Top Rated Attractions in Los Angeles

Put your walking shoes on and get ready for one of the best tours you will ever take of the city. Blissfully free of cost and incredibly enriching, the Free LA Tour takes you through the core of Los Angeles - Downtown and Hollywood. The dynamic Downtown tour includes walking through city landmarks such as Union Station, Pershing Square, City Hall and the Bradbury Building. The Grand Central Market, the Central Library and the historic theater district are featured in the tour as well. Stumble upon several hidden gems as well, and let LA surprise you. The tour requires a minimum of four people to conduct a free tour.

This attractive museum is both a study of the life of Japanese-Americans and a celebration of Japanese-American art. The museum has presented a number of art exhibitions tackling several different mediums, including photography, film and sculpture. The subjects of some past exhibitions have included "Asian American Artists and Abstraction, 1945-1970", and "The Kona Coffee Story: Along the Hawaii Belt Road."

The Chinese American Museum is the first in Southern California to document the experience of the Chinese in America. It is housed within the oldest surviving Chinese building, called the Garnier Building. The first exhibition was held in 1992 and featured the works of James Wong Howe, the Oscar-winning cinematographer. The museum's main aim is to eventually become an educational resource for other ethnic communities. In February, it celebrates the Chinese Lantern Festival, so if you're visiting LA at that time make sure it's on your itinerary.

Grand Park is nestled in downtown Los Angeles along Grand Avenue. Opened to the public in 2012, this 12-acre (4.9-hectare) urban project has been compared to the likes of New York’s Central Park. Located between City Hall and the Music Center, it features verdant lawns and mature trees, interactive fountains and plazas, as well as event spaces. The Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain with its dazzling light effects is the highlight of this landscape. This park is also a regular venue for performing arts, concerts, farmers’ markets and community events.

Focusing on the Mexican American experience in Southern California and the greater Los Angeles area, this cultural center celebrates the influence of the culture and its people. La Plaza de Cultura y Artes is located near the site where Los Angeles was founded in 1781 on a sprawling 2.2 acre campus. The center is home to two historic buildings, and a lush public garden. Take a peek at rotating exhibits, partake in an educational program or attend one of their many on-going events.

Japan's top architect, Arata Isozaki, built the Museum of Contemporary Art, or MOCA as it is called by locals, in 1986. The series of bright galleries with exposed vaults display some of this century's finest artwork. Works by Mark Rothco, Franz Kline, Claes Oldenburg and more are displayed year-round. In addition to the curators, artists and critics frequently give guided tours. Inside the museum is a great restaurant called Patinette serving great Mediterranean cuisine.