Los Angeles or L.A needs no introduction. It is the city where you can walk down the famous Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and hope to catch a glimpse of a Hollywood celebrity if you are lucky. Or try your luck in the famous Sunset Strip on Sunset Boulevard. Read on to see how to spend 3 days in Los Angeles. This is a perfectly good itinerary for a long weekend in Los Angeles as well, especially if you are driving down from the Bay Area.
3 Days in Los Angeles – Where To Stay
The choice of hotels to stay in Los Angeles is unlimited. However, if this is going to be a relaxing and luxury trip for you, you should consider staying in Beverly Hills, the most posh area in all of Los Angeles. We drove down from the Bay Area during the February long weekend, and decided to stay at the Sixty hotel in Beverly Hills during a long weekend in Los Angeles.
This is a top luxury property on the famous Wilshire Blvd, and is within walking distance to shopping on Rodeo Drive, and a lot of excellent restaurants on Beverly Drive. You wouldn’t need to call for your car from the hotel valet at all, except for when you are heading out for some sight-seeing, as I have noted below.
There are several other ultra-luxury and expensive hotels in the area such as the Beverly Wilshire and The Maybourne; it all comes down to how much are you willing to pay to live in this sought after area. We felt Sixty was perfect, given its location and our budget, and its lovely rooftop bar! Wherever you ultimately decide to stay, I recommend you stay in Beverly Hills, since it puts you close to everything. Read on to plan your 3 day Los Angeles itinerary.
How To Spend 3 Days In Los Angeles
Day 1: Arrive in Los Angeles and enjoy nice dinner.
Depending on where you are arriving from, plan to reach Los Angeles by 5 PM. This will give you the entire evening to stroll along Wilshire Blvd and get a sneak peek of Rodeo Drive if you wish to do so. After our 6 hour drive from San Jose, we dropped off our car with the valet, and we literally spent under 30 seconds at the reception to get the keys to our suite since we had already checked-in online.
After spending an hour relaxing in the room, take a walk along Wilshire Blvd towards Rodeo Drive. It was quite chilly during the evening, so don’t forget to dress in layers. There are many options for upscale and budget friendly dining on North and South Beverly Drive. Both of these streets are under a 10 minute walking distance, so you will not need to call for your car. After a nice and warm dinner, head back to the hotel and pour yourself some wine from the mini-bar, if that’s your indulgence.
Day 2: Visit Getty Villa Museum.
This 3 day trip to Los Angeles was meant to be a relaxing one for us, without feeling rushed to see the sights, since we have already been here several times in the past. After a lazy morning, you can grab a late breakfast or brunch at any of the cafes that are at a walking distance nearby. You can’t go wrong with any of them to be honest.
After breakfast (or brunch), head to the Getty Villa Museum. This is a charming museum filled with Roman and Greek artwork. The entry is free which is great, you only need to pay for parking. Also, since this museum gets a lot of crowd, you need to book a timed-entry reservation to visit the museum. While the distance from Sixty hotel to Getty is under 15 miles, you are always going to hit traffic on CA-1, so expect the drive to take you an hour to get there. The drive is along the Pacific Coast Hwy, so you will get to view the beautiful beaches along the way.
The entire complex of the museum is huge! It’s filled with wondrous sights, including a magnanimous open auditorium, pools, gardens, and rooms filled with ancient artifacts from the Greek and Roman era. Photography is allowed inside, so capture as many memories as you want.
You can choose to have lunch or grab a snack at their full service restaurant, while enjoying the views of the Santa Monica mountains. You can also bring your own food and drinks and enjoy a family picnic in the lawn or on the terrace. If you are looking for some souvenirs and gifts, they also have a variety of shops selling jewelries, apparels, books and some nice gift items.
You can easily spend 3-4 hours here and have your fill of the surroundings and the culture that the museum has to offer. Head back to the hotel when you are done, and take a stroll to one of the many restaurants nearby for dinner, before you retire for the night. Alternatively, you can head to Sixty’s rooftop bar called the Umbrella Social Club and enjoy the panoramic views of Los Angeles, while sipping on cocktails or wine, with some soulful food.
Day 3: Visit Greystone Mansion and shop on Rodeo Drive.
Today, you will continue with the theme of having a relaxed vacation in Los Angeles. You may want to try out breakfast in Ella, the hotel’s restaurant, that serves global cuisines throughout the day, or explore yet another cafe in the neighborhood.
After breakfast, take a quick 15 minute drive to Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. This is a historical landmark in the area, where famous movies such as Rush Hour and Star Trek Into Darkness have been filmed, amongst many others. There is no entry or parking fee. You cannot go inside the mansion since it is open only for special events, but you can stroll around the entire garden areas and enjoy the tranquility of that space. After spending an hour here, head back to the hotel.
Since it is time for lunch, find a nice restaurant in the area that can satisfy your cravings. Post lunch, walk down to Rodeo Drive, the iconic street for luxurious shopping. It is just a 10 minute walk from the hotel, so you do not need to drive. Spend the rest of the day shopping here, or simply enjoy people watching and capturing photos for your memories.
After emptying your energy (and wallet!) at Rodeo Drive, the rest of the day is at your expense on how you wish to spend it. We headed back to the Umbrella Social Club once again to grab a few more cocktails, while we let our teenager enjoy her lone time in the suite.
Check out from the hotel the next day and head back to your sweet home or to your next destination.
Need Help Planning Your Long Weekend in Los Angeles?
If you are looking for ideas on spending 3 days in Los Angeles, email us and we can help put together a custom itinerary just for you and your family! Looking for more weekend getaway ideas? Check out our ultimate guide to spending a weekend in San Francisco!