Tourist navigating L.A

Question

Hi all

I'm visiting L.A with my son and wife next week, we're staying on James M Wood Blvd, it looks like there's a metro station not too far away, I know there will be buses connecting to areas too, though I'm curious if anyone has advice on navigating attractions.

I've grouped places we'd like to see, such as angels flight, the broad, and the last bookstore, but without my phone/GPS how easy will getting from attraction to attraction without getting lost be? I'm not hiring a car so are reliant on public transport

If anyone knows the area or has any other tips they'd be appreciated too. It's been 15yrs since I visited and that time we stayed at santa Monica. Thanks for any help anyone can give

Answer

Staying on James M. Wood Blvd puts you in Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA), which is a central location with access to the Metro and several bus lines. Navigating L.A. without a car is possible, but it requires some planning since attractions are spread out and public transport can be slower than driving.

Here’s a detailed guide for your trip:

Metro: The closest Metro stations to James M. Wood Blvd are likely the Civic Center/Grand Park station (Red/Purple lines). From here, you can reach many downtown attractions. The Red Line goes north to North Hollywood and south through Hollywood to Union Station.
Buses: The L.A. Metro bus system covers the city extensively. For downtown attractions, the DASH buses (like DASH Downtown) are very convenient, frequent, and inexpensive. They connect major points such as The Broad, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Angels Flight.
Walking: DTLA is relatively walkable for clusters of attractions. For example, The Broad, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Angels Flight are within about a 10–15 minute walk of each other. The Last Bookstore is also close by.
Maps & Signage: Even without GPS, DTLA has clear street signage and pedestrian-friendly paths. However, having a printed map or downloaded offline map will be very helpful.

Tips for getting around efficiently:

Plan your day around neighborhoods: Focus on Downtown first, then you could dedicate a separate day for Hollywood or Santa Monica if desired.
Use Metro’s trip planner or printed schedules: It will help you figure out which lines to take and approximate times.
Allow extra time: L.A. traffic and occasional Metro delays mean you should budget for longer travel between attractions.
Consider hop-on-hop-off bus tours: These can provide easy access to major tourist sites without worrying about transit navigation.
Keep some cash or TAP cards ready for Metro and buses; some machines don’t accept credit cards.

Overall, for Downtown L.A., you can walk to many key attractions, and short bus or Metro rides can extend your reach. The area is manageable for tourists even without a car, especially if you plan your route carefully and group nearby attractions together.