Oktoberfest

Your neighborhood bar might serve up German brews and a bowl of pretzels, but head to Torrance’s Alpine Village for a proper Oktoberfest celebration. The seasonal fest has flown in oom-pah-pah bands, brats and beers for nearly half a century to create a bit of Germany in the South Bay. Of course, this is still LA; we’re light on European culture and heavy on traffic, so you can expect a pretty packed tent. But you should still be able to squeeze in a weekend visit between mid-September and the end of October.