22+ Epic Things to Do Alone in Los Angeles

I spent over a month living solo in L.A. as a digital nomad and kept myself entertained with nature hikes, beaches, amazing nightlife, famous landmarks, and cool offbeat spots.

Personally,I loved L.A. I know some people say it’s plastic and fake, and maybe it is, but I wasn’t out there trying to break into the entertainment industry or bump into celebrities. I care more about L.A’.s music history and general weirdness–think David Lynch movies and Bret Easton Ellis novels.. I wanted the gritty underbelly–where Bukowski hung out, where The Doors got their start, where Jim Morrison lived when he went outside screaming at 4 a.m.

What surprised me most, though, was how green and gorgeous parts of the city are. There are so many great hikes that will make you forget you’re right in the middle of one of the largest cities in the country.

Whether you’re a fellow solo female traveler, a digital nomad, or just curious to see what this sprawling city has to offer beyond all the Hollywood glitz and glamour, here’s my list of the best things to do alone in Los Angeles.

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What's Inside This Post

Los Angeles Solo Nightlife Spots

My taste in nightlife mainly revolves around live music, especially rock, and dive bars. If that sounds up your alley, check these places out.

Rainbow Bar and Grill

9015 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood

This place is legendary for rock of the 70s and 80s. There’s a statue of Lemmy from Motorhead out back, and the “Lair of Hollywood Vampires” is upstairs with Alice Cooper as president. A must if you’re into rock music history.

A large, framed painting of a man in a hat playing an electric guitar hangs on a red-lit wall, partially obscured by a railing, with mural-style portraits above it.

Whisky a Go Go

8901 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood

Another piece of iconic LA. rock history. The Doors used to be the house band here. I saw a band called Green Jello, of “The Three Little Pigs” fame, and met some cool, interesting people while never feeling out of place as a solo traveler. If you get the opportunity to go see a show here, do it!

The Frolic Room

6245 Hollywood Blvd

This iconic dive bar is right at Hollywood and Vine. If you know me, you know I’m a huge Bukowski fan, and this was one of his haunts, so I had to go. Fun fact: this was my first time ever going to a bar alone, and I ended up loving it!

Koreatown

Into karaoke? This is the place to do it, 24/7. Great after spending an evening at the Frolic Room.

Iconic Things to Do Alone in Los Angeles

Drive Through the Hollywood Hills

Take a drive along winding, famous streets, like Mulholland Drive, and look at the gorgeous mansions. You’ll also come to fantastic overlooks where you can get amazing views of the city below.

A woman stands near the Hollywood Sign overlooking Los Angeles; the city skyline, hills, and a reservoir are visible under a partly cloudy sky. Shrubs and a dirt trail appear in the foreground.

Hike to the Hollywood Sign

You gotta do it. No hiking boots required. You can go up behind the sign if you want a little extra–just don’t try to climb the actual letters unless you want to go to jail.

A smiling woman with long dark hair stands in front of a Dr. Phil backdrop, surrounded by St. Patrick’s Day decorations with shamrocks and a banner. St. Patrick’s Day is written at the bottom of the image.

Be Part of a TV Audience

I may or may not have gone to Dr. Phil. Guilty pleasure. Go to On-Camera Audiences to search audiences you could be in.

A mannequin wears a gold, pleated, halter-neck gown next to another mannequin dressed in a blue-and-white gingham dress with a white blouse, both displayed in a glass case with a small information plaque in front.

Ornate, spiked ceiling centerpiece with intricate gold patterns, blue and white glowing light at the center, set in a dimly lit, richly decorated room with dark walls and red accents.

See a Movie at TCL Chinese theatre

6925 Hollywood Boulevard

Normally, I wouldn’t recommend movie theatres–they aren’t really my thing, personally, and you can see a movie literally anywhere. But this is no ordinary movie theatre–this is where the stars attend their premieres. The bathrooms are luxurious and designed for actors to get ready in. You can also see celebrity handprints and Marilyn Monroe’s and Judy Garland’s dresses in here. I’m not a huge celebrity person in general–I suspect I wouldn’t recognize most of them if I saw them in person, but this theatre was actually worth seeing.

A mannequin in a store window displays a vibrant green and blue patterned jacket and skirt set with a matching top. Nearby, colorful blue, green, and white handbags are arranged on display shelves.

If only I had unlimited funds…

A sleeveless black crop top with lace trim displayed on a hanger, featuring the word SEX spelled out in large, shiny rhinestones across the chest.

