Los Angeles, famously known as the entertainment capital of the world, boasts an array of iconic movie locations that have graced the silver screen for decades. From bustling city streets to serene parks and historic landmarks, the city serves as a cinematic backdrop for countless legendary scenes. In this guide, we’ll delve into famous movie locations in Los Angeles that hold a special place in cinematic history. Best of all, these sites are accessible to all movie fans, offering an opportunity to step into the shoes of beloved characters and relive unforgettable moments without spending a dime.
1. South Pasadena – Halloween
This place in Los Angeles has been chosen by producers since… It doesn’t really look like Los Angeles. The only thing that can be a tell-tale sign that you’re indeed in the city of angels is a few palm trees that are very well hidden thanks to movie magic.
The appeal of this area is that it looks like your “all-American” neighborhood, which makes it ideal for shooting blockbusters. This is exactly what happened with the 1978 film, Halloween. In this neighborhood, we can find the terrifying home of Mike Myers, intended to depict the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois.
📍 Location: 1000 Mission St., South Pasadena, California 91030
🎥 Also seen on: Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Back To The Future (area, not specific location).
2. Santa Monica Pier – Forrest Gump
This filming location is iconic and historical, so much so that the first scene ever shot here was featured in Charlie Chaplin’s 1914 “Tillie’s Punctured Romance”. The Pier is one of LA’s main attractions that offers storytellers a picturesque setting with ocean views, sandy beaches, an amusement park, and a classic boardwalk.
But without a doubt when visiting this place, it’s impossible not to think about, Forrest Gump. The 1994 film features the memorable scene where Tom Hanks, makes the life-changing decision to start running for “no particular reason.”
📍 Location: Griffith Park 4730 Crystal Springs Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027.
🎥 Also seen on: A Night at the Roxbury, Hancock, Her, The Kissing Booth.
3. Randy’s Donuts – Mars Attacks!
The world’s favorite giant donut that gives our city an extra sweet view of the sky. Randy’s Donuts is not only a gastronomical icon but also an inspiration for the Simpson Lard Lad Donuts and an incredible background in some of the greatest movies ever made, and for To Live And Die In L.A. one of our favorite songs about Los Angeles by 2Pac.
The hilarious 1996 Tim Burton movie Mars Attacks!, starring Jack Nicholson, Anette Benning and Dany Devito, showcases Randy’s huge donut during the alien invasion. Sadly, the donut gets destroyed by the hostile big-headed aliens coming to Earth.
📍 Location: 805 W Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301.
🎥 Also seen on: Get Shorty, Zootopia, 2012.
4. Venice Beach – Barbie
Quirky, cool, and hype, Venice Beach is one of the most famous movie locations in Los Angeles. Here, the bohemian spirit collides in peaceful living with our beloved gym bros from Muscle Beach.
But aside from that, what makes Venice also memorable, is the hilarious Barbie movie scene where the main characters (spoiler alert) enters the human world. Put on your roller skates and your flashiest clothing and get ready to become Margot Robbie or Ryan Gosling at the Venice Beach boardwalk.
📍 Location: Venice Boardwalk.
🎥 Also seen on: Once Upon A Time In Venice, American History X, Falling Down.
5. Griffith Park – Rebel Without A Cause
City of stars… Are you shining just for me? If you can sing those lyrics along, then you know many La La Land scenes have the Griffith Observatory as an unforgettable background. But that’s not all, other iconic films have made this spot one of the famous movie locations in Los Angeles, and that is Rebel Without A Cause.
In the 1955 film starring James Dean, Griffith Observatory serves as a central location for several key scenes, including the dramatic climax where the main characters engage in a tense confrontation. This scene has become emblematic of the movie’s exploration of teenage rebellion and the search for identity. BDW: You can get the best views of LA from here.
📍 Location: Griffith Park 4730 Crystal Springs Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027.
🎥 As seen on: Jurassic Park, The Terminator, Back To The Future.
6. Los Angeles City Hall – L.A. Confidential
Right in the heart of downtown LA, you’ll find the iconic LA City Hall, a favorite spot for filming scenes in countless movies and TV shows (and also one of the best places to get amazing views of Los Angeles).
This spot is among the most famous filming locations in Los Angeles, thanks to movies such as The Usual Suspects or Speed. But the 90s classic L.A. Confidential makes the most out of this place, as It serves as a prominent location in several scenes throughout the movie, adding to the noir atmosphere and authentic portrayal of 1950s Los Angeles.
📍 Location: 200 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
🎥 Also seen on: The Nice Guys, Crash, Ocean’s Eight.
7. Huntington Gardens – Iron Man 2
This place is not only an incredible museum but the best place to discover nature around its lovely gardens. The Huntington is also one of the top movie locations in Los Angeles.
Memoirs Of A Geisha and Scandal were shot here, but there’s a more recent movie that takes place here as well. A more recent film that changed the history of superhero movies for good. And that is Iron Man. More specifically the sequel, where the final presentation of medals to Stark and Rhodes by a reluctant Senator Stern, the ceremony takes place atop the steps of the newly constructed Munger Research Center at the library.
