If you’re a first-time visitor to Los Angeles, don’t worry—we know. You’re also not alone. The city of Los Angeles has always attracted people from elsewhere, whether they’re stepping off the Greyhound from Little Rock ready for that “big break”, or have immigrated to build a new life in the Golden State. There’s a hopeful curiosity here; a sense of wondering who you could become in the city of LA, if you just have the chance.
Whether you’re “from here”—either the city of Los Angeles, or the sprawling, nearly 10-million-strong LA Country surrounding it—or have been adopted by the sunny metropolis after years of calling it home, you know that the character the city plays on the silver screen is not the one you get everyday. When traffic clogs the 10 (freeway, that is), nobody is dancing La La Land style. It takes a certain prowess to navigate this city, without letting the rental cars and gritty buses and parking quagmires get you down. It also takes a savviness to know where to direct your GPS (spoiler alert: it’s not the Hollywood Walk of Fame) to find the fantastic street food, artsy enclaves, and only-in-LA delights that await. But when you do it right, few cities smile on you like Los Angeles.
So, how do you skip past tourist traps and pitfalls of being a “first timer” in LA? We’ve rounded up the unwritten rules that locals know and live by. It’s a real IYKYK city, and this is exactly what you need to know before a visit.
1. You need a car
If you plan to travel beyond one section of the city, you need a car. Sorry! It’s true. While public transportation here is moving at a snail’s pace to expand and compete with the world’s better-connected cities, you cannot count on it to successfully traverse the city. If you’re going to be spending all of your time in one or two adjoining neighborhoods (Venice and Santa Monica, for example), fine—Ubers and Lyfts will work. But if you have even the thought of crossing town, or catching up with friends in various neighborhoods, you want the freedom of wheels. (Plus, how else will you ride along PCH with the windows down as Phantom Planet’s California plays?) Consider picking your car up at the airport, since you’ll be spending an arm and a leg to get out of there otherwise, then jet around town. Just make sure you’ve confirmed the parking situation with your hotel, Airbnb, or the friends you’re staying with, and read those parking rules carefully. Related: plot out when you might plan to drink, so you know where you will leave said car accordingly.
Yes, you do need a car—not only so you can drive along PCH with the windows down.
Lena Wagner/Getty
2. Your neighborhood is your world
Someone once told me that LA isn’t a city, but a collection of little towns, and I’ve repeated it many times since. Echo Park is a town. Los Feliz is a town. Even if their borders touch, they often exist as a microcosm—and don’t even get me started on how many worlds away (literally and existentially) say, Beverly Hills and Downtown LA are. If you know there are restaurants you definitely want to try, shops you want to stop at, or events you’re in town for, pick a neighborhood that can be your world and home base for a few days. I’m not saying you shouldn’t leave the bubble, but if breakfast is in Culver, lunch is in Frogtown, and dinner is in Malibu, you’ll spend more time on freeway on and off ramps than anything else. Pick a hub—and at the very least, pick a side of town (East is for the alternative types, West for beachy living, with lots of variance in between).
3. The word “walkable” is up for interpretation
To belabor my last two points, be wary of the “walk” option on Google Maps. As a walk-happy Angeleno and current resident of New York City, a 25-min walk alternative to a 20-min drive is usually something that makes me say, “Let’s just walk!”. Pause, please: I’m not saying you can’t, and I often still do. But if you don’t know the route or area, know that you might be walking under freeway overpasses, zig-zaging your way through uneasy, deserted streets, or struggling to find a cross-walk across a busy road. The choice is yours, but think twice before you drag your entire family on a lengthy commute by foot.
4. There’s a beach, and you may never go
This is a city that loves a tank top, a pair of sunglasses, and a sun-kissed glow. But unless you’re based on the west side, getting to the beach might be a bigger trek than you realize. Many of my east side friends go to the beach less than I do in New York City, from Brooklyn to the Rockaways; plus, there are pools aplenty that’ll save you the commute. If you want a beach vacation, you’ve got to stay in Venice, Santa Monica, or nearby. Years ago, I was aghast at being able to just walk onto the sand from Casa Del Mar after a lifetime of driving to the beach: This is the experience of westside Angelenos, and it’s only yours if you prioritize it.
5. This might be America’s Greatest Street Food City
The mix of culinary traditions represented in Los Angeles restaurants is a wonder—it’s one of the best things about the city (more on that in a minute). Immigrants, and particularly those from Latin America, also deserve credit for bringing a street food culture that doesn’t exist in the same way in other US cities. That sliced fruit with lime and Tajín on the street corner will always hit; so will those tlayudas, those tamales, those bacon-wrapped hot dogs outside the club, and anything else you can get your paws on. Street food trucks are in yet another league, often acting as incubators for budding restaurants, slinging award-winning Korean food, seafood, and everything in between. So please, eat on the street. The barbacoa setup in that Huntington Park parking lot will be the best you ever had.
6. Don’t sleep on strip mall restaurants
Let me say it another way: Los Angeles is home to many types of unassuming spots that serve seriously good food. Sure, street stands and food trucks might have a more quintessential “cheap eats” appeal to them, but don’t lift your nose when you find out the restaurant you saw on TikTok is tucked into a bland strip mall. This is often a great sign, whether you’re after soju and small plates at Dan Sung Sa in K-town or craving sushi with a side of paps at Sushi Park on the Sunset Strip. Same goes for marketplaces, particularly in south LA, like Mercado La Paloma (Holbox is easily my favorite place to eat in this city).