Los Angeles is a city that wears its history on its skyline. Its landmarks reflect every stage of its growth, from early civic buildings to modern glass towers. Each structure shows how the city has evolved, shaped by ambition, culture, and constant change. Visiting these sites offers a clear view of what makes LA unique: a mix of creativity, heritage, and forward-looking design that defines its identity today.
TL;DR
- Civic & transit icons: City Hall (free weekday observatory), Union Station (Spanish Deco grandeur).
- Film & fantasy: Bradbury Building (Victorian atrium), Hollywood Forever (cinema heritage + events).
- Modern marvels: Walt Disney Concert Hall (Gehry, free audio tours), Eastern Columbia (turquoise Art Deco jewel).
- Folk & community: Watts Towers (outsider art), Chinatown Central Plaza Gate (gateway to heritage).
- Scenic classics: Coliseum (Olympic legend), Angels Flight (historic funicular).
- Pro tips: group by area; downtown is walkable with Metro; check hours for interior access.
Related Reads:
- The Traveler’s Ultimate Guide to Los Angeles
- Best Views and Scenic Spots in Los Angeles
- Best Parks and Gardens in Los Angeles
Overview
What makes a landmark in Los Angeles? It’s more than fame – it’s a place where architecture, cultural heritage, and history converge. Landmarks in LA range from soaring skyscrapers to humble funiculars, grand civic buildings to mosaic-covered folk art towers. They might be architectural marvels, like art deco high-rises or cutting-edge concert halls, or cultural spaces that hold collective memory – rail stations, cemeteries, plazas. Some are monuments tied to the film industry and music scene; others reflect the contributions of immigrants and visionaries who shaped the city’s neighborhoods.
The diversity of Los Angeles is mirrored in its landmarks. Classic structures like 1920s art deco masterpieces stand alongside modern icons like Frank Gehry’s deconstructivist Walt Disney Concert Hall. There are cultural landmarks born from the city’s entertainment heritage – grand theaters and neon signs of Hollywood’s golden age – and sacred civic sites like City Hall, embodying LA’s ambitions in stone and steel. Many landmarks also serve as community anchors: Chinatown’s Central Plaza Gate welcomes visitors to an historic neighborhood, and the Watts Towers celebrate outsider art in a working-class community.
Through these landmarks, one can trace Los Angeles’ evolution. Spanish colonial influences mix with Mid-Century Modern lines; Art Deco ornamentation meets postmodern creativity. Each site stands as both an inspiring sight and a learning experience – an opportunity to appreciate design and understand LA’s layered history. In the list that follows, you’ll find the best landmarks in Los Angeles, each with a story to tell about the City of Angels.
Los Angeles City Hall (Civic Center Icon)
Los Angeles City Hall has presided over downtown since 1928, its white concrete tower an enduring symbol of the city’s governance and aspirations. Designed in Art Deco style by John Parkinson, John C. Austin, and Albert C. Martin, City Hall’s form is distinctive – a tiered, setback pyramid crown modeled after the ancient Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.
For over 30 years it was the tallest building in LA, a supremacy ensured by a 150-foot height limit that only City Hall could exceed. Its construction was a civic spectacle: the concrete of the tower famously included sand from each of California’s 58 counties and water from the 21 Spanish missions, rooting the structure in the state’s identity.
By day, the 32-story building gleams bright; at night, a Lindbergh Beacon atop the summit sweeps the sky, harkening back to aviation hero Charles Lindbergh. Inside, the interiors blend Classical and Moderne details, and an observation deck on the 27th floor offers a panoramic view of the city.
For Angelenos, City Hall has long been more than an office building – its image even adorns police badges , and it’s a backdrop for countless civic events and film scenes. Visitors can enter on weekdays to admire its tiled rotunda and take a quick elevator ride up to that public observation deck.
