Los Angeles Conservancy

Though the city’s not widely known for its architecture, downtown L.A. is home to an eclectic assortment of extraordinary buildings. The Los Angeles Conservancy, a local historical preservation organization, conducts fun, educational walking tours that showcase many of downtown’s unique landmarks. One of the most engaging is the tour through the long-forgotten Broadway theater district, where old movie palaces—some still in use for events—exhibit Renaissance Revival, Spanish Baroque, and Beaux-Arts designs, all in varying states of renovation or disrepair. Other conservancy walking tours include Little Tokyo, City Hall, the Biltmore Hotel, and Union Station—all $10 for nonmembers, and led by passionate, knowledgeable volunteers.