Michael Juliano

Whether a day trip or a Metro ride away, there’s no shortage of music festivals near Los Angeles. We’re not just talking about summer music festivals either—thanks to Southern California’s (mostly) persistently pleasant climate, we can enjoy outdoor fests nearly year-round. So lace up a comfortable pair of shoes for these music festivals within driving distance of L.A., from single-day affairs to camping excursions. We’ve gathered the biggest fests below—and we’ll continue to add more as they’re announced throughout the year.

Well before the jacaranda trees bloom and just as the California poppies begin to flower, Los Angeles also greets the springtime with cherry blossom season. If you’re after blossoming buds, you’ll want to head to a botanical garden or Japanese garden between March and April, though some cherry blossoms began blooming as early as January and February this year. As of the start of March, you can still spot cherry blossoms at the Huntington and at South Coast Botanic Garden, though they’re slowly fading. At Descanso Gardens, the Akebono and Beni Hoshi blossoms have started to flower and have yet to reach peak bloom. Meanwhile, the Japanese Garden in Van Nuys is closed for construction until April. You’ll also find some cherry blossom festivals, where a handful of Southern California cities salute their Japanese roots. Oddly enough, while some of these fests take place in parks and along city streets adorned with those delicate pink flowers, others don’t actually feature any cherry trees. Peak blooms are pretty short-lived, so we suggest checking each spot (Instagram tends to be particularly useful) for up-to-the-minute photos before you trek on over. It’s worth noting that the area fills with pink trees of all different kinds this time of year, so even if the cherry blossoms are past their peak, you’ll likely never be disappointed by a visit to one of these botanical gardens. RECOMMENDED: Where to see wildflowers in Southern California

This list is from 2024. Our latest ranking for 2025 is live here. In 2024, what exactly makes a neighbourhood cool? Craft breweries, natty wine bars and street art are well and good, but the world’s best, most exciting and downright fun neighbourhoods are much more than identikit ‘hipster hubs’. They’re places that reflect the very best of their cities – its culture, community spirit, nightlife, food and drink – all condensed in one vibey, walkable district. To create our annual ranking, we went straight to the experts – our global team of on-the-ground writers and editors – and asked them what the coolest neighbourhood in their city is right now, and why. Then we narrowed down the selection and ranked the list using the insight and expertise of Time Out’s global editors, who vetted each neighbourhood against criteria including food, drink, arts, culture, street life, community and one-of-a-kind local flavour. The result? A list that celebrates the most unique and exciting pockets of our cities – and all their quirks. Yes, you’ll find some of those international hallmarks of ‘cool’. But in every neighbourhood on this list there’s something you won’t find anywhere else. Ever been to a photography museum that moonlights as a jazz club? Or a brewery with a library of Russian literature? How about a festival dedicated to fluff? When communities fiercely support and rally around their local businesses, even the most eccentric ideas can become a reality. And that, in our eyes, is

This list is from 2025. Our latest ranking for 2026 is live here. People who don’t live in cities will tell you they’re busy, lonely and expensive places. But there’s a reason so many people choose to live in them: with world-class art and culture, unbeatable food and nightlife, buzzing neighbourhoods and a dizzying amount of stuff to do and see, there’s simply no better place to be.  Every year, we take the pulse of city living by quizzing thousands of locals across the planet about life in their hometowns. This year, more than 18,500 city-dwellers shared their insights on everything from food, nightlife and culture to affordability, happiness and the overall city vibe. When urban living can sometimes feel isolating and costly, this year we wanted to get a sense of what, exactly, makes a city feel like home. Sure, the nightlife is great, but is the city safe and walkable? Is good quality food and art available at a reasonable price? Is it easy to make friends, find love, and access nature?  Livability was a key factor in our ranking this year. But a great city to live in is, naturally, a great city to visit. So, along with the thousands of responses from locals around the world, we asked Time Out’s global network of city experts to vote on the places they think are particularly exciting right now. After crunching all that data, here we are: Time Out’s definitive ranking of the world’s best cities in 2025. Read on to see how your hometown fared… RECOMMENDED:🛍️ The coolest n

Los Angeles isn’t really a St. Paddy’s Day kind of town. We do have our old standby Irish pubs and a thriving beer and brewery scene that are the perfect complement to St. Patrick’s Day events in Los Angeles. But outside of a couple of festivals, Celtic music performances and parades, March isn’t nearly as shamrock-filled as some other major U.S. cities. That said, here are a few events where you can have a bit of craic on St. Patrick’s Day in L.A. RECOMMENDED: St. Patrick’s Day in Los Angeles

