135 Best Sights in Los Angeles, California

As seen in the New Year's Day Tournament of Roses Parade, this low-profile brown building is one of the finest midsize museums anywhere, with a collection that spans more than 2,000 years of Western and Asian art. It all began in the 1950s when Norton Simon started collecting works by Degas, Renoir, Gauguin, and Cézanne. His collection grew to include works by old masters and Impressionists, modern works from Europe, and Indian and Southeast Asian art. Today the museum is richest in works by Rembrandt, Picasso, and, most of all, Degas.

Head down to the bottom floor to see temporary exhibits and phenomenal Southeast Asian and Indian sculptures and artifacts, where pieces like a Ban Chiang blackware vessel date back to well before 1000 BC. Don't miss a living artwork outdoors: the garden, conceived by noted Southern California landscape designer Nancy Goslee Power. The tranquil pond was inspired by Monet's gardens at Giverny, and there's even a copy of Rodin's "The Thinker" to inspire a little musing of your own.

Since 1934, the Original Farmers Market continues to sell fresh produce, meats, cheese, and other culinary and gourmet delights. With over 100 purveyors, standouts include Monsieur Marcel, a gourmet French-style market and café; Bob's Coffee & Doughnuts; and actor Danny Trejo's Trejo's Tacos.

Besides being home to the Academy Awards for a decade in the '50s, this stunning art deco--style theater near Hollywood and Vine has been playing host to many of the musical theater world’s biggest and greatest productions, from the classics like Cats, West Side Story, and Phantom of the Opera to modern hits like Hamilton and Wicked. During your Los Angeles jaunt, see a show in order to really experience its splendor. While guided tours are not being offered to the public, an annual open house is available to theater subscribers for an exclusive and informative tour of the theater and its history.

Part of Malibu's most beautiful coastal area, this beach is made up of three minibeaches—El Pescador, La Piedra, and El Matador—each with the same spectacular view. Scramble down the steps to the rocky coves via steep, steep stairways; all food and water needs to be toted in, as there are no services. Portable toilets at the trailhead are the only restrooms. "El Mat" has a series of caves, Piedra some nifty rock formations, and Pescador a secluded feel, but they're all picturesque and fairly private. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; sunsets; surfing; walking; windsurfing.  Keep track of the incoming tide so you don't get trapped between those otherwise scenic boulders.

Otherwise known as the Witch’s House in Beverly Hills, the Spadena House has an interesting history. First built on the Willat Studios lot in 1920, the house was physically moved to its current ritzy location in 1924. The house is not open for tourists, but the fairy-tale-like appearance is viewable from the street for onlookers to snap pics. Movie buffs will also recognize it from a background shot in the film Clueless.

Tour exterior sets and soundstages, visit hot sets, grab a coffee at a Central Perk replica, and marvel at costumes and props from more than 100 years of Hollywood history at Warner Bros. Studios. You might even see stars at work like the teachers of Abbott Elementary, as this is still very much a functioning studio. After a short film, knowledgable tour guides chauffeur small groups around the 110-acre lot by golf cart, pointing out where various blockbusters including Casablanca and Rebel Without a Cause or award-winning TV shows like Friends, Shrinking, and Gilmore Girls are/were shot. You'll see the bungalows where Marlon Brando, Bette Davis, and other icons relaxed between takes, and the current production offices for famous directors.

Tours change from day to day depending on what areas current productions are using. There are also multiple immersive exhibits where visitors learn the secrets behind movie magic, take pictures on old sets, and do deep dives into the Harry Potter and DC superhero universes. The deluxe tour option includes lunch in the fine dining Commissary.

Along Hollywood Boulevard (and part of Vine Street) runs a trail of affirmations for entertainment-industry overachievers. On this mile-long stretch of sidewalk, inspired by the concrete handprints in front of TCL Chinese Theatre, names are embossed in brass, each at the center of a pink star embedded in dark gray terrazzo. They're not all screen deities; many stars commemorate people who worked in a technical field, such as sound or lighting. The first eight stars were unveiled in 1960 at the northwest corner of Highland Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard: Olive Borden, Ronald Colman, Louise Fazenda, Preston Foster, Burt Lancaster, Edward Sedgwick, Ernest Torrence, and Joanne Woodward (some of these names have stood the test of time better than others). Since then, more than 2,800 others have been immortalized, though that honor doesn't come cheap—upon selection by a special committee, the personality in question (or more likely their movie studio or record company) pays about $75,000 for the privilege. To aid you in spotting celebrities you're looking for, stars are identified by one of five icons: a motion-picture camera, a radio microphone, a television set, a record, or a theatrical mask.

