Observation Deck at City Hall (DTLA)
DETAILS:
Location: 200 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Must use entrance on Main Street, however.
Hours of Operation: Monday thru Friday; 8AM to 5PM, except when in use for a city function or ceremony. Call ahead for availability. (213-473-3231)
Parking: Metered street parking and various public garages in the area.
Cost: Free!
Time Commitment: 1 hour should be plenty.
Let’s face it, jury duty sucks. Civic responsibility blah-blah-blah. But if you happen to be serving downtown, there are worse ways to spend your lunch break than crossing the street and hitting up the observation deck at City Hall. Heck, even if you’re not on jury duty, it’s still worth the visit. The observation deck is located on the 27th floor and is truly one of the hidden gems of DTLA since even the official City of Los Angeles website doesn’t openly advertise its existence. But for those in the know, this ends up being of benefit to you since it keeps the foot traffic to a minimum. I’ve visited a handful of times now, and each time, there were no more than ten other people there. So it really does feel like you have the city all to yourself up there when in need of a little escape.
City Hall itself is an impressive structure. As you approach, you’ll be struck with a sense of deja-vu since you’ve no doubt seen it countless times without ever realizing it in a multitude of movies and TV shows. You’ll need to enter through the entrance on Main Street, presenting your ID and going through the obligatory metal detector and security check. Once you’ve passed inspection (hopefully), you’ll be given a visitor’s sticker and allowed to proceed. But before you head to the elevator, allow yourself a few moments of awe in the marbled rotunda found on the main floor. Or grab a quick sandwich at the Homeboy Diner, one of the many business ventures by the inspirational organization known as Homeboy Industries (website below) that helps former convicts and gang members reintegrate into society.
With that out of the way, you can head to the first of two elevators to reach the observation deck. The first elevator will take you up to the 22nd floor. You’ll then board another elevator up to the 26th floor. Here you can peruse the portrait of every mayor in Los Angeles history hung on the walls, or just use the bathroom. Finally, you’ll take a short flight of stairs up to the 27th floor which dumps you into the Tom Bradley Room, used for various conferences and ceremonies. You’ll momentarily feel like you’ve gone the wrong way, but I promise that this is exactly where you’re supposed to be. Just look for the doors that lead outside to the observation deck. The 27th floor might not sound high enough to anyone from Chicago or New York, but it’s still one of the tallest points in Los Angeles (although the skyline is gradually changing). The observation deck loops around the entire floor so you get a magnificent 360 degree view of the entire city and surrounding areas as you walk around the perimeter. I suggest staying long enough to build up an appetite (again) since you’re just a few blocks away from the food paradise that is Grand Central Market. Add these all together and you’ve got yourself a pretty great day.
