SmartHunts® - Best Los Angeles Scavenger Hunts

Los Angeles offers a variety of landmarks and show biz!
Blending fun, exploration, and corporate teambuilding, SmartHunts® scavenger hunt Los Angeles offers an experience that will have your team buzzing with excitement.
SmartHunts can customize your event to include much of what Los Angeles has to offer, including world-class architectural marvels, top-tier museums, unique foods, and drinks, as well as highlighting the features of Los Angeles’ mix of modern and historic culture. SmartHunts takes your team on a scavenger hunt through this great city where they can discover their own LA style.
Whether your team is local to the area, or visiting from out-of-town, the SmartHunts team can create a fresh experience for your group with a fun corporate scavenger hunt. SmartHunts offers a unique corporate adventure tailored just for you and can take your group on any combination of Los Angeles’ great neighborhoods & landmarks, including:

Downtown LA
(Arts, Fashion & Toy Districts – Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Skid Row)
Hollywood / Hollywood Boulevard
Sunset Strip
Beverly Hills

1. Downtown Los Angeles
   Downtown Los Angeles is simply loaded with things to do, see, buy, eat and drink. Street food to 5-star restaurants, dive bars to chic nightclubs, thrift shops to designer boutiques and upscale department stores and all the culture you could handle. It’s a perfect place for SmartHunt’s scavenger hunt Los Angeles!

   Officially, downtown’s districts include Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Arts District, Fashion District, Skid Row and the Toy District, but many other ethnic enclaves can be found within these areas so no matter what you’re craving, you can find it downtown. Listed below is just a small sample of what Downtown LA has to offer including:

   Performing Arts, Concerts Halls and Sports Venues:

   The Music Center – a 22 acre performing arts complex on N Grand Ave, comprised of:

   Dorothy Chandler Pavilion – the largest of the theatres and home to the LA Opera.

   Ahmanson Theatre – home to Mark Taper Forum and Center Theatre Group.

   Walt Disney Concert Hall – a stunning Frank Gehry architectural achievement and
   home to LA Phil, Los Angeles Master Chorale and a magnificent pipe organ.

   Jerry Moss Plaza – a 35,000 sq ft outdoor urban entertainment space.

   Globe Theatre – 740 S Broadway – 1913 Beaux Arts – various events.

   Los Angeles Theatre – 615 S Broadway – 1931 French Baroque – various events.

   The Orpheum Theatre – 842 S Broadway – 1926 French Baroque – various events.

   Los Angeles Convention Center – accommodates up to 10,000 for events of all kinds.

   Crypto.com Arena, formerly the Staples Center – home to the Lakers, the Kings, the Clippers and the Sparks.

   Museums in Downtown Los Angeles include:

   The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) – 250 S Grand Ave – contains 5,000 pieces of art from paintings to sculptures.

   African American Firefighter Museum – 1401 S Central Ave – conserves, celebrates and shares the heritage of African American Firefighters in a 1913 fire station.

   The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA – 152 N Central Ave – the only artist-founded contemporary art museum in L.A.

   Japanese American National Museum – 100 N Central Ave – preserves and promotes the cultural and ethnic diversity of the Japanese American experience.

   The Broad – 221 S Grand Ave – it’s honeycomb-like exterior lets in light without direct exposure thus preserving the 2,000 pieces of contemporary art.

   Grammy Museum at L.A. Live – 800 W Olympic Blvd – an interactive and educational experience devoted to Grammy winners and music in general.

   El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument – aka the Los Angeles Plaza Historic District is a historic district clustered around Olvera Street and is considered the birthplace of Los Angeles. Founded in 1781 it is now a 44-acre public park encompassed by N Spring Street, Alameda Street, Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and the 101. There are more than 50 shops and restaurants and many museums including:

   LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes – 501 N Main St – museum and cultural center celebrating Mexican and Mexican American influence on our culture.

   Avila Adobe – 10 Olvera St – the oldest residence in L.A. standing since 1818, built by 1810 Los Angeles mayor Don Francisco Avila.

   Chinese American Museum – 425 N Los Angeles St – celebrates Chinese American contributions since 1860.

   Italian American Museum of Los Angeles – 125 Paseo De La Plaza – features
   historical and art exhibitions.

   Museum of Social Justice – 115 Paseo De La Plaza – museum showcasing the history of social change in Los Angeles.

   The Old Plaza Firehouse – 501 N Los Angeles St – the oldest fire station in the city, it was built in 1884 and is a California Historical Landmark.

   Other points of interest include:

   Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles – 506 S Grand Ave – 1923 beaux arts inspired, elegant and opulent.

   Bradbury Building – 304 S Broadway – handsome 1893 Renaissance Revival style sandstone and terracotta 5 story office building featuring cast and wrought iron filigree balustrades and railings and an immense skylight illuminating the atrium.

