You learn fast with wheels doing the work. This Segway tour at the La Brea Tar Pits mixes quick training, guide narration, and big Ice Age photo moments in Los Angeles.

I like two things right away: you get to see actual bone finds from Ice Age animals, and the guide keeps the story moving with clear, practical context as you roll around. I also appreciate the included 30-minute Segway orientation, plus bottled water and small snacks to keep you comfortable during the 2-hour outing.

One watch-out: you’ll need a decent fitness level and the ability to climb stairs without assistance, and the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum admission isn’t included for that museum stop. Also, pregnant women aren’t allowed to participate.

Key highlights worth your attention

• Actual Pleistocene bone finds from animals trapped in natural asphalt over thousands of years
• 30-minute Segway orientation with helmet and safety equipment
• Photo-friendly reconstructed Ice Age scenes to match what you’re learning
• Tar-pit history you can connect to everyday LA life, including how early settlers used tar
• Museum Row stops near LACMA and Petersen, plus the classic Urban Light streetlamp installation
• Guide storytelling you can feel fast, including insider-style Los Angeles context from guides like Jose

Why a Segway tour is smart at the La Brea Tar Pits

The La Brea Tar Pits can feel like a stop-and-stare kind of place. This tour changes that. You cover more ground without rushing, and you don’t have to force your body into constant walking just to see the key areas.

The second reason I think it works: you’re learning while moving. The guide narration lines up with what you’re passing and what you’re looking at—bones, excavation context, and why the tar-pit situation mattered so much. That turns a “cool science attraction” into something that stays in your head after you leave.

And yes, it’s also an LA way to do it. Rolling through Los Angeles with a helmet on feels like a novelty… right up until you realize it makes the whole experience easier to manage.

Getting set up: 30-minute Segway training and safety gear

Your experience starts with instruction right in the city. Before you head toward the tar pits, you’ll get a Segway orientation designed to get you comfortable, not just checked off. Plan on a 30-minute training window that includes basics of control and safe riding.

You’ll also have the practical stuff covered: a helmet and safety equipment are included. Bottled water and small snacks are provided as well, which matters on tours that run about 2 hours end-to-end. It’s the small convenience that makes the difference between feeling relaxed and feeling “on duty.”

If you haven’t ridden one before, this is the type of tour where it usually clicks quickly. You’re not trying to learn in traffic on your own—you’re learning with a guide running the show.

Meeting point and the ride flow from Another Side of LA

You meet at Another Side Of Los Angeles Tours, 1080 S La Cienega Blvd #108. The good news: the tour ends back at the same location, so you’re not dealing with the stress of a separate drop-off.

There’s no hotel pickup included. That means you’ll want to plan your own way to the meeting point. The start area is listed as near public transportation, which is helpful if you’re not driving.

The tour also runs rain or shine, so it’s worth wearing shoes you’re comfortable walking in even if the weather turns. And because your entry time can vary, I’d choose morning or afternoon based on your energy level and your other LA plans.

The route around Miracle Mile: LACMA, Petersen, and Urban Light

Before you get to the science core, the tour takes you through the museum area near LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) and the Petersen Automotive Museum along Museum Row.

This part isn’t about deep museum time. It’s about the value of combining two kinds of interests in one outing:

• If you love cars, Petersen Automotive Museum is part of the experience vibe.
• If you’re an art fan, LACMA is part of the scenery context.
• If you like instantly recognizable LA icons, Urban Light is the one.

Urban Light is the famous installation made from 202 historic streetlamps from the 1920s and 1930s. It’s one of those spots where you can take photos that look like LA the moment you post them. And because it’s a well-known work on the campus, it’s an easy “checkpoint” during the ride.

If you’re hoping for a long indoor museum visit here, temper expectations. The main payoff stays focused on the tar pits and Ice Age discoveries.

The main attraction: tar pits bones and Pleistocene stories

Now for the point of the whole trip: the La Brea Tar Pits. This is where the show turns from sightseeing into science-with-a-story. The tar pits are famous for trapping remains from the Pleistocene Era, spanning from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago.

Here’s what makes it feel real: you’re not just reading about ancient animals. You’re examining bone matter tied to animals trapped by natural asphalt that traveled upward from the ground. That combination—predators, prey, tar, and time—helps explain why the site is such a big deal.

