Our Favorite Places to Visit in LA
It’s a New Year and a new opportunity to plan your long awaited trip to Los Angeles. Whether you are coming here for business or for pleasure, there is tons to see and do in this fun city. Here are some of our favorite destinations that will make great memories for you!
Griffith Observatory
The most visited public observatory in the world, The Griffith Observatory hosts around 1 million people a year. It is one of the first institutions in the United States that was dedicated to public science and is still a national leader in public astronomy. As stipulated in the will of Griffith J. Griffith’s (who gave the land to Los Angeles), entrance to the Observatory is free of charge. While at the Observatory, you can view shows at the Samuel Oshchin Planetarium for a nominal fee or participate in monthly public star parties, daily talks and presentations, and periodic special events. Last, but certainly not least, you can view the spectacular, sweeping views of Los Angeles from atop this amazing part of Los Angeles. You can see this on our All LA in a Day Tour!
Walk of Fame
No doubt about it, one of the most iconic things about Hollywood is the historic Walk of Fame – where you can literally walk all over your favorite stars. Running 1.3 miles East to West on Hollywood Boulevard, the walk consists of over 2,500 five pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded along the sidewalk.
Originally conceived in the 1950’s, the walk was created to encourage redevelopment of Hollywood Boulevard. While it took close to a decade to come to fruition, The Hollywood Walk of Fame attracts 10 million visitors annually. Some of our favorite actors, directors, producers, musicians & performers have the opportunity to be nominated for a star in 5 different categories – Motion Picture, Television, Recording, Radio and Theatre/Live Performance. A celebrity can have a star in all of these categories. The only person, to date, to receive all 5 is the incomparable singing cowboy Gene Autry. Check it out on our Hollywood Experience Tour!
The Hollywood Sign
You know you are in LA when you look towards the mountains and see the Hollywood sign. One of the most iconic images in the world, it is truly a sign that dreams are made of. But, did you know that the Hollywood sign wasn’t originally to be a beacon of the film and television industry? Back when it was built in 1923, it was meant to be a massive outdoor ad campaign for a new housing development known as “Hollywoodland”. Constructed from metal squares, each of the 13 letters was 30 feet wide and approximately 43 feet tall and lit up at night. While the housing development eventually failed due to the Great Depression, the sign still stayed and the city eventually removed the “land” from the title to create the now famous sign, “Hollywood”. You can Build Your Own Tour with us and we will take you there!
The Beaches
LA has some awesome beaches and one of our favorites is Santa Monica. A beach town in a big city, Santa Monica is the perfect destination for relaxation and play. You might not have heard much about Santa Monica, but we bet you’d recognize it form some of your favorite movies – Rocky III, Forrest Gump, The Sting, just to name a few. And, of course TV shows such as “Private Practice”, “Three’s Company”, “Pacific Blue”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” were all filmed in Santa Monica. Sean Penn, Jack Black, Robert Downey, Jr. , Anjelica Houston, Emilio Estevez and many other famous actors and producers have all called Santa Monica home as well. Whether cruising its beaches along Pacific Coast Highway, riding the carousel on The Santa Monica Pier or stepping into the shops on Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica offers something for everyone. If you book the Teens & Tweeners tour, we will take you on a bike ride down the strand!
Downtown LA
Many people aren’t aware of this, but Los Angeles boasts the largest government center outside of Washington D.C. and has a plethora of things to do Downtown. From a variety of food at Grand Central Marketplace to Pershing Square (you might recognize it from the movie “Speed”) where you can ice skate in the winter time. And don’t get us started on the awesome shopping. There are a ton of hidden gems there as well, many telling the history of the Los Angeles. Plus the architecture is incredible. While there you can see the Disney Concert Hall, Union Station, The Bradbury Building, City Hall, The Million Dollar Theater and so much more! Take a layover tour with us and add Downtown to your schedule!
Check out some of the great highlights of the city – including Hollywood, the Hollywood Sign, star homes, downtown LA and so much more on a tour with us! All of our tours are private and fully customizable and our vehicles are very comfortable. Our fun, friendly and knowledgable guides will show you LA in a way you will never forget! Call us today to book and see all of the amazing sites of Los Angeles!We have had a 5-star rating on TripAdvisor since 2011 and all of our tours are completely private, custom tours with just you and your family — like your friend in LA taking you around town.
Call us at 800-549-6625 or email us today to book!