Looking for the best things to do in Los Angeles? We have you covered with the very best that L.A. has to offer. I’m a Los Angeles native and have lived here all my life, and take it from me: There’s always more to discover and explore. Whether you’re a culture vulture, an outdoorsy type or simply a lover of our fine city, you’ll find more than enough here to keep you busy. Even lifelong Angelenos can find something new to add to their to-do list, between the city’s landmark attractions, an ever-changing inventory of the best restaurants in Los Angeles, essential L.A. museums and even some off-the-beaten-path secrets. How many of the best things to do in Los Angeles will you try? Updated March 2026: Sure, St. Patrick’s Day is coming up, but to many, March means one thing: the start of spring. Head to L.A.’s botanical gardens this month before you miss the fleeting beauty of their cherry blossoms, tulips and wisteria. Or take a drive out of town to see some wildflowers—a super bloom doesn’t seem to be in the cards this year, but there’s lots more floral activity than there was last spring, including at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. Two culinary fests—the women-centric Re:Her Festival and California Adventure’s Food & Wine Festival—fill March with delicious offerings. And ArtNight Pasadena, one of the city’s best cultural events, is back this month, showcasing some newly renovated museums. Meanwhile, the Academy Museum is helping movie lovers prep for the Oscars

When it comes to wanderlust, it’s tough to compete with the call of the open road in Southern California (spikes in gas prices aside). But road trips aren’t your only option: If you’re willing to put in a little bit of extra time and planning, there are a few train trips from Los Angeles that are even more spectacular than their car-based counterparts. As with standout automobile excursions, we think the journey is just as key as the destination when it comes to train trips. So the routes we’ve selected below all feature pretty stunning coastal scenery, as well as worthwhile cities waiting for you at the end. They also all rely on Amtrak, and we’ve started each itinerary at Union Station in DTLA (though we’ve noted when additional departure stations are available, as well). We’ll admit, though, that Southern California’s train trip options are relatively limited—at least using our pretty particular criteria. Also, just because you can take a train somewhere doesn’t mean you should: A route that only runs at night, takes hours more than a car or bus ride and costs more than a flight isn’t really something we can recommend. Therefore, we’ve limited our picks below to a small number of the very best of the best—and outlined why a couple of notable destinations didn’t make the cut. Also, there are a number of nearby cities reachable by Metrolink (Ventura, Oxnard, Claremont, Orange, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente and Solana Beach) that we consider commutes more than proper trip

There’s never been a better – or more important – time to celebrate cinemas. They’re the places we go to dream, focal points of our communities, and an all-round great escape. Yet movie theatres are faced with challenges that even lovelty popcorn holders can’t help with. But they’ve survived the advent of TV, Hollywood strikes, a couple of pandemics, and so far, they’re holding firm against streaming and surging costs – and there’s reasons for optimism, too: younger, Letterboxd-savvy audiences are embracing the big-screen experience like never before, and filmmakers like Ryan Coogler, Christopher Nolan and Chloé Zhao are championing it at every opportunity. Just try booking an IMAX ticket for The Odyssey. With that in mind, Time Out’s local experts have collaborated on a celebration of the best cinemas from across the globe. From cult Tokyo cinemas and grand Parisian film temples to beloved Sydney picturehouses and LA film dream palaces, from a Berlin kino with its own nuclear bunker to a Canadian cinema with only 12 seats, we’ve pointed the spotlight on a hundred magnificent movie palaces that all movie lovers should know about – and visit.  NB We’ve gone almost entirely with single-use cinemas rather than venues that double up as theatres or gig venues.  Greatest cinemas at a glance: 🍿 The greatest cinema in the world: TCL Chinese Theatre, LA 🌔 The world’s best outdoor cinema: Cine Paris, Athens 📽️ The coolest cult cinema in the world: The New Beverly, LA Jump to list

Every spring in SoCal brings wildflower excitement and hopes of a super bloom. And while last year was a bit of a letdown, bloom-wise, this season has immediately shown more promise, starting strong with early blooms at a number of parks. In fact, California State Parks has predicted a “moderate-to-strong wildflower bloom across desert state parks.” You can thank the widespread rainfall Southern California has experienced on-and-off since the holidays. A super bloom requires a specific set of circumstances, and one is above-average rainfall (wind and warm—not too hot—weather also play a part). And though we might not see a full-blown super bloom this year, it’s definitely worth planning a trip to one or more of these lovely wildflower destinations. Even if you miss peak bloom periods, embarking on one of the best hikes in L.A. or taking a day trip to one of our state parks is never a bad idea. In the meantime, we’ll keep you updated on any wildflower developments. What’s the latest bloom status? As of early March, many of our favorite destinations for wildflowers have reported action—with more blooms on the way. The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve and Carrizo Plain National Monument are welcoming visitors, and while the bloom at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park may be past its peak, there are still lots of flowers to see. And, perhaps most exciting of all: Death Valley National Park is seeing the best bloom it’s had in a decade. We’ve checked in on some of our favorite

