The Best Movie & TV Locations in Los Angeles

Step into your favorite movies and TV shows

Griffith Observatory | Photo: Justin Donais, © Friends Of The Observatory
Griffith Observatory | Photo: Justin Donais, © Friends Of The Observatory

Generations of movie and TV directors have featured LA's landmark buildings and extraordinary landscapes in every genre of film and TV. From science fiction and action to holiday and horror, read on for our guides to the best film and TV locations in Los Angeles.

Musso & Frank Grill in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"
Musso & Frank Grill in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" | Photo: Andrew Cooper, Columbia Pictures

Set in Los Angeles during the tumultuous year of 1969, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is the ninth film from writer-director Quentin Tarantino. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood tells the story of fading TV star Rick Dalton (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and his best friend and stunt double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). The studio system of the Golden Age of Hollywood is coming to an end, while the counterculture has embraced the antiheroes of movies like Easy Rider and The Wild Bunch. Read on for Los Angeles locations featured in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, plus a bonus section for those that want to take a deeper dive into the movie. 

Scene from "The Artist" at the Bradbury Building in Downtown LA
Scene from "The Artist" at the Bradbury Building  |  Photo: @filmtourismus
French Street at Warner Bros. Studio
French Street | Photo: Warner Bros. Studio

Oscar-Winning Best Picture Locations in LA

Los Angeles has been home to the Academy Awards since the very first ceremony was held on May 16, 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Eight Oscar trophies were handed out that night, including one to Wings for Outstanding Picture. In the ensuing decades, numerous Best Picture winners have filmed in LA. Read on for a list of ten memorable Oscar-winning movie locations that are found in the City of Angels.

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper perform "Shallow" in "A Star Is Born"
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper perform "Shallow" in "A Star Is Born" | Photo: Warner Bros.

Discover the LA Locations of "A Star Is Born"

Take our tour of A Star Is Born Los Angeles locations, including places where the film was actually shot and the local joints where you can create your own A Star Is Born experience.

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling dancing in Griffith Park in "La La Land"
Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling dancing in Griffith Park in "La La Land" | Photo: Lionsgate

Discover the "City of Stars"

The City of Angels once again gets a star turn courtesy of the Academy Award-winning La La Land. The characters Sebastian and Mia, played by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, sashay around the city in love with each other and Los Angeles. Read on for how to make your own magic during a cinematic visit.

Point Dume in the final scene of "Planet of the Apes"
Point Dume in the iconic final scene of Planet of the Apes  |  Photo: @filmtourismus

Walk in Oscar's Footsteps

For film fans, hikers and lovers of the great outdoors, here are some of the big-screen backdrops that have appeared in Oscar-winning and nominated films.

Alan Arkin and Ben Affleck at the Warner Bros. Studio lot in "Argo"
Alan Arkin and Ben Affleck at the Warner Bros. Studio lot in "Argo" | Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures, Facebook

Los Angeles Locations in "Argo"

From a historic shopping mall in Hollywood to a multi-million dollar estate in Bel-Air, discover how Los Angeles played a starring role in the Academy Award-winning Argo.

The Bradbury Building in Downtown LA
The Bradbury Building  |  Photo: Discover Los Angeles

Los Angeles Locations Featured in "The Artist"

At the 84th Academy Awards, The Artist took home three of the biggest awards of the night, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. Fans from around the world can visit these LA locations featured in the history-making film.

Scene from "La La Land" at the Griffith Observatory
Scene from "La La Land" at the Griffith Observatory  |  Photo: @filmtourismus
Sandy and Danny at the Frosty Palace in "Grease"
Sandy and Danny at the Frosty Palace | Photo: "Grease," Facebook

Ten Romantic Los Angeles Movies

With LA’s breathtaking scenery and spectacular sunsets, it’s no wonder that romance seems to be everywhere in the City of Angels. Filmmakers have made romantic movies in Los Angeles for generations, and we’ve picked ten of the best, from the silent era to the near future.

