Downtown LA is the city's best-connected district: Metro's A, B, D and E Lines serve it, and Union Station links Metro, Amtrak, Metrolink and the LAX FlyAway bus. Discover Los Angeles lists the Music Center and Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Broad, MOCA, El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, Little Tokyo, Chinatown and the Arts District. Choose it for culture and food reachable on foot and by rail.
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best for | Transit-based visits, museums and performing arts, diverse food |
| Trade-offs | Not a beach or hillside setting; evening atmosphere varies by block (our assessment) |
| Getting around | Metro A, B, D and E Lines; Union Station for FlyAway to LAX ($12.75 one-way) |
| Key places | Grand Central Market, Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Broad, El Pueblo, Little Tokyo, Arts District |
| Nearby | Chinatown, Echo Park, Pasadena by A Line |
What to see and do
Discover Los Angeles describes many downtown destinations as within walking distance of one another. It lists performances at the Music Center and Walt Disney Concert Hall, art at The Broad and MOCA, and the oldest buildings at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, including Avila Adobe. Food stops it names include Grand Central Market, Smorgasburg LA, Little Tokyo's Daikokuya, Chinatown's Mama Lu's Dumpling House and the Arts District's LA Cha Cha Chá. The Historic Broadway Metro station serves the Broadway Theater District, which Discover Los Angeles says has 12 original theaters within seven blocks.
Practical notes
Discover Los Angeles says a TAP card costs $2 at station kiosks, rides are $1.75 each and fare capping applies. Union Station's Patsaouras Transit Plaza is the FlyAway stop for LAX. See transportation for the fare table.
Our assessment
Downtown is the strongest base for travelers relying on Metro and for a culture-and-food itinerary; pair it with a beach day in Santa Monica on the E Line.