Architecture Tours L A

These tours are great because they are SMALL groups…5 max (unless you are planning an event). Laura really knows her stuff (master’s degree in architecture) and explains everything and can answer nearly every question (she should go on Jeopardy)! With the smaller van, she can go down many smaller side streets. I was only in LA for 2 days and her tour was for an entire afternoon… got to see practically all of the city in a very comprehensive way. (I only wish it were the entire day!). LA is a very beautiful city with many cultural attractions which she’ll introduce you to in any tour.
I do suggest that you bring a camera with a good zoom lens as there are many details on the building you may wish to capture. If you forget your camera, you can buy one (or all) of her guidebooks, very reasonably priced. Laura has an engaging personality which only adds to the pleasure of the tour. This tour is much more comprehensive than the buses with 50 people.

Myself and ‘N’ love Laura’s tours — have done both the West Hollywood/​Beverly Hills and more recently the Downtown LA versions. Laura is super friendly and her knowledge is second to none. Her tours are amazing value for money, and she is mega-​informative!
Can’t wait for the next one (which will be Silverlake!)
Take at least one of her tours — a really interesting, fun couple of hours!

I’m very interested in architecture, which I discovered is the unsung glory of LA and Pasadena. In the year I lived in SoCal, I tried to see some on my own, using guidebooks, primarily Architecture in Los Angeles by Gebhard and Winter. But it was very frustrating, because most of the homes are blocked from view, the book is somewhat out of date, and driving in the Hills is draining. So I thought to Google [architecture tours los angeles] and found Architecture Tours LA. I went on Laura’s trip around Silver Lake, and enjoyed it immensely. She’s very knowledgable, which she communicates enthusiastically. She does the driving, so knows the best routes and of course avoids houses that are blocked from the public.
Laura has written a number of architecture tour guidebooks by neighborhood. I bought the one for Silver Lake, as well as six others. It’s a good idea to buy the relevant book before your tour.

We have taken the Pasadena tour and the Silverlake tour. Both were great. We took the Pasadena tour when Laura was still using the black Cadillac convertible. That was a real treat. That tour focuses on the craftsman type houses that are all over that area. Just this weekend we took the Silverlake tour which focuses on the mid century modern style. This weekend we took the minivan which is not nearly a cool as the Caddie but very comfortable. If you are into architecture these tours are for you. Laura is extremely knowledgeable and can answer just about any question. Best of all she is personable and friendly. Highly recommend.

I took the Hollywood tour this weekend. Laura was early and her vehicle was clean and spacious. I learned a great deal and recommend.

Not to be missed! Whether you are a LA resident or a visitor, Laura will reveal a slice of LA to you that will delight, surprise and educate you. Laura’s in-​depth knowledge and enthusiasm shine through in her semi-​private tours. We experienced the Silver Lake tour (highly recommended!) on a recent short visit from Chicago. We definitely plan to do a different tour on our next trip. Laura, well done. Thank you!

Three of us took the Silverlake tour last Friday and it was just terrific. Laura picked us up on time at our pre-​arranged meeting place and we were off. The tour focused on mid century modern houses, especially those of R.M. Schindler and Richard Neutra, but there was plenty of other information and things to see as well. One of our group was just in the process of moving to the neighborhood and she saw things it might have taken years to learn on her own. Our guide, Laura, was charming and extremely knowledgeable and just a great person to spend a couple of hours with. We’re definitely planning on taking more of the tours the next time we’re in LA. Highly recommended.

I’ve lived in LA almost all my life but Laura put a whole new perspective on it for me. She’s so knowledgeable and so entertaining. This very interesting and imaginative tour is like a time machine, taking you from the LA of 1910 all the way through to the present. Wonderful morning with a very special tour guide. Very well run organization, too. Laura is a class act.

My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed the Downtown LA tour. Every aspect of the experience was perfect. During the reservation process, Laura was clear and responsive. On the day of the tour, Laura arrived on time and delivered everything as promised. Laura is extremely knowledgable, funny, personable, and interesting. I am now considering going on the Pasadena and Silver Lake tours.

We have used Architecture Tours LA for several years now, and have taken all the tours.
These tours is for those who are truly into houses way beyond the cheeeesy «Star line tours» that hang around the the houses of famous people. All they «see» is high fences and 20ft hedges, basically they see little of architectural interest.
Los Angeles have so many known houses in an «small» area. You can see example of these Architects, clip from some of my list for LA:
— Richard Neutra, (customer wishes)
— John Lautner, (Sheats Goldstein Residence, –Chemosphere, etc,)
— Rudolf Schindler, (worked for Wright, had a feud, drew most of the Hollyhock House, witch is credited 100% Frank L. Wright.)
— Frank Gehry, Walt Disney concert hall (function should follow form = BS. architect!!!)
— Frank Loyd Wright, (4 Mayan houses in LA etc. Fallingwater PA, Guggenheim NY.)
— Richard Meier, Getty center in Bel Air (Le Courbisier copy on anything he does)
— Paul Williams,
— Wallace Neff,
etc, etc
The value for your dollar here is good all in all. She have an purpose ordered 2012 Toyota van with BIG seats, your own AC, and dual sunroofs. The van don’t have these huge advertisement on the sides so that everybody is gawking at you when you drive around the neighborhoods, you simply slide around more or less un-​noticed.
Laura is the only one i know of that is recommended by ex. the Lautner foundation,
for tours daily in LA.
As far as i know, this is the best way to see architecture in LA, on the booth here you can ask her questions all thorough the tour, the probability of learning something new on these tours is high.
THESE TOURS IS A NO-​BRAINIER FOR EVERYONE THAT HAVE HINT OF ARCHITECTURAL INTEREST.

If you thought you knew LA, you just might be wrong. Continuing my newfound passion to discover my city of (gasp) 22 years, I found Laura on the 7 Days in LA website, which is also host to LA Woman Tours, which I also took and reviewed.
Let’s just say I was shown nooks and crannies of the city that I never knew existed. I took Laura’s Hancock Park Tour, which also covered Windsor Square and Koreatown and the Miracle Mile. Not only did I get the story behind all these places I already knew about (Like the gold columned May Company Building at the corner of Fairfax and Wilshire and the Scottish Rites Temple further up Wilshire) but I also got to see some absolutely breathtaking California Craftsman, Tudor and Victorian mansions dating back even past the turn of the century.
I was lucky that the day I went, Laura only had one other customer — a regular customer by the way, who’s a frequent visitor to the city and has taken all of Laura’s tours. She takes you out in a comfy min-​van, and as she shows you what’s what she uses a very calm speaking voice and between that and the cushy seats, there’s just no better way to see the sights.
The best part is that at the end of the tour, she offers for an additional 10 bucks a glossy bound book that shows the tour route with more in-​depth detail and photos. Her mistake, cuz you know I’m gonna be taking my friends on my own Hancock Park tour!
Oh, I lied — the best part is that the tour begins and ends in what must be the world’s only post-​modern Kentucky Fried Chicken on Western Avenue in Koreatown. If you’ve passed it, you know it. According to Laura, the owner of this particular KFC was an avid art collector and paid a renowned architect to build something special.