Griffith Observatory Reviews

Fun stop! Best views of la, and if you can hike, definitely a great workout! Make sure to pack some water and sunglasses!!

The Griffith Observatory offer some of the most Incredible views of Los Angeles. There are also great exhibits. You can also see the Hollywood sign when there. There is a just one road up and one road down. There is parking along the road and also up at the observatory. There are also public restrooms.

The views are amazing. Definitely worth visiting.

Strongly suggest that you start hiking from bottom of the hill where the free parking is. The hike takes about 15-20min. Don't wait and take the shuttle bus. On the day we visited, we waited 40min but the bus hadn't come. Even if it came, it would be very crowded and the road to the Observatory was heavily jammed with other private vehicles trying to use paid parking on top of the hill. There are actually very limited paid parking spaces. So most of the cars just drove up and down after hours' waiting on the road. We went there around 6pm. Maybe it is the most popular time.

Enjoyed our time at the Griffith Observatory including the Observatory and exhibits itself. In the Observatory there was so much to do, you could easily spend half a day just exploring the science of space in there. We enjoyed the session on Comets.
We took the DASH to get down the hill. It was quick and efficient and quite regular.
Overall, I would definitely suggest a visit to the Observatory for the science & views across the hills and city.

Our friends have been telling us not to miss visiting the Griffith Observatory when visiting LA. The observatory itself was not open on the day we visited, and that's fine as we simply wanted to walk the grounds and enjoy the views. Great view of the city and the Hollywood Sign. Enjoy a plesant stroll around the grounds.
Enjoy!

Great views of the city. Very cool to see a place we have been seeing on tv and movies for the past years.

Plenty to see, and the planetarium is worth doing. Parking can be a challenge; I would never try to park in the main lot on a weekend. It's a busy place!!

Traffic can get very busy going up the steep road to it and finding parking. Grab a spot as soon as you think you can walk from that spot because the lot up top might be full and you'd have to circle all the way back around. It says to pay for parking but we went in mid June all the meters were covered and out of order so we did not pay.
The views were stunning, could see all of LA and the Hollywood sign without needing to hike anywhere. The building itself was super cool, exhibits on the planets, seasons, sun dials, etc.

Amazing panoramic views of LA. The exhibits were fascinating, and the planetarium show left me in awe of the universe's vastness. It's definitely a place I'll visit regularly.

Went up here with a friend after being stuck in LA traffic for 1.5h's. It was quite a long drive to get up there, and since we were there in time for sunset it was also a bit crowded. We were lucky to get a parking spot close by. I recommend arriving early to deal with parking!

Despite it being a bit crowded the views were amazing and did't disappoint. You can also see the Hollywood sign from here, which was a nice surprise.

The complicated thing about the Observatory is getting there. I recommend visiting during the week and the earlier the better to avoid traffic and get a spot for the car. The Observatory parking lot is small and fills up quickly, if that happens you have to stop on the outside road and it can be far away. After 12 they charge parking everywhere $10 an hour.

The views from the Observatory are some of the best in the city, including the Hollywood sign. Admission is free except for the Planetarium. An excellent place to spend a couple of hours.

Our first attempt to visit the observatory was dashed due to an event being on in The Greek. It was a tad chaotic and parking was impossible. We did try again however on another date, luckily we did get parking in the upper lot (paid per hr). We spent a bit of time wander the observatory, including the roof which included a short free talk showcasing the telescope, so that was an added bonus. You certainly can make your time here as long or as short as you like, really comes down to personal preference. There are also a number of walking trails you can take from here.

First thing done just arrived in Los angels. Very nice view of the city and the famous hill with the sign Hollywood, although a little 'distant. It should still be visited because it is truly a symbol of the city

Amazing views, great value. See the city from a unique perspective, take a hike and check out the observatory all for free! It is a bit crowded (we were there on a holiday) but the presenters (especially Oscar) were awesome. He even hung out and answered questions one on one. Made for a great experience.

Griffith Observatory is one of the famous sightseeing spots in Los Angeles. There are many exhibits about the universe in it. The SAMUEL OSCHIN PLANETARIUM is very excellent. The night sights on Griffith Observatory is beautiful. I like it very much.

Our family loved our visit to Griffith! We had planned a brief stop to take photos of the Hollywood Sign and of the LA skyline, and didn't realize that Griffith is a large science museum with many free exhibits (we didn't pay for separate planetarium entrance, which seemed unnecessary given all of the great free exhibits). There were lots of fun and informative exhibits re: astronomy, and the kids loved it. Overall very much worth a 2 hour stop and you can't beat the price!

Absolutely amazing place. Free entry, great knowledgeable lecturers and if you wait until sunset the most amazing views over the Hollywood hills. Once the sun has set you can use the telescopes to star gaze - this is a free activity.
You pay for movies in the planetarium but it is well worth it.
Obviously for those who are movie addicts- there is the Lala Land connection as well

Great views , Free Attraction and very Nostalgic place, as seen in multiple movies … recommend taking the Free Bus 🚌… from sunset

Spectacular views of Los Angeles and a beautiful astronomical observatory on the hill with interesting interiors to discover the beauties of the Universe

Been twice, once late in the evening and once during the day until sunset.
A really beautiful view.
Inside many things you can learn about the stars, planets. Sun Moon.
Also being able to see a star with a gigantic telescope and the moon with another telescope. People who work there are helpful, friendly and know what they are talking about. You can also take beautiful pictures of the Hollywood sign from there.

Beware of large spiders, scorpions or snakes walking on the grass.

We did not pay any entrance fee.
But walking there if you have difficulty walking is not possible.
Luckily we were allowed to park the 2x upstairs. (Very pricey)

Films were also taken at that location, such as Transformers.

Wonderful view of LA at night. It is a magical and very interesting place. I seem to remember that it was free. Highly recommended.

This was my first visit to Griffith Observatory. We went on a Sunday night shortly before sunset which is a very popular time to visit. We parked on the street leading up to the observatory because we weren’t sure if there would be spots at the top. I tried to pay for parking but every machine I went to was broken. I saw only a handful of people who actually paid and displayed their tickets. Trying to pay was very frustrating, confusing and a huge waste of time. Also it seems that they are missing out on a huge amount of revenue.

The area by the observatory gives a great view of the hills around the Hollywood sign and of downtown. It was fun to see the area change as the sun set. We spent some time looking in the exhibits inside. If you want to see the Planetarium show I would buy it ahead of time as there was a very long line inside. We also wanted to look through the large telescope on the roof but there was an extremely long line. We had a great visit to the Griffith Observatory and would recommend it to anyone visiting Los Angeles.

“Griffith Observatory: A Must-Visit with Stunning Views”

Griffith Observatory is a fascinating place that offers more than just a peek into the cosmos. The exhibits are informative, making complex topics feel accessible, but the real highlight is the incredible view. From the observatory, you get a stunning overlook of Los Angeles, with the iconic Hollywood sign perfectly visible on a clear day.

You don’t need to buy a ticket to enjoy most of what the observatory has to offer. Tickets are only required for the planetarium shows, so you can still see plenty, including the exhibits and the breathtaking scenery, without spending extra.

For those driving, there’s ample parking up the hill, much closer to the observatory than the spaces near the entrance. Just make sure to note that dogs aren’t allowed inside the observatory, though they’re welcome on the grounds and nearby trails.

If you’re a fan of hiking, you’re in luck. There are several trails around the area that offer even more fantastic views and a chance to explore Griffith Park. Whether you’re here for the science or just to take in the city from above, the observatory is well worth a visit. Just be sure to go on a clear day for the best experience!

Great experience! Would highly recommend stopping here if in town. Go early to beat the rush! Also fyi check the times the observatory itself is open. We went early and unfortunately were unable to go inside but on the other hand was nice because there wasn’t a big crowd and tons of parking!

Such a beautiful place with a lot of history. Make sure to go on a weekday since the weekends are packed

Excellent and stimulating visit. Entry is free and adult tickets to the planetarium lecture is just $10/adult. Would like to have stayed longer as there was much to read and absorb. The lecture and over head projection in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium was exceptional and absolutely fascinating. A must visit location. Highgly recommended.

We just paid for parking( 2 hours) and did all the free stuff inside. The entrance is free so a great responsibly cost outing.

Fantastic views of the city. Went at sunset and was blown away by the views of the city and surrounds. Views of Hollywood sign and city. Had a chance to watch the Tesla Coil demonstration which was pretty amazing.

Getting there by Uber worked well

We were here for the Star Party. It was BUSY! It was really great to talk with the astronomers on the lawn and have a look through their scopes! There are few opportunities for people to take a look through telescopes like that, and so this was a really enjoyable night!

We parked near the Greek Theatre and took the Dash bus up the hill which was free. However, the road to get up the hill is full of traffic, so it was a very slow go. The first bus was too full by the time it got to us, and the next bus was late because there was so much traffic on the road. Next time, I'd park lower down the hill and get on this bus earlier. We just walked down the hill at the end of the night, bc it was a long line up to get on a bus down.

This place is a must do and see! The exhibits are phenomenal, the staff are so incredibly knowledgable and it was just brilliant!
Views from here are fantastic too.
Totally free as well which is a real bonus.
Children and adults will enjoy a visit, particularly if you have any interest in science and space and stars.

Situated in Griffith Park, you have some of the best views of LA you will find including the famous Hollywood sign. It is free to enter and there are some amazing things to look at inside along with guides who will answer any questions you have. On the outside there is the Astronomers Monument and a James Dean bust; Rebel Without a Cause was partly filmed here. It was quite busy the afternoon we went and we parked further down the hill and walked up. This is a definite must do when visiting LA.

We hiked up there for the view late in the evening and it was great. We disnt actually see too much inside as we still had to eat, but what we did see was amazing and it was worth every second we spend there

We drove up here on a whim with no idea what to expect and I am so glad we did! The museum does not require any admission cost and you can just wander around the property and on the roof. There is a gift shop but it was closed while we were there. Great views of the city and the hills.
The museum was very cool. Lots of wonderful things to see. On the roof, you can see the telescope. There is a planetarium show but we did not attend. If there is not parking at the top, you may ne to park along the road and walk. I imagine the parking lot gets busy around sunset.
Initially, I was so confused because you drive through a neighborhood to get there (sorry people that live there, I bet that stinks). There was a ton of traffic because there was a concert at The Greek that day but coming down was fine. I think we just missed it.

Amazing views, Parking need a lot of work but very informative indeed with panoramic views of LA and ofcourse the Hollywood sign

Coming here with a 3yr old kid and 2 senior citizens via commute was a bit challenging but otherwise okay. Nice view. You can even take a pic of the Hollywood sign from the deck. Good for young children who appreciates astronomy. Hard to get a ride down though. It was chaos to book and Uber and buses are all full. Might have been better to come with you own rental but parking is another challenge.

Nice view. View across Los Angeles as well as the famous Hollywood sign in the distance. Entrance is free, you only pay $10 for parking. In the square in front of the observatory it is almost impossible to find a place, but there is parking available all along the road.

I tried to put trip with family but nothing on there

It was a amazing trip. View was amazing. Articles fantastic. Only one thing I didn’t like was price of car parking. Other than that a very enjoyable trip. If back in los angelos I will visit again. ☺️

We got to the observatory around 6 on a Wednesday. There was plenty of parking on the street near the top (by the observatory parking lot) and there was no backlog of cars going up or down. We had to try two meters to find one that worked. Judging by the lack of receipts on car dashboards though, it seemed many people didn't pay the meter.
There was a lot to look at on the main floor of the observatory. To get to the popular telescope, you have to climb the stairs on either side OUTside of the building. And when you go downstairs inside the building to view more exhibits, go to the cafe, or visit the gift shop, follow either of the hallways to get there (the signage wasn't super obvious).
We spent 3 casual hours at the observatory looking at exhibits, looking through telescopes, watching the sunset, snacking at the cafe, and looking at the gift shop. Highly recommended; this was my teenage daughters favorite stop during our tourist trip to LA.

The idea was to visit it at sunset, but we had to move forward to mid-afternoon to leave enough time for other attractions. The Observatory is worth both inside and out, for the view you can enjoy over L.A. and on the Hollywood sign.
That's probably why the place is always crowded and parking is a lottery.

