No Planning Required: Spontaneous Fall Break Day Trips
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
If you hadn’t heard already, USC is implementing fall break this year! Essentially, we have a 4 day weekend starting on Thursday Oct. 17th. Here are some fun last-minute ideas for fall break. Don’t like planning outings? No worries, I’ve done the planning for you! I’ve listed four days worth of day trips to different locations in LA. For each destination, I’ve covered the basics of transportation, my favorite food places (one meal, one dessert/snack), and a fun activity. Keep reading for a detailed itinerary.
DAY 1: Little Tokyo
If you haven’t been already, go check it out! There’s a bunch of cute boutiques and great food places. The following involves includes everything from transportation to food places. This cultural hub features a Japanese American museum so not only can you enjoy the surface level goodies but also learn about the history of Japanese Americans.
Transportation
FREE: Take the UPC to Union station or Intercampus shuttle via Union Station to get to Union station then literally just walk 5 blocks (use Google Maps if you need to) to Japanese Village Plaza. If you’re feeling especially lazy, you could also take the Gold Line train to Little Tokyo/Arts District station.
30-minute shuttles too long of a wait for you? Get some friends and call a Lyft. Prices typically range from $10-30.
After arriving:
Check out the Japanese Village Plaza. This is the main center for Little Tokyo. Here you can find a bunch of adorable boutiques. Looking for gifts for friends? This is a great place to do your shopping. My favorite is Tokyo Outlet – they have the absolute best plushies.
You should eat at:
Kura
333 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Revolving sushi! $2.85 per plate. What more do I need to say?
Bonus: every 15 plates you get a prize!
Get dessert at:
Mikawaya
118 Japanese Village Plaza Mall, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Don’t let yourself visit Little Tokyo without trying the first icecream mochi store! I highly recommend their matcha and plum wine flavored mochi.
Explored, eaten and ready for some fun? Check out:
Max’s Karaoke
333 S. Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Love singing? Check out Max’s. It’s about 5$ per person per hour to sing your heart out and bond with your friends.
DAY 2: Santa Monica
This beachfront city is not only full of fun activities but also very accessible by the Metro Expo line from USC. Want to show visiting friends around LA or simply play tourist yourself? This is the perfect place to enjoy the California coast. Here are some pro tips and information from a Santa Monica local so you can fully enjoy your visit to my favorite city!
Transportation:
For just $1.75 trip, you can get to downtown Santa Monica! From Expo Park USC station the usual time is less than 40 minutes to get to Downtown Santa Monica Station—you can’t miss it, it’s the last stop. Santa Monica is super bike-friendly with bike lanes on all the major streets. Take advantage of the sunny day and ocean breeze and take a ride on one of the electric bikes or scooters.
After arriving:
Explore Santa Monica Mall and the promenade! My favorite stores include Puzzle Zoo (a bunch of fun games and cute plushies), LUSH (soap store with BOMB bath bombs – see what I did there? C; ), and Book Monster (an amazing bookstore with a diverse collection of second-hand books). Feel free to also head down to Tungva Park and enjoy the picnic-ready grass and beautiful ocean view.
What else can I do?
Visit Pacific Park!
380 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401
From Forrest Gump to Grand Theft Auto, you’ve likely seen the Santa Monica pier. This iconic tourist destination features a historic merry-go-round, an arcade, live music, good food, and countless rides in Pacific Park.
Want to read more about my favorites at the pier? Read my post dedicated to the pier
Where should I lunch?
Fritto Misto
601 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
This is my all time favorite restaurant in Santa Monica. Just a block up from the Metro station is this hidden gem. It’s the best Italian restaurant in Santa Monica. They don’t take reservations, though, so expect to wait in a long line (the wait is definitely worth it). Authentically family-owned and locally based, it has amazing pastas with VERY generous serving sizes. I highly recommend trying the signature Garlic Shrimp pasta. You can also create your own signature pasta if none of the ones on the menu appeal.
Dessert?
Sweet Rose Creamery
2726 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
One of my personal favorite ice cream scoop shops. It’s located on Main Street, a street full of cute boutiques and great food. It’s about $4 for a scoop of heaven. Most of the regular flavors are fairly conventional but occasionally, you’ll get the amazing sweet corn or rose geranium (so check out the Chef’s pick)!
Want more of my favorites in Santa Monica? Check out my post: Where the Locals go in Santa Monica!
DAY 3: The Grove & LACMA
So I firmly believe the Grove and LACMA individually are worth their own day trip but due to their proximity, I grouped them. This is the perfect day-long trip with friends or that one special person in your life. Be it the aesthetic stores in the Grove or the amazing exhibits at LACMA, you’ve probably seen sites from these two places all over your Instagram feed. Both LACMA and the Grove showcase LA’s unique vibe and love of art.
Transportation:
Unfortunately this one is a bit further to get to. Taking a Lyft/Uber may be more time-effective than public transportation. The average cost is $15-20.
Looking to shop?
Visit the Grove
189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
The Grove is definitely one of my favorite shopping centers. It has one of the last remaining Barnes & Noble in LA. Even if you don’t want to break your college budget in the stores here, it has the perfect ambiance. Sit by the Bellagio-esque musical fountain or simply catch a movie with friends at the theatre.
Where to eat?
The Original Farmer’s market!
6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Just walk straight down from the Grove and follow the smell of delicious food. Established in 1934 this is, as the name suggests, LA’s ORIGINAL farmer’s market. You can’t go wrong with any of the vendors here.
Dessert
Laduree
189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
AMAZING DESSERTS AND ICECREAM. Everything literally looks like art and is so amazingly tasty. I love their rose gelato and their macarons.
Lover of art?
Check out the galleries at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036
LACMA is just a 10-minute walk from the Grove and with you get a discount with your USC ID card. Don’t miss out on great art.
DAY 4: Griffith Hike!
Griffith Observatory overlooks LA County allowing visitors to admire the cityscape and LA’s signature: the Hollywood sign. The view is even more stunning at night since the beautiful city lights are far enough away that you can still look up and admire the even more stunning stars. Check out the FREE viewing stations positioned around the courtyard.
Transportation: Take the UPC to Union station or Intercampus shuttle via Union Station to get to Union Station then take the Red Line until Hollywood/Vine Station. Then it’s all up to your legs!
Just kidding: From Hollywood and Vine you can also take shuttle 204 up to Griffith Observatory. Though honestly, I recommend the hike.
Learn about astronomy at the Griffith Observatory!
2800 E Observatory Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Check out the museum which is completely free!
For just $5 you can experience a live-narrated 360 degrees dome screened presentation on constellation and astronomy!
Where to Eat:
Check out Little Armenia, which is located just at the base of the hike up the observatory!
Want to learn more about Griffith? Click here to read more
Want more ideas? Read my post on easily accessible places to check out!
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