Best things to do in Los Angeles
The top 3 according to 625 votes from people: Griffith Observatory · Hollywood Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre · Universal Studios Hollywood. (Updated Aug 6, 2025.)
The L.A. sights that Time Out, U.S. News, Fodor's and TripAdvisor reviewers rank highest, from Hollywood landmarks to beaches and museums.
Top 15
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1
Griffith Observatory
Free 1935 observatory on Mount Hollywood with a planetarium and the best views of the Hollywood Sign and the city.
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2
Hollywood Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre
Over 2,700 stars on Hollywood Boulevard and the 1927 theatre with celebrity handprints.
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3
Universal Studios Hollywood
Working film studio and theme park with the Studio Tour, Super Nintendo World and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
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4
The Getty Center
Richard Meier's hilltop museum in Brentwood with Van Gogh's Irises and gardens; admission is free.
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5
Santa Monica Pier
1909 pier with Pacific Park's solar-powered Ferris wheel and the official end of Route 66.
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6
LACMA
The West's largest art museum, famous for Chris Burden's Urban Light installation of 202 street lamps.
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7
Venice Beach Boardwalk
Bohemian beachfront with Muscle Beach, the skate park and street performers, near the Venice Canals.
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8
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Film museum opened in 2021 by the Academy, with a sphere designed by Renzo Piano.
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9
Hollywood Sign hike
Trails through Griffith Park, such as Mount Hollywood or the Brush Canyon Trail, lead to views of the 1923 sign.
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10
Grand Central Market
Downtown food hall open since 1917, with stalls such as Eggslut and Tacos Tumbras a Tomas.
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11
Hollywood Bowl
Open-air amphitheatre from 1922, summer home of the LA Philharmonic.
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12
Olvera Street
Mexican marketplace in El Pueblo de Los Ángeles, the historic birthplace of the city.
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13
The Broad
Free contemporary art museum downtown with Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirror Rooms.
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14
La Brea Tar Pits
Active Ice Age fossil site in the city where mammoths and sabre-toothed cats are still being dug up.
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15
Disneyland Resort (Anaheim)
Walt Disney's original 1955 park and Disney California Adventure, 45 minutes south of downtown.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 15… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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16
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Frank Gehry's stainless-steel concert hall downtown, home of the LA Phil, with free self-guided tours.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (10)
LA is a city you need a car for, plan your days by neighborhood.
La Brea Tar Pits with kids, they still find fossils there.
The Walk of Fame is the most disappointing tourist spot in America, sorry.
Agree, dirty sidewalk with stars. Go to the Griffith Observatory instead.
First-timers want the stars though, it's part of the LA fantasy.
Grand Central Market for Eggslut and tacos.
The Hollywood Bowl in summer with a picnic, best LA night.
Venice Boardwalk has changed a lot, go in the morning.
The Getty is free (just pay parking) and the gardens are stunning.
No Huntington or Malibu beaches? This is a Hollywood tourist list