Kevin and I are always on the lookout for the best places to photograph Los Angeles (in other words, cool Instagram spots). We’ll be the first to admit — we were late to the Instagram game when we created our first account a few months ago. But we say better late than never.
We are now officially up and running on Insta (look at us with the lingo!). Speaking of which, check out our Instagram account Adventuring Dads, following our daily adventures with our twin babies. And we’re pretty sure you’ll agree that we uncover some amazing Instagram spots and have the cutest twin babies ever. And yes, we’re totally biased!
Whether you love snapping photos of interesting backdrops, babies (or fur babies), we have narrowed down our favorite places. In our latest post, we’ll share the best spots to photograph Los Angeles. These Instagram spots have more than just visual appeal. These are destinations all to themselves — where you can easily spend an entire day. Check out our picks below —
3. Snapping Photographs Along Palos Verdes Coast, Instagram Spot With Ocean Breezes
Nothing screams southern California like the sound of the ocean crashing against the coast. We were blown away by the beauty of Palos Verdes, the super-wealthy community where every home seems to be oceanfront property. Depending on when you travel here, it can take anywhere from about 45 minutes to over an hour to arrive by car. We suggest making it a full day activity and hiking the 5.6 mile Point Vicente Park Trail to get some amazing photographs and a workout.
While most of this hike is pretty flat, it is still a very tough workout. It hugs along the ocean nearly the entire hike. This is also a prime whale watching spot. Don’t be surprised if you see some breaching from the trail. Each year from December through May, approximately 20,000 grey whales make the annual 10,000-mile round-trip journey from the Bering Sea in Alaska to the warm waters and breeding lagoons of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico.
As you make your way to the turnaround point, you’ll arrive at Terranea Resort, considered one of the premier hotels in the area. It also isn’t shocking to see why so many photoshoots and TV shows have used it as a backdrop including at least one wedding for “The Bachelor.”
Once you arrive at Terranea, you can look around or decide whether you want to grab (an expensive!) drink or bite to eat. The trail literally passes right by the casual lunch spot called Nelson’s, with it’s outdoor picnic tables. Reservations are limited so you can try your luck grabbing one of tables separate from the main restaurant.
Whether you grab lunch or not, keep following the trail past Terranea to find the perfect Instagram spot to top off the hike. Yay! You made it. Oh, but now we’re only halfway through? Oh well, at least we got some great photos.
2. Walking Downtown Los Angeles’ Trendy Arts District
Looking to photograph Los Angeles from a completely different angle? Sure, we love seeing the Hollywood sign just as much as any visitor. In fact, we even wrote an entire post on the best places to hike and snap photos of the Hollywood sign. But if you are looking for grit and stunning street art, look no further than Downtown Los Angeles’ Art District.
We recently joined up with LA Walking Tours to do their 2-hour Arts District walking tour, departing every Sunday at 2 PM. What’s the difference between mural art vs. street art vs tagging? You’ll learn all of this and more, including stops at some of the most influential art galleries in the world. Move over New York and London!
You’ll find no shortage of fantastic Instagram spots to capture. And along the way, learn how this area grew from a poor artist community to one of the hottest neighborhoods in the city. If only we bought some real estate here 10 years ago!
You can do this on your own, but we really enjoyed the structure and stories with LA Walking Tours. The tour includes old photographs as well as old footage. My favorite part? Seeing the grungy performance club where Nirvana performed one of its first sets (with nearly nobody paying attention in the crowd!). Advanced reservations are required and tickets cost $25 for adults and $10 for children (ages 5-12). Book on their website here.
1. Dining At Glitzy Cara Restaurant: Photograph Los Angeles At Its Best
It doesn’t get much more picturesque than the hot spot Cara Restaurant, located inside the Cara Hotel. We made a reservation (a must) to enjoy a poolside dinner on a random Tuesday night. And guess what? There wasn’t an empty seat in the house.
This entire hotel has been completely redone from the same owners as West Hollywood’s fancy schmanzy Isabel Restaurant. The spot certainly felt like it would fit in perfectly in trendy Weho even though it’s located much closer to Thai Town on the east side. After our dinner, we asked to get a tour of the property and got a chance to check out one of its well-appointed rooms. Looks like we may have found our next “staycation” destination.
Feeling full after dinner and want to stretch out your legs? You’re just minutes by foot from the main Thai Town shopping center, aka “Thailand Plaza.”
More than likely, you’ll be completely stuffed at this point. But that doesn’t matter. Head directly to Bhan Kanom Thai, a great little Thai bakery/grocery store where you can grab some items to go. I couldn’t help myself and bought some delicious dried bananas. And of course, it makes another great Instagram spot!
Looking for other ideas for fun things to do in LA? Be sure to check out these 5 secrets spots in LA you (probably) never knew existed (but should!). Looking for ideas on what to see and do while staying at home during the pandemic? Check out our ideas for the best virtual activities you can do from the safety of your home.