📍 Location: 1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA 91108
🎥 Also seen on: The Nice Guys, Crash, Ocean’s Eight.
8. Millennium Biltmore Hotel – Ghostbusters
In the heart of L.A., where elegance gleams, where dreams meet themes… And where ghosts get busted!
Great movie scenes of legendary films have been shot here, for sure, but what makes this spot one of the most famous movie locations in Los Angeles is the 80s classic, Ghost Busters. While Venkman, Stantz, and Spengler successfully capture Slimer, they inadvertently demolish an elaborate Sedgewick ballroom in the course of their actions. Oh, and this has also been the chosen place to host eight Academy Awards ceremonies.
📍 Location: 506 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071.
🎥 Also seen on: Ocean’s 11, The Sting, Chinatown.
9. Leo Carrillo Beach – Grease
One of the best beaches in L.A. if you’re looking for a surf afternoon, swimming, just chilling… Or filming an absolutely iconic and unforgettable movie scene, which was Randal Kleiser choice when making Grease.
In this 1978 musical romantic comedy, John Travolta portrays Danny Zuko, the leader of the Burger Palace Boys gang, while Olivia Newton-John plays the character of Sandy Olsson. They fall in love during their high school years in 1950s America. And that love sadly ends when Sandy heads back to her home, Australia, which is something that we see in the iconic opening scene shot here that made Carrillo Beach one of the most famous movie locations in Los Angeles and around the globe.
📍 Location: Leo Carrillo State Beach35000 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265.
🎥 Also seen on: Karate Kid, She’s All That, 50 First Dates.
10. Occidental College – Clueless
Located in L.A., this is a private institution that focuses on liberal arts education. As if! This place is better known for being a prime location for a range of Hollywood blockbuster movies, such as the 90s gem, Clueless.
The BFFs and stars of the movie, Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) and Dionne Davenport (Stacey Dash) spend most of their time on screen roaming at the fictional Bronson Alcott High School, which is, in fact, the Occidental College’s exterior, interior, buildings, and walkways.
📍 Location: 1600 Campus Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90041.
🎥 Also seen on: The Kids Are All Right, Jurassic Park III, The Face of Love
11. Bradbury Building – The Artist
This five-story office building is famous for its super cool skylit atrium with walkways, stairs, and elevators decked out in fancy ironwork. Its unique design and aesthetics make this spot a prime location for all kinds of Hollywood productions.
Just to name one iconic movie moment captured at the Bradbury Building, we must mention the one that appears in the 2011 film “The Artist.” In this silent flick, the building provides the setting for a crucial encounter between characters George Valentin and Peppy Miller, contributing to the film’s nostalgic allure.
📍Location: 304 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013.
🎥 Also seen on: Blade Runner, 500 Days of Summer, Chinatown, L.A Confidential.
12. The Hollywood Sign – Mullholland Drive
It was an obvious choice, for sure, but it had to be on the list. Our beloved Hollywood sign has been the stage for first kisses, natural disasters, zombie apocalypse, shark tornados… The sign has been through a lot. An iconic landmark and a symbol for locals and pop culture worldwide, this place is the perfect background for any moviemaker and one of the most famous movie locations in Los Angeles.
In Mulholland Drive (2001), directed by David Lynch, a memorable moment involves a close-up shot of the sign against the backdrop of a nightmarish sequence, capturing the essence of Hollywood’s dark underbelly and the psychological depth of the story.
📍 Location: Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles, CA 90068.
🎥 Also seen on: City of Angels, The Day After Tomorrow, La La Land, Resident Evil…
13. Hollywood United Methodist Church – Sister Act
At the heart of Hollywood, this church established in 1909, is not only a holy space for Christianity but also for the film industry.
The 1992 comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg, Sister Act, was practically entirely shot at this place. You might remember the scenes depicting nuns dining at a communal table and Whoopi Goldberg scrubbing floors, those were filmed in Grant Hall of the church. Additionally, the scene featuring nuns gossiping in the kitchen over ice cream was shot in the church’s own kitchen. Side note: The Enchantment Under the Sea dance from Back To The Future, occurred in the church’s basement.
📍Location: 6817 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028.
🎥 Also seen on: Back To The Future, That Thing You Do, The Godfather.
14. Union Station – Blade Runner
Union Station, a historic landmark in LA, is a bustling transportation hub connecting trains, buses, and metro lines. Its iconic architecture and role as a gateway to the city make it an essential part of Los Angeles’s identity and transportation infrastructure… And filming industry.
The station has been featured in plenty of movies and TV shows, but probably what made it one of the most famous movie locations in Los Angeles, was the 1982 film Blade Runner. In the sci-fi classic, Union Station doubles as the police station where Deckard deals with the replicants. Ridley Scott didn’t bother hiding those recognizable arches, fitting them right into the futuristic LA setting of the movie.
