Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials LA, is the most populous city in the US state of California. With approximately 3.9 million residents within the city limits as of 2020, Los Angeles is the second most populous city in the United States, behind only New York City; It is also the commercial, financial and cultural center of Southern California. Los Angeles has an ethnically and culturally diverse population, and is the main city in a metropolitan area of 13.2 million people. Greater Los Angeles, which includes the Los Angeles and Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan areas, is a metropolitan area of over 18 million residents.
The majority of the city proper lies in a basin in Southern California bordering the Pacific Ocean to the west, partially extending north through the Santa Monica Mountains into the San Fernando Valley, and bordering the San Gabriel Valley to the east of the city. It covers about 469 square miles (1,210 km2), is the county seat of Los Angeles County, and is the most populous county in the United States, with an estimated 9.86 million residents by 2022. United States with over 2.7 million visitors by 2022.
1.Griffith Observatory
 |
| Photo by RDNE Stock project: .pexels.com |
Griffith Observatory is an observatory located on the south slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California. It commands a view of the Los Angeles Basin, including downtown Los Angeles to the southeast, Hollywood to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. The observatory is a popular tourist attraction with up-close views of the Hollywood sign and a wide range of space and science-related exhibits. It is named after its benefactor, Griffith J. Griffith. Entry has been free since the observatory opened in 1935, according to the benefactor's wishes.
Since the observatory opened in 1935, more than 7 million people have been able to view it through the 12-inch (30.5 cm) Zeiss reflector. This is the most viewed by any telescope. The space theme is present in the interior.
2. The Getty Center
The Getty Center in Los Angeles, California is a campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust. The $1.3 billion center opened to the public on December 16, 1997 and is known for its architecture, gardens and views overlooking Los Angeles. The center is a three-car, cable-pulled hovertrain people mover on a hill connected to a visitor parking garage at the base of a hill.
Located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, the center is one of two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum and receives 1.8 million visitors annually. (The other location is the Getty Villa in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.) The museum's central branch houses pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts; and photographs from around the world from the 1830s to the present day.[4][5] Additionally, the museum's collection at the center includes outdoor sculptures displayed in the terraces and gardens, and the large central garden designed by Robert Irwin. Among the artworks on display is the Vincent van Gogh painting Irises.
Designed by architect Richard Meier, the campus also houses the Getty Research Institute (GRI), the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Foundation and the J. Paul Getty Trust. The center's design included special provisions to address issues related to earthquakes and forest fires.
3. Universal Studios Hollywood
 |
| By CrispyCream27 - Own work |
Universal Studios Hollywood is a film studio and theme park located in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California. About 70% of the studio is located within the unincorporated island state known as Universal City, with the remainder located within the city limits of Los Angeles, California. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood film studios still in use. Its official marketing tagline is "The Entertainment Capital of LA". It was originally designed to offer tours of actual Universal Studios sets and was the first of many fully-fledged Universal Studios theme park resorts located around the world.
The new, all-digital facility was built outside the theme park, near the Universal Pictures set, in an effort to consolidate all of NBCUniversal's West Coast operations into one area. As a result, the current home for KNBC, KVEA and NBC News along with the new digital facility Noticias Telemundo Los Angeles Bureau is on the Universal property formerly occupied by Technicolor SA. Universal City's hotels include the Universal Hilton & Towers, the Sheraton Universal Hotel and Universal CityWalk, which offers a collection of shops, restaurants, an 18-screen Universal Cinema and a seven-story IMAX theater. In 2017, the park hosted 9.056 million visitors, ranking 15th in the world and 9th among North American parks.
4. Venice Beach
 |
| Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=299634 |
With millions of visitors a year, Venice Beach has been labeled a "cultural center famous for its eccentricities" as well as a "global tourist destination." It includes a promenade that runs parallel to the beach, the Venice Beach Boardwalk, Muscle Beach and the Venice Beach Recreation Center with handball courts, paddle tennis courts, a skate dance plaza and numerous beach volleyball courts. It also includes a bike path and many businesses on the Ocean Front Walk.
5. The Grove
This sprawling outdoor mall is one of California's most popular malls. Before hitting the shops, hop aboard the free double-decker Grove Trolley to the Original Farmer's Market, where you can browse gourmet groceries and specialty foods. Back at the mall, you'll find a range of fashion-forward brands and pop-up shops. When hungry, choose from classic American grub, Italian dining, or fast food. Be sure to stay for the spectacular light show at the Dancing Fountain. Visit The Grove as part of an LA highlights tour or as a self-guided retail therapy.
6. Petersen Automotive Museum
 |
| By David Zaitz - Own work |
The Petersen Automotive Museum is an automobile museum located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles. One of the world's largest collections, the Petersen Automotive Museum is a nonprofit organization specializing in automobile history and related educational programs.
