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California, United States

Downtown Los Angeles

Grand Park, City Hall and Bunker Hill; 2 nights for dinner, the countdown and a rooftop. Below: 1 sight, 2 activities and 2 places to eat, plus how Downtown Los Angeles fits into a longer trip.

Plan Downtown Los Angeles with friendsBrowse 7 places
Downtown Los Angeles, California, United States
Places
7

1 See · 2 Do · 2 Eat · 1 Drink · 1 Stay

Curated routes
1

Los Angeles New Year's Eve

Best season
Dec 30 – Jan 1

from our route notes

Warmest month
August

32°C / 90°F avg high

Coolest month
December

19°C / 66°F avg high

Wettest month
February

about 75 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages for Los Angeles, the nearest city we track.

Things to do in Downtown Los Angeles

7 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

1 sight worth building a day around in Griffith Park.

  • Griffith Observatory in Downtown Los AngelesPhoto: Angelin Song · CC BY 2.0
    See

    Griffith Observatory

    Art deco observatory on Mount Hollywood with free telescopes and the classic night view over the downtown towers.

    Tip Go on the evening of Dec 30; it closes at 10 pm and is busy on New Year's Eve.

    • Griffith Park
    • Free
    • 2 hr
    • Sunset to 10 pm

Do

2 activities for when the group wants to do more than look across Civic Center and Bunker Hill.

  • N.Y.E.L.A. at Grand Park in Downtown Los AngelesPhoto: Casfreelancer · CC BY-SA 4.0
    Do

    N.Y.E.L.A. at Grand Park

    The county's free New Year's Eve party, with live stages, food trucks and a countdown projected onto City Hall.

    Tip It is alcohol-free; arrive by 10 pm for a spot facing City Hall.

    • Civic Center
    • Free
    • 4 hr
    • 8 pm – 12:30 am
  • Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los AngelesPhoto: Didier Baertschiger · CC BY-SA 2.0
    Do

    Walt Disney Concert Hall

    Frank Gehry's steel-clad hall, home of the LA Phil, holds two New Year's Eve concerts with a pop or jazz headliner.

    Tip The 10:30 pm show ends just after midnight, a short walk from Grand Park.

    • Bunker Hill
    • $$$
    • 2 hr
    • 10:30 pm show

Eat

Where we would book a table in Downtown Los Angeles across Arts District and Financial District.

  • Eat

    Bestia

    Arts District Italian in a converted warehouse, known for house-cured salumi and bone-marrow pasta since 2012.

    Tip Reservations open weeks ahead; Dec 30 is easier to book than New Year's Eve.

    • Arts District
    • $$$
    • 2 hr
    • Dinner
  • Eat

    Water Grill

    Seafood dining room on Grand Avenue since 1989, with a raw bar of oysters, crab and caviar.

    Tip An early New Year's Eve seating leaves time to walk to Grand Park.

    • Financial District
    • $$$
    • 2 hr
    • Early dinner

Drink

Our picks for a drink in Downtown Los Angeles in Historic Core.

  • Drink

    Perch

    French bistro and rooftop bar 15 floors above Pershing Square, with fire pits and open views of the towers.

    Tip On Dec 31 it runs two prix-fixe dinner seatings and a ticketed 21+ rooftop party from 9 pm.

    • Historic Core
    • $$$
    • 2.5 hr
    • From 9 pm

Stay

1 place to stay we would book in Financial District.

  • Stay

    InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown

    Hotel on the upper floors of the Wilshire Grand Center, the tallest tower in the West, with Spire 73 bar on the roof.

    Tip Ask for a high floor facing east toward City Hall and the San Gabriel Mountains.

    • Financial District
    • $$$$

How to fit Downtown Los Angeles into a trip

Downtown Los Angeles is stop 1 of 2 on our Los Angeles New Year's Eve route. Follow it as-is or lift Downtown Los Angeles into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Weather by month, based on Los Angeles

Our climate figures for Downtown Los Angeles come from Los Angeles, about 1 km (1 mi) away. Average daily highs run from 19°C / 66°F in December to 32°C / 90°F in August. February is the wettest month, with about 75 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages for Los Angeles. Los Angeles weather (covers Downtown Los Angeles) →

Near Downtown Los Angeles

8 other destinations from our guides within about 200 km (124 mi), measured in a straight line.

Downtown Los Angeles questions, answered

How many days do you need in Downtown Los Angeles?

Our route notes suggest 2 nights in Downtown Los Angeles. On our Los Angeles New Year's Eve route it is stop 1 of 2 in a 3-day trip. The listed visit times for our 7 places add up to roughly 15 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Downtown Los Angeles best known for?

Grand Park, City Hall and Bunker Hill; 2 nights for dinner, the countdown and a rooftop. Standouts on our list: Griffith Observatory (Art deco observatory on Mount Hollywood with free telescopes and the classic night view over the downtown towers); N.Y.E.L.A. at Grand Park (The county's free New Year's Eve party, with live stages, food trucks and a countdown projected onto City Hall); Walt Disney Concert Hall (Frank Gehry's steel-clad hall, home of the LA Phil, holds two New Year's Eve concerts with a pop or jazz headliner).

When is the best time to visit Downtown Los Angeles?

Our Los Angeles New Year's Eve route is best Dec 30 – Jan 1. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages for nearby Los Angeles put the warmest highs in August (32°C / 90°F), the coolest in December (19°C / 66°F) and the most rain in February (about 75 mm).

What are the best things to do in Downtown Los Angeles?

Start with N.Y.E.L.A. at Grand Park, Walt Disney Concert Hall and Griffith Observatory. Our guide lists 7 places in all, from 1 sight, 2 activities, 2 places to eat, 1 bar or café and 1 place to stay.

Where should a group eat in Downtown Los Angeles?

Our picks: Bestia (Arts District); Water Grill (Financial District). Reservations open weeks ahead; Dec 30 is easier to book than New Year's Eve (Bestia).

What is near Downtown Los Angeles?

The closest destinations in our guides are Los Angeles (about 1 km / 0 mi), Downtown LA (about 2 km / 1 mi) and Hollywood (about 9 km / 6 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Downtown Los Angeles with your crew

Open the Los Angeles New Year's Eve route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 7 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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