For those of you who have not yet read part 1, I invite you to do so now by clicking HERE. For the rest of you up to speed, let’s continue our California trip for another ~48 hours in LA, the surrounding area, and up the coast before finishing our last leg in San Francisco. Day 3 consists of plenty of the touristy “must see” places people hope to experience, especially during a first time visit to LA. Day 4 is a fairly long drive up the coast to San Francisco, ending with a spooky night tour at well known Alcatraz. Keep scrolling for more info on planning your next 48 hours in Los Angeles!
48 Hours in Los Angeles
DAY 3: Los Angeles
The included free breakfast at our hotel came in clutch the mornings we were hoping to get an early start and begin our day. After fueling up and grabbing some coffee to go, our day started early with a scheduled Warner Bros Studio Tour, followed by the Griffith Park Observatory, and of course, seeing the Hollywood Sign.
Warner Brothers Studio Tour
We had already booked our scheduled tour for 9:30am. The studio recommends around 3+ hours, which accounts for a 1 hour guided tour and 2 hours self guided tour. My sister loved walking into the studio as there was an entire Barbie exhibit in the main lobby, complete with movie worn clothing, shoes, and accessories. The first part of the tour includes some history of the 4 brothers who started Warner Bros Studio. You then hop on a WB Studio tour golf-cart for the guided portion. Multiple stops along the way include the famous “sofa” from the opening of Friends, the sorting hat from Harry Potter, and even being able to hold an actual Oscar at the end! There are various walkthrough exhibits including costumes and props from your favorite movies or TV series. I promise there will be something for everyone!
Alfred Coffee
After the Warner Bros tour we stopped briefly for coffee and a quick croissant at Alfred Coffee. There are several locations throughout LA and the surrounding area. We actually stopped at one of their smaller stands, which unfortunately ran out of everything except a single ham and cheese croissant. I’d definitely recommend and would return to try more of their drinks and pastries.
Griffith Park Observatory
I wish we had more time to explore some of the trails and area around the Griffith Park Observatory; however, we unfortunately had limited time. Some of the trails looked incredible and I’m sure would have provided even more breathtaking views. After some driving around and waiting, we were able to grab a parking spot in the upper lot, near the observatory. A very short walk to the observatory itself allowed us to see the iconic Hollywood sign in the distance, along with numerous homes down below. The views are simply breathtaking. We were fortunate to have near perfect weather with shining sun and not a cloud in the sky! There are multiple parking spots along the road and hills going up, depending on how far you wish to walk, or hike, to the top.
Chinese Theater/Hollywood Walk of Fame/Rodeo Drive
This next part was fascinating to see; however, once again given some time constraints we actually just drove through. We didn’t walk any of the streets near the Chinese Theater or Hollywood Walk of Fame but simply driving by may be enough for many. Continuing on we drove down Rodeo Drive, where the homes, and more so estates, will leave you speechless. Even if it’s a quick drive, like we did, I recommend driving to see some of the homes in this area. Each home is vastly different and brings its own unique character, and charm, to the area.
Santa Monica Pier/Venice Beach
Our trip continued to Santa Monica and the associated Santa Monica Pier, one of the most photographed places in the world. There are numerous parking lots nearby. We were fortunate enough to park in a small side lot adjacent to the pier, maximum of 2 hours, for around $2-3. Very reasonable and much cheaper than I was expecting. Walking up and down the pier, there’s something for everyone. From live street performers and drummers, to restaurants and bars, to small shops and souvenir carts. There’s also the famous Santa Monica Ferris Wheel, (also known as the Pacific Wheel) which has a panoramic view of the pier, surrounding beach, and beautiful ocean. This area is also known as the original “Muscle Beach” dating back to the 1930s, when exercise equipment was first installed on the beach. Today, you can still observe exercise enthusiasts using outdoor equipment on the sand.