   Los Angeles Union Station – 1939 combination Spanish Colonial, Art Deco and Mission Revival styles, it is still the largest train station on the west coast, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been featured in countless movies.

   Terminal Annex – 900 Alameda St – located across the street from Union Station and also of Spanish Colonial and Mission Revival styles, it was built in 1940, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been used in many films as well.

   Los Angeles City Hall – 200 N Spring St – 1928 Neoclassical style with a 27th floor observation deck.

   Grand Central Market – 317 S Broadway – 30,000 sq ft of all kinds of food and drink.

   Grand Hope Park – 1993 – the first new park built in downtown LA since Pershing Square in 1870 featuring a mosaic clock tower, fountains, public art and lots of greenery.

   Velveteria: The Museum of Velvet Art – sadly, they’ve permanently closed their doors.
2. Hollywood/ Hollywood Boulevard
   On Hollywood Boulevard:

   Amoeba Music – The largest independent record store in the world. 23,000 sq ft of supreme awesomeness.

   Hollywood Pantages Theatre – 1930s landmark vaudeville theatre, once owned by Howard Hughes and host to the Academy Awards, now a premier destination for musicals, opera and Broadway productions.

   Frolic Room – Legendary 1934 art deco bar and restaurant right next door to the Pantages Theatre, saw a lot of celebs, action and drama in its day.

   Hollywood Walk of Fame – Hollywood & Vine – Over 2,500 stars embedded on three blocks of Vine Street and 15 blocks of Hollywood Blvd.
   https://walkoffame.com/ for directory and map.

   Hollywood Toys & Costumes – family-owned Hollywood institution serving alter egos for 70 years in a historic art deco building.

   The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood – 1920s lavish Sid Grauman movie palace which hosted the first ever Hollywood premier, now showing rare, classic and independent films.

   Guinness World Records Museum – features extensive interactive displays.

   Hollywood Wax Museum – offers many photo ops with life size figures of the famous and infamous.

   Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium – totally revamped with tons of new displays.

   El Capitan Theatre – perfectly restored 1926 movie palace, now owned by Disney and the location of most Disney movie premiers.

   Hard Rock Cafe – needs no explanation!

   Dolby Theatre – Home of the Academy Awards ceremony.

   TCL Chinese Theatre – aka Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, opened in 1927 and has been the location of countless movie premiers.

   Madame Tussauds Hollywood – the ropes are down so you can get yourself some close-up selfies with your favorite celebrities.

   The Four Ladies of Hollywood – 30 ft tall art deco style sculpture at Hollywood Blvd and LaBrea.

   Nearby Hollywood Boulevard:

   Capitol Records Building – 1750 Vine Street – This iconic 1956 cultural landmark was the world’s first circular office building. Early recording artists include Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys and Paul McCartney. Concrete echo chambers 30 feet underground created that classic “Good Vibrations” sound.

   The Legendary Hollywood Jazz: 1945-1972 Mural – located on the south wall of the Capitol Records Building, it has been restored to its former glory.

   Cinerama Dome – Sunset Blvd near Vine St – this celebrated 1963 white geodesic dome movie theatre with gigantic, curved screen is currently closed but slated to reopen near the end of 2023 after extensive interior renovations.

   Avalon Ballroom – 1735 Vine St – historic Hollywood nightclub.

   Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences – 1313 Vine St.

   Miceli’s – 1646 N Las Palmas Ave – since 1949, it is LA’s oldest Italian Restaurant and known for its singing servers.

   The Hollywood Museum – 1660 N Highland Ave. located in Max Factor Building, it contains the most extensive assemblage of Hollywood memorabilia in the world.

   Hollywood Bowl – 2301 N Highland Ave – this historic amphitheater was built in 1922 and designed by Frank Gehry, Lloyd Wright and Myron Hunt.
3. Sunset Strip
   Sunset Strip refers to the 1.5-mile section of Sunset Boulevard between West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Its popularity began in the “anything goes” 1920s, attracting everyone from gangsters to musicians to movie stars and is home to many historic restaurants and legendary nightclubs. It’s a perfect place for SmartHunt’s scavenger hunt Los Angeles! Places to check out include:

   The Comedy Store – opening in 1972 and recently celebrating its 50th anniversary, it is said to be the first all stand-up comedy nightclub in the world! The Byrds played there, David Letterman and Jim Carrey got started there.

   The Laugh Factory – opening in 1979, it was the first comedy club to actually pay its comics and it is still going strong today.

   The Viper Room – originally named the Melody Room, it was first used by mobsters as a gambling den. In 1993 Johnny Depp bought the venue and later that year it was the tragic scene of River Phoenix’ death.

