Los Angeles Travel Guide February 2022

I’ve pretty much been banging out one “content trip” a month since May. It’s done wonders for Styledby, finally giving me a wave of inspiration when it comes to shooting photos and writing blog posts, but it’s also been so good for my soul. Exploring new parts of the country with my besties has been such a blessing.

In October of 2021, I visited California for the first time with my blogger bestie Sam Souder. She ended up moving to California at the beginning of January which meant I had the perfect excuse to come and visit. Plus, I’ll take any excuse to escape the snow for some sunshine. 

Originally we planned on spending the first leg of our trip exploring Venice and the second visiting Harris in San Fransisco for his opening weekend of baseball. However, we had a few cancellations and ended up pushing that visit back until March. Therefore, the rest of my trip was rather mellow, exploring the girl’s home surroundings in Beverly Hills.

Nonetheless I had a great trip—shot tons of photos, and lots of yummy food, and saw some sweet sights. As per usual, I’m recapping it all for you today. I hope you enjoy this jam-packed post +find some inspo for your next west coast trip! If you’re looking for a first-timer guide with a jam-packed touristy itinerary check out this travel guide I made in October. 

WHERE I STAYED 

For the first leg of my trip, I had the pleasure of staying at Hotel Erwin, a hip property in the center of Venice, California. It’s just a block from the water with plenty of oceanview rooms available, including the one we stayed in. 

Hotel Erwin is fully equipped with luggage storage, free bike rentals, and a rooftop bar + restaurant, The High. I highly recommend coming up here at night to enjoy a drink or just the sunset. Regardless, the view is priceless. The staff were so friendly and did everything possible to make sure we felt right at home. 

Our room had a king bed and the cutest wallpaper ever. I loved the funky design + colorful accents throughout. The rest of the room was rather basic, yet had all of the essentials— a tv, a small eating area for two, a mini bar + coffee machine, and a coat closet. 

The bathroom was nice and spacious with a glass shower and a huge mirror to get ready in front of. 

However, the best part of the room was the view. Right outside of our room was a large balcony with the most amazing view of the city. Not only could you see the skyline, but to the left was a full ocean view. The sunset here was incredible each night. 

I never turn down a chance to be by the water. I loved getting to explore more of Venice. It really was the perfect mini-getaway—click here to book your stay with Hotel Erwin! 

The second leg of the trip I spent at Sam and Jules apartment in Beverly Hills. I’ve been here twice before now so this was an area I was already familiar with. We spent a lot of time roaming around this area but made a point to wander to Santa Monica and Hermosa Beach for a change of scenery too.

WHAT TO PACK

I’m a midwest girl so I left three feet of snow for seventy degrees and sunshine. It felt amazing to get out of the cold for a week. I was a little unsure what to pack in the middle of February and based on the weather, it seems like temperatures can fluctuate quite drastically from week to week. It was 60-72 throughout my stay and there were definitely a few things I would have packed differently. 

If you’re looking for outfit ideas, be sure to check out this blog post. It’s chock full of all 18 outfits I wore throughout my trip. Plus, I’ve included links to shop. Enjoy! 

• A mask + vaccine card— LA is still taking Covid very seriously and masks are required inside every establishment, including restaurants, even if you are vaccinated. In fact, 90% of places we went required proof of vaccination at the door. 
• Shorts for the day, jeans for the night— Very similar to my visit in October, you could definitely get away with bare legs in the middle of the day, however, you’re definitely going to want to cover up in the evening. It gets quite chilly at night so jeans and a sweater are a must.
• A Cardigan— I made the mistake of only packing one cardigan for my trip to California. As I said, it gets chilly in the morning/evening and I found myself reaching for the sole cardigan I packed almost every day. 
• Funky Pieces— Anything goes in California. While you can definitely wear jeans and a tee here if you have a funky pair of pants you’ve been dying to style, pack them! I promise nobody will think twice about what you’re wearing. 
• Walking Shoes— While yes I did wear my share of heels + chunky boots this trip, you definitely want to bring a good pair of walking shoes with you. Depending on where you’re staying, it can be a reasonable walk to dinner. Because it was nice out, we chose this option more often than Ubering so my Dolce Vita Zina sneakers were quite handy. 
• Sunglasses— I never wear sunglasses and hardly ever remember to pack them but you need them here. It’s bright and sunny all day long so unless you want to be squinting in every photo…

WHERE TO EAT 

I’m not gonna lie, eating is one of my favorite parts of a vacation. There’s nothing I love more than getting to try a new restaurant + the food in California has never seemed to let me down. I was so fortunate to have worked with a few different restaurants throughout my stay and tried a few other local favorites. Here’s the breakdown…

Yardbird 

click here for menu // click here for directions 

For my first meal in town we headed to Yardbird. This restaurant actually has locations in a few different states and the vibe is super neat. We went for lunch however, I imagine this has an intimate vibe at night. I got their cheeseburger and although it sounded questionable, it was actually quite tasty. It’s a double so ask for it medium to keep the juices flowing. 

