In recent years, I have many families and friends who came to visit me. With all those planning, I have came up with a list of fun stuffs to do in SoCal (Southern California). If you are planning a trip to Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego, this guide should help!
Rating: This is my own rating system. It is based on my personal experience. (Five-stars means the place is awesome, and it worth going definitely. Three-stars means if you have extra time, you can visit this place too.)
Admission price: Price on each attraction may change as time has passed by. For more accurate information, please visit the attraction’s website.
Order: The order is based on the area. It is from Los Angeles to San Diego.
Getty Villa | Santa Monica Pier | Venice Beach | Sony Studio Tour | Universal Studios Hollywood | Griffin Observatory | Hollywood Sign | Hollywood Walk of Fame | Aquarium of the Pacific | Point Fermin Park | Knott’s Berry Farm | Disneyland Park | Disney California Adventure Park | Children’s Pool | San Diego Zoo | Balboa Park | SeaWorld San Diego |
Fun Guide:
Getty Villa (17895 Pacific Coast Hwy, Los Angeles, CA 90272)
Hours: Wednesday – Monday 10am – 5pm
Close on Tuesday
– Free admission
– Advanced ticket is needed
– $15 parking
– Museum of the art of the ancient Greeks, Romans, and other civilizations
– Beautiful scenery
– Time spend: 2 – 3 hours
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★
– Website: Read
Santa Monica Pier (200 Santa Monica Pier, Suite A, Santa Monica, CA 90401)
– Aquarium, Trapeze, Roller Coaster, Merry-Go-Around
– Great view of beach
– Fishing spot
– Time spend: 2 – 3 hours
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★
– Website: Read
3. Venice Beach (22 N Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90291)
– View of beach
– Local stores
– Muscle beach
– Great people watching
– Time spend: 1 – 2 hours
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★
4. Sony Studio Tour (10202 W. Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232)
Hours: Monday – Friday 9:30am, 10:30am, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm
– Ticket: $40 (price will change over time)
– Reservations highly recommended
– Stages, backlot, Jeopardy Set, Wheel of Fortune Set
– Time spend: 2 – 3 hours
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★
– Website: Read
5. Universal Studios Hollywood (100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608)
Hours: 10am – 7pm (may vary depends on day)
– Ticket: $92 (price will change over time)
– Amazing Studio Tour that let you get a glimpse of different movie settings
– Special Effects Stage, Jurassic Park, Revenge of the Mummy, The Simpsons
– Time spend: 1 day
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★★★
– Website: Read
6. Griffin Observatory (2800 E Observatory Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027)
Hours: Wednesday– Friday 12pm – 10pm
Saturday – Sunday 10 am – 10pm
Close Monday and Tuesday
– Free admission
– Scenic view of Los Angeles
– Scientific demonstration and display about space and planets
– Time spend: 1 – 2 hours
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★★★
– Website: Read
– The famous sign of Hollywood
– For your picture collection
– Hollywood Blvd & N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
– Franklin Ave & N Beachwood Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068
– 3202 Canyon Lake Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068
– Time spend: 30 minutes – 1 hour
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★★
– Website: Read
8. Hollywood Walk of Fame (Hollywood Blvd at Vine St Los Angeles, CA 90028)
– Stars of actors and actresses
– Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
– Hollywood Wax Museum ($15.95 ticket)
– Shops
– Time spend: 2 – 3 hours
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★★
– Website: Read
9. Aquarium of the Pacific (100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802)
Hours: 9am – 6pm
– Ticket: $28.95 (price will change over time)
– Sea otter, shark, sea lions, seals
– Feeding area with Lorikeet birds
– Petting pools with sharks, star fish, stingray
– Time spend: 3 – 4 hours
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★★
– Website: Read
Point Fermin Park (807 Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA 90731)
– View of Catalina Island, and cliffs
– Point Fermin Lighthouse
– Head over to another small park (959 W Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA 90731)
– From that small park, you can walk down to the rocky beach
– Excellent view on the rocky beach
– Time spend: 1 – 2 hours
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★
– Website: Read
11. Knott’s Berry Farm (8039 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620)
Hours: 10am – 6pm (may vary depends on day)
– Ticket: $44 (price will change over time)
– For Snoopy lovers
– For Roller coasters lovers (Xcelerator, Boomerang, Silver Bullet, and Ghostrider)
– Time spend: ½ – 1 day
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★
– Website: Read
Disneyland Park (1313 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA 92802)
Hours: 10am – 8pm (may vary depends on day)
– Ticket: $96 (1 day 1-park ticket) (price will change over time)
– Fantasmic Show, firework show
– Indiana Jones Adventure, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
– Time spend: 1 day
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★★★
– Website: Read
13. Disney California Adventure Park (1313 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA 92802)
Hours: 10am – 8pm (may vary depends on day)
– Ticket: $96 (1 day 1-park ticket) (price will change over time)
– Toy Story Mania!, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Monsters, Inc.
– Time spend: ½ – 1 day
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★
– Website: Read
14. Children’s Pool (850 Coast Blvd, La Jolla, CA 92037)
– A beach where seals and sea lions gather year-round and relax (Depends on season and time, you may see many or very little.)
– Walk to the concrete breakwater where you can be closer to the seals and sea lions, and enjoy the view of waves and ocean
– Time spend: 1 hour
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★★
– Website: Read
San Diego Zoo (2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA 92101)
Hours: 9am – 9pm (may vary depends on seasons)
– Ticket: $46 (price will change over time)
– Big zoo
– Panda, red panda, polar bear, koala, tiger, gorilla, hippo etc.
– Time spend: 1 day
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★★★
– Website: Read
16. Balboa Park (1549 El Prado San Diego CA 92101)
Hours: Park is open 24 hours a day, but different museums have different opening hours
– Ticket: Park is free, but there is a small admission free for each museum
– Huge beautiful park
– San Diego Automotive Museum, San Diego Air & Space Museum, Museum of Photographic Arts etc.
– Botanical Building, Japanese Friendship Garden, Cactus Garden etc.
– Free parking and free tram for transportation
– Time spend: ½ – 1 day
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★★
– Website: Read
SeaWorld San Diego (500 Sea World Dr., San Diego, CA 92109)
Hours: 10am – 5pm (may vary depends on day)
– Ticket: $86 (price will change over time)
– Excellent live shows with ocean animals, like orca, dolphins, and sea lions
– Polar bears, penguins, beluga whales, walruses, sea turtles, fish etc.
– Extra paid tours with dolphins and beluga whales
– Time spend: 1 day
– Lokness’ Rating: ★★★★★
– Website: Read