42 Best Sights in Los Angeles, California

This rustically chic, 780-foot fishing dock is a great place to drink in the sunset, take in some coastal views, or watch local fishermen reel up a catch. A pier has jutted out on this spot since the early 1900s; storms destroyed the last one in 1995, and it was rebuilt in 2001. Today, it's officially a state park. Over the years, private developers have worked with the state to refurbish the pier, which now yields offerings like a gift shop, water-sport and beach rentals, and a wonderful farm-to-table restaurant with stunning views and locations at both ends of the pier. Seasonal sightseeing and whale-watching excursions are offered from a 50-foot tour boat, the Malibu Waverider.

This museum unflinchingly confronts bigotry and racism. One of its most affecting sections covers the Holocaust, with film footage of deportations and concentration camps. Upon entering, you are issued a "passport" bearing the name of a child whose life was dramatically changed by the Nazis; as you go through the exhibit, you learn the fate of that child. Another exhibit called Anne: The Life and Legacy of Anne Frank brings her story to life through immersive environments, multimedia presentations, and interesting artifacts, while Simon Wiesenthal's Vienna office is set exactly as the famous "Nazi hunter" had it while conducting his research that brought more than 1,000 war criminals to justice.

Interactive exhibits include The Forum where visitors can examine and debate solutions to controversial topics facing our nation today such as immigration, policing, homelessness, the pandemic, and bigotry; We the People, which looks at U.S. history from the 1600s up to the attack on the Capitol on January 6th, 2021, with an immense interactive wall; and the Point of View Experience, a four-sided glass cube that presents a different individual's perspective on a particular situation facing society. Plan to spend at least three hours touring the museum; making a reservation is especially recommended for Sunday and holiday visits.

The hot ticket at this Beaux Arts–style museum completed in 1913 is the Dinosaur Hall, whose more than 300 fossils include adult, juvenile, and baby skeletons of the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex. The Discovery Center lets kids and curious grown-ups touch real animal pelts, and the Insect Zoo gets everyone up close and personal with the white-eyed assassin bug and other creepy crawlers. A massive hall displays dioramas of animals in their natural habitats. Also look for pre-Columbian artifacts and crafts from the South Pacific, or priceless stones in the Gem and Mineral Hall. Outdoors, the 3½-acre Nature Gardens shelter native plant and insect species and contain an expansive edible garden.

Don't miss out on the Dino lab, where you can watch paleontologists unearth and clean real fossils.

Sandier and less private than most of the rocky beaches surrounding it, this little beach is great for picnics. You can sit at a picnic table high up on a bluff overlooking the ocean or cast out a fishing line. Surfers call it Zero Beach because the waves take the shape of a hollow tube when winter swells peel off the reef. Peak weather attracts local food trucks. This site also hosts a 4-acre traditional Chumash village, which replicates a day in the life of the indigenous Chumash people, including their homes, canoes, handicrafts, and ceremonies. Request a guided tour in advance. Amenities: parking (fee); lifeguards; toilets; showers. Best for: solitude; surfing; walking; windsurfing.

The city's cultures come together in one of its oldest parks, named in honor of World War I general John J. Pershing. Opened in 1866, the park was renovated in the 1990s by architect Ricardo Legorreta and landscape architect Laurie Olin with faded pastel-color walls, fountains, and towers. However, most Downtown residents and architecture lovers are not fans of the design and have long lobbied for a makeover, which is perennially rumored to be unveiled. From mid-November to mid-January, an outdoor ice-skating rink attracts ice-skaters and families. Every Wednesday 10--2 is the Pershing Square Farmers' Market.  The park will undergo a significant overhaul for much of 2023 and into 2024.

Located in the heart of the famed Griffith Observatory, the 290-seat Samuel Oschin Planetarium may be on the modest side as far as planetariums are concerned, but the shows held here are no less epic and electrifying. This state-of-the-art theater has an aluminum dome and a Zeiss star projector that plays awe-inspiring multimedia exhibitions that address the mystery of the cosmos. There are typically three 30-minute ticketed shows in rotation, so be sure to allow time to catch one while spending a day at the park.  Sit in the back for the best experience.

Take advantage of SoCal's legendary weather by spending a day in L.A.'s second biggest city park, which includes a Japanese Garden, soccer and baseball fields, a wildlife reserve, three golf courses, a model airplane fly zone, a dog park, tennis and basketball courts, playgrounds, and bike/running paths. Swan boats and bikes can be rented to paddle or circumnavigate Lake Balboa, especially pretty when the plum trees are in bloom. In summer, there are kayak excursions along the re-wilded section of the L.A. River that cuts through it. The recreation area will host skateboarding, archery, and BMX racing and freestyle (basically invented in The Valley) events at the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Ride the concrete waves or watch others display a wide range of ability levels as they careen around this universally beloved skatepark, situated between the beach and the boardwalk in Venice. There's also an impressive crew of disco roller skaters, and drum circles that gravitate toward the middle of the boardwalk. Lessons are offered frequently, and there is an abundance of skate shops nearby if you are infected with the sudden need to hit the half pipe.

More than 200 art galleries, antiques shops, fashion outlets, and interior design stores are found here near 30 restaurants, including the famous paparazzi magnet, the Ivy. All are clustered within walking distance of each other—rare for L.A.

Directly across from the Pacific Design Center, this public library is filled with resources in a floor-to-ceiling glass multistory building. They also have an impressive children's library and LGBTQ+ book collection. Park in the nearby city parking complex.

This clean, sandy, 3-mile beach, with a dozen volleyball nets, gymnastics equipment, and a playground for kids, is an all-around favorite. The surf is gentle, perfect for swimmers and beginning surfers, and crowds are frequently smaller than in other spots along the shore. However, it's best to avoid the beach after a storm, when untreated water flows from storm drains into the sea. Amenities: parking; lifeguards; toilets; food and drink; showers. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Straight out of a Looney Tunes cartoon, this activity-focused playground with oversize replicas of familiar objects offers lessons along with some fun. The whole family can gain tidbits of knowledge on earthquakes, animals, and insects. Explore gravity in the Physics Forest, which features 12 interactive experiences. In the sunny atrium, kids assume the role of ants on their daring ascent. Outside they can run and climb along a running river or take on a tricycle race. The museum is practically designed to wear out the little ones and give parents a much-needed break.