Stumped for what to see and do in Los Angeles? We totally get it! There are so many options to consider while traveling to this iconic west coast city, so our founder is taking you on a clickable tour of the city below. And in case we missed a restaurant, hotel or landmark that you love to stop into, shout them out to us in the comments!

Where to stay

There are so many fun and trendy spots to stay when visiting Los Angeles. Some of our favorites are Hotel Covell (Los Feliz), The Rose Hotel (Venice Beach), The Beverly Hills Hotel (Beverly Hills) and, most recently, The Line Hotel (Koreatown).

On our last trip to LA, we stayed at The Line Hotel and enjoyed it. Our only complaint is that it was a bit noisy at night between the guests and the traffic off Wilshire Boulevard, but it’s fun with a rooftop pool, cool restaurants, and it’s closely located to downtown Los Angeles. The rooms have great views, and if you’re open to splurging, you can get an epic view of the Hollywood Hills.

What to eat

We love to eat, and we could spend all of our time trying all the trendy, cool restaurants that are in this hip city. However, we thought we would share some of the places we tried on our last trip that not only have delicious food, but also are very Instagram-worthy (cause, let’s be honest, it does add bonus points!).

The Butcher’s Daughter (Venice): This gem is always crowded with local beach bums and hipster hippies. It was our favorite place we tried on our recent trip. They describe themselves as, “A juice bar, café, and vegetable slaughterhouse.” Even if you’re not a vegetarian, this place has so many yummy options that you won’t even miss the meat. Some of our favorite items on the menu were the kale chips (served with lime wedges—genius!) and the Dolce Picante pizza. The other great thing is that this place is seriously gorgeous. Between its beautiful bar and the copper stools, there’s eye candy everywhere you look.

Ostrich Farm (Echo Park): We heard so many amazing things about Ostrich Farm, and are happy to report it didn’t disappoint. We went for brunch and dined on the yummiest avocado toast and ricotta pancakes.

Bottega Louie (Downtown LA): You probably have seen this scene many times before while browsing Instagram. It’s very photogenic, with the marble floors and pastel French macarons. What you may not know is that it’s actually a full restaurant. We dropped in for lunch and ordered the calamari, meatballs and an arugula salad. Everything was delicious. We also made sure to leave with a box of macarons for the road.

Gjelina (Venice Beach): While we didn’t get to try this local favorite on our recent trip, it’s definitely on our must-try list. We’ve heard nothing but the best of reviews, so if you have time to try it out, you should. Let us know what you loved!

Kreation Kafe (Santa Monica): In the mood for something healthy and very LA? Stop into this cute little café for a smoothie or juice.

Things to see and do

Ace Hotel (Downtown LA): Even if you’re not staying at the Ace Hotel, it’s a fun place to go and see. There are great views from the upstairs bar and outdoor lounge, and there is a an old-fashioned photo booth, which to us, warrants a visit on that merit alone.

Alfred Tea Room (Melrose Place): We got a chance to check out the new Alfred Tea (sister shop to Alfred Coffee) before it opened on May 16. This place is sure to be a hit with its curated tea selection (we recommend the matcha latte with kombucha on top) and the pink-and-brass colored interior. You may want to go for just a picture alone, but the fact that the tea is delicious, will keep you going back for more.

Isabel Marant (Melrose Place): The exquisite Isabel Marant on Melrose Place is a must-stop if you’re a fan of the high-end fashion label. Plus, the garden out front will have you wishing you had a green thumb.

Alfred Coffee (Melrose Place, but have other locations around the city): Go grab a latte and check out all the hipsters hanging out. It’s trendy and always packed.

Violet Grey (Melrose Place): If you’re in the market for new beauty products, then head into Violet Grey for a highly curated selection. Plus, the boutique is stunning and its website has strong editorial stories that we really enjoy.

That notorious pink wall (Melrose Avenue): It’s one of the most Instagrammed locations in all of LA! Anytime you drive past, you will see a variety of folks taking selfies.

TENOVERSIX (Melrose Avenue): Another must-see if you’re in the Melrose area of LA. It’s a gorgeous shop filled with so many of our favorite designers: Rachel Comey, Eric Trine and Maryam Nassir Zadeh, just to name a few.

Olive & June (Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Santa Monica): The Olive & June nail salons are absolutely gorgeous, and worth stopping in just to see. We had the pleasure of getting manis and pedis at its new Santa Monica location and loved it. They also do really fun designs for an extra-trendy touch!

Clare Vivier (Silver Lake, West Hollywood, Santa Monica): One of our favorite designers, Clare Vivier, has three gorgeous locations in LA. If you have time to check out one (or all of them), we highly recommend it. See our past feature on the original Clare Vivier shop in Silver Lake!

The Piece Collective (Venice): An adorable shop off Abbot Kinney in Venice Beach that has a great selection of clothing and accessories. Plus, the exterior is super photo-worthy.

General Store (Venice): Like Piece Collective, this shop is full of great books, cards, pottery and vintage finds.

BURRO (Venice): One of our favorite places to get quirky, trendy gift items.

Mollusk (Silver Lake and Venice): If you love to surf or simply like to admire beautiful surfboards, then head into one of the Mollusk shops. They also have a great selection of magazines, books and other fun oddities.

Sweet William (Silver Lake): This store offers the cutest selection of kids toys and clothing, plus all the woodland stuffed animals you could ever imagine.

Dream Collective (Silver Lake): Next door to Sweet William and around the corner from Clare Vivier is this beautiful shop where you can find the trendiest clothing, shoes and jewelry. We did a feature on this store last year.

Micheltorena Stairs (Silver Lake): If you’re already in the Silver Lake area, don’t forget to snap a pic on these adorable stairs! It couldn’t be a better way to wrap up your whirlwind trip to LA.