The History and Architecture of Downtown LA

See LA in a Day

Explore the historic heart LA while seeing modern marvels like the Walt Disney Concert Hall and sampling mochi in Little Tokyo.

341 S Hill St

Welcome to Downtown LA (or DTLA as the locals say)! This 3hr walking tour is the best way to explore the most historic part of Los Angeles. An expert guide will take you on a journey through the city's iconic landmarks, while sharing fascinating stories about the area's past. Join us for an unforgettable adventure! If you want to truly understand LA, you have to visit downtown. Downtown is the birthplace of Los Angeles; where LA began with just 44 people and eventually grew into the city we see today. The history of LA and downtown are inseparable. On this tour, you will experience several different parts of DTLA.We begin the tour with a ride on historic Angels Flight - the shortest little train ride in the world! This will take us up to Bunker Hill. Once a haven for Victorian mansions, Bunker Hill is now home to modern architectural marvels like the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Broad Museum.Once we have seen Bunker Hill, we will see the Civic Center. This is the political engine of LA. City Hall, celebrity courthouses, and the LAPD all have a presence in this part of downtown. We will discuss the architectural history of City Hall, its film credits, and how City Hall played an important part in shaping the look of Los Angeles.From there, you'll head to Little Tokyo. Full of shops and restaurants, Little Tokyo is one of the coolest parts of LA. The history of this community is one of resilience, having survived many redevopments and WW2. This is where we will sample mochi from a 100+ year old family owned business!Finally, we will see a bit of the historic core. Architecture fans will love the variety of Beaux Art, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco buildings that we still have in this area. Some of the best parts of the tour are saved for the last section, like the Bradbury Building and The Last Bookstore. To end, the tour walks though Grand Central Market, pointing out some of the best stalls and making sure you get an excellent lunch when the tour concludes. Fans of architecture, city planning, history, TV, film, Bosch, Perry Mason, mochi, art deco, Raymond Chandler, Blade Runner, and more will all get something out of this amazing tour in Downtown LA. Come explore with us!

Information*** We meet at the BOTTOM of Angels Flight at 341 S. Spring St. ***This is a 3hr walking tour.You will receive more detailed information in an automated email when you book.