   Whiskey A Go-Go – every band from AC/DC to Hendrix to Zeppelin has played this venue since its opening in 1964. The Doors were the house band in 1966. It was known for having a female DJ and go-go dancers in suspended cages. Everyone who was anyone hung out there at one time or another.

   The Roxy Theatre – opened in 1973, it offered a more intimate atmosphere and catered to all styles of music from rock to jazz to punk, glam and reggae.

   Rainbow Bar & Grill – celebrated its 50-year Anniversary in 2022. It was originally the Villa Nova and owned by Vincent Minnelli who proposed to Judy Garland there. Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe had their first date at the Rainbow. It became a serious rock and metal hang out in the 70s and John Belushi ate his last meal there.

   Chateau Marmont Hotel – built in 1929 and inspired by a French Chateau it was very popular with actors and musicians. John Belushi died there and Jim Morrison, known for dangling from hotel balconies, actually fell off the balcony of his room.

   Sunset Tower Hotel – built in 1931 in the Modern Art Deco style, it was the first skyscraper on the strip, all 13 floors of it! John Wayne lived there, as did Howard Hughes and Bugsy Siegel. And there’s a great view from the Tower Bar & Restaurant.

   Andaz West Hollywood – aka “The Riot House” trashed by every band from The Doors, (Jim Morrison dangling from the balcony again) to Led Zeppelin, (John Bonham riding his Harley around on the 11th floor) to The Who, with their penchant for flinging TVs out of windows. Rock ‘n Roll!!

   Mutato Muzika` – currently home to Mark Mothersbaugh’s (Devo) music production company. This wonderfully wild, weird, round, green building was built in 1967 for a plastic surgeon, it can’t be described and should be seen. 8760 W Sunset Blvd.

   Book Soup – Largest indie book store in LA
4. Beverly Hills
   Beverly Hills needs no introduction and has come a long way since its days as an 1800s agricultural area known for lima beans. The actual boundaries of the city appear to have been laid out by Pac-Man so for simplicity’s sake…it is located SW of the Sunset Strip. Santa Monica Blvd, Sunset Blvd and Wilshire Blvd cross through east/west and Rodeo Drive north/south. All great areas for our SmartHunt’s scavenger hunt Los Angeles!

   Shopping:

   Rodeo Drive – Posh shopping can be found in the 3 blocks between Wilshire Blvd and Little Santa Monica Blvd. Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Prada, Cartier, Armani, Dior and more are represented.

   Two Rodeo Drive – European style buildings and a cobblestone street feature Lanvin, Versace, Jimmy Choo and Tiffany & Co.

   The Golden Triangle – is located in Downtown Beverly Hills and refers to the area within Santa Monica Blvd, Wilshire Blvd and Crescent Drive. Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus anchor this famous upscale shopping and dining district.

   Beverly Drive – mostly known for higher scale mall type chain stores.

   The Rodeo Collection – 400 block of Rodeo Drive, high-end boutiques, spas, salons and surgeons!

   Brighton Way, Canon Drive and S Beverly Drive spotlight high-end boutiques

   Luxury Hotels include:

   Beverly Hills Hotel – legendary 100-year-old hotel on 12 glorious acres with tropical gardens, palm trees, cabanas, secluded bungalows and the renowned Polo Lounge. Featured in countless movies, the “Pink Palace” is a must see.

   Maybourne Beverly Hills – flanked by the beautifully landscaped Beverly Canon Gardens with walkways, a fountain, outdoor dining and live performances.

   Other points of interest include:

   Beverly Hills Sign – is located in Beverly Gardens Park between N Canon Drive and N Beverly Drive. The park features fountains, public art, sculptures, rose gardens and an 11-block pedestrian trail.

   Greystone Mansion & Gardens – is an 18-acre Tudor Revival estate with formal gardens and a fountain. It was built in the 1920s, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been a backdrop to many movies.

   Virginia Robinson Gardens – also listed in the National Register of Historic Places, this 1911 mansion on 6 gorgeous acres has several gardens with winding pathways, fountains, ponds and a pool pavilion.

   Beverly Hills City Hall – built in 1932 in the California Churrigueresque style, sort of Spanish Revival, with a gilded cupola capping its tiled dome, it played the part of the police department building in Beverly Hills Cop.

   Anderton Court Shops – are located on Rodeo Drive in Frank Lloyd Wright’s final offering to Los Angeles.

   Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts – in the glorious former Italian Renaissance style post office building.

   Spadena House aka The Witch’s House is a fun drive-by if you’re near Walden Drive and Carmelita Avenue. Name says it all!

   Coldwater Canyon Reservoir Park – a beautiful 5-acre park built on top of an 8,000,000-gallon reservoir.