The La Brea Tar Pits sit on Wilshire Boulevard in the heart of Los Angeles, California, where natural asphalt has seeped to the surface for tens of thousands of years and trapped Ice Age animals. Today it is one of the world's most famous fossil sites and an active dig, paired with a museum that is part of the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County. For a family RV trip through Southern California, it turns a city stop into a window on the last ice age.
Best season — Year-round (indoor museum; mild Los Angeles climate)
At a glance
The facts worth checking before you roll out
Conservative, source-minded facts for planning your visit — always worth confirming against current conditions before you travel.
State
California
City
Los Angeles (Wilshire Blvd.)
Managed by
Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County
What it is
Ice Age fossil site + museum
On the ground
What makes La Brea unusual is that it is a working excavation in the middle of a major city. Natural asphalt, sometimes called tar, has bubbled up here for thousands of years; the official site explains that the seeps trapped Ice Age animals whose bones are still being recovered today.
The museum focuses on Ice Age Los Angeles, with specimens of dire wolves, mammoths, and mastodons drawn from the site itself, plus a Fossil Lab where the public can watch researchers clean and study finds. The outdoor Lake Pit shows the asphalt seep in the open air.
Because the site is centrally located, many RV travelers tour it as a day stop while basing at campgrounds outside the urban core. Confirm current hours, ticketing, and parking guidance on the official La Brea Tar Pits site before your visit.
Official sources
- La Brea Tar Pits — Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County Government source
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