7. Hollywood Sign
 |
| pixabay.com |
e Hollywood sign is an American landmark and cultural icon that overlooks Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. Originally a Hollywoodland landmark, it sits on Wood Hill above Beechwood Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains. The word "HOLLYWOODLAND" stands in 50-foot-tall (15.2 m) white capital letters and 450 feet (137.2 m) long, originally erected in 1923 as a temporary advertisement for a local real estate development. Due to increased recognition, the mark remained in 1949 with the removal of the last four letters "LAND". In 1978, the sign was completely replaced with a more durable all-steel 45-foot (13.7 m) structure and concrete base. Among the best-known landmarks in California and the United States, the landmark is frequently seen in popular culture, especially establishing shots for movies and television shows set in or around Hollywood. Signs of a similar style, but different spellings of words, are often found ironically. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce holds trademark rights to a wordmark with staggered letters that mimic the physical Hollywood sign, for certain uses, but it does not own rights to the actual mark or the Walk of Fame. Filmmakers benefit from knowing that the Chamber of Commerce has no rights in USTPO Class 41. entertainment
Because of its widespread recognition, the sign has been a frequent target of pranks and vandalism over the decades. It has since been renovated, including the installation of a security system to prevent vandalism. The Hollywood Sign Trust, governed by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, is a volunteer organization dedicated to maintaining, protecting and promoting the landmark, but has no legal ownership of the landmark or surrounding land, which is part of Griffith Park. Visitors can walk to the sign from the Bronson Canyon entrance to Griffith Park or from the Griffith Observatory. There is also a trail near the Hollywood Reservoir outside of Griffith Park, which, although not an access point, has a popular scenic vista point near Hollywood Park.
8. Battleship USS Iowa Museum
 |
| Image by Brent Connelly from Pixabay |
The battleship USS Iowa proudly served our country during WWII, Korea and the Cold War. Today, the historic US Navy Ship Los Angeles is a unique landmark and considered one of the region's best outdoor museums for families and visitors of all ages. Follow in the footsteps of the sailors and our mischievous pet and experience first hand why Vicky the Dog is known as "The Battle of the Presidents", "The Gray Ghost" and "The Big Stick". Add a behind-the-scenes guided tour to explore off-limits areas for the public and hear first-hand accounts of service, dedication and bravery. You and your family will make lasting memories during your visit to the Battleship USS Iowa. You can enjoy the museum with virtual and in-person tour options. Individual options are in line with current Department of Health guidelines for Covid-19.
9. Crypto.com Arena
 |
| By Troutfarm27 - Own work |
Crypto.com Arena (stylized as Crypto.com Arena; formerly Staples Center) is a multipurpose indoor arena in downtown Los Angeles. Opened as the Staples Center on October 17, 1999, it is located along Figueroa Street adjacent to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex and has since been considered part of LA Live. Owned and operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), it is home to the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL)—both of which are part-owned by AEG. Founder Philip Anschutz, as well as the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. The NBA's Los Angeles Clippers also played at the arena from 1999 to 2024, before moving to their new stadium in Inglewood, the Intuit Dome.
From 1999 to 2024, it was the only arena in the NBA shared by two teams, and one of only three North American professional sports venues (along with SoFi Stadium in nearby Inglewood and New Jersey's MetLife Stadium) to host two teams. The same league. The venue is also frequently used for major concerts, and has frequently hosted the Grammy Awards since its opening. Crypto.com Arena will host the gymnastics competition at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Crypto.com Arena has 950,000 square feet (88,257.9 m2) of total space, with a 94-foot (28.7 m) and 200-foot (61.0 m) arena floor. It is 150 feet (45.7 m) tall. The arena seats up to 19,067 for basketball, 18,145 for ice hockey, and up to 20,000 for concerts or other sporting events. Two-thirds of the stadium's seats are in the lower bowl, including 2,500 club seats. There are also 160 luxury suites, including 15 banquet suites on three levels between the lower and upper bowls. The arena attendance record was set on January 25, 2009 by a fight between world WBA welterweight champion Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley with a crowd of 20,820.
10. Walt Disney Concert Hall
 |
| Image by Falkenpost from Pixabay |
The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center and was designed by Frank Gehry. It was inaugurated on 23 October 2003. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, and 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 and serves as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, among other purposes. The hall is a compromise between a vintage-style seating configuration like Hans Scharoun's Berliner Philharmonie and a classic shoebox design like the Vienna Musikverein or Boston Symphony Hall. In 1987, Lillian Disney gave an initial gift of $50 million to build a concert venue as a gift to the people of Los Angeles and a tribute to Walt Disney's devotion to art and the city. Gehry's architecture and acoustics of the concert hall, designed by Minoru Nagata, and the final finish overseen by Nagata's assistant and protégé Yasuhisa Toyota, unlike its predecessor, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, have been praised.
The Walt Disney Concert Hall was designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. Although a well-accomplished architect at the time of the design, Gehry appeared to be an unsuitable candidate for the job when Disney was looking for a designer for the family hall. Discussing his thoughts at the time of choosing the architect, despite the fact that the site of the Walt Disney Concert Hall is in his hometown of Los Angeles, California, “It was the least of my thoughts. Gehry's opinion was endorsed by representatives of the Disney family. Gehry says he was told, "Under no circumstances would Walt Disney's name be on any building I would design." Much of this skepticism came from the traditional nature of his architecture. With Gehry's reputation for relying on cheap materials used in unconventional ways, with the Walt Disney Concert Hall being a high-budget and elegantly designed project, Gehry was not seen as the right candidate for the job, however Commissioned, he produced a design that caught the eye of Walt Disney's widow, while producing a beautiful structure that incorporated elements of the Deconstructionist architecture for which he was famous.
11. Los Angeles County Museum of Art
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is an art museum located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Wonder Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles. LACMA is located on Museum Row next to the La Brea Tar Pits (George C. Page Museum). LACMA was founded in 1961, separated from the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art. Four years later, it moved to the Wilshire Boulevard complex designed by William Pereira. The museum's wealth and collections grew in the 1980s, with several building additions beginning in that decade and continuing in subsequent decades. LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States. It attracts nearly one million visitors annually. It houses more than 150,000 works spanning the history of art from ancient times to the present. In addition to art exhibits, the museum features film and concert series.