Guys, it’s L.A.: There are movie theaters, screening rooms, DIY projections, drive-ins, outdoor screenings and local film events everywhere. When Hollywood is the local industry, you can expect that there’d be no shortage of places to check out the resulting product.  But when you’re looking for the best possible place to plant yourself for two-plus hours of cinematic bliss, there are a few spots that rise above the rest. Whether you’re into arthouse, black-and-white, B-movie bonanzas or the most luxurious assigned-seating dine-in theater, this city has it all. Here are our picks for the best movie theaters and classic cinemas L.A. has to offer. RECOMMENDED: 57 best films about Los Angeles

Outdoor movies combine two things we love about L.A.: an appreciation of movie-making and spending as much time as possible outside. Alfresco screenings usually start to surge across the city in the early spring and continue into the fall and holiday season, be it atop rooftop bars, at L.A.’s best parks or even at a Hollywood cemetery. Most of our favorite outdoor series fall into two formats: Alfresco screenings where moviegoers bring their own chair or blanket and can pack together some picnic food, and rooftop ones where you’ll be offered a seat and some on-site snacks as you catch films both old and new. (If you’re looking for a fun date idea, this one takes the cake.) Be sure to check back all year long for updates on the list, as new screenings are always being added. Looking to see a new movie any night of the week? Check out the best movie theaters in L.A. or the few remaining old-school drive-in movie theaters. And for some at-home inspiration, you can always catch up on the best L.A. movies of all time. For screenings with multiple movies on a single night, each film is separately ticketed unless otherwise noted. Also, unannounced schedule changes tend to occur, but we’ll do our best to keep the list below updated on at least a monthly basis.

Though known for its swimming pools and as a place for Hollywood legends to escape, Palm Springs offers so much more than this classic reputation. Everyone knows about Coachella and Stagecoach, but art festivals, food and wine festivals and the annual Pride parade—which hosts thousands of people each fall—are more than enough reasons to book a Palm Springs getaway. While the desert heat may deter some, there’s no reason not to pay a visit in the fall, winter or spring, where the temperatures are cooler, and places to stay, abound.  Hotel personalities are diverse here—from massive resorts to cozy bungalows and boutique hotels with plenty of character, you and your crew are sure to find the right fit. Got a bachelorette? Party hard at a famous hotel known for its pool parties. Planning a romantic anniversary? Book a spa treatment at a hotel that’s hidden away from the rest of the city.  Whatever your vibe, read on to discover our picks for the best places to stay in the desert—oh, and don’t forget to hydrate.  RECOMMENDED: ☀️ The ultimate guide to California 🏠 The best Palm Springs Airbnbs⭐ The best luxury hotels in Palm Springs💰 The best cheap hotels in Palm Springs This guide was recently updated by California-based writer Michelle Poveda. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our lis

It doesn’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile—or if you’re more of a fan of the street racing and respect era or heists and hackers phase of Fast & Furious: There’s plenty of familiar motorized might to behold at this Petersen Automotive Museum exhibition honoring the high-adrenaline film franchise. You’ll find roughly 20 screen-used cars and production prototypes—including ones on loan from Vin Diesel’s private collection, as well as from the late Paul Walker—on display in the second floor of the Miracle Mile museum. It’s a very Fast & Furious kind of year in L.A. between Universal Studios’ roller coaster and this 25th anniversary exhibition. While the Petersen’s exhibition is certainly encyclopedic (the selections here span the entirety of the franchise, with a particular focus on the first three films), it’s not overly academic: Brief labels will let you know the story behind the stunt car you’re staring at, but this is ultimately an opportunity to ogle American muscle cars and custom Japanese imports (as well as the franchise’s melodramatic quotes about family). Highlights on display include the 1993 Toyota Supra “Stunt #3” and 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) in the original film, Dominic Toretto’s (Vin Diesel) 1968 Dodge Charger R/T and 1993 Mazda RX-7, and Suki’s (Devon Aoki) very pink 2001 Honda S2000.

Formerly on Fairfaix but situated in this intimate 1940s-era theater since 2008, Largo is one of the best places in L.A. to see A-list comedians and storytellers. When comics like Marc Maron or Patton Oswalt aren’t doing stand-up, you might see live podcast tapings by Paul Scheer or long-form improv from Ben Schwartz—and all sorts of other semi-regular shows from the likes of Kate Berlant, Judd Apatow, Tig Notaro and Pete Holmes. Some nights, the comedians turn the stage over to (or share it with) singer-songwriters—and often the other way around, too. Resident legend Jon Brion has recently taken up near-monthly shows again, and it remains the venue of choice for the likes of the Watkins Family Hour and Colin Hay—plus occasional sets from Andrew Bird and an annual visit from Jeff Tweedy. The ticketing system can be confusing for first-timers: Your advance purchase buys you an unassigned seat; if you want to be near the front, you’ll need to check in at the venue about two hours in advance to claim your spot. (Even if you wind up in the very back, you’re no more than a few dozen feet from the stage.) You’re welcome to then leave and come back right before the show—or grab a beer at the attached Little Room, or a top-tier cocktail next door at the Roger Room. The garage next door provides paid valet, but you can usually nab street parking within a few blocks when you check in.

