Where to Find Stunning City Views in Los Angeles
On a clear day, you can see L.A.
On a really clear day, you might see as far as Catalina Island.
That is, if you can get high enough.
But don't worry — you don't have to be a "peakbagger" to take in a breathtaking view in Los Angeles. In fact, there are some stunning lookouts you can simply drive to. (Or, of course, take public transportation.)
Whether you're looking for a new perspective on the city (or on life in general) or you're seeking out the perfect perch for a sunrise or sunset, here are seven of the best places to look out over the City of Angels.
1. Griffith Park, Los Feliz
There are plenty of scenic viewpoints in Griffith Park — including from the top of Mount Hollywood, at 1,625 feet of elevation, and the top of Mount Lee, at 1,708 feet. But if you're not ready to commit to that much of a hike, you can get a fantastic view from other overlooks in the park that are a little more accessible.
There's Bee Rock, whose trailhead is just a half-mile from the Merry Go Round Parking Lot 2 — a walk that takes you through the grounds of the Old L.A. Zoo. Once you get onto Bee Rock Trail, the lookout point is a short but steep hike up a single-track trail that winds around the hive-shaped rock outcropping. Beware of actual bees, which seem to like the pocks and the pits in the rock. Return the way you came.
At Beacon Hill, near the easternmost boundary of Griffith Park, you can look out over Glendale, the 5 freeway, and the Los Angeles River (most notably, the Glendale Narrows soft-bottom section). The beacon from which it derives its name is no longer atop this 1,000-foot peak — but you can see why Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale had it posted there, to warn pilots of the mountain peaks.
To reach Beacon Hill, follow the Lower Beacon Hill Trail from Merry Go Round Parking Lot 1 for about a mile and a half. From the top, you can either return the way you came, or make a loop out of it by picking up Fern Canyon Trail (the farthest to your right at the "Five Points" trail juncture) and taking that back to your parked car.
And don't forget one of the most popular spots in Griffith Park, likely in part because of its breathtaking view: the Wisdom Tree near Cahuenga Peak, reachable by walking up the paved Wonder View Drive near Lake Hollywood until it turns into the dirt Wonder View Trail. From there, it's a steep, unshaded half-mile upwards to the tree. If you get that far and still have time and energy, you can follow the trail as it runs along the ridge of Cahuenga Peak and eventually takes you all the way to (behind) the Hollywood Sign.
Recently-announced road closures along Griffith Park Drive between Travel Town and Mt. Hollywood Drive don't affect the directions above — but check for other park advisories before heading out. Leashed dogs are welcome.
2. Trebek Open Space, Hollywood Hills
Trebek Open Space is a slice of a canyon butted up against the more popular, severely more eroded, and seriously over-loved Runyon Canyon. The late Alex Trebek (of Jeopardy! fame) donated the 62-acre parcel to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to be used as a wildlife corridor in 1998 — over 20 years before his death in 2020. At the time, it was worth about $2 million and greatly expanded the publicly accessible open space in the Nichols Canyon region of the Hollywood Hills.
You have your choice of three trailheads: the southernmost one at the end of Wattles Drive (where you'll take the left at the fork to follow the Lower Trebek Trail), the middle one at the end of Castair Drive (where you can pick up the top of the Lower Trebek Trail, sometimes called the Castair Trail), or the northernmost one that's off Nichols Canyon Road at the Bantam Trail fire gate. That last option takes you from 800 feet at the trailhead to 1000 feet at its highest point, where you can get some good views of the city below.
On days when it's not clear enough to see all the way to Catalina, at least you're so close to the center of things in L.A. that there's plenty else to see from up there. And you can get an easy hike out of your visit — one that only takes about an hour or so and isn't likely to be very crowded. It makes for a nice happy hour hiking destination, too, as the Golden Hour glow makes everything feel a little less stressful.
Beware of parking restrictions in the surrounding residential neighborhood, especially on Red Flag Days. Leashed dogs are welcome.
3. Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, Baldwin Hills
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area has a surprisingly complex trail system and lots of areas for exploring — but one of your best destinations for great city views (at least, ones not completely obscured by oil pumps) is Janice's Green Valley. Located at the site of the former Baldwin Hills Reservoir, this "bowl" is at one of the highest points in the park, easily reachable by driving your car or taking The Link shuttle bus to the upper parking lot. There, you can pop into the restroom, settle in for a picnic or head out on one of the park's trails.
Taking the Community Loop trail from the Bowl Loop is your best way to head into the depths of the park, as it intersects with the City View Trail and provides access to a number of overlooks, including Autumn's Peak and Christine's Point. Stick to the ridge facing north, and you'll get an eyeful. You can return the way you came or take Diane's Trail down to the Park to Playa Trail or the paved entrance road — the latter of which you can follow past Moore Lake to your starting point. Or, extend your hike by taking the Forest Trail through the Olympic Forest, whose trees were planted in commemoration of the participating nations in the 1984 Summer Olympics, which took place in L.A.
