La Brea Tar Pits Segway Tour

La Brea Tar Pits is one of Los Angeles’ strangest attractions: actual animal bones are preserved in sticky asphalt beneath a city neighborhood. This two-hour Segway tour lets you reach the site without spending the whole visit indoors, while your guide explains mammoths, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, and other Ice Age creatures.

I like the 30-minute Segway lesson, which gives first-time riders time to get comfortable, and the way the route connects the tar pits with Museum Row sights such as Urban Light. The main drawback is price: at $169 per person, this makes the most sense if you want both guided city riding and a focused introduction to La Brea, not just a quick look at the pits.

Key points to know before booking

• Actual Ice Age bones: See remains from mammoths, mastodons, dire wolves, ground sloths, and other animals preserved in natural asphalt.
• A gentle Segway introduction: About 30 minutes is set aside for instruction and practice before the sightseeing begins.
• Museum Row surroundings: The route includes the area near LACMA, the Petersen Automotive Museum, and the famous Urban Light installation.
• Guides add city context: Jose has been praised for explaining Los Angeles history and sharing film-industry insight.
• Morning or afternoon departures: You can choose the time that best fits your Los Angeles plans.
• Plan for the rules: The minimum age is 8, the maximum rider weight is 250 pounds, and pregnant participants cannot join.

Why the tar pits are worth your time

La Brea is not a conventional fossil site. The animals here are preserved in natural asphalt that has been rising from underground for thousands of years. That means you are looking at actual bone material, not only stone copies of prehistoric remains.

The time span is enormous. The site preserves animals from the Pleistocene Era, from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. Mammoths and mastodons are the big crowd-pleasers, but I find the smaller details just as interesting: dire wolves, American camels, giant ground sloths, North American lions, and the short-faced bear all appear in the story of this place.

The tar worked as a natural trap. An animal could become stuck, and its struggle could attract predators or scavengers that then met the same fate. Over time, layers of asphalt covered the remains and protected them.

The tour also explains how people later used the tar. Early settlers made use of the material for building supplies and fuel, so this is not only a story about extinct animals. It is also a story about how a strange natural resource shaped human life in Los Angeles.

Starting at 1080 South La Cienega Boulevard

You meet at Another Side Of Los Angeles Tours, at 1080 S La Cienega Boulevard, Suite 108. The tour ends at this same point, and hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Give yourself enough time to reach the meeting point without rushing. The tour is near public transportation, but the supplied details do not identify a particular station or bus route, so check your own route before booking.

At the start, the guide provides a helmet and explains how to operate the Segway. The orientation lasts about 30 minutes. That may sound long for a simple vehicle, but it is useful time, especially if you have never ridden one before.

You need a decent level of fitness and must be able to climb stairs without help. The tour is not described as physically demanding, but a Segway is not a seated ride. You will be standing, balancing, stopping, and moving through the city for much of the outing.

Once you can handle the controls, the group heads toward La Brea. The tour operates rain or shine, so look at the forecast and dress for the conditions. Bottled water and small snacks are included, a welcome touch during a two-hour outdoor activity.

Riding through the Museum Row area

The route gives you more than a direct trip to a tar pit. La Brea sits beside several major Los Angeles attractions on Wilshire Boulevard, so the ride places the prehistoric site in a larger cultural district.

LACMA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, is adjacent to the tar pits. The museum was founded in 1961 after splitting from the Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art. The tour does not include LACMA admission, so treat it as a nearby point of interest rather than a museum visit.

The Petersen Automotive Museum is also on Museum Row. It focuses on automobile history and educational programs, and its location helps show how many different kinds of attractions share this stretch of Wilshire Boulevard. Again, admission is not part of the Segway tour.

You also pass near Urban Light, the much-photographed installation outside LACMA. It uses 202 historic streetlamps from the 1920s and 1930s, originally spread around Southern California. This is one of the best photo stops connected with the ride, especially if you want a recognizable Los Angeles picture that is not another palm-tree postcard.

The exact amount of time spent at these nearby sights is not specified. Think of them as landmarks along the route and photo opportunities, not as separate museum tours. If LACMA or Petersen is a priority, plan a different visit before or after the Segway outing.

Arriving at La Brea Tar Pits

At the tar pits, your guide brings the science to life with stories about the animals recovered from the asphalt. The site includes ongoing excavation and exhibits, and the unusual part is that the material is actual bone rather than only fossilized stone.

You might see remains connected with mammoths, mastodons, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, American camels, giant ground sloths, the short-faced bear, and the North American lion. Each animal gives you a different sense of the Ice Age world that once occupied this part of California.

The short-faced bear is especially memorable because of its size and hunting reputation. The giant ground sloth offers the opposite surprise: an animal that sounds slow and harmless but was a substantial presence in its day. The tour is best for anyone who enjoys those comparisons and wants more than a quick photo beside a sign.

The listed time at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is about 30 minutes, and admission to the museum is not included. This matters when you compare the tour with a self-guided visit. You are paying for the ride, instruction, equipment, guide, and interpretation, but you may still want a separate ticket if you wish to spend longer inside the museum.

The guide also points out reconstructed Ice Age scenes. These displays help you picture the animals as living creatures rather than isolated bones. They are good photo spots, and they give children a clearer connection between the remains in the exhibits and the animals that once moved through the area.