Sheats-Goldstein Residence
Sheats-Goldstein Residence | Photo: LACMA

The Dude Abides in Los Angeles

The Big Lebowski is through and through a Los Angeles classic. “They call Los Angeles the City of Angels,” the initial voiceover declares. “I didn't find it to be that exactly, but I'll allow as there are some nice folks there.” After 117 minutes with The Dude, Walter and Donny, moviegoers all over the world have agreed. A Lebowski Tour of Los Angeles includes public and private locations, and also places that have vanished in the last 20 years. Remember: Los Angeles sometimes celebrates its past and architecture, and sometimes physical and demographic change alters everything: it is what makes it a living city and not a European-style museum town.

Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard in "Blade Runner" (1982)
Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard in "Blade Runner" (1982) | Photo: Blade Runner 2049, Facebook
Scene from "Blade Runner" at the Bradbury Building
Scene from "Blade Runner" at the Bradbury Building  |  Photo: @filmtourismus

Discover "Blade Runner" Locations in LA

As the stunning images unfold for Blade Runner, the pulse of any movie-loving Angeleno quickens. Ridley Scott’s mind-blowing original that stars Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, outlived its ho-hum box office returns and rose to classic status. The 1982 sci-fi film is among the most defining works of art ever created about our city - no other modern film uses the backdrop of our city with as much as imagination and flair. We may not have flying cars - yet - but there are plenty of places in Los Angeles that will make you feel like you've stepped into that dystopian world. Here’s a guide to recreating the Blade Runner experience in LA, from its real-deal locations to inspired-by settings and events.

Season 6B poster | Photo courtesy of “Pretty Little Liars,” Facebook
Season 6B poster | Photo courtesy of “Pretty Little Liars,” Facebook

The Ultimate "Pretty Little Liars" Guide to Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

The vast majority of the locales featured on the hit Freeform series Pretty Little Liars can be viewed at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood. Read on for a list of 36 can't-miss spots. Just be sure to be on your best behavior when visiting the WB, because in Rosewood you never know who may be watching.

Samuel Oschin Planetarium at the Griffith Observatory
Samuel Oschin Planetarium | Photo by Justin Donais, © Friends Of The Observatory

The Best Film & TV Locations for a Rainy Day in LA

Los Angeles is world-famous for its year-round sunny weather. For those days when LA gets some much-needed rain, Angelenos and visitors alike will surely be looking for ways to keep dry. Catching a movie is one good approach to beating the rain. The following ten filming locations can also provide respite on a rainy day.

“Touch of Venice” | Photo courtesy of Karen A. Romanko, Flickr
“Touch of Venice” | Photo courtesy of Karen A. Romanko, Flickr

Film Noir Locations in Los Angeles

The landscape of Los Angeles has been captured in countless film noirs over the years. Though many of the shadowy alleyways, smoke-filled buildings and dark corners featured in them no longer stand, there are a few locales that remain intact. You’d better read on for a list of ten LA film noir locations - if you know what’s good for you.

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Templin Highway from "Furious 7" | Photo by Lindsay Blake

LA Locations from The Fast and the Furious Movies

The Fast and the Furious movies boast a strong connection to Los Angeles. Fans can discover many iconic locations from the films throughout LA, from Downtown to Malibu. Read on for 20 Fast and Furious locations in LA County, including the site of the unforgettable “One Last Ride.”

Photo courtesy of “Clueless,” Facebook
Photo courtesy of “Clueless,” Facebook

The Ultimate Guide to "Clueless" Movie Locations

Written and directed by Amy Heckerling, the hit comedy Clueless premiered July 19, 1995 and introduced countless catchphrases and slang into the common lexicon. ("Monet," "Baldwin," "buggin'" anyone?) The way popular modern adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, which centered around Beverly Hills teen Cher Horowitz (played by Alicia Silverstone), was lensed in and around Los Angeles in early 1995. Read on for the ultimate guide to each and every locale featured in the movie – like, all 40 of them.

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The Apple Pan  |  Photo: Lindsay Blake

Famous Film & TV Restaurants in LA

From Downtown to Hollywood, Santa Monica and Pasadena, there is a unique bistro, café, delicatessen or gastropub situated on virtually every street corner ready to welcome a hungry patron. For those who prefer their meals with a side of show biz history, here are 11 famous film and TV restaurants that you can visit in LA.

