The Perfect L.A. Girls Trip Guide

LA LA Land is Calling

Los Angeles is a perfect place to have a getaway with your favorite girls! There is so much to do from beach time, to getting dolled up and hitting the town. Stay in the trendiest hotel, shop in hip Echo Park, have the best beach day at Santa Monica & Venice Beach, and hit the coolest bars for a night on the town! Whether you are interested in art, history, nature, or entertainment, there is something for everyone in LA. I lived in California for five years and rounded up the top things I did while visiting L.A. with friends!

Where to Stay

Hotel Per LA: This intimate boutique hotel offers luxury, elegance, and a touch of European flair - it’s simply stunning and still at a reasonable price point given its accommodations and location! Hotel Per LA’s rooftop pool, which offers breathtaking views of the Los Angeles skyline, is the perfect place to relax and hangout with a cocktail in hand. This hotel is my go-to in LA! Clifton’s Republic is my favorite place to go out for nightlife & it is right around the corner, so you don’t have to worry about getting home after a night out!

Team Stephen poster at the Biltmore for the All Star Game

Biltmore Los Angeles: This iconic hotel boasts timeless luxury in LA. To give you an idea - when I stayed here, I was surrounded by every NBA superstar who was staying at the hotel too for the NBA All-Star game that was in L.A.! It was so cool seeing basketball’s biggest names causally walking out the front doors! Also you’ll catch the Biltmore in Taylor Swift’s Delicate music video! If the hotel’s stunning interiors aren’t enough - the location is incredible, and you can walk to all the major downtown sites and nightlife spots.

What to Do

Check Out Santa Monica and Venice Beach

Santa Monica: When in L.A. hitting the coastal towns are a must. Santa Monica is beautiful, vibrant and fun! Hit the Santa Monica pier and boardwalk and check out the rides - I recommend the Ferris wheel if you want to try one! There are usually seals hanging out around the pier too so check for them. Walk along the wide beach to see stunning beach homes, grab some food out of the food trucks parked along the Pacific Highway 1 and stick your feet in the ocean! Santa Monica is an upscale area to live and the little downtown area is great too with good food and shopping.

Venice Beach: In contrast to Santa Monica, Venice Beach is unique mix of beach culture, bohemian charm, and street performers that makes it one of the most iconic neighborhoods in the city. The boardwalk is always packed with people and it’s really fun to people watch. It’s also a big place for body building and outdoor gyms - try one out if you dare! We tried climbing a rope and failed miserably.

Just off the main drag, are the Venice Beach Canals which are very peaceful and picturesque. The houses here are incredible and fun to look at! I recommend eating at Eggslut that had incredible breakfast sandwiches and having a drink at the very cool High Rooftop Lounge for great ocean views and a birds eye view of all the visitors!

Downtown LA Grand Central Market and Bradbury Building

The Grand Central Market: A historic indoor food market that’s been a landmark in the city since 1917. Come here hungry and try everything from Mexican street food to delicious lobster rolls! The food here is great any time of day and when we went on Friday they had live music. There’s also a very cool neon art wall great for photos! This is a must do in LA

The Bradbury Building: Across the street from the Grand Central Market is the Bradbury Building which is a must do for fans of architecture, history, or pop culture! Its a beautiful building constructed back in 1893 and is famous for its ornate wrought-iron details, Victorian-style elevators, and central atrium and was featured in several movies and tv shows. You'll feel like you've been transported to another era!

Explore Echo Park

Echo Park: This is a very hip LA neighborhood with great shopping and amazing food! This is a good place for nightlife too. Start with beautiful Echo Park Lake to walk around and you can rent Swan Boats here too for even more fun! Enjoy the sun and then walk along iconic Sunset Blvd and do some shopping, there are very unique shops here! Once you’ve worked up an appetite head to Mohwak Bend which is a GREAT place to eat. Sit in the atrium which has a great vibe, and the food and drinks here are so good! Reserve a table in advanced since this place gets busy!

Take in the Views at Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory: This working observatory offers stunning views of the city and night sky, and like other top sites in LA, is now a pop culture icon appearing in a lot of LA based shows and movies. Plan to spend a lot of time here to enjoy breathtaking views of the city and from here you can see the Hollywood Sign! The observatory is located inside Griffith Park, which is one of the largest urban parks in the country. There are many hiking trails that branch off from the Observatory that are worth doing if you want to spend some time in nature!

Enjoy the Arts District

The Arts District: The Arts District is a former industrial neighborhood that has been completely reimagined into a very cool place to be in LA. Here you’ll find murals and art galleries, and the interactive Wisdome LA which was a very cool visual art museum worth a visit! A great restaurant to splurge on for dinner is the highly rated Girl & the Goat! Make reservations in advanced and sit outside under string lights surrounded by plants. The plates are sharable and delicious!