Best Time to Visit Griffith Observatory: Plan Your Trip from the Motel Area

Griffith Observatory offers exhibits, public telescopes, planetarium shows, and views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood Sign. The building is at 2800 East Observatory Road in Griffith Park.

Inside, you can explore exhibits and attend live shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium. Tickets for planetarium shows cost extra, unlike general admission to the building and access to public telescopes. You can also look through the telescopes or catch a Tesla Coil talk.

For an outdoor stop, the terraces and sidewalks provide views across the city and toward the Hollywood Sign. The grounds, terraces and sidewalks generally follow Griffith Park hours, from 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily.

The best time depends on whether you’re going for the building, the outdoor views or both.

Opening hours

• Tuesday to Friday: 12 PM–10 PM
• Saturday and Sunday: 10 AM–10 PM
• Monday: closed

Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.

The Observatory says weekends, summer and holiday periods, and sunset are its busiest times. Capacity controls during very busy periods can bring waits of 5–15 minutes. If you’d rather avoid those peak periods, plan around them; for an outdoor visit on Monday, the grounds generally remain open during Griffith Park hours even though the building is closed.

Admission to the building, grounds and public telescopes is free. Parking near the Observatory and tickets for Samuel Oschin Planetarium shows cost extra. Show schedules and other details can affect your plans, so check the official site before you go.

Park Cienega Motel offers rooms in Los Angeles.

The DASH Observatory/Los Feliz bus connects the Observatory with the Vermont/Sunset Metro Red Line station. It also stops at Mt. Hollywood Drive, the Greek Theatre and along Hillhurst Avenue in Los Feliz Village. The Observatory says buses stop in front of the building every 20–25 minutes.

Service runs daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., including Mondays when the building is closed. Fares include a 50-cent fare, or 35 cents with a Metro TAP card; seniors and people with disabilities pay 25 cents. Children age 4 and younger and LADOT or Metrolink pass holders ride free. Bring exact change.

Paid parking hours are Monday through Friday from 12:00 noon to 10:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Paid areas include the Observatory lot, West Observatory Road and Western Canyon.

Pay stations accept credit cards only, and drivers should display the receipt on the dashboard. Accessible parking spaces are in the south part of the lot for vehicles displaying official plates or placards, subject to availability; DASH buses have a wheelchair lift or ramp.

Parking is limited. You can park for free around the Greek Theatre and walk uphill to the Observatory, but expect a walk of up to a mile; that parking is unavailable after 1:00 p.m. on concert evenings.

For broader city transport context, use this guide to getting around Los Angeles. Shuttle frequency and parking arrangements can change, so check the official site before you go.

Trails beginning near the Greek Theatre or Fern Dell are recommended starting points for walking up to the Observatory. Public parking is available near all trailheads, though the free parking around the Greek Theatre has the concert-evening restriction described above.

For another way to combine the outing, DASH stops at the Mt. Hollywood hiking trail and the Greek Theatre as well as the Observatory. The Vermont/Sunset Metro Red Line station is one connection covered in this guide to Los Angeles Metro stations near the motel.

If you bring a bicycle, use paved park roads rather than trails or fire roads. East Observatory Road is one-way downhill, so cyclists riding uphill must use West Observatory Road.

Griffith Park rules include a 25 mph speed limit, no open fires, no alcohol or smoking, no feeding wildlife, and dogs on leash. Bicycles are not permitted on trails, and drones are prohibited throughout City parks, including Griffith Park and the Observatory.