Union Station (Last of the Great Train Stations)
In the heart of downtown, Union Station stands as a grand portal to Los Angeles’ past and present. Opened in 1939, it was the last great American railway terminal built – a monumental blend of Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Deco styles that symbolized the optimism of its era.
Father-and-son architects John and Donald Parkinson crafted a station both modern and nostalgic: its creamy stucco walls, red tile roof, and lofty clock tower echo California’s mission heritage, while inside, the Streamline Moderne ticket concourse and art deco details add Hollywood glamour. More than half a million Angelenos attended the three-day opening celebration in 1939 , underscoring the station’s importance to the young metropolis.
Walking into Union Station’s waiting hall today, you’re greeted by soaring ceilings with carved wood beams, massive chandeliers, and inlaid marble floors – a time capsule of 1930s design carefully preserved. Sunlit courtyards with tiled fountains flank the station, offering travelers a tranquil pause in the busy city.
As a working transit hub, Union Station links historic Los Angeles with the present-day city: it’s a terminus for Amtrak, Metrolink commuter trains, and Metro subways, ensuring the old depot still pulses with life. Film buffs might recognize its elegant halls from noir classics and contemporary movies alike. Whether you arrive by train or simply come to admire the architecture, Union Station invites you to slow down and soak in an earlier era of travel.
Bradbury Building (Victorian Court of Light)
Step off the street and into the Bradbury Building, and you feel like you’ve slipped into a Victorian dream of the future. Built in 1893, it’s the oldest commercial building in downtown and one of LA’s unique treasures. Behind its unassuming brick exterior lies a magical five-story atrium flooded with natural light from a glass skylight nearly 50 feet above.
The interior – famously featured in films like Blade Runner – enchants visitors with open-cage elevators, marble staircases, and intricately ornate wrought-iron railings on each level. Every beam of light that filters down turns the space golden, illuminating the rich wood paneling and iron scrollwork.
Financier Lewis Bradbury commissioned the building, and its creation is the stuff of legend. Architect George Wyman (said to be inspired by a utopian sci-fi novel and perhaps a Ouija board message) realized Bradbury’s vision of a bright, airy court in an era when most offices were dim and cramped.
The result charmed Angelenos from the moment it opened: “Citizens of LA, used to cramped and dark interiors… were charmed by the Bradbury’s novel, bright, and fanciful interior — which seemed to point toward a new, modern era,” wrote one account.
Today, the Bradbury Building still functions as offices, but the ground floor is open to the public during business hours. Visitors tiptoe on mosaic-tiled floors, gazing up at the intricate iron lace balconies and the massive skylight overhead. It’s a rare chance to experience 19th-century LA grandeur, beautifully preserved.
Walt Disney Concert Hall (Modern Architectural Icon)
Los Angeles’ architectural daring is epitomized by the Walt Disney Concert Hall, a stainless-steel masterpiece that gleams on Grand Avenue. Opened in 2003 and designed by famed architect Frank Gehry, this concert hall is instantly recognizable for its swooping, sail-like panels of brushed metal that curve and billow like musical notes frozen in mid-air.
The building’s avant-garde form – a prime example of deconstructivist and expressionist architecture – was conceived to symbolize musical movement and the motion of Los Angeles itself. It’s become one of the city’s most photographed structures and a true modern icon of LA’s creative soul.
Inside, the design is as functional as it is beautiful. The vineyard-style auditorium, with its soaring Douglas-fir panels and a striking organ that resembles a cluster of silver pipes, is renowned for superb acoustics. The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s home has “acoustically tuned” walls and ceiling, delivering a rich, immersive sound that delighted both performers and critics from day one.
Outside, a public garden offers a quieter experience: don’t miss the quirky “Blue Ribbon Garden” featuring a mosaic-covered rose fountain dedicated to Lillian Disney (whose generous donation launched the hall’s construction).
The Walt Disney Concert Hall not only revitalized Downtown’s cultural district but also demonstrated how bold architecture can become a beloved civic landmark. By day, its facets reflect the ever-changing California sky; by night, they glow under city lights, an emblem of Los Angeles’ artistic ambition.
