The lights of the Los Angeles grid at blue hour under a wide darkening sky — Los Angeles at blue hour from the Griffith Park hills, April 2017. Benni Talent · CC0

Emma Stone with auburn hair in a white lace dress, head and shoulders — Emma Stone, October 2016. MarinSD · CC BY-SA 2.0

Ryan Gosling in a dark dotted jacket, looking off to one side — Ryan Gosling, September 2016. Andrew Walker · CC BY-SA 2.0

Mia · Sebastian · Los Angeles

La La Land

Lower the sun

The sun is still on the hills.

WinterSpringSummerFallWinter

Winter · the opening number

Stuck on the ramp
where the 105 meets the 110.

The film opens in a traffic jam that bursts into song. Tap a car and its driver gets out with one number from the shoot.

0 of 6 drivers out of their cars.

The opening number was shot on the congested ramp where the 105 freeway meets the 110, with 30 professional dancers and more than 100 extras on a 104-degree day. They used a ramp linking the carpool lanes of the two freeways; the ordinary lanes stayed open, and traffic can be seen during the number.

A working freeway interchange: you can drive it, but there is nowhere to stop or walk. It is not on our map.

Where we read it

Spring · “A Lovely Night” · Mount Hollywood Drive

Forty-five minutes
and five takes.

The dance had to be one six-minute take at magic hour. The crew shot five takes between 7 and 7.45pm and got two with good magic-hour sky, then came back the next evening for the same window. Try it: start the evening, then roll five takes as the light goes.

1
2
3
4
5

7.00pm. The sun is still up. Start the evening, then roll when the sky looks right.

Cathy’s Corner, Mount Hollywood Drive · Mount Hollywood Drive, Griffith Park

“A Lovely Night” was filmed in one take at a spot called Cathy’s Corner, off Mount Hollywood Drive. The spot looks over the San Fernando Valley, with a drop of about 300 feet on one side of the road.

A bend on Mount Hollywood Drive, high in Griffith Park. Check the park’s road access before you go, and keep back from the edge.

Where we read it

The sky on this page is a model. The real one changed each night.

The house lights are down.

Spring · Griffith Observatory

A date that leaves
the ground.

Mia and Sebastian’s date carries on into the observatory’s Samuel Oschin Planetarium. The observatory was dedicated on 14 May 1935; the crew had one day to shoot outside and in.

Float to the top to find out where the float was filmed.

Free entry. Tuesday to Friday noon–10pm, weekends 10am–10pm, closed Mondays. Planetarium tickets are sold on the day, at the building.

Where we read it

Griffith Observatory

Griffith Park · Free · planetarium $12 adults · closed Mondays

The building is free; the planetarium where Mia and Sebastian’s date goes on is a ticketed show, sold on the day.

Plan a visit

Griffith Observatory's white domes lit up at blue hour, with people on the lawn in front — Griffith Observatory at dusk, January 2014. Prayitno · CC BY 2.0

Summer · Downtown and beyond

One track,
two cars.

Both cars hang on one cable. Send one up and the other comes down.

An orange Angels Flight car climbing its track beneath the entrance arch, Downtown towers behind — Angels Flight, May 2024. hrs51 · CC BY 4.0

Angels Flight · 351 South Hill Street, Downtown

Mia and Sebastian ride Angels Flight in a montage. The funicular was closed at the time, and the state regulator says it had not known about the shoot. Its two cars, Olivet and Sinai, hang on the same cable and counterbalance each other.

It opened on 31 December 1901, was dismantled in 1969, rebuilt half a block away in 1996, and reopened after safety work on 31 August 2017.

Daily 6.45am–10pm. $1.50 each way, or a $3 souvenir round trip. The lower station is on Hill Street, opposite Grand Central Market.

Where we read it

Grand Central Market, May 2016. NewtonCourt · CC BY-SA 4.0
The market · 317 South Broadway, Downtown
Grand Central Market
In a montage, Sebastian and Mia stop at Sarita’s Pupuseria in the market. The market opened in 1917.
Open daily 8am–9pm; each stall keeps its own hours.
Where we read it
The Colorado Street Bridge at blue hour, October 2020. Kleaphotographer · CC BY-SA 4.0
The bridge · West Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena
Colorado Street Bridge
Mia and Sebastian stroll across the bridge during their summer together. It opened in December 1913 and spans 1,467½ feet on 11 arches.
A public road bridge on West Colorado Boulevard; see it from the Arroyo below or walk the pavement across.
Where we read it
Watts Towers, January 2015. Bjlee2020 · CC BY-SA 4.0
The towers · Watts; tours from the Arts Center, 10624 Graham Avenue
Watts Towers
The towers appear in the couple’s romantic montage. Sabato (Sam or Simon) Rodia built them in his spare time over 33 years, from 1921 to 1954. The only way through the gates is a 30-minute guided tour, Thursday to Saturday, $12 for adults.
Guided tours only: Thursday to Saturday at 11am, 11.30am, noon, 2pm, 2.30pm and 3pm. $12, cash or cheque. No tours in the rain.
Where we read it

Angels Flight Railway

Ride Angels Flight

Downtown · Daily 6.45am–10pm · $1.50 each way

The ride from the montage, from Hill Street up to California Plaza. Two cars, one cable.