Spring at Knott’s Berry Farm means a celebration of its namesake fruit, and come mid-March you’ll be able to stuff your face with all things boysenberry. Knott’s turns its theme park into a food fest of sorts, with dozens of boysenberry-infused items that you can try to work your way through, thanks to an event tasting card. (Of course, there’ll be boysenberry-themed merch, too, plus crafts from local artisans.) Expect both delicious and questionable boysenberry creations alike—think elote, sausage, tortillas, smoothies, Brussels sprouts, bao buns, wings, sangria, beer and wine. Park admission starts at $65, while a pass with three tasting items and parking costs $95. If you already have a season pass or an admission ticket, a six-item tasting card costs $55.

The forecourt of this iconic movie theater may be a tourist-choked hot mess, but beyond those foot and hand prints, movie magic awaits. For the average out-of-town visitor to L.A., you’re probably just here to see the concrete imprints of Marilyn Monroe and R2-D2 and the world’s most recognizable red carpet photo op. Maybe you’ll be satisfied with that alone—we’d rate that aspect more of a “meh”—but we implore you to step foot in the palatial lobby of the 1927 pagoda-shaped palace. Inside the 932-seat auditorium, the radiant red curtain, grandiose golden columns and dazzling starburst on the ceiling make every screening feel like it’s the opening night of Star Wars in 1977. First-run flicks here simply look superb, possibly the best in the entire city since the theater’s IMAX conversion in 2013—and one of the finest places to see a film on the entire planet. Just a heads up, though, that the historic theater is attached to a six-screen multiplex; unless this is your local theater, ignore those smaller spaces and stick to the main theater (listed online as IMAX or auditorium 7).

The Wilco frontman’s freewheeling solo shows balance acoustic takes, deep cut requests and charming banter. He’s playing two consecutive nights—first at the Belasco, then the United Theater on Broadway (if you prefer a seated show)—as part of his Twilight Override Tour, in support of his folksy fifth solo album. Speaking of those requests, you can submit your own here.

Over the past century, this Central L.A. venue has done stints as a candy store, a vaudeville stage, a nightclub and a porno theater before landing on its current iteration as a single-screen revival house with a love of 35mm and a penchant for grindhouse fare. What it lacks in architectural flourish, it makes up for in affordability and curation. Oh yeah, and it’s owned and programmed by a certain Quentin Tarantino (who’s since also purchased the Vista Theater). Already a longtime benefactor, the filmmaker stepped in and saved the theater from redevelopment in 2007. He’s been screening rare prints of classics and obscure, dusted-off B-movies ever since, often pulling them from his personal collection. It’s the coolest vanity project in cinema. Become a true L.A. cinephile and attend a Friday midnight screening of a Tarantino-directed flick or perhaps one of the monthly grindhouse double features—you might even catch some legendary filmmakers in attendance. Just make sure to follow the strict “no cellphone” rule (the theater will throw you out at best and call the cops at worst if you don’t), and be sure to arrive early for a curated pre-show of shorts, cartoons or vintage trailers.

The history of moviemaking finally has a home in Los Angeles, thanks to the 2021 arrival of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Located next to LACMA in the Wilshire May Company building and in a new and expanded space designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Renzo Piano, the museum features four full floors of gallery space, two theaters (including a 1,000-seat space in that giant glassy sphere) a restaurant, Fanny’s, and a gift shop. RECOMMENDED: Check out our full guide to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The Academy Museum’s collection includes the sorts of cinematic treasures you’d expect from the people who put on the Oscars: During a visit you might see the Rosebud sled from Citizen Kane, Dorothy’s ruby red slippers, R2-D2 and C-3PO, the Dude’s robe from The Big Lebowski, the sole surviving shark from Jaws and the flowery May Queen dress from Midsommar, among many other treasures. You’ll also find a revolving set of galleries dedicated to specific creators and industry crafts, plus excellent special exhibitions that are swapped out at least once a year.  Timed reservations are encouraged (but not required) and available via the museum’s website. Tickets (which include admission to all exhibitions) cost $25 for adults, $19 for seniors (62 and up), $15 for students, and are free for visitors 17 and younger and CA residents with an EBT card. An immersive installation dubbed the Oscars Experience, where you can hold a real Oscar and practice your acceptance sp