Eastern Columbia Building (Art Deco Jewel)
Turquoise terra cotta and gleaming gold – the Eastern Columbia Building is a feast for the eyes and one of Downtown LA’s most celebrated Art Deco landmarks. Completed in 1930 in just nine months, this 13-story former department store was designed by Claud Beelman and quickly earned the nickname “the Jewel of Downtown.”
Its façade is unforgettable: glossy aqua-blue tiles clad the exterior, accented by deep blue and sunset-gold decorative motifs, sunburst patterns, zigzags, and geometric shapes. Soaring above Broadway, a four-sided clock tower emblazoned with the word “EASTERN” in neon crowns the structure, an exemption to height limits that allowed the tower to reach 264 feet. At night, those neon letters and the clock’s art deco hands light up, announcing the time to the Historic Core.
Eastern Columbia’s design exemplifies the exuberance of 1920s Los Angeles. Walk along its Broadway frontage and you’ll even see a terrazzo sidewalk in dynamic zigzag patterns, echoing the building’s façade. The street-level entrance features a stunning two-story sunburst-patterned archway in blue and gold terra cotta – a glamorous portal to what was once a high-end retail arcade inside.
Today, the building has been converted to loft residences, but its exterior remains impeccably preserved, and it’s widely considered the finest surviving Art Deco building in the city. Even among LA’s many Art Deco gems, the Eastern Columbia stands out, catching the sunlight by day and the glow of neon by night – a vibrant testament to the city’s 1930s boom era optimism.
Angels Flight Railway (Historic Hill Climber)
It may be petite, but Angels Flight Railway carries over a century of history on its tiny tracks. Known as the “world’s shortest railway,” this bright orange funicular has been shuttling passengers up and down Bunker Hill since 1901 (with a long hiatus mid-century).
In just 298 feet of track, Angels Flight elevates you 96 feet – a quick journey that once spared early 20th-century residents a steep walk and now offers tourists a charming step back in time. The two cars, named Sinai and Olivet, climb in tandem on parallel rails, passing each other at the midpoint of the incline. Board at the lower station on Hill Street and you’ll ascend to Olive Street, adjacent to the modern California Plaza – a trip that lasts under a minute but feels delightfully nostalgic.
Angels Flight has seen it all: it originally operated from 1901 to 1969 in a slightly different location, surviving the ups and downs of Bunker Hill’s redevelopment. After being dismantled and stored, it was rebuilt half a block south and reopened in the 1990s, proving Angelenos’ affection for the little railway.
The system has endured mechanical challenges – including safety overhauls after a 2001 accident – but today Angels Flight is fully operational and safe, once again symbolizing the resilience of LA’s historic core. For a mere $1.50 (or less with a Metro TAP card), you can ride this mobile National Historic Landmark and imagine the countless stories of workers, dreamers, and even movie characters who have ridden it over the decades.
The station’s retained Beaux-Arts archway and the orange-and-black livery of the cars make for great photos, especially on a sunny day when the colors pop against the downtown skyline.
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Olympic Stadium Legend)
In Exposition Park rises a monument to sporting history and civic pride: the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. This massive oval stadium, opened in 1923, is not only a functioning arena but also a living landmark that has witnessed some of the 20th century’s greatest moments.
Designed by John and Donald Parkinson in a Monumental Moderne style infused with classical elements, the Coliseum features a signature Peristyle entrance – a grand archway crowned by Olympic rings and statues of athletes. The stadium was dedicated as a memorial to World War I veterans, and its imposing scale (originally 75,000 seats, later expanded) signaled Los Angeles’ emergence as a major city.
The Coliseum is sometimes called “The Greatest Stadium in the World,” and for good reason. It has hosted two Summer Olympics (1932 and 1984) and is slated for an unprecedented third in 2028. During the 1932 Olympics, it introduced traditions like the Olympic Village and the victory podium to the world. In 1984, it became the first stadium to welcome the Games twice.