What the Segway adds to the experience

A Segway changes the pace of a city visit. You cover more ground than you would on foot, but you still move slowly enough to hear the guide and notice the surroundings.

I like that the vehicle makes the ride itself part of the activity. One review specifically praised how easy and enjoyable it was to learn, and the 30-minute practice period supports that impression without assuming you already know what you are doing.

Still, the Segway is not a magic shortcut. You need to follow instructions, pay attention to the route, and be comfortable standing. People with a decent level of fitness should manage the activity, but anyone who has trouble climbing stairs without assistance should not book it.

The group maximum is listed as 100 people. That is a large possible maximum, although the actual group size on your departure is not provided. If you prefer a quiet, small-group experience, ask the operator about the expected size before you commit.

The guide can shape the whole ride

This tour depends heavily on the person leading it. The guide needs to explain the Segway clearly, keep the group together, and make the science understandable without turning the outing into a lecture.

Jose is one named guide connected with the experience. He has been praised for his Los Angeles history and for pointing out less obvious details around Beverly Hills, along with explaining parts of the film industry from an insider’s point of view. Those comments suggest that the best version of this tour includes more than a script about the tar pits.

That said, Jose may not lead every departure. The tour is offered in English and includes narration by a professional guide, but a specific guide is not guaranteed in the booking information. If his local film knowledge is important to you, contact the operator before booking.

The guide’s city knowledge is a real part of the value here. You are not simply transported to La Brea and left to read labels. You hear how the tar pits fit into Los Angeles, what happened in the area before modern development, and how the nearby cultural institutions shape the district today.

Is $169 a fair price?

At $169 per person, this is not a budget way to visit La Brea. The tar pits themselves may be visited separately, and the museum admission is not included. If your only goal is to see the exhibits, buying a standard admission and exploring on your own may cost less.

The price becomes easier to justify if you value several services at once:

• A 30-minute Segway orientation
• Use of the Segway and helmet
• A professional English-speaking guide
• Narration about La Brea and Los Angeles
• A city ride connecting the tar pits with Museum Row
• Bottled water and small snacks
• A choice of morning or afternoon departure

You are also paying for the convenience of combining transport and sightseeing. Instead of planning how to move between central Los Angeles and the La Brea area, you follow a set route and receive context along the way.

For a first Los Angeles visit, the tour can serve as a broad introduction to one district. For a repeat visitor who already knows the area and only wants the museum, the value is weaker. I would book it for the active experience and the guide’s stories, not simply for admission to La Brea.

Who should book this tour?

This is a strong fit for families with children who meet the age rules, couples looking for an unusual city activity, and first-time visitors who want a guided introduction to La Brea without walking the whole way.

The minimum age is 8. Riders aged 8 to 15 must have a parent present to sign the waiver and accompany them. Riders aged 16 or 17 need a parent present to sign the waiver, but they may ride without that parent accompanying them.

The maximum rider weight is 250 pounds, or 113 kilograms. Service animals are allowed. Pregnant participants cannot take part.

I would also recommend it to anyone who likes a little motion with their museums. The experience combines science, local history, city landmarks, and a short lesson in a vehicle that many people have never tried.

I would skip it if you dislike standing activities, want a long museum visit, or are mainly searching for the lowest-cost way to see the tar pits. The tour is also not ideal if you need hotel transportation, since you must make your own way to La Cienega Boulevard.

Practical timing and cancellation advice

The tour lasts about two hours, including the Segway lesson. Morning and afternoon departures are available, so you can fit it around other Los Angeles plans.

The experience is often booked about 19 days ahead. That does not guarantee every departure will sell out, but it is a useful reason to reserve early if your schedule is fixed.

Confirmation arrives within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. Include your email and phone number in the special requirements field so the operator can contact you if needed.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted for a refund.

My take: book it for the ride and stories

Book this La Brea Tar Pits Segway Tour if you want the tar pits paired with a moving tour of central Los Angeles. The actual bones, reconstructed Ice Age scenes, Urban Light, and the chance to hear local stories from a guide such as Jose create a varied two-hour outing.

Think twice if you only want museum access. At $169, the tour asks you to pay for instruction, equipment, guiding, and the city ride, while La Brea admission is extra.

For the right person, that combination is the point. You get prehistoric animals, Los Angeles landmarks, a gentle introduction to Segway riding, and a guide who can connect the odd tar bubbling beneath the city with the modern streets above it.

FAQ

Where does the La Brea Tar Pits Segway Tour begin?

The tour begins at Another Side Of Los Angeles Tours, 1080 S La Cienega Boulevard, Suite 108, Los Angeles, California 90035.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the original meeting point on South La Cienega Boulevard.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours, including about 30 minutes of Segway orientation.

Is La Brea Tar Pits admission included?

No. Admission to La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is not included in the tour price.

What is included in the tour price?

The tour includes professional guide narration, a 30-minute Segway orientation, use of a Segway and safety equipment, bottled water, and small snacks.

What age must I be to join?

The minimum age is 8. Riders aged 8 to 15 must have a parent present to sign a waiver and accompany them. Riders aged 16 to 17 need a parent present to sign a waiver but may ride without parental accompaniment.

Is there a weight limit?

Yes. The maximum rider weight is 250 pounds, or 113 kilograms.

Are pregnant people allowed to participate?

No. Pregnant participants are not allowed to join the tour.

Does the tour operate in bad weather?

Yes. Tours operate rain or shine.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations and changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.