Heading a little further south, we stopped at Venice Beach and the surrounding city. Once a vast and empty marshland, Abbot Kinney envisioned a renaissance of the area, to include resorts, amusement parks, and oceanfront views with a boardwalk. In the early 1900s, this vision became a reality. Later on, around the 1950s and 1960s, the “muscle beach” philosophy began to spread and legitimize bodybuilding. A sister location, “Muscle Beach Venice ” was used to distinguish itself from the original location in Santa Monica.
Edendale Restaurant
At the recommendation of one of our co-writers, Anna, we stopped for dinner at Edendale. I have nothing but positive things to say regarding this place! Tucked away slightly off the main road, the front is covered nicely by a few trees and shrubs. The main building, with some outdoor front patio seating, is the old Los Angeles Fire Station 56 from around 1924. The inside has been tastefully updated while keeping some of the original charm of the fire station. The menu offered plenty of choices, thus allowing us to share and have a more “family style” dining experience.
48 Hours in Los Angeles
DAY 4: Los Angeles --> San Francisco
A bright and early start to day 4 was necessary to ensure we had enough time to drive up the coast and make our night tour reservation for Alcatraz! Below, I’ll mention a few stops we had on our list along the way. Unfortunately, we were unable to see many of them given the timing. I guess this means a repeat visit is in my future!
Cafe on 27
Have you ever wanted to dine at a treehouse with surreal views and phenomenal food? Then please don’t skip out on Cafe on 27. Reservations seem to fill up fast, days to weeks out, especially on the weekends. Given our last minute trip, we were without a reservation and therefore stopped very shortly after opening, around 8am. Luckily, we were seated without a reservation and able to enjoy the amazing views of Topanga Canyon. The seating and restaurant setup is hard to depict, but I can tell you it feels as though you’re within a large treehouse, suspended on the side of hills, with priceless views. We shared multiple entrees, all of which were incredible, along with their cold brew coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice. This was by far one of the best breakfasts I’ve had. Definitely more expensive than your typical diner comfort food; however, worth every penny and I wouldn’t hesitate to return or recommend.
Malibu
Unfortunately, time didn’t allow us to stop and walk around Malibu. We were initially hoping to walk up and down the beach, along with visiting some of the nearby parks. Prior stops at Santa Monica and Venice took precedent and seemed to fit our schedule a bit better!
Leo Carrillo State Park
I really wanted to stop, at least briefly, at Leo Carrillo State Park given positive reviews and feedback from others. The pictures looked amazing, including some hiking trails and rock formations right on the beach. Surprisingly, some well known movies have actually been filmed here! Most notably Inception, Grease, The Karate Kid, and 50 First Dates to name a few.
Santa Barbara
This may have been the family favorite on our trip. Santa Barbara has its own Mediterranean feel and seemed much more relaxed compared to some of our other stops. The walkway and Stearns Wharf is not as built up as the Santa Monica Pier; however, still a sight to see. Spectacular coastal views await along with the constant sound of the ocean while walking on the oldest working wood wharf in California. Stearns Wharf dates back to 1872 and is approximately 2,300 feet long, with a total area of around 3.8 acres! If, or should I say when, we return I’d love to walk around town a bit more and stop at some local restaurants and breweries.
Wilder Ranch
Another stop we unfortunately had to cross off our list given the timing was Wilder Ranch. This would have been a cool stop, as it seems you’d step back in time to visit one of California’s earliest dairy ranches. There’s an old preserved Victorian Home, as well as a watered power machine shop, both dating back to the late 1890s. This will definitely be added back to our list during another California visit.
Alcatraz
The reasoning behind such limited time was our night tour reservation for Alcatraz! Given our last minute trip to California, this was the only time slot available for a night tour during our trip dates. Although this concluded our day 4 adventures, I’ll go into details with Alcatraz during the upcoming San Francisco post.
Hopefully Part 2-Los Angeles provided you some must see stops for your next visit to California. Please tune in the near future for the final post, Part 3-San Francisco, for the last leg of our wonderful Cali trip! This will include Alcatraz, Point Bonita Lighthouse, Muir Woods Park, and Painted Ladies (the homes from Full House!). You won’t want to miss it.
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