Plan the ride

Watts Towers Arts Center

Watts Towers guided tour

Watts · Thursday–Saturday · $12 adults, under-18s free

Thirty minutes inside the gates of the towers from the montage. Cash or cheque only; no tours in the rain.

See tour times

Winter · the day jobs

Coffee on a lot,
carols at a steakhouse.

Mia · barista

The Warner Bros. studio water tower against a clear blue sky — The water tower at Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, November 2020. Chris Yarzab · CC BY 2.0

Warner Bros., Burbank

Mia works as a barista at Café Sur Le Lot, a coffee shop on a studio lot: the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank. The café set was on the Studio Tour only from 20 February to 6 March 2017.

The café has a view.

A working studio, open only on the paid Studio Tour (8.30am–3.30pm, about three hours, adults from $79). The café is not a promised stop.

Where we read it

Seb · pianist

A vintage Smoke House entrance and parking sign above the restaurant and a bed of roses — The Smoke House, Burbank, July 2024. Tim-desser · CC0

The Smoke House, Burbank

The steakhouse stands in for the supper club where Sebastian has to play holiday tunes. It has served Burbank since 1946, and calls its garlic cheese bread the world’s greatest.

A working restaurant. Monday to Saturday from 11.30am; Sunday brunch 10am–2pm and dinner from 3.30pm.

Where we read it

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

Burbank · Daily 8.30am–3.30pm · adults from $79

Guided and self-guided, about three hours, on the lot where Mia’s café was built. The café is not a promised stop. No under-fives.

See the tour

Hermosa Beach Pier in silhouette against a twilight sky, waves breaking in front — Hermosa Beach Pier after sunset, August 2025. Laura Alier · CC BY 4.0

Hermosa Beach · 32 km from Mount Hollywood Drive as the crow flies

A pier at dusk,
a club since 1949.

Sebastian strolls the pier and sings “City of Stars”. Like many of the film’s exteriors, Sebastian’s walk alone on a pier was shot just before or after sunset.

Open to walkers; best just after sunset.

Where we read it

The Lighthouse · this week

Jazz Brunch, 10am

A brick wall painted with the words The Lighthouse Café in late sunlight — The Lighthouse Café’s painted back wall, December 2017. Coolcaesar · CC BY-SA 4.0

Sebastian brings Mia here to hear jazz; the club was given over to the film for four days at the end of summer 2015. It has played jazz since 29 May 1949, when the owner let the bassist Howard Rumsey start a Sunday jam; Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan and Miles Davis later played with the Lighthouse All-Stars.

Jazz is on Sunday mornings, a Jazz Brunch from 10am, and Monday nights, a Jazz Jam Session at 8pm.

Monday to Friday from 4pm, Saturday from noon, Sunday from 10am. Over-21s only, except Sunday jazz brunch until 1pm.

Where we read it

The Lighthouse Café

Jazz Brunch at the Lighthouse

30 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach · Every Sunday · from 10am

Sunday jazz in the club where Sebastian gives Mia her jazz lesson. Open to all ages until 1pm.

Weekly · check the calendar for closures

See this week

The Lighthouse Café

Monday Jazz Jam Session

30 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach · Every Monday · 8pm

The Lighthouse’s weekly jam, in the room that has played jazz since 1949. Over-21s.

Weekly · check the calendar for closures

See this week

Five years later

Seb’s, in Long Beach

The lit towers and waterfront of Downtown Long Beach at night, reflected in dark water — Downtown Long Beach at night, 2007. The bar that played Seb’s is a few blocks inland, at 149 Linden Avenue. Geographer (English Wikipedia) · CC BY 2.5

Its interior became Seb’s, the jazz club Sebastian finally owns, in the film’s last scenes. Today it is a bar with classic video games, pool tables, Skee-Ball and karaoke nights.

A bar in Downtown Long Beach. Check the day’s hours with the bar.

Where we read it

Chateau Marmont

In the film’s last act Mia has made it as an actress, and lives for a time at the Chateau Marmont.

