Best attractions in Los Angeles: Top 30
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After reading our review, you’ll learn about the most popular and visited attractions in Los Angeles. We’ve compiled our “what every tourist should see in Los Angeles” rating with recommendations and reviews from experienced guides in mind.
What to see in Los Angeles first
Listing the best attractions in Los Angeles could be endlessly long. Therefore, we have chosen for you only the most significant and fascinating objects - the ones with which your trip to the metropolis will be unforgettable:
1. Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park
Let’s start with the huge theme park, which is recommended for the whole family to visit. There are live unique shows, incredible rides, and original attractions based on legendary movies, like Jurassic Park or King Kong. Such tours in Los Angeles should not be missed by anyone.
Official website: https://www.universalstudiosholl
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2. Hollywood “Walk of Fame”
A place that has immortalized the names and talents of a huge number of the world’s stars and celebrities. Travelers from all over the world come here to see bookmarks of their favorite celebrities. For directors, actors and actresses themselves, getting on this Alley is also a memorable and important event. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to attend a bookmarking event held about twice a month.
Official website: http://www.walkoffame
3. Disneyland Park
If you think that such interesting places of Los Angeles should be visited only with children, you are mistaken. A trip here will bring a lot of pleasure and joy to a person of any age. This particular Disneyland is the “original version” with which all other amusement parks of the world with the same name were “copied” and are copied. What kind of entertainment awaits you? Anything: rides and merry-go-rounds, shows, meeting your favorite cartoon and blockbuster characters, buying unique souvenirs, including those with Mickey Mouse ears, etc.
Official website: https://disneyland.disney
4. Griffith Observatory
Just like many other Los Angeles attractions, this one is located in Hollywood. The themes of the science and entertainment institution and its exhibits are astronautics and space. At the behest of Mr. Griffith, the creator of the Observatory, admission and familiarity with the informative exhibit samples is completely free. On the upper level of the building is an observation deck, from which you can admire the panoramas of the metropolis.
Official website: http://www.griffithobservatory
5. Walt Disney Concert Hall
A popular cultural venue in the city with a unique look. The date of the hall, which hosts grand concerts by the world’s most famous orchestras, is just over 10 years ago. Even if you’re not interested in concert performances and the arts, come here to admire the building - it’s a true architectural masterpiece of modern times. The monumental building strives upward and shines with frozen steel.
Official website: https://www.laphil.com/
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6. Hollywood Sign
Such U.S. landmarks can be seen in many movies, cartoons, and even in news bulletins. The sign of the township of the same name is 100 years old and is located on beautiful Mount Lee. If you don’t know what to visit in Los Angeles, but want to take a great photo with one of America’s main symbols, come here.
Official website: https://hollywoodsign.
7. Santa Monica Pier
The famous pier includes several piers: one of them was created in 1919, the other in 1909 (there is an equally famous fish restaurant and fishing shop). The piers are united with each other by a pedestrian plaza, on which there are carousels, slides and a whole amusement park.
8. The Broad Museum of Contemporary Art
What to see in Los Angeles in 1 day for fans of contemporary art: sculpture, graphics and painting? Temporary and permanent exhibitions of this remarkable museum - when they appear, most of them create a furore in the cultural and social life of the United States. The number of exhibits increases every day - photographic works, examples of visualism, pop art, expressionism and other popular trends. There are also regular seminars, conferences, and other public events.
Official website: https://www.thebroad.org/
9. Venice Beach
Legendary beach in the California area of the city. The area was originally intended to be a kind of Venice for the wealthy of the United States. However, during the Great Depression, everything fell into disrepair: residents abandoned their cottages and the canals began to be covered in mud. The dawn of Venice Beach came at the beginning of the 21st century: at present the area belongs to the elite level, and the cost of living here is incredibly high. Guides in Los Angeles recommend that you should definitely visit this landmark - both for comfort and fun, and for learning about the history of the city.
10. Bradbury Building
An architectural masterpiece and recognized National Historic Landmark of 1893, created at the behest of wealthy businessman L. Bradbury. According to the design, the cost of construction was to be less than $180,000. However, later changes were made to the original estimate, due to which the price of erecting the building rose to half a million dollars (a fabulous amount at the time).
Official website: https://www.laconservancy.
Los Angeles sights: what else to visit in Los Angeles?
