Attention #dreamers, wanna be #angels, #lovers, and #wildthings, are you ready for some #instafun?! I hope so, because I enjoyed putting together my previous InstaLA post and the ensuing #wallantics so much, I decided a part two was in order.
From Santa Monica, to Silver Lake, Mar Vista to Venice Beach, Melrose to Downtown LA, and everywhere in between, there is no shortage of fun to be found in and around the City of Angels and I’m so excited to share this next round of #insta favorites and their locations with all of you! While some of these might be familiar, I’m hoping there will be a few surprises as well!
Getting a photo isn’t as easy as it looks… Incase you need some Insta inspiration, check out this incredibly silly video of me at the Paul Smith LA Pink Wall… trust me when I tell you I wasn’t the only one…
16 Fun Instagram Locations in and Around LA!
1. Rock Paper Scissors Building
Artist: Risk Rock Location: The corner of Broadway and Cloverfield, Santa Monica
Occupied by post production company, Rock Paper Scissors, the “graffiti” building on the corner of Cloverfield and Broadway, recently received a fresh coat of paint! Take the time to walk all the way around!
2. The Swan Stairs Flight #2
Artist: The Painted Line Mural Co. Location: 2958 Swan Place, Los Angeles
Named for their location, the Swan Stairs were painted in 2015 by The Painted Line Mural Co. and are separated into three different flights totaling 287 steps. Each flight of stairs is unique with different shapes and colors.
3. The Swan Stairs Flight #3
Artist: The Painted Line Mural Co. Location: 1784 Rotary Drive, Los Angeles
The final of the three Swan Place flights, and my favorite, showcases a quote from the band the Decembrists: “Los Angeles, I’m Yours.”
4. Alfred Coffee
Location: 33371/2 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles
Alfred Coffee has become something of an LA institution, and rightfully so! Their coffee is excellent! They have multiple locations throughout town, each with it’s own unique decor. This particular location happens to be conveniently located near the Hidden Stairways of Silver Lake…
5. Dreamer
Artist: Ruben Rojas Location: Walgrove Ave and Palms Blvd., Mar Vista Los Angeles
The minute I discovered this recent street art addition to the Mar Vista neighborhood, I just knew I had to see it in person. I love the bright colors and positive message created by artist Ruben Rojas as part of the Beautify Earth initiative.
6. Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Artist: The Art of Chase & Hashim Thomas Location: 1400 block of Abbot Kinney, Venice
Beyond world class shopping, great food, and overall good vibes, Abbot Kinney is a treasure trove of fabulous art, like this fun mural painted by The Art of Chase. Be sure to walk down both sides of the street, so you don’t miss anything!
7. Barry’s Boot Camp
Artist: Kelsey Montague Location: 1500 Lincoln Blvd., Los Angeles
No matter how many times you drive up and down Lincoln Boulevard there is always something new to discover! My latest discovery was these fabulous wings painted by Kelsey Montague. Of course I had to stop… #whatliftsyou
8. Collete Miller Angel Wings
Artist: Colette Miller Location: Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles
With multiple locations around LA, and the world, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard of Colette Miller’s Wings! This particular pair, which are located on Melrose Avenue were pretty busy, with a long line of Instagrammers anxiously waiting their turn.
9. Where the Wild Things Are Wall Mural
Artist: PDB Crew Location: 7629 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles
My little one was really excited when he recognized these characters from one of his favorite stories, Where the Wild Things Are, painted larger than life on the side of a wall! He happily posed for this shot, and in fact he requested we have it printed. It now hangs in his bedroom!
10. American Vintage Wall
Artist: Adam Dare Location: 7575 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles
The entire American Vintage shop is covered in fabulous wall art! Big small, pasted, painted, you name it! Artists of all kinds leave their mark here and it’s definitely worth a visit. There’s some pretty neat stuff inside the shop too!
11. Arts District Co-op
Artist: Royal Location: 453 Colyton St, Los Angeles
I’m crazy about the DTLA Arts District and no trip would be complete with a visit to the Arts District Co-Op. Not only will you find loads of #insta opportunities on the outside, the inside is pretty great too!
12. Kiss The One You Love… Mural
Artist: WRDSMTH Location: 300 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles
I’m a big fan of WRDSMTH! He often uses a “typewriter” stencil to convey his very positive WRDs of wisdom, but went a different route this time. Might be a fun place to pose with your sweetheart?!