Well that’s…to the point.

Shop (or Window Shop) on Rodeo Drive

Another classic. You don’t have to buy anything, but it’s worth gawking at the designer goods and displays as well as the people and vehicles. The stores have lines to get in, and you’ll get a personal shopper, even if you don’t want one. If you’re not in the mood for any Pretty Woman moments, though, you could just look at the window displays which are fabulous.

Three mannequins display vibrant outfits: one in a green dress with harness and sunglasses, one in a green and teal feather-trimmed suit with patterned pants, and one seated in a feathered teal skirt and silver beaded bra top.

Three ornate dresses on display: a high-neck dress with green, gold, and blue geometric patterns; a sleeveless, sheer mint gown with floral accents; and a long-sleeve silver sequin dress with ruffles, all against a pink backdrop.

So classy and elegant…

Despite not dressing the part, no one treated me poorly, and I bought myself a cute Dior wallet as a souvenir, which I plan to carry forever.

A bright yellow luxury convertible car is parked by the sidewalk on a palm tree-lined street, with a large black pickup truck and other vehicles in the background.

Could there be anything more L.A. about this picture?

Noteworthy stores:
I hear the cheapest item on Rodeo is the condoms at Saint Laurent Rive Droite.
The most expensive store isn’t Gucci or Chanel, it’s House of Bijan – you’ll know it from the yellow luxury car parked out front (when I went, it was a Rolls Royce) with a matching yellow parking meter. By appointment only, this is a luxury men’s store frequented by celebs and world leaders, including several U.S. presidents. About the only thing I could afford was looking at its bright exterior.

Take a Tour of Celebrity Homes

See how the other half lives with a tour of Hollywood’s finest homes.

A spiraling archway made of stacked books curves over a dark hallway with red and green walls, gold accents, and circular decorative elements. Sunlight filters through a small gap above.

A tunnel-like arch made of stacked books, with a strip of bright LED lights running along the curve, illuminating the book spines in various colors and titles.

Inside the book tunnel at The Last Bookstore

Low-Key Things to Do in L.A.

Check out The Last Bookstore

453 S Spring St

Located in downtown L.A., this place is easily in the top 5 bookstores in the country for me. I could spend hours there looking at all the cool displays and finding new books.

A framed painting of vibrant blue and purple irises with green leaves against a background of yellow and orange flowers, displayed on a gray wall in an art gallery.

Irises by Van Gogh

A landscaped garden with manicured lawns, shrubs, and two large metal arbor structures covered in flowering vines under a partly cloudy sky. A paved walkway and small outdoor light are in the foreground.

Solo Date Night at The Getty

1200 Getty Center Dr

Perfect solo date night! Wander around the museum and gardens at your own pace and enjoy. Oh, and it’s FREE! You do need timed entry tickets, though, which you can reserve here.

A cream-colored sweatshirt hanging on a rack, featuring a large red lace thong sewn onto the front as a decorative design. Other clothes and hangers are visible in the background.

Who’s Tony?

Go Thrifting

L.A. thrifting is not like normal thrifting–you’ll find some unusual things here. I am so curious what this sweatshirt was all about and why it was 50 bucks. You can find all sorts of strange memorabilia in thrift stores.

Try Wasteland, 7428 Melrose Ave.

Take a Dance Class

If you’re into dance, go to the world-famous Millennium Dance Complex and take a class. Be advised, though, this is L.A., and if you’re not a great dancer, you will be humbled like I was. Despite the name of the class I took being “Beginning Hip-Hop,” I found nothing “beginning” about it, and most everyone else looked like they’d been doing it for years (and their outfits were on point). On the upside, no one was mean to me! I’d say the atmosphere is pretty welcoming.

Take a Fitness Class

Got a Classpass coupon you haven’t used? L.A. is the perfect place to do it. They love their fitness in L.A. Give some trendy new workout a try!

Outdoorsy Things to Do Alone in Los Angeles

Angelenos love their hiking, and there’s no shortage of gorgeous places nearby to explore:

Griffith Park

Like I said before, I was pleasantly surprised by how much nature is right in the middle of L.A, and there are so many trails in Griffith Park! It’s where the iconic Hollywood sign is, along with many other cool spots. Here are a few I hiked to:

A vibrant, colorful wall covered with overlapping layers of graffiti, paint splatters, and tags. A prominent red rectangle at the bottom features bold black letters, partially obstructed by a metal gate in the foreground.