It’s also the only venue to have held Super Bowls, World Series games (when the Dodgers first moved to LA), a Papal Mass, and speeches by U.S. presidents and global icons. The Coliseum’s arched peristyle, with its torch cauldron, is instantly recognizable – a symbol of Los Angeles’ Olympic legacy and enduring competitive spirit.
Today, the Coliseum remains active as the home field for USC Trojan football and a site for concerts and special events. Recent renovations have added modern amenities while preserving its historic character. Yet it’s easy to stand in the stands and picture Jesse Owens sprinting on the track, or a crowd of 100,000 roaring as the Olympic flame burns above. As a National Historic Landmark , the Coliseum is not just a sports venue but a shrine to human achievement and LA’s history on the world stage.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery (Cinema’s Sacred Ground)
Among palm trees and quiet reflecting pools in the heart of the city lies Hollywood Forever Cemetery, a landmark that honors the stars of Hollywood’s past and serves as a vibrant cultural space for today’s Angelenos. Founded in 1899 as Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery , this 62-acre expanse is the final resting place for a who’s who of entertainment history – from silent film idol Rudolph Valentino to Swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks, from Judy Garland to punk rock legend Johnny Ramone.
Strolling its grounds offers a uniquely intimate journey through film lore: elaborate tombs, classical colonnades, and even simple headstones mark where industry greats were laid to rest, often with fans leaving flowers or lipstick kisses on the marble.
Yet Hollywood Forever is far from morbid; it’s become one of LA’s liveliest historic sites. In the late 20th century, after a period of neglect, new owners transformed it into both a functioning cemetery and a community gathering spot. Summer evenings bring the famous Cinespia outdoor movie screenings, where thousands gather on the Fairbanks Lawn to watch classic films projected among the graves.
The cemetery’s Morton Chapel and Masonic Lodge serve as venues for concerts and cultural events, and every autumn, Hollywood Forever hosts one of the city’s largest Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations – a spectacular festival of art, music, and altars that draws on LA’s Mexican heritage.
Wandering here, you might hear peacocks that roam the grounds or catch a glimpse of the Hollywood Sign peering over the trees, a reminder of the industry that so many interred here helped build.
Historical significance also abounds: the cemetery itself is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (added in 1999) , and it originally shared land with Paramount Studios (the studio lot sits just behind the cemetery’s south wall, a fitting neighbor). Hollywood Forever’s mix of the sacred and celebratory, the past and the present, makes it one of LA’s most compelling landmarks – a place where memory is kept very much alive.
Watts Towers Arts Center (Outsider Art Marvel)
In the Watts neighborhood of South Los Angeles, an Italian immigrant construction worker named Simon Rodia spent 33 years building a miracle by hand: the Watts Towers, known in Spanish as Nuestro Pueblo (“Our Town”). These 17 interconnected sculptural towers of mortar, steel, and mosaic rise up to nearly 100 feet high , a spindly forest of art that has astounded visitors and locals for decades.
Begun in 1921 and finished (more or less) by 1954, the Watts Towers are a labor of love and an extraordinary example of folk art. Rodia, working alone with simple hand tools, bent steel rods and wrapped them in wire mesh, then coated them in cement and embedded a dazzling array of found objects: broken glass bottles, pottery shards, seashells, tiles, mirrors, and porcelain figurines. The result is a shimmering mosaic monument that catches the sunlight and tells a story of resourcefulness and creativity.
Visiting Watts Towers today, you can walk around the towers (they’re fenced for preservation, but fully visible) and marvel at details: a gazebo-like folly called the “Ship of Marco Polo,” a center court with a mosaic-encrusted fountain, and arched doorways and walls studded with ceramic pieces from Malibu Pottery and other historic California makers.
