Here's all you need to know about Super Bowl 50: the Carolina Panthers are playing the Denver Broncos just outside of San Francisco, the roman numeral "L" was dropped in favor of "50," and Beyonce is stopping by Coldplay's halftime performance. Until we can watch the LA Rams in the Super Bowl, we've decided to put those four beer commercial-filled hours to better use. While you won't be the only football anti-fan in LA (i.e. Space Mountain will still have a long wait), you will be able to take advantage of an 80-degree day with a couple million fewer Angelenos crowding the following places. Here, a list of things to do while everyone else is glued to the tube this Sunday.
Watch a romp of sea otters pass around the pigskin
We know we said no football-related activities, but we have to allow an exception for the Otter Bowl. Come see the Aquarium of the Pacific's playful otters vie for the title of most adorable marine mammal. Trainers will be adding extra playthings to the sea otters' habitat in the spirit of gridiron competition.
Ring in the Year of the Monkey
Chinese New Year begins on Monday, so get a head start on the celebrations. Pasadena's Pacific Asia Museum is hosting its Lunar New Year Festival, a free afternoon filled with taiko drumming, a taekwondo presentation and flower arrangement demos. Meanwhile, crowds will begin to gather at Thien Hau Temple in Chinatown for the Chinese New Year Midnight Temple Ceremony, complete with firecrackers, incense and lion dancers.
Satisfy your sweet tooth
Sunday marks the second day of LA Cookie Con. After a messy inaugural fest, the sweets show has made a welcome move to the LA Convention Center for pastry workshops, dessert tastings and all sorts of cookie samples.
Take a stroll around the Huntington Library
Even at its busiest, it's not hard to find tranquility within the 120 acres of these spectacular gardens. And then there's the library collection, the plant conservatory, the art museum, the estate, the mausoleum... Make sure to peruse the new entrance area as well as the Alex Israel exhibition, and scope out the blooming aloe plants in the desert garden while you're there.
Start catching up on awards season films
You know how the Oscar nominees come out and you only ever see about two of the films and haven't even heard of half the others? Make a dent in your movie wishlist with an evening at the cinema, including two batches of Oscar-nominated shorts at the Nuart.
Hike Runyon, sans crowds
Runyon's a great place to workout and get a sprawling view of LA. If only other people didn't go there, it would be even better. Well, today's probably your best bet to have the trail to yourself on a weekend; we're thinking the Runyon scene—because of course a hiking trail in LA has a scene—will be too busy hashtagging Super Bowl commercials to come out for a late-afternoon run.
Watch the sun set over the Pacific
Sorry Coldplay, but we think the setting sun will put on the best show tonight. Pull up to the beach while the afternoon crowds start filing out, unroll a blanket, zip up a sweatshirt and park yourself in the sand until sunset. You can head to Santa Monica or Venice for some quality people watching, but we'll take the longer drive to majestic El Matador any day.