The first trip I took in over a year was to Los Angeles California.
Prior to graduating, I had dreams of moving to LA. The purpose of this trip was to determine if I wanted to move there.
My decision has been made.
I’m not moving to Los Angeles.
Why I’m Not Moving to LA
The LA we see on social media is not the average person’s experience of LA.
When you think of LA you probably think of TikTokers, Youtubers, and movie stars. You probably think of glamour, big mansions, and designer clothes.
That is not the reality.
Most people live in small houses or apartments that are expensive and not super fancy.
Don’t get me wrong there are parts of LA like what you see on social media, but it is high up in the hills away from everyone else.
Up in the hills of Los Angeles, you can see thousands of massive mansions but practically everywhere else there are average houses or homeless tents.
The stark difference between the extremely rich and the desperately poor is very in your face and that is not something I was expecting. Many of the places I went to in the city were dirty and rundown.
I personally would not like living in a place where the difference in class is so present.
It is extremely expensive.
Even though it is pretty dirty and rundown in most places it is still very expensive.
A gallon of gas was $5.00 at some stations and LA is a city of cars. The people of Los Angeles drive everywhere. Paying $5.00 per gallon of gas really adds up.
Food at restaurants was also on the expensive side. A margarita was $16 at one restaurant which was more than the meal.
It is very easy to spend lots of money in LA because almost everything costs money. You have to pay to park, eat, drive, and shop. The culture of LA is centered around money.
There are ways you could save money by not going out to eat and driving with other people to split parking prices but going out to eat is very popular in Los Angeles.
Parking and traffic are difficult.
People are always talking about the LA traffic but honestly, it isn’t that different than Northern Virginia traffic. If you have ever lived there, you know how bad it can be during most hours of the workweek. So, if you don’t like traffic LA is not for you.
Traffic is a given in Los Angeles.
What I didn’t like was the parking situation. Because you have to drive everywhere you constantly have to find parking spots.
Most parking is street parking, and the signs are very confusing. If you don’t read a sign right, you could be paying lots of money for a parking ticket.
There are parking lots that you can park in but most of them you have to pay for, which is just another expense.
Personally, I found the parking situation to be very overwhelming and frustrating. If I did live in LA, I would probably get better at it, but it would probably still be time I would have to add to my commute.
There are few trees and greenery.
I didn’t realize how much I loved trees and greenery until I went to LA.
Los Angeles is considered a Mediterranean climate meaning it is dry and subtropical. Because of this climate, there are a lot of palm trees.
If you like wooded areas and big trees with lots of leaves, LA does not have a lot of that. There are parks scattered around the city, but they aren’t as densely packed with trees.
Most of the hiking in Los Angeles is also through desert-like conditions. It was gorgeous but very different from hiking in the mountains on the East Coast.
The people are fake.
The overall vibe of LA that I got was fake and each area had a slightly different vibe.
Near the beach, it was more laid back and had surfer vibes. In Beverly Hills, the vibes were bougie of course and Hollywood was a party vibe.
Some people might thrive in these places, but I don’t think I would.
5 Things You Must Do in Los Angeles
Although I don’t think LA is for me it might be perfect for someone else. While there I did a lot of activities that I enjoyed, and I think are must-do’s if you are going to Los Angeles.
1. Griffith Park
Griffith Park should definitely be at the top of your LA bucket list. This is where the famous Griffith Observatory is. Unfortunately, when we were there, it was closed due to COVID.
In this park, you can get some great views of the Hollywood sign and Downtown LA. The trail that we did was Mount Hollywood Trail, and you can start it right from the observatory.
On this trail, you don’t get the best views of the Hollywood sign, but it is on the shorter side, and you can still see the sign from a distance.
After we hiked Mount Hollywood Trail, we stopped at Franklin’s Café and Market right outside of the park. It is located right next to a golf course and has a nice outdoor seating area.
We only got to see a small part of Griffith Park, but I can say it is definitely worth checking out.
2. Runyon Canyon
The other park that I recommend is Runyon Canyon. There are multiple different ways you can hike Runyon. If you want a longer hike you can park towards the base of the mountain or if you want a short walk to the top, you can park at the top of the mountain.
I unknowingly parked at the top of the mountain, so it wasn’t much of a hike but the view from the top was gorgeous.
There were 360-degree views of Los Angeles, and you could even see the Hollywood sign in the distance.
The drive up to the top also takes you through the winding hills of LA. If you like looking at mansions, then you would enjoy the drive.
3. Santa Monica Pier
You can’t go to LA without going to one of its popular beach neighborhoods.
We chose to go to Santa Monica, and it was a great choice.
The Santa Monica Pier has everything you would expect. There is an amusement park, restaurants, and fishing.
We ate at Maria Sol at the end of the Pier. It is a Mexican restaurant that also serves massive margaritas. I highly recommend the Banana Margarita and the Carousel Enchiladas.
If you are looking for a cheap meal this is not the place. The food was great, but the prices were high because of its location on the pier.
Another attraction I suggest is the Ferris wheel. We went during sunset and got great views of the coastline with the sun setting. It was $10 for the ride but it lasted for a while, so it was worth the price.
Next to the Pier is muscle beach and a paved path that goes all the way to Venice Beach for biking, running, and skating. It is also a great place to people-watch or sit and enjoy the ocean.
4. El Matador Beach
This beach is technically in Malibu, but it was my favorite place I went to, so I had to share.
On my last day in LA, I took a solo trip to Malibu to check out the beaches. El Matador Beach definitely caught my attention.
Many people go to this beach to take pictures with the famous rock formations.
The parking lot is pretty small and fills up very quickly but if you get there early enough in the morning you shouldn’t have trouble. Parking was fairly cheap, and you can either pay hourly or until sunset. I paid until sunset, and it was only $9.
After you park there is a winding path with lots of stairs that takes you down to the beach. I was pretty winded going back up, but the beach was worth the trek.
The cliffs, rocks, and ocean were just stunning. I found a little nook in the cliff and sat on the beach for a few hours. It was so peaceful.
After sitting and reading for a while I took a walk down the beach and looked at the beachfront houses.
If you decide to do this just watch where you are walking and don’t put your stuff in front of someone’s property because that area of the beach might be private property.
El Matador Beach exceeded my expectations and if you can make it to Malibu you must go.
5. Hollywood Boulevard
Okay so there are a lot of tourist traps on Hollywood Blvd but seeing the stars and just walking down the street was good enough for me.
You can see sights such as the TCL Chinese Theatre and Dolby Theatre. The Hollywood and Highland shopping mall also give you a great view of the Hollywood Sign.
The Airbnb we stayed at was on Hollywood Blvd. If you don’t mind noise during the night, then it is a perfect central location for seeing all of Los Angeles.
I hope this post was helpful for those that are thinking of moving to Los Angeles or those that are looking to take a trip in the future. It is a big city with lots of things to do so you will never be bored. These are just some of the things I think you must do in Los Angeles.