Home of exciting Angeles National Forest, Bradbury Building, Amoeba Music and other plenty of things to do in Los Angeles on Memorial Day. We've compiled some of the best activities to do in Los Angeles on this Memorial Day holiday.
With over 1,000 square miles of wilderness and 53 trailheads, it's no wonder Angeles National Forest is one of the most popular day trips for locals and visitors alike in Los Angeles on Memorial Day weekend. Whether you're hiking, biking, running, boating, or even skiing, there's something for every outdoors-y type here. The drive up Mt. Baldy is pleasant and results in spectacular views from nearly 10,000 feet. The hikes to the Devil's Punchbowl and the Bridge to Nowhere are some of the best full day options in the region.
The Victorian-style atrium of the Bradbury Building, built for gold baron Lewis Bradbury, is filled with architectural flourishes like open-cage hydraulic elevators, marble staircases, and wrought-iron balconies. The massive skylight and open balconies create a mood that is like no other building; it's both haunting and magical. Culture buffs will know it from appearances in movies like Chinatown (1974), Blade Runner (1982), 500 Days of Summer (2009), and a smattering of music videos and commercials.
Though it's no longer housed in the iconic Sunset Boulevard location (the store moved to Hollywood Boulevard in early 2021), it still houses hundreds of thousands of CDs, records, DVDs, cassettes, and ephemera, making it one of the largest indie record stores in the world. The diversity of music is vast, anyone can spend hours flipping through the stacks of their favorite section. The clerks are all knowledgable (and friendly) music heads. Whether you're into indie bands like Glass Animals or pop stars like Rihanna (or anything from soundtrack music to reggae to dance music and beyond), Amoeba has something for any type of music fan.
Los Angeles area during Memorial Day as the best place to get close-up photos of the Hollywood sign, this park is a major tourist attraction. It's also dog-friendly, so between the frisbee and ball-toss games, it can seem like there are as many canines as people. Though it's not a standout compared to all the world-class hiking near the city There are two notable hiking paths: one that takes you around the reservoir and one that takes you up to the Hollywood sign.
Housed in a building with a dimpled façade that many say looks like a cheese grater, the Broad houses the collection of Edythe Broad, who accumulated a formidable cache of contemporary art with her late husband Eli. The collection is more pop than academic, earning it a reputation as a stop on tourists' lists, if only to take selfies in front of Jeff Koons' balloon dog or Robert Therrien's enlarged table and chairs. There are also works from the likes of Ruscha, Warhol, Basquiat, Murakami, and Sherman. A reservation is required and hard to come by due to the museum's popularity, so plan in advance. It's free, and if you hustle, you can see the museum's hits in no time.
The Getty has established itself as the nexus of Los Angeles art, and its palatial grounds reflect that. Perched atop a hill in the Brentwood neighborhood of West Los Angeles (with 360-degree views), the Richard Meier architected space is a perfect union of medieval castle and rigorous academia. Floating bridges connect marble buildings, and you're never too far from a burbling fountain. And of course, the garden, built by legendary Southern Californian artist Robert Irwin, is a magical place to reset once you've had art overload. The museum's collection is vaunted. In fact, few collections in the world match up to the mix of ancient and modern. Seeking 2500-year-old Etruscan statues? Van Gogh's Irises? Delicate and rare illuminated manuscripts? 20th century photography from the likes of Robert Mapplethorpe and Walker Evans? The Getty has it all.
The Los Angeles area is famous for having a farmers market every day of the week, and the Santa Monica Farmers Market, held on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, is the mother of them all. Taking up several city blocks, the market is lined with seasonal fruits, vegetables, and other products and provisions. There are some remarkable splurge items that you won't find other farmers markets; for instance, black truffles, bergamot, emu eggs, and sea urchin. This farmers market has a huge following within L.A.'s restaurant industry. Some of the city's most famous chefs, including Niki Nakayama of n/naka and Michael Cimarusti of Providence, shop here. You'll also be among locals, many of them regulars, shopping for their home kitchens.