The towers are so sturdily built that in 1959, when the city doubted their safety and attempted to demolish them, a stress test involving 10,000 pounds of force failed to budge them – securing their status as structural marvels. Instead of being torn down, Watts Towers were embraced: they became a city Cultural Heritage Monument in 1963 and a National Historic Landmark in 1990.
Next door, the Watts Towers Arts Center provides context, offering guided tours, workshops, and community arts programs that celebrate Rodia’s legacy and the neighborhood’s cultural vitality. The resilience of the towers – they even withstood the 1965 Watts riots untouched – mirrors the resilience of the community.
After a multi-year restoration, the site reopened in 2022 to continue inspiring future generations. Few landmarks embody Los Angeles’ DIY spirit and multicultural tapestry as vividly as the Watts Towers, where one man’s imagination became a gift to an entire city.
The Beverly Hills Hotel Sign (Hollywood Glamour Glow)
On Sunset Boulevard, amid the lush gardens of the Beverly Hills Hotel, stands an iconic pink-and-green sign that has come to symbolize Hollywood’s golden age glamour. The Beverly Hills Hotel – affectionately dubbed the “Pink Palace” – opened in 1912, but its most famous calling card is the mid-century styled Beverly Hills Hotel sign that welcomes guests at the driveway.
Written in elegant cursive script and lit by neon, the sign exudes retro chic. It’s framed by towering palm trees and surrounded by the hotel’s signature banana-leaf tropical foliage wallpaper (the famed “Martinique” pattern), making it an irresistible photo op for visitors seeking a bit of classic Beverly Hills allure.
This landmark sign has witnessed countless celebrity arrivals and rendezvous. The hotel became a hub of Hollywood society from the 1920s onward – Charlie Chaplin strolled its halls, and later, Marilyn Monroe favored its bungalows. The sign itself took on its current form after a 1948 redesign by architect Paul Revere Williams (who oversaw painting the hotel its trademark pink).
Its sweeping script font captures the carefree elegance of Southern California in the post-war era, a time when Cadillac convertibles and movie stars regularly graced the hotel’s portico. By day, the pale pink sign pops against blue skies; by night, its neon glow casts a nostalgic spell over Sunset Boulevard.
In 2012, the city of Beverly Hills designated the hotel (and by extension, its sign) as the city’s first historic landmark, recognizing its century-long significance. Though the hotel is exclusive, the sign out front is a democratic slice of Hollywood history – anyone can drive by or walk up to take a photo and feel a touch of 1950s glamour. In a city defined by reinvention, this sign remains delightfully unchanged, a beacon of old Hollywood that still invites you to imagine the heyday of movie stars and endless summer nights.
Chinatown Central Plaza Gate (Gateway to Heritage)
In Chinatown’s Central Plaza, a grand ornamental gate spans Broadway, marking the entrance to a world within a world. The Chinatown Central Plaza Gate – often called the “Gate of Heavenly Peace” or simply West Gate – is a paifang-style archway adorned with green tiled pagoda roofs, red pillars, and twin dragon sculptures winding along the top.
Erected in 1938 during the dedication of New Chinatown, this gate was the first of several that would demarcate the neighborhood’s main plaza. Passing beneath it, you are transported: vintage neon signs in Chinese characters, lantern-strung alleyways like Gin Ling Way, and open-air pavilions create the ambiance of old Shanghai or Hong Kong, albeit filtered through Hollywood’s romantic imagination.
New Chinatown’s development was notable – it was a consciously planned tourist and community district, built by Chinese-American entrepreneurs after the original Chinatown was displaced to make way for Union Station. The Gate stands as a testament to their resilience and pride. It was unveiled with great fanfare: a parade marched under the West Gate during Chinatown’s grand opening on June 25, 1938 , complete with lion dances and fireworks to bless the new neighborhood.