The observatory offers a decent trade-off between scientic presentation and entertainment for the whole family. However, one of the major reasons the climb this mountain is the spectacular view on LA. A must see.

We loved our visit to this iconic LA landmark. We arrived late afternoon and stayed for sunset, which was amazing. Although it was busy, there was plenty of space for everyone. The views of the whole city and the Hollywood sign were outstanding. Really appreciated the free DASH shuttle bus too! And free entry to the observatory itself! An absolute must-do when visiting LA.

Very busy but we went around 2 and were able to find parking closer to the actual observatory. It was great we could see the Hollywood sign from there. Inside was fun. We loved to see how much we would weigh on each of the other planets.

Stunning views across the city and the Hollywood hills - including the Hollywood sign(if you have a zoom on your camera!).
It was unfortunate on our visit that a number of the displays were out of action/broken in the observatory itself. But it is fascinating. Weren't quite prepared for the $10 per hour car parking charges - and no, there is no FREE car parking. Unless you come on a bus!

Be sure to go at sunrise. Not many people there and an incredible view. Absolutely worth it. Makes for great photos and videos for the gallery.

Great to see but so packed and luckily we were on a tour as parking looks to be a nightmare
Plenty of things to see and loads having picnics

One of the places where people go to see Hollywood sign. If this is your main purpose, similarly as it was for me, I recommend to visit the place early in the morning, which is before 10 AM. Then more people shows up and the parking lot at the top of the hill starts to be paid.
I don't think that Hollywood sign is that majestic from this hill, but well, it's a viewpoint option.
There are free to use toilets at the top of the hill, which is nice.

Fantastic views, hard to get parking, it's $10 for 1 hour which is enough time if you park near the observatory. Queues to get there are massive. Views of Hollywood sign and across LA.

Beautiful views and the impressive observatory, we went in to see the presentation and we lost the tour bus where we were but everything was fine, it was easy to take an Uber and return to the hotel. It was definitely worth it.

great place for nite view . oversee LA downtown. there is a hiking trail leadibg to tge observatory if you do not want to drive up.

lots of different show for yr enjoyment.

I recommend watching a Basketball match on Crypto arena.com, visiting the Sta Monica pier and Venice beach was a very pleasant experience and Griffith Observatory, then? It's worth checking out the collection and attending a session. It's a big city, a little dirty, where it's easy to get around by public transport, but the presence of countless homeless people, drug users and "subway crazy people" causes a feeling of insecurity, I felt like I was in a recording of "The Walking Dead ".

We spent nearly 3 weeks road tripping across California and this was the best thing we did. The trek and view is barely believable and looks better in person than in photos. The shows in the Planetarium cost $10, but it's the best $10 you will spend anywhere in LA, maybe the whole USA - the graphics were spectacular and the in house narrator was captivating. Staff were also brilliant when we alerted them to a First Aid issue outside.

This is a really good place to catch a look at the City of Angels…But go early in the morning, because it gets packed. I went with a tour, and we were stuck in traffic for 15 minutes. Truly a beautiful place!

I'm really angry. I've been to Griffith Observatory many times. Never before have we had to pay to park. Now you do, and I'm not even talking about just in the parking lot, I'm talking about on the hill leading up to the Oberservatory. Now they want the ridiculous price of $10 an hour to park. First of all, no parking meters were working except for a few at the top of the hill. Second of all, those meters are in really bad shape...cracked screens, unreadable buttons and unable to even press certain buttons. Third of all, how do you know how much time you are going to spend at the Observatory. What a joke. The employees say it's not the Observatory, but the Park. Supposedly rangers patrol, but how do they know if you paid for parking at the top of the hill or not. I don't even think it's enforced, which is sad for those few people who did pay. Most people I asked, did not. Again, what a joke. My husband was nervous about it, and wanted to pay. We could not press the button we wanted, so we pressed another that gave us one-hour parking. We were there much longer than one hour. Again, what a big joke.
However, the Observatory itself is as wonderful as always. So scenic with a wealth of information. My favorite is all the planet info on the lower level.

We visited the Griffith Observatory to watch the sunset from the top of the hill. The view was ok, it was a bit cloudy so we couldn't see much. And we actually arrived a bit late so we only had nighttime views.

Since the observatory was open until 10 pm we decided to have a walk there too. However, it was incredibly busy. I don't know if it is usually like this or if it was because it's one of the few free places in LA, or because it was just after sunset when a lot of people are around but we couldn't really enjoy it.

The sun telescope was closed as it was already nighttime when we got there, so we went to check out the night sky telescope. However, as there was no visibility that night the telescope was in exhibition mode (plus there was a long queue to get there - I can't imagine how long the queue would have been if the telescope was actually in operation.

We got there on foot after hiking to the Hollywood Sign but it took us a lot of time to figure out how to leave. Firstly, there wasn't a good phone reception so we couldn't easily use our mobile data to get an Uber. Even when we managed to get on the internet, Uber prices were very expensive and every time we found a lower fare, the drivers weren't accepting our request. We then decided to take the bus to at least get out of the park, but there was a long queue to get on the bus (which meant that we would probably have to wait for the second bus). Despite being in the line for around 15 minutes no bus appeared and considering that we would have to wait for two buses, we kept trying for an Uber until a driver accepted our request and drove us back. I guess the last resort we wouldn't be to walk back to the nearest road but considering that it was almost 10 pm we didn't want to do that. So if you don't have a car make sure you make arrangements about getting back.

Amazing views. Best to go at night. Limited parking. It has hiking paths. Hollywood sign can be seen here. Bring sunglasses and hats, as well as water if you plan to hike.

As others have mentioned, parking can be difficult. It's on a hill, and you certainly want to park in the lot and not hike up the hill. Avoid coming on the weekends, and you should be fine.
The views from the Observatory are breathtaking. You can see the Hollywood sign as well.
Inside the Observatory, they could use a little more structure. It's self guided, and when it's crowded, it's just sort of wall to wall wandering people bumping into you.
There are some very interesting exhibits and cool things to see inside.
We also did a show in the planetarium. It was hosted live and excellent.
If you are a lover of space and science, I think you'd really enjoy it.

This is a beautiful place where you can enjoy the views of Los Angeles. Access is free, but some shows cost money. Between cl. 19 and 21.30 the entrance to the main telescope was free. You could see Jupiter.
There were also two smaller telescopes available free of charge in front of the observatory. We saw Venus and Mars.

We drove there by car, but parking is not always easy to find 🙂 There are also shuttle buses there.
Highly recommended!

Definitely a must-do in LA. Awesome views. Very busy, but worth the extra time required to visit. Space exhibits inside and out were good.

The climb to the observatory is by car but the places are limited, we had to take a parking space much lower 30 minutes walk by dirt roads! Griffith Observatory was opened on May 14, 1935, after nearly two years of construction. It was financed by Griffith J. Griffith, who had offered the land to the town a few years earlier. Griffith Observatory is not only one of the world’s most famous astronomical observatories, it’s also a place to get the best views of Los Angeles, from Downtown to the Pacific Ocean, including Hollywood’s famous letters. The observatory is interesting and some interesting explanations inside.

The exhibitions are really well curated, taking the visitor through all aspects of the history of astronomy, our solar system and beyond.

The views over the DTLA and the mountains are sensational. It was a bit hazy, so not sure if you would see the ocean on a really clear day. A map at some point to tell you what you could see would be a welcome addition.

The best way to get here is in the Dash bus. Parking looked to be a nightmare. We also went a walk on the trails, which is a good way to get up.

The one downside was the dreadful cafe. Massively overpriced for pretty unpleasant sandwiches. I’m not knocking a mark off because it’s a concession - they need sacking off. Definitely advise visitors to take their own food up

On the day we visited it was extremely busy and after much circling around we eventually got parked near the bottom of the park. We walked up to the Observatory and walked around taking in the interior which was extremely busy but the walk around looking at the spectacular views across the city.

We went here for sunrise - and we had the place almost to ourself - maybe because it was a Monday and the Observatory was closed. We took an Uber that drove us all the way up and dropped us of in front of the Observatory. We had great views over LA and the Hollywood sign.
We walked in the Griffith park and all the way down to Los Feliz Blvd. - a great morning walk - topped of with a great breakfast at Stamp Proper Food.

Griffith Observatory = must see when in LA.

Griffith is a cool way of spending a good part of the day ... Lots of stuff to check out and the movies and history of the place was very neat ....Go early as it does get busy by lunch time ..

Griffith Observatory is a must-visit in Los Angeles! The location is fantastic, offering panoramic views of the city and the iconic Hollywood Sign. The observatory itself is beautiful, with fascinating exhibits on astronomy and space that are both educational and engaging.

One of the highlights was the planetarium show, which was well-presented and informative—a great experience for both adults and kids. The telescopes are available for public use, and looking at the stars and planets up close was an amazing experience.

Went on Canadian March break during the week and it is packed. It was an ok time, I mainly went as it has been in the landscape of so many movies and shows. Very nice views from the back patio. And the basement has cool stuff on planets. But is was way to busy to truly enjoy. Free parking way down the hill which is a bit of a hike. Nice trails to hike through here as well.

We spent our last evening on a week-long visit to SoCal here. We thought about parking at the bottom and then hiking up. We ended up parking near the observatory. The hike would have been long and difficult.

Once at the top, you have great views of the city. You are able to see the Hollywood sign clearly, and we were able to see the ocean as well. We didn't go in the observatory, but that is certainly an option while you're up here.

Great view of the city! But nothing more!! And the two stars were given for the view you see, especially at sunset! But the most disappointing thing is the parking problem. Let me explain better, I'm willing to pay and that's fine but at least if I pay I have to be comfortable!! In our case, after two laps we found ourselves parking the vehicle very far away and we walked uphill for 1 hour and spent 10 dollars! I'd say that's a bit exaggerated! Put a shuttle?! For sure if I go back to Los Angeles I will never go back to the observatory again

During the Bon holiday in Japan, I visited on August 11, 2024. We played at Universal Studios in the morning, leaving Universal by Uber around 8:30pm and arriving in about 30 minutes. There was a parking jam a few hundred meters from the observatory, but we managed to get to the ride-sharing spot in front of the observatory safely.
Uber cost $5kn $35 ($45 return).
Take the stairs to the left and right of the building for a panoramic view of the city. The endless night view below is amazing and worth a look.
Opening hours are until 10:00. You can go inside for free. It was the last Sunday of the summer vacation here, so many children came. The Tesla coil discharge demonstration is also quite worth watching.
It became a rush to get home after closing at 10:00pm, but Uber was able to do it for about 5 minutes without waiting.

Nice visit to the observatory from which you can enjoy a spectacular view of the city. Recommended the experience of screening at the Planetarium

It is a magnificent experience, it contains science and art, since important films such as Rebel Without a Cause and La la Land have been made there, to name a few. The telescope is free and we were able to see Mars without problems. Its impeccable facilities with unparalleled views of L.A.

We absolutely loved the Griffith Observatory and the planetarium. The views from the outside are beautiful. The exhibits inside are interesting - good enough to entertain you while you are waiting for the planetarium show. We watched the Centered in the Universe show and the whole family loved it. Visually it's beautiful and the narrator has a very smooth, soothing voice - it's an experience for all senses. And we really recommend the souvenir shop - got some really nice hoodies, jewellery made of real meteorites and other cool NASA-related stuff. This is a must when you are visiting Los Angeles, esp. if you have children who are into space exploration.

Griffith Observatory offers a brilliant mix of culture and nature. Perched high above Los Angeles, it’s a fantastic spot to take in the sprawling cityscape. The observatory itself feels timeless, and the interactive exhibits add a touch of wonder. Simply unforgettable!

Great facilities, plus it offers the most impressive view of LA in the evening, but you have to expect a lot of traffic, the parking spaces are in high demand

This was such an amazing experience. First, we really enjoyed the short walk up to the observatory. It was awesome looking down from the views while you made the walk up. Once we got to the observatory, I agreed to visit the show at the Planetarium, which is not something I usually like to do. It was awesome and I'm so glad we made the decision to watch the short show. This is a must stop if you want a beautiful view of LA and of all the surrounding scenery.

