Things to Do in Los Angeles Right Now
Los Angeles is 88 separate incorporated cities stitched together by freeway, and no single afternoon covers Highland Park, Downtown and the Westside without an hour lost to traffic. The activities below sit close enough together, mostly in and around Downtown LA, to actually string into one day.
Grand Central Market, since 1917
At 317 S Broadway in the Historic Core, Grand Central Market has run continuously since 1917 and now holds 40-plus independent vendors: Eggslut for breakfast, Wexler’s Deli for house-smoked pastrami, Villa Moreliana for Michoacán-style carnitas, and McConnell’s for ice cream after. Open daily 8am to 9pm, admission free, food runs $5 to $22 a plate. Search downtown food tours on GetYourGuide if you want a guided crawl through the stalls rather than picking blind.
Swan boats on Echo Park Lake
Wheel Fun Rentals runs pedal-powered, illuminated swan boats on Echo Park Lake, past lotus beds and a central geyser fountain with the DTLA skyline behind it. Daytime rentals run $13/hr for an adult, $7.50/hr for a child aged 2 to 17; the evening illuminated rides run $14/hr and $8/hr. Life jackets are provided and each large swan boat holds up to five people.
Angels Flight and the Bradbury Building
Angels Flight, billed as the shortest railway in the world, has climbed 298 feet up Bunker Hill since 1901. A ride costs $1 each way in cash or by card, or 50 cents with an LA Metro TAP card, and it runs 365 days a year from 6:45am to 10pm. A block away at 304 S Broadway, the 1893 Bradbury Building has a sky-lit interior atrium, ironwork cage elevators and marble stairs, free to walk through on weekdays 9am to 5pm and weekends 10am to 5pm; both landmarks feature on the Los Angeles Conservancy’s guided Historic Downtown walking tour . Check current Metro fares and the TAP system at metro.net before you go, since base fare structure (not a flat price) applies across the rest of the system too.
Bob Baker Marionette Theater
Founded in 1963 in Highland Park and now a designated LA Historic-Cultural Monument, Bob Baker Marionette Theater stages themed musical revues with hand-built wooden marionettes in a theatre in the round, ending with the 60-year tradition of free Dixie cup ice cream. Tickets run $25 general admission, with shows Wednesday through Sunday.
The Strand, 22 miles of flat coastline
The Marvin Braude Bike Trail, known locally as The Strand, runs 22 unbroken paved miles from Will Rogers State Beach through Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey and the South Bay to Torrance. It is flat with separate bike and pedestrian lanes in the busy stretches. Cruiser rentals through operators like Perry’s run $12 to $15/hr or $35 to $45 for the day.
The verdict
Pair Grand Central Market with Angels Flight and the Bradbury Building for a downtown morning, then save Echo Park’s swan boats or a Strand ride for a separate, less traffic-dependent afternoon. For hotels within walking distance of the downtown cluster, compare DTLA options on Booking.com . For a fuller day-by-day plan, see the Los Angeles 4-day itinerary or the sightseeing guide .
Before you go
Grand Central Market gets crowded fast at lunch; arrive before noon or after 2pm to actually get a stool at the counter.