Though its rides may not match Disneyland’s charm or Six Flags Magic Mountain’s sheer terror, Universal Studios Hollywood’s hillside theme park nevertheless offers its own amusing identity, with a few truly worthwhile thrills fueled by silver-screen memories, plus a little bit of actual Hollywood magic (and you can’t deny that it’s by far the most convenient theme park to get to for most Angelenos). There are some absolute winners here, including the Super Nintendo, Harry Potter and Jurassic World lands, which we’ll dive into in depth below. Speaking of depths, the park is split between two main levels with a series of escalators between: On the thrill-filled lower lot, the Transformers ride is a slick but muddy crash course in Michael Bay robot carnage, while Revenge of the Mummy is a short but action-packed coaster launch through a movie property you may have otherwise forgotten. (The area is also home to the standout Nintendo and Jurassic World areas.) You’ll find a mix of 3-D movies and stage shows—of all things, Waterworld remains an entertaining highlight—on the upper lot, as well as themed areas and attractions for Harry Potter, Despicable Me and The Simpsons. Kids will appreciate Minion Mayhem and the adjacent Super Silly Fun Land, though neither are quite as engaging as you’d wish. On the other hand, The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash is easily the park’s most charming attraction, a family-friendly dark ride filled with troublemaking, wisecracking dog and cat ani

The New York export returns to L.A. for the art fair’s seventh West Coast edition. After debuting in the surreal setting of the Paramount backlot and then decamping to a space next to the Beverly Hilton, the event has since settled on a site-specific tent in the southeast corner of Santa Monica Airport. Frieze’s massive tent is packed with a lineup of 100 impressive galleries—and its surrounding grounds with lounges and local-favorite food—but the price of admission will likely keep out the most casual art fans. Thankfully, Frieze is about more than just the fair: Its arrival attracts major openings at free gallery shows all across the city in the days surrounding the event. If you do plan on attending, definitely try to book as early of a window as possible; the fair (and its food vendors) gets increasingly crowded as the day drags on. When you walk inside the tent, the “Focus” section near the back spotlights some of the most exciting up-and-coming artists and galleries, while the secondary area to the left of those houses some pretty spacious displays from mega-galleries. As for getting there, absolutely don’t plan on parking on-site: Best case you’ll get redirected to an overflow lot, and while the shuttles run frequently, the whole process is a hassle—so consider parking outside of the orbit of the airport complex and taking a rideshare over.

Telling the story of Gorillaz, the animated band created by Blur’s Damon Albarn and British artist Jamie Hewlett, involves a bit of real-world history and a bunch of cartoon mythology. House of Kong manages to blend both of those into a truly transportive walkthrough that mixes an art-on-the-wall gallery show with a cartoon-come-to-life manifestation of one of this century’s most singular bands. The L.A.-by-way-of-London experience, which sets up in the Arts District’s Rolling Greens from February 26 to March 19, starts outside in front of a hulking statue of Pazuzu, a Mesopotamian demon-god and in-universe motif that’s been plastered with decades-spanning Gorillaz stickers. That’s about the only thing you can photograph until you reach the finish of this largely phone-free experience (the island model from Plastic Beach and a sizable gift shop greet you at the end). From there, you’ll be handed a pair of headphones and embark on a half-hour-plus audio-guided tour. House of Kong starts like a proper museum show; gallery lighting focuses on prints of early concept art of 2-D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel before diving into relics that chart the rise of the band (including, ahem, a 2005 Time Out London magazine cover) and its world-building lore. From there, in the classic style of a Disneyland ride preshow, things go awry, and the following five sections (no spoilers) see guests traversing through lovingly cluttered sets just bursting with hazy homages to both the animated charac

The Hollywood Bowl is beautiful even when it’s empty (when there’s no performance, the iconic venue doubles as a county park). But when there’s a show—when picnic basket-toting concertgoers amble up the hill and fill amphiteater’s 18,000 seats—it’s simply magical. The summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 1922, the Bowl is simply unlike any other concert venue in L.A.; seeing a show here isn’t just a performance, it’s an experience. The gates typically open two hours prior to showtime, when guests stream in and start to claim the picnic areas. Yes, you can bring your own food, and even your own bottles of beer and wine for LA Phil-produced shows (as opposed to lease events, which aren’t BYOB friendly). Being just about anywhere inside the Bowl feels electric, but of course where you sit does still matter (the bulk of the venue is bench seating). If you’re able to splurge on the box seats (which can cost hundreds of dollars each), you’ll be treated to four foldable chairs with two tables that pop open for the ultimate pre-show picnic. On the opposite end, if you’re booking tickets early you might be able to nab $1 bench seats all the way in the back for some LA Phil shows. If you don’t want to drop a ton on seats but do still want a taste of a premium experience, consider booking a reservation at the Backyard, an open-air restaurant right next to one of the huge screens that flank the stage. Reserve an early time slot and you’re welcome to wine and dine right up un