A working hotel on Sunset Boulevard. Restaurant tables are booked through Resy.

Where we read it

Mia’s block

The outside of Mia’s apartment was filmed at the El Cordova Apartments, once called the Rose Towers, on East Third Street in Long Beach.

A private apartment building. It is not on our map.

Where we read it

Credits

Starring
the city.

Emma Stone at the Mill Valley Film Festival, October 2016, presenting La La Land. MarinSD · CC BY-SA 2.0
Emma StoneMia
Ryan Gosling at the Toronto International Film Festival, September 2016. Andrew Walker · CC BY-SA 2.0
Ryan GoslingSebastian
Emma Stone and Damien Chazelle on the red carpet at Venice, where La La Land opened the festival, 31 August 2016. Gianni Torre from Venice, Italy · CC BY-SA 2.0
Damien ChazelleWriter and director
Justin Hurwitz at the Mill Valley Film Festival, October 2016 (cropped from a group photograph). MarinSD · CC BY-SA 2.0
Justin HurwitzComposer

Six Oscars, among them Best Director for Damien Chazelle, Best Actress for Emma Stone, and Best Original Score and Best Original Song, “City of Stars”, for Justin Hurwitz’s music. Ryan Gosling spent three months on piano lessons and played Sebastian’s solos himself.

Where we read it

The film won six Academy Awards, including Directing (Damien Chazelle), Actress in a Leading Role (Emma Stone), Original Score (Justin Hurwitz) and Original Song, “City of Stars”.
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: The 89th Academy Awards (2017)
Gosling spent three months on intensive piano lessons and played all his piano solos on set.
No Film School: Behind the scenes of La La Land’s opening, and Ryan Gosling’s piano (Emily Buder, 22 February 2017)

After the
last set.

Where it is now

13 places you can visit. The freeway ramp is a working road you can only drive past, and Mia’s apartment block is a private home: neither is on the map.

Pins mark public places; private homes are named but not pinned.

General reference · Public access · Coordinate precision: site · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A bend on Mount Hollywood Drive, high in Griffith Park. Check the park’s road access before you go, and keep back from the edge.
General reference · Public access · Coordinate precision: building · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. Free entry. Tuesday to Friday noon–10pm, weekends 10am–10pm, closed Mondays. Planetarium tickets are sold on the day, at the building.
General reference · Public access · Coordinate precision: building · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A working hotel on Sunset Boulevard. Restaurant tables are booked through Resy.

Los Angeles at blue hour from the Griffith Park hills, April 2017. Benni Talent · CC0
Mount Hollywood Drive, Griffith Park
Cathy’s Corner, Mount Hollywood Drive
“A Lovely Night” was filmed in one take at a spot called Cathy’s Corner, off Mount Hollywood Drive.
A bend on Mount Hollywood Drive, high in Griffith Park. Check the park’s road access before you go, and keep back from the edge.
Where we read it
Griffith Observatory at dusk, January 2014. Prayitno · CC BY 2.0
2800 East Observatory Road, Griffith Park
Griffith Observatory
Mia and Sebastian’s date carries on into the observatory’s Samuel Oschin Planetarium.
Free entry. Tuesday to Friday noon–10pm, weekends 10am–10pm, closed Mondays. Planetarium tickets are sold on the day, at the building.
Where we read it
Chateau Marmont above Sunset Boulevard, October 2014. Tony Hisgett · CC BY 2.0
8221 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood
Chateau Marmont
In the film’s last act Mia has made it as an actress, and lives for a time at the Chateau Marmont.
A working hotel on Sunset Boulevard. Restaurant tables are booked through Resy.
Where we read it

Stay

Sleep near the light.

The hotel the film gives Mia once she has made it, and a beach hotel two blocks from the pier.

Chateau Marmont

Sunset Boulevard

In the film’s last act Mia, now a star, lives here for a time. 8221 Sunset Boulevard.

Check rooms

Beach House Hermosa Beach

1300 The Strand, Hermosa Beach

Not a filming location: 96 studio suites on the Strand, less than two blocks from the pier and the Lighthouse. Breakfast included, no resort fee.

Check rooms

Go there

The dome, the lot, the railway.

The observatory is free; the studio tour, the funicular and the towers each take a ticket.

Griffith Observatory

Griffith Park · Free · planetarium $12 adults · closed Mondays

The building is free; the planetarium where Mia and Sebastian’s date goes on is a ticketed show, sold on the day.

Plan a visit

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood

Burbank · Daily 8.30am–3.30pm · adults from $79

Guided and self-guided, about three hours, on the lot where Mia’s café was built. The café is not a promised stop. No under-fives.

See the tour

Angels Flight Railway