La Brea Tar Pits Segway Tour: Ice Age Fossils on Two Wheels

Glide past Ice Age remains on a Segway, then explore Museum Row on foot

A Segway tour of the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles lets you cover the excavation site and its fossil exhibits on a personal transport vehicle, with a 30-minute orientation and guide included. You'll see actual bone matter from mammoths, mastodons, saber-tooth cats, dire wolves and ground sloths, then walk to nearby LACMA and the Petersen Automotive Museum on Museum Row. The tour runs morning or afternoon and takes two hours total.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Los Angeles County Museum of Artpassing by
2. Petersen Automotive Museumpassing by
3. La Brea Tar Pits30m

Explore La Brea Tar Pits and nearby museums

• Join La Brea Tar Pits tour
• See prehistoric animal remains
• Pass by Los Angeles County Museum of Art
• Pass by Petersen Automotive Museum
• View Urban Light artwork
• Visit ice age fossil excavation site

The experience

The La Brea Tar Pits sit in the heart of Los Angeles, and a Segway makes it easy to move between the active excavation zones and the museum exhibits without walking the whole site on foot. After a 30-minute orientation to the vehicle, you'll ride with a professional guide who explains the history and scientific significance of how these tar seeps trapped and preserved Ice Age animals over thousands of years. You'll see actual bone remains, not casts, from creatures like mammoths, mastodons, saber-tooth cats, dire wolves, American camels, giant ground sloths and the short-faced bear.

The tour includes a helmet and safety equipment, bottled water and small snacks. Because the site sits on Museum Row in the Miracle Mile neighborhood, you're steps away from LACMA and its famous Urban Light installation of 202 historic streetlamps from the 1920s and 1930s, as well as the Petersen Automotive Museum. The two-hour window gives you time to ride the pits and walk the adjacent museums if you want to stay in the area after the tour ends.

What’s included

• Use of a Segway and safety helmet.
• 30-minute Segway orientation before the tour.
• professional guide narration throughout.
• bottled water and small snacks.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 17:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (8 and older) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupUp to 100

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Another Side Of Los Angeles Tours

Is this one for you?Two hours is enough to ride the pits and see the fossil exhibits without rushing, but leaves your morning or afternoon open for the museums next door or other parts of Los Angeles. The Segway covers more ground than walking alone, so you'll see more of the site in the time you have.

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Top questions

What exactly will I see at the La Brea Tar Pits on this tour?

The La Brea Tar Pits hold actual bone matter from Ice Age animals trapped in tar seeps thousands of years ago. You'll see remains of mammoths, mastodons, saber-tooth cats, dire wolves, American camels, giant ground sloths and the short-faced bear, with ongoing excavations and exhibits on display.

Do I need experience riding a Segway to join this tour?

No experience is required. The tour includes a 30-minute Segway orientation before you start, so you'll learn how to operate the vehicle safely before riding through the site with your guide.

Can children ride the Segway on this tour?

Children ages 8 and up can ride. Kids 8 to 15 must have a parent present to sign a waiver and ride alongside them. Kids 16 to 17 need a parent to sign the waiver but can ride independently. Riders must weigh no more than 250 pounds and be able to climb stairs without assistance.

What's included in the tour price?

The Segway, helmet and safety equipment are included, along with the 30-minute orientation, professional guide narration, bottled water and small snacks. The tour runs rain or shine and lasts two hours total.

Where is the La Brea Tar Pits located in Los Angeles?

The La Brea Tar Pits are in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles on Museum Row, adjacent to LACMA and the Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Boulevard. Public transportation options are available nearby.