My Solo Travel to Los Angeles was the BEST - My Complete Guide

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Find your Perfect Hostel in Los Angeles

Los Angeles can feel overwhelming at first glance, yet it rewards solo travelers who come armed with a flexible plan and a curiosity for its countless micro-neighborhoods.

I packed those two things, checked into a sociable hostel by the beach, and quickly learned that the city’s sprawl turns manageable once you break each day into zones.

This guide spells out exactly how to do that, with budget tips, detailed transit notes, and safety advice aimed at solo backpackers.

Top Picks: The Best Hostels in Los Angeles

Best for Hostel Newbies

STAY OPEN Venice Beach10.0

from $46.09 | More Details

Best for Female Solo Traveler

Freehand8.5

from $20.02 | More Details

Best Party Hostel

Banana Bungalow Hollywo...8.6

from $14.24 | More Details

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Why Los Angeles is Perfect for Solo Travelers

LA’s patchwork of districts lets you change scenery in minutes. Venice feels like a laid-back surf village, Downtown adds skyscraper drama, and Eastside pockets such as Echo Park brim with live-music nooks and indie coffee counters.

The weather stays kind year-round, so free outdoor fun—hikes, beach days, street art walks—never needs pre-booking. This flexibility is gold for travelers who like to keep plans fluid.

Metro rail has expanded fast. Five color-coded lines plus dozens of rapid buses link beaches, downtown museums, and hillside trails for $1.75 a ride or $7 for an unlimited day pass.

Hostels sit on or near those lines, and most run daily outings—think Griffith Observatory shuttles, boardwalk bike rides, and taco-truck crawls. Solo guests end up with built-in companions before sunset.

Creative culture thrives on pop-up events: warehouse art shows, rooftop film screenings, and donation-based yoga on the pier. You can decide the same morning and still score a spot.

Short and crisp: The Best Hostels in Los Angeles

1. USA Hostels Hollywood - best for Family-Friendly Hostel
2. Orange Drive Hostel - best for Digital Nomads, Family-Friendly Hostel, Quiet Rest, Solo Traveller
3. Orbit Hotel & Hostel
4. Samesun Venice Beach - best for Beach Lovers Retreat, Solo Traveller
5. HI - Los Angeles - Santa Monica Hostel - best for Beach Lovers Retreat, Digital Nomads, Solo Traveller, Youth Hostel

USA Hostels Hollywood

8.6

Hollywood

"…During warmer months the dorms can get a bit hot and stuffy, so use those ceiling fans. The design more

Best Quiet Rest

Orange Drive Hostel

8.8

Hollywood

"…I would recommend this experience who wants to be where all the action is, and to anyone who likes more

from

$20.00

Orbit Hotel & Hostel

8.3

West Hollywood

"…This place was great. It looks dodgy from the outside but inside is a lot better. We had a great more

Samesun Venice Beach

8.0

Venice Beach

"…- I initially booked a bed for two days just to check it out and ended up staying two weeks. The more

from

$20.57

HI - Los Angeles - Santa Monica Hostel

9.0

Santa Monica

"…is dirty cheap for its size! I also participated in the free walking tours offered by the hostel more

from

$21.49

A 2–3 Day Itinerary on Your Own

Day 1 – Coastal classics and downtown art

Morning:

Fuel up at Menotti’s Coffee Stop on Windward Avenue; the baristas hand out surf reports with flat whites. Walk two blocks to the Venice Sign, then follow the Boardwalk north. Street murals, drum circles, and rollerbladers provide nonstop people-watching.

Rent a single-speed bike ($9 per hour from Jay’s Rentals) and cruise the three-mile path to Santa Monica. Lock up at the pier, snap photos of the Pacific Wheel, and soak in ocean air from the wooden planks where Forrest Gump finished his cross-country run.

Afternoon:

Skip pricey pier restaurants and grab two battered fish tacos from the kiosk at the pier’s midpoint—$4 each with spicy mayo. Walk inland three blocks to the Downtown Santa Monica Metro stop and ride the Expo (E) Line all the way to its terminus at 7th St/Metro Center.

Exit to Grand Avenue. If you reserved a free timed ticket online, duck straight into The Broad to eye Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room. No ticket? Hit the standby line; waits drop under thirty minutes mid-weekday.

Cross to Walt Disney Concert Hall for Frank Gehry’s curving stainless steel panels. The garden terrace on level three stays open to the public—zero fee, killer skyline angles.

Evening:

From Pershing Square station ride the Red (B) Line three stops to Vermont/Sunset. DASH bus (Observatory Shuttle Line) costs $0.50 cash and climbs to Griffith Observatory in fifteen minutes. Join sunset-seekers on the west lawn, then step inside for free exhibits on space and seismology. Peer through the Zeiss telescope if skies are clear.