Their fires had a unique spice to them and were just the right amount of crispy! 10/10 on them. 

High Rooftop 

click here for menu // click here for directions 

As I said, our hotel in Venice had a rooftop bar and restaurant. We started off with chips and guacamole which was amazing then ate pizza and french fries as our main course. Healthy, I know. Their pizza comes in squares that are cut in half. Our waiter said that these were shareable and while yes, they are shareable because they are cut in half, you definitely need to order more than one as they are quite tiny. I wish we had tried more flavors since it was so good—I loved the barbeque. 

We got their chocolate dessert as well and my gosh was it rich! 

Great White 

click here for menu // click here for directions 

Right outside of our hotel in Venice was this adorable brunch spot, Great White. It had quite the Tulum, Mexico vibe on the inside with all kinds of white interiors + straw accents. So picture esq. As for the food, I got their breakfast burrito full of scrambled eggs, cheese, tater tots, and a yummy dressing.

It was super flavorful and the tots added the perfect crunch. I definitely could have used an extra side of potatoes as I am such a hash brown girl, but other than that it was amazing. Sam had their breakfast sandwich and said It was the best she’s ever had out! 

Fia

click here for menu // click here for directions 

Believe me when I say, I never ever go a place this chic but Jules had us meet up with one of her friends for dinner and this is where we ended up. This restaurant is super boujee with an incredibly intimate interior. This is mostly outside so definitely dress in layers as it’s quite chilly, even with the heaters around. 

This restaurant is known for several courses and big price tags. I got their charcoal battered calamari and while it looked like literal $hit It was actually some of the best calamari I’ve ever had. They have an interesting menu, but for someone who’s a pickier eater, I managed to make it work. Def get their rolls; they are to die for!

Tocaya 

click here for menu // click here for directions 

We headed to downtown Beverly Hills for a casual night of Mexican food at Tocaya. This place is all organic + gluten-free so if you have any dietary restrictions, this is definitely in your ballpark. I got the pineapple pastor tacos. Although spicy they were still good however the bowl was much better.

I enjoyed getting the rice, beans, and all types of textures in much larger quantities. Plus, I wasn’t a huge fan of the corn tortillas that the tacos came on (just personal preference, Sam loved them). We got chips and queso + sides of the street corn too. I loved this chill vibe after a fancy dinner the night before. 

Lazy Daisy

click here for menu // click here for directions

Lazy Daisy is a cute cafe less than half a mile from the girl’s apartment. It’s in a great location and they allow you to sit and work, similar to a coffee shop. I came here twice actually—once for their chicken + mexican rice wrap which was amazing. So many good flavors + a huge portion for the price. Their chips aren’t anything fantastic but still, I was pleased. 

And again for an açaí bowl right before I left LA. This açaí was super authentic and tasted just like the stuff we had in Hawaii. It came with strawberries, blueberries, banana, honey, granola, and some yummy shavings for the perfect mix of sweet +crunchy. They are super big too so you can definitely share. 

Brews Hall

click here for menu // click here for directions 

Of course, we had to take a trip to Hermosa Beach. They have tons of lively restaurants along their pier that are perfect if you’re looking for a casual sandwich, burger, or beer. We ate at Tower 12 last time and although it was amazing, I wanted to switch it up this time. We went to Brews Hall and ate outside, enjoying the sunshine. 

I got their Favorite burger and my gosh was it good. The perfect amount of smokey with the cheese + bacon combo and the onions straws on top added just the right crunch. Their french fries were awesome as was the service. All around good vibes. 

Mama Pordios 

click here for menu // click here for directions 

On our last night in LA I worked with Mama Pordios for the chicest, coolest Mexican experience I’ve ever had. It’s super lively in here with in-your-face decorations, and loud club-like music. It’s a very unique vibe but a good one at that. 

Their guacamole was amazing. For meals, we tried their enchiladas and the shrimp kabobs which were so crazy flavorful. They came on a hanging tower. Of course, we washed it down with desert. The churro truck is absolutely adorable. They were quite yummy and the mini ice cream cones were the cutest! 