We’ve listed you just a small part of where to go in Los Angeles is a must-see. In addition to these fascinating places, you should see:
11. Petersen Automotive Museum
When listing the major attractions in Los Angeles, it’s worth mentioning briefly this 1994 complex. The huge showrooms, spread over three levels, showcase 150 examples of motor vehicles, trucks and cars. Some of the cars were built in 1904-10. In addition to vintage and rarity models, there are models of the newest cars and vehicles which were used in the making of movie masterpieces (for example, the Batman series). The third level is for children, the fourth is a restaurant and a conference room. Like some of the largest hotels in Los Angeles, this museum hosts many hundreds of thousands of guests each year.
Official website: https://www.petersen.org/
12. Getty Villa
The museum was built in 1953 at the behest of J. Getty (oil tycoon). It is recommended to visit it to see unique examples of art. There are paintings by Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh and other brilliant masters of the world. There are daily buses and streetcars to the villa, built on top of the mountain.
Official website: http://www.getty.edu/visit/
13. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
A popular entertainment complex opened in 2016 for all fans of the Harry Potter books. Guests are offered walks through mysterious alleyways, the opportunity to visit Hogwarts Castle and the magical village of Hogsmith, Mr. Ollivander’s wand store, and the Three Brooms pub, which serves real creamy beer. The Forbidden Journey attraction deserves a special mention. It allows you to take a “dark ride” through recreated and extremely realistic locations from the world of Harry Potter. Everyone can buy fabulous souvenirs, like Dwarf Fluffies, chocolate frogs with wizard cards, and magic wands.
Official website: https://www.universalstudios
14. Rodeo Drive
The most famous shopping street in the United States, known far beyond Los Angeles. Rodeo Drive is three kilometers long. Here you can meet Hollywood stars and celebrities and walk through the most luxurious and expensive boutiques of the Earth, where original designer clothes, jewelry, accessories and shoes are sold at exorbitant prices.
Official website: http://rodeodrive-bh.com/
15. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History
An informative and interesting center that tells the story of our planet’s multi-billion dollar history. Visiting it is recommended for both adults and children. You can study the specimens of the museum for days, weeks, or even months. The total number of exhibits exceeds 35,000,000 units (for this reason, several subsidiary museum complexes have been opened).
Official website: https://nhm.org/site/
16. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
To visit the museums of Los Angeles, you should probably start with the largest museum in the U.S. - it has a diverse selection of cultural treasures from around the world. This is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where almost every era and world culture is represented. Over a hundred thousand exhibits highlight different historical and geographical aspects: several sections on the ancient world, art from Japan, Korea, Europe, Latin America and the Persian Gulf. Of particular interest to visitors is the installation “City Lights”, presented in the form of hundreds of cast-iron lanterns, which adorn the very entrance to the building. The institution, which originally opened its doors in 1960, belonged to the Museum of History, Science and Art. Thanks to huge donations of up to $2 million, the museum was able to move to a new building, and is located on Wilshire Boulevard.
Official website: https://www.lacma.
17. Our Lady of Angels Cathedral
The main Catholic cathedral of Los Angeles was built in 2002 and is the main church of the Los Angeles Archdiocese. It is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, replacing the Cathedral of St. Viviana, which was destroyed in the 1994 earthquake. The new building was designed by a Spanish architect using postmodernist elements. A characteristic feature of its architecture is the total absence of right angles, there are only sharp or obtuse angles. The impressive building can accommodate up to 3,000 worshipers at a time; its interior is decorated with tapestries by John Nave and houses a huge organ, reconstructed from the musical instrument from the cathedral of St. Viviana. It also houses the relics of St. Viviana, transferred from the ruined temple. Remarkably, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels has an underground level with a mausoleum with nearly 5,000 burial places.
Official website: http://www.olacathedral
18. Dolby Theater
The world’s premier red carpet is rolled out at the world-famous Academy Awards event. And it leads to one of Hollywood’s most revered institutions, the Kodak Theater (Dolby), where every corner has seen its fair share of major stars and where bohemian spirit has permeated every corner. Opened in 2001, the theater seats 3,300 people and has one of the largest stages in the United States. Notably, since 2012, the Kodak has been renamed Dolby, due to the loss of Kodak’s rights to display its name on the facade. Although visitors are unlikely to get to the awards ceremony, there is always the opportunity to watch one of the local productions, and during the guided tours you can understand the intricacies of the Oscars, see the original statuette, and visit many departments that are only accessible to celebrities.
