Is Griffith Observatory worth it in a day?
Worth itIn a day
Short trip or not, keep Griffith Observatory.
Allow 2-3 hours.
One of the few genuinely free, genuinely iconic things in LA — sweeping views, real telescopes you can look through after dark, and the building from a hundred movies. The catch is parking: the lot fills by mid-morning on weekends and you may end up hiking up from far below, and sunset crowds are heavy.
- Price
- Free (planetarium show ~$10; parking $10/hr or free street with a walk)
- Time
- 2-3 hours
- Last verified
- 2026-06-17
Is Griffith Observatory worth it…
How we verified
- Admission to the observatory building, grounds, exhibits and public telescopes is free; only the Samuel Oschin Planetarium show is ticketed. · griffithobservatory.lacity.gov
- Planetarium tickets are $10 for adults 13-54 (less for seniors/students/children) and are sold only on-site, same-day. · griffithobservatory.lacity.gov