Though the Hollywood Bowl may be L.A.’s most iconic open-air theater, the Greek easily rivals it as far as the setting goes. A night at the nearly 6,000-seat venue feels like seeing a concert in the middle of the woods—because you quite literally are within the boundaries of the rugged Griffith Park. It’s about the biggest venue you can go to that still feels somewhat intimate while managing to bring in just-below-arena-sized acts. The classically-inspired space is beautiful, as are the perpetual-summer vibes; linger in the handsome forecourt before the show for some stadium-style snacks and drinks, or opt for a pair of beer and wine terraces on the northern side of the campus. The only downside? Traffic, of both the human and automotive variety. For all of the elbow room in the entry plaza, the pathways leading into the seating areas are an uncomfortably tight squeeze (it’s kind of a nightmare when that crowd flow collides with the bathroom lines). Meanwhile, traffic on Vermont Avenue comes to a notorious standstill ahead of shows, and getting out afterwards is nearly as jammed. Plus, the cheapest parking starts at $50, and the $135 “quick park” gets you closer to the entrance but really doesn’t avoid the bulk of the car traffic. My advice: Opt for the off-site shuttle, especially if you’ll be driving to the Greek via a freeway. It only costs $10 per person in advance to park at the Pony Ride Train Lot near the 5, and there’s a steady stream of buses that’ll bypass nearly al

You’re not supposed to stare at an eclipse, but nobody ever said anything about projectors. Because how often do you have the opportunity to gaze upon the guts of a decades-old analog projector? To watch two dozen photographs flicker past a lamp in the span of a second? To see a postage-stamp-sized still expand into a wall-sized moving image as it cuts through the darkness? That sort of cinematic magic plays out six times over in director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s latest installation at LACMA. To craft “Sueño Perro,” which runs through July 26, the celebrated Mexican filmmaker pored over a nearly-forgotten trove of a million feet of film that he’d shot for his 2000 debut, Amores Perros. The raw footage was resurrected into roughly 15-minute reels that speed along columns of sprockets and twirl around looping platters to simultaneously play out across six film projectors in a hazy, near-dark gallery of the museum. “This is material that was supposed to be but never was,” the Birdman and The Revenant director says during a late-February preview of the installation. Photograph: Michael Juliano for Time OutSueño Perro: A Film Installation by Alejandro G. Iñárritu A cornerstone of contemporary Mexican cinema, crime drama Amores Perros follows three human (and canine) stories bound by a car crash in Mexico City. (It’s worth mentioning that dog fighting plays a pivotal role in the film, though at LACMA you’ll see some of the behind-the-scenes tricks that kept the production cr

Good luck to all those running the L.A. Marathon on Sunday. Also, good luck to anyone thinking about driving anywhere near the L.A. Marathon route on Sunday. This is your friendly annual reminder that thousands of runners will descend on 26.2 miles of L.A.’s streets this weekend, and an even greater mileage of rolling road closures will shut down traffic near Dodger Stadium, around Downtown, toward Hollywood and in Beverly Hills. (Of course, you’re always welcome to use the Metro to avoid some of these closures and cheer on the runners.) When the L.A. Marathon kicks off on Sunday, March 8, you’re going to want to avoid driving near some of the city’s busiest areas starting at 4 or 5am until later in the morning or afternoon: Steer clear of Downtown until a little after 10am, avoid Hollywood (specifically near Hollywood Boulevard) until around noon and Beverly Hills until 1pm. West of there, things get a little more complicated. This year’s marathon once again drops the classic stadium-to-the-sea route in exchange for a “Stadium to Stars” route that makes a U-turn around Brentwood and then wraps up in Century City. So Santa Monica won’t be affected by street closures, but Brentwood, Westwood and Century City will be doubly impacted: All of Santa Monica Boulevard from Wilshire Boulevard to Sepulveda Boulevard will stay closed until 6pm, while San Vicente Boulevard in Brentwood will be closed until 5pm. And consider Century City, where you’ll find the finish line and festival, s

It’s award season right now, which means A-list Angelenos are readying their acceptance speeches and practicing how to win with humility or lose with grace. So pardon our manners, as we’re about to gloat for a minute—because it feels good when L.A. comes out on top. Time Out just published its celebration of the 100 greatest cinemas in the world right now, and Los Angeles has claimed four spots on the list, including the No. 1 position. That’s right: The TCL Chinese Theatre has been crowned the best place on the planet to see a movie, with the New Beverly Cinema following not far behind at No. 5; the Egyptian Theatre and the Academy Museum’s David Geffen Theater both appear on the list, as well. Dublin’s Stella Cinema Rathmines, New York’s Film Forum and London’s BFI Southbank fall in between the pair of top-five L.A. institutions, and the rest of the feature spotlights everything from a grand Parisian movie palace to a Canadian cinema with only a dozen seats. The list focuses on single-use cinemas as opposed to multipurpose venues that happen to screen films—so while the Hollywood Bowl is a magical place to catch an outdoor screening on a summer evening, it wasn’t eligible for this list. Photograph: AndyGriffin / Shutterstock.com For out-of-towners, the Chinese Theatre and its handprints and recognizable red-carpet events are about as synonymous with Hollywood as the neighborhood’s hilltop sign—and likely more of a touristy landmark than a place to actually go see a movie.