Official website: https://www.dolbytheatre
19. Grauman’s Chinese Theater
Los Angeles’ most beautiful building, the Grauman Chinese Theater is a tribute to Celestial architecture and the Chinese diaspora that has been in the city for nearly a century. Located on Hollywood Boulevard, this emblematic structure draws many tourists simply by its facade, which stands out from the rest of the city. Built in the form of a Chinese pagoda in the early 20th century, it seats 1,162 spectators and began its creative activity with the premiere of the film “Sun Valley Serenade”. Today it regularly hosts premieres of Hollywood films, gathering numerous fans and stars of world magnificence. It has a 30 meters high sloping roof, two red coral columns with capitals and a 9 meters high stone dragon over the portico.
Official website: http://www.tclchinesetheatres
20. Madame Tussauds Museum
You can’t expect to see and experience all of Los Angeles in two weeks - the city is huge and diverse. But if you want to do something important, make surprising discoveries, make a minimum of planning for the next few days. A visit to the Madame Tussauds is sure to be a highlight. Once created by the idea of the English sculptor Marie Tussauds, this wax museum in a little over a century and a half has managed to go global and opened its branches in 15 cities around the world. There is one of the branches in Los Angeles as well - where else but in the movie capital where you can see the celebrities of the world? Life-size copies of celebrities are located in several museum halls, and the centerpiece of the museum is undoubtedly the hall with the famous movie stars.
Official website: https://www.madametussauds
21. La Brea Ranch
It’s not just to see the nightlife full of neon lights and partying that go to the City of Angels. Beautiful beaches, wildlife, hundreds of species of fauna, including the rarest specimens, are another, living Los Angeles. Whales off the shores of the Pacific Ocean, the city’s largest zoo, parks, gardens, canyons - local treasures of American nature. One of the city’s unusual natural sites is called the “bitumen pits” - it is located on La Brea Ranch lands. In 1906 in these neighborhoods while drilling oil wells was discovered the place of mass death of animals, which for thousands of years have come here for watering and fell into a bitumen trap - sticky tar gradually pulled them under their own weight, and the animals died. Thus in the process of exploring these surroundings various representatives of large fauna were found - such as American lions, ancient bison, mammoths, mastodons, llamas and many others - these finds are on display today in the local museum.
Official website: https://tarpits.org/
22. California Science Center
The state of California is famous for a science center that hosts fascinating exhibitions with interactive shows and presentations that engage visitors in the experimental process. The California Science Center, spread over a huge area, includes four areas: the first is dedicated to the study of living things, the second demonstrates the latest technological advances, the third introduces space research and aviation achievements and presents interesting space artifacts, and in the cinema located here you can watch a number of educational films. The centerpiece is the “World of Life” exhibit, which shows how living organisms function. Some galleries feature large mock-ups of human cells, while others explore the basic life processes of the body - defense, reproduction, energy production, and interaction with the environment.
Official website: https://californiasciencecenter
23. Stahl Family Home
The Stahl Family House is one of the most original and famous structures of the City of Angels. The structure, located on the slopes of the Hollywood Hills, offers remarkable views of all of Los Angeles. The luxurious mansion appeared in the 1950s, when the family of a famous actor decided to settle on this plot of land - today it is hard to imagine that once this land was considered almost unsuitable for construction. After much work on the choice of style and drafting, a truly iconic building has grown, and the secret of fame lies in the innovative design, which consists of an L-shaped building, and in the glass walls through which you can admire the stunning views of Los Angeles. The pool is located on a precipice in such a way that you feel as if it is about to fall into an abyss. But these notions are illusory - its construction is very reliable, its durability will last for many decades to come.
24. Olvera Street
Los Angeles is a big city, spread out along the Pacific coast, on the plains, and in the foothills, and its neighborhoods are stunning in their contrasts. Once here, Olvera Street is a must-see. This is one of the city’s oldest streets, where more than anywhere else you can feel the spirit of Mexico that fills these estates and lodges. Colorful Olvera Street is where the city itself originated when it was still a Spanish province. A century later, in the late 19th century, the street was widened to bear the name of the local judge Augustine Oliver. Today, this street is home to a colorful market where you can buy Mexican traditional goods and a number of souvenirs. Mexican mansions are closely spaced on either side, musicians perform right along the sidewalks, and national Mexican dishes can be enjoyed in cozy local cafes.
