Explore one of the city’s incredible art museums. Los Angeles thrums with creative energy, from the studios and backlots of Hollywood to the vibrant street art of the downtown Arts District and Venice Beach. Those hoping to be fully immersed in Los Angeles’s artistic spirit will not want to miss one (or all) of the area’s many art museums. From the European artworks and panoramic hilltop views of the Getty Center and the ancient Greek, Roman, and Etruscan treasures of the Getty Villa to the more modern leanings of the Museum of Contemporary Art and Geffen Contemporary, there is something for art lovers of all stripes. And be sure to visit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for a photo amid Chris Burden’s iconic art installation, Urban Light, which twinkles with 202 antique street lamps.

Take a step back in time with a visit to the La Brea Tar Pits. A time capsule of life in the Los Angeles area during the Pleistocene Epoch, the La Brea Tar Pits is the world’s only actively excavated Ice Age fossil site within a city. Since the early 1900s, archaeologists have unearthed fascinating discoveries, both large and small, rescuing everything from tiny plants and insects to massive mammoths and sloths from the bubbling asphalt’s sticky depths. Today, visitors can enjoy a window into the region’s past by stopping by the onsite museum or see science in action at the Fossil Lab and Project 23, the Tar Pits’ live excavation site, during the daily Excavator Tour (free with museum admission).

Wander along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Opened in 1961 and recognized as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1978, the world-famous destination is a living ode to the titans of Tinseltown. Today, this star-studded stretch of Los Angeles spans both sides of Hollywood Boulevard, from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue, and Vine Street, from Sunset Boulevard to Yucca Avenue. Currently, the Hollywood Walk of Fame features the names of more than 2,700 celebrities, with an average of 30 stars added each year. Guests might even have the chance to attend one of the city’s Walk of Fame ceremonies, which are free for all to enjoy.

Escape the hustle and bustle of downtown Los Angeles for a stroll along the Santa Monica Pier. A favorite of locals and tourists for more than a century, the world-renowned pier plays host to the Pacific Park amusement park, home to the only solar-powered Ferris wheel on the planet. Other waterfront attractions include the Heal the Bay Aquarium and the Santa Monica Pier Carousel, a 1922 Loof Hippodrome merry-go-round and National Historic Landmark that had a star turn in The Sting. Keep an eye out for the “End of the Trail” sign marking the conclusion of the iconic Route 66. Then, take a short walk to California’s original Muscle Beach, which has drawn fitness fanatics to Santa Monica in the early 1930s.