Looking for a memorable gift for someone moving in Los Angeles? Our gift guide takes you beyond the boring and silly (rollerblades and sunglasses, we're looking at you!) and shares 13 creative and fun gift ideas for anyone moving to Los Angeles. Check out our ideas below for some unique gifts that we're sure anyone would be excited to receive!
- LA Photographic History coffee table book
- Huge Tote filled with California-made snacks
- LACMA membership
- LA Area Day Hikes Book
- Pickle Ball Set
- American Cinematheque Film Club membership
- Welcome to California Box
- LA Walking Tours
- A cookbook from one of LA's favorite restaurants
- Malibu Wine HIkes
- Beach paddle set
- Print of historic LA Map by artist Jo Mora
- Griffith Observatory Membership
1. LA Photographic History Coffee Table Book
This cool large scale book starts with the first known photograph taken in Los Angeles, then moves on to sweeping vistas both historic and modern. The book is a tribute to the City of Angles and provides a photographic history tour through the cultural and political moments. You'll get to enjoy the early days of Hollywood, the real estate boom and growth, and the transformation of the area from desert to urban metropolis. Such a fun gift for any newcomer to LA!
Find the LA Photographic History Coffee Table Book here.
2. Huge Tote filled with California-made snacks
Any Los Angeles newcomer will appreciate this huge tote that's absolutely stuffed full of goodies made by cool small businesses based in California! You've got local olive oil, healthy chips made with vegetable pulp, artisan chocolate, coffee, crackers, and much more. Such a fun collection to receive and enjoy.
Shop the California Crafted tote here, it's called El Capitan!
* We also have a full collection of Los Angeles-based gift totes & boxes in our shop, here. *
3. LACMA Membership
LACMA, which stands for Los Angeles County Museum of Art, is the largest art museum in the western United States. It contains over 100,000 works of art that span many genres: greek, roman, asian, contemporary, sculpture, etc. The museum is also located in a great spot, near many other museums and some great restaurants too. Admission is $25 per person, but with a membership it's free (and you're supporting the arts at the same time!)
Urban Light is just one of the beautiful creations you can enjoy at LACMA. It's a favorite on social media...just checkout the thousands of posts with the tag #urbanlight over on Instagram!
4. LA Area Day Hikes Book
The city of Los Angeles covers over 500 square miles and is famous for its urban sprawl... Yet beyond the concrete and freeways, there is a surprising amount of beautiful green space and wilderness that's gorgeous for hiking! And of course, we don't even need to say it, the weather is perfect basically all the time. This handy guide book gives you all the details and planning information you'll need to enjoy the trails in the world's largest urban national park: the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, as well as city parks and the San Gabriel Mountains. It stretches from the Pacific Coast right into Hollywood itself.
I thought this customer review, from Amazon.com, was especially compelling:
I moved to Los Angeles earlier this year from Utah and was craving some good hikes after living in the city for only a few weeks. I know the internet is a huge source of information but often you can get lost on mediocre pages and unreliable information. I did the Amazon book search and bought quite a few hiking books for Southern California but this one stands out. We just completed an 11 mile loop yesterday from this book in the Santa Anita Canyon with an almost 2000 foot elevation gain. We've done multiple portions of the backbone trail in the Santa Monica/Malibu mountains. We're getting to know the Angeles Forest pretty well now. We hike every weekend and try to put in at least 8 miles at a time. We'll continue to knock out more hikes in this book as it is the perfect resource for anyone looking for a good hike in the greater Los Angeles area.
Check out the Day Hiking in Los Angles book here.
5. Pickle Ball Set
Pickleball is all the rage everywhere, but the eternally sunny weather in Los Angeles make it the perfect sport for a new resident to pick up (if they haven't already). And if you need another reason, pickleball clubs are the perfect way to meet new friends!
Help them get started with one of these very cute sets. There are tons of patterns and designs (even collaborations with famous designers). Here's one of our favorite options.
Shop Pickle Ball Sets here (there are lots of color options)
6. American Cinematheque film club membership
The American Cinematheque is an independent non profit organization that is focused on creating a sort of year-round film festival for the city of Los Angeles. It's a place where cinephiles and filmmakers can discover, engage with and discuss the seventh art. The organization showcases films with only the very best quality picture and sound (consisting of 35mm, 70mm, and nitrate). Films are screened at gorgeous historic theaters around LA such as The Egyptian, The Aero, and Los Feliz 3.
