If there’s one thing I remember the most during my stay in Los Angeles, it’s sitting in traffic. I encountered heavy traffic while driving around almost every day I was there (with the exception of Saturday morning when I left the city, probably because everyone was still asleep as they partied too hard the night before).

The guide I was reading mentioned that you really need a car to get around Los Angeles, so I didn’t even bother looking at public transportation as an option (though I probably should’ve given it a try as my guide is a couple years old, maybe it’s gotten better). I really don’t mind driving, but the traffic was just really bad when I was there that I felt like I wasted so much of my time here. I wouldn’t want to live here for this reason alone.

It’s also very rare to find free parking here, so it’s a good idea to have quarters and some cash available.

Here are the places I visited:

Griffith Park

Started my first full day in Los Angeles by visiting Griffith Park in the morning. It was a Thursday morning and plenty of free parking available. I was just walking around when I spotted Griffith Observatory from the trail, so I decided to hike up there. The observatory was still closed when I got there, but you can walk around the outside section for a really nice view of the city. You can also see the famous “Hollywood” sign from here.

The Getty Center

This is a really nice place to visit. I didn’t care much about the museum part, but it’s nice to walk around the campus to look at the buildings, the garden, and some great views of LA from here as well. There are also cafes in the campus so you could sit down outside and enjoy the sun and the view.

Admission here is free, but you have to pay $15 per vehicle for parking (of course). From the parking lot you can take the free tram to the campus.

The Grove/Farmers Market

This is a cool shopping center. It’s pretty small but it’s got a nice layout and a cool music fountain. It looks like “Extra” shoots here as well, saw Mario Lopez here.

When you get hungry, you can check out the Farmers Market. So many different types of food to choose from at the Farmers Market, but I thought they were pretty expensive for what you get.

Venice Beach

This is a really nice beach. Spent almost an entire day here walking, watching street performers, checking out the shops, and just relaxing at the beach. I also noticed a lot of medical marijuana shops (and accessories). Not sure what’s required to purchase them, but you can ask the “doctors” at the shop if you’re interested. Good place to visit if you’re looking for a relaxing day.

The day I left the city I also decided to drive around Sunset Boulevard and Beverly Hills for a little bit. Nice areas but didn’t see any celebrities. It’s interesting to drive around and see areas that look pretty “ghetto” then all of a sudden you’re surrounded with palm trees.

Overall, it’s not my favorite city and wouldn’t want to live here. Couldn’t stand the traffic and just way too crowded for me (and probably too expensive).