This was such a brilliant place to visit. The exhibitions themselves were really interesting, very interactive and the tesla demonstration was really good. The views over the city were really lovely and you could also see the hollywood sign. The highlight for me was the show where you go through space - it was so entertaining though I was so relaxed I kept falling asleep (not because it was boring but we had a crazy hectic itinerary and the seats were so comfortable, lying back in the dark I was out cold!). One of my favourite things I did in LA for sure and would definitely recommend.

There is more than one way to gaze at the stars in Los Angeles - this is my preferred way - at Griffith Observatory. Stunning sunset plus amazing views of downtown LA and the Hollywood sign...the Observatory itself has extensive educational displays inside and fabulous photos of our planets and greater universe. The building is also incredibly beautiful with lovely marble floors.

I consider this a must see when you go to LA. Just be prepared that anytime you go you will be walking at least a mile uphill to get to the observatory. Also. Food and drinks are not allowed inside the observatory except in the cafe. Be sure to eat or bring your own for a picnic outside because the cafe is ovvveeeerrrrpriced and not worth it. I recommend watching the intro video in the Lenord Nimoy to tell you about the observatory. It’s about 20 minutes long at every hour. The lines for tickets and the planetarium was outrageous. We decided to skip it. Not worth the wait I believe. The views at the top of the planetarium was amazing. It would be awesome at sunset and night but we did not want to fight the crowds. All of the exhibits were informative, interactive and visually appealing. As a HS science teacher, I was so excited to see all the information I have been teaching for years. Loved the day with my family.

Fantastic place to visit with amazing views! So much to see and interact with
Sunset was amazing and there is plenty of view points so even though busy didn’t feel it
Wasn’t clear on parking prior to go and $10 an hour if don’t want to hike up there! Had disabled badge but only 7 allocated spaces and all full and not much help when asked hence the 4 star review but experience was 5!

pretty good way to see LA and nice views lots of things to see inside and do I really enjoyed my time here it was so relaxing

Old observatory on the heights of Los Angeles
It is a high point, as with all observatories...

The interest of this place is to have an extraordinary general view of the entire region below, and particularly of the entire city of Angeles.
Obviously it is better for the sky to be clear and fog-free...

I was really looking forward to this but it was disappointing. We did not go for the sunset or to see through the telescopes that might have helped. We read it was crowded so went for the opening Thursday morning and it was still VERY crowded. The parking situation is ridiculous, we just sucked it up and paid for the main lot but you have to figure out how long you will be there and pay for that and there's no good way to adjust longer. We saw two shows and they were good. They had some good exhibits but it was just too crowded and a real pain to get to and leave. It might have helped if we had a good view too but you couldn't really see anything. Its iconic so I'm glad to be able to say I went but it was not a highlight for us at all.

Great ascent on foot to the Grigritth observatory. It was worth it, because we saw great views over the city of Los Angeles and the building is also very beautiful architecturally

Really cool place with a lot to see but definitely need to plan your trip out. You will battle crowds, parking, and more trying to visit. Check the Greek Theaters schedule and avoid going on a night they have an event because traffic is a lot worse on those days. Also, parking is iffy and you will have a hard time finding an open spot, but there is a free lot at the bottom that requires about a three quarter mile uphill walk. It isn’t bad in the morning or at night but middle of the day would be rough.

It is free, lot of activities and good views on Los Angelos. And it is very popular as we saw very long line of cars waiting to get to the top. A must visit place if you are in Los Angelos. And there were no marihuana smokers.

Truly a must-see stop in Hollywood! Perhaps little publicized, but of great scientific and cultural interest, suitable for any age!
Highly recommended!

Parking is tough in this area: You'll eventually find a space but it may require you hiking uphill quite a ways. Nice views of LA. I went on a Monday, which is the one day the indoor portion is closed, unfortunately.

One of the best views of Los Angeles with a bargain view of the Hollywood sign too! The observatory will keep you occupied for 1hr to 2hrs.
Entry is free and there is an easily accessible bus which takes you direct to the observatory from Melrose Avenue Sunset Boulevard , 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for seniors ! Lyft is readily available to take you to the bus but use the LA forum for people to reach out to for advice on transport .

Griffith Observatory sits high atop Los Angeles. You get a great view of the city and the Hollywood sign. If you want to look through the telescope you'll need to visit in the evening. Allow 2-4 hours to see everything and read all the information. It's a very interesting place to visit. Beautiful scenery and many informational displays.

This is a beautiful place to visit but it was super crowded the evening we were there so you couldn't really spend any time at the exhibits or get close to some things. Also, it was a little hard to get to the observatory. We parked in the lot by the Greek Theatre, which is free. The bus stop is right across the street. We waited about 45 minutes and no bus came by even though they are supposed to be there every 20 minutes. When one bus finally did come by, it was packed with people getting on at the prior stop so they wouldn't let anyone board. Finally another bus came and we were able to squeeze in. You get dropped off right by the observatory and there was no fee to ride the bus. When we were done, the line for the bus going back was really long and we knew we would be waiting for a long time with all the people in front of us. We walked back to our car and it was not a bad walk at all. It is about a mile, but is downhill going to the parking lot. It would be nice to come back at a time when it wasn't so crowded, but also the observatory is pretty dated so if you have a newer planetarium/science museum where you live, you might be disappointed.

The observatory itself is impressive, with its classic architecture and fascinating exhibits on space and astronomy. Around Griffith Observatory, there are lots of hiking trails you can wander for some spectacular views and to the Hollywood sign. It was hazy weather during visit, but it was still lovely to wander around the observatory and see the view of LA. On a clear day you could probably see for miles.

There was a lot to look at on the main floor of the observatory. To get to the popular telescope, you have to climb the stairs on either side outside of the building. You've to reach early to get a chance to park your vehicle within 1 mile, and you should be lucky also.

Griffith Observatory is a must-visit in Los Angeles!

It's free to visit. We visited near sunset.

Parking was a bit difficult. There was nothing near the top. So, we parked a bit away from the building and walked up. When we walked up, there was available parking..

This place is absolutely scenic.

The inside is an interesting 30 minutes to walk through. My friend wanted to try the mist / fog machine but unfortunately, it was broken.

They also had a cafe, which is a bit pricey.

I bought a pin and a sticker from the gift store.

In the evening, however, it is quite complicated to park there, and some car parks offer exorbitant Awards. They're trying to set up a shuttle, from the downstairs parking lots, but not sure it works well.
But hey, the view is just too beautiful, at night, all its lights.....
Otherwise, the observatory is very interesting, and access is free. You can even line up to look at the stars, the stars in the telescope.

The observatory is very top. From the route to the arrival, the location where you can have spectacular views of Los Angeles and inside it very cool

The city of dreams. Such friendly folk, a beautiful time moving between Echo Park in a 2 Star Hotel to DTLA clubs, record shopping in search of the LA hip-hop and funk scene. Loved the buses, such a great way to explore Los Angeles and easy to get to Venice and Long Beach by train.
Hollywood Griffith Observatory was insane, Star Trek actors sharing their telescopes with the beautiful nights sky. A proper way to experience LA by night.

A thriving music and Chicano culture, Spanish culture , delicious rodeo restaurants. Great tapas, beers and coffee. Echo Park was a high light on the pedalos on the lake on a giant swan overlooking the city by the stunning hills of Elysian Park over looking the Dodgers Stadium.

LAX airport was smooth running on entry and exiting no pressure, sad to leave. Looking forward to round 2!

Thank you Los Angeles - sunny West coast vibes every day.

Super educational! Also has great views. They had a gentleman doing a presentation in the Space room and he was absolutely amazing! He answered all of my 9yr old’s questions. He was very nice and knowledgeable. 10/10 recommend for an educational excursion!

Quite suggestive place but overrated. If you have little time in Los Angeles skip the observatory without regrets: getting to the top of the hill is a challenge and so is getting off after dark, impossible to book tickets for the planetarium, inside the free exhibition is not intuitive, in short, all in all I think there is better to see in Los Angeles.

A really great place to visit. All the staff are kind, helpful and know so much about the night sky. The planetarium shows were excellent. We loved the place and stayed all day until the viewing through telescopes at night. Great seeing uranus and the seven sisters as l had not seen them before. Great views. Brilliant.

You need to plan your trip. It's crowded and there's a lot to see. There is a parking problem. It's an extremely crowded place, especially around noon.

It wasn't easy to park there because there were a lot of people, so we had to leave the car about 10 blocks away.
When you arrive at the place, you are surprised by the views of Los Angeles and how well-kept everything is.
Inside the observatory there are many places to visit and everything is very interesting and quite complete.
Go early in the afternoon and wait for the sunset, it is unmissable.

Griffith Observatory is a great place to visit with lots of hiking trails you can wander for some spectacular views and to the Hollywood sign (about a 6 mile hike all around). It was misty rain when i went but it was still lovely to wander around the observatory and see the view of LA and the James Dean memorial bust. On a clear day you could probably see for miles.

Really not to be missed… everything is “incredible”!!!

If you can be there at sunset you will have a superb view of it…

Being a little curious about Mr. Griffith before going there allows you to appreciate this exceptional place even more!!!

awesome planetarium! Some parts are free and some parts require payment
You can have a picture with the hollywood aign from here

Visited: 17/06/2023

This is a fabulous observatory with lots of exhibits on space, you get nice views of Hollywood and the Hollywood sign. There is even a section you can go in and view through a telescope but it had a huge queue, so we went to the Astronomers who had different smaller telescopes dotted around the grounds to see different planets. It's a really nice building and great place to visit.

The only downside was the transport up there. There is limited parking so they have shuttle buses, but these are rammed ridiculously full, there aren't enough of them as we passed 2 very full stops as we were full, and the roadway it clogged by people trying to park higher up despite limited spaces so they blocked the roads and it took ages to get up and down. Ideally the road needs blocking off to all vehicles except the shuttles and those with disability badges (if parking available). And more shuttles are needed too.

Very nice place to spend late day and wait for sunset and we attended a performance (paid) in the futuroscope and to date we had never seen such a beautiful show.
Paid parking , 10$ hour ,
So do as our Morning Guide tells us.
To get there leave your car at the downstairs car park which is free and cross the street to take the Dash bus (Observatory/los feliz) which is not free, but no one pays.
He will ride you to the observatory and you will do the same for the return.
There were a few people waiting after sunset and there are buses every 20 or 30 min.

We walked from Hollywood up the trails which are quite steep and slidey in places. The observatory is definitely an attraction not to be missed. Unique in that many of the Earth’s space discoveries have been made here. Fascinating to see a Foucauld Pendulum in action. Many exhibits of moon and meteor rock that are also unique. Oh and stunning views.

Trip was wonderful. The observatory has jaw dropping views of Los Angeles and a great view of the Hollywood sign. We were unfortunate to visit on a day that the inside was closed. But the outside area offered amazing views and even some walking/hiking trails.

Griffith Observatory is a must-visit in Los Angeles! The panoramic views of the city and the Hollywood sign are breathtaking, especially at dusk. Inside, the exhibits are well-curated and perfect for anyone curious about space and science. The free public telescope was a highlight, offering a closer look at the stars. The building itself is stunning, with its classic design adding to the experience. It’s a perfect spot for photography, learning, or just enjoying a peaceful moment above the city. An unforgettable part of any trip to LA!

Probably the only positive experience of our stay in LA.
Nice little hike without much difficulty, 6 km round trip to the foot of the Hollywood sign

No parking space for miles .... You have to walk a lot. There was no shuttle. And besides once arrived, there was no view with all the fog over the city...

When you're in Los Angeles, you will be glad you visited the Griffith Observatory. Inside, there's something of interest for everyone. Outside, the views are wonderful and you can see the famous Hollywood sign in the distance. The only downside for us was how crowded it was, and the already limited parking near the observatory was hard to find an open spot. Read some of the other reviews for better access ideas and parking options.

If you want one of the best views of Los Angeles while learning about the stars and the universe, the Griffith Observatory is the ideal place. Here is our experience:

🌇 - Fantastic View
The Griffith Observatory offers a breathtaking view of Los Angeles. The city skyline is truly impressive, especially at sunset.

