For a better view of the city, get away from it! Ascot Hills Park is a great hidden gem located a few miles east of Los Angeles. Here, you can fit the natural setting of the park and the urbanized downtown LA into one frame.
Plan
Overview
Skill level
Easy
Accessbility
Public Location
Hours
Anytime
Fee
Free
Pack
Telephoto lens (105mm)
Comfortable hiking or tennis shoes
Model
How to get there
N34° 04' 34.4532"W118° 11' 27.8988"
This photo of the downtown Los Angeles skyline was taken from Ascot Hills Park.
To get here from LA, take Highway 101 (San Bernardino Fwy). Make a left onto N Soto St and then right onto Multnomah St. The park will be on your left. There's a parking area for the park itself (34.069849, -118.190136), but I recommend parking on Multnomah Street if you want to be there after sunset (the gates close at sunset).
Once you're in the park, head north west for elevated views of DTLA. There are two paths you can take—the more steep one is more direct and the other one has a couple of moderate switchbacks where you follow a small utility road to the official path. In the end, you should be near the top of a hill and see downtown visible in the distance.
There is a chain link fence running along the left side, but there is a break in it as you continue and will see DTLA framed perfectly through it.
Tips
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Best times to go
Current weather conditions and times around twilight