1. Warner Bros. Studio Tour
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour offers visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the production of television shows and movies. Unlike the action-packed Universal Studio Tour, a visit to Warner Bros. in Burbank is less about glitz and glam and more about the skill of creating movies and television series.
Usually, the tour lasts for two to three hours and includes stops at the Soundstage, where the Big Bang Theory is filmed, as well as the Archive and Prop House, which are brimming with props and costumes from a variety of films, including the Harry Potter series and the DC Universe.
The Backlot features familiar jungle, Midwest town, New York, and Western sets, while the Picture Car Vault has a collection of Warner Bros. production automobiles, including six Batmobiles.
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour is located in Burbank, which is about a 30-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles. The studio offers a variety of tours, including the Deluxe Tour and the VIP Tour.
Insider Tip: Tickets for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour can be purchased in advance online. Tours typically sell out, so it is advisable to book tickets in advance.
2. La Brea Tar Pits and Page Museum
The La Brea Tar Pits are a group of tar pits around which Hancock Park was formed in urban Los Angeles. The tar pits are the result of an oily substance seeping up from the ground and becoming trapped in pockets of water. Over time, the tar pits have preserved the bones of animals that became trapped in the sticky substance.
As the lighter fractions of the Salt Lake Oil Field evaporated, the heavy oil would seep to the surface and turn into thick natural tar. The tar would be coated in a coating of water or dead leaves, ready to entice and preserve unwary mammoths, saber-toothed cats, bison, horses, and dire wolves.
The La Brea Tar Pits are located in Hancock Park, which is adjacent to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits is dedicated to the study and exhibition of the tar pits and their animal remains.
Insider Tip: Admission to the Page Museum includes a self-guided tour of the tar pits, as well as access to the museum’s exhibitions. The Page Museum is open daily.
3. Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Resort is made up of two theme parks, Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, which are connected by the outdoor retail district Downtown Disney.
It all started in 1955 with the opening of Disneyland Park, which was overseen by Walt Disney himself. Today, Disneyland Park is home to eight themed lands, including Main Street U.S.A., Critter Country, Fantasyland, Mickey’s Toontown, Tomorrowland, New Orleans Square, Frontierland, and Adventureland.
Disney California Adventure, which opened in 2001, is based on the history and culture of California. The park is divided into seven themed lands: Buena Vista Street, Hollywood Land, Grizzly Peak, The Twilight Zone Tower of TerrorTM, Condor Flats, A Bug’s Land, and Cars Land.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, a new territory created in conjunction with Lucasfilm, debuted in 2019. The Main Street parades, of course, are a huge part of the excitement, especially for younger guests.
Insider Tip: Disneyland Resort is located in Anaheim, which is about a 30-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles. Guests can purchase tickets for one or both of the parks, as well as Park Hopper tickets, which allow guests to visit both parks on the same day.
4. Walt Disney Concert Hall
The Walt Disney Concert Hall is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center, and it is considered to be one of the most acoustically sophisticated concert halls in the world. The hall was designed by Frank Gehry and opened in 2003.
This concert hall is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, as well as the Los Angeles Master Chorale. The hall has a capacity of over two thousand people and features state-of-the-art acoustics.
The Walt Disney Concert Hall is located in downtown Los Angeles. Guests can take a self-guided tour of the concert hall or attend one of the many concerts and events that are held there throughout the year.
Insider Tip: The Walt Disney Concert Hall offers a variety of tours, including the SoundScape Tour, which is a one-hour tour that focuses on the hall’s acoustics, and the Backstage Tour, which is a two-hour tour that takes guests behind the scenes of the concert hall.
5. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
The lavishly designed Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on the Walk of Fame is steeped in Hollywood history. It opened in 1927 with the premiere of Cecil B. DeMille’s King of Kings and has been a major movie palace ever since, hosting numerous world premieres.
This theatre was built by Hollywood mogul Sid Grauman and is best known for its signature forecourt, which features the hand and footprints of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. The theatre is also home to the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX, one of the world’s largest IMAX screens.
The King of Kings, directed by Cecil B. DeMille, was released in 1927. Darth Vader, C-3PO, and R2D2 were photographed on the concrete courtyard to mark the 1977 premiere of Star Wars.
This practice is said to date back to 1927, when actress Norma Talmadge stumbled on wet pavement here, and hundreds of movie stars have left their signatures and prints throughout the subsequent 90 years.
Insider Tip: The Grauman’s Chinese Theatre IMAX offers moviegoers an immersive experience with state-of-the-art sound and visuals. Guests can purchase tickets for individual movies or buy a package that includes a tour of the theatre.
6. Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a 17,500-seater amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills with views of the Hollywood Sign to the northeast. It is a long-standing landmark and a fantastic spot to see live music.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s summer home, as well as the seat of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, is located here (formed in 1990). The present shell at the Hollywood Bowl is the fifth to be constructed.
Frank Lloyd Wright created the second and third shells, however, they barely lasted a season apiece in the 1920s. The fourth shell, from 1929, was designed by architect George Stanley and lasted until 2003. The current shell is made of steel and concrete, with a design that evokes the bowl’s setting in a canyon.
It is considered one of the best places to hear live music in Los Angeles and has hosted everyone from Fred Astaire to the Beatles.
The Hollywood Bowl is located in Hollywood, just a few minutes drive from Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Guests can purchase tickets for individual concerts or buy a package that includes a tour of the Hollywood Bowl Museum.
Insider Tip: The Hollywood Bowl offers a variety of tours, including the Backstage Tour, which takes guests behind the scenes of the concert hall, and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Tour, which is a one-hour tour that focuses on the history of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.
Featured Image Credit: dot.LA