🌟 - Free Star Experiences
The observatory offers free access to a lot of exhibitions about stars and the universe, where you can explore and learn a lot of fascinating things about space.

🚻 - Facilities
There is access to restrooms, which is always handy when you're out on an adventure.

☕ - Café
A cozy café is also available where you can enjoy a cup of coffee or a snack while taking a break from exploring.

🚗 - Easy Parking
Parking was easy, but there were a lot of parking meters on the way up that didn't work. When we got to the top we were told we didn't have to pay which was a pleasant surprise.

The Griffith Observatory is a must-see attraction in Los Angeles. With its stunning views, educational exhibitions and good facilities, it is a perfect destination for a day trip. We really enjoyed our visit and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting LA!

Griffith Observatory is a nice place to visit. It is free of charge even parking was free during my visit. You can view the entire LA (great view) and learn a lot about the universe and the history about Griffith Observatory.

Amazing views across the whole of LA - including the Hollywood sign. The actual Planetarium didn't open until 12pm, and we arrived around 10ish by Uber - but you can walk all around the grounds and don't forget to climb up onto the roof for even better views! Free water fountains, but their cafe wasn't open (probably opened with the Planetarium) so take your own coffee/sandwiches if you're going up there early!

Fascinating place. Something for everyone. The views from here are breathtaking. We stayed for the sunset and it didn’t disappoint.

The place is located on top of a hill of the hill, yet it is quite close to the city, 15 minutes drive depending on where you are. It fills up a lot, you keep that in mind, also, from where you leave the vehicle, depending on the number of people, you have to walk a lot to get to the observatory. Obviously, its panoramic views are breathtaking, probably from the best of LA, even the best, that's why it deserves all 5 stars.

Griffith Observatory is a must in LA.
Amazing city and Hollywood sign views, cool space exhibits, and great planetarium shows. Parking can be tough but totally worth it. Perfect spot for photos and sunsets.

Iconic. But too crowded. We watched a show which was well worth it. Parking was difficult. But all in all it is a must see. Bring water!

The famous observatory has appeared many times in many movies. The sun is very beautiful as it sets in time for the sunset time. Uber has bad signal, so let's go outside and call them.

Went on a Sunday night and wow its a madhouse! The road leading up there is backed up over half a mile and people parallel parking best as they can. Eventually when we got to the top it was right around sunset so enough people had left the main paid parking lot that they opened it up for folks to go again. Otherwise the hike from the parallel parking is not an easy one.

Managed to snag a planetarium show tickets before they sold out and was impressed by the quality and the fact that they had a live narrator who did a great job. Views from just outside the building are great in daylight as well as night time.

The parking meters were all malfunctioning so I couldn't pay for parking, which saved me $ but I was worried the whole time that I was going to get a ticket and have to fight it.

I was briefly in town and decided to go to the observatory. I’ve never been before and grateful I went. If I could change one thing, it would be to have had more time there.

The facility itself is definitely worth five stars! The location is marvelous and the facility is spectacular. The city view is of course superb and the telescope is truly a great experience, if you have not seen similar one. I also love the planetarium program which was pretty much inspiring. One thing I am not fully satisfied is the trafic. I was expecting many people are coming to the facility, hence I took a bus to get there so that I would not jeopardize others, and tremendous traffic jam that made my bus stacked. There is no bus lane, one side of the road is completely occupied by parking cars. Well - this maybe typical LA but I think there can be some better way. This is simply not my culture, however, I would say that people behaved quite calmly and friendly in spite of such trafic condition. I think it is a part of the magic - a great place makes us all very generous and humble. Highly recommendable.

Very interesting this observatory. Beautiful place where you can see the city of Los Angeles from above. There are also inside the observatory, some rooms with exhibits on studies and research on the planets, the moon, the sun, and much more, where you can see the results of these experiments. Really cool. Free entry. Pay parking $10 per hour, only accepted credit card on the machines. But in 1h it is possible to make the visit.

WARNING: If you have limited mobility or a disability preventing you from being able to walk long distances, you will be denied drop-off accommodation by the parking attendants pictured. My mother who is close to 70 years old, and a cancer patient was told to walk uphill using her medical walker, rather than allowing us to drop her closer to observatory (and park elsewhere). The first attendant pictured kept smiling, smirking and laughing, making a mockery of my mother’s disability; he refused to answer his name when asked.

This is an egregious violation of ADA laws and statutes in the state of California, and even worse, this is a public park that we all contribute taxes towards. Do better, Griffith Park.

I couldn’t believe the amount of walking we did to get to the observatory because we weren’t allowed to park near it. We basically parked on the lower part of the observatory, which was on one side of the mountain. Parking fee was $10 per hour, which I thought should have been free. The path up to the mountain was scary and unsafe. There were no fences to protect us from falling off the edge of the mountain. Finally, when we arrived at our destination, it was packed with so many people!

Besides the breathtaking view of LA that we saw from the observatory, we sure didn’t enjoy our time here.

Worth it for the hike and views of the entire city alone! The building itself is beautiful too. The inside offers a pretty typical astronomy museum experience but there are some cool historical facts to learn about here and there, including seeing a Galilean telescope. A great worthwhile way to spend an hour!

Spectacular views on Los Angeles, excellent 🅿️ lots, friendly service all around, many opportunities to get into the world of astronomy 🔭😎

Rifes Observatory is definitely a must not miss!

Located on the top of Griffith Park, this observatory is not only the best place to enjoy spectacular astronomical wonders

It is also a film destination for fans to pilgrimage, and it is also a great view of all over Los Angeles

Free admission: Entrance to the Observatory is free, but some special exhibitions and events may require additional fare

The view of the city in good weather is unique. On your right you will also see the Hollywood sign. At certain times of the year, you can easily park by car in the morning for free (but the observatory only opens at 12:00 so you will stay on the terraces). Cala will avoid hiking and slopes.

If you are looking for a place that can take you to the stars, this is the place! So much knowledge! Also, you can see the "Hollywood" sign from there. After walk to all levels (there are 3) you can eat something from the cafe. If you driving there and wants to park really close to the Observatory, go really early otherwise, park in the parking lot of the theather and get a bus to the top! It is to far away to walk!

What a cool and educational experience. Incredible vista is Hollywood/LA and the Hollywood sign. We watched a film in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium called Signs of Life. Really cool.

Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles is a must-visit spot with incredible views. The observatory itself is impressive, with its classic architecture and fascinating exhibits on space and astronomy. The best part is the view—whether it’s the iconic Hollywood Sign or the stunning city lights below, it’s breathtaking. If you go at sunset or night, the city comes alive with a different vibe. Plus, the chance to look through the telescopes is a unique experience. It’s a perfect mix of science, history, and incredible scenery!

The view was breathtaking and the visit inside the observatory was very interesting about the solar system

One of many on my bucket list, free to walk around and see the views from LA to the Hollywood sign. I would suggest going by bus as the parking is limited.

Beautiful experience. At night it is amazing, and if you do it, dress warmly in case you wait in line for the telescope to Saturn.

Probably not possible . Way too crowded for me. Parking expensive and difficult.
Try early in the day. Great view.

Definitely worth visiting while staying in Los Angeles stands in a picturesque panoramic place above the city, we had gone during the day but advisers to visit it in the evening must be wonderful.

Beautiful view of the place. We can see the Hollywood sign, observe the city or just rest on the lawn in front of the venue. It's worth checking out!

We went to watch sunset and then a self-guided tour. The whole family loved the experience. Such an interesting place and the views were incredible…both the sun setting towards Downton LA and the Hollywood sign. Highly recommend 🙌⭐️

I had a connection to the bus!
It was worth seeing not only planetarium but also astronomical objects.
The planetarium was also hearty and we were able to enjoy it well 😊
The night view of Los Angeles at night is also very beautiful, so you should definitely go!

The planetarium show is just $10 and no need to book in advance, just pay on arrival. There are lots of exhibits on science and space as well as great views of the city. As usual in LA there is a movie angle with a bust of James Dean outside.

The place was wonderful, but my experience was ruined by a rude salesperson named Saya (#27276) who kept cutting me off as I was trying to ask questions about a souvenir. I would like to send direct feedback but there doesn’t seem to be a info on how i can do that.

Visiting Griffith Observatory with the family was fantastic! The views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign are breathtaking, and the exhibits are fun and educational for all ages. The planetarium show was a highlight, making it both entertaining and informative. A perfect family outing!

Lovely space and spectacular views (in a distance) of both the downtown Los Angeles skyline and the Hollywood Sign.

Parking is a bit rough here...your options including: getting parking in the limited lot right near the observatory or park in the trails leading up to that area...both of these options cost $10 per hour, effective 12pm - 10pm during the week, or 10am - 10pm during the weekend.

You can also park further away along the trail or in the larger Greek parking lot and follow the trail up the observatory...these options are free.

You can also take public transportation (Dash Observatory Bus) from Sunset Blvd.. There is also a stop at the lower (free) Greek Parking lot that can take you up.

Keep in mind that the Observatory area is extremely busy during sunset times...so parking closer to the observatory around that time is very difficult. You best best would be to park in the lower lot and take the shuttle.

For those who are more active...parking further and hiking to the observatory and Hollywood Sign would make for a lovely, but tiring, day.

Plan ahead!

Super spot for LA views and sourdough area including Hollywood sign. You can walk or take the public bus to the top of the hill. Gret a clean place, especially for weekends

First day spent in LA. Fantastic views and well worth the trip. Best of all a free attraction (unless you need to have parking).

Amazing views at the top, amazing scientific explanations and central clock. A little congested on weekends. Good cafeteria inside.

The telescope is wonderful, like a movie, good entertainment in documentaries. Excellent for walking and taking photos

There are 3 levels in the observatory!
Lots of things of interest regarding planets stars that the kids enjoyed. Come early for parking before it opens, enjoy a short stroll and good views

This is well worth a visit, just for the views alone. Be prepared, though, parking can be tricky, especially at the weekend. We parked at the bottom of the hill (on Monday) near the Trails Cafe and hiked (about 1 mile) up to the observatory. During the week it opens at 12pm. We got there about 11.30am and there was plenty of parking available in the car park at the very top and also on the hill near the top ($10/hour). We went back at the weekend (opens at 10am) and by contrast it was very, very busy. Only Ubers were being allowed up to the top carpark. We parked further down the hill and had a bit of a walk back up. It's free to get into the observatory, and $10 is see the show in the planetarium. Well worth it. You also get some good LA views and the Hollywood sign is in the distance. Definitely worth a visit...even with the parking!

The view of the city is excellent, the garden and esplanade area is very clean, the observatory building is very beautiful, in my taste, elegant. On the esplanade there are several W.C. mixed as well as outdoor sinks with water, soap and paper. The bad thing is that I went on a Monday and, like most museums, they close on Mondays... no way, I'll get to know the inside another time. By the way, if you go by car, keep in mind that parking costs $10 USD per hour or you can go by bus, it's called DASH, I don't remember the line number. Or, as I did, I walked up the trail.

Griffith Observatory was such a pleasant surprise , not only is it completely free to enter (something you rarely find in Europe!), but it’s also incredibly interactive and educational.

The exhibits are fun, engaging, and full of fascinating facts. Don’t miss the chance to look through the telescopes outside. One of the highlights for me was learning about the historic Zeiss telescope and actually experiencing it in person. It’s rare to get that close to such a piece of scientific history (and again, for free!).

The staff are also fantastic, super welcoming, knowledgeable, and genuinely excited to share what they know.
As a bonus, the Observatory also offers an amazing view of the Hollywood sign.

The Griffith Observatory offer some of the most Incredible views of Los Angeles. There are also great exhibits. You can also see the Hollywood sign when there. There is a just one road up and one road down. There is parking along the road and also up at the observatory. There are also public restrooms.

I was in LA for a long layover, so I took the time to visit Griffith Park and Griffith Observatory. I took a rideshare to the Bear Statue on Los Feliz Blvd, and then hiked up to the Observatory. It's a nice hike, but only the first 1/3 is tree-lined. The last 2/3 is not covered, so once you reach the firebreak trail be prepared for direct sun exposure.

