The 20 Most Popular Filming Locations in LA

Los Angeles is widely known throughout the world as a massive film production hub. Stunning location rentals throughout the City of Angels serve as the backdrop to iconic scenes in movies, TV shows, music videos and more. Because LA is home to a wide variety of diverse locations – from picturesque hill-top hiking trails to long stretches of white-sand beach – filming opportunities here are endless, much like the Giggster collection in the city.

To make planning your next shoot a little easier, we decided to look at a decade of FilmLA permit data to compile a list of the most popular filming locations in Los Angeles, along with pros and cons, average permit costs, and descriptions of each. Here’s what we found:

20) Malibu Surfrider Beach

Average Permit Cost: $666.40
Average Film Permits per Year: 25
Pros: Good surf/waves
Cons: Limited Parking, Can be overly crowded

Malibu Surfrider Beach is the popular sandy beach and surfing spot between the Malibu Pier and the Malibu Lagoon. Surfrider Beach is part of Malibu Lagoon State Beach which has another parking lot next to the lagoon just west on Pacific Coast Highway.

19) Topanga Beach

Average Permit Cost: $789.70
Average Film Permits per Year: 26
Pros: Lots of Surfers, Beautiful homes right next to beach
Cons: Parking, Lots of Surfers

Referred to as, “The first real beach in Malibu”, Topanga Beach offers over a mile of ocean frontage and 21.5 acres of property. It’s one of the most popular surfing spots in the area and you can usually expect to find more people in the water than on the beach. This beach offers 96 parking spaces and there are also restrooms, a picnic area, and showers on site.

18) White Point/Royal Palms Beach

Average Permit Cost: $1,4730.00
Average Film Permits per Year: 28
Pros: Not a typical California Beach, Marine life, Rocky scenery
Cons: Swimming is not recommended, Can be difficult to get around

With over a mile and a half of rocky beach, 30-acres of park area, and plenty of parking, this White Point Park is one of LA County’s hidden gems. Located in San Pedro, the bluff portion of this beach has metered parking, ample restrooms, children’s play area, picnic tables, and outstanding panoramic views that include Catalina Island. The paved road below leads to the actual beach and more parking below.

17) Lake Balboa

Average Permit Cost: $1,155.00
Average Film Permits per Year: 34
Pros: Japanese Cherry Blossoms, BBQ pits, Pedal Boats
Cons: Dirty Water, Crowds on Weekends, Limited Parking

Lake Balboa is a lovely recreational park nestled in the San Fernando Valley. With 80 acres of land to explore, there are many activities to fill your day with. The park features bike paths, a lake for fishing, BBQ pits, pedal boats, picnic tables, and more. However, the most popular attractions of Lake Balboa are its lake-side Japanese Cherry Blossom trees that bloom in the spring.

16) Echo Park Lake

Average Permit Cost: $1,370.00
Average Film Permits per Year:34
Pros: Lotus Flowers, Nice Path, Swan Boats
Cons: Dirty Water, Crowds

Echo Park Lake is widely known for its backdrop of the DTLA skyline and lotus flower blooms. Rent pedal boats or walk around the border of the lake during sunset and you will understand why this area is heavily trafficked by an interesting and diverse mix of people.

15) Vista Del Mar Park

Average Permit Cost: $720.90
Average Film Permits per Year: 35
Pros: Lots of Space, Nice Facilities, Proximity to LAX
Cons: Small Parking Lot, Proximity to LAX

With its lush green lawns and ocean views, Vista Del Mar attracts many seeking a nice walk or a picnic in the park. Because of its proximity to LAX, you can observe planes taking off at a low altitude from the comfort of a park bench.

14) Dockweiler Beach

Average Permit Cost: $720.90
Average Film Permits per Year: 34
Pros: Limited Crowds, BBQ fire pits, Air Traffic from LAX
Cons: No street parking, Air Traffic from LAX

Dockweiler is a wide, uncrowded 4 mile stretch of beach south of Playa Del Rey. It’s famous for it’s proximity to LAX and the numerous BBQ Fire Pits. It’s one of the few beaches in the county where it is legal to start a fire, so if you’re looking shoot scenes involving smores, Dockweiler’s probably your best bet.

13) Woodley Park

Average Permit Cost: $3,470.00
Average Film Permits per Year: 38
Pros: Walking Trails, Large Open Spaces, Ample Parking
Cons: Lack of Shade, Summer Heat

Woodley Park is an expansive recreational area located in the San Fernando Valley. This park is great for walking around, having a picnic, or reading a book in the grass. It can be hard to find shade in the scorching valley heat, so it is smart to wear a hat and sunscreen when visiting or shooting here.

12) The Arboretum

Average Permit Cost: $420
Average Film Permits per Year: 38
Pros: Abundance of Peacocks, Beautiful Plants and Flowers
Cons: Summer Heat

The LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden is a 127-acre garden and historical site nestled in the hills of Arcadia. It is known for its stunning plants and flowers that come from a wide variety of exotic regions. Interestingly, it is also home to about 200 peacocks that roam freely around the garden and flash their colorful feathers.

11) Runyon Canyon Park

Average Permit Cost: $1,390.00
Average Film Permits per Year: 38
Pros: Wide Trails, Beautiful Views of LA
Cons: Can get busy, Limited Parking, Dusty when Dry

Runyon Canyon is one of the most popular hiking destinations in Los Angeles, and is often frequented by celebrities and cute dogs. The trail’s picturesque views of the city are what make it so popular with LA locals and visitors. Despite the high amounts of foot-traffic Runyon recieves, the trails are well-maintained and clean.

