5 Iconic Movie Locations In Los Angeles Tours With LA Insider Tours
One of the things that draws so many people to LA is that movie and TV magic is made here. There is some type of filming happening somewhere in Los Angeles every day of the week. When you take a tour with us, we can take you to many of these great movie locations on Los Angeles tours throughout this fun and exciting city. Here are 5 of the most requested filming locations you will find on our tours.
Griffith Observatory
It’s where James Dean gave one of his iconic performances in “Rebel Without a Cause” and Charlie’s Angels kicked into action in “Full Throttle”. It’s where meteors crash to earth in “Transformers” and is the welcome center of “Jurassic Park”. When it is not starring in movies, The Griffith Observatory is the most visited public observatory in the world, hosting 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. Entrance to the Observatory is free as was stipulated in the will of Griffith J. Griffiths who left the land to the city. 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 the Griffith Observatory on our All LA in a Day tour or choose it on a Build Your Own Tour.
Union Station
Further along our look at movie locations on Los Angeles tours is Union Station. Used in several scenes for the hit movie “The Italian Job” as well as “Pearl Harbor” and “Charlies Angels: Full Throttle”, Union Station is the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States. Union Station was designed by The Parkinsons and built in 1926. It is a combination of Dutch Colonial, Mission Revival and Streamline Moderne architecture. While it is considered small in comparison to other Union Stations, its grand designs make it seem large, open and airy. While it is still a major hub for travel, it has also become a popular wedding and reception site in recent years. You can choose to see Union Station on our Build Your Own Tour under the Downtown option.
Santa Monica Pier
A great place to visit while in Santa Monica is, of course, the Santa Monica pier. Oscar nominated movies “The Sting” and “Forrest Gump” were filmed here as well as “The Rockford Files”, “Gilmore Girls”, “Iron Man”, “Grey’s Anatomy” and many more. While there, you can take a spin on the solar powered Ferris Wheel at Pacific Amusement Park or enjoy an ice cream after riding the carousel originally built in the 1920’s. They also have an awesome aquarium located just below the carousel on the beach level. It has over 100 species of marine animals and plants that are located in the Santa Monica Bay. It is an interactive and fun place to take the kids while visiting the pier. Another fun activity you can do while at the pier with the kids is a scavenger hunt. Just like you used to do as a kid, they have a full map with clues you can download online and when you take your kids to the pier you can have some extra fun while the kids run around the pier answering a myriad of questions. You can see the pier on our All LA in a Day Tour or our Teens & Tweeners Tour!
The Beverly Wilshire Hotel
Richard Gere and Julia Roberts fell in love while staying in the Penthouse in “Pretty Woman” and the boys from “Entourage” filmed there. The Beverly Wilshire Hotel was built in the 1920’s and was originally called The Beverly Wilshire Apartment Hotel. While the “Apartment” was eventually dropped, it served as a residence for Elvis Presley, Warren Beatty and John Lennon at various times. The structure itself, created in an Italian Renaissance Architecture style, is gorgeous and while updated to meet the times, you still feel like you are a part of history when you walk through its doors. Who knows, you may see one of your favorite stars when you are there! We’ll show you this and other movie locations on Los Angeles tours of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and the Sunset Strip on our Hollywood Experience Tour and you will see this iconic hotel!
Point Dume at Zuma Beach
It is where Captain Tony Nelson met Jeannie in “I Dream of Jeannie” and where the famous last scene of “Planet of the Apes” was filmed. It is also where you could find Tony Stark’s cliffside abode in “Iron Man”. Point Dume is a special filming location because of its proximity to the highway along with its secluded nature. A 63 acre spread of both sand and water, a lot of the land is labeled as a State Nature Preserve. You can hike up to the highest point of the beach and take a look at sweeping views of the ocean. On a clear day you can even see seals and migrating whales during peak season. While dogs are not allowed on the beach due to it’s already high volume of wildlife animals, you can find people hanging out on the beach all year long. You might even recognize the beach from scenes of “Baywatch”, “Modern Family” and some of your favorite commercials. You can also try your hand at rock climbing along the high walls if you feel like you want to do more than just enjoy the beach. If you Build Your Own Tour with us, choose the “Malibu” option and we will take you to Point Dume!
You can see these movie locations on Los Angeles tours with LA Insider Tours! Choose from our All LA in a Day or Build Your Own Tour of any length and choose exactly what you want to see. 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!