Having procured a California State Library Pass from my local public library for a period of three…read moreweeks, I reviewed the list of participating State Parks and realized I had not yet visited the Los Angeles State Historic Park since its re-design 20 years ago. I've driven by it hundreds of times to and from work and yet only now took the time to visit. The above-mentioned pass allows day parking in the official lot; however, there is plenty of street parking in the area and no admission fee. I planned my visit for a pre-breakfast stroll and had the company of many locals taking advantage of the 32-acre park for their morning contstitutionals. The paths and green spaces are beautifully maintained. The pollinator space is especially lovely, planted with native plants to attract humming birds and native bees. It's a place of peace and calm and the perfect way to start the day. There are several works of public art in the park, my favorite being "This Park is Made by the People" by Rosten Woo. More information on all the art here: https://lastatehistoricpark.org/art-in-the-park/ Perfect place for a walk, a picnic, and great views of the DTLA skyline.

The Los Angeles State Historic Park is an area that was once an industrial space that was converted…read moreinto a lush urban green space. My boyfriend and I always see it in passing when we take the Metro. You can take the Metro A Line here to the Chinatown exit, and the entrance is right there. It so happens that we came here on a Thursday evening and saw that they had the LA River Farmers' Market here every Thursday from 3-7:30pm. The farmers' market is small with limited offerings, but still a nice spot to get some fresh produce and artisan goods in the city. We walked through the park and explored the different routes and walked over the bridge. It was quite scenic and lush for an area in the middle of the city. There was also a space that looked like it could be a venue for events. Also a pet friendly spot, as there was a little obstacle course looking thing for the dogs. There were people running and walking around for exercise, and then those who were more leisurely enjoying a picnic. Unfortunately there were some suspicious characters by the bathroom area, so we weren't comfortable using the restrooms. Overall a nice patch of green in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city. A great getaway for the locals and visitors to enjoy.

Beautiful Art Deco gem located in Downtown Huntington Park. Designed by noted architect Marcus…read morePriteca, this theatre is not only a historic landmark, but a true work of art in our community.

I grew up in in the Warner Theater. In 1969 when I was 9 years old my father rented the little…read morestore 6716 Pacific Blvd. and opened his little business Big Star Shop and was there for 25 years until he retired. I became very good friends with the owners daughter who would let me in for free and see such great movies like. The good, the bad and the ugly. The Exorcist, Count Yorga Vampire and Planet of the Apes. I have such wonderful memories of our little store and playing with my little sister and growing up on Pacific Blvd. The Warner Theater is a huge part of my childhood and teenage hood. Got my first job across the street Wow I tear up just thinking about it.

This attraction is mainly a viewpoint where you can get up close to the hollywood sign. Beware of…read morenarrow roads on the drive up and the lack of parking at the actual site. Visitors can only hike up once you are near the destination (it's not too steep), keeping out of restricted areas as this is a residential neighborhood. We were lucky to find a parking spot on Ledgewood Drive (in the shade on the opposite side of the street) just before Mulholland. Not much at the site besides a drinking water fountain and water bottle refill station, as well as a wooden structure with just the facade of a house attached, seemingly made of green colored steel (looks like shipping container material), sitting on a mound with steps labeled private property leading to it. And yup there are no houses on the road after this one, so it is indeed the last.

The absolute best view of the Hollywood sign you will find!…read more It would be best if you Uber to the location as parking is limited and timed. You don't want to rush. Go past the park and walk the streets up to the house and enjoy!

Growing up in Echo Park, I've definitely seen it change throughout the past years. As the landscape…read morechanges, and homes are renovated and new developments built, it's very nice to be able to know what Echo Park looked like before all the change. To know the information behind so many of the historic buildings in the neighborhood. Thank you to the Echo Park Historical Society for teaching me all this amazing history of the area of LA I love so much!

Love the photos, keep the curmudgeonly attitude! We were at the Lotus Fest today, and as we walked…read moreup the fellow working the booth scrambled to put everything away (5:30 pm, festival goes to 9 pm), we asked for the $1 pamphlet which lists historic homes, we saw him put it away, he then lied to say they don't have one, he never heard of one, because he didn't want to deal with the $1. Another couple came in and we're looking at the photos, so another worker stepped in front of them to unclip them and put them away. Once a curmudgeon, always a curmudgeon.

