3 days in Los Angeles, California (aka La La Land)!

Why did I choose Los Angeles, California?
We visited Los Angeles over Thanksgiving weekend. I’ve been to LA before, but not with Dustin! Since moving to California, we knew we wanted to hit up many of the national parks (Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, etc). For our trip to Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Park, we knew there were also some things in LA that we wanted to visit, so we spent 2 days in the city!

My Travel Time
November (Thanksgiving week)
We left the weekend before Thanksgiving and arrived back to San Francisco on Thanksgiving day so we didn’t have to deal with the flight price surges or the craziness at the airports.
Click here to check the weather
Click here to check when the sun rises and sets

My Flight Details
Airline: Delta, SFO – LAX (1-2hr flight)
Price: ~100-200 USD depending on when you book it and if you have a checked baggage
Transportation: We rented a car as we were also visiting national parks on this trip. It was ~50 USD per day. Similar to other cities, parking is definitely difficult to find and can be sometimes expensive, but having a car makes sightseeing a lot more convenient in Los Angeles since things are so far apart.

My Hotel Details
Palihotel Melrose Avenue: This hotel was on Melrose Avenue, which made it feel very “LA” / “Hollywood”. The hotel is near a lot of stores. It has a slightly older interior and an antique feel to it. There is a parking lot available for guests. It is 25 USD for overnight parking. 
Hotel Indigo Los Angeles Downtown: This hotel is downtown LA, so it’s among the skyscrapers of LA and close to a lot of stores and restaurants. It’s a very clean and modern hotel. Parking is available, but obviously more costly at 45 USD for overnight.

Day 1
~1.5 hrs of driving
Hollywood Sign Hike: more details on this post here
Taco truck: We heard of a taco truck near by the Hollywood Sign, so we knew we had to make a quick stop before dinner. We had 5 pork tacos. They put pineapples on top, which made it all tie together. 
Urth Caffe @ Melrose Avenue: Urth Caffe is very well known in Los Angeles. It has teas, coffees, juices, salads, soups, and sandwiches. We ordered a chicken soup and a Caprese sandwich – both were delightful.

Day 2
~2 hrs of driving
Eggslut/Grand Central Market: We had breakfast at Eggslut in Grand Central Market. Grand Central Market had tons of other foods, but we had our eyes on Eggslut (bacon, egg, and cheese on a brioche bun). There’s a long line, but it moves decently fast and it was the perfect hot breakfast for us. There is a parking lot for specifically Grand Central Market.
Tall Palm Tress @ 4651 West 5th Street, Los Angeles: We had seen several pictures of a street filled with tall palm trees on both sides in Los Angeles and wanted to take some pictures of it as well. Although it was rainy, it was still a very LA scene.
Pasta Sisters: Amazing and affordable pasta! We saw this restaurant on BUZZFEED Worth It and it was delicious. Pasta was fresh and original. It’s a small store with just a handful of seats. Free parking available outside the store, but very limited.
The Grove: Outdoor shopping! This place is huge and a ton of stores. Along with that, during the holiday season, their Christmas decorations are unbelievable! There is parking available and it’s free for the first hour.
Santa Monica Pier: We watched the sunset at this well known pier. This pier also has a small amusement park with games and rides. There are several parking lots available and affordable compared to downtown LA.
Kreation Organic Juicery: If only they had this in San Francisco! I love this place, they had healthy food, smoothies, juices, and desserts. Their smoothies are heavy enough to be meal replacements.
Din Tai Fung @ Century City: We love Din Tai Fung, amazing Taiwanese food, which is why you’ll see it in several trip itineraries. Whenever we can get it, we do. In the US, the line always seems to be pretty long. Century City Westfield Mall is pretty awesome as well. There are tons of stores and it’s partially outdoor. Parking lots available, but it can get quite crowded.

Day 3
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA): It was Thanksgiving day, so the museum was closed, but we wanted to see the famous lights in front of the museum as we’ve seen them several times in the movies!
Oo Kook: All you can eat Korean BBQ right before our flight; we also saw this restaurant on BUZZFEED Worth It series! Tons of little dishes and a variety of meat (~$78/2 ppl)
Beverly Hills: We drove around to see the houses of Beverly Hills (90210!) and the Beverly Hill Hotel
Rodeo Drive: Since we went during Thanksgiving, the Christmas decorations were already up and they were beautiful. Rodeo Drive is a street filled with high end stores.
Randy’s Donuts: Donuts! You might have seen pictures of a huge donut on top of its store – that’s Randy’s Donuts. It’s right next to the airport, so we stopped by before we headed back to San Francisco.