📍Location: Union Station.
🎥 Also seen on: Catch Me If You Can, The Dark Knight Rises, Pearl Harbor.
15. Fox Plaza – Die Hard
Also called 20th Century Studios Plaza, it’s this massive 34-story skyscraper reaching 490 feet high, with a sprawling 90,115 square meters (969,990 square feet) of space.
And in case you were wondering, this is the fictional Nakatomi Plaza we see in the 1988 action classic, Die Hard. In the movie, the Plaza “plays the role” of the Nakatomi Corporation headquarters. The building is a prominent location throughout the film but the most iconic scene is the final one, when the place (or a miniature replica) blows up, which makes this one of the most famous movie locations in Los Angeles.
📍 Location: 2121 Avenue of the Stars Los Angeles, CA 90064.
🎥 Also seen on: Lethal Weapon, Fight Club, Robocop.
16. Pink Motel – Drive
The Pink Motel’s got that picture-perfect motor court vibe that’s great for all sorts of filming. This spot from the 1940s is an absolute icon when it comes to movie locations.
The OC and Dexter TV series fans know this place by heart. But if we’re talking about films (which we are), then you have to know that this is where one of the most gruesome scenes in 2011 Drive was shot, where Driver and Blanche hideout after the pawn shop job goes south.
📍 Location: 9457 San Fernando Rd, Sun Valley, CA 91352
🎥 Also seen on: The Whole Ten Yards, All Good Things.
17. Frolic Room – Black Dahlia
The Frolic Room in LA is a historic dive bar known for its iconic neon sign and Hollywood connections. It has been featured in numerous movies for its authentic atmosphere and vintage appeal.
Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland enjoyed drinks here, and curiously enough, this bar marks the final sighting of Elizabeth Short, the real Black Dahlia. That fact made this place the perfect choice for Brian De Palma to use as a main location while shooting the 2006 Black Dahlia movie.
📍Location: 6245 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
🎥 Also seen on: Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, The Little Things.
18. South Seas Apartment Complex – Karate Kid
Wax on, wax off… As Mr. Miyagi would say. The 1984 legendary film Karate Kid, made this seemingly ordinary place, one of the most famous movie locations in Los Angeles.
The movie kicks off with Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and his mom (Randee Heller) moving to Los Angeles. They settle into the South Seas Apartments, a dilapidated building located in the San Fernando Valley. This spot is featured almost throughout the entire Karate Kid saga.
📍 Location: 19223 Saticoy St, Reseda, CA 91335
🎥 Also seen on: Karate Kid III, Cobra Kai.
19. Heritage Square Museum – Legally Blonde
This museum gives you a peek into SoCal’s architecture from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. This particular Victorian-era building is worth checking out if you want to feel like in a movie set, as it was featured in a ton of TV shows, movies, and commercials.
But for now, we’ll only focus on the early 2000s hit, Legally Blonde. The iconic scene were Elle (Reese Witherspoon) shows up to a regular party dressed up as a Playboy Bunny (as she was pranked by colleagues) takes place at this museum.
📍Location: 3800 Homer St, Los Angeles, CA 90031.
🎥 Also seen on: Lessons in Chemistry, Saving Mr. Banks.
20. The Last Bookstore – Gone Girl
Founded in 2005 by Josh Spencer, the store started in a downtown LA loft, selling stuff online. By December 2009, they switched to books, opening a small bookstore on 4th and Main. Then, on June 3, 2011, they moved to their current spot.
But this place is not only a great bookstore, is the movie location where the romantic scene that marks the start of the twisted love story of Nik and Amy Dunne (Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike), takes place in, David Lynch’s masterpiece, Gone Girl.
📍Location: 453 S Spring St Ground Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90013.
🎥 Also seen on: Under The Silver Lake, You, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel.
21. Crown Pawn Shop – Pulp Fiction
Here you can make a few bucks and get some bargains… For sure. But this iconic pawn shop is way more than that, as this is the actual spot where key scenes from Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 Pulp Fiction were shot.
📍Location: 20933 Roscoe Blvd. Canoga Park, CA 91304
22. Music Box Steps – The Music Box
Silverlake’s Music Box Steps were made famous by Laurel and Hardy, a slapstick comedy duo known internationally during their tenure from 1927-1955. The staircase acts like a main character in their 1932 film The Music Box (1932), which won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Live Action Short (Comedy).
📍Location: Between 917 and 935 N. Vendome Street, Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA
23. Sixth Street Viaduct
The Sixth Street Viaduct is one of Los Angeles’ most iconic bridges, appearing in films like Freaky Friday, Terminator 2, Repo Man, To Live and Die in L.A., and Transformers. Completed in 1932, its Art Deco design and sweeping arches have made it a cinematic landmark. Spanning the L.A. River, the bridge has become a symbol of the city’s unique architectural beauty and film legacy.
📍Location: 585 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90013 (western end)