UNESCO, You Know!

Los Angeles Urban Architecture Walk

It's hard to be #1 when you live in LA. But Hollyhock House—a Frank Lloyd Wright building—has achieved that status, as the first LA landmark designated a World Heritage Site. See it on an urban tour of LA’s architecture and public art scene, including a Frank Lloyd Wright–themed walk through Barnsdall Art Park.

The park, Wright’s first commission in Los Angeles for Aline Barnsdall, features the Hollyhock House. Start by entering the park on the Hollywood Boulevard side, where there’s a parking area. Take the two flights of stairs up the hill to reach Barnsdall Art Park and Hollyhock House.

Two hikers wandering in Barnsdall Art Park

Two people taking a docent led tour of the outer grounds of Hollyhock House a Frank Lloyd Wright creation in Los Angeles

Next, head to the Ennis House in nearby Los Feliz. Take a 40-minute, 1.7-mile (one-way) walk from the Barnsdall parking lot up Vermont Avenue to Glendower Avenue, the steep and winding road flanked by grand Hollywood Hills mansions, up to the Ennis House. You can also drive from the Hollyhock House and park near the intersection of N. Vermont Avenue and Glendower Avenue to then take the 0.6-mile winding road to the house.

You can only view this house from the outside, with its expansive view of downtown LA and the Mayan-influenced architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Two young women enjoying an iced tea at a cafe in Los Angeles

BONUS: After enjoying two Frank Lloyd Wright masterpieces, drive 1 mile to the Silver Lake area to enjoy the Silver Lake Saturday/Sunday market along Sunset Boulevard. Treat yourself to the cool and delicious Taiwanese-Chinese restaurant Pine and Crane at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Griffith Park Boulevard. Find really good coffee and dessert at nearby La Colombe on Sunset Boulevard and Hyperion Avenue.

Dog-friendly, except indoors. 

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Purely Purisima

    Take a relaxing hike on the lower section of Purisiima Creek Trail in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.

    View
  2. Been There, Dome That

    Surrounded by granite domes, craggy peaks, and miles of hiking trails, the High Sierra landscape of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park is famous for good reason. For a truly grand view, take a short hike to bold—and bald (except for snow at times)—Lembert Dome.

    View
  3. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

    View
  4. Sponsored

    Take the Exit to the Best of the San Francisco Peninsula

    The San Francisco Peninsula is proof that some of Northern California’s greatest surprises are hiding just off Highway 101. All you have to do is take the exit.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Ballona Beach Hopper

    This easygoing bike escape is proof that you don't have to drive for hours to feel the vast benefits of nature. The Ballona Creek Bike Path is part of the “Park to Playa Regional Trail,” a 13-mile network connecting parks and open spaces from Baldwin Hills to the Pacific Ocean.

    View
  2. Lookout Ahead!

    A 3.7-mile loop hike to Boucher Hill Fire Lookout in Palomar Mountain State Park reminds us just how stunningly beautiful are the mountains of this remote, lightly visited portion of northern San Diego County.

    View
  3. A Thousand Steps to Paradise

    A picture is worth a thousand words, but is a gorgeous beach in Laguna worth a thousand steps? The answer is yes, though the question is moot, because it’s only 223 steep steps down to the 400-yard stretch of sand known as 1000 Steps Beach.

    View
  4. Strawberry Peak Lookout Hike

    Strawberry Sunday

    The 2.5-mile (round-trip) lollipop loop climb to the Strawberry Peak Fire Lookout near the town of Lake Arrowhead dishes up some delicious views.

    View