Self-Guided Tour of Downtown Los Angeles with Fun Facts and Best Photo Ops

Admire the magnificence of Union Station We all know there is something quite magical about train travel and there’s no better place to experience this than the last of the great train stations, Union Station. It is a building steeped in history, with its Mission-style exterior leading you into its opulent waiting area with marble tiles and faux wood beam ceilings which further take you through to various halls and courtyards. Being such a beautiful building, Union Station is a firm favorite of Hollywood’s.

Take a stroll down Olvera Street to capture the essence of ‘Old LA’

Immerse yourself in LA’s history at El Pueblo Historical Monument

Get a taste of the rich Mexican-American history and culture at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

Pio Pico was a successful businessman and the last Mexican Governor of Alta California who ordered the construction of a luxury hotel. Pico House was the result, and at the time was the most luxurious building in Southern California. If you’re a fan of The Mentalist, you’ll be interested to know that the back part of the building appeared on the show.

Enjoy the view at City Hall

Chill out in Grand Park Stretching between the City Hall and the Los Angeles Music Center on Grand Ave, this park is filled with cool fountains, bright pink benches and picnic lawns, and is the perfect spot for people-watching. As well as being a great place to hang out, Grand Park also hosts a number of performances, gatherings and community events.

The Music Center’s crowning jewel, the Walt Disney Concert Hall is home to the LA Philharmonic and the LA Master Chorale. They have a wide of concerts throughout the year, including classical, contemporary, world music and jazz. It’s a super elegant building and well worth taking the free audio tour.

Be astounded by the contemporary art at The Broad

See a Hollywood icon at the Bradbury Building Downtown LA’s oldest commercial building may seem awfully familiar to you if you’ve seen the movie Blade Runner; the Bradbury Building’s iconic zigzagging staircases were used in the climax. This skylit alley of walkways, stairs and elevators, complimented by ornate ironwork, may come as a surprise after walking through the entrance – the rest of the building is fairly nondescript. You will have to do all you viewing from the ground floor as the rest of the building is private office space.

Grab something to eat at Grand Central Market Located on the ground floor of the Homer Laughlin Building, this European-style food hall has been satisfying the hunger of the citizens of Downtown LA since 1917. It’s a great place to pick up traditional Latino eats like pupusas and tacos, and the market is now home to a number of trendy eateries such as Horse Thief BBQ and Eggslut.

Take a ride on the Angels Flight Railway Immediately recognizable from La La Land, this block-long funicular has managed to overcome closures, mechanical problems and relocation as it’s still pulling passengers up Bunker Hill more than a century after it first opened. You can get a great view of the Historic Core as you bump along the tracks. You can get on from either Hill Street or Olive Street.

See Downtown from a different perspective at OUE Skyspace LA Here is another great place to get a bird’s eye view of Downtown LA, only OUE Skyspace LA has a significant advantage – a unique glass slide which you can ride to see the city from a completely different perspective. There is also a really cool interactive exhibition which gives you little-known facts about the city to enhance the skyline view.

Marvel at Central Library’s awesome architecture Even if you’re not into reading, Central Library is worth checking out due to its amazing architecture; it has an exterior which mixes Egyptian and Mediterranean styles topped with a dramatic tiled pyramid. However, it’s inside that will really astound you. Head to the second floor rotunda to see its stunning deco-meets-arabesque dome and globe chandelier.

Hang out with the locals at Pershing Square While Pershing Square has had somewhat of a post-modern makeover in recent years with some questionable additions, it still remains Downtown’s main public space. There are some cool events here for you to check out, such as the Farmer’s Market which takes place every Wednesday. There are also some great permanent and temporary art exhibitions here, including the Spanish American War Memorial, the city’s oldest public art sculpture.

Get Instagram-worthy photos while purchasing books at The Last Bookstore The owners of the Last Bookstore had the right idea when they took over what used to be an old bank building; this store is now just as famous for its amazing interiors of marble columns and giant doors as it is for its book collection. The store creates what is known as visual merchandising through creative displays to attract Instagram users, “In the hope of trying to convert Instagram visitors into book purchasers”.