Quick Trips: How to Spend a Weekend in LA
Going forward I’m not sure how my future travel plans will work out, or anyone’s for that matter. Pretty soon I’ll be a full time student again and that combined with the effects of coronavirus, I’ll definitely be facing some challenges in that arena. The only thing I can do is wait and see. Until then, I remain appreciative of the past trips I’ve been able to take, like the opportunity to travel while interviewing for medical school. In the latter half of 2019, I got to go back to Los Angeles a couple of times to interview at some medical schools there. Being that I lived in LA for 4 years during undergrad, I was really excited to return to LA, not only for the interview, but to do some exploring and spend some time with my LA fam. Keep reading for suggestions on how to spend a weekend in LA and how to make the best out of a short trip.
Weekend in LA Day 1: Brunch, DTLA, LACMA, The Grove, Koreatown
Brunch
My friends and I selected The Exchange for brunch. The Exchange is located inside the Freehand Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. This is an incredible brunch spot with delicious pancakes, amazing decor, and an assortment of great selections on their menu.
Downtown LA
My friend lives in downtown LA. So, it only makes sense that our first sights were in this area. The same weekend I visited, another friend from Atlanta was visiting LA for the first time. We wanted to show her some quick staples of the city. So, we decided to walk to the Staples Center and LA Live, partly to give her a little tour of the area and partly to walk off all the food we just ate at brunch.
LACMA
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Wilshire Boulevard has a diverse collection of art from all over the world. It is one of the largest museums in southern California and the western US. One of LACMA’s most iconic pieces of art is Urban Light, and outdoor display of street lamps. In times like these, when all the museums are closed, i’m reminded of the importance of art museums in our society and experiences. The Urban Light has a beautiful online exhibition that consists of a collection of photos from over 50 photographers, and is perfect for at home viewing.
The Grove
Next we took a stroll to The Grove, a popular outdoor retail area with places to shop and dine. Just adjacent to The Grove is the Original Farmers Market. Personally, I can never pass up going to a farmers market. There is something about the aura of a food market that energizes me. At this farmer’s market, they have many options: fresh and local produce, gourmet selections, and tons of food stalls.
Koreatown
We were all craving something sweet and headed to Holy Roly Ice Cream. This shop is located in Koreatown, south of Hollywood and East of DTLA. Luckily, we were one of the first one’s there when we arrived, but soon after, a huge line formed behind us. This place serves rolled ice cream, Rolled Ice cream has its origins in Thailand and is gaining popularity in other regions of the world. Watching them mash, combine, and scrape the ingredients to form the rolled ice cream is really intriguing. Afterwards you’re handed a beautiful, silky-smooth textured, and tasty cup of ice cream.
Weekend in LA Day 2: Little Tokyo &The Arts District
Morning
I spent the majority of the morning and afternoon prepping for my medical school interview that was on the following day. Think: Lots of talking to yourself out loud and tons of self pep talks. Later, I got to catch up with some friends from undergrad.
Little Tokyo
One of my favorite things about LA is that there are so many ethnic enclaves and cultural hubs. On the second day with another friend of mine, I visited Little Tokyo. For dinner we went to Tenno Sushi, a Japanese fusion restaurant. They have a good happy hour menu and a make-your-own bento box menu. We ordered off of that.
The Arts District
Shortly after, we went just east of Little Tokyo to the Arts district. The arts district is such a cute neighborhood. They have tons of cool outdoor art displays, cute coffee shops, some bars, and nice restaurants. But what we really went there for was the ice cream!! Salt & Straw is my 2nd favorite ice cream shop in LA (my friends 1st). I love going to try out the different and artisanal flavors that they have there. Still, I typically settle for the same flavor every time I go: almond brittle w/ salted ganache.
Weekend in LA Day 3
The last day consisted of me going on my interview and then catching a red-eye back to the east coast, so that I can head back to work the next morning.
Even with just a short weekend in LA, I was still able to get to see some great sights and spend time with my friends. One of the lessons I’ve learned over the years, but that has been reinforced the past couple of months, is to make the best of what you have when you have it. Hopefully this gives you some suggestions on things to do and how to spend a weekend in LA when you visit.
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