must-see spots in la: are they worth the hype?

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I finally booked our first trip to LA and San Diego. We’ve been hearing about all the must-see places—Hollywood, Santa Monica Pier, Griffith Observatory, and of course, those famous taco trucks everyone raves about. We spent almost an hour in LA traffic just to get to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and honestly, it was packed with tourists and didn’t feel as glamorous as I expected. The stars on the sidewalk were kind of dirty, and we couldn’t even find half the celebrity names we wanted to see. Santa Monica Pier was beautiful at sunset, but the food was overpriced, and the crowds made it hard to enjoy the view. I’m starting to wonder if these classic LA spots are really worth all the hype, or if there are hidden gems that locals actually prefer. Has anyone found a spot in LA that truly surprised you—maybe a quiet beach, a cozy diner, or a park with a great view? I’d love to hear about places that aren’t swamped with tourists but still give you that real LA feeling. Sometimes I feel like we’re just chasing Instagram photos instead of enjoying the city itself. Anyone else ever feel that way? #LosAngeles #TravelTips #HiddenGems #Travel