Downtown Los Angeles History and Architecture Walking Tour with Broadway Theaters and Historic Buildings
by Touch Down in LA
Choose from 2 available options
How do you want to book?
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.$70Overview
The tour’s highlight is walking through Broadway’s Historic Theater District, home to the largest group of movie palaces in the world, each with its own story about Hollywood’s early film industry. This walking tour lasts about 2.5 hours and is led by a bilingual guide speaking English and French. It focuses on Downtown Los Angeles’s architecture, film history, urban design, and cultural changes. The guide, originally from Belgium with experience in Europe and China, draws on years living in DTLA and local conversations to share stories about the area’s development. The tour covers many landmarks, starting with the food hall established in 1917 that offers a variety of international cuisines such as Mexican tacos and Japanese ramen. Participants also see Angels Flight, a funicular built in 1901 that once served Bunker Hill residents. Stops include Pershing Square, a public gathering space that has changed over time; the Bunker Hill Steps, symbolizing the area's shift from residential to financial and cultural district; and the Million Dollar Theater, Sid Grauman’s first movie palace. The Bradbury Building’s open atrium and wrought-iron staircases, the financial district with its Beaux-Arts architecture on Spring Street, and the Continental Building, one of LA’s first skyscrapers from 1904, are also featured. Other architectural highlights are the El Dorado Lofts, an Art Deco and Nouveau building originally a luxury hotel, and The Last Bookstore, known for its large book collection and artistic displays. The Los Angeles Theatre, built in 1931 for the premiere of Chaplin’s City Lights, shows the era when cinema was a grand experience. The Arcade Building offers insight into LA’s radio industry history, while Clifton’s Cafeteria combines historic philanthropy with themed decor. The Tower Theatre, built in 1927, was the first in LA designed for films with sound and is now an Apple Store. The Jewelry District covers 12 blocks and is the largest in the US, with roots going back to the 1920s. The Fashion District represents LA’s design industry, and the Eastern Columbia Lofts, built in 1930, is an Art Deco building known for its turquoise tiles and clock tower. The former Bank of Italy building, now Hotel Per La, combines historic architecture with modern luxury, featuring a restored gold ceiling and marble columns. The tour concludes after covering these sites, offering a detailed view of Downtown Los Angeles’s evolution through its buildings, public spaces, and cultural landmarks.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Introduction to Downtown Los Angeles
The guide shares personal background as a Belgian who lived in Europe and China before settling in DTLA four years ago. The tour reflects years of research and conversations with locals and visitors, focusing on the neighborhood’s architecture, film history, urban design, and cultural changes. The guide explains how DTLA blends physical space and media influences.
Historic Food Hall
Established in 1917, this food hall offers a wide selection of international dishes, including Mexican tacos, Japanese ramen, Salvadoran pupusas, and Jewish pastrami. It represents the diversity and multicultural character of Los Angeles.
10 min
Angels Flight
Built in 1901 and known as the world’s shortest railway, Angels Flight served the Bunker Hill community by connecting different street levels. It is a small funicular similar to those in Lisbon and Hong Kong and recalls an earlier period of urban transportation.
Pershing Square
Once a central civic gathering place, Pershing Square now reflects changing urban space use in modern cities. It raises questions about balancing public and private spaces in downtown areas.
Bunker Hill Steps
These steps represent Bunker Hill’s transformation from a wealthy residential area into a cultural and financial district. They symbolize Los Angeles’s rise to prominence on a global scale.
Broadway Historic Theater District
Home to the world’s largest concentration of movie palaces, this district preserves theaters that shaped early Hollywood cinema. Each building has a unique history linked to the film industry’s development.
20 min
Million Dollar Theater
Sid Grauman’s first movie palace, built with lavish design and innovative features, influenced cinemas worldwide and played a role in shaping the film industry.
Bradbury Building
Known for its open atrium, wrought-iron staircases, and natural light, this building has been featured in films like Blade Runner. It represents a mix of architectural imagination and practical design.
10 min
Spring Street Old Bank District
Known as the Wall Street of the West, this area features Beaux-Arts style buildings that were once the financial center on the Pacific Coast.
10 min
Continental Building
Completed in 1904, this was one of Los Angeles’s first skyscrapers. Its Beaux-Arts architecture and historic significance make it a notable landmark in DTLA.
El Dorado Lofts
An Art Deco and Nouveau style building originally built as a luxury hotel in 1913. Its terra cotta exterior with floral and geometric patterns connects LA to global Art Deco trends. It was converted to residential lofts.
The Last Bookstore
Opened in 2005, this venue combines a bookstore and art installation with features like a book tunnel and extensive collections of rare books and vinyl records.
