How Crowded is Griffith Park on a sat evening? (Nice: closing, bus)

[Cloudship]

I have a day to spend in LA. One of the things I was hoping to do was to visit Griffith park/observatory.

However, I have heard that it can get really crowded on weekends, and this would have to be a Saturday. If I am going to be getting there around 5 or 6, how crowded will it be - will the crowds have dwindled for the day, or do they get heavier in the evening?

[Tex?Il?]

Griffith Park is pretty big, so it depends where you are. The area around the observatory is typically the most crowded. But the hiking trails and the parking lots for them are not too bad. (Merry go round lot of Crystal Springs, Fern Dell, etc.) but yeah, if you want to go to the observatory, it might be hard finding a close spot.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by Cloudship

I have a day to spend in LA. One of the things I was hoping to do was to visit Griffith park/observatory.

However, I have heard that it can get really crowded on weekends, and this would have to be a Saturday. If I am going to be getting there around 5 or 6, how crowded will it be - will the crowds have dwindled for the day, or do they get heavier in the evening?

Griffith Park is almost 5,000 acres. I was just there yesterday. Hardly saw anyone.

Now there were people up at the Observatory(which is closed on Mondays) but had no problem parking. Nice and clear, you could see the ocean.

It's already dark by the time you're going, you won't see anything of the actual park. If you want a view of LA there are other places to go get a good nighttime view. Mulholland Drive for one.

[Cloudship]

Sorry, I guess I could have made that clearer - The main attraction is the observatory and planetarium. The extras are the view and the telescopes.

[saybanana]

Saturday and sundays are the most crowded days of the week. I go at least once every month all year to take photos or light hiking. I usually start a couple hours before sunset and leave just after dark. I go mostly Saturdays or Sundays. There is never a time all year when it is light during the before and after sunset hours and now sun sets around 4:30-5pm. You have to go early or near closing. Crowded is relative. It is not like there is a line to see any sites inside like the moon phases, the planets and meteors (except the planetarium ticket line and show line to get the best seats). To see the telescope, youll wait until dark and cloud free skies when it opens. People take 20-30 seconds to look at eyepiece and multiple that by 100+waiting people and thats how long youll wait to see. Best to go and see the city and Hollywood sign when there is daylight. After dark youll have a hard time getting a picture of the city unless you do night photography. The Hollywood sign is never lit so you wont see it at night.

[No_Recess]

If you're going on the weekend you can catch the bus at the Vermont/Sunset station. It's .50 cents and takes you right to the front of the observatory.

Highly recommend parking and jumping on the bus. The cops usually close off the road that leads right up to the observatory once parking becomes impossible.

It's just a huge hassle.

Also, it's packed all day on the weekends.