How to Visit Los Angeles' Cultural Highlights in 72 Hours

Los Angeles has long been the West Coast's star attraction, offering a heady mix of Hollywood glamor and glorious sunshine. Yet recently, far from the lavish red carpets and swaying palm trees, it's Los Angeles' revitalized downtown, its thriving arts scene and diverse culinary offerings that have stolen the show. While it's difficult to realize the wonders of this sprawling, multi-layered urban justice in just a few days, there's still plenty of time to get a taste of what makes Los Angeles a blockbuster success. Here's how to spend 72 hours in Los Angeles.

Day One: Visit Los Angeles' Most Exciting Exhibitions

Start it all off with a 1,000-layer crepe at Pine and Crane DTLAa spacious restaurant serving modern takes on traditional Taiwanese cuisine. Want culture? Head to the Parc des Expositions, a tree-lined neighborhood that is currently being transformed into a hub for Art PST: collision between art and science, a major artistic event organized by Getty explore hot topics such as environmental justice and artificial intelligence (September 2024 to February 2025). Present at the Parc des Expositions and participating in PST Art, the Natural History Museum is set to open a transformative $75 million wing called NHM Commons. This project will house a 400-seat theater used for shows, educational seminars and festivals. In the green enclosure of the Parc des Expositions, you will also find the California Science Center and the African American Museum of Californiawhich houses more than 5,000 objects representing the various contributions of African Americans to the United States. Weather permitting, sports fans should head to the 77,500 seats Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum also located in the park. Make the most of a guided tour of the stadium before it hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics, making it the first stadium to have hosted the sporting event three times.

Work up an appetite with a stroll through the rose gardens below the park (a landscaping masterpiece that is even played as an eerie backdrop in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer) before heading to the nearby Mexican seafood restaurant Holbox in the La Paloma Market. Take a seat at the bustling counter of this casual restaurant, where chef Gilberto Cetina Jr has earned a Michelin recommendation for his dishes, including the famous empanadas.

Fortified, head towards DestinationCrenshawwhich opens this year. The open-air museum will stretch 1.3 miles along Crenshaw Boulevard and feature the works of more than 100 Black artists and will be the largest Black public art project in the United States. Then go through there Single people – a cutting-edge retail incubator showcasing young designers from underserved communities – to shop for sharp threads and cool travel bags.

These days, no visit to Los Angeles is complete without catching a football game at the glittering stadium BMO Stadium at the Parc des Expositions, an epic 22,000-seat stadium that houses Los Angeles Football Club And Angel City Football Club. End your first day off with a well-deserved plate of smoked brisket topped with tangy apple barbecue sauce Alta Adamsa soul food restaurant with an elegant open-air patio, perfect for balmy Los Angeles evenings.

Day Two: Get Your Design Fix at the Arts District of Los Angeles

Rise and shine with a hearty plate of spicy huevos rancheros Zinc Coffee in the Los Angeles Arts District, a hip neighborhood full of galleries, breweries, and underground music venues. The beauty of this neighborhood is that most attractions are within walking distance, so ditch the car and explore on foot.

Above the influence is a gallery showcasing contemporary art and design, while nearby, Hauser & Wirth has transformed a former flour mill into a world-renowned multi-use arts center, complete with a peaceful garden covered in murals. Continue to Hennessy & Ingalls to browse carefully curated shelves of design and architecture books, while visiting haute couture Dover Street Market reward with an overview of the latest style trends, set in a chic industrial boutique.

Head to the Olvera Street Historic District to explore Los Angeles' Latin heritage, first with lunch at Chiguacle Sabor Ancestral of Mexicowhere the menu includes the classics of Yucatán, before stopping at The Place of Culture and Artsa cultural complex dedicated to Mexican-American artists. As evening falls, Bavel has become the city's hotspot for the new wave of Middle Eastern cuisine, with standout dishes including delicious slow-cooked shawarmas and a tender beef cheek tagine studded with pomegranate seed gems.

Day Three: Discover a symphony of architecture & music in the historic core

Launched in 2011, Egg Slut has since become a cult breakfast destination, with outposts in London, Tokyo and Los Angeles Grand Central Market food hall and department store. Try the mashed potatoes topped with egg casserole, before discovering the region's architectural delights, including the imposing Bradbury Buildingused in the 1982 science fiction film Blade Runnerand the flight Angels Flight Funicularrenowned for being the shortest railway in the world.

Once back on earth, travel through a tunnel entirely composed of well-thumbed novels. Last bookstorewhich also offers comics and rare vinyls. Leave the City of Angels in style with a spectacular farewell tour Walt Disney Concert Hall. Designed by architect Frank Gehry, this harmonious, curved stainless steel building is the perfect place to listen to some of the best classical, jazz and contemporary music around.