Start your Los Angeles adventure by gathering helpful information and soaking up some fascinating local history. This California Welcome Center—set inside the Citadel Outlets retail mall—offers travel-friendly freebies as well as excellent shopping and a surprising backstory.
More than a traditional visitor center, the California Welcome Center, Los Angeles provides information about the area, recommendations for lodging, dining and experiences, along with added inspiration for guests to continue exploring the state. CWC Los Angeles serves as a concierge to the community, providing exceptional customer service to both travelers and local community members and with a local’s perspective. Stop by our CWC to gather information from our brochure racks and speak with one of our Certified California Specialists who can help you plan your California experience.
Additionally, as a leading Outlet Shopping Center, many shops offer customized, branded and personalized California keepsakes. Plus, you can always find your California style for your ultimate California Playground experience.
Customer Service and Center Amenities Include:
- Complimentary Baggage Check
- Luggage Re-packing Room
- Foreign Currency Exchange
- Multi-lingual Maps and Staff
- Mobile Charging Stations
- Luxury Restrooms, including Mother’s Lounge
- Dog Friendly, including pet friendly areas
- Valet Parking and Free Self-Parking
- Tesla Charging Station
- Food Court and Full-Service Dining
Soak up history at this unique outlet mall
Visiting this California Welcome Center offers the obvious perk of outlet shopping, but the Citadel Outlets has an interesting ambience, too, which you’ll sense as soon as you arrive. The imposing building was built as a tire factory in the 1920s, designed by the same architects who created the landmark El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.
During the 1920s, architecture that evoked ancient history was in vogue, thanks in part to archeological discoveries at the time, such as King Tut’s tomb and King Sargon’s palace in Assyria. That’s the likely reason, at least, that the Samson Tire & Rubber Company was built in 1928 to look like an Assyrian castle, adorned with battlements and winged genies. Today, you can see little triangular etchings of cuneiform on the exterior walls that tell the story of King Sargon, who ruled Assyria during the eighth century B.C. The tire factory shuttered in 1978 and fell into disrepair until it found new life in the 1990s as a shopping center.
What to do at Citadel Outlets
Today, you can do some serious shopping at brands ranging from Armani to Zales and more than 130 stores in between, including Disney, Lululemon, Karl Lagerfeld, and the spirit wear at Dodger Clubhouse. Dining options include classic mall fare as well as the pizzas of Pieology and the boba teas of Lollicup Fresh.
The shopping center provides some sweet amenities too. Lighten your load by stashing your bags at the mall’s baggage check, charge your car at the Tesla stations, or take a little downtime in the mall’s VIP Lounge that comes equipped with couches and bubbly ($30 for a day pass). To get even more savings, sign up for a free Citadel Savings Passport, which offers added discounts at various stores within the mall.
Attractions near the California Welcome Center at Citadel Outlets
Once you’ve collected your freebies at the visitors center and enjoyed a little retail therapy, you’re in a good position to start exploring. Most of Los Angeles County’s must-see attractions—such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Beverly Hills—are all within 20 miles.
Please contact the Welcome Center for specific hours of operation.