After landing at LAX and picking up our rental car on Saturday morning, our first stop had to be Griffith! We wanted to see the Hollywood sign and heard the views here are worth it. There was plenty of free parking down near the Greek Theatre when we arrived. It was about 10 minute walk up to the observatory and it was a pretty view seeing the city as we walked up. At the observatory, it was definitely crowded and smaller than I expected. The staff were friendly and informative as you walk through the observatory. Outdoors there was plenty of space to view the Hollywood sign and the city. I am sure the view would look even more beautiful during sunrise and sunset! Great way to spend an hour or two. Admission is free making this a budget friendly option for tourists! read more

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We drove up here many years ago, but never went inside. Thankfully this time we did. What amazing view points. Even if you are not into astrology, you will love everything about this place. It's simply beautiful, with so much history. Also so many great films, and videos were filmed here. I didn't get too many breath taking pics. I wish I would have. read more

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I went during the morning of a weekend and it wasn't too busy if you get there as soon as it opens. Seeing the Hollywood Sign has been on my bucket list for the longest so I was very excited to finally have fulfilled that goal. The observatory itself was also interesting! read more

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We Love this place and come here too much. Great exhibits to learn from. Great scopes to see from. Sure the ones on the lawn are amazing but I have to always go to the big one first. The movies act like stories from previous generations. Galaxies of information that can fit into a finger. I love the interactivity when someone is around to answer questions (astronomers, scientists, and enthusiasts) I'm already basically a scientist. Trust me. Thank you read more

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If you are in LA, you definitely need to visit this place! Amazing views and a great experience overall. The entrance is free but you need to pay for parking which trust me is totally worth it. read more

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The Griffith Observatory is one of those places I recommend to people visiting from out of town if they want to do something 'cultured'. And up until very recently (7/2024), I made that recommendation without ever having gone myself, lol. One of the best aspects of this place is that most of the activity you do up there is free! I think there are some ticketed activities, but plenty of photo ops and looking at science-y and historical stuff - all free! I definitely wouldn't make a great LA tour guide because I would most likely steer people away from a lot of tourist traps like the Hollywood area, etc. and as much as I love LA, it's hard for me to think of suggestions on what to do in the city outside of enjoying a bunch of restaurants. This place as a suggestion feels like a slam dunk though. I came here with my older brother's family - we parked next to the Greek theater which was free. We then hiked up all the way up here which wasn't too bad but it was a little hot outside so I was sweating a lot. Definitely bring some water with you just in case. Once we got up here, they were definitely great things to see around the building as well as inside the building. I'm not going to go into detail because there are definitely lots of posts or things you can read about with what they have inside, but this is definitely an enjoyable experience. read more

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I visited this museum Summer of 2016 (roughly) with a former partner and it's a great, stimulating activity. The achievements that astromoners have accomplished via physics are amazing to see. The observatory also hosts other events in the evenings for adults so it's a fun place to hangout if you live relatively close by. read more

Come to find out this is not a real observatory. It's just a Hollywood attraction. It's simply too low to be used as a real observatory. Parking is bad. I would hike living at the bottom of hill. There's 100% tourist there. No one local. The snack shop is good but tourist prices and sizes. You can also take a trail that begins at observatory to the Hollywood sign. That's more fun and a much better experience read more

The observatory is a family friendly experience. It's a free attraction that offers an educational experience. The location is a drive up the Hollywood hills. You can see the sign from the observatory definitely providing some picture worthy moments. I booked the show and it was worth the $10 per guest. It's a busy and older location but it is ADA friendly. There are multiple levels within the observatory so I highly recommend you take your time in each section. It has always been a huge memory for me and my family as we've been coming here since I was a child. There is a nice dirt hiking trail surrounding the observatory as well. read more

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We went to the Griffith Observatory for a fun afternoon. The drive up to it is lovely-a winding road that takes you higher and you get an incredible view of Los Angeles. We came on a cloudy day, but it was still fun to do. You can see the Hollywood sign from the entrance! My favorite exhibit was the Ahmanson Hall of the Sky, where you can see the sizes of the different planets in relation to one another, as well as learn about the tides and seasons, and how we track those through the sky. All of the exhibits were educational, interactive, and interesting. What a cool spot to visit! I would have loved to stay longer here. read more

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This place is amazing, I love the show they put on, literally the drive all the way out here was doubly worth it just for that. The exhibits are a scooch outdated, but they're very cool in a throwback to the 90s style. The staff was amazingly friendly. Absolutely recommend read more

