We wanted a quick summer getaway. Surprisingly, California was the cheapest flight for us the weekend after the fourth. We have talked for a while about going to Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California, but never planned anything. This was a perfect opportunity.

We flew into LAX in the middle of a heat wave and headed south to Orange County. We visited my husband’s childhood neighborhood in Rancho Santa Margarita and cruised up the coast back to the city of angels. We spent the next two days hopping from one AC unit to another, but we managed to have some fun. Here are some of my favorite places we visited in LA.

Runyon Canyon

We got ourselves up super early in the AM before it heated up too much to do a little hiking. There are so many amazing canyon trails right in the city. We were staying in the Hollywood area and Runyon Canyon is super easy to get to. The views are great and there are tons of different trails.

The Beach

It is the reason people go to California. We went to Santa Monica for dinner and a sunset. The people watching is pretty fantastic, but putting your feet in the ocean is the best. The Pacific beaches are so much better for that than what we lived in Jersey.

Street Art

The Urban Light installation was so awesome to see at night. We had dinner with one of Justin’s oldest friends and then they took us to see this at night. I love free street art and LA has a ton of it. You can read more about it here. If you go and check this out, you should walk around the La Brea tar pits. We didn’t go in (because it was at night) but you can still see them and smell them while walking around the fence.

Fun Bars

Just like New York, there are a ton of different bars that have fancy drinks and cost a fortune. I prefer bars that have some character. While looking for a break from the sun, we found Davey Wayne’s. You enter through an old refrigerator and then the whole interior and back yard makes you feel like you’re drinking the Brady Bunch’s next door neighbor’s house. Their happy hour was great and we were able to stay out of the sun for a few minutes.

Backyards

Our AirBnB was just a few blocks from lots of the main attractions in Hollywood. It was a great location for proximity and comfort, but the backyard was my favorite part. We had a deck with a view of the lights and also the surrounding mountains. If you haven’t used AirBnB yet, you must. Use this link and you get free money towards your first stay.

Venice

The canals are wonderful. We got the Byrd app and took those scooters all over Venice in the AM. We cruised through the canals, the boardwalk and Albert Kinney Boulevard. It might have been the time of day, but Venice was a lot quiet than Santa Monica and we loved the area. We left right from here to head north up highway 1, but I would love to get back to this area and spend a little more time.

Silver Lake

We cruised through this neighborhood and I wish we would have had another 4 hours to eat some food here. Driving through the neighborhood was an accident, but I instantly felt like it was familiar. It’s close to Dodger Stadium (they weren’t in town while we were there) and there are tons of good food and drink spots all over the place.

If you want more on our California trip, check out my recap of senses.

I think I would stay in Silver Lake or Venice next time I’m in Los Angeles. I would also not plan to visit in July when the forecast is 112 degrees. That said, I loved Los Angeles and I didn’t think I would. Let me know if you have any favorite LA spots that I can’t miss the next time.