Today the Central Plaza remains the cultural heart of Chinatown, and the gate is its most photographed landmark. By day, its colors are vivid against LA’s sky; by night, it’s illuminated by strings of lights and glowing neon like the famed “Chinatown” sign. Nearby, a statue of Bruce Lee and historical markers tell of the community’s contributions.
As you explore, notice the blend of authentic and whimsical: Chinese-style motifs mixed with 1930s Art Deco touches – a legacy of the project’s Chinese and American designers (including Hollywood set designers) collaborating. The Central Plaza Gate not only welcomes visitors to enjoy dim sum, tea, and shopping in Chinatown, but it stands as a symbolic gateway honoring the Chinese immigrants who built a home in Los Angeles.
It remains a beloved spot for festivals, from Lunar New Year lion dances to summer night markets, ensuring that the gate is not just a static monument but a living part of LA’s cultural mosaic.
Hollyhock House (Frank Lloyd Wright’s LA Masterpiece)
On a quiet hill in East Hollywood sits Hollyhock House, a UNESCO World Heritage site that showcases legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s early experimentation in Los Angeles. Completed in 1921 for oil heiress Aline Barnsdall, Hollyhock House merges indoor and outdoor spaces in a way that heralded California Modernism.
Wright took inspiration from the hollyhock – Barnsdall’s favorite flower – integrating a stylized hollyhock motif throughout the house in bas-relief concrete ornaments, furniture, and even leaded glass windows. The result is a distinctive fusion of Mayan Revival and modern design: massive planar walls, narrow vertical windows, and a central courtyard, all organized in a bold geometric harmony.
Approaching the house in Barnsdall Art Park, you’ll notice the pre-Columbian influence right away: the building almost resembles a temple with its heavy concrete lintels and patterned friezes. Step inside (self-guided tours are available limited days) and you find a dramatic living room where a skylight and clerestory windows cast filtered light onto integrated built-in seating and a monumental fireplace with a bas-relief art glass composition.
This hearth features a moat-like pool around the fireplace – a theatrical touch by Wright to represent the unity of elements. Hollyhock House was Wright’s first LA project and represents what he called “California Romanza,” meaning a free-flowing design tuned to its owner and locale. Indeed, the house opens generously to gardens and patios, embracing the Southern California climate with rooftop terraces and pergolas that invite you to wander from interior to exterior seamlessly.
After years of careful restoration (the house suffered from water damage and even the 1994 Northridge earthquake), Hollyhock House shines again, and in 2019 it gained the rare distinction of UNESCO listing – the only such site in Los Angeles.
As you tour it, you appreciate not only Wright’s genius but also the context: Barnsdall donated the house and grounds to the city in 1927 to become a public art park, so this landmark sits amidst galleries and theaters, continuing to nurture the arts as its patron intended. It’s a space where past and present meet, on a gentle hill with a panoramic view of the Hollywood skyline – a true LA treasure where architecture becomes art.
Cultural & Historical Notes
Los Angeles’ landmarks are more than pretty buildings – they are storytellers of the city’s layered heritage. Through these sites, we trace indigenous roots, waves of immigration, the rise of the entertainment industry, and the continual reinvention that defines LA.
For instance, El Pueblo de Los Ángeles (the area around Olvera Street, not in our main list) marks the city’s birthplace on Tongva indigenous land and Spanish colonial foundations. The landmarks highlighted here largely span the late 19th to 20th centuries – a period of explosive growth that saw LA transform from a dusty pueblo to a global metropolis.
Film and entertainment heritage is an undeniable layer: Hollywood Forever Cemetery holds the literal remains of Hollywood’s golden age, while the Beverly Hills Hotel sign and the Bradbury Building evoke the mythology and settings of countless films.
The Broadway theaters near the Eastern Columbia Building recall when Downtown’s Broadway was a movie palace district. Even Union Station, with its starring role in films (from Blade Runner to modern thrillers), and City Hall, frequently featured on-screen (and on LAPD badges ), show how LA’s architecture became part of its on-screen identity.