Visiting Griffith Observatory is experiencing an exciting part of Los Angeles history. Gorgeous views, handsome structures, fascinating exhibits inside - everyone should experience it at least once. Specifically, everyone should experience it the way I did - a private telescope viewing held for some donors, at which I was a plus-one. I'd been there before during the day like a pleb, but the private viewing allowed me to see the Observatory at night - just lovely. A lot of movies filmed here, notably "Rebel Without A Cause", commemorated on the grounds with a bust of James Dean. No matter what time of year you come, you're fighting crowds of tourists and/or school groups. Parking along the road up to the Observatory is now paid only (and there's a lot of walking), so it's best to take the shuttle from Griffith Park. read more

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Can't imagine giving this amazing California landmark anything less than 5 stars. We parked on Fern drive and the parking was free. It was limited to street parking and a smaller parking lot. . There's a cafe and park and bathrooms there. We got there around 10am and it was just getting busy but there were plenty of parking spots. We took the trail up to the observatory. It's was about .7 of a mile. There were a couple of nice stops to take pictures of the Hollywood sign and views. Once inside we enjoyed reading about the solar system and other info about astronomy. Don't forget to go downstairs to the gift shop and cafe. Would highly recommend it. read more

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Must see attraction. Went to see the views and the historic establishment, but stayed for the interactive exhibits and show casings. Very informative and good for people of all ages read more

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Great place to visit in coming to LA or on the way out of LA. Only have to pay for parking for how long you plan to be there as the observatory is free to enter. You can take in the beautiful landscape surrounding the observatory. The only catch is that it is prone to be very crowded. Come early if possible. read more

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I love coming here, anytime of the day and at night when possible. It's always nice to see the beautiful Los Angeles view. Unfortunately we went during the fires were going on, so there was a lot of smog and smoke in the air. Nonetheless, we saw the show the center of the universe and it's amazing. Check it out whenever you can. Try to park at the first parking lot because it's a lot of walking and a small hike if you go there kind of late. Prepare to take a debit card to pay for the parking. read more

Griffith Observatory - Observatories Near Me - Los Angeles, California

What an awesome experience, you get reminded what a tiny speck of dust you are. Super beautiful nerds and knowledgeable people work there, i had the best time ever. read more

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I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I was here, but we have family in from out of town. They wanted to see the Hollywood sign, so I ran them up to the observatory to see that and the view. We got into the area a little later than desired, and then I wasn't sure where to park. I guess we should have parked at the top. I think it was $10/hr, but I didn't know this at the time. We ended up parking in the free lot and and taking the bus up. The line for the bus was really long, and we waited an hour for our turn. The sign states a price per passenger, but we weren't charged. If you get here early enough and don't mind waiting, this is a no-brainer. It was also a holiday weekend, so perhaps it was busier than usual. We made it on time to see the end of the sunset, and the view was spectacular. We went up to the roof terrace, took pictures, saw the telescope, and then walked around inside for a bit. My mom learned a bunch about the planets and the sun, so that was a bonus. We didn't get to see everything, because we got hungry and needed to head out, but this is a must-do activity that costs no money. read more

Come here after a good rain in LA to see a clear skyline view from downtown all the way to the Hollywood sign. Parking is $10 an hour. Restrooms are clean. It gets chilly at night so bring a sweatshirt. Nice place for a family outing. read more

Griffith Observatory - LA view - Observatories Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I visited recently for the first time since learning about this icon in Los Angeles. It was a bit of a process to nowhere to park and to validate parking and it was certainly busy during that time. However, it was quite simple once we got to the facility. We came on a weekday afternoon and it was quite busy despite being in the middle of the week. We quickly purchased tickets to the Leonard Nimoy planetarium show and had a few minutes to explore the rest of the observatory. There were many wonderful exhibits and displays for all ages and interests.The planetarium show was narrated by a wonderful voice actress and was a delightful exploration of the galaxy's beyond. Apparently there are several different versions so each time might be a unique experience. The ground surrounding the observatory are beautiful, and there are several walking paths around the nearby residences. The views are widespread of the entire city. While we were there, it became Desk and the sunset was a beautiful site to behold. There were lots of families and parents and couples who enjoyed the wonderful display of science and community. Leaving the observatory was a little crowded as well as delayed since some of the roads were blocked off due to a concert at a nearby venue.Overall, I enjoyed my visit and would recommend for any visitors to enjoy. read more

