125 Best Sights in Los Angeles, California

Across from the Pacific Design Center, this library, designed by architects Steve Johnson and James Favaro, is a charming part of the city. Replete with floor-to-ceiling glass, a modern and airy interior, a huge mural by Shepard Fairey, and other art by Kenny Scharf and Retna, the three-story building and the adjoining park are a great place to take a break from your tour of the city. They also have an impressive LGBTQ+ book collection. There’s inexpensive parking and a café below.

This famed promontory is a Malibu pilgrimage for any visitor to the area. Go tide-pooling, fishing, snorkeling, or bird-watching (prime time is late winter to early spring). Hike to the top of the sandstone cliffs at Point Dume to whale-watch—their migrations can be seen between December and April—and take in dramatic coastal views. Westward is a favorite surfing beach, but the steep surf isn't for novices. The Sunset restaurant is between Westward and Point Dume (at 6800 Westward Beach Road). Otherwise, bring your own food, since the nearest concession is a long hike away. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; walking.

This clean, sandy, 3-mile beach, with a dozen volleyball nets, gymnastics equipment, and a playground for kids, is an all-around favorite. The surf is gentle, perfect for swimmers and beginning surfers, and crowds are frequently smaller than in other spots along the shore. However, it's best to avoid the beach after a storm, when untreated water flows from storm drains into the sea. Amenities: parking; lifeguards; toilets; food and drink; showers. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

A humorist, actor, and rambling cowboy, Will Rogers lived on this site in the 1920s and 1930s. His ranch house, a folksy blend of Navajo rugs and Mission-style furniture, has become a museum of Rogers memorabilia. A short film shown in the visitor center highlights Rogers's roping technique and homey words of wisdom. Open for docent-led tours Thursday through Sunday, the ranch house features Rogers's stuffed practice calf and the high ceiling he raised so he could practice his famed roping style indoors.

Rogers was a polo enthusiast, and in the 1930s his front-yard polo field attracted such friends as Douglas Fairbanks Sr. for weekend games. Today the park's broad lawns are excellent for picnicking, and there are miles of eucalyptus-lined trails for hiking, as well as a horseback riding concession. Free non-holiday weekend games are scheduled from May through October, weather permitting.

Also part of the park is Inspiration Point Trail. Who knows how many of Will Rogers's famed witticisms came to him while he and his wife hiked or rode horses along this trail from their ranch? The point is on a detour off the lovely 2-mile loop, which you can join near the riding stables beyond the parking lot. The panorama is one of L.A.'s widest and most wow-inducing, from the peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains in the east and the Oz-like cluster of Downtown skyscrapers to Catalina Island looming off the coast to the southwest. If you're looking for a longer trip, the top of the loop meets up with the 65-mile Backbone Trail, which connects to Topanga State Park.

This 2-mile stretch of white sand, usually dotted with tanning teenagers, has it all, from fishing and kitesurfing to swings and volleyball courts. Beachgoers looking for quiet or privacy should head elsewhere. Stay alert in the water: the surf is rough and inconsistent, and riptides can surprise even experienced swimmers. A new metered parking program limits visits to 90 minutes at a time. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunset; swimming; walking.