Cheap things to do in Los Angeles
Korean spas, Venice canals, street tacos, and a soju bar in Koreatown.
This is an LA trip built around the things locals actually do: long mornings in the neighbourhood, free art, street food, and a cold drink at a bar that doesn't care what you're wearing. Three very different parts of the city, none of them expensive. Best for travellers who want to move slowly and eat well without spending much.
Day 1: Koreatown, spas and soju
Start with a full morning at Wi Spa, then bone broth, free Basquiat at The Broad and the stacks at The Last Bookstore, ending on soju at Dan Sung Sa.
- 10:30 AM
Wi Spa
Wander the 24-hour Korean spa, pools and saunas for a cheap, totally local Koreatown experience.
Map - 12:30 PM
SYTK Sullungtang
Milky ox-bone soup with brisket and noodles that you salt at the table, with kimchi on the side.
Map - 2:30 PM
The Broad
Free entry to Basquiat, Warhol and Koons; book a timed slot and reserve the Kusama mirror room. Closed Mondays.
Map - 4:30 PM
The Last Bookstore
Free to wander: a huge used bookshop in an old bank, with a tunnel of books upstairs and dollar shelves.
Map - 7:30 PM
Tacos La Güera Pico
A Pico Boulevard taco stand for al pastor and asada at a couple of dollars a taco; load up at the salsas.
Map - 9:00 PM
Dan Sung Sa
Old-school Koreatown pub with scribbled wooden walls; share skewers and fried snacks over a bottle of soju.
Map
Day 2: Venice canals and the boardwalk
Walk the canals before the crowds, lunch near Abbot Kinney, people-watch along the boardwalk, then a beer at Firestone Walker and burritos at El Tarasco.
- 9:30 AM
The Cow's End Cafe
Cheap, locals-only Venice cafe right near the canals, grab a coffee and ease into the morning.
Map - 10:15 AM
Venice Canal Historic District
Free stroll through the historic Venice Canals, bridges, ducks, and quiet residential charm.
Map - 12:30 PM
Kreation Kafe
Organic café near Abbot Kinney for a grain bowl and a cold-pressed juice before the boardwalk.
Map - 2:00 PM
Venice Beach Boardwalk
Free people-watching on Ocean Front Walk: the skate park, Muscle Beach and the bike path south to the pier.
Map - 5:30 PM
Firestone Walker Brewing Company - The Propagator
Firestone Walker's Venice taproom and test brewhouse; get a flight of the small-batch beers brewed on site.
Map - 7:30 PM
El Tarasco
Tiny old-school Mexican stand near the Venice pier; get a big burrito and eat it on the sand.
Map
Day 3: West Hollywood, parks and tacos
Coffee and rose gardens in Beverly Hills, guisado tacos, an afternoon up at the Getty, then Indian food and a quiet drink back in Beverly Hills.
- 9:30 AM
La La Land (Reserve)
A calm Beverly Hills café for a matcha or a pour-over, a two-minute walk from Beverly Gardens Park.
Map - 10:15 AM
Beverly Gardens Park
Free stroll through Beverly Gardens Park, the famous Beverly Hills sign and rose gardens, no ticket needed.
Map - 12:30 PM
Guisados
Braised-meat tacos on handmade tortillas, in a back-alley lot off Linden Drive; get the sampler of six.
Map - 2:00 PM
The Getty
Free entry: take the tram up for the gardens, the city view and the collection. Parking is paid; closed Mondays.
Map - 7:30 PM
Anarbargh
Indian dinner off Wilshire; share a tandoori platter, a dal and garlic naan to keep the bill low.
Map - 9:15 PM
Beverly Bar - Beverly Hills Restaurant
Low-key local bar in Beverly Hills, bar food, cheap drinks, a proper neighbourhood wind-down.
Map
Where to stay
Cameo Beverly Hills
Mid-range rooms just south of Beverly Hills, close to the Day 3 stops and a straight drive west to Venice.
The Hôtel Lili
Good value for Beverly Hills, walkable to the park and the Day 3 stops, and small enough to feel like a proper base.
Make Los Angeles your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- The Getty Center: a few days ahead
- The Broad: a few days ahead
- Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood: weeks ahead
- Cinespia at Hollywood Forever Cemetery: weeks ahead
- Dodger Stadium: weeks ahead
- Rancho Park Golf Course: weeks ahead
Skip these
- Santa Monica Pier is for a walk and a photo; the food is carnival-grade, and the South Bay beaches are better for a beach day.
- The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a 20 minute stop, not an afternoon. Skip it unless you are nearby for something else.
- Rodeo Drive: 15-minute window-shop, poor dinner venue
- Read every restaurant bill before tipping: many places add a service charge, so ask whether it goes to staff as the tip.
The full Los Angeles travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around