10 min
Los Angeles Theatre
Built in 1931 for Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights premiere, this theater features lavish interiors with crystal chandeliers and marble staircases, reflecting the golden age of cinema.
10 min
Arcade Building
Completed in 1924, this building housed studios and offices of LA’s early radio industry. Today it hosts eateries and shops, retaining elements of its historical significance.
Clifton’s Cafeteria
Founded in 1931, Clifton’s is known for themed decor and philanthropic history, including free meals during the Great Depression. Its design features a large tree and tiki bars.
Tower Theatre
Built in 1927 as the first LA theater designed for sound films, it premiered The Jazz Singer. Now an Apple Store, it blends historic features with modern use.
10 min
Jewelry District
The largest jewelry district in the US, spanning 12 blocks with history dating back to the 1920s. It is a center of craftsmanship and business.
10 min
Fashion District
An important area for LA’s design industry, known for textiles and streetwear, representing the city’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit.
Eastern Columbia Lofts
Built in 1930, this Art Deco building is known for its turquoise terracotta tiles and clock tower. It has housed notable residents including Johnny Depp.
Bank of Italy Building / Hotel Per La
Originally built in the 1920s as the Bank of Italy’s West Coast headquarters, it now operates as Hotel Per La, combining historic features like a gold ceiling and marble columns with modern hospitality.
10 min
Tour Conclusion
The tour ends with a summary of Downtown Los Angeles’s history, architecture, and cultural landmarks, highlighting the many stories found throughout the neighborhood.
Meeting point
Start under the Bulleit Whiskey neon sign in Grand Central Market (Hill Street Side). How to come? - Metro Train (strongly recommended): A/E to Historic Broadway Station or B/D to Pershing Square Station.
End point
One block away from the Metro Station 7th Street / Metro Center (Metro lines A/B/D/E).
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.
Additional info
More things to do in Los Angeles
- Malibu Guided Vineyard Hike with Photo Stops and Wine To-Go
- Los Angeles and Hollywood Photography Tour with Beverly Hills, Farmers Market, and Hollywood Sign
- Hollywood Sign Express Tour with Comedians and Their Dogs
- Hollywood, Beverly Hills & Celebrity Homes Open Air Bus Tour
- Los Angeles 90-Minute Walking Tour to The Hollywood Sign
Downtown Los Angeles History and Architecture Walking Tour with Broadway Theaters and Historic Buildings
by Touch Down in LA
Choose from 2 available options
How do you want to book?
Book on Viator Confirmed right away, but you pay full price.$70Overview
The tour’s highlight is walking through Broadway’s Historic Theater District, home to the largest group of movie palaces in the world, each with its own story about Hollywood’s early film industry. This walking tour lasts about 2.5 hours and is led by a bilingual guide speaking English and French. It focuses on Downtown Los Angeles’s architecture, film history, urban design, and cultural changes. The guide, originally from Belgium with experience in Europe and China, draws on years living in DTLA and local conversations to share stories about the area’s development. The tour covers many landmarks, starting with the food hall established in 1917 that offers a variety of international cuisines such as Mexican tacos and Japanese ramen. Participants also see Angels Flight, a funicular built in 1901 that once served Bunker Hill residents. Stops include Pershing Square, a public gathering space that has changed over time; the Bunker Hill Steps, symbolizing the area's shift from residential to financial and cultural district; and the Million Dollar Theater, Sid Grauman’s first movie palace. The Bradbury Building’s open atrium and wrought-iron staircases, the financial district with its Beaux-Arts architecture on Spring Street, and the Continental Building, one of LA’s first skyscrapers from 1904, are also featured. Other architectural highlights are the El Dorado Lofts, an Art Deco and Nouveau building originally a luxury hotel, and The Last Bookstore, known for its large book collection and artistic displays. The Los Angeles Theatre, built in 1931 for the premiere of Chaplin’s City Lights, shows the era when cinema was a grand experience. The Arcade Building offers insight into LA’s radio industry history, while Clifton’s Cafeteria combines historic philanthropy with themed decor. The Tower Theatre, built in 1927, was the first in LA designed for films with sound and is now an Apple Store. The Jewelry District covers 12 blocks and is the largest in the US, with roots going back to the 1920s. The Fashion District represents LA’s design industry, and the Eastern Columbia Lofts, built in 1930, is an Art Deco building known for its turquoise tiles and clock tower. The former Bank of Italy building, now Hotel Per La, combines historic architecture with modern luxury, featuring a restored gold ceiling and marble columns. The tour concludes after covering these sites, offering a detailed view of Downtown Los Angeles’s evolution through its buildings, public spaces, and cultural landmarks.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Introduction to Downtown Los Angeles
The guide shares personal background as a Belgian who lived in Europe and China before settling in DTLA four years ago. The tour reflects years of research and conversations with locals and visitors, focusing on the neighborhood’s architecture, film history, urban design, and cultural changes. The guide explains how DTLA blends physical space and media influences.