Union Station ticket concourse | Photo courtesy of Candice Montgomery, Discover Los Angeles Flickr pool
Union Station ticket concourse | Photo courtesy of Candice Montgomery, Discover Los Angeles Flickr pool

The Best Movies & TV Shows Starring Los Angeles

While many movies and television shows are set in Los Angeles and countless more have filmed here, only a handful of productions focus as much on the city itself as the characters who live here. Read on for LA locations featured in movies and TV shows that prominently showcase Los Angeles.

The Gamble House | Photo by Lindsay Blake
The Gamble House | Photo by Lindsay Blake

Top 10 Totally Awesome 80s Movie Locations

Ah, the 1980s. Not only did the decade gift us with a vividly colorful clothing scheme and a plethora of catchy pop ballads, but it also endowed us with one of filmdom’s most beloved genres. Here’s a list of ten '80s movie locations that are found in Los Angeles.

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The Crystal Ballroom at Millennium Biltmore Hotel | Photo courtesy of Michael Chen, Flickr

Los Angeles Hotels Featured in Film & TV

Many Los Angeles hotels boast resumes that would be the envy of most actors. Read on for a guide to Los Angeles hotels that have been immortalized on screen, along with the productions that made them famous.

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Glass elevators in motion at The Westin Bonaventure | Photo courtesy of croman653, Discover Los Angeles Flickr pool

The Best Action Movie Locations in LA

Los Angeles sees a lot of action when it comes to filming, especially when it comes to filming, well, action movies. From 80s classics like "Commando" and "Beverly Hills Cop" to more modern features like "Iron Man" and "Transformers," the LA area has been home to some of cinema’s biggest adrenaline-filled moments. Read on for a list of locations where some of the genre’s most memorable scenes were shot. Lights, camera and…action!

Hiker at Vasquez Rocks Natural Area
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area  |  Photo: Yuri Hasegawa

Top 10 Science Fiction Movie & TV Locations

Los Angeles boasts a variety of unique, otherworldly and sometimes bizarre landscapes and structures. Over the years, science fiction film and television makers have flocked to these mystical locales to lens some of the genre’s most iconic productions. Read on to learn about ten of the most extraordinary LA locations that have been immortalized in science fiction films and TV series.

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Nancy's house from "A Nightmare on Elm Street" | Photo by Lindsay Blake

Iconic Horror Movie Locations in LA

The late 1970s through the early 90s was a golden age of the horror/slasher flick, and nowhere was filming of the genre more prevalent than in the City of Angels and its environs. Many horror locales from that time period remain unchanged today, still possessing the power to give those in the know a good spook. Read on for a guide to some of the most iconic horror movie locations in Los Angeles.

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Photo courtesy of Sunset Ranch Hollywood

LA Movie Locations in the Great Outdoors

Though Los Angeles boasts sunshine and blue skies practically year round, there is something extra magical about summer in LA. What better way to embrace the season than by spending it outside? Read on for movie and TV locations that celebrate LA’s Great Outdoors.

Photo courtesy of Mad Men, Facebook
Photo courtesy of Mad Men, Facebook

"Mad Men" Locations in Los Angeles

The Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning AMC TV series Mad Men takes place in the high-powered advertising world of 1960s Manhattan and in later seasons the bohemian vibe of Los Angeles as well. The show’s main sets were located in Los Angeles and many of the on-location scenes were filmed in the LA area. To celebrate one of the most acclaimed TV series in history, we round up the top Mad Men locations in Los Angeles.

Jerry Gergich house from "Parks and Recreation" | Photo by Lindsay Blake
Jerry Gergich house from "Parks and Recreation" | Photo by Lindsay Blake

Holiday Movie & TV Locations in LA

Get into the spirit of the season by taking a tour of iconic holiday movie and television locations. Though it hasn’t snowed in L.A. since 1962 and the city’s massive concentration of palm trees doesn’t exactly scream winter, Los Angeles is home to many classic Yuletide filming sites. Read on for 10 famous holiday movie and TV locations.