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Los Angeles is a huge city and there are so many different areas to visit, including Downtown Los Angeles, a.k.a. DTLA.

If you’re visiting DTLA for the first time, you’ll want to explore an iconic book store, slurp on some amazing vegan noodles, and immerse yourself in one of the many cultures that this ethnically diverse city has to offer.

1. Immerse Yourself in Japanese Culture at Little Tokyo

Start off your morning in Little Tokyo, which is the largest Japantown in the nation. Not only will you snag a great parking spot, but you’ll have the pleasure of indulging in a freshly baked Melon Pan (“pan” means bread in Japanese) at Yamazaki Bakery.

Never had Melon Pan? It tastes nothing like melons and the recipe doesn’t even call for melons. It’s basically a sweet bread covered in a thick layer of cookie crust on top that is super addicting.

That crispy top layer is only crunchy when it’s fresh, so if you get one that isn’t, then you are not getting the best out of your Melon Pan experience.

After your breakfast, take a walk around Japanese Village Plaza and explore all the stores and restaurants. Pop Killer is one of our favorite shops with a wide variety of trendy accessories and clothes.

If you are keen on Japanese American history, check out the Japanese American National Museum which is dedicated to preserving the history and culture of Japanese Americans. Its doors opened in 1992 and has grown to house the largest collection of Japanese-American artifacts.

The museum shares powerful World War II stories of Japanese Americans who were forced into incarceration camps from 1942 - 1946.

We visited the Manzanar National Historic Site years ago and this brought back all the emotional stories we learned from there.

Reminded of the emotional stories from the past

2. Devour Vegan Ramen & Gourmet PBJs at the Grand Central Market

For lunch, head over to downtown’s landmark, Grand Central Market. This market is filled with an array of cuisines including Japanese, German, Chinese, Mexican, American BBQ and so much more.

The famous restaurant, Eggslut, is also located here, but be prepared for long lines. Our suggestion would be to skip it because there are so many other great local shops to taste at this market.

Grand Central Market Downtown Los Angeles

We took a look online at the list of vendors and were delighted to see a ramen vendor that was owned by the winner of Top Chef, Chef Ilan Hall.

We looked at Ramen Hood’s menu and was a little worried that it might not be as good as the ramen we were used to since it was completely vegan. But to our surprise, it was absolutely devouring.

It’s probably one of the best ramens we’ve had in Los Angeles and just couldn’t believe it was 100% vegan. Another bonus was that there were no long lines and they had plenty of open seating.

After slurping away on our ramen, we wanted to try a PBJ. I know it’s strange that out of all the vendors this market has to offer, we wanted a sandwich, but we had a good reason for it.

When we were browsing the Grand Central Market’s Instagram, we saw a video of PBJ.LA’s sandwiches being made and were hooked.

This was sort of our dessert and instead of peanut butter, Candy opted for almond butter. With the combination of organic nuts and artisanal jam, this was definitely a gourmet ABJ sandwich.

Candy loved it, but Crystal, on the other hand, preferred the classic peanut butter.

New School - Almond Butter Jelly Sandwich

3. Explore the Quirky Book Displays at The Last Bookstore

The Last Bookstore is a fun stop if you are in downtown L.A., especially if you’re a book lover. It is California’s largest used and new bookstore with over 250,000 books on two floors.

One of the fun photo ops inside The Last Bookstore

It has grown in popularity over the years because of its clever way of shaping books for fun photo ops like the book tunnel. There are also unique art installations using books as well.

The Last Bookstore used to be an old bank built in 1914 and they did such a great job utilizing the space like the vaults that now store old and rare books. It’s such a creative space and you can tell the owner, Josh Spencer, has a huge passion for books.

The old vault that stores old and rare books

Two stories of used and new books at The Last Bookstore

4. Admire the Amazing Ironwork Inside the Bradbury Building

Lastly, head over to the Bradbury Building. This building is located directly across the street from The Grand Central Market, so you can make a quick stop here before or after your meal at the market.

This is a historical landmark in DTLA and it was built in 1893. You’re not allowed to take pictures inside with your camera, but you can take pictures with your iPhone.

You can only take pictures with your iPhone inside the building

A little over four years ago, I walked into this building and was so mesmerized by the skylit atrium and the ironwork of the stairs.

At the time, it was not a huge tourist spot so it was pretty empty.

Today, it’s quite the attraction and you’ll see a line of people patiently waiting for their turn to snag a photo. You are only allowed to walk around the first floor, so if you want to explore a little more, you’ll have to sign up for a guided tour.

More Things To Do in DTLA

Downtown Los Angeles is huge and we just covered a small section of it. If you have more than an afternoon to spare, we recommend checking these additional spots:

The Arts District - Molly from The SoughtAfter has a great guide.
Fashion District - I’ve been to the fashion district on several occasions looking for fabric and jewelry at discounted prices, but the bustling area can definitely be a little overwhelming at first. The “Do-nist” couple shares a great overview of the area and offers some helpful tips on how to tackle this district.
Chinatown - Ruth from Tanama Tales has an extensive list of Things To Do in Chinatown.
The Broad - This contemporary museum is quite new to LA (opened in 2015) and general admission is free to the public. One of the museum’s featured artworks is Yayoi Kusama’s famous infinity mirrored room, which is only installed at The Broad.

Tips

Parking

Parking can be tricky and expensive in DTLA. The outdoor lots are typically cheaper than the garages, but make sure the surrounding area looks safe.

DTLA is still a little sketchy so just make sure not to leave any valuables in your car and keep everything out of sight. That means hide any phone cables and little change.

Bring some cash because some outdoor lots only take cash. Most of the garages accept credit cards.

Walking

Walking around the touristy areas are pretty safe, but it’s better to not walk alone and try to park close to your final destination.

Every time I walk alone in DTLA, I seem to always get followed or approached by someone. I don’t seem to have this problem so much when I am with someone else.