This is my first time doing a walk of DTLA and going into historic buildings. I noticed the…read moreBradbury Building has so much Yelping and foot traffic, but this the Fine Arts Building has very little Yelp action and much less people! I wonder why!? This Building is as breathtaking and transported me to Europe! Being an art history major -- I already have a passion for art! Architecture is also included. As soon as I walk up to the front facade of the building -- it truly looks like I could be in Italy or France. As soon as you walk through the brass and glass double doors, the interiors is warm with the dark earth tones of stone, carved wood, the colors of gold and brass. It was as though a church and a business building merged into one. True serendipity! There happened to be an art exhibition that just had its grand opening a few days ago. American contemporary art of today and unfortunately I have never heard of the artists... but now am curious, especially for Kii Arens and David Weidman. There were works of art on both the ground floor and the second floor. I definitely wasn't expecting to have this much of an art and historical moment and I love that my boyfriend made us go to this building during our DTLA walk! Truly a memorable experience!

The first I was at the Fine Arts Building was when a friend took me to check out the We Work spaces…read morehere. I was amazed how beautiful this building was from outside and much more when we entered the lobby. I wanted to stay and just admire its beauty but since we have a timed appointment and headed upstairs. My visit to We Work was a blur because I have my mind all the while on the amazing architecture I've seen on our way here. After the meeting, I rushed downstairs and went back and forth to gaze at all the amazingness around. From the pillars to the arches, the architecture is just marvelous. I found out that the building was built in 1927 using the Romanesque Revival architecture. In 1974, it was declared a historic cultural monument. The lobby is open to the public. Come in and admire the beauty of it. See the fountain in the middle of the lobby. Art exhibit changes routinely every month so check it out the next time your in DTLA.

The Arts District has a unique atmosphere that blends old warehouse buildings with modern…read moredevelopment, creating a distinctive and edgy vibe. Cool place to just walk around and check out the street art, shops, and enjoy some tasty culinary experiences!! From upscale restaurants to trendy cafes and bars. It's also has some great craft breweries and lively nightlife, offering a range of options for socializing and enjoying the evening. Once the sun goes down check out 6th Street Bridge! The bridge itself is a work of art. Its sweeping arches feel futuristic but still grounded in LA's gritty, creative spirit. You'll often see locals skating, snapping photos, filming, or just hanging out--it's become a real community spot.

Visually, this is one of the most interesting and beautiful new architectural additions to the…read morecity, and I love how it balances what was there before with the new elements. It takes a beautiful picture, and there's so much to love about it when you're walking over it around sunset when the colors are right in the sky. I got to walk over the bridge a couple of times in the past month, and haven't driven over it, so I can't speak for the driving experience. Walking over it was overall a decent experience. It can be dirty, and there were parts of the bridge that felt a little dicey here and there, so my advice would be to be cautious if you're walking alone at night. I also think it might be nice to have a more direct way down, rather than walking in that downward spiral they built. It takes quite some time to make your way down to street level if you walk that ramp, and it might be nice to have a stairwell that is easily accessible for pedestrians.

I've been a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright's work for many years now, and when I caught wind of a FLW…read morehome - "Hollyhock House" in LA that could be visited, I had to drive up from SD and check it out. This was the sort of adventure that needed a sidekick, so of course, I brought my PIC, my mom. I bought tickets in advance from the website ($12/adult & $6 for seniors over 62) and we made an 11:30pm reservation for 7/30/2026. We arrived at the park a bit early, got one of the last upper parking lot parking spaces, and strolled around the grounds for a bit. Then about 15 minutes before our appointed time, we asked if we could enter prior to our time slot. We were granted early admission, put on our shoe covers, and entered through the 250# concrete doors into the unique & grand home of Oil Heiress and Patron of the Arts, Aline Barnsdell and her daughter, Betty. I am so glad that this house was saved and restored, and I look forward to coming back in a year or two to see what it looks like when the construction is (hopefully) finished. Hollyhock House, completed in 1921, is LA's only UNESCO World Heritage Site and what a beauty it is... from the gorgeous living room with a phenomenal view to the well-appointed dining room and the modern kitchen, every aspect of this house was so thoughtfully rendered. The terrace is stunning and the inner courtyard is so peaceful. My favorite room of all was the incredibly serene and cozy library where I could picture myself happily curled up in a comfy chair with a great book and my faithful pup by my side. I loved the combination of design styles in this house including Mayan, Aztec, Asian, Egyptian and "California Romanza" as described by FLW himself. We utilized the information booklet provided to enhance our self-guided tour, and we had a marvelous time. This home is not magnificent by some standards, but imho, it was everything someone could need, and so much more. The clever repetition of design elements such as the stylized Hollyhock and myriad built-ins helped streamline the house and ensure the continuous flow and cohesiveness of the home from room to room. The view from the top of Olive Hill is STUNNING, and I can only imagine how clear and pristine that view must have been 100+ years ago. The docents and volunteers here were all so nice and well-informed. We spoke to a lovely volunteer named Denise who shared some stories about the house, and clearly seemed to enjoy what she was doing. We loved the house so much that we had to take our time to really experience it. We stayed inside the house for about 45 minutes which was sufficient. I was sad to have to leave, but alas as we know, all good things must come to an end, but other good things are sure to follow! Mahalo! Additional notes: The house is at the top of the hill in Barnsdell Park. The signage for the park is subtle. There is a small visitors center next to the house, and the grounds at the top of the hill are available for anyone to visit, but you need a ticket to go inside the HH. The good news is that if you don't have ready access to the email with your ticket, the volunteer at the door can find your reservation on the iPad, so no worries there. There is no bathroom inside HH, but there is a port-a-potty in the park not too far away.

