Griffith Observatory

The sensational view from the hill is just the beginning. The observatory itself is the real treat and a must-see while in LA. It is named after Griffith J. Griffith, a Welsh-American industrialist and philanthropist, who donated the land to the City of Los Angeles.

The observatory features a variety of space and science-related exhibitions. Its main draw is definitely the Foucault pendulum, a device proving the rotation of the Earth, dating back to 1851. You can also see one of the shows in Samuel Oschin Planetarium or look through one of the public telescopes that are available when the sky is clear.

Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater opened here after the restoration in 2002. It's a 190-seat movie theatre with seating provided on a walk-in, first come, first served basis. It generally opens 10-15 minutes before a program begins.

You can see the Hollywood Sign from here and the park offers hiking trails that provide with great photo opportunities. No wonder that the place is a popular filming location and appeared in a number of movies and TV shows, such as in the 1955 popular film Rebel Without a Cause starring James Dean, or the latest hit La La Land.