Things to do in a layover at LAX – How to make the most of it

If you’re traveling to any destination and have a Los Angeles airport layover of more than 6 hours, this post will help you make the most of it. Luckily, LAX airport in the layover for many connecting flights and you can discover Los Angeles by the time you’re due for your next flight.

KEEP IN MIND: A minimum of six hours layover is ideal if you want to just explore the famous spots that you have always seen and heard of in movies.

1. WestSide LA – You can start by visiting Venice Beach and Santa Monica.

Both are great locations if you want to relax at a beach with a great view. Take the flyaway bus from the airport that gets you to the downtown Union Station and then hops on 438 commuter express to the WestSide LA Santa Monica. Both Santa Monica and Venice Beach have great dining and shopping options and if you’re not in the mood for those, you can just stroll along the beach and unwind.

2. Famous Beverley Hills & Rodeo Drive

Off the beach, you can also explore the famous Beverley Hills. If you’re fond of shopping, Beverley Hills has the best shopping street with high-end brands called Rodeo Drive.

3. Lake Hollywood Park – Massive Hollywood Sign

After exploring Beverley Hills, you can head on to the part of Los Angeles that you have heard most about The Hollywood sign. The convenient way to get to Lake Hollywood Park is to get either an Uber or catch a flyaway bus. There, you can see the huge and famous Hollywood sign as close as possible and take pictures.

4. Hollywood’s walk of fame

From there, you can go to check out Hollywood’s walk of fame. However, if you are planning to visit it, you should be prepared for hordes of tourists. This will also take more time because people will be stopping and taking pictures every step of the way so plan accordingly if you are short on time.

5. Downtown LA – Central LA

If your layover is later in the evening or at night, you can enjoy DTLA-Downtown LA. Downtown LA is the hip new upcoming locality with night life, dining options and lots of entertainment options for all ages around the Staples Center. It is surrounded by a lot of neighborhoods that are filled with similar entertainment options if you have the time.

6. Cali Burger
DON’T FORGET to enjoy California Cheese Burger and crispy fries… 😉

7. Griffith Observatory, Griffith Park, Mount Hollywood, Los Angeles

Great spot to look over the entire city of Los Angeles. Observing LA through Telescopes, explore exhibits and see live shows.

8. Head Back to LAX Airport – Don’t forget! 🙂

KEEP IN MIND: The only thing to be mindful of if you are exploring Los Angeles during a layover is the notorious traffic.

One tends to get stuck in long traffic jams a lot, rush hours are a huge issue in LA so it is recommended that you keep a safety margin for getting to the airport with some additional traffic in case you get stuck on an avoidable route. Ideally, in addition to the margin of commuting to the airport, you should also keep the time for Security and checking-in to your flight since LAX is one of the busy airports. If a lot of flights are leaving in the same time-window, security check-ins might take time.

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