L.A. City Hall is police headquarters in numerous film noirs and has appeared in film and TV as…read moremuch as any building in town; it's authoritative architecture, lording over the city. And it's very much worth going inside. You'll have to go through security, as in any government building, and present ID. Then you'll take two different elevators up to the free viewing deck. The views outside are fabulous in all four directions. Though, not for everyone, if you are into L.A. history, I found the descriptions of the former L.A. mayors under their portraits worth a gander. Among the first couple of portraits, there is the mayor whose son was the first child born in Los Angeles. Another one had to quit the job to join a lynch mob as there were rampant "desperados" in 1860s L.A. Don't expect fair and balanced bios. They're all praise, even Sam Yorty. Before leaving, you'll want to check out the Rotunda on the third floor, also a popular film location.

The free observation deck has been closed since June 2026 and is going to be closed for an…read moreindeterminant amount of time for additions and repairs.

Public art in Torrance, California…read more.. Samurai of the Diamond is a cool mural on the side of the Double Tree by Hilton building in South Bay. Created by Robert Vargas, this twelve-story tall mural features Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto... awesome team members of the Los Angeles Dodgers!

This mural is huge! It's on the side of the Doubletree Hotel on Hawthorne Blvd, facing the side…read morestreet of Village Ct. The hotel has 12 floors. There's no convenient parking in front. You'll need to get creative. While hubby drove & quickly stopped the car (ensuring no other cars were coming), I snapped a few pictures and we took off. This mural features three Japanese Dodgers players... Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, & Roki Sasaki. At first glance, this seems like any other mural, but this one is unique! It's a living mural. There's a QR Code for you to scan that will bring it to life with action & sounds! Thanks to Brian V. for the picture of the QR Code! Watch this short clip with the sound on! { https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/samurai-of-the-diamond-mural-torrance?select_video=K5htWWZHutB8OTBH-QaTLA } TIP: You can scan his QR Code and then go to a picture of the mural and bring it to "life" for yourself at home. Muralist and artist Robert Vargas painted this. I'm sure it was a lofty challenge since he had such a tall canvas to paint on! It's amazing how artists use technology to enhance their work! So glad I was able to experience it!

Iconic along the Avenue in every way…read more Carroll Ave is a place filled with lots of scenic as well as historic history. This dazzling slice of Victorian homes in Echo Park, Los Angeles' Angelino Heights area encompasses the 1300s block and tip of the 1400s. Cinema, Music Entertainment & Television and various digital mediums have been capture on this landmark Avenue from Teen Witch and Grandma's Boy to the original Charmed television series and Michael Jackson's Thriller music video film. You can park on this street, stroll and even photo op (just be mindful of properties as they belong to actual home owners who help preserve their homes that are apart of the National Register of Historic Places with several official Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments listed among these homes. It's a 10 to 15 minute walk from Echo Park Lake if close by. Definitely a great place to be a local tourist, show your tourists and enjoy as an LA native/native Angelino.

Beautiful Victorian homes. I enjoyed strolling down the street. Definitely worth visiting and…read moretaking in the beautiful architecture.

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.

Famous people from Pasadena, California!…read more History is not my best subject. These sculptures helped me learn something... Why are the memorials of Jackie Robinson and his brother, Mack Robinson, here in Pasadena? Jackie was born in Georgia and he passed away in Connecticut. He spent some time in Honolulu, Hawaii as a football player! His most well known accomplishment is playing baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Matthew "Mack" won a Silver Medal at the Summer Olympics in Berlin in 1936. He is one of the best known graduates of the University of Oregon. Why is this sculpture in Pasadena? I had to look up some information... Jackie attended Pasadena Junior College and later attended UCLA! Mack was a Park Director at Lemon Grove Park in East Hollywood and passed away in Pasadena in 2000! Both brothers attended high school in Pasadena where they also lived with their mother and siblings! Aha! Very appropriate!

I have to say, I've never seen a memorial quite like this before. Two huge heads in front of the…read morePasadena City Hall. It's... remarkable. Not that there shouldn't BE memorials to these two outstanding sons of Pasadena, just that two huge heads seems a bit unusual. Still, it was interesting to stop because while I have heard of Jackie Robinson, I had no idea about Mack. So I learned something today!

This is my favorite statue EVER. My boyfriend and I make regular pilgrimages to visit the Shorb…read moreshrine after we lunch at the neighboring Love Birds Cafe. The garden, while easily missed, is lovely. According to one visitor I talked to, "The fountain's pretty cool. But it is nothing in comparison to the statue of the statuesque James T. Shorb - my idol, and dare I say...god." I highly recommend this garden if you have an extra five to 10 minutes to spend on 1st street in Alhambra.

I'd never been to Olvera Street until recently. How is that possible?!…read more I was expecting more authentic stalls - but so many of them were selling mass-produced items. Maybe that's just to keep up with changing times? In addition to the carts and stores, you'll find a collection of eateries - ranging from sit-down to places you can order and enjoy whilst on the go. Mid-week is definitely quieter; I'd say for a more active vibe, definitely pop by on the weekend. One of the things I enjoy the most is probably the architecture. Well preserved! 2026: 29/100

Easy walk to Olvera Street Plaza from the Union Station. There's so much history here. We took a…read morefree tour and our tour guide was going thru all the parts of this area! In the gazebo area there were so many alters for Day of the Dead, so cool! There's also so many small shops along the street of Olvera and free museums. Such a great experience coming here! I would recommend taking the train here instead of driving since parking can be a hassle!

While visiting the Ovation Center in Hollywood, formerly known as Hollywood & Highland, you will…read morefind yourself wandering around and may notice a few black stickers on the walk way telling you that there is a mural of Kobe Bryant... So, being an adventurous group, we decided to follow the signs that led us to the 4th level facing Hollywood Blvd and there it was! Kobe kissing his Oscar:) Great view of Hollywood Blvd while admiring the mural! Check it out if you happen to be at The Ovation Center. ~ and that's all I have to say about that...

Public Art in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California…read more.. We saw these large, round stickers on the ground that pointed to a Kobe Bryant mural. We went to the 4th level of the Ovation Hollywood building (it was formerly called Hollywood & Highland) and found it around a corner... On June 3, 2023, the 25 feet tall x 42.5 feet wide mural by Brian Peterson was presented. The mural depicts Kobe Bryant in a tuxedo while kissing his Academy Award trophy. The Oscar was awarded for his animated short movie, "Dear Basketball" in 1981. Included in the mural are his five NBA championship trophies, won as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers Basketball team. It's an awesome mural!