My Los Angeles vacation began with an early arrival—thanks to favorable winds, we touched down a whole hour ahead of schedule at 3 PM, but I didn’t get out of the airport until around 6 PM. As soon as we deplaned, we were greeted not by a warm Californian breeze, but by the shout of a policeman yelling instructions that, despite my best effort, I barely understood. Something about U.S. passports and lines, none of which seemed to have much rhyme or reason. One and a half hours later, after surviving the passport queue, I made it out of LAX and into the fog of California, ready to find a way to Santa Monica.
Public transportation from LAX isn’t exactly straightforward. To get to Santa Monica, I had to first catch a free shuttle bus (the “Green Line”) and then hop on Bus No. 3. The bus fare was $1.25, but when I told the bus driver I only had dollar bills and no coins, he smiled and said, “A dollar is fine.” As it turned out, at least half the passengers weren’t paying anything at all. The homeless folks hopped on without even pretending to search for fare, and the drivers seemed to have adopted a ‘pick your battles’ attitude—less drama, more driving.
After what felt like an eternity in LA traffic, I finally arrived in Santa Monica. My hostel was just a few minutes’ walk away. That evening, I strolled down to the Santa Monica Pier, which was shrouded in fog and had surprisingly few people around, though still bustling with some lights. Later in the hostel lobby, while I was in the mood for some random conversations, I ended up chatting with a helicopter pilot from southern Brazil and a YouTuber who filmed the most-viewed Zermatt video ever, with ten million views! Who knew I’d end up meeting an international influencer on my first day in LA? (You can find his channel here: Nomadic Ambience). After a good chat, I headed to bed, ready to tackle day two.
Day Two: Cars, Fame, and Sky-High Shenanigans
The next morning, I went out for breakfast with no plan whatsoever, and that’s where I met a super interesting guy from Mexico. He said he was headed to the Petersen Automotive Museum, and I asked if I could join. From the museum, which was full of shiny, classic cars, we went straight into tourist mode: the Walk of Fame, the Dolby Theatre (where the Oscars happen), and even a “VIP” tour that promised to show us where celebrities lived. Let me just say: the “VIP” part was questionable at best. It turns out, you pay to stare at tall hedges and walls, and hear about celebrities I had no interest in and didn’t know—I was bored and felt like the tour was a complete waste of time.
That evening, we ventured to downtown LA. I had this idea that we should go up a skyscraper, and I wasn’t going to let it go. I approached three building receptions to ask if we could get to the top, and each time I got a “No,” along with a look that suggested I was a bit crazy. At the third building, there was no one at the reception desk, so we waited. Five minutes later, a very confused security guard appeared and asked us how we got in. “Through the door,” I answered. He didn’t find that very funny—apparently, he had forgotten to lock the door and was now ordering us out. Persistence, however, eventually paid off, because the fourth building we tried actually had a rooftop bar! The lady at the entrance gave us a suspicious once-over and almost denied us entry due to our rather casual attire, but in the end, she waved us through. A cold cola on a rooftop overlooking LA at night? Absolutely worth all the trouble. To top it all off, as we were heading back, we stumbled onto a film set—they were shooting a scene for Apple TV’s “The Morning Show” right there on the street, surrounded by spectators. It was fascinating to watch the behind-the-scenes magic.
Day Three: Museums, Views, and a Night Out
The following day, we went to the California Science Center, which was free (yay!) but, unfortunately, still a work in progress—the Space Shuttle exhibit wasn’t ready yet. Next, we visited the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. This place was huge. You could easily spend two full days there, but we focused mainly on the dinosaurs. After three hours of fossils and bones, our heads were about to explode. We grabbed some food, and I decided to continue my tourist journey solo—next stop: Griffith Observatory. My friend from Mexico was a bit museumed-out by then, so he went back to the hostel. The observatory, with its incredible view of the entire city and the iconic Hollywood sign, did not disappoint. And yet again, admission was free! On my way back, the metro had its own little surprise—a guy next to me suddenly vomited. He was clearly high, but by then, I had grown accustomed to LA’s colorful public transport; I barely flinched. The contrast of people on the metro in LA is something I’ll never forget—one person is on the brink due to drugs, and next to him, another is just living their best life.
Back at the hostel, I joined a bar crawl organized by the staff. We ended up in three different bars, and I met some people who started a group chat to organize our Saturday night out. They seemed to have a plan, and I was happy to go along.
Day Four: Getty Villa and French Connections
Saturday morning, I decided to visit the Getty Villa, partly because I had no other plans and partly because I had no interest in joining the French group from the evening before for their bike ride. I didn’t think I was much into art, but wow—the Getty Villa blew my mind. I joined two tours, and both guides made the art and history come alive. I think I finally get why people are into this stuff. Plus, the villa itself is incredible. Unfortunately, a lot of pieces are being returned to their countries of origin—although I have to admit, they looked like they belonged in that villa. Five hours later, I returned to the hostel and went for a run along the beach. That evening, the hostel hosted a comedy show, which was an absolute disaster—but it got better. Around 9 PM, we headed out as planned, first to The Revolver Video Bar and then to The Abbey Food & Bar. According to the French group from the evening before, these places were ‘must-do’ spots in LA, and I have to admit, the experience was unique and will definitely stay in my memory—those who know the bars will understand why.
Departure Day: Outlets, Walmart, and Farewell
Sunday morning, it was time to pack up and get moving. I left early for LAX, made a quick detour to an outlet mall, and then checked into the hotel where I would work for the next two weeks. A final stop at Walmart to grab some snacks, and that was it—my LA adventure had come to an end.
Looking back, LA was a mix of glamour and grime, random adventures, and unexpected encounters. There were moments of beauty, like watching the city lights from a skyscraper at night, and moments of complete absurdity, like negotiating with a security guard or sitting next to someone vomiting on the metro. But that’s LA for you—a city that never stops surprising you.