Downtown is a different city from the rest of LA — dense, walkable, and almost entirely deserted on weekends when the finance workers go home. Its architectural highlights are worth the detour: Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Beaux Arts Central Library, the Italianate Biltmore Hotel, and Mission Revival Union Station all sit within a few blocks of each other. The Grand Central Market is the best place in the city for a cheap, diverse lunch. Explore on foot but arrive by Metro — parking and rush-hour traffic are nightmares.
Downtown Los Angeles
Dense, walkable core with landmark architecture and Grand Central Market