As you follow the guide, you’ll be looking at remains and evidence associated with animals such as:

• mammoths and mastodons
• saber-toothed cats
• dire wolves
• ground sloths
• American camels
• short-faced bears
• North American lions, and more

A big value of a guided format is interpretation. It’s easy to see bones and wonder what you’re looking at. A good guide helps you connect the “what” (which animals) to the “why” (why tar pits created this unusual fossil record).

The guide narration also covers how tar from the pits was used by early settlers for building materials and fuel. That’s not just trivia. It’s the bridge between the Ice Age and modern Los Angeles.

What the Ice Age photo scenes add to the visit

You’ll also get photo ops in front of reconstructed Ice Age scenes. That might sound like a gimmick until you realize what it’s doing. Those reconstructions help you imagine scale and behavior—how these animals might have looked in their environment, and what it means that their remains were found where they were.

I like photo moments that teach while you pose. Here, you’re not just taking a snapshot for social media. You’re reinforcing the visual memory of the animals and the tar-pit setting the guide has been describing.

Bring your camera confidence, not your patience. If you’re the kind of person who loves filming every second, you might feel tempted to slow things down. The tour runs on a schedule, so keep your photo stops efficient.

The museum stop: what’s included and what might cost extra

The tour includes a stop at La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, with a listed 30 minutes of time. The key detail for your planning: the admission ticket for that museum portion is marked as not included.

That means you should decide in advance how you want to handle the museum component:

• If you mainly want the outdoor science focus, you may be fine with what’s already covered.
• If you want specific indoor exhibits, you’ll likely need to pay admission separately.

This is the part of the experience where it pays to align your expectations with your interests. The tour is built around the tar pits as the centerpiece, so budget extra money only if you know you’ll use it.

Value check: is $169 worth it for this experience?

At $169 per person, this is not a cheap activity. The question is whether you’re paying for convenience and time savings—or just the novelty of a Segway.

Here’s what you’re actually getting for that price:

• A Segway tour experience, not a walking tour
• A 30-minute orientation
• Narration by a professional guide
• Helmet and safety equipment
• Bottled water and small snacks

So yes, you’re paying for gear, instruction, and guided storytelling. If you want to cover more ground than walking allows, and you prefer learning with a guide rather than reading signs alone, the value makes sense.

The only reason I’d hesitate is the cost of optional add-ons. Since the museum admission isn’t included, your final spend could creep up if you decide you want more than the core tar-pit viewing.

Also, keep in mind it’s booked about 19 days in advance on average. If you’re traveling during peak periods, you’ll want to lock it in earlier rather than gambling on day-of availability.

Who this tour fits best (and who should skip it)

This is a fun choice if you want science plus movement, and you’re comfortable riding a Segway. The tour also works well for people who like structured time blocks: it’s about 2 hours, with clear start and end points.

You’ll want to take the physical rules seriously:

• Minimum age is 8 years
• Riders 8 to 15 must have a parent present to sign a waiver and accompany them
• Ages 16 to 17 must have a parent sign a waiver, but may ride without parental accompaniment
• Maximum rider weight is 250 lbs (113 kg)
• You must have a decent fitness level and be able to climb stairs without assistance
• Pregnant women aren’t allowed

It’s also listed as allowing service animals and being near public transportation.

If you’re someone who gets nervous with new mobility tools, do not “wing it.” Even though the orientation helps, this is still an activity where you need to follow instructions and move confidently.

What kind of guide you’ll want: narration that connects LA to Ice Age finds

One reason this tour tends to get good word-of-mouth is the guide narration quality. On a tour like this, the guide becomes the translator between two worlds: modern Los Angeles streets and the deep-time story of the tar pits.

Guides like Jose have been singled out for blending history and practical LA context—pointing out standout sights along the way and sharing insider perspectives, including how the film industry works. That kind of storytelling makes the route feel more than just a transfer between stops.

The goal isn’t to overwhelm you with facts. It’s to make the fossils and bone finds feel understandable—why the tar pit process created such famous results, and why certain animals show up so dramatically.

Should you book the La Brea Tar Pits Segway tour?

Book it if you want a guided, time-efficient way to see the tar pits without turning the day into a long walking ordeal. The included orientation, safety gear, and bottled water make it feel organized, and the Ice Age photo scenes add a fun layer that reinforces the science.

Pass or reconsider if:

• you don’t want to pay extra for potential museum admission,
• you need a very low-activity plan with no stairs involved,
• or you fall into the restrictions around pregnancy or mobility.

If you’re staying in Los Angeles for a short trip and want one standout afternoon that’s part science lesson and part LA fun, this is a strong match.