What was it like to grow up on a sugar plantation in Hawaii? How difficult was life for Japanese Americans interned in concentration camps during World War II? These questions are addressed by changing exhibitions at this museum in Little Tokyo that also include fun tributes to anime and Hello Kitty. Volunteer docents are on hand to share their own stories and experiences. The museum occupies its original site in a renovated 1925 Buddhist temple and an 85,000-square-foot adjacent pavilion.

Take the Metro and get $2 off general admission and a 10% discount at adjoining Chado Tea Room.

The first beach you'll hit after the Santa Monica Freeway (I–10) runs into the Pacific Coast Highway, wide and sandy Santa Monica is the place for sunning and socializing. The Strand, which runs across the beach and for 22 miles in total, is popular among walkers, joggers, and bicyclists. Be prepared for a mob scene on summer weekends, when parking becomes an expensive ordeal. Swimming is fine (with the usual post-storm pollution caveat); for surfing, go elsewhere. For a memorable view, climb up the stairway over PCH to Palisades Park, at the top of the bluffs. Free summer concerts are held on the pier on Thursday evenings. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

The stylized Chinese pagodas and temples of the former Grauman's Chinese Theatre have become a shrine both to stardom and the combination of glamour and flamboyance that inspire the phrase "only in Hollywood." Although you have to buy a movie ticket to appreciate the interior trappings, the courtyard is open to the public. The main theater itself is worth visiting, if only to see a film in the same setting as hundreds of celebrities who have attended big premieres here.

And then, of course, outside in front are the oh-so-famous cement hand- and footprints. This tradition is said to have begun at the theater's opening in 1927, with the premiere of Cecil B. DeMille's King of Kings, when actress Norma Talmadge just happened to step in wet cement. Now more than 160 celebrities have contributed imprints for posterity, including some oddball specimens, such as casts of Whoopi Goldberg's dreadlocks.

With spectacular views of Surfrider Beach and lush garden grounds, this Moorish Spanish–style house epitomizes all the reasons to live in Malibu. It was built in 1929 by the Rindge family, who owned much of the Malibu area in the early part of the 20th century. The Rindges had an enviable Malibu lifestyle, decades before the area was trendy. In the 1920s, Malibu was quite isolated; in fact, all visitors and some of the supplies arrived by boat at the nearby Malibu Pier. (The town becomes isolated today whenever rockslides close the highway.) The house, covered with magnificent tile work in rich blues, greens, yellows, and oranges from the now-defunct Malibu Potteries, is right on the beach—high chain-link fences keep out curious beachgoers. Even an outside dog bathtub near the servants' door is a tiled gem. Docent-led tours provide insights on family life here as well as the history of Malibu and its real estate. Signs posted around the grounds outside direct you on a self-guided tour, but you can't go inside the house without a guide. Guided tours take place Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm on the hour. There's paid parking in the adjacent county lot or in the lot at PCH and Cross Creek Road.

This beachfront property was originally developed in the 1920s by William Randolph Hearst as a palatial private residence and a gathering spot for Hollywood's megastars. In 1947 it was converted into a members-only beach club; the state of California bought and renamed the club in 1959, but it took the earthquake of 2004 for the state to reconceive the property as a public place. With the help of the Annenberg Foundation, it reopened as a community beach house in 2009. Feel like a millionaire lounging by the pool on one of the beachside chairs, or lunch at the café while enjoying uninterrupted ocean views. The house's Beach=Culture event series includes a variety of classes (yoga, beach volleyball), readings, and exhibits. Hours are subject to change, so call to confirm hours and book in advance. Book a pool reservation online in advance if possible.

Built as a private home for cattle rancher and pueblo of L.A. mayor Francisco Ávila in 1818, this museum preserves seven of what were originally 18 rooms in the city's oldest standing residence. The graceful structure features 3-foot-thick walls made of adobe brick over cottonwood timbers, a traditional interior courtyard, and 1840s-era furnishings that bring to life an era when the city was still part of Mexico. The museum is open daily from 9 am to 4 pm and the complex is a California Historical Landmark.

