6 fun things to do in downtown Los Angeles
The sun sets behind a tree near the Los Angeles Union Station.
There are so many fun things to do in Los Angeles. Here are 6 of our favorites:
Los Angeles Smorgasburg
Olvera Street
Little Tokyo
California Science Center
Grand Central Market
LA Live
Read all about these great Los Angeles attractions below.
Growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, LA was where it was at.
All my favorite tv shows took place there, “The Partridge Family” and “Emergency!” I heard so many songs on the radio in that era romanticizing California life that to me, with its fine weather and beautiful people, LA was a magical, almost untouchable place.
Ironically, I wouldn’t actually visit Los Angeles until I was 60! (though I’d been to the Bay Area several times.)
Of course, the Partridges are long gone, and like any urban area, LA has its issues, but I was still excited to experience it. And I must admit, there is a little something to it; that LA magic I once believed in, that sense of “funky exile” that Billy Joel observed in his song, “Los Angelinos”, it’s there.
Although, like New York, it’s one of those places that you can’t possibly appreciate all in one trip, here are six things I’d recommend checking out while in Downtown Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Smorgasburg
Smorgasburg, Los Angeles is an open-air food market that takes place every Sunday from 10 am-4 pm in ROW DTLA. The location was originally the terminus for the Southern Pacific Railroad, and now this historic district is the site of exciting redevelopment.
We were surprised by the area – from looking at the map, we were expecting something very industrial, which in style, it is, but the redevelopment is impressive, with shops, restaurants, and unique businesses (there seems to be a focus on “wellness”) while still keeping its historic charm.
And an extra bonus – there is a 4,000-car garage on-site! We east-coasters aren’t quite used to that kind of car friendliness, but LA’s reputation as being “a great big freeway” is famous, so parking is more of a consideration. (Btw, Smorgasburg also has a New York location.)
Always eager to taste local food, we wanted to make this one of our first hits in the city. We were not disappointed! We were presented with dozens of food vendors and trucks to choose from. It is a very popular event and was considerably crowded, but we didn’t feel particularly jammed in.
Like most things in LA, I had an impression of being “spread out” and there was plenty of room to move about. Even the somewhat longer lines were not too daunting; they seemed to move quickly.
We were impressed by the freshness of everything we tried. Lots of homemade tortillas, though sometimes you had to wait a little bit while they cooked up your dish but it was worth it.
Don’t think you necessarily have to choose the truck with the longest line to get something good. Humans just have that inevitable “herding instinct” to go where the rest of the crowd is going, and in the case of food vendors, it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s where “the best” is. The quality level overall at Smorgasburg is very high - so get what you want to eat and don’t fall victim to line envy.
Also, all these vendors are tricked out with Square to take your cards, so you don’t need to load up on cash to visit. There is a good amount of seating too; after a little bit of trolling, we found ourselves a table and went out hunting and gathering in shifts.
We tried breakfast burritos from Macheen with pork belly and fried chicken, a local treat, and both were delicious and very filling. It’s best to just get a little of everything and share, so you can sample a variety without overloading. We also had delicious sweet & spicy plantains, a little different from the Peruvian-style fried plantains that I’m used to, and I think I’m a fan for life!
Other treats we tried: vegan tacos, very flavorful and bright; fresh juices of cucumber and hibiscus which tasted dreamy-like California should; Be Bright Coffee, and some delicious Filipino desserts from the Ensaymada Project. These are traditional Filipino brioche breads in the shape of donuts, topped with grated cheese or sweet flavors like ube, mango or salted caramel. Stellar!! Funny story - my son who was taking his turn “hunting & gathering” listened to a Filipino woman in line in front of him ordering and then when his turn came, he decided “I’ll have what she’s having”. Good choice!
Overall, the Smorgasburg experience was fun, filling, and very Californian, an enjoyable way to pass a sunny Sunday and get introduced to the local vibe. We are excited to revisit the sister site in Brooklyn when back home to compare notes and appreciate the east coast vs. west coast scenes.
Visiting Olvera Street - Mexican food and culture
The oldest area of the city is Los Angeles Plaza Historic District, which includes Olvera Street, a distinctly Mexican neighborhood with historic buildings, including the oldest one, Avila House, built in 1818 when California was still part of Mexico.
