La Brea Tar Pits
72 people recommend, 10 warn against itvia r/LosAngeles, r/AskLosAngeles, X30 comments cited below
The comments cited below are a sample of the full tally across 25 threads.
What people say, in short
Overall, the balance leans toward recommending the La Brea Tar Pits, and several visitors enjoy poking the tar seeps and the warning cones. Many suggest pairing it with LACMA next door, and a few enjoy the park grounds for walks or community events. Caveats: several call the site small, a couple say the pits hold little interest, and comments from mid-2026 say the museum closed in July for a roughly two-year renovation while parts of the grounds stay open, so check what is open before you go.
Address
Lake Pit at the La Brea Tar Pits, 5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
At a glance
- Best for
- Walks
- Opinions divided
- Yes
- Known for
- Poking the tar seeps with a stick, Warning cones marking the tar seeps
- Time needed
- Under 2 hours
Nearby on this map
Other places on this map closest to La Brea Tar Pits, as the crow flies.
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Recommendsu/lennsden in r/LosAngeles · Nov 2025uniqueness
Calls playing with a stick at the tar seeps a highlight of visiting, and finds the warning cones amusing.
- Recommendsu/larrythegrobe in r/AskLosAngeles · Aug 2025access
Suggests visiting it alongside nearby stops, since they're all clustered together.
- Recommendsu/Kvass-Koyot in r/LosAngeles · Nov 2025uniqueness
Visits often and jokes about needing a proper poking stick.
- Recommendsu/MovieUnderTheSurface in r/AskLosAngeles · Feb 2024
Suggests the Page Museum as an indoor option.
- Recommendsu/start3ch in r/AskLosAngeles · Jul 2024
Describes the grounds around the pits as lively, with frequent community events.
- Recommendsu/CristinaKeller in r/AskLosAngeles · Jul 2024
Suggests a summer Friday picnic near the Tar Pits.
- Recommendsu/fade_le_public in r/LosAngeles · Nov 2025uniqueness
Recommends it.
- Mixedu/Xin4748 in r/AskLosAngeles · Jul 2024
Sees potential in the tar, though a friend found the place lame.
Show all 30 cited comments
- Recommendsu/donuttrackme in r/AskLosAngeles · Aug 2025
Includes it in the recommended cluster of nearby museums.
- Recommendsu/Freak85fromsls in r/AskLosAngeles · Sep 2024
Recommended as a worthwhile museum-style stop.
- Recommendsu/LovlyRita in r/AskLosAngeles · Jun 2026visit time
Says the tar pits are small and easy to do.
- Recommendsu/CatCafffffe in r/AskLosAngeles · Jun 2026
Advises visiting the pits and LACMA in one stretch rather than zigzagging between them across the area.
- Recommendsu/ForgetTheRuralJuror in r/AskLosAngeles · Jul 2024
Says they're enjoying the tar pits right now.
- Recommendsu/Tomcat218 in r/AskLosAngeles · Jul 2026
Lists the La Brea Tar Pits among local attractions to visit.
- Recommendsu/tatapatrol909 in r/AskLosAngeles · Jul 2024
Agrees the museum's saber-tooth skull wall is a highlight.
- Caveatu/PerformanceDouble924 in r/LosAngeles · Nov 2025maintenance
Advises visitors to avoid nice footwear, since tar seeps up unpredictably through the lawn.
- Recommendsu/madlamb in r/AskLosAngeles · Mar 2026
Names the tar pits among cool museums reachable by train.
- Recommendsu/tracyinge in r/AskLosAngeles · Feb 2026
Suggests it as a city outing that works well for kids that age.
- Caveatu/ShakeWeightMyDick in r/AskLosAngeles · Jul 2024
Says the pits themselves offer hardly anything worth looking at.
- Recommendsu/samuellaaa__ in r/AskLosAngeles · Jul 2024
Loves the park as a good spot for a Saturday-morning stroll.
- Caveatu/b-stardust in r/AskLosAngeles · Jun 2026visit time
Warns the tar pits close for a roughly two-year renovation.
- Recommendsu/stolenfires in r/AskLosAngeles · Aug 2025uniqueness
Says it is unusual and has no real equivalent among museums.
- Recommendsu/Granadafan in r/AskLosAngeles · Jul 2024
Agrees with the picnic idea and says visitors can bring their own alcohol.
- Recommendsu/keepcalmandcarygrant in r/LosAngeles · Nov 2025uniqueness
Loves the warning cones placed around the tar seeps.
- Mixedu/Ski143 in r/AskLosAngeles · Jul 2024
Says the nearby LACMA expansion has dampened the tar pits' vibe, but it's still fascinating.
- Recommendsu/TlMEGH0ST in r/LosAngeles · Nov 2025photography
Wants to photograph the warning cones at the tar seeps for an online profile.
- Recommendsu/phainepy in r/AskLosAngeles · Feb 2024
Lists it among the top things to see.
- Recommendsu/SuiGenerisPothos in r/AskLosAngeles · Jan 2024
Suggests the Tar Pits as the science stop on a full museum day.
- Mixedu/GercektenGul in r/AskLosAngeles · Jun 2026visit time
Notes the tar pits close for two years but grounds stay partly open with interesting outside bits.
- Recommends@davidjnash on X · Aug 2024uniqueness
Author visited on a sightseeing day and was pleased, calling it an impressive museum and an ancient site where digging continues.
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Freshness
Details last checked 3 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.