Travel

Table of contents:

Getting there
Staying there
Being there

Getting there

If you’re flying to Los Angeles, we recommend flying into Burbank Airport (BUR) for a stress-free arrival that’s relatively convenient to our venue.

If you’re flying into LAX and not renting a car, we recommend using the LAX Flyaway Shuttle, which will take you directly to Union Station in Downtown L.A.

If you’re thinking, “How could I visit L.A. and not rent a car!?”, think again! L.A. has a large and robust subway system—and our wedding venue in Downtown Los Angeles is right at the center of it all. Check the L.A. Metro website to see how you can take the train to beat traffic and see the sights in Downtown and beyond.

Staying there

We don’t have an official room block—but we can recommend several great hotels based on our own personal experience and research.

The Millennium Biltmore
Three minutes from the venue (walking)
When it was built in 1923, The Biltmore was the largest hotel west of Chicago. It hosted eight different Academy Awards ceremonies in the 1930s and is almost certainly haunted. Truman and Kirstie stayed there for Truman’s birthday in 2022 and have enjoyed drinks in their Spanish Renaissance-style lobby bar.

Hotel Per La
One minute from the venue (walking)
This stylish hotel is so close to our venue that you can actually see The Oviatt from the rooftop pool and bar.

Hilton Checkers Los Angeles
Four minutes from the venue (walking)
Housed in a historic building constructed in 1927, the Hilton Checkers is just around the corner from The Oviatt—and boasts impressive views of the L.A. Central Library.

The Delphi Hotel
Seven minutes from the venue (walking)
Occupying the marble-clad highrise that was once home to the Superior Oil Company, this classy boutique hotel has a rooftop pool and a 1950s-style diner on the ground floor.

Kawada Hotel
15 minutes from the venue (walking)
We don’t have a fun story or history with this hotel. However! It is a well-regarded, budget-friendly three-star hotel that’s transit accessible and close to lots of cool stuff in Downtown.

The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
30 minutes from the venue (Metro B Line)
40 minutes from the venue (driving)
Located opposite Grauman’s Chinese Theater on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, The Roosevelt was home to the first-ever Academy Awards ceremony in 1927 and is certifiably haunted. Kirstie and Truman stayed here for Truman’s birthday in 2024 and recommend the poolside Tropicana Cafe for breakfast, snacks, and drinks.

The Garland Hotel
48 minutes from the venue (Metro B Line)
40 minutes from the venue (driving)
Named for actress Beverly Garland—star of the 1956 western B-movie Gunslinger, which was featured in a season 5 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000—The Garland is one of Kirstie and Truman’s favorite destinations in their Studio City neighborhood. (It was even a runner-up for their wedding venue!) Be sure to enjoy a meal at The Front Yard restaurant, and please drink responsibly at their late night happy hour.

*The Hollywood Roosevelt, December 2023*

*The Millennium Biltmore, December 2022*

Being there

If you’re joining us from out of town, here are some of our personal recommendations for how to do Downtown L.A. right.

To do

The Last Bookstore
453 S Spring Street
L.A.’s largest independent bookstore, with two stories of new and used books, records, movies, clothes, and artisan handcrafted gifts—plus plenty of photo ops that are guaranteed to rake in the Instagram likes.

Wilshire Grand Center Sky Lobby
900 Wilshire Boulevard
This is the tallest building in L.A., and its public lobby is located on the 70th floor. Ride up a high-speed elevator to get unbelievable 360 views of the entire city from its floor-to-ceiling windows. There are three wildly overpriced restaurants, but our recommendation is to just get some pictures, use the bathroom, then go back down for a reasonably-priced taco at sea level.

The Bradbury Building
304 S Broadway
The publicly-accessible lobby of this historic office building is an architectural marvel that’s been featured in movies including Blade Runner and 500 Days of Summer. Sadly, the Subway franchise next door has closed, so the space no longer smells like freshly-baked Italian herbs and cheese bread. Still worth a visit though.

Angel’s Flight Railway
351 S Hill Street
In 1901, wealthy residents were too lazy to walk up to their homes on top of Bunker Hill, so they built this 300-foot narrow-gauge funicular tram to haul them up and down. In The Muppets, Jason Segel briefly rides it while singing the Bret McKenzie-penned Academy Award-winning song “Man or Muppet?”

Olvera Street
125 Paseo de la Plaza
Built around 1820 by Spanish colonists, Olvera Street is home to several of the oldest buildings in L.A.—and is a living celebration of the city’s Mexican heritage. Also of note, this was the site of Kirstie and Truman’s third date. Come here for mariachi music, cultural festivals, and the opportunity to buy souvenirs from immigrant-owned businesses.

Little Tokyo
402 East 1st Street
The center of L.A.’s Japanese-American community is a vibrant destination for sushi, mochi, ramen, and window shopping. You can check out monuments and museums dedicated to the Japanese experience in America, and also join the crowds of cosplayers browsing obscure anime merchandise in the neighborhood’s many gift shops.

*Olvera Street, July 2023 (taken on our 3rd date!)*

*Wilshire Grand Center Sky Lobby, March 2019*

To eat

Grand Central Market
317 S Broadway
Home to dozens of incredible local food vendors, serving everything from edamame to empanadas. Featured prominently in the movie Midnight Run, in the scene where Joe Pantoliano says “It’s a midnight run!” to Robert DeNiro.

Maccheroni Republic
332 S Broadway
One of Kirstie and Truman’s favorite Italian restaurants, featuring a wide selection of handmade pastas and charming patio dining. They’ll also let you bring in your own bottle of wine! There’s a $30 corkage fee, but the novelty is worth it.

Philippe The Original
1001 N Alameda Street
This massive cafeteria-style sandwich shop claims to have invented the French dip in 1918. Their archrival, Cole’s, insists that they actually invented the French dip ten years earlier—but Cole’s is going out of business this year, which put an end to the long-running French dip wars. Ignore the disputed history and just focus on enjoying a big juicy French dip sandwich at an iconic family-owned restaurant.

The Wolves
519 S Spring Street
You can get ratatouille and escargot at this Parisian-themed bar, but the real standout is their extensive menu of specialty craft cocktails. Or maybe it’s the breathtaking antique interior, featuring a scalloped gold ceiling and elaborate wrought iron fixtures.

Guisados
541 S Spring Street
If you want to experience some great Mexican food, good news: it’s hard to go wrong in L.A.! But Guisados is always a reliable choice for delicious slow-cooked meat ladled onto a corn tortilla. Get the cochinita pibil, get the chicken tinga, get the chicharrón. The tacos are small, so you can order a bunch without getting in over your head.

Uncle John’s Cafe
421 W 8th Street
Diner classics like ham and eggs meet Chinese standbys like chop suey and spicy pork chops at this unpretentious fusion restaurant. They’ve got little dishes of chili crisp on the table, so you know they’re legit.