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La Brea Tar Pits

5801 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: (213) 763-3218
An inside joke.. or an insidious plot?
3 Star Rating: Average

05/20/2002 Posted by wijgalt

First things first.. If you're not from Los Angeles, you may have only heard about the Tar Pits from movies. The reality is absolutely nothing like what you might expect! The tar pits are set in the middle of the city, and you'd never notice them except by accident. The biggest excavation site is now under one of the museums, and the rest of the park is very carefully manicured.. manufactured, almost. There is tar.. there are pits. There are NO dinosaur bones.. the pits are only around 40,000 years old. The museum itself is interesting, and they have found bones from all sorts of interesting things that aren't around any more (native camels, giant sloths, etc). But once again.. no dinosaurs! Don't believe me? It's the first sign you see when you enter the museum. Go, look for yourself. It's still worth the trip.

Pros: interesting, convenient

Cons: no dinosaurs

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Editor's Review

The gooey tar pits draw big crowds, while the adjacent George C. Page museum is mostly considered a side trip.  See the full editorial review.

Insider Tips

know Before You Go

Technically, what oozes out of the ground is asphalt, not tar. But tar stuck. In fact, it stuck twice: La brea is Spanish for "the tar," so the La Brea Tar Pits literally translates into "the tar tar pits."

More Insider Tips

Attraction Information

Admission

  • $7
  • Seniors/students $4.50
  • Children (5-12) $2

Parking

  • $6-$8

Hours

  • Mon-Fri 9:30am-5pm
  • Sat-Sun 10am-5pm

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