And high on a slope overlooking Los Angeles, the landmark Art Deco-era Griffith Observatory gives you a window to the cosmos. Kids can get close-up looks at koalas and Komodo dragons at the Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens. Leading musicians love to play at the open-air Greek Theatre. Learn about American western art at the Autry Museum of the American West. Griffith Park has a more refined side, too. Unpaved roads also provide access for mountain bikers and trail rides guided rides out of Sunset Ranch include great views of the Hollywood sign. Another trail takes you to the site of the Old Zoo, where you can explore animal enclosures that have been abandoned and untouched for over 50 years. Want to hike? Choose from more than 50 miles of trails lacing the chaparral-studded slopes, including one to the top of 1,625-foot Mount Hollywood, the park’s highest point. It’s a remarkable stretch of rough, hilly wilderness in the heart of an enormous urban area-and it’s also home to a wealth of culture. There is parking along the road, but intrepid visitors might make the 2-mile hike from the Observatory.Īs the largest municipal park in Los Angeles, Griffith Park protects 4,511 acres of mountains and canyons at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. If you’re eager for a snack before or after your visit-say, a slice of quiche, a crumbly scone, or just a good cup of joe-it’s worth a stop at the nearby Trails Café, a walk-up eatery nestled amongst the trees. A nice perk: Admission to the Observatory is free.
#GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY PLUS#
The Griffith Observatory presents mind-expanding planetarium shows throughout the year, plus films and special events in the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon theater, and hosted telescope parties (check the calendar for details). While some simply go to the Observatory for the view (arguably the best in L.A.), there’s much more to see.
A lot of fan photos still get taken by that statue, says Winings, “since the backdrop is also the Hollywood sign.” That bust is now on prominent display near the front lawn of the Observatory.
In an interesting real-life plot twist, Dean commissioned a bust of himself shortly before his death at age 24. James Dean’s new-kid-in-town character tries to impress his classmates inside the planetarium, only to get caught up in a knife fight in the parking lot. Prior to the award-winning film, the Observatory served as the signature location for 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause.
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It appeals to anyone who “loves space, science, the stunning view of L.A., and the building’s Art Deco architecture,” says Bonnie Winings, a director for Friends Of The Observatory.īut for movie fans, the observatory in Griffith Park may be recognized most recently as the feature spot in 2016’s magical La La Land dance scene in which actors Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone waltzed through the air under a star-filled ceiling. Completed in 1935, the Griffith Observatory is almost as iconic as the Hollywood sign.
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