In-Person and Virtual Group Tours
Explore Los Angeles' history and iconic architectural gems virtually or in person with your own personal docent! Private group tours are perfect for alumni groups, social clubs, and more.
Virtual Group Tours
Book a virtual group tour now!
Virtual Group Tours offered live through Zoom, are available any day of the week and can accommodate up to 100 guests. We kindly request that bookings be made at least seven days before your desired tour date.
Virtual Tour Options:
Paul Revere Was Here: On the Trail of L.A.'s Legendary Architect
Go on a county-wide expedition celebrating the life, work, and legacy of L.A.'s legendary architect Paul Revere Williams.
Art Deco
Nothing evokes Jazz Age elegance like Art Deco. Its clean lines and geometric patterns proved a perfect style for L.A. in the ‘20s and ‘30s, and an extraordinary collection of these masterpieces still stand in the heart of the city. Get up close and virtual to marvel at the incredible detail of these structures, with their brilliant colors and lush materials. You’ll learn how Art Deco made its way to L.A., and why it became such a defining architectural style in the city.
Historic Downtown
Virtually visit some of L.A.’s most beloved landmarks, such as the Central Library, the Million Dollar Theatre, and the Bradbury Building! Discover—or rediscover—the area’s unique character as you visit the areas surrounding Pershing Square, the heart of downtown. Learn about the founding of this great city, and the story of its growth, as told through its magnificent architecture.
Westwood Village: A Virtual Tour
Take a virtual tour of Westwood Village, one of the earliest planned suburban shopping villages in the world. We'll unearth history and unique architectural flourishes that connect Westwood Village to its neighbor UCLA.
In-Person Group Tours
Book an in-person group tour now!
Group tours allow you the flexibility of choosing your own starting and ending locations. Tours can also be shortened: we offer 1.5-hour versions of several of the tours, and one-hour family/youth-friendly versions of Historic Downtown.
If you are an educator who is interested in a tour for a student group, please visit our Student Walking Tours page.
For a private docent on a regularly scheduled Saturday tour, there is a twelve-person minimum (subject to availability; regular fees apply).
For a private docent on a non-regularly scheduled tour, there is a minimum fee of $240 for up to twelve people. Additional guests after the first twelve are $20/general public, $10/members, and youth (ages seventeen and under).
Youth and K-12 school groups tours are $10/person with a $120 minimum.
Below, we offer answers to frequently asked questions, as well as suggestions of tours that are best suited to groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How big of a group can I bring?
- How far in advance do I need to schedule and how soon will I know my tour is confirmed?
- What days are the tours offered?
- What time are the tours?
- How long are the tours?
- How much walking is involved?
- Can I customize my tour?
- What do group tours cost and what is the payment process?
- Where should we park?
How big of a group can I bring?
Most tours can accommodate groups of up to 36 guests. Groups of 12 or more will be divided into two or more groups, each with their own docent.
Please note that at least one designated chaperone/group representative is required to be part of each docent group (i.e. if a group of twenty-four is divided into two groups of twelve), each group must have a designated representative accompanying them on the tour.
How far in advance do I need to schedule and how soon will I know my tour is confirmed?
Tours are subject to availability, so booking at least four weeks in advance is recommended. It may take up to 5 business days for us to process your request. Your first communication from us will be an email notifying you of a tentative confirmation. A firm confirmation is not provided until your Confirmation Payment has been received by us.
What days are the tours offered?
The Conservancy’s regularly scheduled tour day is Saturday. Groups of twelve or more can request a private docent for our regularly scheduled tours, as long as the advance payment is received. Most of our tours (Art Deco, Historic Downtown, Modern Skyline, and Union Station) can be arranged for other days, subject to certain restrictions.
Please note that the following tours are available only at their regularly scheduled times: Angelino Heights and Broadway.
Most regularly scheduled tours start at 10 a.m. For group tours, morning tours typically start at 10:15 or 10:30 a.m. but can be arranged to start earlier or later, so long as they conclude by sunset. In most cases, Modern Skyline is the only tour that can be arranged for late afternoon/evening times.
Tours as given to the public are typically up to 2.5 hours long. Groups can request 1.5-hour versions of Art Deco, Historic Downtown, Modern Skyline, and Union Station. Historic Downtown and Union Station also have one hour versions. The Angelino Heights, Broadway, and Biltmore Hotel tours are not offered with abbreviated versions.
