Kind of just happened this way – we got into town early and the first thing to do coming in from the north is stop at the Griffith Observatory. See the Hollywood sign behind and this immense city laid out in front and below.
From there to the coast is a whole bunch of interesting LA districts. Starting with West Hollywood (where we bumped into the only person we knew who would be in town that day) and ending up at Venice Beach.
As night fell, we rode out onto the road to Las Vegas, the city freeways taking us round LA Downtown and through suburbia in an eight-lane artery.