Griffith Park and Griffith Observatory

Griffith Park is 4,310 acres of hills in the middle of Los Angeles, and Griffith Observatory sits on its southern slope. Most visitors drive straight to the Observatory and circle for the closest lot. You get a better day by parking lower down and walking up, then seeing the parts of the park that fewer people get to, like the old zoo on the east side.

What's Worth Seeing

The Observatory opened in 1935 and admission is free. Go inside even if you came for the view. The rotunda has ceiling and wall murals by Hugo Ballin and a Foucault pendulum showing the Earth turning, and the exhibit halls include a large Moon globe and a Tesla coil. Planetarium shows are listed separately on the Observatory's site, so check there if you want to catch one.

Outside, the front lawn holds the Astronomers Monument, which honors six astronomers including Galileo and Newton. From up here you get views over Los Angeles and across to the Hollywood Sign.

The Old Zoo is the part many people miss. The old Griffith Park Zoo sat in a canyon north of the merry-go-round from 1912 until the 1960s, and the stone grottoes and cages were left standing after it closed. Today it is a picnic area, and you can walk right into the old enclosures. Bee Rock, the hive-shaped point on the ridge above, is a short climb from there if you want a look down over the grounds.

The Hollywood Sign is on Mount Lee, and the ground around the sign is closed to the public. Enjoy it from the park's trails and from the Observatory.

How to Get There

The Observatory is at 2800 E Observatory Rd. Parking near it is limited and the closest spots are paid, and the Observatory warns that the road can close when traffic backs up. Evenings, weekends, summer, spring break and holidays are the busiest.

The easiest way up is the DASH Observatory/Los Feliz bus from the Vermont/Sunset Metro station. There is no parking at that station, so come by train or get dropped off.

You can also park in the Greek Theatre area, up to a mile downhill, and walk up, or take the trails from the Greek Theatre or Fern Dell. Parking near the Greek is not available after 1:00 p.m. on concert nights. The Observatory's getting here page has the current details, and its visit page has the hours, so check them first because the building is not open every day.

For the Old Zoo, there is parking by the picnic area, and the larger merry-go-round lot is a short walk away.

Nearby

• The Greek Theatre is the park's outdoor concert venue, just below the Observatory.
• The Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round is close to the Old Zoo.
• Travel Town on the north side of the park has old trains and a miniature train ride, good with kids.
• The Los Angeles Zoo is also in the park, about five miles north of the Old Zoo.