13 places to go in California for the first time

In April, I visited California for the first time; it was my most anticipated trip this year because I was looking forward to the sunshine. 

It is unbelievable that I now crave destinations with sunshine; who would have known- being that I come from a country with a lot of sunshine (Nigeria).

However, now that I reside in a cold country – Canada- which seems to be cold all year round, I needed a break, and I took one to the perfect destination while being on a budget – California.

This article advises you on places to visit in Los Angeles for free, how to spend 5 days in Los Angeles, and places to eat in California.

Call this post your Califonia travel guide (more like an LA travel guide).

While reading this article, you might see the phrase “we”, do not let it confuse you; I am referring to my family and friends that I travelled with.

Places to visit in Los Angeles: 

• Echo Park:

Paddle a duck-shaped boat on a lake at Echo Park. This was the first activity we embarked on, and I believe it was a great way to start the holiday. It is a fun 1-hour paddle.

• Theme park:

This can be Disney, Knott farm or 6 flags; the choice is dependent on your preferences and availability.

I initially wanted Disney land, but it was fully booked at my time of arrival, so I opted for Knott berry farm, and I had a great time there as well.

Set a day apart for your visit to the theme park because it will be a whole day event.

And it is best you leave your house as early as possible to have enough time to enjoy yourself at the theme park without rushing.

• Beaches:

I visited almost all the beaches in Los Angeles, and they were all similar in nature; the only major difference is that Santa Monica had more activities similar to a theme park compared to the rest of the beaches.

I also visited Venice Beach, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, and Seal Beach.

Pro Tip:

Apart from soaking your feet in the sand and staring at the beautiful sight of the ocean and the birds in the sky, try renting a bike and riding one from Venice Beach to Santa Monica beach.

These beaches are very close to each other; I tried this while I was there, and I had an amazing time; it was definitely one of the best highlights of my trip. 

• Explore Hollywood:

While planning the trip, I made sure to park all activities with similar locations on the same day to avoid going back and forth to the same place on different days.

On the day we decided to explore Hollywood, we took pictures at the walk of fame, went to the museum of illusions, and ended the day at the Griffith observatory park (this is where you see the Hollywood sign from a distance). 

There are several options of museums to visit in Hollywood BLVD; however, being that we were trying to stay within budget, we opted to choose one museum instead. 

Feel free to explore other options; I would definitely love to try the Hollywood wax museum next time.

Pro Tip:

When you get to the museum of illusions, you will be told there are 3 sections of the museum which are priced differently.

I paid for the illusions section; there was the upper-side down section and the giant section.

I would advise that you choose either the upper-side down or the giant section. Here is why – when you enter the museum, the first section you see is the illusions section, so whether you pay for it or not, you will be able to enjoy the section. However, you would not be allowed to enter any other section if you only paid for illusions.

So let’s say you pay for the upper-side down section; you get to enjoy this section and the illusions section as well.

• Museums:

Explore other museums outside the Holly Wood BLVD, I honestly just went to these museums to take pictures for the gram, so if you are into that kind of thing, the LA county museum and Board museum are worth exploring.

• Stop by Beverly Hills to take pictures with the California palm trees.
• If you are thinking of places to eat in Los Angeles, it is always best to ask a local for their best recommendation. However, while I was there, I tried Korean food at Kang Ho Dong, and Baekjeong, and I had a lot of Panda Express (this is not an ad). 

TheFisayo California Travel guide:

If you are wondering how to prepare for your California trip, below is a picture of the itinerary we used during our travel in California; feel free to pin it, share it, or take a screenshot.

What you should know before travelling to Los Angeles:

1. First, rent a car: It is almost impossible to enjoy your time in Los Angeles as a tourist without having a car because the bus system is not great and it is a really big city so, going somewhere is quite a distance.Travelling around the city in a car is most advisable for ease and comfort. 
   
2. Book your Disney trip ahead. This might seem like obvious advice, but I travelled to LA with the hopes of booking Disney tickets at the entrance only to realize it was fully booked for the whole week of my visit to Los Angeles, so we had to change plans to visit another themed park.
3. To save cost, do not book hotels close to Disney or other sought after tourist attractions because they will be expensive.Alternatively, to save cost on transportation, you might decide to book a hotel close to Disney, especially if you plan to visit Disney 3 times or more in a week. However, keep in mind that in saving for transportation, you would be paying more for accommodation fees.
4. If you are from an extremely warm region travelling to California in autumn or the beginning of summer, do not be fooled by the sun. It gets pretty cold in the evenings and sometimes in the afternoons, so come with your jacket.
5. Add at least $100 to your miscellaneous fee because something will always come up.

My perception of LA / the southern part of California is that it is the more developed version of Lagos, Nigeria. The similarities between both states are amazing just as I mentioned in this post on Instagram.

If you have been to LA / California before, what did you think and where did you visit?

Frequently asked questions:

• How did I apply for my USA Visa?

 I did not have to apply for a new visa; all I did was renew my old visa by filling out a DS 160 form and this form, after which I sent in my passport to the US immigration office by the post office.

The visa was ready within 3 weeks, and my passport was sent to me via the Canada post office.

I hope you found this article helpful.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram – @TheFisayo.