TL;DR Travels

Getting to and Parking at the Getty Center

Address: 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049, USA

While entrance to the Getty Center is free, you will have to pay for parking. Day rates run at $20 a day, but if you are planning for a short trip, you can save $5 by parking after 3pm.

If you are staying in the area or live locally, you can ride a bike and park it for free. Another popular option if you don’t have access to a car is to take public transit. To learn more about parking and transportation options, visit the official Getty website here.

Helpful tip: you can visit both the Getty Center and the Getty Villa same day, and save some money on parking.

Back to top

Explore the Grounds

After parking, you can catch the ADA-accessible Tram for a short ride up to the Center or you can walk uphill to the museum. The walk takes about 20 minutes. The tram ride is actually a great way to check out the view, so I recommend taking it at least one way.

When you depart the tram and make your way to the Getty Center Museum, you’ll find a beautiful outdoor space just right of the museum entrance building. From there, you can make your way to the restaurant (discussed more below), an expansive patio, and the impressive gardens. Explore the Central Garden, Cactus Garden, and various sculpture gardens in the fresh air. Many people like to lay out on the grass with a book and snack, while soaking up the Southern California sun.

While I love a bit of exploring on my own, the Getty Center does offer guided tours of the Central Garden. Look into catching a tour here. There are also guided architectural and collection tours available (just be sure the tour is labeled for “Getty Center”). The Center also hosts various other events and performances – I recommend taking a look at the performance calendar when planning your trip.

Lastly, I highly recommend taking a look at the views of Los Angeles – the Getty Center, perched on a hill top, has some truly great scenes of the city.

Back to top

Navigating the Exhibits

The Getty Center is comprised of 5 pavilions: North, South, East, West, and Exhibition. There are plenty of ramps or elevators as you navigate around, from the parking lot to the exhibits, which make it more accessible.

Like most museums, the Center is very cautious when it comes to protecting the art, so you may be asked to wear your backpack or bags in front of you and no beverages or snacks are allowed out. If you are traveling with small children, double check the lids on baby bottles for spilling (I’ve seen the docents ask patrons this in past visits).

To make your way around all exhibitions, you’ll need several hours (or two days). I personally love visiting the illuminated manuscripts exhibit and the Rembrandt/Dutch paintings. Right now, there are special exhibitions on Marie Antionette and King Louis XIV, until March 2024 that are also beautiful.

Back to top

Where to Eat

Walking around and looking at art surprisingly works up an appetite! There are several coffee stands with little bites around the grounds. The Getty Center also has a full-service restaurant if you’re looking for a more substantial meal.

I personally like to save my larger meal for offsite which can help you squeeze more of L.A. into your trip. The museum is in close proximity to the Santa Monica boardwalk, Westwood, and Bel Air – all which have great dining options at various price points.

Back to top

Nearby things to do

Now that you’ve explored the Getty Center, you might wonder what else you should do in L.A. Within a 30 minute drive, you can find even more Los Angeles gems that will round-up your trip to Southern California. Small note: it’s generally easier to get around L.A. by car, whether you rent, own, or catch a ride. Traffic also will impact how long it takes to get to any of these destinations (avoid rush hour if you can!). I recommend checking local traffic when you leave and venturing out with a little bit of patience (it helps make the trip more enjoyable :)).

• Visit the Getty Villa – If you loved the art exhibitions and want to see more, then you must stop by the Getty Villa for more Greek and Roman art work. Not only does the Villa boast an impressive art collection, but the architecture and gardens are absolutely beautiful. I personally prefer the art exhibitions at the Getty Center, but the architecture of the Villa takes the crown. If you visit both museums on the same day, you can save on parking as you only have to pay once!
• Explore Westwood – a very short drive from the Getty Center will take you to Westwood. Home to UCLA and Westwood Village, Westwood has great shopping and a vibrant college town atmosphere. Westwood Village is a great place to stop by for shopping or eating.
• Check-Out Santa Monica Pier – As one of the most popular (and iconic) Los Angeles destinations, the Santa Monica Pier is a must-visit. You can find a variety of classic boardwalk foods and classy sit-downs. You’ll definitely find much to do at this historic landmark.

Back to top