Los Angeles Getty Center Griffith Observatory Botanical Garden

🌟 Second Visit to Los Angeles: A Wonderful Journey of Museums, Starry Skies, and Cacti

Stepping into Los Angeles for the second time, there’s less rush and more immersion. This West Coast "City of Angels" boasts both cutting-edge modern art halls and wild desert gardens. Walking through the Getty Center with its interplay of white walls and light, you might momentarily forget you’re in the bustling heart of Hollywood—this contrast is exactly what makes Los Angeles so charming.

🏛️ **Getty Center: The Art Palace on the Hill**
1200 Getty Center Dr This pure white complex built on the Santa Monica Mountains ridge looks like a giant modern art piece. The second visit is still breathtaking: this free museum, created by Paul Getty with his oil fortune, houses 50,000 treasures from Van Gogh’s "Irises" to medieval manuscripts. Riding the tram up, the panoramic view of Los Angeles unfolding beneath your feet feels like a special "art entrance ceremony" exclusive to Getty. (Tip: Closed on Tuesdays, Saturday night sessions open until 9 PM are perfect for sunset shots!)

🌵 **Hidden Gem: Cactus Garden**
On the top floor of the Getty Center lies a surprising delight—the desert botanical garden. Over 300 species of cacti and succulents thrive wildly under the Los Angeles sun. Giant golden barrel cacti look like alien creatures, creating a surreal scene against the distant city skyline. In the morning light, these spiky beings cast interesting shadows on the ground, making it a secret haven for photography lovers.

🔭 **Griffith Observatory: A Night Gazing at the Galaxy**
2800 E Observatory Rd This vintage observatory, a romantic filming location for the movie "La La Land," also offers the best view of the Hollywood sign. On the second visit, I deliberately chose dusk, watching the dome turn golden and then fade into deep blue. When Saturn’s rings came clearly into view through the telescope, I suddenly understood why astronomers of the last century were so fascinated by this starry sky. (Tip: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, weekends are crowded—better to visit on weekdays.)

🌿 **Getty Center Garden Tour**
Details only revealed by a guide: the hedge maze in the central garden hides a water sound installation, and Robert Irwin’s visual trap art is tucked among the azalea bushes. The best part is the pool area—the water surface perfectly reflects the sharp angles of Richard Meier’s architecture, blending reality and illusion like Monet’s water lilies.

Los Angeles always brings a sense of freshness, just like the phrase engraved on the porch of Griffith Observatory: “The stars as are the earth, and the earth as are the stars.” Here, art and nature are never opposites.

Post by Addison Nelson | Oct 26, 2025