🇺🇸 Wandering LA, Soaking Up the Beautiful California Sunshine

(Photos taken March 19–20, 2025) 🌞 With colleagues back from work early, I found myself with two afternoons to explore Los Angeles on my own—a city I’ve dreamed of since childhood because of the Lakers and Kobe 🏀💜💛. First stop: Hollywood Hills. I headed straight to Lake Hollywood Park, the perfect spot for that classic Hollywood Sign photo 📸. Visitors from all over were snapping pics—especially lots of Korean and Japanese travelers. The road up is winding, so drive carefully! 🚗⚠️ Local police weren’t the friendliest—even when there was space, they wouldn’t allow parking along the road. I ended up walking further downhill before finding a good viewpoint. From midway up the hill, you can see the city skyline wrapped in lush greenery 🌆🌿—hard to believe wildfires had swept through just weeks before. Next, I visited South Palm Drive, famous for its towering palm trees 🌴. But honestly, the charming houses along the street caught my eye even more—they looked like something out of a fairy tale, cozy and picturesque 🏡✨. Beverly Hills was nearby too, an elite enclave I passed through briefly. A quick story: At a roundabout near a preschool, there were three stop signs in a row. I stopped at the first two, but at the third—seeing no one around—I rolled through slowly. Just my luck, a police officer behind me saw it and pulled me over 🚨. My mind went completely blank… Thankfully, after explaining it was an honest mistake, he let me go with a warning. Still gives me a little shudder thinking back! 😅 The next day, I drove along the coast to Playa Del Rey—a spot that’s popular online and totally lives up to the hype 🌊❤️. At midday, it was quiet and peaceful. The March sun was gentle, perfect for a thoughtful stroll with the ocean breeze brushing by. In the distance, I could see Venice Beach. Kids were biking and running freely under clear blue skies—the whole scene felt soft and serene ☁️👣. Venice Beach has been legendary to me since I watched streetball highlights as a kid 🏀. The cultural vibe here is strong! At Muscle Beach, I stuck out in my windbreaker while everyone else was working out 💪. People were rollerblading, skateboarding, playing basketball and tennis—the energy was contagious. I shot some hoops with a friendly local—the rim felt a bit low, maybe because of the open space? The pickup games weren’t as intense as the ones I’ve seen online—maybe the pros come later in the day! My final stop was Santa Monica. Short on time before a game, I wandered nearby instead of hitting the amusement park 🎡. By chance, I encountered a group of playful squirrels 🐿️❤️. It got me thinking—if I could enjoy California sun and sand every day, even life as a squirrel here would be pretty happy, right? 😄 #California #LosAngeles #VeniceBeach #SantaMonica #CaliforniaSunshine #LAWandering #TravelDiaries #WestCoastVibes #BeachLife #HollywoodHills