Historic Food Hall
Established in 1917, this food hall offers a wide selection of international dishes, including Mexican tacos, Japanese ramen, Salvadoran pupusas, and Jewish pastrami. It represents the diversity and multicultural character of Los Angeles.
10 min
Angels Flight
Built in 1901 and known as the world’s shortest railway, Angels Flight served the Bunker Hill community by connecting different street levels. It is a small funicular similar to those in Lisbon and Hong Kong and recalls an earlier period of urban transportation.
Pershing Square
Once a central civic gathering place, Pershing Square now reflects changing urban space use in modern cities. It raises questions about balancing public and private spaces in downtown areas.
Bunker Hill Steps
These steps represent Bunker Hill’s transformation from a wealthy residential area into a cultural and financial district. They symbolize Los Angeles’s rise to prominence on a global scale.
Broadway Historic Theater District
Home to the world’s largest concentration of movie palaces, this district preserves theaters that shaped early Hollywood cinema. Each building has a unique history linked to the film industry’s development.
20 min
Million Dollar Theater
Sid Grauman’s first movie palace, built with lavish design and innovative features, influenced cinemas worldwide and played a role in shaping the film industry.
Bradbury Building
Known for its open atrium, wrought-iron staircases, and natural light, this building has been featured in films like Blade Runner. It represents a mix of architectural imagination and practical design.
10 min
Spring Street Old Bank District
Known as the Wall Street of the West, this area features Beaux-Arts style buildings that were once the financial center on the Pacific Coast.
10 min
Continental Building
Completed in 1904, this was one of Los Angeles’s first skyscrapers. Its Beaux-Arts architecture and historic significance make it a notable landmark in DTLA.
El Dorado Lofts
An Art Deco and Nouveau style building originally built as a luxury hotel in 1913. Its terra cotta exterior with floral and geometric patterns connects LA to global Art Deco trends. It was converted to residential lofts.
The Last Bookstore
Opened in 2005, this venue combines a bookstore and art installation with features like a book tunnel and extensive collections of rare books and vinyl records.
10 min
Los Angeles Theatre
Built in 1931 for Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights premiere, this theater features lavish interiors with crystal chandeliers and marble staircases, reflecting the golden age of cinema.
10 min
Arcade Building
Completed in 1924, this building housed studios and offices of LA’s early radio industry. Today it hosts eateries and shops, retaining elements of its historical significance.
Clifton’s Cafeteria
Founded in 1931, Clifton’s is known for themed decor and philanthropic history, including free meals during the Great Depression. Its design features a large tree and tiki bars.
Tower Theatre
Built in 1927 as the first LA theater designed for sound films, it premiered The Jazz Singer. Now an Apple Store, it blends historic features with modern use.
10 min
Jewelry District
The largest jewelry district in the US, spanning 12 blocks with history dating back to the 1920s. It is a center of craftsmanship and business.
10 min
Fashion District
An important area for LA’s design industry, known for textiles and streetwear, representing the city’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit.
Eastern Columbia Lofts
Built in 1930, this Art Deco building is known for its turquoise terracotta tiles and clock tower. It has housed notable residents including Johnny Depp.
Bank of Italy Building / Hotel Per La
Originally built in the 1920s as the Bank of Italy’s West Coast headquarters, it now operates as Hotel Per La, combining historic features like a gold ceiling and marble columns with modern hospitality.
10 min
Tour Conclusion
The tour ends with a summary of Downtown Los Angeles’s history, architecture, and cultural landmarks, highlighting the many stories found throughout the neighborhood.
Meeting point
Start under the Bulleit Whiskey neon sign in Grand Central Market (Hill Street Side). How to come? - Metro Train (strongly recommended): A/E to Historic Broadway Station or B/D to Pershing Square Station.
End point
One block away from the Metro Station 7th Street / Metro Center (Metro lines A/B/D/E).
Languages
Cancellation policy
- Cancel at least 24 hours before start for a full refund.
Additional info
More things to do in Los Angeles
- Malibu Guided Vineyard Hike with Photo Stops and Wine To-Go
- Los Angeles and Hollywood Photography Tour with Beverly Hills, Farmers Market, and Hollywood Sign
- Hollywood Sign Express Tour with Comedians and Their Dogs
- Hollywood, Beverly Hills & Celebrity Homes Open Air Bus Tour
- Los Angeles 90-Minute Walking Tour to The Hollywood Sign