It’s just shy of four miles long, yet this short-but-stubby Los Angeles subway expansion could easily become one of the city’s  most transformational public transit projects—particularly for tourists. Metro announced today that Section 1 of the D Line Subway Extension Project will open on May 8, meaning that starting about a month before the World Cup, the current DTLA-to-Koreatown route will stretch as far west as Beverly Hills thanks to three new stops: Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega. These three stops along Wilshire Boulevard will now compete with Downtown L.A. as one of the most cultural institution–rich transit-friendly stretches of the city. The existing span of underground track terminates at Wilshire and Western, across from the Wiltern. Next up comes the first new station at Wilshire and La Brea, about a half block from République and All Season Brewing, and a roughly five-minute walk from the El Rey Theatre. Wilshire and Fairfax will drop riders off right next to the Petersen Automotive Museum and across the street from the La Brea Tar Pits, the Academy Museum and LACMA—only a few days after its new gallery debuts to the general public. Finally, there’s Wilshire and La Cienega, which sits just past the Saban Theatre and will technically become the first Metro station within the City of Beverly Hills. Photograph: Courtesy Aurelia Ventura To mark the occasion, Metro is channeling some real “Chaise Longue” energy by releasing a T-shirt ($2

It’s the worst intersection in Los Angeles: Three major streets converge, the traffic light takes forever and nobody on the road seems to know what they’re doing. We’re obviously talking about… one of any dozen junctions around the city? Every Angeleno thinks that a certain intersection is the worst, whether it’s the six-way stop sign in Beverly Hills or a number of tourist-clogged messes in Hollywood, but if you pitted them all against each other in a March Madness–style bracket, only one could wear the inglorious crown. And that’s exactly what L.A.’s best meme account is trying to find out: Americana at Brand Memes is mounting a monthlong voting campaign to determine, one by one, which intersection is truly L.A.’s worst. Starting March 1, each day around 11am voting will open on Americana at Brand Memes’ Instagram stories to choose between a pair of particularly rotten intersections. The runoff-style voting will continue throughout the month until the worst intersection is chosen on April 1. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Americana At Brand Memes (@americanaatbrandmemes) The L.A. Times recently ranked the worst intersections in the city based on traffic volume and accident data (Highland and Sunset came out the winner/loser). But Americana at Brand Memes’ poll taps more into how these irrational, confusing and aggravating intersections unite Angelenos in their frustration. “I mean, obviously, L.A. is unfortunately a car-reliant city

If this late-winter rain has you feeling a bit gloomy, fear not: Summer is around the corner, or at least it sure feels like it after diving into the upcoming season’s lineup at the Hollywood Bowl. The L.A. Phil has announced its summer 2026 lineup for the iconic amphitheater—the 17th and final one with outgoing music and artistic director Gustavo Dudamel. The celebrated maestro will be at the center of four star-studded late-August performances, most notably an orchestra-backed show by the Foo Fighters. Other highlights include live scores of Wes Anderson movies and Studio Ghibli films (with composer Joe Hisaishi conducting the latter), an evening with St. Vincent and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, fireworks-accompanied shows from the Beach Boys and OneRepublic, the Bowl debut of the Los Angeles Ballet and additional sets from the likes of Chance the Rapper, the Roots, Buddy Guy and many more. Courtesy L.A. Phil Before we dive deeper into the lineup, let’s give a quick refresher on the ticketing process: Subscriptions are available now, but you’ll have to wait a couple of months for tickets to single shows. So starting today, February 18, at 10am, you can subscribe to an entire series or pick up tickets for groups of 10 or more to select shows. On March 24, “create your own” packages will go on sale, followed by individual show tickets on May 5 (if there’s one date to remember here, it’s this one). This all applies to the just-announced L.A. Phil-produced shows (which also

Though it may have fictitiously gone full steam ahead in Arrested Development, the permanently-docked Queen Mary can’t leave its retirement home in Long Beach. But what if you could still approximate the experience of setting sail on the 1930s ocean liner? It’s nearly 70 years younger, but the Queen Mary 2 might come closest to mimicking the experience of voyaging aboard the classic ship. Cunard Line, the storied British shipping and cruise company behind both vessels, launched its latest around-the-world cruise on the QM2 in mid-January (a staggering 108-night trip, with alternative options for shorter itineraries), and I climbed aboard while it was docked in San Pedro to partake in afternoon tea and gawk at its Art Deco–inspired spaces. From the outside, the QM2 is aesthetically akin to its namesake—a black hull with white decks and a bold red funnel on top and stripe along the waterline—but with a bit more of a contemporary cruise ship contour. But this technically isn’t a cruise ship: The QM2 specifically bills itself as the world’s only active ocean liner. You’ll find most of the familiar leisure and luxury amenities that you’d have on a cruise ship, but ocean liners are built for speed and transatlantic crossings (including, in this case, semi-regular trips between New York City and Southampton in England); if you put the QM2 alongside other ships, you’ll notice its taller hull and longer bow. Photograph: Courtesy Nick SouzaQueen Mary 2 (left) passes Queen Mary (right)

