Are you planning a visit to Los Angeles? Considering visiting its downtown / civic center area? In our research to develop a Tourist Scavenger Hunt in Downtown L.A., we came across a lot of information. Some we use exclusively in the actual scavenger hunt, but other we’d like to share with you.
As part of that research, we came across many iconic buildings you’d readily identify as “Los Angeles”. You can see these buildings as you do the scavenger hunt. To enumerate, here are 6 iconic buildings in Downtown L.A.
6 iconic buildings in Downtown L.A.
Union Station- Located at 800 N. Alameda St., Union Station is Los Angeles’ is the main railway station in Los Angeles and the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States. It opened in 1939. Union Station not only services Amtrak but local Metrolink commuter trains and several Metro rail subway lines. It is located steps away from this historical city center, where Los Angeles was but a town way back when.
Walt Disney Concert Hall- This building is an architectural marvel. It opened in 2003 and is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale.
- A visit to the Walt Disney Concert Hall is free and very much worth your time.
- When the steel walls were initially installed, light reflecting off them heated up the nearby sidewalk to 140 degrees Fahrenheit! Since then, their surface has tarnished just enough to the panels to no longer affect the surrounding temperature.
OUE Skyscape
- OUE Skyspace is the highest observation platform in the city of angles. And that is across the 5th street from the exquisite Central Library.
Central Library
- Located on 5th street, across from the OUE Skyscape, the Central Library is an architectural beauty. The Los Angeles Public Library provides free and easy access to information, ideas, books and technology that enrich, educate and empower every individual in our city’s diverse communities.
Bradbury Building- From the exterior, the building at 304 S.Broadway isn’t very impressive. The Million Dollar Theatre at the Grand Central Market across the street is much more significant architecturally.
- However, stepping inside the Bradbury Building lets one discover its steampunk ironwork and wood-paneled interior. It was inspired by a science fiction book and built in 1893. The ground floor is easily accessible. However, beyond that, access is restricted.
Los Angeles City Hall
- Built in 1928, Los Angeles’ City Hall was the tallest building in the city until the 1960s.
- Entrance is free, bt there are metal detectors. You can explore on your own with the self-guided tour materials available at the information desk on the 3rd Floor. We encourage you to see the observation deck on the 27th floor for a wonderful view of the surrounding area.
We invite you to try our Downtown L.A. Tourist Scavenger Hunt. It is a 2-hour guided walking tour throughout the downtown core of Los Angeles you do on your mobile phone (how it works). It only costs $30 for your entire group. Moreover, you will enjoy seeing the sights and hidden gems you might have missed otherwise. All this while completing challenges and learning about Downtown L.A.’s history.
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