Immigrant cultures have left tangible marks too. The Chinatown Central Plaza Gate stands for the Chinese-American community’s perseverance and creative enterprise, rebuilding their enclave with flair after displacement. Similarly, the Watts Towers represent the artistic contribution of an immigrant (Simon Rodia from Italy) and have become a symbol of pride in a predominantly African-American and Latino community.
Many landmarks have been saved or repurposed through community activism: the Watts Towers were nearly demolished but community efforts preserved them , and Union Station was restored and upgraded to serve new generations.
Architecturally, Los Angeles boasts an eclectic mix of styles. Art Deco flourished here – the Eastern Columbia Building’s glazed terra cotta and City Hall’s zigzag Moderne crown exemplify this exuberant era. So do smaller touches like the neon of Angels Flight’s station and the geometric terrazzo sidewalks of downtown. Spanish Revival and Mission Revival styles are seen in Union Station’s stucco and tile, harkening to California’s colonial past.
Meanwhile, Modernism took bold forms: Walt Disney Concert Hall’s deconstructivism represents LA’s contemporary face, and mid-century modern masterpieces dot the city beyond our list (like Stahl House or the Theme Building at LAX). Preservation efforts are robust – the Los Angeles Conservancy and other groups have secured Historic-Cultural Monument status for many of these landmarks, recognizing their value to the city’s narrative.
Los Angeles is a city of constant change, yet these landmarks provide continuity. They remind us that beneath the new skyscrapers and evolving skyline, LA retains its historic layers – each landmark a chapter in the city’s story, from indigenous land to Spanish ranchos, from Hollywood’s inception to the multicultural metropolis of today.
Planning a Landmarks Trail
Los Angeles is a sprawling city, but with some planning you can string these landmarks into memorable itineraries. Here are a few themed routes to consider:
Historic Downtown Trail
Focus on the city center where many landmarks cluster within walking or short transit distance. Start at Union Station (easy to reach by Metro) and explore its majestic waiting hall before walking across the street to Los Angeles City Hall in the Civic Center (about 10 minutes on foot). City Hall opens weekdays; take the elevator to the observation deck for a skyline view.
Next, head to Bradbury Building (about 15 minutes’ walk southwest through the Historic Core). En route you can detour through Grand Park for a perspective of City Hall. After marveling at the Bradbury’s interior, ride the short Angels Flight Railway across the street (connecting Hill Street and Bunker Hill) – it’s a quick fun ride that conveniently lifts you up to California Plaza.
From there, you’re steps away from the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the neighboring modern art museum (The Broad). This trail can be done in half a day. If walking, wear comfy shoes; alternatively, downtown DASH buses or Metro Red/Purple Line can help (for instance, Civic Center Station near City Hall, or Pershing Square Station near Bradbury).
Art & Architecture Loop
For a driving tour (or rideshare for convenience), start your morning at Hollyhock House in Barnsdall Park (East Hollywood) – book the first tour of the day to enjoy cooler temps and clear views. Afterward, drive about 15 minutes to Watts Towers Arts Center (take the 101 to I-110 south). A morning visit avoids afternoon heat, and guided tours are usually late morning.
From Watts, head back north to Eastern Columbia Building in Downtown’s Historic Core (about 20 minutes via I-110 and 9th Street). You can park briefly to admire the façade from S. Broadway and 9th. Continue west on Sunset or Santa Monica Blvd to Beverly Hills (roughly 30–40 minutes, traffic depending) to see the Beverly Hills Hotel sign on Sunset Blvd and perhaps have lunch at the nearby Century City or West Hollywood spots.
Conclude with an afternoon stroll at Hollywood Forever Cemetery (15 minutes back east), which often stays open until 5 PM – a peaceful way to unwind and reflect on LA history amid gardens and headstones. This loop touches different corners of LA, so allow a full day and plan around rush hour (aim to be off freeways by late afternoon).
