Los Feliz Walking
Architecture Tour

I have been wanting to host my own Airbnb Experience for a while now. I've considered several options, but my favorite is a Los Feliz Walking Architecture Tour in East Los Angeles. For now, I've reserved it for family and friends. Contact me to see when I'm next in L.A. and I will happily take you on this day trip.

It's a pretty long walk that's more of a hike with a steep incline and lots of steps, but 100% worth it! The tour can be taken as quickly or slowly as you like. Here's my ideal version of the day:

Start at The Trails Cafe, which is a lovely wooden shack or jackrabbit homestead nestled in the woods at the start of the Fern Dell trail near the western end of Los Feliz. If it's a hot day, go early and have a coffee or snack. Begin your hike up to the Griffith Observatory, a gem of art deco architecture. The hike should take no longer than an hour. If possible, visit the inside and check out the pendulum. I also highly recommend watching one of the films at the Samuel Oschin Planetarium, which tends to last around 30 minutes.

Then, make your way down through the Greek Theater side. Check out Ennis House, a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece and Hollywood icon. Take yourself down the Los Feliz steps and head towards Sowden House (aka Jaws House), a Lloyd Wright Mayan revival or neo-Mayan house where the Black Dahlia murder supposedly took place. Man Ray was good friends with the owner and supposedly visited often. It has creepy surrealist vibes.

Finally, make your way to Barnsdall Art Park, which has a gallery, art center, and my favorite Frank Lloyd Wright house, the Hollyhock House. Be sure to arrive before 4 pm so you can go inside—it's the best part since it's the only one of the houses that's regularly open for visitors. The park is big and has a gorgeous sunny meadow with an incredible view of Downtown. Bring your picnic and watch the sunset overlooking the amazing city of Los Angeles.