Local gems in Los Angeles

6th Street Viaduct

Los Angeles

Angeles-Nationalforst

Los Angeles

Angels Flight

Los Angeles

Angel Stadium of Anaheim

Los Angeles

Angelus Temple

Los Angeles

Aon Center

Los Angeles

Aquarium of the Pacific

Los Angeles

Arroyo Seco Parkway

Los Angeles

The Arroyo Seco Parkway (now Interstate 110) is America's first freeway, opened in 1940, connecting downtown Los Angeles with Pasadena. Designed as a landscaped divided highway with no traffic lights, no intersections, and graceful entry ramps, it was a showcase project of the New Deal era. Listed as a National Scenic Byway, it remains notable for integrating high-speed road design with the Arroyo Seco valley landscape.

Autopia

Los Angeles

Autopia is a classic ride at Disneyland Anaheim, California, where guests drive small vehicles along a guided track. One of the oldest continuously operating attractions in Disneyland, it has been part of the park since opening day in 1955 and is located in Tomorrowland.

Burbank City Hall Annex

Los Angeles

The Burbank City Hall Annex is a civic administration building in central Burbank, California, constructed in 1943. Built as a supplement to the main city hall during a period when Burbank was a hub of wartime aviation and defence manufacturing, the structure reflects the functional architecture of the era. It continues to serve municipal government purposes today and offers a modest but authentic glimpse into mid-century civic planning in Southern California.

California State Route 2

Los Angeles

California State Route 2 is a state highway stretching across Southern California that ranks among the most scenic drives in the Greater Los Angeles area. A particularly popular section runs through the San Gabriel Mountains — known as the Angeles Crest Highway — winding through dense forest, alongside canyons, and across high plateaus with sweeping views to the horizon. Designated as an official route in 1934, SR-2 connects urban areas such as La Cañada Flintridge with remote mountain regions and recreation areas. For motorcyclists, drivers, cyclists, and hikers alike, it is one of the most popular escapes from the urban bustle of the LA metropolis.

Campo de Cahuenga

Los Angeles

Campo de Cahuenga is a historic museum in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, marking the site where California history pivoted. In 1847, the original adobe building on Rancho Cahuenga land was where the Treaty of Cahuenga was signed, effectively ending the Mexican-American War in California. The current structure is a faithful reconstruction of that adobe, designated both a California Historic Landmark and a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. It sits near the Universal Studios lot, close to the historic Cahuenga Pass.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

Los Angeles

Completed in 2002 to designs by Spanish architect José Rafael Moneo, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is one of the most architecturally significant religious buildings in the United States. Its warm sand-colored concrete exterior gives Downtown LA an unexpected landmark, while the interior rewards visitors with alabaster windows that flood the nave with soft, diffused light. The tapestries lining the nave — depicting 135 saints and beati — stretch nearly 25 meters high and were created by artist John Nava. The crypt below holds the remains of several notable Angelenos. As the mother church of the largest Catholic archdiocese in the country, the cathedral offers free guided tours daily. Even for secular visitors, it delivers architecture, art, and genuine quietude in the midst of a busy city.

Crypto.com Arena

Los Angeles

Known as the Staples Center from its 1999 opening until late 2021, Crypto.com Arena is one of the most famous indoor arenas in the world. Located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, it holds up to 20,000 spectators and serves as home to the LA Lakers and LA Clippers (NBA) and the LA Kings (NHL). The arena has hosted the Grammy Awards multiple times, world-tour concerts by virtually every major act, and landmark sporting moments including multiple Lakers championship celebrations. Owned by the Anschutz Entertainment Group and connected to the LA Convention Center, it is well served by Metro rail. An evening here — whether for sport or music — is as close to the beating heart of Los Angeles as it gets.

Disneyland Resort

Los Angeles

The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Southern California, is the original home of all Disney theme parks worldwide. Walt Disney opened the first Disneyland here in 1955; today the resort comprises two parks, three hotels, and the Downtown Disney shopping and entertainment district. The classic Disneyland Park houses the original rides — Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, Main Street USA — while California Adventure explores the Golden State theme. The resort consistently ranks among the most visited leisure destinations in the world, drawing families with young children as well as adults who grew up with Disney. Booking ahead and planning your day early are strongly recommended for a smooth visit.

Dolby Theatre

Los Angeles

The Dolby Theatre is an entertainment venue on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles that has served as the permanent home of the Academy Awards since 2002. Opened in 2001, it became the symbolic centre of global cinema almost immediately, hosting the Oscars annually and making its forecourt and staircase some of the most televised steps in the world. With a capacity of around 3,400, the theatre also boasts some of the most advanced stage technology in the United States. Outside Oscar season, it hosts major concerts, theatrical productions, and live TV events. Located inside the Hollywood & Highland complex next to the Walk of Fame, guided tours are available year-round — a genuine experience for film lovers.