Even though the hike-up was relatively quiet, once I got to the top, I realized the area is completely packed with visitors that had take an shuttle, bus, or car up. I took the time to enjoy the spectacular views of the surrounding city, and the trail to the Hollywood sign. The inside of the Observatory was completely packed wall-to-wall with visitors, so that wasn't very enjoyable, but it was free. If one were to come during off-hours, I'm sure the inside would've been much more enjoyable.

I used a rideshare to leave, and that took awhile. Surprisingly few drivers in the area when I visited mid-day.

I'm still glad I went. Great views and photo opportunities.

What a great experience!! Be sure to go upstairs, the exhibition is better there. I LOVED the shop !
You might spend around 2 hours there

I went there with my family to watch the famous sunset over Los Angeles! And sincerely I recommend it 100%, it's simply magnificent with a clear view and a super beautiful setting! You can also find people there who offer you to look through a telescope for free!

The only annoying little point is access. Indeed this point is very famous for the sunset, and therefore from 6 p.m. there is a lot of traffic! So much so that my parents weren't able to get out of the car with you to admire the sunset, but we had to drive all the way around to pick us up (1 hour after dropping us off). In conclusion, a real hassle to access it.

So a piece of advice if you want to go, try to go early enough so as not to be hassled!

This is always one of our favourite places to visit in Los Angeles. There is plenty of shelter from the sun and a great tool to do inside, the highlight being the planetarium show. Views over the city are magnificent

The Griffith Observatory is a fantastic blend of education, fun, and stunning scenery. With cool exhibits, awesome planetarium shows, and jaw-dropping views, it's a must-visit spot in the heart of Los Angeles. Whether you're into space, nature, or just want a beautiful escape, the Griffith Observatory has it all. Highly recommended! ⭐

Incredible LA vistas and fascinating astronomy exhibits make for a memorable experience. While parking can be a bit tricky, the good thing is there are nearby trails for hiking enthusiasts.

It is very beautiful, inside there is a museum that tells a little about the observatory and the space.
There are several interactive things, some a little old but still cool. There were several children having fun in the museums.
Entry is free, the only thing you pay for is the planetarium session.
On the way back you have a very beautiful view of the city, worth the trip.

Way to busy! Not accessible parking meters, often out of use, but quickly left without having spent a visit inside.

They really need to figure this out. Then have shuttle buses run from bottom to top.

Because it is not possible to visit it with your own transport for people with poor health.

And keeping parking spaces free for the entire management was not hospitable either

If you are interested in the topic, take your time to explore everything. On the ground floor is a simple exhibition about the sun, moon, tides etc. In the basement, all the planets from our solar system hang from the ceiling to scale and you can weigh yourself - what do you weigh on the moon? Or Jupiter? There are also pieces of stone from space and a seismograph.

There are short demonstrations (5 min) at the pendulum and deTesla coil during the day. In the basement there is an astronomer who is happy to answer your questions and who occasionally takes the microphone to tell something.

In the same building is also the Samuel Oshwin where you get a half-hour presentation in a dome cinema for 10 dollars p.p. This one is also very accessible but still nicely done.

From about 19:00 you can look through the Zeiss telescope that is on the roof one by one. Between 18:30 and 19:00 they are setting up. Try a little later in the evening for the most beautiful image. In the evenings, employees with a smaller but much newer telescope stand in the driveway in front of the Observatory. You can also queue there without payment.

It is a big wish of mine to visit this viewpoint in Los Angeles. It is best to take the inexpensive bus to Griffith Observatory, as parking is a bit overpriced.
Once you get to the top, you are rewarded with a great view of LA and can even see the Hollywood sign in the distance.

The Sunset in this area are so beautiful and nice staff for The Museum Science.The Entrance is free. They have a lot of stations for the family, and everything to take a photo.

Beautiful place with nice view of LA. The shows are nicely done and very educational with perfect live narration. Being a popular tourist attraction, they should have provided more parkings. It makes people frantic fighting for parking where we experienced one irrational woman cut into our parking spot which we waited patiently for on the side!

Griffith Observatory was one of the highlights of our visit to LA. The view of the LA skyline is marvellous from there. Daytime but specially after sunset. We spent also some (unfortunately not enough) time in the exhibition inside the observatory. It is very impressive, very well presented. Next time we will plan 2-3 hours there.

The place is sensational, with a wonderful view of the city. Free entry (pay only for the planetary session). Lots of information and a beautiful sunset! Access by public transportation cheapissimo

The panorama from most vantage points were amazing despite the haze. Trying to locate a park looked problematic due to the number of vehicles ascending to the road. Would have been helpful to be told at the lower car parks that there were no available parks at or near the summit until you reach the summit only to have descend the road again. Informative displays inside Griffith Observatory.

You can't go wrong on choosing the Griffith Observatory to hang out, view the city or to learn something new inside their museum.

I have taken countless of friends and family members to this place as it's a unique and amazing place to explore for both adults and kids.

Parking can be difficult to find especially on the weekends. So if you can't find parking at the top of the observatory, then you are forced to park near the cliffs. And depending how busy it is, you could walk quite a bit.

The Griffith Observatory is a world class establishment that allows for amazing views of the city and state of California.

The Observatory is an old standard that stands the test of time. It is beautiful, educational and fun. I learn something new with each visit. It offers the opportunity to get fantastic pictures and offers a great bang for the buck. You have to walk a little but even that is fun given the views. The shows are fantastic and well worth the cost. It is great for a date or to take a family.

Thr price is free, you can't get better than that! We did take an Uber up there which worked out OK because it was such a busy place and the traffic was horrendous. Do not drive yourself there! (It did take 45 minutes for our Uber to pick us up to get down the hill on a Saturday evening though!). The views were good if not a bit hazy and the Observatory was very interesting.

A city impressive in its size and diversity!
Very nice things to do but you have to organize yourself to get around...
Downtown to do if you like old buildings...
The beaches are pleasant and well maintained.... even if we didn't swim :)

Well worth a visit. Incredible views of the city and hills. Great hiking opportunities - you can park at The Greek for free (if there's no show on that day) and walk up or get the bus. We parked at the top at about 11am and car park was already pretty full (pricey at $10 per hour) - but managed to nab a spot - area was already very busy.

The observatory itself opens at 12 and gets very busy and lots to take in for free.

A must visit if in LA, if only for the photos.

Certainly the best view of Los Angeles, as you can see almost every corner of the city, the main ones being the Hollywood sign and the buildings in Downtown.
Other than that, the observatory itself is very beautiful and worth the visit.
At very busy times like sunset it is difficult to find a space, even with paid parking.

The view of Los Angeles is spectacular from the observatory. Although it can be abit crowded and alot of traffic during the evening, i recommend that you plan your visit and come in good time and leave in good time in order to escape the traffic. There is a trail going from the observatory up to Mount Hollywood. It can be abit challenging but once you’re up there you will not regret it

Really enjoyed the experience and the views! Would definitely visit again. I’ve never seen LA from that viewpoint and it’s a really special thing, especially for locals who may have never seen the city from that perspective.

I went to the observatory at night time and had got to enjoy a scenic view of Los Angeles. It was absolutely gorgeous. The observatory also had lights installed around the premises, which was beautiful too.

The location is great for views over the city and of the Hollywood sign. We went in July and it was hot. Stifling more to the point. It was so busy that we had to park more than a half-mile away and walk up the hill to get to the observatory. That might be difficult for people that are not used to physical activity, especially in the heat.

I have been to LA many times but never visited the Griffith Park Observatory but made it this time and it is well worth it for the incredible views and a look at the observatory.

For free. They only paid for parking. Scheduled tours are available. Impressed by Mendeleev's table and Foucault's pendulum

Beautiful visit, from the exceptional high panorama. One piece of advice, do it yourself. Free shuttles take you to the top. Free admission

What an absolutely amazing way to spend the night of my last full day in the US! The night views of Los Angeles were just breathtaking and I will remember them for ever. The area was absolutely packed with people, which kind of made the atmosphere nicer. You can even look at the stars through a giant telescope, but the queue was massive, I waited for a good 30 - 45 minutes. If you're visiting Los Angeles, you have got to come here and make sure it's when it's dark!

Part of my road trip with my wife. The views from here are breathtaking. We stayed for past the sunset and the views are something that I can't even describe. Evening is the best time to look through the telescope. I recommend to stay for 3-4 hour.

My recommendation is to drive or take uber.

Fun place, inside and out. Beautiful views when it is clear- ocean, Hollywood sign, all areas of the city. Lots of nice hiking trails. Only issue is traffic/parking. One day we tried going, but would have had to park a the park entrance. Another day we couldn't even get close without traffic back to Los Feliz (I assume there was a concert at the Greek Theater). Worth it when we did make it. Parking was even free before the Observatory opened.

The visit to the observatory is very interesting, not only for the view of the city of Los Angeles, which is still worth it, but also for the educational installations it offers on many astronomical themes. The visit is free except for the planetarium.

It is a little tiring to walk up, but the view is worth it. I discovered that free buses run every 30 minutes, they have many stops, I stayed at Sunset and Vermont, they dropped me off at the corner, it was very convenient. Inside the observatory, there is a small exhibit. But it's mostly for the Hollywood sign photography

Best part of the Observatory is the front lawn and views from its balconies.
Inside is super crowded (maybe because it shouldn't be free) and not much to see really. Just an OK museum that could be much more.
Movie inside the planetarium is terrible. My kids wanted to leave mid presentation and I would have probably done the same.

I loved seeing the Observatory, the view of the city is beautiful in addition to rendering beautiful photos with the Hollywood sign on the background. The garden is extensive and my 2-year-old nephew ran and played a lot outdoors. Do not fail to enter the building has very interesting things there inside about constellations, planets, eclipses and various other elements. We went on a Saturday and was very crowded, by luck and patience we got a very close lane and we didn't have to walk almost anything, but there was a long queue of cars parked mountain down and a lot of people going up on foot, which I do not recommend due to distance and the long rise.

The view was amazing and relinquishing. Peaceful, pleasant and rewarding. Excited to see all of LA, CA.

The interior museum is very interesting, but the best thing is the magnificent view of Los Angeles, arriving by bus Dash is very convenient without wasting time looking for parking or spending a lot on parking

Try to park as close as possible and don't be afraid to drive all the way up the hill for parking. There is a decent sized parking lot and street parking so you may get lucky. Wear your walking shoes. It is a beautiful view of LA and the observatory has several educational exhibits for everyone. You will need some coins to use the binoculars (or either bring your own). Totally worth the walk. Parking was $10 an hour when I went.

I’ve been to LA a number of times before, but hadn’t ventured to the Observatory. What a mistake. The Observatory is fascinating and the views to downtown LA and the Hollywood Sign were terrific, even if it wasn’t the nicest day and starting raining by the time we left. I’d allow 2h and you could easily spend more exploring all the displays and sights in the Observatory itself.

Nice place to learn about science, free entry and parking, only that is a drawback, very complicated to park, we were in the forest, you walk on the edge of the road, totally dark, we had to light ourselves with the lights cell phone lamps. everything else nice.

Definitely a great place to go The variety is too much and a place worth going.I would recommend the acikcasi to go

Griffith Observatory is a lovely building worth visiting for the architecture alone, but also offers an observatory, planetarium, an interesting museum on astronomy, excellent views from its location perched on the heights overlooking Hollywood and central Los Angeles, and a chance to visit an iconic film location used in a number of films.

As a film location, it has appeared in many films including, among perhaps the most iconic being Rebel Without a Cause and the beginning of Terminator.

The views are great and there is a great gift shop plus a cafe, although we have not eaten there.

It is located in Griffith Park, and one can reach it many ways. One can drive to it and park but traffic and parking can be problematic. We avoid driving and take the DASH Observatory bus which makes a circuit through part of the park between the observatory and the intersection of Vermont and Sunset, where the is a Metro station, making it quite convenient to get to the park that way. It stops right at the observatory.

Wonderful walk up from Griffith Park. Beautiful building. Great view of LA from observatory. Restaurant. Special events and viewing room!

Fun day at the observatory. At first our son was bored but he really got into it after seeing the planetarium show and he ended up not wanting to leave. It was really cool to view Venus through the telescope and to see the history of not only the observatory but the universe as well. Parking was a challenge because the free lot was closed for a concert and we weren’t able to do the hike needed for the on road parking but we managed to find a close spot so the hike ended up not being too bad. Tip - make sure you check the Greek theater schedule before going so you can use the free lot, so much easier.

