La Brea Tar Pits Segway Tour

The La Brea Tar Pits are not a tidy hall of old bones: they are an active fossil excavation site, where natural asphalt trapped Ice Age animals and preserved their remains. This two-hour Segway outing pairs that unusual stop with a guided ride from central Los Angeles.

I like two things in particular: you get a proper 30-minute Segway lesson before setting off, and the guide puts the tar pits in context, from the animals caught in the asphalt to the tar’s use by early settlers. There are also photo opportunities with reconstructed Ice Age scenes.

The main consideration is the price: $169 per person, with admission to the Tar Pits and Museum not included. The tour’s route and stop list mention nearby Museum Row sights, but the exact riding route is not spelled out, so ask if you have a particular landmark in mind.

• See actual animal remains: The tar pits preserve bones from mammoths, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, ground sloths, and other Ice Age animals.
• Learn before you ride: Your guide gives a 30-minute Segway orientation and provides a helmet.
• Allow about two hours: The outing starts and ends at the same central Los Angeles address.
• Bring your camera: Reconstructed Ice Age scenes offer a memorable backdrop for photos.
• Plan for the extra cost: Admission to the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is not included in the $169 tour price.

Why the tar pits are more than a fossil display

The La Brea Tar Pits hold remains from the Pleistocene Era, a span from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. Natural asphalt rose from the ground and trapped animals, leaving bones that are still being excavated. The site is unusual because you are looking at a place where the remains were found, not simply a collection assembled elsewhere.

The tour description makes a useful distinction: the bones are actual bone matter, not fossils. You can look for remains from mammoths, mastodons, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, American camels, giant ground sloths, the short-faced bear, and the North American lion. Seeing the names attached to real bones gives the Ice Age a more immediate scale than a textbook timeline.

Your guide explains how the tar pits worked and how people later used the asphalt. Early settlers put the tar to practical use as building material and fuel. That detail gives the site a human story as well as a prehistoric one: this was not only a trap for animals, but also a natural resource people found useful.

The stop is about 30 minutes, so expect an introduction and a look around rather than an unhurried museum visit. Admission to the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is not included. If you want to spend time inside the museum or examine the displays at length, plan for that separately and check admission arrangements before you go.

The Segway lesson comes before the sightseeing

The tour begins at Another Side Of Los Angeles Tours, 1080 S La Cienega Blvd, in central Los Angeles. You meet your guide there, get fitted with a helmet, and spend about 30 minutes learning how to operate the Segway. That instruction takes up a meaningful part of a two-hour tour, but it is also what makes the ride more approachable if you have never used one.

The available tour information does not give a precise route or list every street you will travel. It does identify the La Brea Tar Pits as the main destination and names nearby sights along Museum Row, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Petersen Automotive Museum, and Urban Light. Treat those as route-area landmarks, not a promise of a long visit inside each one.

Urban Light is the installation made from 202 historic streetlamps dating from the 1920s and 1930s, and it is a well-known photo stop at LACMA. The Petersen focuses on automobile history. Those sights give the ride a broader Los Angeles flavor, though the tour’s central purpose remains the tar pits.

One rider singled out guide Jose for pointing out details around Beverly Hills and explaining aspects of the film industry from an insider’s perspective. Another praised a guide’s knowledge of Los Angeles history and kind manner. That is encouraging, but guides and the precise route can vary. If you hope for a particular neighborhood or a film-industry angle, ask the operator what your departure covers.

What to expect at the La Brea stop

At the tar pits, the guide helps you connect the animals and bones to the asphalt beneath them. You may see material from dire wolves, ground sloths, North American lions, mammoths, and other creatures named in the tour description. The attraction is both scientific and visual: bones give you evidence, while the tar pits and reconstructed Ice Age scenes help you picture the setting.

The photo opportunities are a practical plus, especially if you want a record of the visit without spending the whole stop taking pictures. The tour is designed to show you the site and explain its story, not to provide a full museum day. Keep that distinction in mind when comparing it with a self-guided visit or a ticket that includes museum admission.

