Los Angeles Neighborhood Life and Santa Barbara
Stay downtown and use the metro to explore Olvera Street, Hollywood and Fairfax, plus a day train trip to Santa Barbara.
Use downtown as a base and rely on the metro and trains to reduce driving: Olvera Street, Little Tokyo and Grand Central Market for the city's origins and immigrant neighborhoods; the Farmers Market and La Brea Tar Pits around Fairfax; then a day trip to Santa Barbara on the Pacific Surfliner train. The pace is slow, suited to visitors who want to experience local life without renting a car; no theme parks are included.
The coastal stretch of the train has beautiful scenery; in winter, heavy rain occasionally suspends service.
Day by day
Day 1 · Arrival and Little Tokyo
Take the FlyAway bus or a taxi about 40–60 minutes to downtown; in the evening, walk to Little Tokyo for dinner.
Stay: Downtown Los Angeles
Day 2 · Old Town Origins and Hollywood
Los Angeles（Olvera Street、Grand Central Market、Hollywood Walk of Fame / TCL Chinese Theatre、Griffith Observatory）
Walk to Olvera Street and Grand Central Market; in the afternoon take the B Line metro about 20 minutes to Hollywood, then in the evening take a taxi up to the Observatory, and in the late evening take the metro back downtown.
The Observatory is closed on Mondays; Grand Central Market is crowded at lunchtime.
Stay: Downtown Los Angeles
Day 3 · Fairfax and Beverly Hills
Los Angeles（Original Farmers Market & The Grove、La Brea Tar Pits、Beverly Hills / Rodeo Drive、Sunset Boulevard）
Take the D Line metro plus a bus or taxi, about 30 minutes, to the Farmers Market, then walk to La Brea Tar Pits; in the afternoon take a bus or taxi to Rodeo Drive and Sunset Boulevard.
Stay: Downtown Los Angeles
Day 4 · Santa Barbara Train Day Trip
Santa Barbara（Stearns Wharf、Funk Zone、State Street、Santa Barbara County Courthouse、Old Mission Santa Barbara）
Take the Pacific Surfliner from Union Station about 2 hours 45 minutes to Santa Barbara; walk or take buses around town, and return by train in the evening.
Check return train times in advance, since the last train departs early; you can climb the courthouse clock tower for free.
Stay: Downtown Los Angeles
Day 5 · Santa Monica Beach Finale
Los Angeles（Santa Monica Pier、Venice Beach）
Take the E Line metro about 50 minutes to Santa Monica, walk to Venice Beach, then take a taxi about 20 minutes to the airport.