HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF LA

HOLLYWOOD

Go stargazing in the Hollywood Hills

You can drive up to the Griffith Observatory, but it’s nicer to hike up one of Griffith Park’s reasonably gentle paths, taking in the Hollywood sign and views over the city. The art deco building is an impressive sight and no less enchanting inside, with exhibits exploring the cosmos and an excellent planetarium. Insider’s tip: One Saturday a month, the observatory hosts a free public star party. With telescopes on the front lawn and astronomers on hand for questions, it’s a chance to get a closer look at the night sky. griffithobservatory.org

Double your daily dose of culture

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (bottom, far right) is the largest art museum in the western United States, with more than 135,000 objects. It’s popular with tourists and locals alike, who come for the innovative exhibitions and the Instagram-worthy outdoor sculptures, such as Jeff Koons’s Balloon Monkey and Chris Burden’s grid of restored vintage street lamps, Urban Light. Insider’s tip: Come on a Sunday afternoon and catch a free classical concert after you have looked around the gallery. Starting at 6pm, the weekly one-hour concert sessions, Sundays Live, feature the best of national, international, Los Angeles and emerging artists. lacma.org

UNIVERSAL CITY j Take part in some movie magic

A must-visit for thrillseekers and movie lovers, Universal Studios is home to heart-thumping rides such as the King Kong 360 3-D experience, Revenge of the Mummy, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Hop into a tram for the studio tour, featuring Bates Motel from Hitchcock’s Psycho and an encounter with the shark from Jaws. Insider’s tip: Pay a bit extra for the VIP experience, where you explore the backlot on foot. Visit the sound stages where some of the biggest blockbusters were filmed and tour the Property Department, with its thousands of set pieces and props. universalstudioshollywood. com

VENICE

Browse the shops on America’s coolest street Often dubbed the coolest block in America, Abbot Kinney Boulevard is home to some of the most eclectic shops in the city. Beloved by Venice’s hipsters, the independent boutiques are the perfect place to pick up a quirky gift such as a Venice Beach-scented candle from Tumbleweed & Dandelion or some whimsical stationery from Burro.

There are plenty of places to refuel, too, such as vegetarian spot The Butcher’s Daughter and celeb favourite Gjelina. Insider’s tip: Come on the first Friday of the month for Abbot Kinney’s evening food truck extravaganza. From 5pm, dozens of the city’s finest food trucks crowd on to the boulevard, serving up everything from Thai to Southern soul, Greek and Vietnamese food. abbotkinneyblvd.com

i Two wheels are better than four

The Santa Monica to Venice bike path is one of the most famous in the world, and for good reason – there is nothing quite like watching the sun set over the Pacific from this famous stretch of beach. Start at sleepy Will Rogers State Beach, just north of Santa Monica, and carry on past the gaudy

Santa Monica Pier until you reach the Venice Beach Boardwalk, where you’ll be cycling past grungy hawkers selling their tat, Muscle Beach regulars and the ocean-front skatepark. Perry’s Café and Beach Rentals, on Santa Monica’s beachfront, is a good place to rent bikes.

Insider’s tip: If you’re up to it, carry on the Marvin Braude Bike Trail for four more miles to explore Marina del Rey and Playa del Rey, one of the smaller and more understated beach communities in LA.

GRAND AVENUE

Take a trip to see some out-of-this-world art

The Broad, which opened in 2015, has swiftly cemented itself as one of the coolest art galleries in LA, with perpetual queues to visit its permanent collection. The gallery is home to some of the most exciting contemporary art in the city, such as Yayoi Kusama’s trippy Infinity Mirrored Room, an immersive installation with LED lights reflecting endlessly inside a mirrored room.

Insider’s tip: Tickets for the gallery can book out weeks in advance, but if you haven’t managed to nab any, you can join the on-site standby line, which runs every day except Monday. The line even has its own Twitter account (@ TheBroadStandby), providing regular updates on the length of the queue. thebroad.org

DOWNTOWN Step into a Gothic masterpiece

The Ace Theatre is a marvel of Spanish Gothic style. Designed by architect C Howard Crane, it was modelled on Segovia Cathedral in Spain and is just as impressive. Formerly known as the United Artists Theatre, it was once the flagship theatre for Charlie Chaplin’s film studio, United Artists; today, as well as showing films, it also hosts concerts, stand-up comedy and live reads.

Insider’s tip: Eat an early supper beforehand at the hip Ace Hotel next door to the theatre. Slide into a booth at its Best Girl bistro and order a shrimp cocktail and hanger steak accompanied by a Lucky Girl cocktail, made with pisco, lemon and “luck”. theatre.acehotel.com

ELYSIAN PARK

Go all-American at a ball game

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The Dodger Stadium, home to the LA Dodgers baseball team, is the third-oldest baseball stadium in the United States, after Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago, and one of the most picturesque. It overlooks the San Gabriel Mountains on one side and Downtown LA’s skyscrapers on the other. Bring snacks – a typical ball game lasts for at least three hours. Insider’s tip: If you are going for a day game, be sure to take a hat and sun cream – most of the stadium is in the sun and it can get uncomfortably hot. Book under the roof of the top deck for the shadiest seats. mlb.com/dodgers

Luciana Bellini

Overseas holidays are currently subject to restrictions. See Page 3

QMy husband sadly passed away recently. Over nearly 20 years together we visited virtually every major city in Europe, and went on loads of walking holidays in the Alps. Now, by myself, even a weekend break in the UK fills me with terror. I’m a 60-year-old gay guy but think I’d feel a bit out of place in a Saga-type holiday. Recommendations for a few short breaks in the UK would be appreciated.

– David Hawkins

AIt must be tough restarting your travels again after such a loss. Maybe travelling in a small group would help, such as a short, escorted break with Ace Cultural Tours (aceculturaltours.co.uk). Its four-night “Houses and Gardens of Herefordshire and the

Welsh Borders”, with visits to houses and gardens not often open to the public, departs on July 19 and costs £1,345, with a single room supplement of £80. Ace says: “Solo travellers make up a significant proportion of all of our groups.”

For walking, HF Holidays (hfholidays. co.uk) offers three-night, guided group holidays in the UK from hotels or HFowned country houses. Some are aimed at solo travellers, while others include couples, too, from £385. Otherwise, maybe The Scarlet in Cornwall (scarlethotel.co.uk), an adults-only hotel between Newquay and Padstow, is popular with solo guests wanting quiet spaces to relax. From £250 B&B.