The listed stop time is around 30 minutes. That makes the Segway the main event as much as the fossil site. If your priority is studying exhibits or lingering at the excavation area, this may feel brief. If you want a guided introduction and a fun way to reach the site, the balance may suit you.

Is $169 a fair price?

At $169 per person, this is a premium-priced two-hour outing. The fee includes a professional guide, Segway, helmet, 30-minute orientation, bottled water, and small snacks. You are paying for the guided ride and instruction as well as the Tar Pits stop, rather than for museum entry alone.

The value depends on what you want from the day. If you are curious about Segways, enjoy guided city sightseeing, or would rather cover ground on a ride than make the Tar Pits your only stop, the package bundles several things into one outing. The guide can add context that you would miss on a quick solo visit, and the training is included rather than an extra step to arrange.

If you mainly want to see the bones and museum, compare the cost with visiting the site on your own. Admission is not included, and the stop is limited to about 30 minutes. You may get more time at the exhibits by separating the museum visit from the ride, though you would lose the Segway component and guided narration.

Water and small snacks are provided, a modest but useful touch on a two-hour ride. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so account for getting to the meeting point and back. The tour ends where it starts.

Who is likely to enjoy this ride

This tour suits you if you like active sightseeing, want a guided introduction to the tar pits, and find the idea of riding a Segway part of the fun. It can also work well for a family with older children who meet the age rules and are comfortable following instructions. The minimum age is 8.

It is less suitable if you want a quiet, extended museum visit, prefer not to ride a personal transporter, or need a tour with hotel transport. You must be able to climb stairs without assistance and have a decent level of fitness, even though the activity is not described as physically demanding. Pregnant participants cannot take part.

The tour operates rain or shine, so dress for the weather rather than assuming a sunny day. It is offered in English, and the ticket is mobile. Confirmation is provided within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability; include your email and phone number in the special requirements field when booking.

The stated maximum is 250 pounds, or 113 kilograms. Riders aged 8 to 15 need a parent present to sign a waiver and accompany them on the tour. Riders aged 16 or 17 need a parent present to sign the waiver, but may ride without that parent accompanying them. Service animals are allowed.

One detail worth checking before booking is the listed maximum group size of 100. That is a high cap for a guided Segway outing, and it may not reflect the size of a typical departure. Ask the operator how many people are expected on your date and how the group is managed.

Practical details before you book

Morning and afternoon departures are available. Since the tour runs for about two hours and begins and ends at the same address, it is relatively easy to fit into a day, but leave room for travel to the meeting point. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off.

The meeting point is Another Side Of Los Angeles Tours at 1080 S La Cienega Blvd #108, Los Angeles, CA 90035. The tour is near public transportation, though the supplied details do not specify a particular station or bus line. Check your route before setting out.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. The cutoff follows local time, so keep Los Angeles time in mind if you are arranging plans from elsewhere.

Should you book the La Brea Tar Pits Segway Tour?

Book it if you want a lively, guided way to combine the La Brea Tar Pits with a Segway ride and nearby Los Angeles sights. The included lesson, helmet, guide, water, and snacks make the outing convenient, while the preserved remains and asphalt history give it substance beyond the novelty of riding.

Skip it if you want extensive time in the museum, need admission included, or would rather spend $169 on a longer visit to the site. Before committing, confirm the route and likely group size, especially if you are booking for a specific landmark or want a quieter ride. For the right rider, this is a playful way to meet one of Los Angeles’s strangest and most revealing natural-history sites.

FAQ

How long is the La Brea Tar Pits Segway Tour?

The tour lasts approximately two hours, including a 30-minute Segway orientation.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at Another Side Of Los Angeles Tours, 1080 S La Cienega Blvd #108, Los Angeles, CA 90035, and ends back at the same meeting point.

Is admission to the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum included?

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

What is included in the $169 price?

The price includes a professional guide, a 30-minute Segway orientation, use of a Segway and helmet, bottled water, and small snacks.

What is the minimum age?

The minimum age is 8. Riders aged 8 to 15 need a parent 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.

Can pregnant people join the tour?

No. Pregnant participants are not allowed to take part.

Does the tour operate in the rain?

Yes. The tour operates rain or shine.

What is the cancellation policy?

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