My partner and I spent a great time in Griffith Observatory. We have been together for a year and the day I came here was our anniversary! We enjoyed the scenery from the observatory. But if you are coming here late, you wont be able to go inside so make sure come here earlier. I highly recommend you to come in the night time.

First stop on our tour of LA. We had a few hours to spend prior to the observatory opened. There is very little to no seating outside of the observatory. The grass is beautiful and many were playing on the grass.
Great view of the HOLLYWOOD sign. There are paths for hiking, but we did not use the paths. I'm not a big fan of space, so this was not my favorite place.
There are beautiful paintings on the ceilings and throughout the observatory. Cafe with food is available.

I was really looking forward to visiting the Griffith Observatory - it's been on my list for quite some time, but in some ways it was a bit disappointing. We had to park over a mile away and hike up a quite steep hill. (so get there early so you can park in their lot!) The views of the city were amazing, but there were so many people that engaging with many of the interactive exhibits just didn't happen. And in my opinion, the view of the Hollywood sign was less than advertised. It was still worth it, but maybe I had set my expectations a bit too high. Unfortunately, we did not have time to catch the presentations at the planetarium - which may have totally changed the day. Even though it was a little disappointing, it's still quite a cool place!

We visited the Griffith Observatory on our way back from spending the day at Universal Studios. The timing was perfect, as we arrived just as the sun was setting, offering breathtaking views of LA.

We headed to the rooftop and followed the signs for the telescope. Inside one of the domes there stood a huge telescope, the 2nd internal door was locked but the sign confirmed it would open at 7 pm. It was only 6:30 pm, and we were the only ones there, so we decided to wait.

About ten minutes later, a queue began to form behind us. A woman started making rude comments about us "pushing in," claiming they had been waiting for hours. However, there was absolutely no queue when we arrived. Perhaps queueing works differently in the US?

At 7pm the door opened into the room with the telescope and we were first to take a look. Through the telescope, we saw the Orion Nebula, a stunning display of fiery clouds and bright stars. It was truly beautiful. We then rushed back to the car, realizing we had only paid for an hour of parking and couldn't extend it. Thankfully, being first in line for the telescope paid off!

Park for free in the lots for the Greek Theater on days when they don’t have concerts (check their schedule) and take the DASH bus up to the observatory for free. The stop is right across from the theater. If you try going on days when there are concerts, you need to be out of the lot by 1:00, and considering the observatory doesn’t open til noon on some days, that doesn’t give you enough time, unless you want to just go for the views (in which case, get there earlier). Is definitely worth doing if you can figure out the scheduling of everything.

Visited with the family and young kids. A wonderful view of the city (albeit a bit smoggy / June gloomy) and an interesting facility. Kind of a free-for-all (could use a bit of structure).

The parking staff were exceptionally rude when we asked about going up the hill to drop off my disabled mother-in-law. They finally relented and let us pass, only for us to find numerous available parking spots in the main lot (not full as represented).

It is amazing location and though hard to believe , a free attraction in LA. I would have given 5 starts however wait for telescope have pushed it to 3 stars. We went in the day time for location and observatory visit. Lots of parking options although all very rare to get and expect 20-40 min in queue just to find a parking space in uphill parking @10$/hr . Parking at bottom of the hill is free I think .
Fabulous views from the top and good glance at Hollywood sign as well. Views Will give you an idea of hiking a trails for brave souls .
We went back in evening for observatory/ views from telescope and we left at 6:30, super long queues, managed to park at 7:30m in upstairs parking . Took us exact 2 hours in the queue to get to telescope and door closes at 9:30 pm. So beware and be prepared as well for cold / 2 hrs standing in queue .
Finally the lady inside didn't say a word about Jupiter moons to spot till we were leaving the telescope area . It was really not worth the long wait . Weather was perfect clear sky with full moon . So if you do manage to go in evening then enjoy the vibe/ view and take pics or book planetarium show but don't wait for 2 hrs for telescopes.

Great way to see the views of the city. We went early in the morning so it was calm and quiet. The observatory wasn't open, but we had a great time walking around, enjoying the sites, taking pictures without crowds in them. It was easy to get an uber there and back out when we were done at that time of day (around 8 am).

Amazing views and easy to get to. Made famous by many iconic movies, including LA-LA Land. No Hollywood trip is complete without a stop here.

From the metro we got the free DASH bus which takes you to the Observatory. Views from the Observatory are fantastic, the Hollywood sign etc. so much information given inside the observatory, good facilities, helpful staff . I recommend the Samuel Oschin Planetarium.

The observatory is very interesting to visit, but the best part is the view of Los Angeles from the terrace. Not to be missed.

Mainly for the views of LA really, the observatory is nice as well. Avoid the weekends though, as it may get very crowded indeed and it may be difficult to find parking.

One of the top attractions in LA, where it offers an amazing holistic view of LA in addition to many interesting sections in the building about science and space. It is free of charge entry.

After a decade, I revisited Griffith Observatory and found it to be an even more enjoyable experience than before. With fewer tourists around, we were able to appreciate the stunning architecture and every intricate detail of the observatory without feeling rushed.

After exploring, we took a lovely trek down the mountain, which led us to a charming small town. The whole experience was worth the visit! It even brought back memories of playing GTA, with the beautiful views and vibrant scenery reminding me of the game’s landscape. If you're in the area, Griffith Observatory is definitely a must-see!

We had a great time. Alot more to the observatory than we thought. We paid for the parking as the walk up would have been too much - only $10.

Beautiful view of half of the city. There is good parking right at the entrance, which is paid for when the observatory opens, until 10 am it is free

On the day of our visit the observatory was closed. Nevertheless we enjoyed the fantastic view of the city and the view of the famous Hollywood sign. With the visit to the Observatory everything would have been perfect!

We came on a Tuesday at 2:00 after visiting the Getty Center, so we had to park very far downhill with a long uphill walk even though we observed plenty of parking spaces available closer to the top and in the lot at the top; however, a traffic cop near a "lot full" type of barrier blocking the road would not allow any cars to drive up the road to park up there which is incredibly frustrating especially for a mildly disabled person. We spent two hours here initially admiring the sweeping stunning views of LA and the Hollywood sign outside then perusing the educational exhibits inside.

This was a pleasant distraction from the crowds of LA. The views were fantastic, and even though busy it didn’t feel overcrowded. It was great for students and adults as well, because the way the information was given, made it easy to comprehend and was interesting. This was part of a day excursion and certainly a highlight of it. Going towards the end of the day, also gave us the chance to watch the sunset.

Griffith Observatory is 300 meters high and you can have a great view of Los Angeles. Our view was limited as the air was foggy. Nevertheless, it was great to see the building so close to reality, as we have seen it many times in films (including a film by James Dean, the first Terminator). It was already busy at 10:30 in the morning and parking is free until 12:00 noon. After that parking costs US$ 10.00.

What an incredible view from the top. There was no place at the observatory that had a bad view! We managed to arrive in time for sunset, which was an ideal time.

The reason it loses a star is due to the amount of things that were not functioning at the site - parking pay stations (of 5 near our spot, 1 was working) elevators, part of interactive exhibits. While I appreciate a free experience, I would have preferred the structure seen in other large cities like an optional donation to enter to support to site’s upkeep.

Regardless, the views and overall experience were very much worth it!

Amazing sights from up top the bus was $1 both ways bad reception with AT&T

Option of hiking to the Hollywood sign as well !

You can't miss it!! It's just great, at night the view is very nice and the telescope is open we saw Saturn perfect, outside they also had a telescope and we saw Uranus. The movie you must see it is only 10 dollars per person, go with time to tour everything have a lot to show and learn..

Outside, the views of the sprawling city below and the Hollywood Sign in the distance were picture-perfect. We spent hours gazing through telescopes, marveling at the clarity with which we could see the moon and distant stars. The staff were knowledgeable and passionate, eager to share their expertise and enhance our understanding of the cosmos.

A special experience, especially at sunset, with a spectacular view over the city. On the other side is the Hollywood sign. Definitely go there!!

The Griffith Observatory is cool and has great views. You get to see the Hollywood sign, the city of Los Angeles, and the nature you are surrounded with. However, what makes this perhaps the best thing to do when in the greater LA area, is Griffith Park. Being able to start from the observatory and find secluded trails with your own private viewing spots is fantastic!

The views were amazing!!!!
The brass wings outside made for a great photo spot.
We went around 10:30 a m.on a Saturday. Parking lot was almost full.
An hour later there were plenty of parking spots.

UNHOLY INGOT THAT WAS SO EXCITING!!!!! It was the first time I have been here! After all that we went I the theater and left at daytime!!!!!!

It’s iconic, cheap and worth the drive. But it’s super crowded and parking is a bit of a hassle. Long line of cars to get in. You can park for free further down the hill, either in a lot or along the road. They have buses that you can ride up in, or you can hike up on the sidewalk. We chose paid parking near the building for $10/hr.

It’s free admission and open to public. Inside most of the exhibits are basic science center stuff. The planetarium show is an extra $10 ($8 for seniors) and is your usual planetarium show, although the narrator is good. I wasn’t wowed, but I’m glad I went

It a nice building with a great view. I also saw the astronomy show which was great and you definitely should do.

It’s a shame that the employees were such donuts tho. Rude, unhelpful and making organisation such as lines more difficult then if they weren’t there at all.

It was also very busy. People everywhere including the grass out the front. I went for sunset so not exactly a surprise tho.

I would also highly recommended the hike up. It’s steep but not that long ~20-30 minutes.

The museum is free, you can pay $10 to enter the dome and see the screening they have in that season. The views of the city are spectacular and the museum rooms have super interesting information.

A very nice place where you can enjoy a pleasant evening just before sunset and after.If you walk around a bit,you can see the part of the mountain on which the world famous entry of "HOLLYWOOD "has been inscribed

Griffith Observatory is awesome! The views of LA are insane, especially at sunset, and the place itself is really cool to check out. Inside, there’s a bunch of fun stuff to see, like space exhibits and a planetarium. I even got to look through a telescope, which was super cool. It’s a great spot to hang out, enjoy the view, and learn a little about space.

Alas, we went on a Sunday around noon. The road going up was absolutely packed, and there was no parking whatsoever. We had to drive by without stopping and leave. Unfortunately, I was not prepared for the large weekend crowds. Next time will try public transportation to the observatory.

If you are in the area, the observatory is definitely worth a visit. Suggestive view and various possibilities for longer or shorter walks. The only flaw is that the place is always very crowded and there are obvious problems in parking and reaching the observatory. Maybe choose a time where there are fewer people. We went in the mid-afternoon and it was very crowded

We didn’t even make it to the observatory. I had never even heard of the Greek Theater that is on the same hill. It seats 5900 people. Just make sure that the night you want to go there is not an event at this theater. So much traffic we turned around and went back to our hotel room very disappointed after driving four hours to get there. Another time.

Every time we go it's one of the best experiences with beautiful views and sunsets over LA! Recommend to everyone but make sure you leave time for parking.

We came here to see the views offered by the location overseeing Los Angeles.

We drove all the way to the top and paid the $10 for the hourly parking fee.

You can see the Hollywood sign from there along with all of downtown LA.

We went inside and found interesting displays about space and telescopes.

We though it was a terrific place to visit.

Let's start at the bottom... the bottom of the hill, that is. That is where you need to park! We did this on a recommendation of a friend, and they were not wrong. It's free, and the bus is .50 a person to ride up to the observatory and .50 to ride back down. Don't waste the time or $$ to park at the top in a tight lot that gets really full really fast. Once up to the observatory take in the fantastic view of LA, the Hollywood sign and the surrounding area. It is really beautiful! Once inside, there is a lot to see and lean about. It's all really cool and interesting. Be sure to check out the short film narrated by Leonard Nimoy downstairs - very informative! Then head up to the telescope. We were there during the daytime, and seeing the telescope is neat, but if you go in the evening, you can look through it into the night sky. If you like the earth, you will enjoy Griffith Observatory!

We spent our last evening on a week-long visit to SoCal here. We thought about parking at the bottom and then hiking up. We ended up parking near the observatory. The hike would have been long and difficult.

Once at the top, you have great views of the city. You are able to see the Hollywood sign clearly, and we were able to see the ocean as well. We didn't go in the observatory, but that is certainly an option while you're up here.

We went on a Monday through a day tour company but of course it shuts on Mondays, so really had to make another attempt at seeing the inside this time, on our way back through LA. So glad we did and we had time to go all the way through the different areas of the Observatory, which we would not have had the time on previous day tour? What a place, I was gobsmacked with all of the areas and information. Especially the shows which we managed to take two in. So informative and interesting. Great few hours there and the views were stunning. Definitely a place to visit and do it justice.

Beautiful views of the city and the Hollywood Hills from up here. Some super interesting exhibits inside as well. I haven't seen this mentioned in any other reviews, we were a little disappointed that when we arrived about 30-45 minutes before the Observatory show (we had timed our visit to see this), it had already sold out and we were unable to see it. The next show was a few hours later however as we were travelling with a child this was a bit too long to fill in to wait around. It was a beautiful sunny day, not sure if this was a factor or because it was the first one of the day. There is no way to pre purchase tickets online or anything beforehand so make sure you arrive with plenty of time if you are planning on seeing a show. Definitely hope to come back one day if we end up back in LA to see this as have heard many good things.

Great views!! My family and I really enjoyed our visit here. Parking was a challenge. Especially during the holiday season when we went.

The park itself is great with a great view of Los Angeles.
Unfortunately parking is very expensive ($10 for an hour).

The observatory is fantastic, even in the daytime. Enjoy the displays on earth's seasons, tides, eclipses. You really get the basics of our planet in relation to the sun. Next time, I will go at night. They allow you to look through the telescope, which must be incredible. The admission is free but you'll pay extra for the domed movie. Highly recommend Signs of Life. Give yourself at least two hours if you include the movie. Three hours if you pay for parking and need to walk.
Ok, so now the parking. Parking was a total joke. Don't park there. You need to pay in advance and how do you know how long you are going to be there. Our walk up the hill was 25 minutes! The people who parked further away (like myself nearly a half mile downhill) paid $10/hr, while the people who parked closest paid nothing because the machines weren't working. I heard a couple of people comment that a park ranger said parking was not being enforced (Nov 16). I paid $30 for nothing
You have options. Do a rideshare from the town at the bottom of the hill, park at the Greek theater and walk up, or get on the bus at the Greek theater for 50 cents exact change. The whole parking situation is a mess. Don't let the park service take your money.

We visited to see the observatory and the park. I will say if you go in the morning before the observatory opens, the parking is free. The views from the observatory are amazing and probably the best in the city of Downtown. However, the views of the observatory from the park are even better and amazing.

In the parking lot for the Observatory, there are public restrooms. Next to the restrooms is a great platform for pictures of the "Hollywood" sign with an interesting set of angel's wings made for pictures. Definitely a place you need to visit in LA.

This magnificent observatory which contains, among other things, Foucault's pendulum, has a breathtaking view of L.A. Not to mention the access road through the hills which alone is worth the detour.

An unmissable, free place to do in Los Angeles, not so big but not so small, your children can enjoy it. It has a coffee in case you get extra hungry, plan around 2 and a half hours to be there if you really like to enjoy it.

This was not my first time here, but it is still a great place to visit. Amazing views, interesting exhibits and good vibe with out of towners and LA locals all enjoying the hilltop.

Visite Griffith Observatory. The view there was terrific, unbelievable. It was a little chilly outside of top veranda, so you need warm jacket for sure.

The observatory is in a place where it is possible to admire much of the city of Los Angeles; It is far from the center, but it is worth the trip not only for the location, but also for the attractions of the observatory and its store.

At the top of Griffith Park is the Griffith Observatory with a huge parking lot that you have to use because there is no other closer parking option. Costs $10. There was a huge crowd there but also constant coming and going. Nobody stays longer than 30 minutes. Many buses also stop here for a quick photo stop. There are 6 public, free toilets for the entire area right at the parking lot entrance. If (a) bus/s are just arriving, the queue is correspondingly long. Sinks are in front of the outdoor toilets.
From the observatory you have a 180° view down to LA and the sea, over to the Hollywood Sign and behind it there are mountains - so a perfect start to a visit to LA.

We went, paid for parking in the main lot and spent nearly two hours walking around, enjoying the grounds, walking, using the binoculars to look at the Hollywood sign and enjoy the views.

Ten out of ten, would recommend. It’s a cool spot to get your bearings and feel like you’re a part of LA history.

Nice place to see preferably in the evening to enjoy the panorama on the famous Hollywood sign and after sunset the beautiful night view over Los Angeles. Very interesting also the interior of the observatory with scientific curiosities for the boys .. We especially enjoyed the beautiful table of chemical elements and the reconstruction of the solar system.. Really nice

Great views with the naked eye outside! Inside you can view/learn, listen to free guided tours or just walk around & read yourself. Even our teenagers enjoyed this stop.

Such a beautiful place. Free entry with the most stunning views of Los Angeles, we went right before sunset and it was incredible to see. Telescopes free to use and stargaze ⭐️. The planetarium and demonstrations are fascinating. Def a must see if visiting LA and see the city from a different perspective.
It is a bit of a nightmare to park and enter/exit traffic wise but that’s LA for you.

We went late afternoon for a bite to eat and to see the sunset.
We drove all teh way up incase we found a parking space, which we did. Luckily the parking meters were out of order, so we parked free.
We went round the Observatory prior to eating and the displays are well cared for and very informative. We grabbed a bite to eat in the cafe and the food was actually quite good and sensibly priced fro LA.
The views were stunning, the sunset was amazing.
As you would expect, it is super busy, so be prepared

We are a middle-aged couple, August 18, 2024, a Sunday we decided to go to the Observatory.The night, there was a bit congestion when we arrived around 20:00hs, we saw a huge luminous plaque, over a structure in the middle of the street warning the value of the parking 50 dollars( not real) that night, frustrated we started looking for an alternative, ⁇ a vacancy in the street itself. Next to the Greek Theatre, we saw a plaque where it was written Lote G - Greek Theatre. We stopped there and asked the person who was there with a card machine in hand if it was paid because there was no price plate, the person clearly spoke fifteen dollars, that is 15 dollars. It was already 20:30 and the observatory closes at 22:00, we decided to stay because theoretically, I would at least see the stars in the telescope. We confirmed with the person, she repeated the value and said that if we climbed the parking at the observatory was more expensive 50 dollars (fifty) as we had already seen on the sign when we arrived. The person was nice saying that on the other side of the street, a free shuttle would pass soon and would take us hill up(the climb is long and ingreme). Well, as soon as we paid, in seconds came a SMS on my husband's phone and he verified that it was not charged fifteen but fifty dollars by the person who passed the card.
Immediately, we talked to her that she was wrong and she said that she was already, we had already paid and she wasn't going back.
We got indignant, feeling deceived, achieved. I even thought about calling the police, canceling the purchase, but we ended up leaving the car there, because after all we were on foreign soil, the night in a rental car
I never thought about going through that, it was at least outrageous.
The shuttle took more than half an hour to arrive and more time to climb the steep hill, very bottled. At the waiting point, some Chinese commented and we heard clearly the words fifteen and fifty in their conversation, I addressed one of them, a girl who spoke English and she said that the person who was in the parking lot tried to fool them in the same way, however they wrote on paper the words to her confirm and the person then had no way to fool. They then risked parking their car on the street.
As a result, when we arrived inside the observatory, the person who was at the telescope access door was pleased to tell us that it was 21:37 and that access to the telescope will close at 21:30. We stayed until closing and then waiting for the shuttle in a giant queue.
The observatory is located in a beautiful location, the night view of Los Angeles is sensational. However, we were not lucky.
It remains to denounce the administration of these lots, which must be permitted by the administration of the Observatory and the Greek Theatre of this absurd practice in relation to uninformed tourists.
It is also, unlike several other parking lots in the city of Los Angeles, this one has no values indicators, practiced prices. None of that.
We really, in the longing to visit the site do not pay attention to the signs and symptoms. We're wrong.
I recommend caution during the visit. See if there is an event at the Observatory on the day of your visit, arrive early and prepare - if you might park in the street. Otherwise, who knows how to take the bus to the shuttle point or even go by Uber.
If someone tells you the price of something, confirm it in writing before, so they don’t tell you that you didn’t understand.
I believe that going early it is possible to take advantage of what the Observatory provides.
I hope that the administrators will read this review and take steps to ensure that other tourists do not fall into these traps.

Then the place is beautiful and almost always clogged with people! Logic leads you to follow the snake of cars and , once in the vicinity of the observatory look for parking, a business !! So Recommendation to stop in the parking lots near the greek teatre and look for parking in the golf club or tennis club then there is a free shuttle that leaves from there and dumps you right at the observatory best place to photograph the fucking writing HOLLYWOOD!

It’s free!
The best way to go to the Observatory is via a tour. This is because it is very busy and parking is a nightmare. Vehicles line the road up to the Observatory whereas the tour vehicles are allowed to drop off their customers at the top and pick up from the same place.
The Observatory is free to enter. There are exhibitions of various aspects of our solar system and much more. There is a Planetarium which runs regular shows for which you need to purchase a ticket.
Toilet facilities onsite along with a cafe and gift shop.
Outside, if the weather is good, you get stunning views of LA below you. The other big draw is you are able to see the famous ‘Hollywood’ sign from here.
Overall it’s a good place to visit and should be on your list of places to see when staying in LA.

What a great experience. Visited on a Saturday in November when a local group of astronomers were hosting an open telescope event. We were able to have a good look at the sunspots on the Sun - All carefully supervised.

Beautiful location with breath-taking views of downtown LA and the Hollywood Sign. Lots to see and do inside the Observatory. And FREE!

Tour of one of the Observatory's large telescopes were excellent. Staff are super friendly and helpful.

Super busy. We took an Uber up to the Observatory and walked back down the hill via the footpath. Picked up another Uber at the bottom to avoid the queues. The queue for the shuttle bus was very long - the walk down requires little effort and takes about 30 minutes at walking pace.

Do it at sunset. A must. The view of LA is amazing just like the Hollywood sign. But plan not to be alone. To avoid wasting time in a traffic jam leading you to the top to have a hypothetical parking space, park at the foot of the hill on the free spaces and climb on foot (15-20min) following the pavement: signs discourage you from leaving the paths because of the snakes...once arrived, the view is beautiful!

As we have no intention of going into the Observatory, we went in on Monday when it was closed. Traffic was light and we could find a parking lot at the Observatory in the late afternoon. just be patient to find good spots to take pictures - that's about all.

We went there for the view which is magnificent! Truly the most beautiful in LA. Besides that, the observatory is magnificent and the free exhibition is very educational. We loved it !

The views are incredible. Easy to drive to - the walk to the Hollywood sign is accessible from here too

I have a long layover at LAX, I would like to see the observatory, is it possible to go after 7 p.m.? or what places do you recommend since I will be staying near the airport.

For a birthday party with a close family and friends with celebrition and love meeting nee new people keeping old friends

The Griffith Observatory is a "must" when visiting LA area, it is extremely popular. Since our research basically yielded the consensus that parking is a big challenge, we decided to go the park down below and take the DASH bus. On the Friday we visited, the Greek Theatre that normally would provide free parking was not available due to their own event. We parked along the road, it was free parking until 3 pm that day. Worked out perfect for us. The DASH bus drops people off right at the front of the observatory. It was $1 per person, round trip.

There were parking along the road up to the observatory, but you do take the chance of either parking far away and have to walk uphill. Or waste your time driving all the way to the small parking lot and have to circle back down due to lack of spot. Also note that parking is now $10 per hour.

DASH bus is definitely the way to go, in our opinion. We arrived at about 9:30 am, before the observatory was open. That was perfect as we got to walk around the take photos. Once the observatory was opened, we walked to the roof top to look at the telescope and take in view to downtown LA.

After that, we walked into the observatory. There were a lot of people, however, we were able to shift around to see the exhibits. It was fun to watch the Tesla coils demonstration.

