They have a "folded lens " telescope. Basically, a huge telescope that takes up way less space…read more It's a little difficult to find, the gps failed us on that one. But when we called, they knew exactly how to guide us. We had to find the entrance behind a high school football field if I recall. Great tour, the kids had a blast. Wonderful gift shop as well. They treated us wonderfully.

Great little observatory run by passionate and educated locals! Events are paused for COVID but you…read morecan take a free guided tour of the telescope on Saturdays and visit the gift shop.

Came here on 11/25/2023 to find out that they are closed...it seems like they are currently kept…read moreclosed and they are not doing public tours for now according to their website

"Daddy. It looks like a ghost. Or Eva from the movie Wall-E."…read more I love those goofy kids!!

I was staying in Twentynine Palms near Joshua Tree last weekend and decided to stop by the…read moreobservatory on a whim around 11 PM with a couple of my friends. Little did we know that this would be one of the highlights of our trip. Not only were the stars beautiful but we met a very nice and passionate scientist who decided to chat with us and teach us all about the constellations. It was such a treat. He and his wife were finishing up and packing away their telescopes and he told us that they were going to lock the gate of the parking lot that our cars were parked in, but let us know that we could move our car right outside of the gate and stay all night if we wanted to because it was open 24 hours. He also warned us about the coyotes and cougars. Coyotes stay away with noise and cougars are attracted to noise, so pick your battle lol. We definitely can't wait to come back! And it's free!

So many different little areas to put your telescope on and check out the stars. This area is just…read morefor getting together with other enthusiasts and checking out the night sky. Love that this was built just for that purpose.

5 years later, we returned for another show. Hands down, one of my favorite things to do with my…read morekids. Prices have slightly increased, but show me one place that hasn't raised prices...am I right? This time, we opted for the later show which was a 'full dome movie'. I'd never experienced one before and it was really cool. There are different themes each month so check the schedule. The movie was about extraterrestrial life. There are two powerful telescopes outside. You definitely don't want to miss it. Free parking right across from the planetarium. Mom approved! 5 stars!

Great place for a field trip! The show was very entertaining and educating for my kids. Everything…read moreseemed very organized and clean and I love that questions get answered by a scientist at the end. Parking was easy but costs a couple of $. Plan to be back sometime.

My family and I stopped by the Griffith Observatory during our summer vacation on our way to San…read moreDiego, and we're so glad we did! There's plenty of parking, but I recommend trying to park toward the top, as close to the observatory as possible. There are also public restrooms outside, and you get amazing views of the city and the Hollywood Sign. We visited on a Friday when they opened at noon, and there were already quite a few people waiting to get in. It was a little crowded inside, but there were so many educational exhibits and things to read and learn about. We honestly didn't realize how big the observatory was! There's a downstairs area with more exhibits, a souvenir shop, and a café. Upstairs, there's a large telescope that's open during nighttime viewing, which we definitely want to come back for. If you and your kids love space, this is definitely a must-visit! An hour or two was nowhere near enough time for us to see everything. The best part? Admission is free! We'll definitely be coming back to explore everything we missed--and hopefully experience the nighttime telescope viewing next time!

Griffith Observatory is a must-do on any visit to Los Angeles, whether you are a tourist, passing…read morethrough, or are a resident. The location is not only one of the most iconic and classic landmarks in the area, but it also has some of the best city views anywhere. On clear days, you can see all the way to the ocean, with the entire LA basin and the Hollywood sign spread out in front of you. It certainly puts the awesome scale of the city into a perspective you might otherwise never see. The observatory itself is also amazing, as they have some really neat scientific information displays, like a Tesla coil, and a periodic table of elements that has a real sample of each element you can view up close. They also have an actual chunk of the moon on display, so you can tell people you've been within a couple feet of the moon! For the more adventurous, there are also hiking trails all around Griffith Park, that you can start from the Observatory or walk all the way up to it. On weekends, it can get extremely crowded and they close the access road to the top parking lot, unless you have handicap or are on a tour. Be prepared to hike up that hill! The view at the top is certainly worth it, though. Five stars and if you haven't been, stop making excuses. Go!

W always stop here when we visit Mount Laguna, It has a nice parking lot which is never full. Lots…read moreof trails for hikers, bikers and horses. If you walk up through the observatory there is an incredible viewpoint where you can see for miles.

We came up here recently overnight and I hadn't been in years. When I used to come out this way for…read morework I enjoyed coming up to Mount Laguna. I have to say it's still incredibly beautiful in the evening, watching the sunset. It's definitely one of the best views around and getting a chance to see the stars so brilliantly is a must as the pollution is more limited up there, making for clearer skies. The elevation is obviously higher, so dress in layers. I didn't drive up here this time, which was really nice, I had the chance to catch up on my sleep. It's not that bad of a drive though. We stayed nearby overnight, but it's worth the drive either way imo. There aren't that many places like this, especially in underdeveloped areas. The Pine House Cafe & Tavern is nearby on the Sunrise Highway if you get hungry afterwards. Be forewarned there's a bit of a walk to the top of the road from the visitor parking lot to the visitor's center. Adjacent to the visitor's center are the two apartments for visiting astronomers, a lecture hall, a kitchen for public gatherings, and the museum/gift shop. The Mount Laguna Observatory is owned and operated by SDSU under permit from the Cleveland National Forest. It's not unusual to see SDSU or local community college students here working on research projects or school activities. They do have a dedicated visitor's telescope and deck for public viewing. There are other telescope domes that are not available to the general public, but if you're willing to get a graduate degree in astronomy from SDSU I'm guessing you can get in there..

We had the absolute best time with Starman Steve. I have 3 young "space-obsessed" grand-nephews and…read morethey were all over Steven with questions. He was SO GREAT with them. The boys were jumping up and down in excitement. We had worried about bandwidth with the boys and an astronomer presentation. Well, far from it. They were 1000% engaged. We all loved learning about the constellations, the laser light was a big wow for the kids. We loved looking through the telescope. It was a Giant Win for the whole family. Thank you, Steven you made our trip something very special we will always remember.

Steven was outstanding. Had him come out to our resort for our corporate event. We learned a lot…read moreand had a great time. Highly recommend!!