Grand Park, Los Angeles
With only 12 acres (4.9 hectares) of land to it, LA's Grand Park pales in comparison to other major urban parks in the U.S., in terms of size. However, this lack of landmass is overcompensated by beautiful surroundings in which dozens of buildings cascade downhill to create a majestic, almost Roman sense of design and continuity in one of the country's most architecturally magnificent community areas.
Indeed, the power, beauty, history, and future of Los Angeles are masterly displayed here in full splendor in the sleek lines of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power building, the Music Center Plaza, and the Modern American-style City Hall overlooking the park.
Inspired by the City Beautiful movement, landscape architect Charles Mulford Robinson proposed to create this park area in 1907. However, it took half a century to cluster the LA County government buildings in one place before the park project finally materialized, in 1957. As for the Civic Center – the administrative core of the City and County of Los Angeles complete with plazas, fountains, and a Court of Flags, – this undertaking was accomplished in 1966.
Gated off and safe to roam, the pedestrian-friendly park features tree-shaded sidewalks, a tropical greenhouse, a radiant colorful water fountain, performance lawns, and courtyards, as well as restrooms and snack kiosks to encourage visitors to walk and explore. In addition to providing scenic photo opportunities, the place is famous for hosting seasonal social events, such as summer dancing and movie screenings, fitness boot camps, plant sales, the Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) festival, and, of course, New Year's Eve countdown. And the best part is that most, if not all, of these events are free!
Indeed, the power, beauty, history, and future of Los Angeles are masterly displayed here in full splendor in the sleek lines of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power building, the Music Center Plaza, and the Modern American-style City Hall overlooking the park.
Inspired by the City Beautiful movement, landscape architect Charles Mulford Robinson proposed to create this park area in 1907. However, it took half a century to cluster the LA County government buildings in one place before the park project finally materialized, in 1957. As for the Civic Center – the administrative core of the City and County of Los Angeles complete with plazas, fountains, and a Court of Flags, – this undertaking was accomplished in 1966.
Gated off and safe to roam, the pedestrian-friendly park features tree-shaded sidewalks, a tropical greenhouse, a radiant colorful water fountain, performance lawns, and courtyards, as well as restrooms and snack kiosks to encourage visitors to walk and explore. In addition to providing scenic photo opportunities, the place is famous for hosting seasonal social events, such as summer dancing and movie screenings, fitness boot camps, plant sales, the Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) festival, and, of course, New Year's Eve countdown. And the best part is that most, if not all, of these events are free!
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Los Angeles. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Grand Park on Map
Sight Name: Grand Park
Sight Location: Los Angeles, USA (See walking tours in Los Angeles)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Los Angeles, USA (See walking tours in Los Angeles)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Los Angeles, California
Create Your Own Walk in Los Angeles
Creating your own self-guided walk in Los Angeles is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Downtown Architecture Walking Tour
For different people, Los Angeles means different things. One such is undoubtedly architecture. Being one of the centers of the Art Deco movement, LA features a great number of amazing historic houses and buildings attributed to this and other, older and more modern styles.
One prominent landmark is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, a contemporary construction masterpiece with its... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
One prominent landmark is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, a contemporary construction masterpiece with its... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Movie Studios Tour
The film studios of Los Angeles, collectively known as the “dream factory”, are indeed factories. Here, countless iconic films and television shows have been produced over the years, creating stars and attracting great movie-makers from around the globe. Let's take a brief look at some of these vital hubs in the entertainment industry.
Raleigh Studios is one of the oldest continuously... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Raleigh Studios is one of the oldest continuously... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
El Pueblo and Little Tokyo Walk
El Pueblo and Little Tokyo are two culturally rich and historically significant neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
The former is the oldest district in the city. Also known as the birthplace of Los Angeles, El Pueblo is centered around the Los Angeles Plaza. Throughout most of the 19th century, it was the city's administrative and commercial center: first under the Spanish (from 1781 to 1821),... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
The former is the oldest district in the city. Also known as the birthplace of Los Angeles, El Pueblo is centered around the Los Angeles Plaza. Throughout most of the 19th century, it was the city's administrative and commercial center: first under the Spanish (from 1781 to 1821),... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Los Angeles Downtown Walking Tour
The history of Los Angeles – "a bright and guilty place," as Orson Welles described it – began on September 4, 1781, when a group of 44 Spanish settlers established a hamlet on the territory of present-day Downtown LA which they called “The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels” (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles).
The land became part of Mexico in 1821,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
The land became part of Mexico in 1821,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Beverly Hills Walking Tour
Undeniably one of the most famous places in the world, Beverly Hills is widely known as the most fashionable destination in Los Angeles county to shop and have fun at. Originally a Mexican ranch where lima beans were once grown, this place has long been a home to many Hollywood stars and other celebrities, luxurious hotels, and high-end boutiques.
Beverly Hills started to gain prominence in the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Beverly Hills started to gain prominence in the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Arts District Walking Tour
The Arts District is one of the hottest neighborhoods in downtown LA, located between Little Tokyo at Alameda to the west and the railroad yards and Los Angeles River to the east. Formerly an industrial area of warehouses and factories, it has been home to art studios and galleries since the 1970s. Having undergone another downturn in the 1990s, the area was officially renamed the “Arts... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
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