One of the most pleasant days I’ve had in Los Angeles was the day I visited the filming locations of (500) Days of Summer. Over 15 years ago, I was captivated by this film. I felt a deep connection with the main character, Tom - a modest, shy, nerdy guy in his early twenties. Back then, I didn’t fully realize that it was Los Angeles. It was obviously somewhere in California. Where else could you have 500 days of summer, both literally and figuratively - nearly every scene in the film is filled with light and warmth.
Being in Los Angeles, you naturally start to understand how deeply this city is intertwined with the film industry, and you begin to wonder - where exactly were the things I’ve watched actually filmed? When it suddenly hit me that this movie was shot here, I immediately knew I had to find the locations. My app Chiaro did a great job of finding film locations and pointed me to spots that don’t appear in the usual online roundups. So most of the locations and photos I’m sharing here came from the app.
Tom’s Favorite Spot
Angel’s Knoll, 351 S Hill St, Los Angeles
The view from Tom’s favorite spot. Almost the same skyline the characters gazed at - minus one new building.
Angel’s Knoll today. The park is technically closed and fenced off, but the hill is still there.
The patch of ground where the bench once stood. No bench, no plaque - just bare earth.
I’ll start with the main thing - and the sad part. The bench at Tom’s favorite spot is no longer there. You can see the patch of ground where it once stood. The view that the characters gaze at, the one that became their favorite - it’s almost the same, except for one new building that’s been added to the skyline. It doesn’t block the view of the other buildings though, including LA’s first skyscraper, the Continental Building, and the parking structures.
The benches were likely removed around 2025, since I found YouTube videos from 2024 where people were still visiting them.
The spot is at Angel’s Knoll, but Angelenos often don’t recognize the name in conversation and more commonly refer to the area as Angels Flight - which is actually the historic funicular railway nearby. The park has been technically closed and fenced off since 2013, but the benches remained inside for years - fans would still climb in to visit them. Signs warn that trespassing is not allowed. I’m not encouraging anyone to climb in - I’m simply noting that in one spot the fence is low and wouldn’t exactly stop a determined visitor.
Bradbury Building - The Office Where Tom Meets Summer (and Even Autumn)
Bradbury Building, 304 S Broadway, Los Angeles
The Bradbury Building on Broadway. Modest on the outside - the real magic is inside.
Step through the entrance and you immediately understand why they picked this building.
Two separate structures enclosed under a glass roof. The atrium is breathtaking in person.
This is the building shown in the film as the office of the greeting card company where Tom and Summer first meet. The building appears several times throughout the movie. The interior office scenes, however, were filmed elsewhere - I wasn’t able to determine exactly where those interiors were shot.
The entrance on Broadway is open to visitors. Inside, it’s a genuinely stunning architectural gem. The building is essentially two separate structures enclosed under a glass roof, creating a breathtaking atrium with ornate cast-iron railings and open-cage elevators. The building’s interior was also used for the scene where Tom comes for a job interview at an architecture firm and meets Autumn - the hopeful final scene of the film.
Million Dollar Theatre - Where Tom and Summer Watch Movies
Million Dollar Theatre, 307 S Broadway, Los Angeles
The Million Dollar Theatre. One of the oldest movie palaces in the US, built in 1918.
Located right across the street from the Bradbury Building. On the day I visited, it was closed. I’m not sure films are still shown there regularly. In the movie, this is where Tom and Summer watch The Graduate together. One of the oldest movie palaces in the US, built in 1918.
Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain - Where Tom Dances to Hall & Oates
Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain, Grand Park, Los Angeles
The fountain plaza at Grand Park. On my visit the large fountain wasn’t running, but the smaller water features were.
The fountain plaza is a really pleasant spot for a walk. It’s also about a 7-10 minute walk from the previous locations. On the day I visited, the large fountain wasn’t running. This is where the iconic scene was filmed - Tom, high on love, dances to Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams Come True,” complete with dancing strangers and animated birds.
Redwood Bar & Grill - The Karaoke Bar Where They Talk About Love
Redwood Bar & Grill, 316 W 2nd St, Los Angeles
The Redwood Bar from outside. The pirate-themed dive bar is still open and serving.
The round booth seating is still in place. This is where the characters sat.
Oil paintings of ships sailing through stormy seas - the backdrop in front of which both Summer and Tom sang their hearts out.
The bar is still open - you can grab a drink and a bite. It’s a pirate-themed dive bar, and the atmosphere is exactly as charmingly rough as you’d expect. The round booth seating is still in place. And there on the walls you’ll still find oil paintings of ships sailing through stormy seas - the backdrop in front of which both Summer and Tom sang their hearts out. Fun fact: the Redwood doesn’t actually host regular karaoke nights - the stage is real, but the karaoke was staged specifically for the film.
Grand Central Market - Where Tom Wanders After the Breakup
Grand Central Market, 317 S Broadway, Los Angeles
Grand Central Market. Open since 1917 - it was already a century old when we were watching Tom and Summer fall apart.
Grand Central Market appears in the film during Tom’s post-breakup wandering through Downtown LA. It’s right in the middle of all the other filming locations and a perfect spot to grab a bite while exploring. A massive food hall with dozens of vendors, from tacos to ramen to fresh juices. It’s been open since 1917, so it was already a century old when we were watching Tom and Summer fall apart.
Locations I Didn’t Photograph but You Can Find Nearby
Westin Bonaventure Hotel (Tom’s Apartment Exterior) - 404 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles. The area around the Westin was used as the exterior of Tom’s apartment building. In the film, this is where he shuffles home in a bathrobe during his post-breakup depression.
Barclay Hotel (The Coffee Hangout) - 103 W 4th St, Los Angeles. The lobby was used as the coffee bar where Tom and his buddies hang out.
IKEA Burbank - 600 N San Fernando Blvd, Burbank. You’ve seen an IKEA in every other country in the world. You know what it looks like.
Old Bank DVD / San Fernando Building (The Record Store) - 400 S Main St, Los Angeles. According to the LA Conservancy, the record store scene was filmed at Old Bank DVD inside this building. The iconic birthplace of the “me too” moment - where Tom discovers Summer also loves The Smiths.
A Note About the Rooftop Scene
The expectations vs. reality scene - one of the most heartbreaking moments in cinema - takes place at Summer’s apartment party. In the film, you can see the Downtown LA skyline from her rooftop. But here’s the thing: Summer’s apartment is actually the Barclay building at 706 S Normandie Ave in Koreatown, and there’s no such view of Downtown from there. The skyline was composited in with a green screen.
If you want an actual rooftop view of Downtown LA, I’d recommend Perch - a rooftop bar right in the heart of Downtown, not far from the other locations. It’s not connected to the movie, but the view at sunset is worth the visit.
The view from Perch at sunset. Not a bad way to end a day of chasing filming locations.
Why These Locations Matter
The choice of locations in the script reveals something important. Unlike many other films that use a city as a backdrop - like Home Alone 2, which scatters its filming locations miles apart across New York - in (500) Days of Summer, the locations are genuinely close to each other. The filmmakers wanted to emphasize the authenticity of the story and make the city feel like a real, lived-in place. Tom’s office is a five-minute walk from his favorite bench. The karaoke bar, the movie theater, the fountain - they’re all within walking distance in Downtown LA. The city isn’t just a setting. It’s a character.
A reminder that my app Chiaro helped me find these filming locations. Chiaro is great at discovering locations connected to your favorite films, as well as recognizing landmarks, works of art, and architectural gems. Tom would have loved it.
Being in these places felt like sinking back into the emotions of that film. Warmth, hope, and love. Enjoy your visit - and enjoy your rewatch.