As a USC student, you have amazing opportunities to explore the vibrant city of Los Angeles. Here are a couple of my favorite weekend activities to enjoy with friends:

If you’re looking for a fun and unique way to spend your free time, visiting one of LA’s many flea markets is a fantastic option! They’re filled with one-of-a-kind finds, from vintage apparel and handmade jewelry to vinyl records and iconic memorabilia. Flea markets allow you to explore, discover hidden gems, and have a great time with friends! Below I’ve detailed two of my favorite flea markets that are near USC.

Silverlake Flea

• Location: About a 15-minute drive from campus.
• Hours:
  • Fridays: 10 am – 3:30 pm
  • Saturdays: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
  • Sundays: 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
• Best Time to Visit: Most of the popular vendors show up on Sundays.
• Highlights: Wide variety of vintage apparel, unique jewelry, and food trucks.
• My Experience: My friends and I love visiting on Sundays after grabbing coffee at Dulce in the USC Village. We enjoy marveling at the outfits, soaking in the vibes, and finding cool things to buy. Even if we don’t buy anything, we always have a great time hanging out.

Los Feliz Flea

• Location: About a 10-minute drive from campus.
• Hours:
  • Saturdays and Sundays: 11 am – 5 pm
• Highlights: Known as one of the biggest flea markets in LA with vintage apparel, vinyl, jewelry, and memorabilia.
• Best Time to Visit: Saturdays have a wider variety of vendors.
• My Experience: I’ve seen many celebrities and influencers when I’ve visited, including Madison Beer and the Sturniolo Triplets. On my last visit, I found an amazing vintage USC crewneck and bought “The Score” by the Fugees on vinyl!

Looking for the perfect escape from campus life and school work? Beach days are an amazing way to find some rest and relaxation as a college student! USC is near some of the most famous beaches in California, so you will definitely want to take advantage of them. Just remember to bring all the essentials like sunscreen, water, plenty of snacks, sunglasses, and also bring a speaker to vibe to your favorite music. Here’s some information on two famous beaches I’ve visited:

Venice Beach

• Location: About a 20-minute drive from campus.
• Highlights: Venice is known for its eclectic shops, busy boardwalks, street performers, art/murals, and skate culture.
• My Experience: I recently visited Venice beach to buy a skateboard to learn to ride it around campus. The boardwalk is a really entertaining area to walk around and the beach is beautiful.

Santa Monica Beach

• Location: Less than 20-minute drive from campus.
• Highlights: Santa Monica is known for its historic pier and shopping districts.
• My Experience: Every time I’ve visited Santa Monica, it’s packed with tourists and locals. The pier is fun to visit for its attractions and fair games, but the beach isn’t the nicest or cleanest in the area. You still have to visit though just because of how iconic the area is.

Hopefully you get to experience these activities and more during your time at USC so that you can fully embrace all that LA has to offer. Just remember that traffic is probably gonna double the amount of time it takes to get to places, so make sure to have your travel playlist at the ready!