Back downhill, detour to Little Tokyo for dinner. Marugame Udon dishes out build-your-own bowls for under $15; diners queue single-file, so solo travelers slide in effortlessly. End the night sampling mochi doughnuts at Café Dulce before the last E Line train west (departures run past midnight).

Day 2 – Hollywood hills, cultural corridors, and Koreatown nightlife

Morning:

Catch the Red Line to Hollywood/Highland by 8 a.m. Snap a quick Walk of Fame photo (best with few tourists this early), then rideshare ten minutes to the Bronson Caves trailhead. The 2.6-mile round-trip climbs gently to a rear overlook of the Hollywood Sign—cleaner angles than the crowded front viewpoints and doable in trainers.

Descend, call a shared Lyft to Los Feliz, and grab a protein-packed açai bowl at Naturewell on Hillhurst. Soak up small-town vibes under the shade trees before moving on.

Afternoon:

Walk ten minutes south to Barnsdall Art Park. Admission to the Hollyhock House courtyard (Frank Lloyd Wright’s first LA commission) runs $7; the hilltop lawn is free and rarely crowded. Picnic here with a $4 empanada from nearby La Guanaquita bakery.

Board Metro Bus 20 on Hollywood Boulevard, ride past Wilshire’s sleek Miracle Mile, and alight at the La Brea Tar Pits. Outside pools bubble with methane—free to watch. Budget travelers skip the museum and head instead to the grassy mound behind LACMA where locals sunbathe.

Walk into LACMA’s plaza for the Instagram-famous “Urban Light” lamppost forest. Tickets for full gallery access drop to $10 after 3 p.m.; use two hours to see the Japanese Pavilion and Rain Room installation.

Evening:

Hop the Metro Rapid 720 on Wilshire eastbound to Koreatown. Start with happy-hour kimchi fries at Beer Belly, then feast at Kang Hodan’s $15 all-you-can-eat barbecue—solo guests grill tableside alongside strangers, perfect for spark-easy chatter.

End at Victorian-style speakeasy The Prince for soju cocktails under red chandeliers, or slide into a coin-karaoke booth at Shrine where $2 buys three songs. Red-line trains run till 1:30 a.m.; if you’re staying beach-side, grab the $9 Metro Owl bus toward Santa Monica.

Day 3 – Eastside stories, markets, and sunset cliffs

Morning:

Take the Gold (L) Line to Chinatown Station. At sunrise the Central Plaza lions glow pink—ideal photo light. Refuel with a $3 steamed barbecue-pork bun from Phoenix Bakery, then walk half a mile to Echo Park Lake.

Rent a neon swan pedal boat ($11 for 60 minutes) and glide beneath lotus blooms while Downtown’s skyline rises behind palm fronds. Coffee beckons at Woodcat five minutes uphill; order the horchata cold brew for LA-meets-Mexico flavor.

Afternoon:

Board Metro Bus 2 on Sunset heading west to Silver Lake. Browse thrift treasure at SquaresVille, flip through vinyl at Amoeba’s new store (relocated from Hollywood), and sample plant-based tacos at De Buena Planta’s garden patio.

Continue on Bus 2 to Santa Monica Boulevard and transfer to the $1 Big Blue Bus 134 to Malibu Lagoon. Switch to the local 534 for El Matador State Beach; the ride curves along the Pacific Coast Highway with giant windows framing the cliffs.

Descend the wooden staircase to tide-carved sea caves. Low tide reveals hidden arches; bring water shoes for slippery rocks. Picnic on the sand—Trader Joe’s sells $3 salad wraps perfect for a lightweight meal.

Evening:

Stay for the pastel sunset, then board the 534 back to Santa Monica. Grab late-night $2 tacos from the blue taco truck parked on Main Street at Bicknell (cash only). Finish with a ride on the Metro E Line or hostel shuttle, depending on where you sleep.

Optional Micro-Days

• Palm Springs Day Blast (Full Day): Ride FlixBus 2.5 hours. Rent a Lime e-bike, tour mid-century houses, soak at a free hot-spring pool off Indian Canyon Road, and catch the 8 p.m. bus back.
• Pasadena Science Loop (Half-Day): Take the Gold Line to Memorial Park. Visit the Norton Simon Museum ($15 student rate), picnic in Central Park, then browse Vroman’s Bookstore for second-hand travel guides.
• Catalina Island Splash (Full Day): Board the 90-minute Catalina Express ferry from Long Beach. Snorkel Lover’s Cove, hike to Garden to Sky summit, and sample $1 saltwater taffy in Avalon before the last boat.

Still not sure? Pick my Favorite Hostel in Los Angeles

#1 Top Hostel in Los Angeles: STAY OPEN Venice Beach

This is the overall best rated hostel in STAY OPEN Venice Beach. The overall rating is 10.0. You cannot go wrong here.

It is your safest bet in case you are not sure which hostel to pick.

