Griffith Observatory And Planetarium At Night Los Angeles California
December 31, 2025
Visiting Griffith Observatory At Night
I visited Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles for the second time ever, and visiting at night was magical. In November, the air feels cooler, the sky a little clearer, and the city lights below stretch forever. We had been up nearly 24 hours when we arrived at Griffith Park. Standing on the terrace, you get that wild mix of LA energy buzzing beneath you and the calm, endless sky above. The domes glow softly, and for a second it feels like you’re caught between earth and space. That night, we were visitng to use the telescopes.
Looking through the telescopes made it even better. The Moon showed off every crater and ridge, sharp and glowing like you could almost touch it. Then Saturn came into view—tiny, but those rings were crystal clear bright white. Seeing both in one night was unreal. Moments like that remind you why people keep coming back here—to feel small, amazed, and completely connected to the universe.
As a fan of film and cinema, I love the movie and television history of the observatory. It is iconic and beautiful and was a great place to practice my travel photography.
Parking At The Griffith Observatory
The first time we visited the observatory was 15 years ago on a warm afternoon. We parked about 1/2 mile away and walked down the road to get to this magnificent attraction. On this cool night, we paid something like $10/hour to park directly behind the observatory. I wouldn’t want to talk a half mile in the dark in the mountains. So sure, it was expensive. I didn’t care. This place was amazing at night.
Seeing The Stars On A Crisp, Clear Los Angeles Night
I was showing my uncle around Los Angeles, and his goal was to look through the telescopes at Griffith Observatory. Once we had used the telescopes, we attended the legendary planetarium show. By this time, we had been up for 24 hours, and my uncle fell asleep. Luckily, I stayed awake and drove us back to Manhattan Beach.