We found our time here very worth while and very fun. Highly recommend planning a trip up here. Be sure to take pictures of the wings with "Hollywood" sign in the distance.

See LA from above, wonderful view!
The observatory includes information about the planets, solar system, moons, tides, eclipses, etc!
In addition to the exhibitions, it has a shop and restaurant with food by the kg.
The day we went, entry was free!
Highly recommended visit!

I loved this place too! Wonderful city views, super cool and interactive exhibitions. Free to enter, but have to pay parking (about R$50.00 - 1 hour)

Observatory was very nice and informative. The view was what I went for though as it was fabulous and was able to see the Hollywood sign. The biggest issue was parking as I was made to park at least a half mile away down a hill although there was some available parking on site. I'm not as young as I used to be so this was somewhat difficult. When I asked, I was turned away. I almost left.

A beautiful Los Angeles icon that should not be skipped. Sweeping views of the Los Angeles valley or/and a fantastic observatory tour/museum. Make sure to see the presentation that starts appropriately every hour!

I arrived at the iconic Griffith Observatory about thirty minutes before they opened. As I waited for it to be 10am, more and more people showed up and about five minutes before, a line formed. At 10am on the nose, the doors opened and people just walked in. There was no crowd control or internal traffic pattern to follow. It was definitely chaotic. The upstairs has many historic elements left, but the downstairs appears to have been completely redone. They had several interesting exhibits, the element table was probably the highlight for me as was the planetary exhibit in the large hall downstairs. The people who run the observatory may want to consider doing staggered entries to allow for people to better enjoy this piece of LA and movie history.

Nice place to visit. The view from the heights of LA deserves the trip.
The obsertatory is beautiful and part of it can be visited for free. We went there at the opening so few people. The price of parking about $10.

Fabulous! Don't miss the opportunity to drive up there and take in the view.
Nighttime is the time of day to catch the sunset.

This was a great place to visit, the views were amazing and inside was very cool. Only downfall was the traffic and waiting to get to the top. Once we got up there none of the parking meters were working.

Griffith Observatory is like a cosmic gem in the heart of LA. The views are mind-blowing, giving you a front-row seat to the city's magic. Inside, it's a cool mix of science and fun – the planetarium show is like a trip to the stars. Whether you're a space geek or just looking for a rad time, this place nails it. Plus, the vibe on the hill is unbeatable. Definitely, a top pick for anyone wanting a celestial day out!

Love this place!!!!!!! Amazing just amazing!!!! The scenery the friendly people everything must see if your in town!!!!

This was the best part of the trip. The views are spectacular and the shows are really informative. I also enjoyed a brief hike. The only challenge is parking and bathrooms!

Not only is this an outstanding observatory with arguably the finest planetarium in the country, the Griffith Observatory is an iconic landmark that also offers stunning views of the city of Los Angeles. It is free to visit the observatory although there is a charge of $10 for adults and $6 for children (5-12) to watch a planetarium show. However, the shows are outstanding and are narrated by a live professional storyteller in a comfortable state-of-the-art planetarium with sound effects and incredible visuals. Tickets are sold only on the day of the show at the ticket office inside the observatory. When arriving at the Observatory, head straight to the ticket office to book your show before enjoying the exhibits. I spent about 90 minutes wandering through the exhibit galleries. Highlights include looking through a solar telescope and the Tesla Coil demonstration. At night, telescopes are set up allowing visitors to observe the night sky. For example, on the night we visited, a telescope was set up outside so that we could view the planet Jupiter. Even with all this great stuff, probably the best thing about a visit to the Observatory is the stunning views of Los Angeles from the terraces high above the city. The Hollywood Sign is nearby, and downtown LA and Hollywood are right in front of you. On a clear day, you can see all the way out to the Pacific Ocean including Catalina Island. Any time of the day is a great time to enjoy these views, but it is particularly stunning at sunset or after dark when the vast Los Angeles basin in shining below you. It's a magical sight. However, sunset is also the busiest time to visit, and parking can be an issue any time of the day. If you arrive in the morning not long after opening at 10am, you can find a spot in the lot near the observatory ($10/hr). Another time, we came late at night about an hour before closing and were able to find metered street parking along the road approaching the Observatory. However, forget about trying to park at the Observatory lot any time near sunset. The best option is to arrive about an hour before sunset and park at the free lot near the Greek Theater which is about a mile below the Observatory. You can catch the DASH bus for $1/person that drops you off right in front. Don't cut it too close to sunset as there will be a traffic jam and the bus will be stuck in it. Afterwards, it's an easy 25-minute downhill walk back to the lot or you can wait for the bus. Unless you are arriving first thing in the morning or on a weekday afternoon or late evening during the offseason, I would follow that parking strategy to avoid the aggravation.

Beautiful view, there is a bit of fog!!
Really nice, friendly people, and unpaved road!!!
Jfjdkofigiigogogorkhwhwhhehjxkgoogofiekkfkfk

Being at the Griffith Observatory in the early morning hours is brilliant. Amazing view over the "City of Angels"
Free museum inside with really interesting topics. Easy to get to by car, but this is where the only star deduction lies. The parking costs are very high and we could only get a ticket for 60 minutes at a time.

A very interesting and pleasant way to spend a few hours. This is a free attraction, extremely high-quality space, museum, with many opportunities for some great pictures.

There is a free shuttle from the subway all the way up to the observatory

Simple way to spend a few hours mid morning in LA. Wonderful site with panoramic views of city and mountainside could have walked through the parks but preferred to walk around the observatory. Not overcrowded so easily able to take good pics

We stayed only outside to admire the view of the city as well as the Hollywood sign. Parking near or along the road that goes up. To do!

Located just outside the city, you have views for miles. The observatory opens at midday, parking is available, 10$ and hr. You can park for free but you have quite a walk and it is a very steep climb. You can get a very good view of the hollywood sign. The planetarium is a must, got to book but we'll worth it. Give yourself a few hrs to enjoy it all. Take your camera, you will not be disappointed.

Choose your time wisely. Absolutely rammed in the evening and probably won't get parked. That was our first attempt and ended up just leaving in frustration. Went back roughly 10 am the following morning and it was no bother at all.
The observatory was closed but you really only go there for the view of the Hollywood sign (which is excellent) and over LA.

A wonderful vantage point. The view of Los Angeles is breathtaking.
Getting there and looking for a parking space takes some time and money.
$10 for 1h.
Depending on the time of day, the crowd is very high. It's worth it, though.
There is a parking lot at the top.
After the Hollywood Tunnel, there are quickly parking lots on the side of the road. The cost also 10$ per hour.

Great place to visit to see the views and watch the sunset. Incredible views.

The observatory itself is also interesting ( and free in ).

A bus can take you up to the observatory for a modest fee if you park your car at the Greek theater but check the theater has no shows on, if it has no show on the parking is free and you pay for the shuttle bus upto the observatory. The bus does get rammed.

Overall one of the reasons I've always wanted to come to LA. Incredible views.

Great place and worth the trip.

Very nice place!
We went there in the morning around 9am, we were able to park in the nearby parking lot ($10 per hour). When we arrived, there was a lot of fog.
Then the weather is clear and then... Beautiful! Beautiful views of LA and Hollywood sign.
The tour of the building is really well done.
I really recommend this visit, it was great
A tip: arrive very early because otherwise to park it is very very complicated.

It is a beautiful place to watch the sunset and to have a panoramic view of Los Angeles. The climb on the weekends has to be done in time because a lot of people come, but there is a shuttle bus that is taken from an adjacent parking lot.

We visited on New Year's Eve and arrived at opening time. It was a madhouse. There were so many people inside we could barely walk through. It was awful. We saw two of the shows which were really good, but you have to leave the theater and get back in line again for the next one; they cost. We skipped everything else because of the crowding.

Well worth a visit to see this iconic building. Great views of the LA skyline as well and of course the Hollywood sign. Top tip is park at the top otherwise it’s long walk up !

Caught the bus instead of driving up, and glad we did, Firstly the bus was free, secondly parking was an absolute nightmare.
Great place to see views of L.A., inside we were treated to watching the Tesla demonstration, also viewing the many displays inside all free
Well worth a visit

This is a wonderful view of LA. The access road is pretty. The parking very complicated but worth it. Free visit outside the observatory.

I really wanted to go to Griffith Observatory while it was open and so we HAD to go on a Sunday and it was an incredible hassle. But, to get the best pics, you have to get inside to get up onto the observation decks.

We wanted to be at the observatory for sunset. I knew it would be crazy busy so we left 30+ minutes to account for parking/walking. Not enough... As we got into the park, we saw they had the road closed leading up to the observatory due to crowding. Uh-oh. Got down to the Greek Theatre parking lot and it was a madhouse. We circled several times and battled crazy drivers until we finally got a spot. I had to ask a guy in his car playing on his phone to leave so we could take his spot. We were parked, but what about getting the mile up the hill to the observatory? It was almost sunset! Do we start walking now in an effort to make it, or do we put our faith in the shuttle? My kids had zero interest in walking uphill a mile, so we waited for the shuttle. There was already a good line for it, so we thought it was gonna be close, but the shuttle was big and the driver crammed us all on! Woo!!

We got up to the observatory like 5-10 minutes after sunset. So close! I got some pics of the city and the observatory and then we went inside. There’s construction going on and they had a fence up which kind of ruined our photo ops, but what can you do? The inside was shoulder to shoulder crowded in the bottleneck areas. Maybe it was a mistake to try and come on a Sunday… We navigated the crowds as best we could and briefly checked out the exhibits. The girls liked the ones that were hands on. We hit the bathroom and the store as we explored the different floors and areas of the observatory. They had a telescope set up on one of the patios, but the line was “astronomical” (you see what I did there?) Anyway, we did get some good pics from the patios and the girls liked looking through the viewfinders they had there. We went up to the roof and the line for the big scope was bonkers crazy. We just got pics of the dome and the city and enjoyed the view for a bit before heading back down. Outside, I got some nighttime pics of the building before catching the shuttle back down to the parking lot.

If you can go on a weekday, that's what I would recommend. It felt like half of LA was there when we were there.

Don't go on the weekend, it will be full! Paid parking, including on access roads. Best weekday, there is some free parking if you're willing to walk (I found it better to pay to be closer). Parking payment machine almost completely broken (Oct/2023). Fun: The view of LA, but far away. Seeing where Schwarzenegger's entrance into "Terminator" or some of James Dean's scenes in "Rebel Without a Cause" was filmed is fun.

Wonderful view of the city of Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign, all with an interesting tour of the observatory.

The Griffith Observatory is one of the jewels of Los Angeles. It has beautiful architecture, excellent exhibits about astronomy, public telescopes, and really outstanding planetarium shows (seriously, the shows are magnificent!). The views of city are terrific, and there is also a nice, albeit expensive, cafe and gift shop.

Entry is free, and the planetarium show tickets are between $6-$10. Located in a hilly area, parking is very difficult and expensive. If you're able, you can park for free on Vista del Valle Dr or in the Greek Theatre lot and make the 0.7-mile hike up the hill. There is also a low-cost shuttle from the Vermont/Sunset Metro station.

The observatory is very popular and not super spacious, so be prepared for big crowds on weekends and school breaks. Even so, it's a great place to visit if you're interested in astronomy, and one of the iconic places in L.A.

Would highly recommend going. The demonstration are great as well as the planetarium was interesting. A thank you to Rich for being so interesting and a pleasure to talk to.

The view over LA is stunning and you get a good view of the Hollywood sign. The exhibits inside are very informational and well laid out. The nearby trails are a nice way to stretch your legs as well. Overall a good way to spend an afternoon

I was with my family at the observatory with the intention of watching the sunset and if we were lucky to have access to the telescope to see something. The surprising part was that in addition to being free entrance, there are several attractions. Regarding parking, impossible to find a vacancy. We only managed to stop in a parking lot far away, near a park on the climb. That's when we found out there's a bus passing every 15 minutes. It's very worth it. In addition to the economy, the bus is super comfortable.

We were in LA and decided to visit the Griffith Observatory. It has wonderful views of LA on a clear day. If you are interested in the workings of the universe, the Observatory has many nice exhibits. It is a great place to explore.