Visit these essential Los Angeles attractions, whether you're a tourist in for the weekend or a native looking to explore
Attractions
Your guide to the best attractions and activities in L.A., including theme parks, tourist sights and historic sites
Free attractions in L.A.
Make a pit-stop at these free attractions in L.A.—from wallet-friendly cultural centers to iconic sites in the city.
The 25 best Disneyland rides
Consider this your to-do list for the next time you venture down to Anaheim.
The 37 best things to do in Los Angeles
Your essential guide to the best things to do in L.A. this season, from stair hikes to architecture tours.
The best beaches in Los Angeles
With miles of picturesque coastline, the best beaches in Los Angeles are aplenty.
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Best parks in L.A.
Griffith Park
Spanning an impressive 4,210 acres, it's easy to get lost in LA's largest public green space, much of which remains unchanged from the days when Native...
Grand Park
The slow, lumbering mission to turn Downtown LA into a vibrant cultural hub got a lift when a portion of Grand Park's 12 acres officially opened to the public...
Echo Park Lake
After a massive makeover, the Eastside’s historic Echo Park Lake has finally become a family-friendly destination worthy of its bold backdrop: the...
Palisades Park
Walk along the palm and eucalyptus-lined paths here and it becomes obvious why tourists flock to this oceanside park in Santa Monica. Nestled between the...
Best museums in L.A.
Don’t leave L.A.—whether you’re a resident or a tourist—without seeing these truly great attractions.
Natural History Museum
The NHM’s original Beaux Arts structure was the first museum building in Los Angeles, opening with Exposition Park itself back in 1913. Its massive...
Getty Center
Los Angeles’s hilltop acropolis was conceived as a home for the hitherto disparate entities of the J. Paul Getty Trust, but that’s the only...
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
While LACMA’s collections have long been the most impressive in the city, the 20-acre complex of buildings in which they’ve been housed has been...
The Broad
L.A.’s newest contemporary art museum, the Broad, is the public home for Eli and Edythe Broad’s collection of 2,000 post-war works. The free...
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Best gardens in L.A.
Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
Reservations required on weekends. You’ll find cultural glories inside the library’s impressive book collection—the bequest of entrepreneur...
Descanso Gardens
Reservations required. This delightful tribute to the horticultural magic of Southern California includes more than 600 varieties of camellia (these are best...
Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden
Reservations required. These gorgeous grounds in Arcadia have been designed as an educational facility (the plants are mostly arranged by region, and...
Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden
Reservations recommended. This nearly two-acre private Japanese garden and traditional teahouse opens its doors to the public on Friday and Saturday evenings...
More attractions in L.A.
Griffith Observatory
Griffith Observatory
“If every person could look through that telescope,” declared Griffith J Griffith, “it would revolutionize the world.” More than 70...
Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Resort
The longstanding Disneyland resort isn’t just a set of theme parks: it’s a spectacular piece of pop art that’s as bright or as dark as...
Universal Studios & CityWalk
Universal Studios & CityWalk
More than any of its Southern California competitors, Universal Studios is a theme park with a capital 'T'. The theme here, of course, is the movies. The park...
Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
This gorgeous outdoor amphitheatre has been hosting concerts since the LA Philharmonic first played here in 1922. Nestled in an aesthetically blessed fold in...
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
Back in 1875, a group of amateur paleontologists discovered animal remains in the pits at Rancho La Brea, which bubbled with asphalt from a petroleum lake...