Being from Arizona, I have been a longtime fan of Frank Lloyd Wright for years. We are fortunate to…read morehave many of his structures in our state. I love how his architecture blends in with the environment. I have been to Los Angeles many times in my life and was looking for something new to explore while in town. This was my first visit to the Hollyhock House. I have visited many of Frank Lloyd Wright's house museums and seen many of his structures over the years. But this place was a new one for me to see in person. Hollyhock House is located in Barnsdall Art Park and was completed in 1921. Hollyhock is a type of flower that inspired the motifs in this house's design. Aline Barnsdall hired Frank Lloyd Wright to design this house for her. Today it is owned by the Los Angeles Government. Hollyhock House is located on top of a hill and has a nice view of the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory. I enjoyed my tour through the Hollyhock House. It was affordable and took me about an hour to go through. They require you to wear protective shoe coverings while inside and ask that you don't use flash photography. The kitchen and living room were my favorite rooms. There is also a cool study with lots of books that I also enjoyed. There are a few rooms in this house that are off limits. The back outside patio area has a nice view of Los Angeles. The tour is self-guided, but there is staff on hand that will answer questions if you have some. Barnsdall Art Park is a nice park to relax and have a picnic. It has great views of the surrounding Los Angeles area if you want to hang around this area.

Most people never think about apostilles until life shoves them into international bureaucracy…read more Birth certificates, powers of attorney, school transcripts -- suddenly you're in downtown Los Angeles looking for a state seal that lets your paper cross borders. And of all places, it happens here, at the Ronald Reagan State Office Building, 300 S Spring Street. Getting documents legalized can feel like pulling teeth in most government offices. But here? It's surprisingly painless. Staff are friendly, professional, and efficient -- you walk in with stress on your shoulders and walk out with stamped papers and a sense of relief. They treat you like a person, not a problem. That alone is worth five stars. The Architecture & History: The building itself is a piece of downtown's architectural fabric -- a late-80s structure named after the California governor-turned-president who left his mark on the state. Step outside and you're in the middle of Spring Street, where old L.A. collides with new. Glass towers loom over Deco relics, and you feel the hum of a city always rewriting itself. Inside, it's clean, cool, and functional -- no wasted grandeur, just a workspace that gets the job done. Apostilles aren't sexy, but freedom to move across borders is. Friendly service in a government office is rarer than parking in downtown L.A. -- and just as valuable. The Ronald Reagan Building is more than just an office -- it's a gateway. A place where your papers transform from local to global, where signatures get the blessing they need to carry weight overseas. And while the task might feel dry, the experience here is anything but. Convenient location, friendly staff, and a little slice of downtown history wrapped up in one stop.

When the building was first built, it was a shiny palace of robust activity and many workers…read morebustling around. Today, it was quite a stark change from the old days, where there is no one around and the effects of rioting a week before, showing boarded up glass broken from those with anger or just not fond of California. Well, I still enjoyed the artwork and sculptures inside the building and thankful for the clean inside of the building. It still is nice to have a State building in Los Angeles, but believe COVID-19 has taken its toll...