How to Visit Griffith Park in Los Angeles
Griffith Park is an area of wilderness located in the heart of greater Los Angeles. Bordered by Burbank and Glendale to the north and east, and Hollywood to the south, the park offers numerous activities, including hiking, concerts and the Griffith Observatory. The Greek Theater is there as well. One landmark of note, the Hollywood Sign, sits high on a ridge on Griffith’s western side, and just below the sign, outside the park’s northwest boundary, Forrest Lawn Cemetery inters the legends responsibility for the sign’s notability.
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Instructions
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Make hotel reservations in any of the aforementioned cities, with price ranges from affordable to high end. Los Angeles is a year-round destination. Summer, though busier, allows for extended daylight to enjoy the park. Attractions are open later, also.
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Plan to see a Greek Theater concert during the visit. If visiting one night decide on rather to view stars at the observatory or see a show at the Greek. Check online and make reservations early (see Resources below).
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Purchase a city map of Los Angeles, and locate Griffith Park in the city’s north border between Interstate 5 and the Hollywood Freeway.
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Take the Hollywood Freeway to Exit 7 and drive north on Western Avenue which becomes Los Feliz. Follow directional signs by turning left onto Fern Dell Road which loops through the southern section of the park and becomes North Vermont Avenue before its return to Los Feliz.
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Arrive early in the morning to hike the trails accessible off this looped road. One particular trail begins at the observatory and ends at Mount Hollywood. Many vistas of the city and the Hollywood sign are visible.
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Visit Griffith Observatory after the morning hike. Perched above Los Angeles, this distinctive building, with its monument to famous astronomers out front, is a backdrop for many classic films. Inside, science displays examine the solar system, seismic needles record aftershocks, and a giant pendulum in the rotunda demonstrates the Earth’s motion. For lunch, there are snack shops outside (see Resources below).
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Stay at the observatory until dark, if not attending the Greek. Purchase tickets for the planetarium show. There are also tickets to view a planet through the giant telescope located in a domed roof upstairs.
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Spend extended time on the observatory’s roof for sweeping views of the Los Angeles Basin.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep in mind that one cannot spend an entire evening at Griffith on the same night as a concert at the Greek.
If unable to make reservations at the Greek Theater, the Hollywood Bowl is almost directly across the Hollywood Freeway from Griffith. First-rate performers are scheduled there as well.
If time allows, visit Forest Lawn Cemetery and for a nominal fee, guides will show the visitor the graves of celebrities.
