What an incredible view from the top. There was no place at the observatory that had a bad view! We managed to arrive in time for sunset, which was an ideal time. The reason it loses a star is due to the amount of things that were not functioning at the site - parking pay stations (of 5 near our spot, 1 was working) elevators, part of interactive exhibits. While I appreciate a free experience, I would have preferred the structure seen in other large cities like an optional donation to enter to support to site’s upkeep. Regardless, the views and overall experience were very much worth it!

We loved our visit to this iconic LA landmark. We arrived late afternoon and stayed for sunset, which was amazing. Although it was busy, there was plenty of space for everyone. The views of the whole city and the Hollywood sign were outstanding. Really appreciated the free DASH shuttle bus too! And free entry to the observatory itself! An absolute must-do when visiting LA.

Griffith Observatory sits high atop Los Angeles. You get a great view of the city and the Hollywood sign. If you want to look through the telescope you'll need to visit in the evening. Allow 2-4 hours to see everything and read all the information. It's a very interesting place to visit. Beautiful scenery and many informational displays.

This was my first visit to Griffith Observatory. We went on a Sunday night shortly before sunset which is a very popular time to visit. We parked on the street leading up to the observatory because we weren’t sure if there would be spots at the top. I tried to pay for parking but every machine I went to was broken. I saw only a handful of people who actually paid and displayed their tickets. Trying to pay was very frustrating, confusing and a huge waste of time. Also it seems that they are missing out on a huge amount of revenue. The area by the observatory gives a great view of the hills around the Hollywood sign and of downtown. It was fun to see the area change as the sun set. We spent some time looking in the exhibits inside. If you want to see the Planetarium show I would buy it ahead of time as there was a very long line inside. We also wanted to look through the large telescope on the roof but there was an extremely long line. We had a great visit to the Griffith Observatory and would recommend it to anyone visiting Los Angeles.

The observatory is fantastic, even in the daytime. Enjoy the displays on earth's seasons, tides, eclipses. You really get the basics of our planet in relation to the sun. Next time, I will go at night. They allow you to look through the telescope, which must be incredible. The admission is free but you'll pay extra for the domed movie. Highly recommend Signs of Life. Give yourself at least two hours if you include the movie. Three hours if you pay for parking and need to walk. Ok, so now the parking. Parking was a total joke. Don't park there. You need to pay in advance and how do you know how long you are going to be there. Our walk up the hill was 25 minutes! The people who parked further away (like myself nearly a half mile downhill) paid $10/hr, while the people who parked closest paid nothing because the machines weren't working. I heard a couple of people comment that a park ranger said parking was not being enforced (Nov 16). I paid $30 for nothing You have options. Do a rideshare from the town at the bottom of the hill, park at the Greek theater and walk up, or get on the bus at the Greek theater for 50 cents exact change. The whole parking situation is a mess. Don't let the park service take your money.

We spent nearly 3 weeks road tripping across California and this was the best thing we did. The trek and view is barely believable and looks better in person than in photos. The shows in the Planetarium cost $10, but it's the best $10 you will spend anywhere in LA, maybe the whole USA - the graphics were spectacular and the in house narrator was captivating. Staff were also brilliant when we alerted them to a First Aid issue outside.

We went to watch sunset and then a self-guided tour. The whole family loved the experience. Such an interesting place and the views were incredible…both the sun setting towards Downton LA and the Hollywood sign. Highly recommend 🙌⭐️

We spent our last evening on a week-long visit to SoCal here. We thought about parking at the bottom and then hiking up. We ended up parking near the observatory. The hike would have been long and difficult. Once at the top, you have great views of the city. You are able to see the Hollywood sign clearly, and we were able to see the ocean as well. We didn't go in the observatory, but that is certainly an option while you're up here.

Great experience! Would highly recommend stopping here if in town. Go early to beat the rush! Also fyi check the times the observatory itself is open. We went early and unfortunately were unable to go inside but on the other hand was nice because there wasn’t a big crowd and tons of parking!

You can't go wrong on choosing the Griffith Observatory to hang out, view the city or to learn something new inside their museum. I have taken countless of friends and family members to this place as it's a unique and amazing place to explore for both adults and kids. Parking can be difficult to find especially on the weekends. So if you can't find parking at the top of the observatory, then you are forced to park near the cliffs. And depending how busy it is, you could walk quite a bit.