13. Cafe Gratitude Love Is…
Artist: J. Goldcrown Location: 300 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles
While I felt I might be pressing my luck if I asked for an action shot in front of WRDSMTHs mural, I thought I might have a good shot with this one just across the way! You might recognize these #bleedinghearts from my previous InstaLA post as they’re in multiple locations around town!
14. Colette Miller Angel Wings – The Very First Pair!
Artist: Colette Miller Location: Traction and Hewitt in the Arts District, Los Angeles
These are the wings that started it all, and considering how temporary street art can be, its pretty amazing that they are still there. Every pair is unique, why not make a stop at each one if you can?
15. Artist & Craftsman Supply
Artist: Kurt Thompson Location: 1660 S La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles
The Mondrian style wall on the side of the Artist & Craftsman Supply in mid-city is one of LA’s most popular #InstaWalls!
16. Chinese Laundry Headquarters
Artist: @itsaliving Location: 3485 La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles
Last but not least, is my most recent discovery, and one of my favorites, the fabulous California Dreaming wall located at the company headquarters of Chinese Laundry!
Now that we’ve taken so many pics and had so much fun in the process, what will we do with all the photos? I mean, beyond post them on Instagram? Make our own wall art of course!
Los Angeles is a veritable treasure trove of art and fun! The more I search the more I find, so don’t be surprised if there’s an InstaLA! 3 in the future…
Pin for Later:
Take me with you!
Would you like directions to all these fabulous places? Why not take me with you! you can download this and other fun hilarystyle articles using the GPSmyCity app!
Combining three of my favorite things, street art, fitness and exploring, my most recent adventure took place in Silver Lake, one of LA’s most unique, and hip neighborhoods. Upon first glance, it may appear a bit on the gritty side, but a little dirt never hurt anyone, and if you dig just a little you’ll find a treasure trove of one of a kind shops, restaurants and hidden gems just waiting for you to come and discover them.
LA wasn’t always the car town it is now, and at one time public transportation was the primary mode of travel. People used an extensive network of Staircases to get from their hillside homes to their transit stops. Many of these historic staircases are still in existence though these days they’re used more for fitness and #selfies than anything else. The challenge is finding them
Alfred Coffee’s motto is particularly relevant because you’ll be starting your adventure here! Incase, you need something to work towards, you’ll also be ending here.
When you see the cheerful rainbow stripes and hearts painted by artist 
This next staircase isn’t painted but it is famous! It was named after the 1932 Academy Award winning short film, which was filmed here, The Music Box, in which Laurel and Hardy attempt to move a piano up a large flight of steps. These very steps!
Also painted by artist Corrine Carrey, these fun piano key steps add a much needed element of whimsy to this otherwise mundane passageway. It looks like they could use a bit of sprucing up, but that didn’t take away from the fun.
Named for their location, the Swan Stairs were painted in 2015 by The Painted Line Mural Co. and are separated into three different flights totaling 287 steps. Each flight of stairs is unique with shapes and colors in different colors. My favorite, the final flight, showcases a quote from the band the Decembrists: “Los Angeles, I’m Yours.”
I’ve got a serious case of wanderlust, and I’m pretty sure it’s not going anywhere, so I’d better get going… But where? While it’s not always possible to travel far, if one is so inclined, it is possible to find fun and even a bit of adventure closer to home and it’s a whole lot cheaper too! Lets go!
Our most recent discovery, The Huntington Botanical Gardens, has something for everyone! Museums, a library and acres of beautiful and unique gardens, including a fabulous children’s garden! Entrance tickets are all inclusive, but because the Huntington has so much to offer it would be tough to see everything in one visit, so membership seemed like our best option.
Having recently taken more of an interest in my home garden the Desert Garden was of particular interest to me. Its over 100 years old and with over 2000 species it’s the largest collection of succulents in the world! I loved the vibrant colors of the cactus flowers and we saw a number of creatures scurry about during our visit! Be sure to stay on the path in this garden!
I must confess that we visited the Huntington Children’s Garden once before, 12 years ago when Simon was a toddler. If you have young children this garden is the place for you! It’s a magical spot with plenty to explore and touch and do. Water play, magnetic sand, tunnels, a playhouse and volcano, and so much more! When visiting this garden a change of clothing might not be a bad idea!
