I saw 3 iconic LA landmarks without driving. Here's how I did it

I spent an afternoon in Los Angeles visiting three popular destinations using public transportation. The goal: Familiarize myself with the services so people rely on daily, and save myself from sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic that swallows up about two hours of my day both ways. Here are a few quick tips for Southern Californians and visitors alike looking to enjoy all that Los Angeles County has to offer, car not required. Know your public transportation options Metrolink Metrolink operates numerous trains that'll take you all over Southern California, including to Union Station in Los Angeles. Union Station may not be your final stop - although with historic Olvera Street and Chinatown nearby, it very well might be. Instead, it'll likely be the hub connecting you to where you need to go next. Metrolink's lines are: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, which can take you from San Diego County to San Luis Obispo County, also has a direct stop in Los Angeles at Union Station. See its route, including where it stops, on Amtrak's website. Metro The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Metro, serves the county with more than a hundred bus routes, rail lines, and other transportation services. Here's a quick look at its rail service: How to plan out your LA trip Not every Southern California resident will be near a Metrolink station or, if you're in Los Angeles County, one of Metro's rail lines. Checking bus schedules to get there and fill transportation gaps to your final destination will be key. What I used to go to LACMA, the Grove and the Original Farmers Market I used the Metrolink's San Bernardino Line to get to Union Station in Los Angeles. It took about an hour and 20 minutes to get to Union Station via the Metrolink, which was pretty comparable to the amount of time it'd take me to drive there on a Friday afternoon. I took Metro's D Line from Union Station and got off at its newer Wilshire/Fairfax stop, where the Los Angeles County Museum of Modern Art is within walking distance. There's also plenty of popular attractions in this area, including the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and the Peterson Automotive Museum. At this point, I'd already downloaded the Metro app, which made it easy to map out my route to my next destination, the Original Farmers Market and the Grove (two popular spots for dining and shopping), via a bus that picked me up off Wilshire Boulevard. Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: I saw 3 iconic LA landmarks without driving. Here's how I did it Reporting by Paris Barraza, USA TODAY / USA TODAY USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect This story was originally published September 8, 2026 at 9:18 AM.