Whether you're a prospective student, a family member visiting a loved one, or in town for business, University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) and the vibrant neighborhood of Westwood offer a ton of experiences. This guide provides a list of eateries, hidden gems and accommodations to make your visit memorable.
Best Places to Eat + COFFEE near ucla
Bruin Plate: UCLA dining hall (largest residential restaurant at UCLA)
Breakfast / Brunch: Coral Tree Cafe (in Brentwood)
Japanese: Kazu Nori
Indian: Tulsi Indian Eatery
Korean: Gushi
Steakhouse: STK
Chinese: Northern Cafe Dumpling House (10-15 minute drive)
Pizza: Lamonica's NY Pizza (around for 40 years!)
French: Violet Bistro ($$$)
California Cuisine: Lulu (inside the Hammer Museum)
Thai: Emporium Thai (amazing!)
Mexican: Tacos 1986 (student fav!)
Iranian / Persian: Attari Sandwich Shop, Shamshiri Grill
Mediterranean: CAVA, Falafel Inc, Bella Pita & Plateia (inside Luskin Conference Center)
Desserts: Diddy Riese, Elysee Bakery & Cafe, and Saffron and Rose (persian icecream)
Coffee: Alfred Coffee, Ministry of Coffee (Australian) and Espresso Profeta
Unique Experiences on / around the UCLA Campus
You could always picnic on the lawn, see how beautiful this photo is! Here are some other experiences to consider:
Hammer Museum - This museum is affiliated with UCLA. It is an art museum and cultural center
Fowler Museum at UCLA - The collection here comprises more than 120,000 art and ethnographic and 600K archiological objects representing ancient, traditional and contemporary cultures of Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific.
UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden - This is a 7-acre botanical garden with over 3000 species of plants, located on the SE corner of UCLA
The Inverted Fountain: This iconic spot has a unique story—UCLA students traditionally dip their hands into the fountain at the start of their journey and again upon graduation.
UCLA Campus Tour & GRADUATION HALL
UCLA offers guided campus tours led by current students, providing insight into the university's history, academic and campus life. Highlights include landmarks like Royce Hall and Powell Library, the peaceful Sculpture Garden, and the South Campus. Visitors can also explore student facilities like the Wooden Center and Sunset Village Recreation Center. These tours are available in person and online for prospective students in 9th grade and above. For more details or to schedule a visit, check their official page.
In general, parking is difficult on the UCLA campus. If you are visiting the campus for a graduation, know that parking is REALLY nuts! You need a parking permit which you should purchase in advance and parking spaces fill up quickly. You should also download the ParkMobile app to use some of the self-service pay station machines. You should find updated information on the UCLA Commencement page.
This is a photo of an UCLA graduation that we attended. Too many people :) We parked pretty far and then used a ride-share service to get to the hall.
Off-the-Beaten-Path Experiences
Melnitz Movies: Melnitz Movies is the premier free quarterly screening series curated in service of the UCLA community and Los Angeles-based public at-large. Find it at the James Bridges Theatre on campus.
UCLA Planetarium and Telescope Show: With seating for 49 people, the UCLA Planetarium is a unique and intimate setting for visitors to learn about the universe. The facility offers evening shows to introductory astronomy classes, the Los Angeles community, and educational groups. Shows are presented primarily by UCLA Astronomy graduate students. This information will help.
Geffen Playhouse: For world-class theater productions and an enriching evening experience, consider watching a theatrical performance here. Plan your visit here.
UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame: Located at 325 Westwood Plaza, this place is an archive of the UCLA sports team's historical moments. Park in lot #4 (take the westwood entrance off Sunset). Admission is free. Must see for basketball and John Wooden fans!
Best Hotels and Accommodations in Westwood
These hotels are the closest to UCLA and have a 9+ rating on Expedia.
Free breakfast, steps from Hammer Museum, five minutes from UCLA
This luxury hotel is just one minute away from UCLA!
This hotel is also 4 minutes away from UCLA and two minutes away from Hammer Museum!
You can certainly find many more hotels in this area. They have a 8+ rating, slightly further away from the campus but they are chain properties- that you can trust!
See our recommendations:
Did we miss anything? Comment below and we will add it to our list!