The tours are designed as walking tours, and generally cover a total distance of about 1.5 miles. The tours have varying degrees of walking difficulty, and several of the tours can be shortened if requested. However, none of the tours have rest breaks, so all participants need to be able to stand/walk the entire duration of the tour. Most of the tours are wheelchair accessible.
The Conservancy’s docents are trained on specific tour stops and information. While some tour modifications can be requested, and existing tour itineraries can always be shortened, we cannot accommodate major changes to our tour itineraries. However, you can customize your starting and/or ending location, making t easier to combine your tour with other downtown plans, such as museum visits or lunch or dinner plans.
What do group tours cost and what is the payment process?
For groups of twelve or more on a regularly scheduled tour day and time, a minimum charge of $180.00 applies. This is calculated at a per-person cost of $15.00, with a 12-person minimum. Additional persons (beyond the 12-person minimum) are charged at $15 per person; $10 for Conservancy members and youth seventeen and under.
For groups of twelve or more on a non-regularly scheduled tour day and time, a minimum charge of $240 applies. This is calculated at a per-person cost of $20.00, with a 12-person minimum. Additional guests (beyond the 12-person minimum) are charged at $20 per person; $10/Conservancy members and youth seventeen and under.
Following receipt of your Group Tour Request, we will email you a receipt of that request. If your request can be accommodated, we then ask that a non-refundable Confirmation Payment (the minimum charge) be submitted within seven days of your tour request. If your request cannot be accommodated, we will advise you accordingly. Following receipt of your non-refundable Confirmation Payment, your tour is confirmed and you will receive an email advising of that status, as well as tour meeting location and other itinerary-related information. Final Payments (if any) are due seven days before the tour date.
Some group tour itineraries may include or be enhanced with travel aboard Angels Flight (a funicular connecting Bunker Hill with Hill Street, directly across from Grand Central Market). The fare on Angels Flight is included in the tour cost. Tour-goers not wishing to use Angels Flight may use a parallel staircase instead (there is no fare refund, however). Angels Flight is not wheelchair accessible.
For specially scheduled tours for school groups (high school and younger), refer to our Student Field Trip pages.
Conservancy tour docents do not accept tips, although additional donations are accepted on behalf of the Conservancy.
Parking downtown on the weekends costs around $5-$7 per car; parking on weekdays may be significantly higher. As an alternative to parking downtown, several of the tours are easily accessible by Metro. Additional parking information is provided upon your group tour confirmation.
If you have other questions about Conservancy group tours, please contact the office at info@laconservancy.org or (213) 623-2489.
Suggested tours for groups
The following tours are well suited to larger groups with special scheduling requirements. These tours are generally 2.5 hours long but can be shortened if needed.
An up-close look at the architecture and style of the 1920s and 1930s, full of wonderful geometric designs and distinctive artwork.
- Moderate walking: About twelve blocks with minimal rest stops; can be shortened
- Can accommodate up to two groups of eighteen at one time
- Near a range of restaurants, from cafeteria to upscale
A great introduction to the architecture and history of Los Angeles, featuring some of L.A.’s best-loved landmarks such as the Biltmore Hotel, Grand Central Market, and Bradbury Building.
- Moderate walking: About twelve blocks; can be shortened to about six blocks. Not recommended for wheelchair guests.
- Can accommodate up to two groups of eighteen at one time
- Near a range of restaurants, from cafeteria to upscale
An exploration of Los Angeles’ Central Business District, which focuses on the evolution of contemporary corporate architecture and how historic architecture fits into a “new” downtown.
- Moderate to heavy walking: About fourteen blocks; includes steps and hills; can be shortened
- Can accommodate up to two groups of eighteen at one time
- Includes a great variety of public art
- Can be done evenings after dark (known as our Modern by Moonlight tour)
An entertaining mix of architectural, cultural, and transportation history, exploring the last great train station built in America.
- Easy walking; station is wheelchair accessible
- Can accommodate up to two groups of up to eighteen people at one time
- Mostly indoors; adjacent exterior patios and courtyards
- Across from historic Olvera Street, for after-tour lunch and shopping
Major funding for the Los Angeles Conservancy's educational programs is provided by the LaFetra Foundation and the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation.