There are so many incredible famous houses in Los Angeles. Some of the houses are famous because of the architecture while others are famous for being used in movies and tv shows. There are so many different ways that we are spoiled in Southern California but the incredible variety of homes that we can visit is truly something special. Please note that not all of the homes on this list are open to the public but I will make sure to specify which ones are available for you to visit vs which ones you can drive by.
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Famous Houses in Los Angeles
Greystone Mansion
I have not been able to confirm if the grounds are still open to the public during COVID 19. The Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills feels like the perfect home to kick off this list with. Visiting the grounds of this beautiful mansion is a favorite of both locals and tourists. The area is stunning and has great views of the city too. It is free to visit the grounds though occasionally the opportunity will become available to tour the inside for a fee. You can read about my visit here in my post on Greystone Mansion.
Address: 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Visiting Hours: 10 am to 5 pm. During daylight savings, the hours are extended to 6 pm.
Admission Price: Free to visit the gardens & the exterior of the home. Tours cost $15 for members and $20 for non-members.
Adamson House
Of all the homes on this list, this is the only one so far that will give you beautiful views of the ocean. It has been called the Taj Mahal of Tile and I absolutely love that the house features locally made tile! The house was built in 1929 as a vacation home for the Adamson family but eventually became their fulltime residence. After the death of the owners, the state won a lawsuit to put beach parking where the house is. The parking lot got approved but thanks to the work of locals and volunteers the house still remains.
Address: Address: 23200 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265
Visiting Hours: Wednesday–Saturday 11 a.m.–2 p.m. The last tour starts at 2:00 pm
Admission Costs: $7 (adults) $6 (6-16) Free (5 and younger). Cash only for tours.
Hollyhock House
I visited the Hollyhock House in February of 2020 right before things got crazy with COVID-19. Thanks to a lecture series that was happening I was able to get visit this amazing home for free. Docents were placed throughout the home to offer insight but it was nice to get to walk around on our own. The biggest bummer is that you cannot take photography indoors. I was in awe of the living room and so badly wanted a picture.
The Hollyhock House was designed by Frank Llyod Wright for Aline Barnsdall though she quickly became disillusioned with the home and donated it to the city of LA. The hollyhock was Aline’s favorite flower and was used as a theme throughout the house. Even if you cannot tour the home it is visible from the park and the city views are wonderful as well. I recommend stopping by for at least a quick visit if you can.
Address: 4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Visiting Hours: 11 am-4 pm Thursday through Sunday for self-guided tours. Docent-led exterior tours are offered at 11:15 am, 12 pm, and 12:45 pm Thursday through Sunday. A 40-minute docent-led exterior and interior tour is offered on Tuesday and Wednesday at 11 am and 12:30 pm.
Admission Cost: $7 for adults
Will Rogers State Park
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This home and park have such a wonderful variety of activities for visitors. You can tour the home (during non-covid times), go horseback riding, hiking, attend movie nights over the summer, and polo games. Will Rogers was a popular actor in the early days of Hollywood. In the 1920’s he bought land in Santa Monica and his 359 acres included some land that would later become part of Pacific Palisades. Will died in a plane crash in the 1930’s. In the 1940s his wife, Betty left their 31 room ranch and the land to the California State Parks. This is another home that is still on my to-visit list.
Address: 1501 Will Rogers State Park Rd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Visiting Hours: On Thursdays and Fridays, free public tours of Will’s ranch house take place every hour on the hour from 11 am to 3 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, the tours take place every hour on the hour from 10 am. to 4 pm. Tours meet in front of the Ranch house. Will’s ranch house is accessible only through guided tours. There is no charge for the ranch house tour. No preregistration is needed to take one of the tours unless your tour group is 15 or more people. Tours are offered on a first-come-first-served basis.
Admission Cost: Free
The Gamble House
Not only is the beautiful craftsman style Gamble house an amazing place to visit for architecture fans, but movie fans will appreciate it too. The garage was used as Doc Brown’s house in Back to the Future and the living room shown above was used in Zathura. I have visited the house for free on two different occasions. You can visit it for free on the Museums of the Arroyo Day or during the City of Pasadena’s ArtNight. This was one of the first homes I ever toured in LA and fell in love with learning about the history of the unique homes in the area. You can read more about my visits to the Gamble House here.
Address: 4 Westmoreland Pl, Pasadena, CA 91103
Visiting Hours: First touring time of the day varies but the last tour begins at 1:00 pm on Tues. and 3 pm Thurs.-Sun. The tours do sell out so I highly recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. Indoor tours are suspended until at least October of 2020 but they are trying to do outdoor tours. Or you can always just drive by for a look.
Admission Costs: $15 (Adults) Students (with valid id) and Seniors (65+) $12.50 Children under 12 are free.
Lanterman House
This is another home that I wanted to include on this list that I have yet to get to visit. I have tried finding out if you can see the home from the street and cannot get a clear answer so I will update this once I know. This bungalow style home was built by A.L. Haley in 1915 for Dr. Roy Lanterman. The house was made up of reinforced concrete due to earthquake and fire concerns that Dr. Lanterman had from his time in San Francisco. It is a wonderful example of the arts and crafts architecture and design
Address: 4420 Encinas Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Visiting Hours: The home is open for tours most Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1 pm – 4 pm. and the first and third Sundays of each month from 1 pm – 4 pm. The tours last for one hour.
Admission Costs: $5 (adults), $3 (seniors and students), children under 12 are free.
Barbie House
This adorable home stands out on the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica. The rumor is that this house was owned by Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie. You can park in one of the beach parking lots and walk down to the home or park by one of the neighbors. PCH is a really busy road so it won’t always feel easy to stop for the photo. Driving by this home always makes me happy.
Address: 1341 Palisades Beach Rd Santa Monica, CA 90401
*You can drive by this home and take photos but as this is a private residence you cannot go inside.
Richard and Dion Neutra VDL House
This is the only Neutra designed home that is available for tours. It was first built in 1932 for Neutra and his family. It is called the research house because it was built with a loan from a patron. A fire destroyed most of the house in 1963 and was rebuilt by Neutra’s son with the Dad’s oversight.
Address: 2300 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Visiting Hours: The Neutra VDL House II is open for tours on Saturdays from 11 am to 3 pm. No appointments are necessary. The tours are given by Cal Poly Pomona Architecture students and are typically 30 minutes long. There is street parking in front of the house. The last tour starts at 2:30 pm.
Admission Costs: Tours are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors/students/faculty. Tours are free for children under 15. All proceeds from the tours go towards the maintenance and restoration of the house. Please note that they only accept credit cards. No cash.
Heritage Square
Self-guided walking tours of the exterior of Heritage Square Museum homes are currently available. You can enjoy the beauty of the homes and the gardens. I came here during the 2019 Museum of the Arroyo Day and really enjoyed it. The homes are beautiful and really take you back in time. The homes are a museum dedicated to the settlement and development of Southern California in its first 100 years. There are special events throughout the year that you can attend including Christmas movie screenings with Street Food Cinema in December.
Address: 3800 Homer Street Los Angeles, CA 90031
Visiting Hours: Friday, Saturday & Sundays in August & September 2020
Admission Costs: $7
Frank Gehry House
This house was created by Frank Gehry for him and his family in 1978. However, Gehry did not build a home from scratch. He changed an existing house and turned it into something truly unique. The neighbors may not have been thrilled with what the home became but it looks like something really fun to see in person.
Address: 1002 22nd Street Santa Monica, California 90403
*Please note that this is a private residence and the inside is not accessible.
The Spadena House
I love The Spadena House also known as The Witches House. It looks like something straight out of a fairytale. Hollywood art director Harry Oliver designed the home. The house was built in 1921 to be offices and dressing rooms for Irvin Willat’s film studio in Culver City. In 1926 it was moved to its current location and became a private residence. I drove past the house on my way to an event and immediately turned around in order to check it out. You cannot go beyond the gate but it is truly spectacular to see.
Address: 516 Walden Drive Beverly Hills CA 90210
*This is a private residence that is not accessible.
The Stahl House
The Stahl House has been on my to-visit list longer than any of the other homes. It was one of the first homes that I saw on social media that caught my eye. Not only is the house really cool to look at, but the views are really what makes this particular one stand out. The Stahl House is also known as case study house #22. Every time I see photos my desire to visit grows and grows!
Address: 1635 Woods Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Visiting Hours: There is an afternoon tour and an evening tour. The times are not clearly stated on their website.
Admission Costs: I will be honest and admit that the main reason I have not visited this house is the price. For the afternoon tour, it is $60 for one person/car or $35 per person for two people/one car. In the evening the prices increase to $90 for one person/car and $50 per person for two people/one car.
