14 Hidden Gems in Los Angeles You Don't Want to Miss

Los Angeles, City of Angels, La La Land, you name it! With its wide expanse and scattered swells of attractions, it's easy to get lost in the maze of options that LA has to offer. Many visitors get overwhelmed and wind up settling on touristy places like Universal City Walk, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or Santa Monica Pier. While those destinations are awesome in their own right, they definitely don't expose the true mystique of LA all on their own. It's no wonder so many visitors leave with the taste of "cliché" in their mouths and no idea about the richness of this city's subtleties. As an LA native, I find this simply unacceptable and feel compelled to spill the details on some of my favorite lesser-known spots!

From an abandoned neighborhood overflowing with street art to a tour through a majestic historical mansion, there's a whole world of hidden gems brimming just beneath the LA facade. Start planning early! You'll want to spend ample time at each of these places.

01
Sunken City
Flickr user carlfbagg

Sunken City

In 1929, a landslide caused an entire San Pedro neighborhood to break off the cliffside and tumble into the ocean. Street artists have since emblazoned the remains of the disaster with astonishing colors and designs."Sunken City" is what locals call this diamond in the rough. After a short hike downhill, you'll find yourself dipped into an almost alien world. You can explore the mysterious graffiti that surrounds you, then lounge on a concrete slab jutting from the earth and daydream while the sunset washes over the ocean.

02
Museum of Death
Flickr user Jennifer Boyer

Museum of Death

The grotesque creepiness of the Museum of Death will not only leave you with an adrenaline rush, it'll probably also change your perspective on life. Situated right on Hollywood Blvd., this museum contains the world's largest collection of death-related artifacts. From photos of the Charles Manson crime scenes to even the actual severed head of the guillotined Blue Beard of Paris (Henri Landru), visitors often teeter between feeling shamelessly fascinated and profoundly contemplative of our mortality.

03
Mosaic Tile House
Flickr user vikramjam

Mosaic Tile House

In 1994, artist Cheri Pann purchased a plain, single-story home in the most colorful corner of the famous beachfront neighborhood, Venice. She decided to spruce the place up with her husband, Gonzalo Duran, and together they embarked on a passion project that resulted in what is now called The Mosaic Tile House, one of the most unique places in LA. The lot's 6,000 square-feet is almost entirely embellished with a boundless mosaic made of tiles, broken pieces of glass, and random household objects like eating utensils and even dolls. You could explore this vibrant place for hours and never cease to discover new things within the patchwork.

04
Huntington Library
Flickr user Rictor Norton & David Allen

Huntington Library

Located in San Marino, Huntington Library is a beacon of artistic and intellectual excellence. Their art collection features work by artists such as Mary Cassat and Gainsborough, and their library houses a huge collection of rare books, including an original illuminated manuscript of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. This is all surrounded by 120-acres of specialized gardens. From the exquisite Desert Garden to the Jungle Garden or Rose Garden, there's no doubt your senses will be in pleasant overdrive.

05
Abalone Cove Tide Pools
Roya Backlund

Abalone Cove Tide Pools

Spend the day at Abalone Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes if you want to explore tide pools like you've never seen before. After a 20-minute hike through the chaparral of Abalone Cove Trail, you'll stumble onto a pebbled beach straight out of a dream. The tide pools here are bigger than most and contain a dynamic ecosystem full of sea urchins, starfish sea anemones, sea cucumbers, crabs, fish, and so much more. The variety of wildlife here is breathtaking.

06
Korean Bell of Friendship
Flickr user Ryan Stavely

Korean Bell of Friendship

The Korean Bell of Friendship is an intricately designed pavilion that houses a very mysterious bell. Only ringing three times per year, this monument was a gift from the people of the Republic of Korea in 1976 to honor veterans of the Korean War and the friendship between our nations. It sits on a knoll overlooking the ocean in San Pedro and is surrounded by an expanse of empty space, making it the perfect place take a minute to meditate and appreciate such a magnificent piece of craftsmanship.