We enjoyed a beautiful evening along the brick-lined pedestrian mall with the decorative facades of this romanticized Mexican marketplace. Except for some of the more modern trinkets for sale amongst the traditional Mexican pottery and colorful clothing, it really does feel like a walk back in time.
This is a great spot for that favorite traveling experience of ours - sampling local food from street vendors and local cafes. Like at Smorgasburg, you don’t need to necessarily patronize the longest lines. Spots are made “famous” on Instagram, but in general, most of the little taco shops and cafes here are going to be pretty good as they are in competition with each other. So look around at menus and see what you want to eat.
We tried taquitos, tacos, and breakfast burritos from various spots, including El Rancho Grande and Jaunita’s Cafe. The homemade tortillas are what make this food taste so good, in my opinion. And it comes out fresh and hot. A-plus!
Olvera Street is the perfect location for a relaxed evening walk for nibbles and trinket shopping. There is traditional music and dancing on the weekends, as well as other traditional events during the year, including the Blessing of the Animals (Saturday before Easter), Cinco de Mayo, Fiestas Patrias (Mexican Independence Day), Dia de los Muertos, and Las Posadas.
About a five-minute walk from Olvera Street is LA Union Station, the 80-year-old train station that has been featured in films like Blade Runner, Speed, and Catch Me If You Can. Our son has an interest in city transit, so we walked over to have a look. The oasis-like garden with towering palm trees frames the entrance to this historic station.
The beautiful art deco-styled interior features marble and rich wood paneling. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and has become known as the Last of the Great Railway Stations built in the US. So, it’s worth a visit for the architecture alone, or if you need to take a train somewhere out of Los Angeles. Despite the well-known car culture, there is a lot of mass transit available in LA, including an underground metro system, light rail and buses. You can load a TAP card with money or load one into your phone wallet to tap onto the train.
What to do in Little Tokyo
We were off to more food adventures in the neighborhood of Little Tokyo. Established more than 130 years ago by what was to become the Little Tokyo Business Association (LTBA), this lively area of about five city blocks not far from City Hall is a major cultural and civic center for Japanese Americans in southern California and one of only a few Japantowns in the US. More than 400 businesses operate in today’s incarnation of Little Tokyo.
We enjoyed the bustling pedestrian-only walkway, colorfully decorated and filled with shops and dining possibilities. We opted for Ramen Maruya and ordered the Gyoza and Edamame appetizers, then had Tonkotsu ramen. The homemade noodles were that perfect blend of chewy and soft and everything was delicious. Like other food-focused areas, we found that the length of the lines doesn’t mean much.
Lots of tasty eats can be had without the wait. Sushi, traditional bakery treats, drinks, and of course plenty of dumplings, noodles, and grilled delights abound so walk around and read some menus and sample what strikes your fancy.
Besides food, you can experience Japanese culture at the Japanese American National Museum at 100 N. Central Ave. It prides itself in being the “national repository of Japanese American history”, and is very active in the cause of diversity and understanding. It is known for its groundbreaking exhibits, works in the arts, and public educational outreach.
As a self-professed space nerd, I was personally touched by the monument to Ellison Onizuka, one of the astronauts killed in the tragic explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986. He was the first person of Japanese descent to reach space. The monument is a 1/10th scale model of the space shuttle, and bears plaques dedicated to Onizuka, the other Challenger crew members who died, and to the US space program.
And with space on my mind, onto another great hit in Downtown Los Angeles.
Space Shuttle Endeavour at the California Science Center.
Visiting California Science Center and LA Coliseum
Located in the Exposition Park neighborhood, The California Science Center was a great surprise treat for me, and I couldn’t believe the admission was free! There was a $15 charge for parking, and if you are interested in IMAX movies and some other special exhibits there is a charge for those as well, but there is plenty to see for the regular free admission. I would recommend anyone with children definitely plan a trip here while in the city, as it will keep the little ones busy for quite a while. As for us, we really came for Endeavour, one of the four retired NASA Space Shuttle orbiters on display around the country, as I am on a quest to visit them all.
Delightfully, there were a few other historic space program artifacts on loan from the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum so my space nerd heart was overjoyed. Featured are the Apollo capsule that flew the Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975, the first international human space mission, the Gemini 11 two-man capsule, which was the first mission to give us the view of Earth as a sphere, and the Mercury capsule that carried the chimpanzee Hamm into space.
