The LA Frank Lloyd Wright Tour is offered as a private tour.
The LA Frank Lloyd Wright Tour is a 3-hour tour of Los Angeles that offers a comprehensive overview of Frank Lloyd Wright’s California architecture. This modern architecture tour examines the exterior of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House in Hollywood and three of the architect’s concrete textile block houses of the 1920’s in the Hollywood Hills. The tour also views a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Jr. while touring the Hollywood Hills. On the tour we drive from location to location and exit the vehicle at each stop to view/discuss each property, as well as take advantage of great photo ops. The tour focuses on these specific buildings while placing them in the larger context of Wright’s architectural portfolio and biography. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a more detailed tour itinerary and photos of the buildings seen on the LA Frank Lloyd Wright Tour.
The unique design of Frank Lloyd Wright’s California architecture is specific to the region, and demonstrative of Wright’s genius in the period of time following his mastery of the Prairie School and nearly half a decade spent in Japan for the Imperial Hotel commission. Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture in Los Angeles introduced concrete as a beautiful and expressive material, and characterizes a fascinating period in the architect’s career. This Los Angeles architecture tour examines Wright’s philosophy and explores how his work fits into the architectural history of LA.
The tour begins and ends at Barnsdall Park in the East Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Guests of the LA Frank Lloyd Wright Tour enjoy a personalized tour experience with a private tour guide. The cost of the tour includes private transportation in a town car or SUV, depending on the size of your group, but guests are responsible for making their way to Barnsdall Park (hotel pickups can be arranged for an additional fee). Please note that the houses seen on this tour are privately owned and viewed and discussed from the exterior, however, you are able to view the interior of the Hollyhock House (located at Barnsdall Park) on a self-guided tour (generally open Thursday-Sunday 11:00am-3:30pm). Many guests choose to stay behind and do the interior of the Hollyhock House at Barnsdall Park when the LA Frank Lloyd Wright Tour concludes.
Most of the cost of the tour goes toward the overhead cost of private transportation for the tour. If you have your own vehicle (personal car, rental car, etc), you have the option of hiring a “step on” guide in which case the tour guide joins you in your vehicle and directs the driver while conducting the tour. It’s the same tour, but a less expensive and more personalized option. See rates below.
To make a booking or inquiry, please send a message, or email [email protected], or text George at (310) 894-3100
Cost, including private transportation:
Up to 2 People: $350 total
Up to 4 People: $450 total
Up to 6 People: $525 total
Up to 12 People $875 total
Up to 24 People $1175 total
Up to 36 People $1425 total
Cost, if you have your own vehicle and want to hire a “Step On” Guide:
“Step On” Guide for up to 2 people: $125 total
“Step On” Guide for up to 4 people: $175 total
“Step On” Guide for up to 6 People: $225 total
“Step On” Guide for more than 6 People: $30 per person
Special rates are available for student groups and field trips.
LA Frank Lloyd Wright Tour Itinerary
The LA Frank Lloyd Wright Tour begins with a meet and greet with your guide, George, and and in-depth exploration of Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood -the site of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House. Barnsdall was a patroness of the arts and envisioned an entire arts complex for the property. In part because of the tumultuous relationship between Wright and Barnsdall, the theater itself was never realized, but Wright did design several structures on the property, including artist residences and what is arguably his most famous building in California -the Hollyhock House. The landscape architecture is credited to Lloyd Wright (Frank Lloyd Wright, Jr.), who oversaw the construction of the complex while Frank Lloyd Wright was overseas monitoring the progress of the Imperial Hotel in construction at the same time.
After a tour through Barnsdall Park to view and discuss the Hollyhock House and other Wright-designed elements, this Frank Lloyd Wright tour then heads into the hills of Los Feliz for an exterior tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House. Perched high above Hollywood, the Ennis House, dubbed the “little palace” by Wright, was the last, the largest, and the most complex of Wright’s concrete block houses.This architecture tour discusses the history of the Ennis House, as well as the extensive restoration that is currently taking place at the site. You may recognize Wright’s Ennis House from the film Bladerunner.
Before we leave the Los Feliz neighborhood, the tour stops in Griffith Park to view a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright’s architect son, Lloyd Wright. The Taggart House is a stunning example of modern architecture from the 1920’s. Lloyd Wright’s architecture was very much a product of his father’s training, but maintains a distinction from the master. Lloyd Wright was also well known as a landscape architect, as seen in his stunning vegetation features.
We then enjoy the view of LA from above as this Frank Lloyd Wright tour of Los Angeles heads west along the Hollywood Hills to see and discuss two more of the concrete-textile block houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, with an exterior tour of the Samuel Freeman House, owned by the University of Southern California, and an exterior tour of the John Storer House, a private residence in the Hollywood Hills. These concrete block houses represent Wright’s attempt to develop an organic architecture for California, much as he did for the Midwest with his Prairie Houses. The tour covers three of the four concrete block houses designed by Wright with an explanation of the underlying architectural philosophy.
The tour comes full-circle and ends at Barnsdall Park, where guests then have the option to do a self-guided interior tour of the recently restored Hollyhock House if they wish to do so. If you plan to stay and do the interior tour, keep in mind that the Hollyhock House is generally open Thursday-Sunday, from 11:00am-3:30pm, and closed on most holidays.There are many dining options in the nearby the park if you are thinking of getting lunch or dinner after the tour -feel free to ask George for recommendations. Tour guests are responsible for making their own transportation to and from Barnsdall Park, but it’s an easy area to catch an Uber/Lyft or Taxi. Hotel pickups and drop-offs can be arranged for an additional fee, please inquire within.
Click here to make a booking for the LA Frank Lloyd Wright Tour.