10) MacArthur Park

Average Permit Cost: $2,276.00
Average Film Permits per Year: 40
Pros: Concerts, Dog-friendly, Interesting Street Vendors
Cons: Dirty water, Crowds, Trash

MacArthur park is situated in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Because it contains an amphitheater, it is often used as a venue for a wide variety of concerts and events. MacArthur Park is very popular in the area, so it tends to get crowded, especially on the weekends.

9) Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park

Average Permit Cost: $641.70
Average Film Permits per Year: 42
Pros: Hiking  Trails, Unique Rock Formations, Gorgeous Views
Cons: Heat, Easy to get Lost

Located in the Sierra Pelona Mountains in Northern LA County, Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park offers uninterrupted views of unique rock formations. This park consists of 902 acres of land, so there is plenty to explore during a day trip. You can find historical pictographs painted on the rocks, which gives you a taste of the unique history of the area.

8) Zuma Beach

Average Permit Cost: $709.90
Average Film Permits per Year:60
Pros: Interesting people, Near beautiful coastline
Cons: Limited Parking, Crowded on Weekends

The northern half of Zuma County Beach, Zuma Beach tends to have more crowds and sports-goers playing beach volleyball or getting a workout in. Zuma beach is one of the most beautiful and classic California beaches.

7) Kenneth Han State Recreation Area

Average Permit Cost: $1,001.00
Average Film Permits per Year: 62
Pros: Hiking trails, Views,  Large size
Cons: No free parking, Crowds

Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area is a beautiful state park located in LA’s Baldwin Hills. This park offers a variety of trails for hiking and walking, in addition to picnic tables, playgrounds, waterfalls, and gardens. It is one of the largest urban parks in the Greater Los Angeles Area at 401 acres and is known for its picturesque views.

6) Santa Monica Beach (Excluding Pier)

Average Permit Cost: $3,832.00
Average Film Permits per Year: 63
Pros: Conveniently located, Near lots of restaurants, Easy access to pier
Cons: Can be filled with tourists, parking

Santa Monica State Beach is an iconic destination that draws visitors from around the globe. It is 3 miles long, covers 245 acres of sand and is managed by the City of Santa Monica in cooperation with California State Parks. This beach contains parks, picnic areas, and playgrounds for recreation. It is a great place to film busy beach scenes due to the large and diverse crowd that Santa Monica attracts on a daily basis.

5. Will Rogers State Beach

Average Permit Cost:$685.40
Average Film Permits per Year:118
Pros: Athletic areas, Very clean
Cons: Lack of people, Must fly cables over bike path

Will Rogers State Beach, located in the Pacific Palisades is a wide, relatively quiet beach, just north of Santa Monica. The main parking lot is decently sized, but it can fill up quickly especially on the weekends.  If you park on the streets across the PCH you can take a pedestrian tunnel to the sand but it’s a long way to carry heavy film equipment. The beach itself has a little bit of everything, blending features from both the Malibu and city beaches. A bike path, walkway, volleyball courts, playgrounds, and gymnastic equipment are all available for filming. The lifeguard towers are also available for shoots (Note: There is no filming at Lifeguard tower #4 due to its position on a private beach at Bel-Air Bay Club).

4. Westward Beach

Average Permit Cost: $794.20
Average Film Permits per Year: 120
Pros: Remote vibe, Lots of beach to work with
Cons: Lack of people, Difficult to find parking

Westward Beach, the southern half of Zuma County Beach, is one of the longest and widest stretches of beach in all of California. Because of that, it’s relatively easy to find a quiet and isolated space to film or take photos. If you are looking to shoot crowds, volleyball courts and beach activities you’re better to stick to the main section of Zuma Beach further north.

3) Elysian Park

Average Permit Cost: $1,469.00
Average Film Permits per Year: 148
Pros: Views, Famous swing, Free parking
Cons: Poor reception

Elysian Park is known as an escape from the hustle and bustle of LA because of its beauty and tranquility.  Try to locate the hidden swing with stunning views of DTLA as a fun bonus! If you are looking to shoot at a serene location that still captures LA’s beauty and essence, Elysian Park is right for you.

2) Venice Beach

Average Permit Cost: $755.40
Average Film Permits per Year:272
Pros: Diversity of Locations, Interesting People
Cons: Often very crowded, Tough to find parking for large crews

Venice Beach is not only the most popular beach location for filming in LA County, it’s also the second most permitted filming location overall (second only to Griffith Park). In many ways, it’s ultimate California backdrop providing a diverse mix of people, places, and scenery. If you’re looking to film crowds, Venice has you covered with approximately 28,000 to 30,000 people visiting the Venice Beach on a daily basis. The Venice Boardwalk stretches over two miles and hosts hundreds of vendors, performers, and homeless vagrants. The beach also offers various filming landmarks including the basketball and handball courts, the fishing pier, the skatepark and graffiti wall, and of course, the bodybuilding mecca at Muscle Beach.

1) Griffith Observatory

Average Permit Cost: $1,782.00
Average Film Permits per Year:474
Pros: Breathtaking views, Large size, Variety of attractions
Cons: Parking, crowds

Our list topper, Griffith Observatory, is easily one of the most iconic and beautiful places in Los Angeles County. Griffith Observatory is a public observatory that is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles. The views from the observatory, especially of the famous Hollywood Sign, are spectacular and breathtaking. Inside of the beautifully constructed main building, there is an educational museum where you can learn about the solar system while looking out at the night sky.

That wraps up this list folks! If you're interested in filming at these locations, do keep in mind the variety of permits, the pros and cons, and other factors while filming. That said, in case you'd like to see more listings in the City of Angels, follow this link to view our catalog of film rentals available in Los Angeles and find the location you're looking for using Giggster's advance search options.

Find and rent more filmshoot locations in Los Angeles on Giggster.