Los Angeles is such a massive and diverse city that it’s easy to get lost and overwhelmed with all the choices. Luckily that means there’s something for everyone here. There are always so many things going on, but contrary to popular belief, we Los Angelenos also tend to stay inside during the winter. Cold is relative, and our definition of cold is just… let’s call it different. There aren’t too many outdoor events in the winter, but now that spring is here, you’ll find tons of outdoor activities. I like to check Timeout for what is currently happening in town. As my days are dwindling in LA, these are sort of my must-do’s before I move to Helsinki.
Soak in the Sun at a Rooftop Bar
One of my favorite things to do in LA is having a Sunday Funday on a Rooftop bar. During the spring and summer, some of them even have pool parties. My favorite rooftop bars are: Perch, Broken Shaker, The Standard, and High Rooftop Lounge. I love having a cocktail while soaking in the sun, dancing to whatever DJ or live band is playing, and watching the sunset over the downtown skyline or Westside beaches.
Get a Tattoo with my Bestie
Me and one of my best friends, Mike, had always talked about getting matching friendship tattoos but never got around to it. With me moving, he reminded me of our little pact, so we did it! His idea was to have a compass with an arrow pointing North East to represent me in Finland and an arrow pointing South West to represent him and LA/home. I added the symbol of a North Star for me and a sun for him. Now I have a little piece of home with me everywhere I go and he has a daily reminder to come visit me in Finland!
Go to a Concert
One of the best things about living in LA is that we have so many concerts going on all of the time. Tons of musicians have LA as a home base, so you’re bound to find a concert going on any given day of the week. I am really passionate about music, and played piano for most of my childhood and teen years. One of my favorite artists is James Blake, and lucky enough he was performing a few weeks before I left. That was my 4th time seeing him and he never gets old. The best part is I got to share it with some of my best friends. I’m also going to see Michael Bublé tonight and then Darius later this week. If you don’t know Darius, do yourself a favor and check him out. He’s a French producer with a disco house vibe, which is my favorite type of electronic music to dance to. If you’re ever in LA, check Songkick for what concerts are in town.
Go on a Hike
If you’re not from LA, you might not know that it’s a great city for hikers. We have quite a vast amount of wilderness areas. My go to local hike is the Culver City Stairs. It’s a great uphill workout and has a panoramic view of the city at the top. If I have a bit more time, I like making the trek to Malibu Creek State Park. Since we got a lot of rain this winter, you can actually see several waterfalls too. This is the first year since 2011 that California hasn’t been in a drought, so we’re also getting the beautiful super bloom in many areas. Below are some hiking guides I like to reference when I’m looking for a good hike as well as a guide to super blooms. The app AllTrails is also really helpful and will let you know what hiking trails are around you, the level of difficulty, distance, etc.
Ride an Electric Scooter Along the Beach
Electric scooters have taken over LA. We have Bird, Lime, Jump, and I’m sure more that I don’t know of yet. They actually go pretty fast, and can get scary when you’re riding next to cars on main streets so be careful! I have the most fun riding them along the beach (away from cars) and going from one beach city to the other, or simply to hop to another spot rather than taking a Lyft or Uber. You’ll most likely catch me going from Abbott Kinney in Venice to the Venice Boardwalk and towards Santa Monica.
Oh man, this post is already making me miss that LA weather and my favorite beaches!
