Los Angeles is a magical city, with world-class entertainment and attractions. But with great achievements come great demises. Indeed, L.A.’s sinister side contributes to the city’s unique allure and shapes its essence.

The Black Dahlia. Charles Manson. Richard Ramirez. O.J. Simpson. These weren’t just infamous historic characters; they became cultural zeitgeists, terrifying forces personifying the distinct epochs of this city’s evolution. It explains why dusting off a black-and-white film noir about a fatal Hollywood heiress in a spooky mansion, or taking a deep web dive about the west coast mob is a fine way to educate oneself about the history and culture here.

Grave Line Tours serves to present to you this other, darker, side of L.A., one no less real than the aspects the world has already come to know and love.

Sigmund Freud reduced all human drives into two ultimate forces: sex and death! For a culture as sex-obsessed as ours, there seems to be a gaping vacuum in exploring death. In fact, current cultural consciousness, worshipping at the alter of eternal youth and vitality, seems desperate to avoid the grim reaper’s inevitable arrival at any cost.

Grave Line Tours loves discomfort (except inside of a limousine). Where normies squirm, we want more. We want to break down the barriers and stigma surrounding all things grim because they fascinate us. We in no way condone violent crime or rejoice from or glorify the pain and loss of others.

But. We attribute so much about what brings life meaning and value to those rare moments of reprieve from death, crime, disease, disgrace and tragedy. Without the occasional reminder about these dark forces, one can too easily take for granted that which is most fundamental to reinforcing the joy of living.

Perhaps Leonard Cohen put it best: “There’s a crack in everything…that’s how the light gets in.”