But the big attraction is Endeavour, majestically suspended from the ceiling of a temporary pavilion for now, until it will be eventually relocated to the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, which is not yet complete. Don’t skip the introductory movie that shows the thrilling journey Endeavour took through the streets of Los Angeles in 2012 from the airport to Exposition Park, as curious crowds came out to watch this 50,000-pound celebrity roll along. (Just LA being LA!)
Upon entering the pavilion, I was impressed by Endeavour’s “battle scarred” exterior - like a starship out of Star Wars with its “I’ve got a story to tell” feel. But this is the real deal folks! Not Hollywood cosplay or even Industrial Light & Magic a little further to the north. This is a real-life spacecraft that has had a storied 25-mission career.
The first service mission to the Hubble Space Mission was served by Endeavour, as well as the first mission to add a US compartment to the International Space Station. Real contributions to man’s pursuit of the cosmos. I couldn’t help waxing a little poetic about these ponderings as my son and I perused the photos that lined the walls of the pavilion detailing every shuttle mission and crew.
The Science Center also has one of the big orange external fuel tanks on display and it’s just massive! When the new center is complete, this will be the only location to see all the components of a full shuttle stack - orbiter, fuel tank, and a pair of solid rocket boosters (which have been secured for the permanent exhibit), all with real flight hardware and in a vertical configuration. I can’t wait to return and see that!
Incidentally, all the shuttle orbiters were built in California at Rockwell International so it feels right that the state should take such pride and interest in their shuttle display. These lovely spacecraft are, after all, California girls.
A few things to know about visiting the Science Center: You need a timed ticket for admission, easily gotten online but you will be charged a small service fee (I think we paid $3 a ticket) along with the previously mentioned parking fee.
And while our focus was on Endeavour and the space exhibits, there is plenty more science here to explore with your family so you could easily spend the whole day.
LA Coliseum
It’s worth it while you are in the Exposition Park neighborhood to take a walk by the LA Coliseum, as it is very close by.. I have vivid memories of watching the coverage of the exciting 1984 Summer Olympics Games that took place there, but it has so much more history than that. It’s actually been the site of two summer Olympics (1932 and 1984), with another to be hosted in 2028.
It has also been home to college football’s USC Trojans since 1923 and at different points in time been home to the UCLA Bruins, and pro sports teams the Los Angeles Rams., Raiders and Chargers, as well as the Los Angeles Dodgers. It has played host to NFL Championships, two Super Bowls, and the 1959 World Series. It has been the site of countless civic and cultural events and many notable people have appeared here, from presidents and dignitaries to music legends and sports stars.
It’s worth a perusal around the exterior gate to take in the classic design elements that truly invoke the word “coliseum”. It was named a National and California Historic Landmark in 1984.
Eating at Grand Central Market
For a casual dinner of grazing one night, we checked out Grand Central Market at 317 South Broadway. It’s an old-style food market that’s been around since 1917, and describes itself as “a historical Los Angeles icon with a modern vision”. Though quite a bit smaller than other old city food markets we have visited, we found it charming in style.
There are about 40 vendors offering authentic LA-style cuisines from the many immigrant groups that have shaped the city. Lots of fresh, local ingredients and a mix of long-established vendors and new entrepreneurs. We tried bento box style Japanese food that was quite delicious.
Seating was a bit limited but we were able to grab a table. And true to LA form, pretty cheap parking can be found above. The market is on the ground floor. Worth a visit!
Visiting LA Live
The area around LA Live has become much more than just a place to hang out before a Lakers game. This entertainment district that surrounds Crypto.com Arena offers about 20 different restaurant options, the Microsoft Theater, Grammy Museum, and more.
Our take on the area was that we thought it was quite well done. John had last been here about 20 years ago for work when it was just an arena surrounded by parking lots. Today, streets are closed on game nights to make it a large, comfortable pedestrian area with a street festival feel. I felt quite safe there. It’s well-lit and well-maintained. Even when no game is on the schedule, there is still plenty of activity and the lively vibe of a city entertainment hub.
We stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn, which is right across the street and walkable.
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Takeaways from visiting downtown Los Angeles
Downtown LA used to be way down on the priority list for spots to visit and stay in the city. It’s not the case anymore. There is plenty to see and enjoy so it’s worth making it your home base for a Los Angeles trip.
If you are looking for other things to do in the Los Angeles area check out our posts on visiting Malibu and Santa Monica and also our post on visiting Palm Springs and Joshua Tree.
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