Another option is to start your journey at the lower parking lot and head up the Walk for Health Trail, which takes you straight up to the ridge — though don't be daunted, because you won't experience an elevation gain of more than 500 feet anywhere in the park. And fortunately, there are plenty of benches and picnic areas where you can take a load off along the trail.
Current park operating hours (through October 31) are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Leashed dogs are welcome. It's free to visit on weekdays, but a vehicle entrance fee applies on weekends and holidays. Annual permits are available.
4. Ernest Debs Regional Park, Montecito Heights
Debs Park — named after former County Supervisor Ernest E. Debs (1958-1974) — is an urban oasis of picnic pavilions, comfort stations and even a manmade lake. There, you can take any number of trails to reach its 884-foot peak and look out over Northeast L.A., Lincoln Heights and Downtown Los Angeles.
From the Audubon Center at Debs Park, you can climb the Scrub Jay Trail to the City View Trail, which leads to the Summit Ridge Trail and the Valley View Trail. Or, enter by car off of Monterey Road — and from the Main Parking Lot, you can take the Lake View Trail up to Debs Pond (a.k.a. "Peanut Lake"). Rest on a lakeside bench, surrounded by ducks and turtles, and see if you can spot any birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway that have also made a pit stop there.
The Audubon Center is open to the public Wednesdays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. If the adjacent parking lot is full, park on Griffin Avenue and walk up the rest of the way. Although restrooms and drinking fountains are available, there are no concessions — so bring your own water and sun protection. The center itself doesn't allow dogs on its grounds, but you can bring your pup along on the trails beyond its 17 acres.
Free admission and parking. A downloadable trail map is available on the Audubon Center at Debs Park's website. Leashed dogs are welcome.
5. Ascot Hills Park, El Sereno
Although it was first planned as far back as 1930, the 93-acre Ascot Hills Park didn't celebrate its grand opening until 2011. Before that, the parkland's prior usages included as LADWP training grounds and other utility and water transport operations (hence the adjacent Ascot Reservoir). Otherwise, it was considered too steep to be developed.
Today, it provides the rare opportunity for Eastsiders to get a 360-degree perspective above Los Angeles. A highlight among the 4 miles of service roads and trails is the unobstructed view of the Downtown L.A. skyline on one side and the San Gabriel Valley on the other, which doesn't require you hiking very far at all into the park (less than a mile).
Its geographic centrality parallels the confluence of multiple plant and wildlife habitats — where you can find riparian shrubs and reeds intermingling with grassland wildflowers, coastal sage scrub and oak and walnut trees. To learn more about local plants, you can find a native plant nursery and an Interpretive Nature Garden onsite.
There isn't a lot of shade at Ascot Hills — but that's about to change, thanks to a recent agreement with North East Trees to add dozens of coast live oak, black walnut, toyon, elderberry and laurel sumac trees to create a tree canopy and provide more cover.
Open sunrise to sunset. Enter from Multnomah Street at Gateside Drive and park in the free lot before hoofing it up the wide, main dirt trail. Leashed dogs are welcome. Restroom available at park entrance.
6. Barnsdall Art Park, East Hollywood
The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Hollyhock House in Barnsdall Art Park may get most of the glory and the headlines — but the park itself, located on what was once known as "Olive Hill," is a neighborhood gem that draws sunset spectators from all over to lay blankets out on its lawn and watch as day turns into night.
Oil heiress Aline Barnsdall's vision for her property was never fully realized — even when she donated the structures and the land to the City of Los Angeles in 1927. For years, the house and the entire project were considered unfinished. Now, the L.A. city park is the site of many gallery exhibits, art classes, and other activities managed by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
And today, we can feel grateful for the 11.5-acre park's uninterrupted view of the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory and the stretches of L.A. beyond Hollywood that are illuminated by the setting sun as you face west. (Kaiser Permanente blocks much of the eastern view.)
The top of the hill gets pretty crowded on weekends — but check the Upper Road parking lot and nearby curb parking spaces to see if you can find a spot up there. If not, staircases connect the peak to the parking lot along the Lower Road and even Vermont Avenue.
Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Free parking and admission. Alcoholic beverages aren't allowed in L.A. parks without a special event permit. Leashed dogs are welcome.
7. Point Grandview, Elysian Park
If you're looking for a spot that you can drive to — without having to do any hiking or walking whatsoever — head to Point Grandview in Elysian Park. It's a scenic overlook with plenty of parking spots (although it still fills up) along Grand View Drive, just beyond Elysian Reservoir.
It's not a view that tourists would necessarily seek out, as it faces east across the 110 Freeway, the Los Angeles River, Lincoln Heights and Cypress Park. But Angelenos are more than happy to keep this viewpoint all to themselves.
It also provides the rare opportunity to see the Riverside Roundabout — and its public art installation, known as "Faces of Elysian Valley" — from above (which is a good thing, because it's really hard to get a good look at it while you're actually circumnavigating it in a car).
Open sunrise to sunset. Free parking and admission. Leashed dogs are welcome.