Three picnic tables are set in front of a rock wall with several cave-like openings. The rocks have some graffiti and are surrounded by greenery under a sunny sky. Shadows from nearby trees fall across the scene.

The Abandoned Zoo: Wow. Now this is the kind of weird L.A. I’m all about. They moved all of the zoo animals to a new zoo and just…kind of left this one. It’s creepy (in a good way) seeing the old abandoned cages and all the graffiti.

An empty, abandoned swimming pool with peeling paint and graffiti on the walls, including the words NACHO and PSYKE, surrounded by trees and hills under a clear blue sky.

The Abandoned Pool: This pool used to be part of a summer camp. I felt so cool for having done this hike–had to immediately hit the herb vape when I got there. Hiking boots recommended. I didn’t have them, and it was slippery. Stand in the middle of the pool and admire all the cool graffiti.

Two large, colorful, rusted metal pieces, possibly from an amusement park ride, lie abandoned on a dirt path, surrounded by trees and foliage in a dimly lit, outdoor setting.

A black dog with white markings stands on a dirt trail, looking up with its tongue out. The dog is on a blue and black leash, surrounded by green plants and yellow wildflowers. Hills with trees are in the background.

Never saw a hike in L.A. that wasn’t dog-friendly.

Fryman Canyon

A short, roughly 2.5-mile dog-friendly hike with pretty views. There are ruins of an old Jeep that drove off a cliff you can go check out. Creeeeepy.

A wide view of a cityscape with numerous buildings, trees, and hills in the foreground under a clear blue sky. The area appears densely populated, stretching far into the distance.

What a view…

Runyon Canyon

Another fantastic hike. This is an extremely popular hike within the Hollywood Hills where all the celebs go. I didn’t see any celebs I recognized, but I did see a few people who looked important.

A grassy hilltop at dusk overlooks a cityscape filled with glowing lights. The sky is partly cloudy, with fading daylight and a soft blue hue above the landscape.

Topanga canyon

There are a lot of hiking trails here! Topanga is known for attracting the bohemian crowd and is home to several festivals.

Go to the beach

Los Angeles has some of the most popular and recognizable beaches in the country, and you can’t really go wrong with any of them. Here are some beaches I visited more than once:

People enjoy a sunny day at the beach, with the sun low in the sky, casting long shadows on the sand while others swim and play in the ocean. The sea reflects the sunlight, creating a bright path on the water.

Santa Monica Beach and Pier

This might be the most famous beach in L.A. There’s a ferris wheel and other fun attractions as well as a good ol’ sandy beach. It’s not dog-friendly.

A colorful dragon sculpture with green wings stands on a sunlit beach sidewalk, casting long shadows. The sun is low in the sky, and nearby is a painted box and a trash can.

Venice Beach

This is the artsy bohemian beach. You’ll find all sorts of shops and vendors along the boardwalk. The beach is not dog-friendly, but the boardwalk is during designated hours. I left Elgie at home though–Venice Beach is very busy with street performers, vendors, and onlookers, and I didn’t think Elgie would appreciate all the commotion.

Take a surfing lesson

Want to do more than lie on the beach (even though that’s amazing)? Take a surfing lesson! Fun fact about me: the first time I got in the ocean was to surf! I took two lessons and managed to do better than I expected (i.e., I stood up), and it was so fun! I wish I could keep doing it but alas, I haven’t been near any good surf spots since.

Is Los Angeles Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Yes–use common sense, don’t overdo it, and when in doubt, pay for your safety (i.e. take an Uber instead of walking if walking doesn’t feel right/seem safe).

You’ll want to avoid certain areas, like Skid Row, and use caution downtown.

Day and Weekend Trips from L.A.

There are so many great places to explore in just a day or weekend trip from LA. Here are a few that I did:

A black dog with a white snout stands on sandy beach at sunset, looking toward the camera. The ocean and orange sky are in the background, with seaweed scattered on the sand.

Elgie in Carmel-by-the-Sea

A black dog on a leash stands near tall grass and plants on a sunlit cliff, overlooking a bright, hazy ocean in the background.

Elgie in Big Sur

Drive a Stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway

Highway 1, a.k.a. the Pacific Coast Highway, stretches from Orange County to Mendocino County, CA, and the ocean views are unreal. And if that’s not enough PCH for you, it merges into Highway 101, which goes all the way up to the Canadian border. Elgie and I took a road trip from L.A. up to the Redwoods and stuck to the PCH as much as we could. You could make this trip as long or as short as you want–some people stretch it out over a week or more, stopping to take in the many cute coastal towns.

