Los Angeles attractions

Set in the heart of downtown Los Angeles and billed as the ‘world’s shortest railway,’ Angel’s Flight has vintage California style. If you recognize the smartly painted orange-and-black cars, it’s likely because the railway boasts dozens of onscreen appearances, includingPerry Mason andLa La Land.

One of the most-visited Madame Tussauds in the world, Madame Tussauds Hollywood stands on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. Highlights include wax figures of entertainment icons; film directors such as Alfred Hitchcock; movie characters such as E.T. and the X-Men; as well as pop stars, infamous criminals, and athletes.

Founded in 1899, Hollywood Forever Cemetery is Hollywood's oldest cemetery and serves as a burial ground for some of the city's most famous citizens, including Rudolph Valentino, Judy Garland, and Mickey Rooney. Today, it's also a gathering place for community events such as its Dia de los Muertos (the Mexican Day of the Dead) celebration and summer outdoor movie screenings.

Boasting 42 miles (68 kilometers) of sandy beaches, surf breaks, and hiking trails, the Orange County coast is classic Southern California. Fronting the shoreline is a lineup of colorful towns with big personalities, from chic Laguna Beach to Huntington Beach, a laid-back haven that earns its nickname of “Surf City USA.”

Visitors to fashion-forward Los Angeles can do some shopping—but save a bundle—with a visit to Citadel Outlets. Just a quick drive from downtown, this is the place for discounts, with dozens of retailers offering outlet prices, and the convenience of opening hours from early till late.

Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art dazzle at the free-to-visit Getty Villa, a Los Angeles art museum that recreates an ancient Roman retreat. Visitors check out statues, frescoes, and mosaics in a collection that goes from the Stone Age to the end of the Roman Empire, plus temporary exhibitions with artifacts sourced around the globe. It’s not just art: Travelers can also browse the manicured grounds featuring fountain-filled gardens.

After opening in 1972, The Comedy Store made its name as, reportedly, the first comedy club in the world devoted exclusively to stand-up. The club quickly became the hottest spot in Los Angeles for new and established comics to work out material before presenting it to the masses. Comics including Buddy Hackett, Tim Conway, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Jay Leno, and David Letterman have graced the Comedy Store stage.

This 26.4-acre (1-hectare) park located along Ocean Avenue is perched above sandstone bluffs in Santa Monica. The waterfront Palisades Park offers guests the opportunity to explore the coast in a delightful outdoor setting. Whether it’s meandering along its paved paths, stopping to smell the roses in the rose garden, or admiring the Pacific Ocean from atop the promenade, the park is a welcomed respite.

Housed in a gorgeous 1913 Beaux-Arts palace, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM), is one of LA’s most elegant attractions. Considered the largest natural and historical museum in the Western US, it has collections covering 4.5 billion years of natural history and science.

With a permanent collection of contemporary American and European art created after 1940, MOCA Grand Avenue is the premier venue in Los Angeles to see both emerging and classic contemporary masterpieces. The museum holds more than 7,500 objects by artists such as Barbara Kruger, Donald Judd, and Mark Rothko in paintings, sculpture, multimedia, light, and more.

The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is the leading and largest music hall of the Los Angeles Music Center and hosts some of the best performances in southern California. Once the setting of the Academy Awards, the hall is a top Los Angeles cultural landmark and currently serves as the home of the LA Opera and Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center.

An entertainment hub in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, LA Live is a premier destination for live performances, dining, dancing, and more. From nightclubs to bowling to professional sports, LA Live is a go-to location for premier events. It may even look familiar: LA Live's Microsoft Theater is known to host star-studded award shows.

Among the oldest and most storied Major League Baseball stadiums, Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium has attracted sports fans since its opening in 1962. Located in the city’s Elysian Park neighborhood, the landmark happens to be the country’s largest baseball stadium, and it also regularly hosts concerts and Los Angeles Dodgers home games.

Once considered the world’s greatest naval ship thanks to its powerful weaponry, heavy armor, and advanced fire control systems, the USS Iowa served the U.S. Navy during World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War. Today it’s docked in Los Angeles Harbor in San Pedro, California.

Illusionists, cardists, and savvy magicians may already know the Magic Castle, a hilltop mansion above Hollywood Boulevard. This private club and restaurant has been an entertainment destination since the 1960s, and memberships are exclusive. From secret rooms to a passcode, if you get an invite (or coveted membership), don't miss it.

