| Spot A: In-N-Out Burger Area
You wanna get close to planes? This is the place! Though the planes are backlit for photos most of the day, the avgeek ambiance can’t be beat! You’ll see Runway 24R arrivals here.
Views: Runway 24R arrivals, and the very rare Runway 6L/R departures.
Directions: The In-N-Out Burger on the corner of S Sepulveda Blvd and W 92nd Street. Due to one-way streets, approach from Westchester Parkway one block to the north, going south on Sepulveda Westway. Parking is best (and free) on the north side of the small park, which is W 92nd St, which meets Sepulveda Blvd. It can be walked to from the terminal area, West Century Blvd area hotels, and the LAX Transit Center.
Security: In-N-Out is private property, but there is a public park directly across the street to the south. There are also nice views along Sepulveda Blvd just southeast of In-N-Out, landmarked by a giant LAX sculpture/sign and landing lights, but be sure to not obstruct traffic or climb on any equipment or landing light structures.
The parking garage should NOT be utilized for aviation photography, whether you are a paying customer or not. Employees have a long reputation of ejecting such patrons and calling police.
Photography: Any lens from a wide angle to a super telephoto can work here if you get creative. Planes are low enough for lenses as short as 50mm from the grass and can go to much larger focal lengths to capture touchdown shots toward the west once the aircraft has passed overhead. Directly overhead views from Sepulveda Blvd can warrant even shorter focal lengths. We suggest trying some head-on/tail-on shots from near the approach light towers. Wide angle panning shots after dark can also be a lot of fun.
For a more traditional side view vantage point, walk down Sepulveda Blvd and take photos from the grassy area along the sidewalk. You can also go up on the Vicksberg Ave overpass via the staircase on the south side of it, however be aware that traffic on the overpass can be difficult to cross and the sidewalk that you want to take photos from is fairly narrow. anything from 70mm to 400mm will be good from the overpass, while anything from a fisheye to 400 can work along Sepulveda, depending on how far you walk.
Some photos shot from this location:
 Photo by Ben Granucci |
 Photo by Phil Derner Jr. |
 Photo by Conor Clancy |
| Spot B: Imperial Hill
One of the iconic LAX plane spotting locations. Very popular and well attended by the locals. It is best for Runway 25R departures. Some will cross the ATC tower as they take off. You’ll also see Runway 25L arrivals on the ground as they hold short before crossing 25R and lots of taxiing aircraft. There is also an excellent view of the Tom Bradley International Terminal and the alleyway between the main terminal and the West Gates.
Views: Arrivals and departures on Runways 25R and 25L. Views of the area between the Tom Bradley International Terminal and the West Gates. Nice overview of cargo terminals and freight ops.
Directions: From Sepulveda, travel west on W Imperial Highway, then make a left on Main Street and an immediate left onto East Imperial Ave. A few blocks down you’ll see an observation area on your left, between Cypress and Sheldon Streets. A bus stop on Beach Cities Transit Route 109 is located adjacent to this location.
Security: To our knowledge, there have been very few, if any, encounters with law enforcement at this location. As always, carry your ID.
Photography: A 250-400mm lens is recommended here. Anything smaller will probably not give you a fully framed photo. The planes go right to left and offer you a decent side view. Zoom in on the planes once they pass for that engine/nose shot. The light is good here pretty much all day, and the elevated vantage point makes for some nice long exposures after dark.
Some photos shot from this location:
 Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren |
 Photo by Eric Dunetz |
 Photo by Matt Molnar |
 Photo by Raj Changela |
| Spot C: Westchester Parkway Bridge
One of our favorite spots at LAX. Enjoy 24R arrivals as they touch down and 24L departures as they rotate. You will want a lens that can go to 300mm or 400mm here, but that also goes to at least 100mm on the wide end.
Views: Best for evening arrivals and departures on Runways 24L and 24R from late spring to early fall.
Directions: From Lincoln Blvd after passing the In-N- Out area, pass under the Westchester Parkway Bridge. At La Tijera Blvd, make a right into the parking lot for Westchester Park. Cross at the traffic light and walk towards the airport along the side of the apartment buildings. Turn onto West 94th St, the entrance to the LAWA Police Facility, and then follow the gravel path up the embankment. Carefully cross Westchester Parkway, being mindful of both cars and bicycles.
Via public transportation, take Big Blue Bus Route 3 to the intersection of W Manchester Ave and Lincoln Blvd and walk towards the airport, following the walking directions above once you reach La Tijera Blvd.
Security: To our knowledge there have not been any encounters with law enforcement here. However you are standing on the side of the road in a spot that sees less usage than others at LAX. As always, wear a smile and carry your ID.
Photography: You’ll want something 70-100mm on the wide end to be able to frame arriving widebodies. On the narrow end, you’ll want 300-400mm for approach/touchdown/closeup/climb-out shots, though 200mm would suffice if you’re mostly interested in side shots. This is the definition of an “evening spot” where the light gets better until sunset. You really have to wait until the sun is at least coming straight down the runway, which is usually in late afternoon or early evening. From late fall to early spring, the sun won’t even make it that far. Just after sunset, this is a great spot for working on your panning technique.
Some photos shot from this location:
 Photo by Andrew Poure |
 Photo by Raj Changela |
 Photo by Conor Clancy |
 Photo by Ben Granucci |
| Spot D: The Proud Bird
Great for 25L arrivals on short final. Grab a drink, a snack, or even a full meal and enjoy one of the most family friendly spots around LAX. This is a private business, so be sure to show your appreciation for the use of their facilities by making a purchase on every visit.
Views: Best for arrivals on Runway 25L.
Directions: Heading away from the airport on West Century Blvd, turn left on Aviation Blvd. After passing the runways, turn into the restaurant parking lot just before West 111th Street. Walk straight through the food hall area to the door that leads to the patio, playground, and lawn. This location is served by the Beach Cities Transit Route 109 bus. Take the bus to the intersection of Aviation Blvd and West 111th Street.
Security: This is a private business, so please abide by the wishes of restaurant personnel. Make sure you patronize the restaurant as much as possible, preferably on each visit. Check their website for business hours.
Photography: For heavies, you’ll want a lens in the 50mm to 100mm range. For narrowbodies, regional jets, and business jets, you’ll want a lens that can cover 100mm to 200mm.
Some photos shot from this location:
 Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren |
 Photo by Phil Derner Jr. |
 Photo by Ben Granucci |
| Spot E: Vista Del Mar
Views: Good for a view of departing long-haul heavies from Runway 24L as they climb out. Also good for 6L arrivals during reverse operations, particularly during early morning/predawn hours.
Directions: From Imperial Highway heading West, turn right on Vista Del Mar. Park near Vista Del Mar Park, which will be on the right hand side of the road. parking in this area can be very limited at all times of the day.
Photography: A lens that covers the 100mm-200mm range will work best here. For departures, this location is really only good for heavies loaded for a long haul flight. Anything else will be too high by the time it passes your location.
Area Notes: We often get asked “What is the spotting like along the (Dockweiler State) beach?” The answer is simple: not great. The beach is about 100′ below the runways and anywhere from 1 1/4 to 2 miles from where they rotated. Even the heaviest aircraft will probably be too high in the sky for a good photo.
Some photos shot from this location:
 Photo by Sergio Cardona |
 Photo by Ben Granucci |
