Los Angeles Layover: The Best of LA in 12 Hours
I have a love-hate relationship with layovers.
Unless I leave the airport, I don’t count a layover towards my “visited” list. And most of the time my layovers aren’t long enough to justify leaving the airport. So I end up sitting in the Denver or Detroit airport for 5ish hours without actually feeling like I can say I’ve been to Colorado or Michigan.
Sometimes, you can use layovers to your advantage. I experienced my first stopover during a trip to Europe. I ended up having about 24 hours to explore Iceland before continuing on to London.
And most recently, I had a 16 hour layover in Los Angeles. When booking my Sydney-NY flight, I didn’t seek out a Los Angeles layover. Honestly, I was just looking for the cheapest option. But when I found a flight that saved me money & gave me a day in LA, I couldn’t resist.
In this post, I’m going to share my itinerary + some tips to make the most out of a Los Angeles layover or quick day trip.
Earlier I mentioned that my layover was 16 hours. But between a slight delay, getting my rental car, and returning to the airport, I ended up having about 12 hours to explore the city. This was plenty of time to see some highlights in La La Land!
If you have more time, check out my other SoCal Guides:
San Diego Weekend Getaway Guide
10 Desserts You Need to Try in LA Right Now
The Best Beaches Near Los Angeles
Ready to go? LA here we come!
LAX
Do you have your dream and your cardigan? (Couldn’t resist…)
If you have a Los Angeles layover, you are probably flying in and out of LAX. This is the city’s main airport and is one of the biggest in the US. Like many major airports, it’s not very close to the city. Unfortunately, there isn’t a great public transportation option running between the airport and LA.
Transportation
To make this day work, I recommend renting a car. Sure, you could take an Uber from LAX to the city. But that will cost at least $30 one way. LA isn’t known for its public transportation, so once you get in the city you will need to keep taking
If you rent a car to pick up at the airport, be aware that the rental car sites are a little ways off airport property. There are free shuttle buses to and from the rental cars, so just follow the signs and board the bus heading towards your chosen rental car company.
Good to Know
It seems cliche, but plan for traffic. I promise it’s true. Just like New York has yellow taxis, LA has traffic. It’s just part of it’s charm. Plan and build in time for traffic and then add more time.
Also, parking can be challenging. Keep an eye out for any signs when you are parking on the street. Most roads are closed to parking on certain days or times for street cleaning. Some are only available for residents with parking tags. You may end up parking in a garage, but double check the price before committing. Many garages or parking lots entice drivers in with signs reading “$5 parking.” When you look closer, the fine print says “$5 for the first 15 minutes” and then they charge a higher fee after that.
Breakfast + Boardwalk
We are going to slowly make our way to Santa Monica.
I say slowly for two reasons:
- There will be traffic. Plan on it.
- Coffee + breakfast on the way!
The drive from LAX to Santa Monica could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours. It really just depends.
To break up the trip, I stopped for coffee and doughnuts along the way. If you’ve read some of my other post, you will know I’m a sucker for sweets. And SoCal has some of my all-time favorites!
For my first stop, I pulled off at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. This is basically the SoCal version of Starbucks, but their iced drinks are made with flavored powdered instead of syrup. Maybe it doesn’t make much of a difference, but I love it and I can’t make a trip to LA without stopping by Coffee Bean. You will see locations scattered around the city and there is even a few in Santa Monica if you want to wait for your coffee.
Next up, DK Donuts. Seriously, LA is home to SO MANY delicious donut shops. But this is one of the best. Colorful, crazy and down-right scrumptious treats are the name of the game here.
DK is only a few minutes away from the pier, so at this point start looking for parking. You might get lucky and find a metered spot. There are also a few public garages with reasonable rates.
Bring your treats down to the beach. Spend some time enjoying the ocean views. Check out the famous Santa Monica Pier. Once you are ready, let’s move on to our next stop!
Hollywood Boulevard + Runyon Canyon Hike
You can’t go to LA without stopping by Hollywood Boulevard. Yes, it’s touristy. It will be crowded and people dressed as super heroes will try to take a picture with you for a tip. But you need to see the Walk of Fame and Chinese Theater.
It’s going to be a little pricy, but I recommend parking at the Hollywood & Highland parking garage. If you want to make it cheaper, get your parking validated by one of the Hollywood & Highland stores. Then, it is only $3 for 2 hours of parking.
Spend some time walking along Hollywood Boulevard. Check out the Dolby Theater (where the Oscars are held) and the El Capitan Theater (where most Disney movies premiere).
If you are feeling up for it, walk from here to the start the Runyon Canyon hike. Runyon Canyon is a popular walking trail in the Santa Monica mountains. This hike will give you great views of the Hollywood Hills and the Hollywood Sign.
The trailhead is about a 15-minute walk from the Hollywood & Highland parking garage. You could skip the walk and try to park closer to Runyon Canyon. But, parking is extremely limited (especially on the weekends).
Once you get to Runyon Canyon, there are a few trails you can take. I opted for the 1.9mile loop, which took a little less than an hour. You will find a trail map at the park entrance or you can find more info here.
Silver Lake + Echo Park
After the hike, it’s time for some lunch! Head back to your car then make your way to Silver Lake.
This is a hipster area filled with coffee shops and music venues. Here you can also find one of my favorite taco shops in the city, Diablo.
Diablo might not have the best tacos in LA. But they have a free parking lot, board games you can play, and pretty dang tasty food (don’t skip the guac-you are in SoCal after all).
If you need a sweet treat after your meal, head to Magpies for LA’s best soft serve. Magpies serves unique flavors (many are vegan) like Corn Almond and Sweet Rice. They also serve some of the best toppings I’ve ever tasted, like their housemade Butterscotch Rice Krispies.
Look across the street to the Gleason’s Market on Hyperion. This sits on the site of the first Walt Disney Studios. Snow White, Pinocchio, and many other classics were created in this space. Sadly, it was torn down in 1966.
From here, head to Echo Park Lake for a short walk and nice view of Downtown LA. Street parking shouldn’t be too hard here.
Views + Early Dinner
At this point, think about how much time you have left. If you have a few hours left, continue on. But if you ended up spending more time at the earlier stops, you may need to head back to LAX now.
If you have time, head downtown. If you are visiting on a weekday, consider checking out the Los Angeles City Hall Observation Deck. This deck is open from 8am-5pm and is free to the public. Just check in, go through security, and take the elevator to the 22nd floor. Then, take a second elevator to the 26th floor and walk up the stairs to the 27th floor. Don’t forget your ID, you need it to check in.
If the observation deck is closed or you want another meal in LA, head to Little Tokyo. Kura Sushi is a conveyor belt sushi shop that is affordable and fun.
You could also visit the nearby Angel City Brewery if you just want a drink.
Ok, it’s probably time to get back to LAX (look at all that red on the map!) I hope you enjoyed this full Los Angeles layover!
What else would you include? Let me know!
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