A Weekend Getaway in Downtown LA

Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) is popping with new restaurants, bars, hotels and galleries opening almost every day, so a neighborhood even locals were once cautious to frequent is now one of the most happening spots in the city, and one where travelers love to stay. Read below for some of our favorite of-the-moment spots to dine, drink, rest your head, catch the most photogenic downtown views and learn about the local culture. The only problem here is that once you set your stuff down in DTLA, you won’t want to leave.

Dining and Drinking Around Town

The options are endless and if you want meals that are decently priced, delicious and authentic, you are in luck. Head to Little Tokyo for sushi, ramen or hibachi; Olvera Street for tacos, burritos and so many cool little gifts you can buy for friends and family; and Grand Central Market for a little bit of everything including meat and cheese, pupusas, coffee, ice cream, candy, the oh-so-famous original Eggslut and more.

Ahh, Red Herring. This former Eagle Rock establishment has made its way to DTLA and I couldn’t be happier about this. The brainchild of Chef Dave Woodall and his gorgeous Emmy Award-winning producer wife Alexis Martin Woodall (who can be found running around the restaurant and greeting friends and newbies alike, on most days), Red Herring is fresh, impeccably-designed and just a very, very fun place to spend hours eating and imbibing.

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I aspire for my home to look like this restaurant, which serves up elevated American comfort food—light pinks and rich greens and all the textures spread throughout, plus a statement-making Art Deco-inspired wall mural by talented artist Mike Wilcox.

Everything on the menu here is absolutely wonderful and filled with flavor, but I really enjoyed the chicken liver pate, the smoked eggplant dip, the clams and the crispy quail with a buttermilk waffle, maple syrup and butter—the chef’s spin on chicken and waffles. The butterscotch pot de creme here was pure heaven and the Red Herring cocktail is ever-changing, with all proceeds going to the Downtown Women’s Center.

Another breathtaking space, V DTLA is an all-day, coined fast-fine dining, eatery in a converted 1920’s jewelry store. A new quickie concept for Cali, V’s first location is in Malmo, Sweden. This split-level restaurant promises to stimulate all five of your senses with its food and drink offerings, including sourdough crust pizza, big, yummy salads and world-inspired dishes. Order at the bar or cashier and sit wherever you’d like. It’s easy to spend half the day here, working or catching up with friends.

After dinner, save—or make—space for more drinks. You can head to a brewery or bar, but why not take a tour of the Lost Spirits Distillery instead? It’s not every day that you find whiskey, brandy and navy-style rum all made in the same place. This experience has been described as the “Willy Wonka of distillery tours,” complete with a boat ride and a maze. What the website doesn’t tell you (spoiler alert!) is that this tour includes a party bus, as well.

This uber-creative distillery has mastered the art of craft spirits distilling, first in Monterey County then Silicon Valley, and now has a brand new look and feel in the heart of DTLA. Book a private tour and prepared to be wowed and, yeah, a little drunk. What you’ll taste and learn about here won’t soon be forgotten.

Hotels for Every Style and Budget

With the emergence of boutique hotels in DTLA, there are also classics to choose from. If you’re looking for comfort and proximity to Staples Center, J.W. Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live is a great option, especially if you have those yearly Christmas Day plans to watch the Lakers play. The hotel has quite a few restaurants on-site to choose from as well. You can also opt for an upgrade, which allows you to enjoy the hotel’s buffet breakfast, snack and dessert hours.

Just a block away, find Hotel Figueroa. The recently renovated 268-room hotel was opened nearly 100 years ago as a women-only hostelry. It is the first hotel in the entire country that allowed women to check in on their own without the help of a male counterpart and is designed beautifully with a strong Spanish influence. Check out the extensive gin & tonic menu in the restaurant or grab a glass of wine at the beautiful lobby bar. Additionally, the poolside bar, Veranda, offers some delectable Mexican dishes and, of course, margaritas and sunshine.

If you plan to stay at the Hoxton in the historic Broadway Theater District, know that you can choose your own checkout time and the right-sized room for your needs. Hotel rooms here are bright, airy and compact, with a smattering of locally-curated books and decor and a big window that looks out to the city. Everything is branded so beautifully here, from the pens and notepads in room to the complimentary breakfast bags left at your door each morning.

This 10-story Broadway building—which used to be headquarters for the L.A. Railway—has 174 rooms, a rooftop pool and bar/restaurant called Pilot, an all-day lobby restaurant (Sibling Rival) that serves up everything from savory bone broth and crisp sunflower salads to disco tots, a smoked chicken plate, Sunday pancakes and more. Head to the lobby cafe for a latte or cappuccino; you can also grab a breakfast bar, a pastry or the hotel’s signature soft serve.

At the Firehouse Hotel in DTLA’s Arts District, you’re going to get a much more intimate experience. There are only nine rooms to choose from here, and they are all categorized by color. Housed in a historic 1927 firehouse, this independent boutique hotel is a truly special addition to Los Angeles, the perfect place for a special occasion staycation or to celebrate a birthday.

Grab some early morning sustenance at the coffee bar, which opens daily at 7 am, or you can do lunch, happy hour—from 2 pm to 6 pm on the weekends and 3 pm to 6 pm during the week—or dinner at the restaurant, where menu options include a dry-aged burger and fries, mushroom and goat cheese tortelloni, scallop crudo and creative cocktails like the Celery Negroni, Pessin Penicillin with charred lemon, ginger and mezcal, and an Old Fashioned Zombie with passion fruit, allspice, bourbon and Jamaican rum.

An extra fancy touch you can’t miss are the Le Labo Hinoki products in each guest room and even in the lobby restrooms.

Museums and Landmarks

Starting this month, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) will offer free admission to its two DTLA campuses. Visit the one across the Broad, another contemporary art museum, so you can knock out two museums in one day. For the Broad, get reservations if you can. Otherwise, there is a standby line you can make to enter on a first-come, first-serve basis. Before or after a few hours spent at the museums, make sure to check out the Walt Disney Concert Hall, just down the street, a Frank Gehry-designed music hall with stunning steel architecture.