When you live in a city for a while, you figure out your daily routine, go-to coffee shop, favorite lunch spot, and hobbies you like to do by yourself. Three months ago, I moved to Los Angeles for a change of pace and scenery. But now that I'm here, I have to discover my personal routine all over again. Part of that includes finding new activities I love and making sure that I get my much-needed alone time. In my short time in this bustling city, I've discovered what I believe are some of the best things to do alone in LA.
A huge part of why I moved to LA is because a ton of my friends from college live out here. I love doing things with them, and they definitely keep me busy and entertained. But every once in a while, it's nice to have special places to visit and hobbies to do on my own. Carving out alone time in my busy schedule is an absolute must. It gives me time to feel like I'm really getting to know the city.
If you're just like me and are in need of fun things to do to #TreatYoself, here are a few of my faves in LA.
If you're looking for an activity that'll get your adrenaline pumping, LA has no shortage of hiking trails. Depending on what view you want to experience and how hard you're willing to work to get there, you can pick out which trail you'd like to take on.
The Griffith Observatory hike is pretty popular because it has a breathtaking view at the top. My boyfriend and I like to discover new trails by searching on the AllTrails app.
If window shopping is your thing, head to Beverly Hills and stroll down Rodeo Drive in the California sunshine. Grab a cup of coffee, take in the fresh air, and swoon over the luxe window displays. Plus, everyone brings their dogs everywhere in LA, so you'll get to pet all the cute pups while you're out and about.
LA is home to some of the country's most beautiful beaches. Plan a day every once in a while to go by yourself. One of my favorite LA memories thus far (before I even moved) was when I took an entire day to hang out in the Manhattan Beach area by myself.
I grabbed breakfast at Noah's Bagels, spent time laying on the sand, walked around the little shops, and enjoyed some much-needed alone time. (I also asked someone to take a pic of me, obviously, because if it's not on the 'Gram, did it really even happen?)
LA is a hotspot for some of the best beauty treatments in the country. As a beauty fanatic myself, I've made it a personal mission of mine to try out all of the treatments that are unique to LA.
By far, my favorite has been the facial I had with Yoli (aka, Yoli Glo). Her gentle hands and slow approach gave me the most glowing skin I've ever had in my life, and I'm itching to go back for another facial.
Much like my beloved bodega in Washington Heights (when I lived in New York City), I discovered a new street food stand in North Hollywood that's my go-to for late-night food.
Every taco truck and street food stand in LA has delicious bites to offer. If you're by yourself, try out a different truck or stand when you go to a different neighborhood. You might just find your new favorite!
If you're a frequent shopper, try going to different malls each time so you can explore different parts of the city. Amazingly, I've learned most of my LA geography by going to different malls to shop or go to events. Because they're all so spread out, there's usually only one major mall in each area, so you'll quickly learn which mall services which part of the city.
Even though my neighborhood is mostly residential, and LA is known for being primarily a driving city, I actually live within walking distance of some pretty cool coffee shops and restaurants. In my (not so ample) spare time, I try to explore my neighborhood as much as I can so I can feel at home.
There are a ton of different workout classes to check out in LA. In addition to SoulCycle and Barry's Bootcamp, there are plenty of local boutique fitness studios, too. After your workout, grab an acai bowl and kombucha to-go.
The weather is beautiful in LA, so a lot of places offer year-round patio seating. Find a cute spot with a patio you can go to with a good book and your laptop.
I love getting work done at Groundwork Coffee Co. in North Hollywood. It has a gigantic patio that's covered, the WiFi is strong outside, and there are a ton of outlets. Plus, their matcha and brunch snacks are incredibly delicious.
As is to be expected with any major city, there are a million Instagrammable hotspots to explore. From the hot pink Paul Smith wall, to the tall street lamps at the LACMA, LA is a place where your creative spirit soars.
