Since Tuesday, January 7, Los Angeles has been grappling with a series of devastating wildfires that have shut down the city, destroyed more than 10,000 buildings, and caused tens of thousands of the city’s 3.8 million residents to evacuate. The evacuations have been so large-scale that Airbnb is offering free lodging to people forced to flee. Wildfires are devastating no matter where in the world they happen, but LA is especially at risk, given the dense population and surrounding canyons and hillsides, which make firefighting logistically challenging.
The Status of Every Major Tourist Attraction During the LA Wildfires
While the focus rightly is on helping residents whose homes are at risk, LA is a tourism hot spot, and much of LA county’s economy relies on tourism. LA is famous for iconic landmarks and vibrant cultural scene, as well as family-friendly attractions like Disneyland and the Hollywood walk of fame.
In response to the fires, many tourist attractions have temporarily closed to ensure public safety, while others are closed because flames from the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire are quickly approaching their boundaries.
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The following list highlights the top tourist attractions in Los Angeles, as well as the status of each as of early evening on Thursday, January 9. Note that information can change in minutes, and many attractions, museums, and sights are deciding whether to open on a daily basis, based on weather and fire conditions. While most attractions list updates on their webpages, the quickest way to see the status is often to check the businesses’ Facebook pages, as they can usually be updated quicker. Each link below goes to the most relevant social media page for each attraction.
For attractions in LA not on this list, you can use this CalFire interactive map to tell whether or not it’s under an evacuation order. Since it’s hard to know when containment will begin on the fires, most businesses won’t announce closures more than a day or two in advance. It’s likely that businesses currently closed due to fires will stay closed until further notice, but it’s always best to follow the business on social media to stay apprised of the latest status. Wildfires are also economically devastating for businesses, and many affected areas will welcome tourists back as soon as it’s safe to do so.
Where are the LA fires?
As of January 9, the ongoing wildfires near Los Angeles are primarily west and north of Downtown LA. The Palisades Fire is between Santa Monica and Malibu (approximately 20-30 miles west of Downtown LA), close to the Santa Monica Mountains. The other major fire is the Eaton Fire, north of Pasadena (about 15-20 miles northeast of Downtown LA). It’s primarily impacting communities near the San Gabriel Mountains.
While Downtown LA itself is not directly threatened by active fires, the city is experiencing extremely poor air quality due to smoke drifting from these areas. It’s generally recommended that travelers stay away from the areas — even those not under evacuation order — to minimize the number of cars on the road, reduce the need for non-fire-related emergency services, and make it easier for fire fighters to move throughout the area. If you are in Downtown LA or the surrounding area, bookmark the CalFire Incident pages (Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire), and check them regularly for the latest updates and evacuation orders.
Closures of theme parks and tourist attractions in Los Angeles
Photo: Ivanova Ksenia/Shutterstock
- Disneyland: Open
- Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk: Closed “out of an abundance of caution” and strong winds. The . The park and Universal CityWalk have temporarily suspended operations due to extreme winds and fire conditions.
- Six Flags Magic Mountain: Open, but may close as needed during high winds (as it did on Wednesday, January 8)
- Knott’s Berry Farm: Open
- Legoland California: Open
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens: Closed
- Griffith Park (Hollywood sign, etc.): Closed
- Hollywood Walk of Fame: The Walk of Fame is outdoors, and free, occupying a section of sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard. However, due to proximity to the fires and its location in the center of Hollywood, travel to the area is not advisable.
- Paramount Studio Tour: Closed through at least Sunday, January 12
- TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly Grauman’s Chinese Theatre): Closed
- Walt Disney Concert Hall: Closed through at least Friday, January 10
- Warner Brothers Studios and studio tour: Closed through at least Sunday, January 12
Closures of museums in Los Angeles
Photo: Logan Bush/Shutterstock
- The Broad: Closed through at least Friday, January 10
- California Science Center: Open
- The Getty Museum: Closed through at least Sunday, January 12
- The Grammy Museum: Closed through at least Friday, January 10
- Griffith Observatory: Closed until further notice
- La Brea Tar Pits and Museum: Closed through at least Friday, January 10
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA): Closed
- The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA): Closed through at least Friday, January 10
- Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: Closed through at least Friday, January 10
- Petersen Automotive Museum: Closed
Closures of historical sites, parks, and beaches
Photo: Arellano915/Shutterstock
- Franklin Canyon Park: Closed
- The Getty Villa: Closed through at least Monday, January 13
- Malibu Canyon State Park: Closed
- Runyon Canyon Park: Closed
- Santa Monica Beach: Closed
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area: Closed until further notice
- Stahl House: Closed through at least Friday, January 10
- Topanga State Park: Closed
- Union Station: Open
- Will Rogers State Historic Park: Destroyed by fire