Cultural Landmarks in a Day
Use LA’s Metro rail to weave a cultural narrative. Begin at Union Station in the morning, then take the Gold (now A) Line one stop to Chinatown to walk under the Chinatown Central Plaza Gate and grab a snack (fresh baked bao or dim sum on Broadway).
From Chinatown, ride the A Line all the way to Watts Towers (103rd Street Station) – it’s about 45 minutes, but you’ll see the cityscape change and avoid traffic. After exploring Watts Towers and its art center, return on the A Line and transfer downtown to the Red or Purple Line to Hollywood. Hop off at Hollywood/Vine and catch a bus or rideshare 10 minutes to Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Santa Monica Blvd for an afternoon tour or simply to wander.
If it’s a summer Saturday, stay for an evening Cinespia film screening (you’ll need tickets). Otherwise, cap your day with a classic Angeleno dinner at Musso & Frank Grill or another old Hollywood haunt nearby. Using transit requires some timing, but it lets you relax and observe the city between landmark stops.
For those with cars, you can also create a “Neon Nights Drive”: in the evening, drive by the illuminated Eastern Columbia clock tower, cruise Broadway’s neon theater marquees downtown, swing past Angels Flight glowing in orange, then up to Chinatown Gate and over to Hollywood to see the Roosevelt Hotel sign and others – a roughly 1.5-hour loop best done after dark when traffic is lighter and the city’s vintage signage shines.
No matter the route, give yourself time at each site. Los Angeles’ landmarks reward the unhurried explorer – peek into lobbies, read the historical plaques, chat with docents or locals you meet. And factor in travel time; LA is big and traffic can surprise you at odd hours.
Using Metro rail or DASH shuttles can mitigate parking hassles, especially downtown. With a smart itinerary, you’ll connect the dots between these landmarks and come away with a deeper understanding of how they map onto LA’s geography and history.
The Takeaway
Los Angeles has always been a city built on ambition and reinvention, and its landmarks reflect that evolution. Each one tells a story about how the city has grown, with City Hall standing for civic pride and endurance, the Walt Disney Concert Hall showing creativity and risk-taking, and sites like Chinatown’s Gate or Hollywood Forever Cemetery reminding visitors of LA’s cultural depth and diversity.
Exploring these places isn’t about rushing from one tourist spot to another. It’s about pausing to see the details, to imagine the people who once stood in the same spots, and to recognize how design, art, and community have shaped the city over time. Every landmark offers a different angle on what makes Los Angeles vibrant and human.
Together, these sites reveal more than architecture. They show a city that keeps moving forward while honoring what came before. When you visit them, you don’t just see history, you take part in it, adding your own moment to Los Angeles’ ongoing story.
FAQ
Q1: Can I visit City Hall’s observation deck?
A: Yes. It’s free on weekdays during business hours; bring a photo ID for security.
Q2: Is Union Station open to visitors without a ticket?
A: Yes. It’s an active transit hub with public access to the waiting room, courtyards, and eateries.
Q3: When is Walt Disney Concert Hall best to see inside?
A: On non-performance days via free self-guided audio tours. Exterior gardens are open daily.
Q4: Is the Bradbury Building fully open?
A: The ground floor and first landing are typically open during business hours. Upper levels are private offices.
Q5: Can I ride Angels Flight with a TAP card?
A: Yes. Discounted fare with Metro TAP; otherwise, a small cash or card fee per ride.
Q6: Are Watts Towers tours available?
A: Guided tours usually run Thursday to Sunday via the Watts Towers Arts Center. Check times and availability.
Q7: What’s the deal with the Eastern Columbia Building? Can I go inside?
A: It’s residential. Enjoy the exterior from Broadway and 9th for photos of the clock tower and terra cotta.
Q8: Is Hollywood Forever only a cemetery?
A: It’s both a historic cemetery and a cultural venue featuring concerts, Cinespia films, and Día de los Muertos festivities.