.A. is home to numerous movie studios, including Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, and Universal Studios.

Each studio offers its own tour. These range from short, one-hour walking trips to all-day adventures where you can explore everything from Jurassic World rides to sets and props from the Harry Potter franchise. If you’re traveling to Los Angeles because you love the glitz and glam of Hollywood, a studio tour will drop you right into the spotlight. Lights, camera, action!

When you think of Beverly Hills, you probably think of Rodeo Drive. Another iconic destination in L.A., Rodeo Drive is the gathering place of the rich, powerful, and glamorous. Ferraris gleam in the sunlight. Luxury brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton line the sidewalks. Palm trees sway over cobblestone streets. Once upon a time, Julie Roberts came here for her famous shopping spree in Pretty Woman.

The good news is that you don’t have to be fabulously wealthy to enjoy Rodeo Drive. There are plenty of small-scale places to grab a coffee or an artisan pastry, and window shopping, of course, is free. You can explore at your leisure, and you’ll have prime selfie material to boot!

The Japanese American National Museum is located in Little Tokyo and preserves more than 100 years of history. The museum collections include art, photographs, documents, videos, textiles, and poetry, all dedicated to preserving the influence and culture of Japanese Americans. There’s even an archive of home movies made by everyday Japanese Americans throughout the century. Past exhibits include “Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty,” a fun and colorful multimedia display about everyone’s favorite feline. Another was “Sadako’s Cranes,” a collection of 1,000 paper cranes folded by a 12-year-old girl who passed away from radiation poisoning after WWII.

If you’re at all interested in the Land of the Rising Sun, make time for one of the world’s largest hubs of Japanese culture. The Japanese American National Museum is a place that combines education and entertainment all at once.

So are you feeling impulsive, looking for some last-minute travel options? Well, there’s always something to do in Los Angeles, often something that you can only do in Los Angeles.