The Most Iconic Things To Do In Los Angeles

For those people who have never been to Los Angeles, but are planning on going, the list of things to do usually contains the most iconic things that you see on TV. This was the same thing for me. Once I knew I was going to Los Angeles, I started to search for what can be considered must do things for tourists to LA. 

You have to admit that “The Hollywood Sign” is nothing special. It is just a big sign that I really wanted to see. That is what made me laugh at myself. Why is it that seeing that sign is very important to me? It’s not like I am fascinated by its history, or it is an architectural marvel that I must see. The reason I wanted to see that sign was, of course, the American movie industry.

Los Angeles is a center of the movie industry not just in the USA, but in the world, since the majority of TV products are coming from here. No wonder, the Hollywood sign has become such an obsession for many people. That is why I created this list of the most iconic things to do in Los Angeles for the first time visitors. Give it a read and tell if the list is the same for you as well.

The Most Iconic Things To Do In Los Angeles

Hollywood Sign

To see the Hollywood sign is, of course, the number one iconic thing you would want to do in Los Angeles. The iconic sign is almost 18 meters tall and 102 meters wide, and it is located on Mount Lee. 

Due to how big the sign is, it is visible from far away, and you can actually find a few great spots to take your pictures. After driving around Los Angeles for a long time I can feel comfortable writing my own post about the best spot to see the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. Hint: It’s Lake Hollywood Park.

Beverly Hills 

Beverly Hills is a city in Los Angeles County. It is a popular and expensive area where many celebrities live.I even saw a bus that was driving people to celebrities’ homes, which I found a bit creepy. 

Besides Rodeo Drive that I am going to mention down below, the most iconic thing to do here is …. Tah-dah-dah-dam…. to take a picture with a Beverly Hills sign.  It is, of course, not as great as the Hollywood sign, but it is also considered an iconic thing that tourists do in Los Angeles

Drive Down Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard is one of the symbols that represents the glamorous lifestyle in Hollywood back in the day. Sunset Boulevard also appeared many times in famous movies. One of them is the actual “Sunset Boulevard” movie that you probably all know. 

Today Sunset Boulevard is still a very desirable location and attracts lots of people. 

Rodeo Drive

Rodeo Drive is a famous street in Beverly Hills, and just like Paris’ Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Rodeo Drive is full of fancy boutiques and expensive restaurants. 

The funny thing that I realized about Rodeo Drive is that it is nearly the only street in Los Angeles where people actually walk. The rest of the city looks like a ghost city, there are no people anywhere, just cars.

Universal Studios Hollywood

If you are coming to Los Angeles there is no way to leave it without going deep into the movie making process. One of the ways to do that is to visit Universal Studios in Hollywood. 

Universal Studios offers tram rides that go through basically an amusement park slash studio backlot. You will see many famous scenes and characters that are well-known.  It is a great attraction for kids and adults if you are a movielover. 

Location: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608

Have Pancakes At A Breakfast Diner

To get pancakes in a diner in America is a must do thing, no matter what state, or city you are visiting. You probably have seen many times  on TV those diners where they serve huge portions of pancakes. 

I was so eager to visit those diners, that I ended up going for an American diner breakfast every morning while I was traveling in Los Angeles. Thankfully now I’m gone and can get back to normal human portions of food.

Have A Stroll Along The Beach

Visiting the beach in Los Angeles is definitely an iconic thing to do from movies and TV-shows. 

So, what do you expect? –  A long, wide, beautiful beach with tons of people swimming, and sunbathing. What do you see? – A long, wide, beautiful beach with no one swimming or sunbathing. Why? Because it is crazy cold. The water is very rough and freezing, plus it is quite windy there. The few people that you can see in the water are surfers in wetsuits. 

Hollywood Walk Of Fame

The Hollywood Walk Of Fame has more than 2700 stars embedded into the sidewalks that represent people in entertainment. Those people are not just actors, but also producers, directors, musicians, and more. 

Together with the Hollywood Walk of Fame you can see the TLC Chinese Theater which represents Hollywood’s Golden Age. You can visit this theater as a part of a group tour, or by seeing a show there.

Location: 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028

The Most Iconic Things To Do In Los Angeles