(Scroll down for ground transportation options and app recommendations.)
Directions
The address for the venue is 900 W Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007. If you are entering the name of the venue into a navigation app, please make sure you select The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and NOT The La Brea Tar Pits, which are in a different part of LA.
If you are driving/being driven: the NHMLA is located off of Exposition Blvd. and there is a dedicated parking lot off of Bill Robertson Lane. Parking is free for wedding guests.
If you are taking the Metro: there are two stops immediately outside the NHMLA; they are Expo/USC and Expo/Vermont. (They are less than a block away from each other; so no matter which direction you’re coming in, if you miss the first stop, you can get right off at the second.)
Los Angeles traffic is famously unpredictable and we strongly, strongly recommend allowing ample time to get to the venue.
For more information and a map, please see the NHMLA’s directions page.
Airports
We strongly recommend flying into the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) if you are flying commercial, and into Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR) if you’re flying private.
Ground Transportation Options
Los Angeles is a driving town, but also has a solid public transportation system with several Metro stops right outside the NHMLA. There is plenty of parking at the venue. Here are our recommendations for getting to our wedding and exploring LA:
Rental car services such as Hertz or Avis — best if you are comfortable driving and want full control over your transportation.
The LA Metro — a great option for those who prefer not to drive and are accustomed to public transportation in major cities. We highly, highly recommend the app Citymapper for incredibly helpful public transport and walking directions. Please note that direct rail service to and from LAX is not yet complete.
Rideshare services such as Lyft and Uber — a reliable option if you opt not to rent a car, and more convenient than the Metro for guests who opt for the Beverly Hills hotel blocks. If you are flying into LAX, please note that rideshare pickup at the airport is a little quirky. (We prefer to take cab service from LAX, which is way more convenient and comparably priced.)
Private car services like Riz Transportation — must be booked in advance, but an unbeatable option if your travel budget allows. We have used Riz multiple times for short- and long-distance bookings and for airport pickups, and have nothing but praise.
Navigation Apps
Apple Maps — we’ve been impressed lately with how well Apple Maps handles the idiosyncrasies of LA freeways and traffic.
Waze — recommended for those who are extremely comfortable doing “advanced level” navigating and improvising on the road, and aren’t afraid to do weird things to avoid LA traffic.
Citymapper — over years of travel around the world, we’ve been astounded at how good Citymapper is at getting you around a new city like a pro. Its public transport directions are optimized down to the train car and exact subway exit, and walking directions utilize safe routes (unlike the “walking” options on standard navigation apps).
Inrix ParkMe and SpotAngels —parking in LA is its own adventure, and it can be incredibly frustrating to find parking without a dedicated map using realtime data. Inrix ParkMe is very useful for looking up parking before heading out, and SpotAngels is the Waze of parking apps. (And yes, it helps to have multiple parking apps.)