25. Staples Center
Sports and athletic fans should not miss the Staples Center, a massive multipurpose facility that regularly hosts a variety of competitions and championships. The center opened in 1999, and each year 2.500 events are held on its grounds. Currently, it is also the arena for three professional sports clubs in Los Angeles - two basketball and one hockey club. Architecturally, the stadium is a tall 46-foot building with large panoramic windows that seats 20,000 spectators. The rows with comfortable seats have an excellent view, which is complemented by huge viewing screens above the arena. Each level of the complex has a large selection of bars and cafes, including a large restaurant Fox Sports SkyBox for three hundred visitors. The colorful building becomes especially noticeable in the evening and at night, transforming in the lighting.
Official website: https://www.staplescenter
26. Union Station
A tourist stroll through Los Angeles can’t go without a visit to the famous Union Station, which is located in the heart of the city and is its most important transportation hub. The building of the station was built in the thirties of the last century in the Spanish colonial style, and even those who haven’t been here once, will remember the familiar interiors, seen many times in movies. Today the station serves about 60 thousand passengers daily, several branches of the subway, express streetcars, a number of intercity buses pass through the station. Inside this huge building time seems to have stood still in the 30-40s of the 20th century - soft vintage armchairs are installed in the waiting room, interiors are maintained in the original form for many decades. And from the Union Station platforms you can go sightseeing in San Francisco - the Coast Starlight train departs from here several times a day.
Official website: https://www.unionstationla
27. Griffith Park
Another attraction in the heart of Los Angeles is Griffith Park, the largest among parks in the United States. Although there are more than a hundred similar places in the city, Griffith was the site of numerous movie shoots, and it was here that Walt Disney himself came up with the idea of creating Disneyland. Today, visitors to the park can combine walking, relaxing with stunning views of the city, horseback riding, and a fascinating tour of the observatory located here, and all in all, it’s an ideal option for what to see in Los Angeles without a car. And then there’s the Botanical Gardens with thousands of species of tropical plants, the city’s zoo, and the amphitheater. In general, one can only wonder how Americans managed to preserve this green corner with such an abundance of entertainment in the heart of a noisy metropolis.
Official site: https://www.laparks
28. Hollywood Bowl
Los Angeles is a true epicenter of nightlife. There’s a dedicated focus on nighttime entertainment, and there’s no question about what to see at night in Los Angeles. If you like to party, check out one of the nightclubs that play host to top DJs, and if you like culture, check out the Hollywood Bowl. It is a huge outdoor amphitheater that seats up to 18,000 people and is known among locals as the “Hollywood Bowl” because of its semi-circular shape. It was founded in 1922, and for nearly a hundred years, its stage has hosted the most spectacular events - symphony concerts, rock concerts, theater productions, operas, dance performances and other public events. And at night the Hollywood Bowl observation deck offers fantastic views of Los Angeles at night, and it’s also a great opportunity to watch your favorite band perform from a little distance, but completely free.
Official website: https://www.hollywoodbowl
29. Flight of the Angels Funicular
Although the expressive city of angels isn’t famous for funiculars, here you can see the only railroad of its kind that has survived in the city since 1901. It has a romantic name “The Flight of Angels”, is only about 90 meters long and is considered to be the shortest railroad in the world. After almost 70 years of service the funicular and its two carriages were dismantled to clear the growing area, but 30 years later the legendary attraction decided to restore near its former location. The further history of Angels Flight has been plagued by constant malfunctions in its system. Meanwhile, the Angels Flight Railway Foundation put a lot of effort into the revival of the attraction, the train was repaired, the rope traction was modernized and the brakes were improved, so today there is a great opportunity to ride in the old carriages and admire the views of the historic part of town.
30. Hollywood Forever Cemetery
When the standard itineraries to the cultural attractions and entertainment venues of the City of Angels are bored, it’s time to visit other interesting places in the city’s neighborhoods. Hollywood Memorial Park, or Hollywood Forever, is the city’s oldest cemetery and was founded in 1899. It is located on Santa Monica Boulevard, close to the north walls of the city. This land is known throughout the world because a huge number of celebrities were buried here, having one or another relation to the world of cinema and entertainment, as well as a number of individuals who have played a landmark role in the history of Los Angeles. The cemetery is active even today and people gather here to pay tribute to buried idols. It also regularly hosts various concerts and film festivals.
Official website: https://hollywoodforever
We hope that those Los Angeles attractions, photos with names and descriptions of which we have now given, were of interest to you. When you come to the shining metropolis, visit them by all means. Read also about sights of Miami and be inspired for your further travels in the USA.