The Derby House
The Derby House was designed by Lloyd Wright in 1926. He also designed one of my favorite places in LA, the Wayfarers Chapel. The Derby House was built for businessman James Derby, though due to a separation with his wife he would never live here. The textile blocks are supposed to help keep the interior bright. From the photos that I have seen online the inside looks really interesting. You can get a peek inside in this post.
Address: 2535 East Chevy Chase Drive, Glendale, California
*This is a private residence so you will not be able to go inside.
The John Sowden House
The Sowden House, like The Derby House, was designed by Lloyd Wright in 1926. It is a neomodern mansion in Hollywood. The house is known for its unique design and colorful history. You used to be able to tour the house but now the new owners only make it available to the public during special events.
Address: 5121 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
The Hobbit House
Close to Sony Studios in Culver City, you’ll find The Hobbit House which looks like it is straight out of a movie set. The house was built by a Disney artist Joseph Lawrence and took over twenty years to complete. While it is known as The Hobbit House, it is actually a set of apartments. If you stop by for a visit you’ll have to stay on the sidewalk but you can still get a great view!
Address: 3819 Dunn Dr Culver City, CA 90232
*Please note that this is a private residence and not available to tour.
The Ennis House
The Ennis House was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1924. Ancient Mayan temples were the basis for the design. The house has 27,000 perforated and patterned decomposed granite blocks. The house consists of two buildings that are separated by a courtyard. You can see the house in a number of movies including Blade Runner.
Address: 2607 Glendower Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
*Please note that this is currently a private residence so you cannot get too close. However, I have seen reviews on yelp from people who have walked/hiked to see some of the exteriors.
The Magic Castle
The Chateau style home was built in 1909 by Rollin B. Lane. Ownership of the house remained with the Lane family until 1955. In 1963 the home became The Magic Castle, home to the Academy of Magical Arts. If you ever have the chance to step inside this spectacular place please do not hesitate to do so. The experience is truly one of a kind.
Address: 7001 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, California
Visiting Hours: You can walk or drive by the castle anytime. However, if you get an invite they are only open in the evening. You can arrive as early as 5 pm.
Admission Cost: Unless you are a member you will need to have dinner at the Magic Castle as part of your visit. I believe my meal came to $86.
The Eames House
The Eames House, also known as case study #8, is mid-20th century modern architecture. The house was designed by the couple Ray and Charles Eames to serve as their home and studio. Please note that there is no parking at the house. Free street parking is available on Corona Del Mar which is a five-minute walk from the house.
Address: 203 N. Chautauqua Blvd. Pacific Palisades, California
Visiting Hours: Reservations are required. They are open 10:30 am – 4 pm daily except for Wednesday and Sunday.
Admission Costs: Exterior tours are $10/free for students. Interior tours start at $275 for two people.
Doheny Mansion
The Doheny Mansion is the oldest of the famous houses in Los Angeles. It was built in 1899. The exterior features elements of Gothic, Chateauesque, Moorish, and even California Mission-style architecture. Edward L. Doheny was one of the richest men in the world and the interior reflects his wealth. This home was one of the first Victorian
Address: 8 Chester Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90007-2518
Visiting Hours: Tours have officially been canceled for the rest of 2020. On Trip Advisor one review stated that the tours happen one day every other month.
Admission Cost: $20 per person
Virginia Robinson Estate and Gardens
Built in 1911, this was the first mansion in Beverly Hills. The house looks beautiful but from the reviews that I have read, the gardens are truly what people love. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were the heirs to the J.W. Robinson’s department store when they started living in this mansion. This is another beautiful home on my to-do list.
Address: 1008 Elden Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210-2805
Visiting Hours: By appointment only. They are closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Admission Costs: Adults $15 • Children (5-12) $5 • Students (w/ I.D.) $11 • Seniors (62+) $11
The Sheats Goldstein Residence
This house is most likely recognized from being used in the movie The Big Lebowski. It was built from 1961 to 1963 It was built as a cave-like dwelling that embraces nature. I am really looking forward to checking this one out in person in the future.
Address: 10110 Angelo View Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Tours only happen a few times a year. I recommend following this account on Eventbrite for upcoming vents.
I hope that this post has inspired you to visit some of these incredible and famous houses in Los Angeles!
