One day in Los Angeles, United States
A good day in Los Angeles starts in the hills. Walk the Griffith Observatory grounds in the morning, go to the zoo at midday, and see the Natural History Museum in the afternoon. The hours each one keeps decide the order of the day.
Morsilla Travel may earn a commission from its partners; it does not change the price you pay.
Updated October 2026
The Griffith Observatory grounds in the morning
Griffith Observatory is at 2800 East Observatory Road, and admission is free. The building opens at noon from Tuesday to Friday and at 10 am on Saturday and Sunday, and it is closed on Mondays. The observatory's calendar also lists special closures, such as November 26, 2026.
The observatory grounds and roads are generally open from 5 am to 10:30 pm every day, the same hours as Griffith Park. The trailheads on the grounds lead to Mount Hollywood, the Greek Theatre area and Fern Dell, so the morning can be a walk before the building opens.
The Los Angeles Zoo at midday
The Los Angeles Zoo is at 5333 Zoo Drive, in Griffith Park. It is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, and the animals start to go in for the night at 4 pm. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day and December 25.
The zoo runs animal presentations, special educational programmes and activities for all ages.
The Natural History Museum in the afternoon
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is at 900 Exposition Blvd., and it is open daily from 9:30 am to 5 pm. It is closed on the first Tuesday of every month except from June to August, and on Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. In June, July and August, check the museum's hours before going on a first Tuesday.
General admission includes access to the NHM Commons. The NHM Insider Tour is sold separately and goes behind the scenes with scientists to see how real fossils are prepared and stored. Los Angeles County residents have free admission from 3 to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, available on site only.
Plan your one day in Los Angeles
Pick the day with the closures in mind. The observatory building is closed on Mondays and on November 26, 2026, though its grounds are generally open every day; the museum is closed on the first Tuesday of the month except from June to August, and on Independence Day and New Year's Day; and both the museum and the zoo are closed on Thanksgiving Day and December 25. If your family would rather see sea animals, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is open every day except December 25, usually from 9 am to 6 pm; its hours change on select days, so check its calendar before you go, and reservations are required at weekends and on holidays.
Sources
- Official page of Griffith Observatory: it is at 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles, open Tuesday to Friday from noon to 10 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 10 pm, closed on Mondays, and admission is free. The Observatory's grounds and roads are generally open the same hours as Griffith Park, 5 am to 10:30 pm, every day, and the trailheads on the grounds lead to Mount Hollywood, the Greek Theatre area and Fern Dell. — griffithobservatory.lacity.gov (checked 21 October 2026)
- Official tickets page of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: it is at 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, open daily from 9:30 am to 5 pm, closed the first Tuesday of every month and select holidays. General admission includes access to NHM Commons; the NHM Insider Tour has its own ticket and goes behind the scenes with scientists to see how real fossils are prepared and stored; and L.A. County residents have free admission from 3 to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, available onsite only. — nhm.org (checked 21 October 2026)
- Official page of the Los Angeles Zoo: it is at 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, in Griffith Park, open daily from 10 am to 5 pm and closed on Thanksgiving Day and December 25, and the animals start to go in for the night at 4 pm. The zoo runs animal presentations, special educational programmes and activities for all ages. — lazoo.org (checked 21 October 2026)
- Official page of the Aquarium of the Pacific: it is at 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, its hours today are 9 am to 6 pm, and reservations are required at weekends and on holidays. Its Tropical, Northern and Southern California galleries hold the sea otters, the sharks and the sea jellies, and there are children and family programmes, animal encounters, feeding and touch experiences, with a visitor guide in Spanish and in Braille. — aquariumofpacific.org (checked 21 October 2026)
- Official Plan Your Visit page of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: it is open Monday to Sunday from 9:30 am to 5 pm, closed on the first Tuesday of every month except June to August, and closed on Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day; the NHM Insider Tour is an add-on with its own ticket. — nhm.org (checked 21 October 2026)
- Official Prices and Hours page of the Aquarium of the Pacific: it is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm except Christmas Day (December 25), with extended hours on select days and an hours calendar that marks the days opening early, opening late, closing early or closing late, and reservations are required at weekends and on holidays. — aquariumofpacific.org (checked 21 October 2026)
- Official calendar page of Griffith Observatory: it gives the building hours (Tuesday to Friday from noon to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 10 pm, closed Monday) and lists a special closure on November 26, 2026. — griffithobservatory.lacity.gov (checked 21 October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What can a family do in one day in Los Angeles?
The Griffith Observatory grounds in the morning, the Los Angeles Zoo at midday, and the Natural History Museum in the afternoon.
What time does Griffith Observatory open?
At noon from Tuesday to Friday and at 10 am on Saturday and Sunday. It is closed on Mondays and on the special closure days on its calendar, such as November 26, 2026. Admission is free, and the observatory grounds are generally open from 5 am.
What time is the Natural History Museum open?
Daily from 9:30 am to 5 pm. It shuts on the first Tuesday of the month, except in June, July and August, and on four holidays: Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Between June and August, check the hours before a first-Tuesday visit.
Where can a family see sea animals on a day in Los Angeles?
The Aquarium of the Pacific, at 100 Aquarium Way in Long Beach, with the sea otters, the sharks and the sea jellies in its three galleries, and feeding and touch experiences. It is open every day except December 25, usually from 9 am to 6 pm, and reservations are required at weekends and on holidays.