La Brea Tar Pits
The La Brea Tar Pits constitute an active paleontological research site located in urban Los Angeles, California, United States.
A museum inside Los Angeles
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 224K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 99% of the 7,799 attractions we track.
You can stay in Los Angeles
La Brea Tar Pits is inside Los Angeles, which has 841 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December are the mild months, with highs of 67–80°. When to go ↓
An airport 9 miles away
Los Angeles (LAX) has airline service, about 9 miles from La Brea Tar Pits.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Los Angeles. Green months are the mild ones.
La Brea Tar Pits
The La Brea Tar Pits constitute an active paleontological research site located in urban Los Angeles, California, United States. Hancock Park was established around a cluster of tar pits formed by natural asphalt (also referred to as asphaltum, bitumen, pitch or brea in Spanish) that has continuously seeped upward from the ground for tens of thousands of years. Over centuries, these asphalt deposits trapped numerous prehistoric animals, preserving their skeletal remains. The site is home to the George C. Page Museum, dedicated to the ongoing excavation, research and public display of preserved specimens. The La Brea Tar Pits is recognized as a registered National Natural Landmark.
The museum closed on July 7, 2026 for a 2-year renovation.
- Type
- Museum
- Elevation
- 184 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 224K a year
Where to stay near La Brea Tar Pits
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Los Angeles (841) and Inglewood (49).
- 1Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 2SoFi Stadium
- 3Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
- 4Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- 5Crypto.com Arena
- 6Hollywood Sign
- 7Universal Studios Hollywood
- 8Dodger Stadium
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From La Brea Tar Pits | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | in town | — | 841 554 hotels · 169 motels · 39 inns & B&Bs · 17 lodges & cabins · 36 hostels · 17 campgrounds · 9 RV parks | 3,869,089 | $921K | D |
| Inglewood | 7 mi south | 10 min | 49 31 hotels · 13 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 hostels · 1 RV park | 101,662 | $793K | D |
| Santa Monica | 9 mi southwest | 15 min | 57 46 hotels · 6 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 hostel · 3 campgrounds | 90,082 | $1,756K | D− |
| Beverly Hills | 3 mi northwest | 5 min | 33 32 hotels · 1 campground | 30,764 | $2,000K | D |
| West Hollywood | 2 mi northwest | 5 min | 31 29 hotels · 2 motels | 34,231 | $925K | D− |
| Burbank | 9 mi north | 15 min | 29 24 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 102,988 | $1,089K | D |
| Glendale | 10 mi northeast | 15 min | 32 22 hotels · 6 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins | 187,160 | $1,102K | C |
| Culver City | 5 mi southwest | 5 min | 17 9 hotels · 7 motels · 1 inn or B&B | 39,452 | $1,143K | D− |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near La Brea Tar Pits
Other well-known places within 8 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw13 mi LandmarkHollywood Walk of Fame10.0M visitors a year
Big draw28 mi Stadium & arenaSoFi Stadium
Big draw35 mi MuseumLucas Museum of Narrative Art
Big draw45 mi Stadium & arenaLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Big draw55 mi Stadium & arenaCrypto.com Arena
Big draw65 mi LandmarkHollywood Sign
Big draw75 mi Theme parkUniversal Studios Hollywood8.7M visitors a year
Big draw87 mi Stadium & arenaDodger StadiumPhoto credits
Hollywood Walk of Fame: BenSherman, Public domain · SoFi Stadium: Thank You (21 Millions+) views, CC BY 2.0 · Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: Kriddl, CC0 · Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: CanonStarGal, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Crypto.com Arena: Troutfarm27, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hollywood Sign: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Universal Studios Hollywood: 林振宇, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dodger Stadium: Frederick Dennstedt from los angeles, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Visiting La Brea Tar Pits
Is La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles?
Yes. It’s inside Los Angeles, CA.
When is the best time to visit La Brea Tar Pits?
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December, with highs of 67–80°.
How far is La Brea Tar Pits from Santa Ana and Anaheim?
About 35 miles southeast of Santa Ana and about 37 miles southeast of Anaheim, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to La Brea Tar Pits?
Los Angeles (LAX), about 9 miles away.
Where should I stay near La Brea Tar Pits?
Los Angeles (in town, 841 places to stay), Inglewood (7 mi, 49 places to stay) and Santa Monica (9 mi, 57 places to stay).
Tips from people in Los Angeles
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Los Angeles’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.