cancel
More Top 10s
- Museum Exhibits
- Unusual Things to Do
- Offbeat Activities
- Outdoor Attractions
- Parks
- Religious Sites
- Romantic Things to Do
- Places to Shop
- Things to Do Near Downtown
- Things to Do Near Griffith Park
- Things to Do Near Pasadena
- Things to Do Near UCLA
- Walking Tours
- Aquariums
- Helicopter Tours
- Entertainment
- Golf Courses
- New Tourist Attractions
- Nature & Wildlife
- Outdoor Activities
- Recently Updated Things To Do
- Recreation & Natural Areas
- Spas
- Sports Attractions
- Things to Do Around Los Angeles
- Things to Do Near Chinese Theater - Hollywood
- Things to Do Near Convention Center / Staples Center
- Things to Do Near Dodger Stadium
- Things to Do Near LAX Airport
- Things to Do Near Long Beach Airport
- Things to Do Near Manhattan Beach
- Things to Do Near Rodeo Drive - Beverly Hills
- Things to Do Near Santa Monica Pier
- Things to Do Near Universal Studios
- Things to Do Near Venice Beach
- Transfers
- Wine Tastings
- Ask a Local
- Locals have answered 55 questions about Los Angeles.
- Ask Los Angeles Locals
-
-
-
1. Hollywood Bowl
- Historic concert space
-
- Landmarks
- Hollywood/West Hollywood
- Nile Expert Tip: In the day while not in use the Hollywood Bowl is a public space.
-
-
-
2. Grauman's Chinese Theatre
- Hollywood's Premier Movie House
-
- Attractions
- Hollywood/West Hollywood
-
-
-
3. Music Center - Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County
- Tour L.A.'s premier stages
-
- Tours
- Downtown/Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown
-
-
-
4. Henry Fonda Theatre
- Art platter
-
- Culture
- Hollywood/West Hollywood
user rating -
-
-
5. REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater)
- Art in various forms
-
- Culture
- Downtown/Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown
-
-
-
6. UCLA Film and Television Archive
- 220,000 films & programs
-
- Educational
- Beverly Hills/Westside
-
-
-
7. Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences
- Movie galleries
-
- Attractions
- Hollywood/West Hollywood
-
-
-
8. Theatricum Botanicum
- Theater, the great outdoors and a picnic
-
- Culture
- Malibu
user rating -
-
-
9. Plaza de la Raza Cultural Center
- A little bit of culture
-
- Educational
- Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley
user rating -
-
-
10. Shrine Auditorium
- Shrine of the stars
-
- Landmarks
- South Central/Compton
user rating -
-
-
The Best of NileGuide
-
As the entertainment capital of the world, it is no surprise that Los Angeles features so many cultural landmarks. Here in the city of Angeles there is a wide spectrum of live music, live performances, and other cultural highlights.
This list features some performances spaces that are also historically significant locations. The Hollywood Bowl opened in 1922 in a natural amphitheater previously called the Daisy Dell. This outdoor performance space, which seats 18,000 people, has seen various additions and renovations over the years with contributions from architects Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry. One of the bonuses of attending shows here is that you can bring in your own alcohol and food.
Another historic site featured here is Grauman's Chinese Theatre. This movie palace was built in 1927 and remains one of the premiere cinemas in Hollywood. This theater is located right in the Hollywood tourist zone, just out front is the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For a listing of more historic theaters in Los Angeles check out this L.A. historic movie theater guide.
Moving back to the arena of live performances, the Music Center is an 11 acre downtown complex dating from 1964. It is comprised a number of venues including the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Ahmanson Theatre, the Mark Taper Forum and the most recent addition, the Walt Disney Concert Hall. There are four resident companies here: the LA Philharmonic, the Center Theater Group, the LA Opera, and the LA Master Chorale. The Music Center is clearly a cultural giant in the Los Angeles area.
The REDCAT Theater is located in the bottom level of the Disney Concert Hall. This is a gallery and performance/screening space that provides CalArts (a prominent art school located in Santa Clarita) with a venue and showcase in the downtown area.
The places listed here are just scratching the surface of the cultural activities here in Los Angeles. For example (maybe thanks to the many aspiring actors with time on their hands in L.A.), there are a host of small live theaters presenting a variety plays through the city. The live comedy options here are grand and varied as well. And of course the rock music and DJ scene here in the Southland is an epic story in itself. . . .
