Google completes "things to do in la alone" with "at night", "free", "solo trip" and "reddit". This page is sorted the same way, by someone who lives here, including the honest bit about where alone feels normal and where it does not.
Free#
- The beaches: Santa Monica for the pier, Venice for the boardwalk, Manhattan and Hermosa for the quiet, El Matador for the rocks. Alone is the default.
- Griffith Park and the Observatory: the hike up, the free Observatory, the view at dusk.
- The Getty and the Getty Villa: free entry (paid parking, or the bus); the best solo afternoon in the city.
- The Broad: free general admission, Downtown.
- Hikes: Runyon (busy), Griffith (bigger), the Santa Monica Mountains (empty on weekdays).
- Grand Central Market and a walk through Downtown's Historic Core.
- Hollywood Bowl rehearsals in summer, free on some mornings.
At night#
- Comedy: the city has the best clubs in the country; bar seats and walk-ins for one are normal.
- Jazz in Leimert Park or Hollywood.
- A bar seat at a restaurant, the solo diner's institution.
- A Dodgers or Lakers game, single tickets are easy; the Dodger Stadium sunset is the point.
- Griffith Observatory is open until 10pm; the city lights from the lawn.
- A drive-in or a repertory cinema (the New Beverly, the Vista, the Egyptian).
- Late tacos: the truck near you, standing up, with everyone else.
Without a car#
Downtown, Koreatown, Hollywood, Santa Monica and Culver City are all on the Metro and all work for a day alone. LA without a car has the routes.
On a solo trip#
Three days, one base (Santa Monica or Downtown, depending on whether you want the beach or the Metro), one neighbourhood a day, and accept that you will not see everything. Things to do in Los Angeles has the 2, 3 and 4-day versions.
Where alone does not work#
Clubs, table-service rooftops, the Sunset Strip on a Saturday, and anything that sells tables rather than seats. Everywhere else, nobody notices.
Or not alone, for an afternoon#
On Roavi you can hire a Local Friend, an Angeleno, for a few hours at a rate they set (most list $15 to $50; LA near the top), platonic and in public, usually with a car: the Eastside's food, a game with a fan, a hike that is not Runyon at noon, the Westside without losing a day on the 10. Roavi lists three in Los Angeles; messaging is free. Rent a friend in Los Angeles.
One afternoon with someone who lives here and drives.
Meet local guides in Los AngelesRead next: Los Angeles nightlife and how to make friends in Los Angeles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LA a good city to do things alone?
Yes, with a car or along the Metro. Beaches, hikes, museums, comedy clubs, taco stands and ball games are all normal solo; the car makes everything reachable and the only awkward places are table-service rooftops and clubs.What can I do alone in LA at night?
A comedy club (the city has the best in the country, walk-ins at bar seats), a jazz set, a bar seat at a restaurant, a Dodgers or Lakers game, Griffith Observatory until 10pm, a drive-in or a repertory cinema, the Santa Monica pier, late tacos.What are free things to do alone in LA?
Every beach, Griffith Park and the Observatory grounds, the Getty and the Getty Villa (free entry, paid parking), the Broad (free general admission), hikes in Runyon, Griffith and the Santa Monica Mountains, the Venice boardwalk, Grand Central Market, the Hollywood Bowl's free rehearsals in summer.