The panoramic view of Hollywood alone is worth a trip to this hilltop cultural center. On the grounds you’ll find the 1921 Hollyhock House, a masterpiece of modern design by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It was commissioned by philanthropist Aline Barnsdall to be the centerpiece of an arts community. While Barnsdall's project didn't turn out the way she planned, the park now hosts the L.A. Municipal Art Gallery, which provides exhibition space for visual and performance artists.

Wright dubbed this style "California Romanza" (romanza is a musical term meaning "to make one's own form"). Stylized depictions of Barnsdall's favorite flower, the hollyhock, appear throughout the house in its cement columns, roof line, and furnishings. The leaded-glass windows are expertly placed to make the most of both the surrounding gardens and the city views. On summer weekends, there are wildly popular wine tastings and outdoor movie screenings. Self-guided tours are available Thursday through Sunday from 11 to 4.

Named after a stop on the Air Line trolley that once shuttled between Downtown and the Santa Monica Pier, Bergamot Station is now a depot for intriguing art---the largest of its kind on the West Coast. The industrial facades house more than 30 art galleries, shops, a café, a theater, and a museum. The galleries cover many kinds of media: photography, jewelry, and paintings from somber to lurid. Leashed, tame dogs are welcome and admission is free.

Frank Gehry is known around the world for his architectural masterpieces. In L.A. alone he’s responsible for multiple houses and buildings like the Gehry Residence, Loyola Law School, and Walt Disney Hall. But one of his most interesting creations, completed in 1991, is the Binoculars Building, a quirky Venice spot that is exactly as advertised: a giant set of binoculars standing on their end. While you can't tour the building, you can take a clever Instagram shot out front.

Stunning wrought-iron railings, ornate plaster moldings, pink marble staircases, a birdcage elevator, and a skylighted atrium that rises almost 50 feet—it's easy to see why the Bradbury Building leaves visitors awestruck. Designed in 1893 by a novice architect who drew his inspiration from a science-fiction story and a conversation with his dead brother via an Ouija board, the office building was originally the site of turn-of-the-20th-century sweatshops, but now it houses a variety of businesses. Scenes from Blade Runner, Chinatown, and 500 Days of Summer were filmed here, which means there's often a barrage of tourists snapping photos. Visits are limited to the lobby and the first-floor landing.

Historic Downtown walking tours hosted by the L.A. Conservancy cost $15 and include the Bradbury Building.

With more than 4,500 historical artifacts, this museum showcases contemporary art of the African diaspora. Artists represented here include Betye Saar, Charles Haywood, and June Edmonds. The museum has a research library with more than 6,000 books available for public use.

If possible, visit on a Sunday or Thursday, when there's almost always a diverse lineup of speakers and performances.

You're bound to see excited kids running up to the dozens of interactive exhibits here that illustrate the prevalence of science in everyday life. Clustered in different "worlds," the center keeps young guests busy for hours. They can design their own buildings and learn how to make them earthquake-proof; watch GLOBAL ZONE, where you can see Earth's global cycles of air, water, land, and life exhibited on a giant interactive globe. One of the exhibits in the Air and Space section shows how astronauts Pete Conrad and Dick Gordon made it to outer space in the Gemini 11 capsule in 1966. The IMAX theater screens science-related large-format films that change throughout the year.

According to legend, singer Nat King Cole and songwriter Johnny Mercer suggested that the record company's headquarters be shaped like a stack of 45s, influencing the design of this now iconic '50s structure. Architect Welton Becket claimed he just wanted to design a structure that economized space, and in so doing, he created the world's first cylindrical office building.

On its south wall, L.A. artist Richard Wyatt's mural Hollywood Jazz, 1945–1972 immortalizes musical greats Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Miles Davis. Pop icons the Beatles are commemorated in stunning photos near the Vine Street entrance, and John Lennon's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame out front is a popular gathering spot for fans on his birthday. The recording studios are beneath the parking lot; all kinds of major artists, including Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, and Radiohead, have filled these echo chambers with sound. The building is not open to the public.

A half block from Frank Gehry's curvaceous Walt Disney Concert Hall sits the austere Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels—a spiritual draw as well as an architectural attraction. Controversy surrounded Spanish architect José Rafael Moneo's unconventional design for the seat of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. But judging from the swarms of visitors and the standing-room-only holiday masses, the church has carved out a niche for itself in Downtown L.A.

The plaza in front is glaringly bright on sunny days, though a children's play garden with bronze animals mitigates the starkness somewhat. Head underground to wander the mausoleum's mazelike white-marble corridors. Free self-guided tours start at the entrance fountain at 1 pm on weekdays.