The price for a dorm at STAY OPEN Venice Beach starts from $46.09.

Check out STAY OPEN Venice Beach here

Hostels in Los Angeles

Beachfront dorms in Venice and Santa Monica trim hotel prices by 70 %. They include locker storage, free pancake mornings, and evening potlucks—a lifesaver in an otherwise pricey dining scene.

Activities rotate: sunrise beach yoga, stand-up paddle introductions, Griffith night hikes, and comedy-club outings. Reception desks double as discounted tour-booking hubs for studio visits and Disneyland shuttles.

Is Los Angeles Safe for Solo Travelers?

Crime varies block to block. Research your street before booking; apps like LAist Crime Map help. Downtown’s historic core feels safe until about 11 p.m., then empties fast—walk with groups or rideshare.

Pickpockets target crowded transit doors. Keep phones deep inside cross-body bags and wear zippers inward on backpacks when boarding trains.

Women should avoid isolated beach stretches after dark and select well-lit pier areas instead. In bars, California law lets you leave an unfinished drink; ditch anything that tastes odd.

Car break-ins remain common. If you rent a vehicle, stow gear before you park, never afterward.

How to Meet People?

Hostel bulletin boards list daily outings—sign up before noon and you’ll roll with a ready-made squad. Free & Cheap LA on Meetup posts sunset hikes, open-mic nights, and museum meetups geared to newcomers.

Venice Beach has an 8 a.m. skate meetup every Saturday; boards provided donation-based. Downtown Art Walk (second Thursday monthly) floods streets with live DJ sets—solo visitors blend effortlessly.

Yoga Under the Palms in El Segundo runs sunrise classes where mats are free for first-timers. Instructors encourage post-flow coffee hangs at Blue Butterfly café opposite the studio.

Best Neighborhoods to Stay Solo in Los Angeles

• Hollywood: Central transit hub, endless nightlife, walkable to studios. Suits party lovers and first-timers chasing tourist icons.
• Venice / Santa Monica: Boardwalk energy, hostel surf rentals, sunset bike paths. Ideal for beach bums and slow-mornings travelers.
• Downtown Arts District: Warehouse lofts, craft breweries, monthly art walks. Great for street-art hunters and foodie budgets.
• Silver Lake / Echo Park: Indie music venues, vegan cafés, reservoir jogs. Perfect for creatives and night-owl concert goers.

Where to Eat and Drink in Los Angeles

• Breakfast: G & B Coffee in Grand Central Market serves an almond-macadamia latte that tastes like dessert. Pair it with a $3 carnitas taco from the same hall.
• Lunch: Smorgasburg (Sundays) in the DTLA Arts District hosts rotating stalls—$10 bao, $8 artisan donuts, free samples if you chat with vendors.
• Dinner on a budget: Daikokuya’s $14 tonkotsu ramen warms any karaoke-strained throat; come before 5 p.m. to skip hour-long lines. Vegan? Try Doomies Home Cooking for plant-based Big Mac knock-offs.
• Solo-friendly bars: Highland Park Brewery’s Chinatown patio invites strangers to share picnic tables, while Venice’s High Rooftop Lounge offers coastal winds and daily DJ sets—arrive before 6 p.m. for happy-hour prices.

Need laptop space? The Last Bookstore’s mezzanine reading room has outlets and a “buy one used paperback and stay as long as you like” policy.

Final Tips and Surprises

Plan by zones: Westside (beaches), Hollywood Hills, Downtown, Eastside. Each zone can fill half a day without back-tracking across traffic.

Tap water tastes fine. Refill at filtered stations in Whole Foods or REI to cut plastic costs. Sunblock and a light jacket share equal importance—ocean breezes drop temperatures fast after dusk.

Downside? Public transit still runs slower than you’d expect. Upside? City buses double as budget sightseeing tours—grab an upper deck seat on the Rapid 720 for a rolling Wilshire Boulevard architecture show.

LA rewards wanderers who stay fluid. Keep Google Maps offline areas downloaded, chat up line-mates at every taco stand, and you’ll craft a solo trip that feels as big—or as chill—as you want it to be.

Backpacking Los Angeles? Here’s What You Need to Know

These are the guides I wish I had before visiting. I’ve been there, had fun, did some minor mistakes, and now I’m passing the best tips on to you. Safe travels!

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About the author: Anna Kiefer

My travels have taken me from the vibrant streets of Vietnam to the tranquil beauty of Spain, each destination adding a new chapter to my journey. For me, travel isn’t about counting countries or ticking off lists; it’s about the freedom it brings and the stories that unfold with each new adventure. At Hostelgeeks, my goal is to infuse our brand with this sense of freedom and discovery.

Whether it’s finding the perfect 5 Star Hostel or sharing a hidden gem in a bustling city, I’m here to ensure that our travelers get more than just a journey – they get an experience that resonates with the joy of exploration and the freedom of the open road.