Los Angeles attractions

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this graceful valley swath beside the San Gabriel Mountains was first developed in the 1880s by railroad barons and hoteliers to lure winter-weary Easterners out west. Today Old Pasadena—sometimes known as Old Town Pasadena—is best known for its museums and the annual Rose Parade and Rose Bowl college football game.

Strike a pose with your favorite Hollywood stars at the Hollywood Wax Museum. The original outlet of this nationwide chain is the longest-running wax museum in the country and features more than 100 wax figures of celebrities and entertainers, as well as famous movie monsters and scenes in the Chamber of Horrors.

Even in "anything-goes" La-La Land, the three buildings of the Pacific Design Center (PDC) stand out for their audacity—with the Cesar Pelli-designed building nicknamed "The Blue Whale" for its size and brilliant blue glass surface. Although the center houses a design gallery and limited exhibition space, it's celebrated primarily for showcasing the cutting edge in global residential and business interior furnishings.

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.

The Broadway Theater District in Los Angeles is among the first and largest American movie theater districts. The district, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, comprises one dozen lavish movie palaces built in Spanish Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque styles in the early 20th century—these vintage theaters today host performances, special events, and, sometimes, movies.

Close to Melrose Avenue and Rodeo Drive, Robertson Boulevard is a major shopping destination (and celebrity haven) in Los Angeles. Running between Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and Culver City, the thoroughfare’s designer boutiques make it a draw for fashionistas, while its stylish restaurants are A-lister approved.

Most locals call this epic ribbon of seaside concrete the Santa Monica Bike Path or The Strand. The skating-, jogging-, biking- and pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare stretches alongside the Pacific Ocean from Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades to the far end of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, in Torrance.

A Los Angeles institution, this iconic venue located in Griffith Park has hosted some of the most legendary performers in American music, from Frank Sinatra to Aretha Franklin. Today, the outdoor theater features big-name concerts, comedy shows, cultural events, and more. Check the website for a full list of upcoming events.

Warner Bros. Studio, founded in 1923 on Sunset Boulevard, moved to its present location in 1928. For a revealing look at how shows and movies are made at this classic studio, few experiences beat the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. No two trips through this production studio are alike, and lucky visitors may even spot a celebrity or two on set.

Set in the south end of the Third Street Promenade shopping district two blocks from the Santa Monica Pier, this luxury open-air mall combines two of the best things in Santa Monica—shopping and the beach. Stop by for brand-name shopping, community events, and upscale dining, but don't leave without visiting the best part: A rooftop dining deck with ocean and mountain views.

Perhaps best known as the home of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, the California Science Center is a popular, family-friendly attraction that's free to visit. Bring the kids for an action-packed day of activities. Check out animals in the Ecosystems exhibit, learn about engineering in Creative World, and even stay for an IMAX movie.

This art deco beauty sitting atop Mt. Hollywood has unbeatable views of Los Angeles below and all the universe above. While you may have first spotted the observatory in a movie or on a postcard, you might be more starstruck in person, close enough to tour the cosmos in the planetarium or gaze straight to the heavens through a 12-inch Zeiss refracting telescope.

Santa Catalina Island, also known as Catalina, is a picturesque Southern California island just off the coast of Los Angeles. Known for its rocky terrain, clear blue waters, and Mediterranean feel, it’s an idyllic escape that feels worlds away, despite only being an hour from the mainland by ferry. The island’s main town, Avalon, offers boutique shopping, oceanfront dining, and harbor views. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are also ample opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, and boating.

The first museum in the United States of its kind, this Smithsonian-affiliated museum is dedicated to the Japanese American experience. Topics range from early issei immigrants to World War II internment camps and modern Japanese art movements.

A must-visit for transportation enthusiasts of all ages, the free Travel Town Museum celebrates the history of the western United States’ railroads. Home to numerous historic steam engines and other rare locomotives, trolley cars, and more, the museum, based in Griffith Park, even invites visitors to tour the area via a miniature train.

Reputed to be one of the best roller coaster parks in the United States, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Santa Clarita, California, boasts 19 coasters, from white-knuckle rides to more gentle options suited to younger visitors. Food, drink, and entertainment options round out the on-site offerings.

Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust brings visitors an objective, impactful presentation of one of the darkest chapters of 20th-century history. Find original artifacts, survivor stories, and a carefully-curated architectural space, all befitting the subject matter's gravity. Located along Pan Pacific Park, the museum is free to visit.

The Museum of Tolerance (MOT is an immersive LA museum designed to help visitors unpack human rights. Exhibitions engage diverse topics, from the Holocaust to terrorism to genocide. The standout Anne Frank exhibit tells the story of a girl in hiding during World War II, and its rich interactives bring this important history to the fore.

Tucked under the Santa Monica Pier, this tiny aquarium aims to educate passing visitors about ocean conservation and the marine life of Southern California. Though small compared to other big-name aquariums, it's a quick and easy way to connect with hundreds of native species, from jellyfish and sea stars to octopuses and moray eels.

From shrunken heads to the world’s smallest drivable car, this Hollywood museum is a shrine to strange treasures, kitsch, and record-breaking finds. Known as the ‘Odditorium,’ the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum lives up to the name, starting with the giant tyrannosaurus rex that looms out of the red-tile roof.

Well known for its wide, miles-long stretch of sand, Zuma Beach is considered by many locals and visitors to be one of the ultimate Southern California beaches. The Malibu destination draws beach dwellers, surfers, and out-of town travelers, providing plenty of space for activities such as kitesurfing, swimming, birdwatching, and bodysurfing.

iFLY Hollywood takes skydiving indoors, allowing guests to simulate flying and free falling via a vertical wind tunnel, creating air currents traveling up to 170 mph (275 kph). Each flyer is given professional instruction and outfitted with a flight suit and helmet—even children and inexperienced divers can soar to new heights without dealing with the dangers or training of typical skydiving.

While it's a public beach, Paradise Cove is best associated with the eponymous café located right off the Pacific Coast Highway. Both the beach and eatery draw visitors to this idyllic setting with the allure of a quiet meal where you can quite literally put your toes in the sand, as well as the opportunity to camp out at the shore all day.

On the Hollywood Walk of Fame is the official museum of superlatives: the Guinness World Records Museum. Here, you'll find the smallest, longest, heaviest, and largest of just about anything. An interactive, family-friendly attraction, the museum encourages visitors to see how they compare to record-breakers across the globe.

One of the most famous sporting venues in history, the Rose Bowl Stadium is best known for hosting the annual Rose Bowl Game for college football on New Year’s Day. It has also hosted several Super Bowl games, FIFA World Cup finals, and Olympic Games events. Besides its noteworthy sporting celebrations, the stadium serves as the home for the UCLA Bruins football team.

Look up from this park on the north side of Hollywoodland, and you’ll see the famous Hollywood Sign at the top of its namesake hills. In addition to the prime vantage point, you’ll find what is otherwise a lovely community park, with a grassy field, dog-friendly areas, a playground, and the Innsdale Trail, which leads even closer to the sign.

A 1908 arts and crafts treasure that was joinery-built without a single nail showing, this former family home (designed for the cofounder of Procter & Gamble) is the feather in the cap of influential early 20th-century architecture firm Greene & Greene. The handcrafted mansion graces almost an entire grassy block of Pasadena's upscale Arroyo Seco neighborhood.

One of the larger malls in Los Angeles, the Glendale Galleria was first opened in 1976 and remains popular today, despite the presence of The Americana at Brand, its glitzy neighbor across the street. Expect a cornucopia of retail merchandise and merchandisers, including America’s first three-story Target.

Situated on the shores of the Los Angeles Harbor, this family-friendly aquarium and research center educates visitors about the marine life of Southern California. Touch pools and viewing tanks showcase thousands of native species and diverse ecosystems, from giant kelp forests and deep Pacific waters to sandy beaches and mud flats.

Los Angeles’ foodie haven, Grand Central Market, has been a mainstay on the LA culinary scene since 1917. The sprawling Beaux Arts-style market is a bustling place where dozens of food vendors serve dishes worldwide, from Berlin-style currywurst and Japanese bento boxes to Mexican tacos. It’s a microcosm of the city’s diversity.