El Capitan Theatre

Los Angeles

El Capitan Theatre at 6838 Hollywood Boulevard is one of the finest surviving movie palaces of the silent film era. Opened in 1926 as a stage theater, it was converted to a film house in the 1940s and fell into disrepair for decades. Walt Disney acquired the building and lavishly restored it in the early 1990s to its original Art Deco splendor. Now owned by The Walt Disney Company, it serves as an exclusive premiere venue for Disney Studios productions. The adjacent Hollywood Masonic Temple rounds out the complex. Inside, gilded columns, hand-painted ceilings, and a Wurlitzer organ performance before screenings transport guests back to Hollywood's golden age.

Farmers Market Los Angeles

Los Angeles

The Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles has been a city institution since 1934. What began as a gathering point for local farmers evolved into a vibrant marketplace and food complex drawing locals and tourists alike. The site, anchored by its iconic clocktower, hosts dozens of stalls and small eateries spanning cuisines from around the world — American BBQ, Mexican tacos, Korean bibimbap, and much more. It is widely regarded as an ideal spot for culinary exploration on any budget. Adjacent to The Grove shopping center, a visit easily fills half a day.

First Congregational Church of Los Angeles

Los Angeles

The First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, located in the Wilshire district, belongs to the United Church of Christ and is one of the city's oldest and most prominent Protestant congregations. The current building was consecrated in 1932 and holds the designation of Historic-Cultural Monument of the City of Los Angeles. Its imposing neo-Gothic facade and spacious courtyard offer a tranquil counterpoint to the busy Wilshire Boulevard. The church is well known for its active community life, concert series, and social outreach programs across Los Angeles.

Franklin Avenue

Los Angeles

Franklin Avenue is a well-known street in Los Angeles running through Hollywood and Los Feliz. Situated north of Hollywood Boulevard, it is lined with cafés, bars, and independent shops. The area has a lively, slightly alternative character that draws creatives and locals alike. For those wanting to explore authentic Los Angeles life away from major tourist attractions, Franklin Avenue offers a genuine glimpse into the city's neighbourhood culture.

Galen Center

Los Angeles

The Galen Center is the multi-purpose arena of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles and the home venue of the USC Trojans — the basketball and volleyball teams of one of America's most prestigious private universities. Opened in 2006, the arena holds around 10,000 spectators and sits in the heart of the USC campus, known for its connections to Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Beyond sports events, the Galen Center hosts concerts and graduation ceremonies. Attending a USC basketball game here delivers the quintessential atmosphere of American college sports.

Getty Center

Los Angeles

The Getty Center in Brentwood, western Los Angeles, has been one of the USA's most important cultural destinations since opening in 1997. Perched high above the city, it offers access to the world-renowned J. Paul Getty Museum collection — European paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and photographs — along with spectacular panoramic views of Los Angeles and the Pacific. The sprawling ensemble designed by architect Richard Meier, clad in travertine and white enamel panels, is itself a work of art. The campus also houses the Getty Research Institute and Getty Conservation Institute. Museum admission is free (parking fees apply).

Getty Villa

Los Angeles

Perched in the hills of Pacific Palisades with views toward the Pacific Ocean, the Getty Villa is one of the most extraordinary museum buildings in the world — a meticulous recreation of the ancient Villa dei Papiri, which was buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Oil magnate J. Paul Getty commissioned it in the 1950s and 60s to house his growing collection of ancient art: Greek, Roman, and Etruscan works spanning prehistory to late antiquity. Today the Villa holds around 44,000 objects, including significant sculptures, painted vases, bronzes, and jewellery representing more than three thousand years of Mediterranean civilization. The gardens — with fountains, ancient planting patterns, and open peristyle courtyards — are as remarkable as the collections inside. Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance.

Hammer Museum

Los Angeles

Los Angeles Zoo

Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located in Griffith Park, one of the largest urban parks in the United States, and opened in 1966 across a 54-hectare site. It is home to around 2,200 animals from approximately 270 species, combining zoological exhibitions with a botanical garden. The zoo is particularly well known for its endangered species breeding programmes – including the California condor, whose extinction in the wild was averted in part through captive breeding here. Owned by the City of Los Angeles, it is one of the most visited zoos on the American West Coast.

Oakwood Recreation Center

Los Angeles