Almost every restaurant here does fancy, virgin drinks which were perfect for me. Their margaritas come in things like cages and pineapples, adding so much fun to the experience. Definitely very sweet but so tasty. 

WHERE TO GO 

It’s funny because throughout my October trip we packed in quite literally anything and everything there was to do—Santa Monica Pier, Malibu, the Hollywood sign, and more. That trip was both Sam and I’s first time to California so we played tourist and got the full scoop. 

However this time around we lived like locals. We still ventured out to a few favorites but for the most part, this was more of a “visiting my friends” trip rather than a “seeing a city I’ve never seen before” trip; ya feel?

Explore Venice 

I’ve been to dinner in Venice but before this hotel stay. I hadn’t really gotten to explore Venice Beach as a whole. There’s so much happening by the water—tons of bikers, skaters, and people playing basketball. There’s also a boardwalk here full of souvenir shops, local food vendors, restaurants, and more. I popped in a cute bookstore and bought a postcard but other than that I mostly wandered in and out of stores. 

I have to say, this isn’t the safest of areas to be walking around along. Definitely keep an eye on your surroundings + know that even in the middle of a California “winter” it’s pretty busy. 

Abbot Kinney 

About a mile in the other direction is a wonderful strip of stores. They had so many of my favorites—Lululemon, Gorjana, Ray-ban, and more. There are tons of restaurants scattered throughout as well so if you’re looking for a vibey place to grab a bite to eat, I definitely recommend trekking over here. The food towards the boardwalk is more like fair food—hotdogs, ice cream, funnel cakes, etc. 

It’s super cute over here and an easy way to spend an entire afternoon. Especially if you have money burning a hole in your pocket, lol. 

Photos Along Doheney 

Doheney is one of many, yet among the most popular streets for palm tree-lined photos. Grab your girlfriends and a tripod for some afternoon photos. We did this the last time I was in California and they came out so cute we just had to do it again! I’m obsessed with how they turned out. 

Rodeo Drive 

Rodeo Drive is an iconic spot in Beverly Hills. Truly a must-see if you want to spot a celebrity or are looking to window shop amongst the most luxurious stores. I really thought this would be the trip I purchase my first designer bag however, I decided last minute to hold out on that.

It feels like a different world over here with a mix of the richest riches and tons of tourists. Grab a bite to eat outside of this street + don’t forget to take a photo in front of the iconic fountain. 

I met a subscriber here this trip which was extra special too!

Hermosa Beach Pier 

My aunt has a small shoe store, Details, in Hermosa Beach so of course we had to trek out there. This is about 40 minutes from Beverly Hills and it is so worth the $35 Uber. It’s like a different world over here with the most amazing beach town vibes. It’s super clean and the people are incredibly friendly with mostly local faces. There is an amazing strip of restaurants, tons of small local boutiques, and of course a pier to enjoy the ocean view. 

Sam and I sat to watch the surfers for almost an hour and it was the most relaxing thing. This was my first time seeing Hermosa during the day and I loved it just as much. It’s definitely busier in the spring than the fall though. 

Manhattan Beach 

In between Hermosa and Redondo is Manhattan beach, one of the wealthiest beach towns in California. It’s also where 90210 was filmed. Sam and I wandered this way and enjoyed the beach here as well. This is a very similar vibe to Hermosa just a bit bigger and more high-end. The stores are more well-known name brands and there are tons of restaurants to choose from with lots of seafood options. I hope to spend a true beach day here when I’m back this summer. 

pin this post for later 

WATCH THE VLOG

Of course, I had to bring my camera along for the ride. I vlogged the entire trip—from outfit details to food reviews to many, many shared moments laughing with my girlfriends. It wasn’t as eventful as my typical travel vlog but it’s still a good one. Be sure to give it a watch and hit that subscribe button for more travel content.

It’s always a pleasure, California. It was such a treat to be back this month and I’m so fortunate to say, I’ll be back again in March for part of my spring break. We’re looking to explore Laguna Beach next time but if you have any other recommendations/must-sees, be sure to comment them down below. I suppose that’s all for now. 

I hope you found this post helpful + have a wonderful trip to California. Stay tuned for more travel guides coming soon. xo

With love, McKenz 

Latest Post: California Outfit Guide February 2022
Related Post: LA, California Travel Guide Fall 2021
Instagram: styledbymckenz // YouTube: McKenzie Morgan // Pinterest: mckenzmorgan