07
Wayfarers Chapel
Flickr user IIP Photo Archive

Wayfarers Chapel

Visiting the Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes will leave you feeling cleansed and beyond enchanted. Situated on a hill above a dazzling stretch of the Pacific Ocean, this chapel is structured like a crystalline jewel. With glass windows instead of ceilings and walls, it's meant to symbolize harmony between the natural world and the heart and soul within. Regardless of your religious beliefs, this place will leave you a sense of peace. It's no wonder Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio had their wedding here!

08
Red West Pizza
Roya Backlund

Red West Pizza

Red West Pizza in Wilmington captures the cozy feeling of home better than any other restaurant in LA. Several generations of families eat here, with many patrons who first came as children now bringing their kids, and even their grandchildren. Designed in a nostalgic old Western theme, the walls are adorned with dozens of historical trinkets, even housing a mini-arcade. They've also got, hands down, the most delicious pizza in LA and the kitchen is open to view so you can watch how authentically it's made.

09
Clifton's Republic
Flickr User Paul Narvaez

Clifton's Republic

If you're in the mood for a restaurant and bar experience like you've never had before, look no further than Clifton's Republic on Broadway. Spanning across four floors, this place contains five different bars and various dance floors, each with their own eccentric themes. From tropical Tiki to Gothic sci-fi, this place is basically Disneyland for adults. The cafeteria-style dining allows you to walk around, pick what you like, and pay by the dish, then relax as you adventure through the space with a cocktail. The gigantic faux-redwood tree in the center of the building and collection of taxidermied animals provides endless fascination for your night out. Established in 1935, it's an emblem of historic Downtown LA. It was even one of Ray Bradbury's favorite haunts!


10
The Last Bookstore
Flickr user Jennifer Boyer

The Last Bookstore

Since 2005,The Last Bookstore on Spring St. has been the ultimate happy-place for book worms all over LA. Boasting a massive collection of books, both new and used, in a large two-story space, it's inevitable that inspiration will strike as you peruse the creatively displayed aisles. It even has archways forged together by books, spiral formations of pages, and shelves alphabetized by color! It's essentially a right of passage for visitors to explore the bibliophilic beauty and take as many Instagram photos as possible.

11
Olvera Street
Flickr user Kent Kanouse

Olvera Street

You simply can't visit LA and miss out on it's oldest neighborhood! Olvera Street in Downtown LA is a flashback to the early days of California history filled with Mexican folkloric dances, mariachi music, and various street vendors selling handcrafted items like art, pottery, leather, and purses. Make sure to explore the Avila Adobe, the oldest housing structure in Los Angeles, and if you can, plan your visit on cherished Mexican holidays such as Dia de los Muertos and Cinco de Mayo, when the festivities are at their peak.

12
The Banning Museum
Roya Backlund

The Banning Museum

Built in 1864, The Banning Museum in Wilmington is a time-capsule of Southern California's Victorian era. The 23-room mansion is a stunning example of Greek-Revival architecture and has been restored to its former glory, with the rooms all carefully curated with decor and furnishings accurate to the time period. Situated on a park, you can spend the afternoon having a picnic on the grass and then immerse yourself in a historical time. The residence is so authentic, you might forget what year it is by the end of the tour!

13
The Smell
Flickr user Modern Creature

The Smell

A visit to LA would not be complete without a trip to its underground DIY music scene. Downtown LA's The Smell is an all-ages and alcohol-free venue where you'll see all of LA's major avant-garde performers at the small and consistent price of $5. Not just a place to see live-music, The Smell also contains a library, a gallery space, and a counter where you can buy vegan snacks. This raw slice of artistic decadence is so beloved by its patrons that when the building was given notice of a demolition permit, the entire community rallied to put together enough money to save the establishment. Get down with the true denizens of LA's music scene!

14
Aero Theatre
Flickr user jvoves

Aero Theatre

What would LA be without its irrevocable ties to the film industry? Established in 1939, a screening of an old Hollywood film atAero Theatre in Santa Monica is the quintessential LA cinema experience. There's always some clever movie-a-thon headed Aero's way that you'll simply never find anywhere else. Its annual OctoberHorrorthon, for example, is an all-night extravaganza with seven consecutive horror films on the itinerary. It can't get more "authentic LA" than that!