For a day in downtown Los Angeles, start at El Pueblo and Olvera Street, pause for lunch at Grand Central Market, then spend the afternoon around Little Tokyo. Los Angeles City Hall is a downtown landmark to place on your route, while the named stops below offer confirmed hours, food and cultural options.
- Morning: El Pueblo and Olvera Street, with free museums and attractions.
- Lunch: Grand Central Market, with more than 40 vendors.
- Afternoon: Little Tokyo and the Japanese American National Museum area.
- Transit: Metro bus lines connect areas of South Los Angeles with downtown.
Before setting out from south Los Angeles
Metro bus lines 40, 51, 53, 55, 60 and 62 connect areas of South Los Angeles with downtown. Check the official site before you go: El Pueblo notes that hours may change, and vendor hours vary at stops on this route.
The motel offers motel rooms.
Morninghistoric downtown and Olvera Street
Begin at El Pueblo de Los Angeles, a historic district in downtown that includes Olvera Street and free museums and attractions. The El Pueblo Historical Monument offers free one-hour tours of the district, a way to put the historic streets in context before exploring independently.
Olvera Street is usually open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; the Mexican Marketplace is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Avila Adobe is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Plaza Firehouse, the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles and the Chinese American Museum are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Plan around those patterns if you want to visit the historic sites and museums, rather than just walk the street.
Lunch at Grand Central Market
Grand Central Market makes a natural lunch stop between El Pueblo and Little Tokyo, with more than 40 vendors under one roof. The market opened in 1917 and is at 317 South Broadway, Los Angeles, California 90013.
It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., though individual vendor hours vary. Its information desk is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For a closer look at what the market offers, read this guide to Grand Central Market in Los Angeles.
AfternoonLittle Tokyo and nearby cultural stops
Little Tokyo gives the afternoon a cultural focus, with the Japanese American National Museum located on 1st Street between Alameda Street and Central Avenue. The Little Tokyo/Arts District DASH A stops at 1st Street and Central Avenue, across from the museum.
Metro’s A and E lines both serve the Little Tokyo/Arts District station. Use the stop that fits your downtown route, then explore the neighborhood on foot. The Little Tokyo visitor guide covers the area in more detail.
Getting back to the motel area
For the return leg, Metro’s South Los Angeles bus connections include lines 40, 51, 53, 55, 60 and 62. Check the current route and departure details with Metro before setting out; this itinerary does not establish a specific line for the return trip. Florentina Motel is about a 12-minute drive from downtown.
For a broader look at transport from the motel, the guide to getting around Los Angeles from Florentina Motel discusses local connections.
FAQs
Is Olvera Street free to visit?
El Pueblo is a historic district with free museums and attractions, and the El Pueblo Historical Monument offers free one-hour tours. Hours can change, so check El Pueblo’s official site before visiting.
How many vendors are at Grand Central Market?
Grand Central Market has more than 40 vendors. Their individual hours vary from the market’s daily operating hours.
How do you get to the Japanese American National Museum by transit?
The Little Tokyo/Arts District DASH A stops across from the museum at 1st Street and Central Avenue. Metro’s A and E lines serve the Little Tokyo/Arts District station.