Los Angeles River
Los Angeles River
3
About
Although this river flows through the heart of one of America's busiest metropolitan areas, a large number of rare wildlife species still make their home here.
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Neighbourhood: Elysian Valley
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3.0
24 reviews
Excellent
3
Very good
6
Average
9
Poor
2
Terrible
4
Anita A
Los Angeles, CA7 contributions
Jan 2013
The L.A. river is a joke for the most part - however, in Elysian Valley just north of downtown, there are bike paths and greenery and alot of bird life. Cormorants, egrets, and herons live here and it being improved by the city all the time.
Written 5 January 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DAVID L
Los Angeles, CA8,055 contributions
Nov 2015 • Solo
The LA River is definitely no Seine, Tiber or Thames as it's usually just a dry bed or trickle of water hemmed in by huge unsightly concrete walled flood channel walls. Best seen when passing over a bridge or if in the Vernon area. I've driven over it for decades. Hopefully urban renewal will spruce it up someday. ...
Written 6 December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas V
Oakland, CA17,813 contributions
Feb 2017 • Couples
Very long river running through the whole area. Often does not have any water, so just an empty concrete culvert. Scene of much filming. Homeless folks live along it. There are probably some interesting areas, but I have never seen them. Still a landmark.
Written 27 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
naturalwater p
Los Angeles, CA4 contributions
Aug 2020
its is the best spot i ever seen before for travel , we spent Quality time with Friends we enjoyed fishing.
and same ones at Bubba Officials provide like these spots, fishing spots are
and same ones at Bubba Officials provide like these spots, fishing spots are
Written 4 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ynhockey
Petah Tiqwa, Israel276 contributions
July 2015 • Friends
The Los Angeles River is a famous drainage channel that goes from north to south in LA. It has appeared in many movies and video games and has become a famous icon of the city. It is not especially pretty to look at, but nevertheless, it's an icon, and it looks in real life exactly like in the movies.
This is something strange for LA (and the US in general)—something that could potentially serve as a great tourist attraction is not actively exploited as such by the authorities or private enterprise. Yes, there are some private tours that include the "river", but nothing I know of focusing on it, let alone from a well-known company. I would expect things like recreate-chases-from-GTA-V tours, etc. What are the best spots to see the river? What are the most interesting access points, tunnels, rides, etc.? I may never know.
Moreover, access to the obvious good viewpoints (bridges over the river) is not made very easy for pedestrians. Granted, this is normal in LA where the car is treated as the most important thing, but you would expect something that's right outside of Downtown to be more accessible. Instead, you have to walk on a very narrow sidewalk through a tunnel and then for a bit longer in a very unpleasant atmosphere; and it's like that in other places too (hopefully not all of them).
Basically an interesting tourist attraction for people who have seen it in movies and games, but it's not marketed and exploited as such.
This is something strange for LA (and the US in general)—something that could potentially serve as a great tourist attraction is not actively exploited as such by the authorities or private enterprise. Yes, there are some private tours that include the "river", but nothing I know of focusing on it, let alone from a well-known company. I would expect things like recreate-chases-from-GTA-V tours, etc. What are the best spots to see the river? What are the most interesting access points, tunnels, rides, etc.? I may never know.
Moreover, access to the obvious good viewpoints (bridges over the river) is not made very easy for pedestrians. Granted, this is normal in LA where the car is treated as the most important thing, but you would expect something that's right outside of Downtown to be more accessible. Instead, you have to walk on a very narrow sidewalk through a tunnel and then for a bit longer in a very unpleasant atmosphere; and it's like that in other places too (hopefully not all of them).
Basically an interesting tourist attraction for people who have seen it in movies and games, but it's not marketed and exploited as such.
Written 17 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AndrewS666_666
Melbourne, Australia365 contributions
Sept 2015 • Solo
I drove down to the alas river to take some shots from the bridges and then found an access tunnel under the 4th street bridge.
You can then drive down onto the concrete and take some awesome shots from the river level.
Tip: In the movie Grease the race started at the 6th St bridge and went to the 1st street bridge and back.
You can then drive down onto the concrete and take some awesome shots from the river level.
Tip: In the movie Grease the race started at the 6th St bridge and went to the 1st street bridge and back.
Written 20 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PrestonGuild
United Kingdom56,053 contributions
Aug 2014 • Family
The Los Angeles river might or might not flow, you might see water near Long Beach. There is a dry concrete river bed that runs in Los Angeles in case there are floods. It will look familiar to viewers of films such as Grease the dry concrete river bed pops up a lot in movies.
Written 11 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TonyTraveler2010
California390 contributions
Oct 2012
I grew up in Los Angeles. I am still looking for the Los Angeles river. The LA river is a concrete drainage channel, nothing more. It is using for filing movies because it is concrete and can be driven in.
Written 9 January 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AucklandWiz
Auckland, New Zealand2,257 contributions
Aug 2012 • Business
Do you mean the virtually dried up concrete bowl with who knows what in it? The old bridges over it have more life and character.
Written 29 August 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rogerdob
La Canada, California2,604 contributions
Aug 2017 • Couples
Despite the noble efforts of a group called "Friends of the LA River" to fix up the river, there is still not much to savor. As one walks along the river on the trail one remains quite far away from the actual riverbed, which is down a steep 50-100 foot cement embankment that's covered in graffitti...not too pretty of a sight. The trail must be shared with bicyclists who speed along at extremely high speeds...it actually feels dangerous sometimes...they won't stop and you better get out of their way!
Unfortunately there are also the homeless to deal with...there are encampments along the trail and it makes one feel unsafe...after all, many of them are on drugs (we saw one taking a "trip"). I would have loved to explore the very lush growth of the riverbed (I would have to climb down the cement embankment...there are no steps to get down to it) but we were afraid of who might be lurking in the growth and we decided not to for safety reasons.
The actual trail itself, minus the problems with the bicycles, is paved and flat...there is really not much to see after you walk along it for 500-1000 feet...it's basically all the same. There are a few interpretive displays.
Unfortunately there are also the homeless to deal with...there are encampments along the trail and it makes one feel unsafe...after all, many of them are on drugs (we saw one taking a "trip"). I would have loved to explore the very lush growth of the riverbed (I would have to climb down the cement embankment...there are no steps to get down to it) but we were afraid of who might be lurking in the growth and we decided not to for safety reasons.
The actual trail itself, minus the problems with the bicycles, is paved and flat...there is really not much to see after you walk along it for 500-1000 feet...it's basically all the same. There are a few interpretive displays.
Written 11 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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