Tickets to most events are available for purchase to anyone, however there are quite a few screenings that are limited to members only. These often feature cool bonuses like Q&A sessions with the director, actors, etc.
Check out AC Membership options here.
7. Welcome to California Box
Give an overall warm welcome to the Golden State with this thoughtful collection of housewarming items. The California field guide is filled with fun ideas and quirky essays and insights into the real California. Inside this book they'll find tales from prize-winning writers, past and present; detailed road trip itineraries and profiles of California towns; interviews with painters, directors, activists and songwriters; delightful miscellany from the archives, selective recommendations about authentic California experiences and offbeat intel that offers stunning insight into California.
Moving on to the rest of the box, there's a citrus covered tea towel, enamel keychain featuring a California poppy, poppy seeds for their new California garden, and delicious citrus gummy bears. This box is filled with items that will be appreciated by anyone!
Shop the Welcome to California Box here.
Shop only the California Field Guide here.
8. LA Walking Tours
If they're new to the area and want to learn more about the neighborhoods and history, an LA walking tour might be a great gift for them! This company was founded with the goal of engaging people with a hunger for learning about Los Angeles's vibrant neighborhoods, current developments in the city, and the exciting future ahead. Guests are guaranteed to go away having learned something new about the City of Angels! Tours are appropriate for both visitors and longtime locals, which means they're a perfect fit for new residents. Areas featured in tours include Downtown LA, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and Venice Beach.
Shop the different LA Walking Tour options here
9. A cookbook from one of LA's favorite restaurants
LA is filled with ground breaking new restaurants and creative chefs and entrepreneurs who are pushing the local food scene ever forward. For any foodies out there, a fun gift might be a cookbook from one of LA's favorite restaurants. You could even pair the book with a gift card to the appropriate local restaurant! I've linked two different guides below that you can browse in order to select the perfect cookbook for your special someone: one guide is by Eater LA and the other is by The LAist. Happy shopping (and I promise, you'll be hungry when you've finally made your decision)!
Browse "Best Los Angeles Restaurant Cookbooks" by Eater LA
Browse "Your Essential Los Angeles Cookbooks" by the LAist
10. Malibu Wine Hikes
Going on a Malibu wine hike is one of the top rated activities in the area according to TripAdvisor. There are two options: one is a 2.5 mile scenic hiking loop around the property of Saddlerock Ranch Estate. It's tucked into the picturesque Santa Monica mountains and the hike will include the history of the winery, the region, local local flora and fauna, and of course a mid-hike beverage.
There's also an adventure 4 x 4 tour, which is a two hour adventure that covers every beautiful spot in the vineyards with several breathtaking photo opp stops and of course a wine tasting.
Check out the tour options available here.
11. Beach Paddle Set
Maybe they're moving to sunny LA because they're excited about the proximity to the beach! If so, maybe you should get them a beach paddle set. They can keep in in their car and they'll be ready to have some fun on the beach at a moment's notice.
12. Print of historic LA Map by artist Jo Mora
Support the LA Public Library system and give a cool LA gift, all at the same time with this gift idea. This detailed illustrated vintage map of Los Angeles is illustrated by the Uruguayan-Born American artist Jo Mora, and it features an intricate telling of the history of our beloved city. Crammed full with details about the founding of L.A., all the way up to Hollywood's golden age, this poster-sized map measures approximately 24" x 30", and is perfect for decorating any interior space.
Shop the vintage LA historic map here.
13. Griffith Observatory Membership
The Griffith Observatory is a true Los Angeles landmark, with many of its amenities and programs available for free to anyone! In addition to everything inside the observatory (a pendelum, a perdiodic table with samples of each element, telescopes, and much more) you can attend star parties, with free telescopes to use for viewing, at night once per month. There are also legit hiking trails you can enjoy all around the grounds, including one that will bring you to the iconic Hollywood sign (6 miles round trip).
There's also a planetarium theater where daily shows are presented by a live engaging storyteller. Tickets for these shows can only be purchased same day in person...however if you are a member you can reserve tickets advance online. You'll also get preferred parking privileges and discounts at the onsite cafe. So if you know an astronomy fan who might appreciate this and would enjoy regular visits to the Observatory, a membership might be a great gift! And you're supporting the science education and public astronomy.
Read more about the fun to be had at Griffith Observatory on this blog post
Looking for more gift ideas? Check out our other blogs!