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I always love coming to the Griffith Observatory, it's one of my favorite places in the US to visit. The views, the trails, and inside the observatory itself always make for a good time. I definitely will go again. read more

Griffith Observatory - Observatories Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We've been to the Griffith Observatory many times in the past but somehow I never got around to writing a review for this place! It has been awhile since our last visit but I definitely don't remember the crazy line that goes all the way from the entrance down to the bottom of the mountain...even taking public transit to avoid difficult parking wouldn't have helped much because it's one-way road up/down! Even though we had 2 little kids in tow, we braved parking at the bottom of the hill and trekked our way up the mountain to the observatory. Luckily we had relatives who kept the kids busy/entertained during the walk up/down so they didn't complain as much about the walk as I thought they were going to do! The scenery is still as beautiful as I remember it to be, but I couldn't get over how busy it was the entire time I was there. People were literally packed everywhere and the entire time I was just making sure our kids didn't get lost (kidnapped). Due to the crowd, I enjoyed the outside much better this time as the kids didn't really appreciate the exhibits inside (and the lack of crowd control definitely didn't help either). It's definitely one of the main attractions in LA with many scenic hiking trails, but until our kids are ready for that, we will save this place for another day (few years from now)! read more

Griffith Observatory is an iconic LA spot with amazing views of the city and the Hollywood Sign. The exhibits are fun and educational, and the planetarium show is fantastic. Perfect for sightseeing, photos, and learning about space! read more

Certainly one of the greatest views of Hollywood is from here. Griffith Observatory is an important part of history, as well as being the place to check out the sky. If you like to see the literal stars, and not the ones on the screen, this place is for you. Also it's free. There's not a better deal for anything else around here truthfully. As you can tell by the name, this is located in Griffith Park, on the north side of Hollywood. It's actually located about a mile or so from the Hollywood Sign. There's hiking trails that go there. It opened in 1935 and is one of the main attractions of the park that surrounds it. The observatory was made free by its benefactor, Griffith J. Griffith, and remains so. It has the main floor, which includes a pendulum in the middle. The wings contain information about astrology and other stuff. On the roof is a big telescope powerful to see far into space and beyond. There's also views that you can see with your own eyes of the city, mountains, the Hollywood Sign, and lots of cool stuff. Best thing about it is that it's free. It's also easy to get to by using the free bus that leaves from the Vermont station. There's lots of great views. read more

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Parking is not easy - be prepared to hike up and park as soon as you see a spot and even the disability parking on the top is a small area. When you finally make it there, the view is stunning and so many great areas to look around. The entrance is free and it can get packed. However, it is put together very easily to walk around and educate yourself. Their movies are always a great experience and I highly recommend it. It is a separate charge but worth it! Just make sure to be on time, they close the door to the dot and once in, if you leave, you might not be able to re-enter. Their restaurant is a bit overpriced but the view is great and the snacks were plenty. I love the hike area and it is an easy hike, but a bit steep in the beginning to start with. Again, the view is great! Be aware to not walk on hot days because it can feel really hot. Saw plenty of people walking the hike as well. read more

Everyone has seen the iconic Griffith Observatory in movies and television. It's a great place to watch the sunset. It was bit underwhelming for me. I thought there would be more things geared to kids and more interactive things in general. There were some interactive things, but it wasn't very interesting to me. I'm not big science guy per say, but I can appreciate science. It was on the list for a minute now and to go there it was a bit of let down. I may have to amend my review once I see the sunset here. Be careful where you park. There's two sides to get up. Park on the house side as its more convenient to go to and from. If you climb up the mountain, you must climb down the mountain to get back to your car. If you park by the Greek Theater and house side. You can take a bus to and from which saves you a lot of time. read more

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Griffith Observatory is a must-visit if you come to LA. It's a free "museum" essentially. You can learn about our solar system and beyond. It's a great place to go on a date, take the kids, or even chill with friends. The only downside is that since it's high up in the mountains of LA there is limited parking. There is a small lot right outside the observatory but it tends to get full fast. We got lucky however and found a spot within an hour of their open time on a sunday. You will have to pay using a pay machine and put the ticket on your dashboard. Be careful with the buttons. Some people have been charged more than what they wanted because they pressed the buttons too fast. The other option is parking on the street along the road of the observatory which also requires a paid parking ticket. And of course there is a bus that comes directly here from certain points in LA. If you want to get an amazing view of downtown LA. This is the spot. You can come here during the day or night, but at night you can see all the lights which is extremely beautiful. You can also see the hollywood sign from here and If you're a fan of the movie "La La Land". They actually filmed a famous scene here. I will say it is definitely a tourist attraction so go early to avoid the crowds. read more

