Here’s How to ‘Set-Jet’ in L.A. While Skipping Hollywood Tourist Traps, According to a Local

As a born and raised Angeleno, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is an area I avoid at all costs. It’s wonderful that the entertainment industry brings curious travelers to the city, but the selfie-stick swarms of cargo-wearing tourists is always a little off-putting. Lately though I’ve been feeling a new kind of pride for my hometown thanks to shows like I Love LA, Nobody Wants This, and The Studio, which are finally showcasing the city the way locals actually live it. Think La La Land vibes with a little grit: sun-dappled mornings in Echo Park, bagel runs in Virgil Village, and nights spent bowling and sipping mezcal in Highland Park. 

After a tough year marked by fires, civil unrest, and an entertainment industry slowdown, it’s refreshing to see producers of popular TV shows not only using L.A. as the setting it deserves to be, but also hiring local crews and taking advantage of California’s new tax incentives to bring money and heart back to the city that built Hollywood in the first place. So there’s not better time to do a little bit of “set-jetting” in L.A., supporting the small businesses featured on screen. Here’s how to channel that cinematic, insider energy without veering into tourist territory.

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Hollywood Reservoir

This serene, cinematic hike with skyline views that beats the tourist chaos of Runyon Canyon any day. The entrance lies right under the Hollywood sign, and there’s a cute little dog park to bring your pooch to, too.

Courage Bagels

The Virgil Village bagel shop was featured in both I Love LA and Nobody Wants This, and for good reason. Courage is the ultimate morning scene on the Eastside. If you can handle the lines, you’ll be rewarded with hand-rolled bagels topped with farmers market fresh ingredients (the heirloom tomato and EVOO is a classic.) Countless Angelenos claim they’re the best you can find in the city and rival the bagels of L.A. We’ll let you be the judge of that.

Carlos R. Hernandez, courtesy of Erewhon

Erewhon

An I Love LA cameo that proves wellness is the city’s true religion, Erewhon is as much of an L.A. landmark as Dodger Stadium as this point. Grab a Hailey Bieber smoothie (or any of our favorites from the hot bar) and people-watch like you’re in the scene.

Highland Park Bowl

This retro bowling alley and cocktail bar is actually the oldest in L.A., and the revamp is pure vintage magic. It was featured in Nobody Wants This and is a local favorite for celebrations, friend gatherings, and double dates (like in the show) for good reason. Plus they have an excellent menu of craft cocktails and pizzas.

Iguana Vintage Clothing

A neon-soaked shopping montage location from Nobody Wants This that perfectly captures the city’s thrift-meets-high-style aesthetic has locations in both Hollywood and Sherman Oaks, and frankly the Valley location has an even better selection. Plus: parking in Sherman Oaks is way easier.

Courtesy of LACMA

LACMA

Sunset, saxophones, and sculpture—it doesn’t get more effortlessly L.A. during the summertime when LACMA puts on free jazz concerts right in front of the famous public art piece by Chris Burden, “Urban Light,” where over 200 lamps illuminate one of the city’s most famous streets, Wilshire Boulevard. It’s equally as charming during the other seasons too, and best of all, it’s free to visit.

Musso & Frank Grill

Though it wasn’t featured the aforementioned new series, the city’s oldest restaurant, this moody, red-boothed time capsule seen in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Mad Men, and countless noir films is absolutely worth a res, even if you’re not into the idea of set jetting. Come for the crisp martinis, stay for the old school hospitality, where career servers still wear cummerbunds and suits for their shifts and the shrimp cocktail comes cold.

Mid-Century Modern Homes of the Hills

Take a private architecture tour with Moderne Tours or Architecture Tours L.A. to see landmark homes like the Stahl House or the Sheats-Goldstein Residence—sets that have starred in everything from The Big Lebowski to Charlie’s Angels.

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Din Tai Fung

A nod to L.A.’s unbeatable dumpling culture—these show cameos spotlight the San Gabriel Valley’s world-class Chinese food scene that locals will drive across town for.

Osteria Mozza

Nancy Silverton’s Michelin-starred spot makes an appearance in Nobody Wants This, but it’s long been a go-to for locals and celebs alike. Order the burrata and watch the magic happen at the mozzarella bar.