A few notable stops:
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Big Sur
Monterey

A flock of birds gathers on a sandy beach near the shoreline, with waves crashing onto the rocks and the blue ocean extending to the horizon under a clear sky. Dry, brown vegetation is visible in the foreground.

Take a Weekend Getaway to San Diego

San Diego and La Jolla Cove were some of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. San Diego is roughly 3ish hours from L.A. and is well worth visiting.

A tall Joshua tree stands on gravel near a wooden fence at sunset, with desert plants and distant hills in the background under a clear sky.

check out Joshua Tree National Park

California is home to 9 national parks (!), and Joshua Tree is the only place in the world where you can see these Seuss-like trees. Stay overnight and look up at the stars–it’s unreal how bright they are. You can even see the Milky Way if you’re there during certain times of the year.

A towering giant sequoia tree rises toward the sky, its thick, reddish-brown trunk dominating the foreground, surrounded by other green trees under a partly cloudy sky.

Go up north to the Sequoias and Redwoods

What’s the difference? Redwoods are the tallest trees, and Sequoias are the biggest trees by volume. You can take the PCH for a chunk of the drive to either. I recommend taking a full weekend at least to see these magnificent trees, and don’t skip Avenue of the Giants.

Where to Stay Alone in Los Angeles

It depends on what you’re looking for! If you want to be in the middle of it all, stay in Hollywood. I stayed in a cute bungalow in West Hollywood and felt safe and close to everything. If the beach is more your jam, stay in Santa Monica.

Here is a map of where to stay in L.A.:

Where to Eat Solo in L.A.

A hand holds a pink-frosted donut with colorful sprinkles on a piece of white paper. In the background, theres a cardboard box and a striped slipper on a dark floor.

I always go for the Homer donut

Trejo’s Coffee and Donuts

6785 Santa Monica Blvd

Yes, this donut shop is owned by Danny Trejo. These are the best donuts I’ve ever had, no joke, and I’m pretty well-traveled in this country. They’re super fluffy, and I never had a flavor I didn’t like.

Smorgasbord

777 S Alameda St

This open-air food market is perfect for solo dining. Pro tip: if you’re new to the whole eating alone thing, places like this are ideal.

Fat sal’s Deli

1154 Highland Ave

The sandwiches were delicious (and enormous), and this spot is open late!

FAQ: Visiting Los Angeles Solo

Is L.A. dog-friendly?

Yes! I never found a hiking trail that my dog Elgie wasn’t allowed on, and there are dog-friendly beaches as well, such as Leo Carillo State Beach in Malibu and Huntington Dog Beach. Dogs are not allowed at Santa Monica Beach or Venice Beach, though. They are, however, allowed on the Venice Beach Boardwalk from the hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

How do you get around in L.A.?

Because L.A. is so sprawled out, I recommend having a car, or at least renting one on days you want to explore. If you’re staying centrally, you could walk or Uber for your day-to-day, but to really see it all, you’ll need a car.

What’s the Best Way to Meet People in L.A.?

The Angelenos are social creatures. There were so many Meetups and social events, though I didn’t attend any. A sure bet is to look on Eventbrite or Meetup and find events that interest you.

What do you pack for Los Angeles?

You’ll want shorts and short sleeves, comfy shoes, a pair of jeans, and a light jacket in case it gets chilly at night. Dress is casual, so you can leave the fancy stuff at home unless you’re going to a really nice dinner or want to look “Hollywood.” You’ll want to bring hiking shoes if you plan on hiking. Leave the rain jacket at home; it barely rains in L.A.

Other Things to Know About Los Angeles

Beware of scams. Do not purchase a ticket to a Getty tour or a Hollywood sign tour–both are free.

It seems like everybody’s in the entertainment industry. My Airbnb host was a singer, and I could hear her practicing. When I got my nails done, I was asked if I play guitar. I do. kind of. But just for funsies. It felt like everyone was trying to “make it” in entertainment.

Final Thoughts on Los Angeles Solo

I liked L.A. a lot. Maybe there’s a phony side to it. Maybe there’s a dark side to it. I don’t know. That wasn’t what I was looking for.

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A woman hikes near the Hollywood sign with the ocean below and a clear sky above. Text overlay reads: Solo Female Travel Guide to Los Angeles—discover the best things to do alone in Los Angeles. Website: outsiderodyssey.com.

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