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Always love visiting The Griffith Observatory even with the traffic and people. It's such a beautiful place and makes me feel so peaceful. The view, the vibe. 5 stars! read more

Griffith Observatory - My son in front of The Griffith Observatory eating his LA Chinatown food - Aug 2022 - Observatories Near Me - Los Angeles, California

First time coming here! The Hollywood sign was much smaller than I expected! But it's definitely a nice place to look out the city of LA and the Hollywood area! They have observatory and got to see interesting stuff with gravity! read more

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The lights were turning on, the sun was nearly gone, and I stumbled on a view that was tailor made for two. Some other girl & guy would love the swirling sky. But there was only she & I. What a waste of a lovely night. read more

Lovely space and spectacular views (in a distance) of both the downtown Los Angeles skyline and the Hollywood Sign. Parking is a bit rough here...your options including: getting parking in the limited lot right near the observatory or park in the trails leading up to that area...both of these options cost $10 per hour, effective 12pm - 10pm during the week, or 10am - 10pm during the weekend. You can also park further away along the trail or in the larger Greek parking lot and follow the trail up the observatory...these options are free. You can also take public transportation (Dash Observatory Bus) from Sunset Blvd.. There is also a stop at the lower (free) Greek Parking lot that can take you up. Keep in mind that the Observatory area is extremely busy during sunset times...so parking closer to the observatory around that time is very difficult. You best best would be to park in the lower lot and take the shuttle. For those who are more active...parking further and hiking to the observatory and Hollywood Sign would make for a lovely, but tiring, day. Plan ahead! read more

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When I read that, THIS was THE MOST VISITED PLACE IN LOS ANGELES, I HAD to check it out! I'm going to share some pointers I wish we knew BEFORE our first visit; 1) PARKING AT THE TOP WAS WORTH IT FOR US. We wanted to spend our time at the Observatory, NOT hiking. We arrived at 5 PM on a weekday and stayed until they closed at 10 PM. It was eight dollars an hour, and considering the attraction is FREE, it ended up being $20 each. Reasonable for what you get! You have to pay UPFRONT via kiosk, for the number of hours you will be staying. Easy for us. . . we were staying until it closed. It was also VERY convenient when we were leaving, to just walk out to the parking lot, close to the building. 2) Check your entrance pamphlet/map, and go to the Leonard Nimoy Theater to watch a documentary of the HISTORY of Griffith Observatory. I WISH we had done this FIRST. It was AMAZING! You CANNOT imagine the construction that they did for their expansion! I would have paid more attention to the buildings in the daytime, if I had seen it earlier! The history is fascinating also. It is a good introduction, in order to appreciate what you are seeing. There will be a docent sitting at a table in the outward vicinity of the theater. He has a box with a meteorite in it that YOU can hold! Surprisingly heavy, and he will tell you WHY. 3) Two planetary shows are available for a fee. I would buy the tickets as soon as you get through the entrance, as they sell out. Both were fascinating. 4) INQUIRE when they have the Tesla Coil demonstrations. It has SCHEDULED times, that are NOT posted. We stumbled across it (fortunately) at the right time. 5) The Café, opens to an outside terrace with a beautiful view of Los Angeles. The drinks and food offered for sale are steeply priced and of sparse variety. For example, a frozen Paleta costs five dollars (WHAAT!?). Bring your own food and drinks. I wished we had brought our own deli sandwiches and water. 6) Get in line EARLY to peek through the telescope. Check for the scheduled time. There is a limited amount of space, and they close it down promptly, no matter HOW many people are left in line. We missed this one because of the above. 7) THE ICONIC HOLLYWOOD SIGN; Look at the hills/northwest from the parking lot. There it IS, in all its simplicity. It is NOT lit up at night (the neighbors don't want it BEAMING ). It's also hard to see at that time, so be sure and snap it in the daytime while you can! 8) DON'T LEAVE LOS ANGELES WITHOUT GETTING YOUR ANGEL WINGS! It is in the walkway terrace, West of the top parking lot. It is brightly lit during the night, and makes great photos! HAVE FUN! read more