There's plenty of underground visitors' parking; the vehicle entrance is on Hill Street.

Smaller than San Francisco's Chinatown, this neighborhood near Union Station still represents a slice of East Asian life. Sidewalks are usually jammed with tourists, locals, and residents hustling from shop to shop picking up goods, spices, and trinkets from small shops and mini-plazas that line the street. Although some longtime establishments have closed in recent years, the area still pulses with its founding culture. During Chinese New Year, giant dragons snake down the street. And, of course, there are the many restaurants and quick-bite cafés specializing in Chinese feasts. In recent years, a slew of hip eateries like Howlin' Ray's and Majordomo have injected the area with vibrancy.

An influx of local artists has added a spark to the neighborhood by taking up empty spaces and opening galleries along Chung King Road, a faded pedestrian passage behind the West Plaza shopping center between Hill and Yale. Also look for galleries along a little side street called Gin Ling Way on the east side of Broadway. Chinatown has its main action on North Broadway. There are several garages available for parking here that range from $15 to $25 per day.

Because it's in El Pueblo Plaza, you might assume that this museum features Mexican American art, but it's actually the last surviving structure of L.A.'s original Chinatown. Three floors of exhibits reveal the different cultures that have called this area home, as well as how the original residents paved the way for what is now a vibrant and varied Chinatown. Rotating exhibits feature the work of Chinese American artists.

This gorgeous 1928 landmark building is a TV star—it was in the opening scenes of Dragnet and served as the Daily Planet building in the original Adventures of Superman. During extensive renovations, the original Lindburg Beacon was put back in action atop the hall's 13-story tower. The revolving spotlight, inaugurated by President Calvin Coolidge from the White House via a telegraph key, was used from 1928 to 1941 to guide pilots into the Los Angeles airport. The observation deck, located on the 27th floor, is free to the public and has a stellar view of the greater Los Angeles area.

This small but important cultural landmark is a nonprofit supporting contemporary crafts and traditional folk arts. The two-story space displays rotating exhibitions, and the ground-level gift shop stocks a unique collection of handcrafts, jewelry, ceramics, books, and textiles. 

Home to the Lakers, the Sparks, and the ice hockey team Los Angeles Kings, the Crypto.com Arena is Downtown's top sports destination. It's also the preferred venue for superstars like Bruce Springsteen, Ariana Grande, and Justin Bieber. Though not open for visits except during events, the saucer-shape building is eye-catching.

In the heart of Culver City is the Culver Hotel, built in 1924 and now preserved as a historic landmark. It will catch your eye with its old-world glory and lobby entrance, which has sweeping dark wood and a high ceiling. It's as seductive as the many classic film stars that took up residency here over the years, including Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, John Wayne, Clark Gable, Buster Keaton, Ronald Reagan, and cast members from The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind as they filmed in the nearby studio.

The Culver Studios are best known as the location where Gone with the Wind was filmed in addition to classics including Citizen Kane and the Desilu Productions TV hits of the '50s and '60s, including The Andy Griffith Show, Lassie, and Batman. Amazon Studios currently occupies the space and is further developing it. This studio currently does not offer tours to the public, but the view of historic buildings from the front gate is still Insta-worthy.

A narrow stretch of fine sand and rocks makes this little beach great for walking, light swimming, kayaking, and scuba diving rather than large gatherings. Clustered boulders create cozy spots for couples and picnickers, and because of the limited parking available along the PCH and the short hike necessary to reach the beach, it's rarely crowded. Originally owned by the star of the Bonanza TV series, the beach was donated to the state after Dan Blocker (who played Hoss) died in 1972. Locals still know this as Corral Beach. From the parking lot, walk a short distance up PCH in either direction to access the beach. Amenities: lifeguards; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; swimming; walking.

Getting its name from the Spanish word for "rest," this 160-acre oasis is a respite from city life, shaded by massive oak trees. A smaller, mellower version of the nearby Huntington, Descanso Gardens features denser foliage, quaint dirt paths, and some hilly climbs that make for good exercise. It's the perfect place to come in search of wonderful scents—between the lilacs, the acres of roses, and the forest of California redwoods, pines, and junipers, you can enjoy all sorts of fragrances. A forest of California live oak trees makes a dramatic backdrop for thousands of camellias and azaleas and the breathtaking 5-acre International Rosarium holding 1,700 varieties of antique and modern roses. Families love the model ride-on train that winds through the gardens daily ($5 per person).