Coolest Abandoned Places Near LA

Legend has it on September 3, 1970, Alan Wilson, guitarist for the band Canned Heat, died in this house on the eve of the bands' European tour. The cause of death was determined to be an overdose, though it is unclear whether it was accidental, suicide, or murder! At the time of his death, Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson was 27 years old making him a member of the "27 Club," a term for popular musicians who died...

Tucked away in this iconic canyon is a storm drain that acts as a portal to a mystical grotto that is fed by springs running through Topanga. The tunnel is 20 feet down the road from the "SLIPPERY WHEN WET" road sign on the west side of Topanga Canyon Blvd. You might be ticketed for unsafe parking on these windy roads. Other visitors recommend parking by Topanga Lumber and walking the quarter mile to the...

One of the coolest abandonments L.A. has to offer, the ruins of the old L.A. Zoo still stand even though the facility was closed and gutted in the mid '60s. Today, the old zoo with its old stone structures and weathered cages is a popular spot for hikers or anyone curious about L.A. history.

This tunnel appropriately is placed above the Bridge to Nowhere and is one of the historic landmarks that is testament to the Cold War era. Construction started in 1956 when the government decided that people would need an escape route in the event of a nuclear attack. Due to a lack of funding, construction stopped in 1969 even though the Cold War would not end until 1991. Now, the Tunnels to Nowhere mak...

There’s enough tragedy and controversy wrapped up in the ongoing saga of Sunken City for a movie script plus a sequel. This stretch of beach contains the ruins of ritzy homes and streets that fell from a lofty height during a massive landslide in 1929. Over the years, the so-called “Sunken City” gained a cult following when urban artists covered the ruins with graffiti. Plus, it just became a cool rite-o...

UPDATE: Sadly, 90% of this attraction has been torn down by the city. Still a fun hike, but not as many buildings to explore. This beautiful canyon harbors an infamous past. In 1931, a group of Nazi sympathizers built a $4 million stronghold here and waited for the world to fall under the control of the Third Reich. Needless to say, they waited in vain, and the property was seized by the government. N...

In the midst of the Cold War, right here in L.A., while surfers and sunbathers lazed the day away, the government kept a vigilant eye out for Soviets. Decades later, the Mulholland Drive facility is still preserved. Visitors can climb the radar tower to capture panoramic shots of Los Angeles.

Also known as Rosas Overlook, and reminiscent of the Sunken City in San Pedro and Hawaii's Pill Box ruins, the Topanga Fire Lookout sports similar graffiti stylings. Clamber up at your own risk and get pretty spectacular views of SoCal from the Santa Susana Mountains to the Santa Monica Mountains. To get here, you'll need to head to where Backbone Trail meets with Stunt Road. This lookout is located abov...

Update: After being closed for 8 long years, the world famous Channel Street Skatepark is now open to the public! Under the 110 Freeway right about where it terminates on its south end is the infamous skate spot know as the Channel Street Skatepark. This popular DIY skatepark emerged in 2002 when local skaters built it on no-man's land under the freeway overpass with no city oversight or permits. T...

A moderate 9-mile round trip hike with river crossings leads to the mysterious "bridge to nowhere" -- so-called because the roads which once led up to it is now washed away. Technically, though, it does lead somewhere--to more hiking trails which lead down to a stream and falls (Photo by ImeHz).

Built by the Tagami brothers in 1917 this was one of the most popular beach resorts of its time especially among Japanese-Americans. It's demise has a sad, long, and sordid history to it and perhaps the ruins are a reminder of how unfairly immigrants were treated at that time. Only a few fragments of the once-magnificent seaside vacationing spot remain slowly eroding under the destructive force of the Pa...

The Nude Bowl is your classic kidney bean-shaped pool and was a popular BMX and skateboarding haunt especially in the '80s and '90s. It was formerly a nudist resort called the "Desert Gardens Ranch" located just outside of Desert Hot Springs, CA - and you gotta think some hardy skaters had to pay homage occasionally by marrying skating with nudity. When the place started getting too rowdy with raging par...

Even though Bombay Beach is a desolate place sitting on the equally desolate and putrid Salton Sea, it's quite the attraction for novice filmmakers and writers. It's hard to believe this bleak town was once like Palm Springs - property sold at a premium and movie stars came here to relax at this inland California riviera. Taking a walk on this beach will require footwear; the whiteness you see is not san...

Also known as Angels Gate Bunkers, this battery was completed in 1919. It is one of several which protected the mainland USA from attacks by sea. Its distinguishing feature was a series of eight 12-inch mortars which had a range of 11 miles and could be turned 360 degrees. The battery was abandoned in the late 1940s and is now a concrete canvas for urban artists. Nearly every inch of this huge structure ...

Word is that, in 1970, an Apple Valley resident had plans to create a dino-themed miniature golf course but only got as far as constructing a few dinos. Nevertheless, they added a welcome touch of whimsy to the landscape--and indeed still do.

Los Angeles may be the epicenter of Southern California but Ventura County is where the idea of a county park system was conceived. Foster Park Bowl was one of the results of this philanthropic idea and was opened in 1904. The concrete amphitheater was very popular in the '60s but now sits abandoned waiting for rescuers, funds, and permits in order to revive it (submitted by Aidan McNutt).

It's hard to believe that this 800,000-square-foot space was once a booming center of commerce. Once a place where middle-class Hawthorne residents came to spend their disposable income on clothes and trinkets, it has been vacant since 1999. Now, there are plans to raze the structure to the ground to build a so-called "power center" - a compound which would include shopping, office buildings, restaurants...

This psychiatric institution was founded by Agnes Richards, a nurse determined to bring quality care to women. Built in the 1920s, the buildings and grounds were fashioned after a Spanish mission. Notable residents included Billie Burke who played Glinda the Good Witch in the classic "Wizard of Oz." Because it is a historic site it has been maintained. Its fate is unknown at this time but it may soon ret...