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Just wow! This was one of our favorite things we did while in LA. We were staying off of Hollywood Blvd and took a short Uber ride here. I'll start with the inside. It is completely free aside from some small fees for certain shows/events. We just looked at the free exhibits and had a lot of fun and spent quite a bit of time exploring. There is a wealth of information about space and other related topics. Very interesting and fun. They have a gift shop and a cafe inside if you get hungry. We didn't eat while there, but I was happy to see you could grab a complimentary cup of water in the cafe which is always nice. Now for the outside - the views are breathtaking. You can see views of the city, the ocean, the mountains, and the famous Hollywood sign. There are multiple trails you can walk including one that goes up to the Hollywood sign. We just did a short trail to see the beautiful views from different spots (the incline back up was no joke for this flatlander!). I would love to build my tolerance to inclines and return to explore more trails. Overall, this is a fantastic spot to visit! I feel like I'd probably love going regularly if I lived there and will definitely return next time I'm in LA! read more

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Visited Griffith Observatory over the weekend. Amazing and educational experience. We attended the Centered in the Universe show. It was an incredible show. The woman narrating the show had an incredible delivery and presentation. Obviously the views from the grounds were amazing as well. read more

Griffith Observatory - Observatories Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I enjoyed it! The views was beautiful, and it was very educational. The general location is free. The planetarium show was around $10 per person which was worth it for me. The show was unique, and the narration was very informative. Since it is such a popular tourist location, there was a large crowd. Parking is not ideal, and you may have to walk a lot. TLDR: very busy because popular tourist site and parking is not good but the outside views are gorgeous read more

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The Griffith Observatory has been our list for some years, so finally the night adventure begins. No tickets needed unless you see a planetarium show for $10. We enjoyed the show, very relaxing and enjoyable. No pics or cameras on during show. Parking was easily accessible on the street, they do have a paid parking area. They stay open until 1030pm, check website for updates. We spent approx 2hrs reading, walking inside and outside and the show. There is quite a bit of info thru out the facility. Great educational experience for everyone to enjoy. This was a perfect night to star gaze also. The line for live telescope viewing was long, so plan accordingly. There is an employee who is controlling the scope. Unfortunately it closed down while we were in line. Still a unforgettable experience last night. Yes, there is alot of people, so carry a small bag and watch your belongings. Again it's absolutely free to enter...enjoy it's pretty magical. @glampedlife read more

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If It was not chilly evening, I wish I could stay few hours to see such beautiful night views. Totally breathtaking view. I recommend to bring a tripod to take a night picture. I saw lots of cars on the street parking and people walking along the street. It's not so bright. There is free DASH bus, Observatory/Los Feliz and very convenient to use from Metro station. read more

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This is my favorite place in LA. We go every time we are in town. The building and lookout points are beautiful and it's amazing to watch a sunset here and see LA light up. Just be sure to get there early, it gets really busy especially if it's good visibility. read more

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I was only in the area very briefly as I drop up the coast of CA, but I was told I needed to stop at the Griffith Observatory while I was nearby. I'm glad I did. Would have been cool to see it with some sunlight too, or even right at sunset, but it was still quite a beautiful sight at night. My biggest complaint was that it was PACKED. Even with us being there near the time of closing. It was somewhat congested no matter where we went. Plus, the parking was a total shitshow. All that said, it was absolutely worth seeing, and the view was pretty special. I do recommend checking it out for sure. read more

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Do not miss the opportunity to visit!! The historic observatory lived up to all my expectations- the views of Los Angeles and beyond as well as the Hollywood sign coupled with all the fascinating scientific stations inside make for a fascinating experience that I will never forget. My friend booked us a two hour tour using highly rated Experience First and wow was our guide knowledgeable. We went around and in and he told us way more than we could have seen and learned on our own. The coolest was seeing the Tesla Coil- I won't spoil it for you but you'll want to see it. The grab and go food was limited ($23 for a bottled soda, chicken wrap and bag of chips). I believe you can bring your own and stay outside to eat and enjoy the view. ** Signs are posted no beverages or food inside the building We would have stayed longer to explore but if you're lucky enough to find parking in the paid lot up top it is $10 an hour so we decided three hours was plenty. Regarding traffic, it's heavy and you can expect long waits. If you're willing to walk there are places down the mountain to park or hike up, with an occasional shuttle bus. We took a chance and got lucky on a fairly busy Sunday afternoon. I will definitely return for further investigation, the views and to go into the planetarium. The gift shop was cute, as well. So glad I finally got to see the icon!!!!! read more

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