Condé Nast Traveler: 31 Best Things to Do in Los Angeles
Jul 3, 2025When it comes to the best things to do in Los Angeles, it can be hard to know where to start: Of course, the weather is nice, the beaches iconic. But this is a city that’s much more culturally inclined than many non-Angelenos give it credit, far beyond the cinema scene. Los Angeles has solidified itself as an international playground for artists, for instance: the museums are top-notch, and LA’s creative vastness checks so many boxes. There’s also spectacular natural scenery, a cemetery that becomes a nightclub, and sports stadiums galore (including many new ones that will play host to the 2028 Summer Olympics.) Of course, there’s ample shopping and celebrity spotting, too. To help navigate your journey through La La Land, here are our picks for the best things to do in Los Angeles, no matter how many trips they may take to complete.
Grand Central Market
Not much has changed structurally in the 103 years since Grand Central Market opened, though of course none of the original vendors are around. Today, it is the epicenter of the high-low culture that Los Angeles pulls off so well. The cheaper takeaway spots—the tacos and sandwiches—are just as good as the more ballyhooed counters. It just depends on what you’re in the mood for. Villa Moreliana’s carnitas tacos are as good a Michoacan offering as you can find, while For the Win serve up a classy grass-fed beef burger with onions, cheese, and Thousand Island dressing on a potato bun. Then of course, there is Eggslut and it’s sometimes hour-long line for one of America’s most famous breakfast sandwiches. It may seem like the line itself is the point, those sandwiches deliver.
Read the full list of recommendations by Maxwell Williams in Condé Nast Traveler.