Opened in 2008 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Grammy Awards, the Grammy Museum celebrates all aspects of the music industry. Located in the LA Live entertainment complex in downtown Los Angeles, it’s the largest music-themed museum in LA, with four stories and over 30,000 square feet (2,787 square meters) of space.

One of Los Angeles’ most storied intersections, Hollywood and Vine has long been associated with silver-screen glitz and glamour. Once home to major movie studios as well as cinematic legends like Charlie Chaplin and Marlene Dietrich, the intersection now features on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and is host to other historical landmarks.

One of Los Angeles’ largest and most-frequented shopping malls, the Beverly Center spans an entire city block, and comprises eight floors of shops and restaurants. Home to more than 100 stores including Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, it’s a one-stop-shopping destination.

A commercial fixture in Santa Monica since the 1960s, this open-air, car-free three-block-long pedestrian mall (on Third Street between Wilshire Boulevard and Broadway) was re-designed in 1989 and officially named the Third Street Promenade. Only two blocks east of the amusements of the Santa Monica Pier, the promenade is one of the most popular tourist destinations on LA's Westside.

The first theater in Hollywood to host a national movie premiere, the Egyptian Theatre, built in the 1920s, remains a major Los Angeles landmark today. Adjacent to the TCL Chinese Theatre and ornamented with Egyptian-style statues, columns, and other architectural features, it occupies a key place in cinematic history.

One of downtown Los Angeles’ most-important museums, The Broad exhibits contemporary art from the 1950s to the present by displaying its permanent collection and rotating temporary exhibitions. The Broad’s nearly 2,000-piece collection includes works by Cindy Sherman, Roy Lichtenstein, Yayoi Kusama, and Andy Warhol.

There's a reason why Beverly Hills' glitzy status has been immortalized in countless songs and movies: Home to the rich and famous, it's the most glamorous city in Los Angeles County. The well-to-do enclave offers palm tree–lined streets, palatial estates, and posh restaurants. It's one of the best places in California to bask in the glow of luxury, do considerable damage to your wallet, and spot celebrities in their natural habitat.

Operating from its sizable lot on Melrose Avenue since 1926, Paramount Pictures Studio is a symbol of the golden age of cinema and the only major film studio still running in Hollywood proper. It’s also one of a handful of LA studios offering guided tours, affording you a look past the palm tree–lined gates to its 65 acres (26 hectares) of soundstages, backlots, and other facilities where movies and TV series are made.

Housed in the historical Max Factor Building, the Hollywood Museum is a popular destination for visiting cinephiles and Old Hollywood enthusiasts. Home to thousands of objects, from costumes and photographs to movie props—and even a Rolls-Royce once owned by Cary Grant—it also features makeup rooms once used by Max Factor himself.

Home to more than 1,100 animals, including 29 endangered species, the Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens offers the chance to get up close with jaguars, tigers, snow leopards, and more. The zoo’s appeal is not just of the furred variety: it is also home to many birds and reptiles, and it’s a horticultural paradise with more than 7,500 plants.

The Hammer Museum is a Los Angeles arts and culture hub run by UCLA’s School of Arts and Architecture, housing everything from old master paintings to contemporary works. Since the museum is free, it's great for budget-conscious travelers that love the arts. You can stroll the galleries, relax in the courtyard, or join for a docent talk.

Feel like a rockstar when you visit this Hard Rock Cafe, the Hollywood outpost of the global phenomenon slinging rock n’ roll nostalgia and American fare. Stop by for a burger after visiting the Hollywood Walk of Fame or other classic Tinseltown spots on Hollywood Boulevard. Stay for a concert or to shop for music memorabilia and merch.

Hancock Park is an exclusive neighborhood in central Los Angeles, known for stately homes on leafy streets and a large city park containing LACMA (the Los Angeles County Museum of Art), La Brea Tar Pits, and Page Museum. The Hancock Park area also features the quaint storefronts of Larchmont Village, Windsor Square, and the Wilshire Country Club.

Built in 1952, CBS Television City in Los Angeles was one of the first and largest buildings dedicated solely to TV production and broadcasting, helping LA claim its fame as the home of American television creation. Its historic, cultural, and fun studios still film popular shows such as Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, and Real Time with Bill Maher.

For some of the best hiking in Los Angeles, Runyon Canyon Park is a top destination. Expect panoramic city views as you explore, hike, and sweat alongside Angelenos working out and walking their dogs. The 160-acre (65-hectare) open space hugs the Hollywood Hills, and offers a scenic respite from the bustling LA streets below.