In the works for well over a decade and under construction since 2020, the David Geffen Galleries, a single-building replacement for LACMA’s eastern campus, will finally welcome museumgoers this spring, starting with two weeks of previews. LACMA announced on Thursday that its amoeba-shaped structure will host a ribbon-cutting celebration on April 19. That’ll kick off two weeks of previews (Apr 19–May 3) for members and donors, including a free day (May 3) for NexGenLA, the museum’s free youth membership program for L.A. County residents 17 years and younger. Finally, access for the general public starts on May 4. Reservations for all of those groups are available now; museum tickets for the general public cost $30, or $25 for county residents. And if all goes according to plan, Metro’s D Line expansion should be operational by the end of the winter—meaning you can take the subway from Downtown L.A. or as far west as the edge of Beverly Hills to a new station just across the street, next to the Petersen Automotive Museum. Photograph: Michael Juliano for Time OutView of Wilshire Boulevard from the David Geffen Galleries at LACMA On top of the preview days, the museum will hold a series of sunset receptions for members, starting with its most elite tiers on April 18 and 19; individual ($90) and dual ($150) members will receive invites for May 1 and 2. In addition, the building’s architect, Peter Zumthor, will sit down for a conversation with LACMA director and CEO Michael Gova

Don’t have the cash to score tickets to the FIFA World Cup? While it won’t be quite the same as having a seat right on the pitch, the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee has announced a slate of major watch parties for this June and July’s matches, as well as a handful of community celebrations that lead up to the 39-day tournament. This summer’s World Cup shares its hosting duties across 16 cities in the U.S., Mexico and Canada; here in L.A., all eight locally-staged matches will be held at SoFi Stadium, including the United States men’s national soccer team opener on June 12. But arguably the main hub of activity for the opening weekend of the tournament will be over at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Held from June 11 to 15, the FIFA Fan Festival there will feature live match broadcasts, concerts and food; we don’t know yet exactly how the ticketing process will work, but expect more details to be released in early March. If the Coliseum is a trek, there’ll also be a rotating slate of fan zones across L.A. County, with official watch parties held from Venice to Downtown L.A. to Pomona. Organizers tell us that some of these events will be free while others will have a nominal fee; in any case, the objective here is to get as many Angelenos swept up in the World Cup as possible. The Los Angeles World Cup 26 Fan Zones will take over the following spots: The Original Farmers Market (Fairfax): June 18–21City of Downey: June 20Union Station & LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

If you’re putting together a comedy festival, you need to assemble a pretty astounding lineup to grab Angelenos’ attention; after all, we can wander into small clubs just about any night and catch sitcom stars and arena-caliber acts for a relatively small fee. Well, for the third straight time, Netflix certainly has our attention with the lineup for its comedy fest—plus some unexpected music, podcast and TV additions. After its 2022 debut and 2024 return, Netflix is a Joke Fest will once again take over dozens of venues in Los Angeles for a week this May. The 2026 edition boasts a remarkably impressive lineup of comedians, including Jon Stewart, Conan O’Brien, Adam Sandler, Ali Wong, Kevin Hart, Nate Bargatze, Marcello Hernández, Nikki Glaser, Flight of the Conchords, David Letterman, Taylor Tomlinson, Larry David, John Mulaney and Seth Rogen, among literally hundreds of others. This year’s event, which runs from May 4 to 10, 2026, also adds in a surprising number of musical acts, including Lizzo, Feid, Jelly Roll, Ben Folds, the B-52s and Danny Elfman (the latter two as part of a tribute to Pee-wee Herman). And it leans really hard into live podcast tapings: There are 20 shows, panels and reunions on the initial lineup, with guests that range from Mike Tyson to the couples of Temptation Island to Kate Hudson, Brenda Song and Mindy Kaling, plus reunions for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Portlandia, and an evening with Charlie Brooker and Philomena Cunk herself, Diane Morgan. And th

First announced back in September—during a week where we thought the Coachella lineup would be the major SoCal event news—organizing committee LA28 has shared even more info about the detail that Angelenos want to know about the 2028 Summer Olympics: how to get tickets. It’ll be a multi-step process to secure LA28 tickets, starting with a registration period that opens on January 14, 2026 for the Olympic Games and then ticket drops that follow starting in April. For the Paralympic Games, tickets will go on sale in 2027. According to the organizing committee, single tickets will start at $28; in fact, one million tickets will be available for $28, while a third of all tickets will be priced under $100. (There’s no mention of any pricing beyond that floor, nor whether that applies to the opening ceremony as well). In addition, LA28 has outlined how locals near Games venues—basically anybody who lives in L.A., Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino or Ventura County—will be given an early shot at tickets; as a reminder, in addition to the City of Los Angeles, the 2028 Olympics will have additional venue clusters in Long Beach, Carson, Inglewood, Pasadena, Arcadia, Pomona and San Clemente (…and Oklahoma City, for softball and canoe slalom). With all that in mind, here’s a quick rundown of how things should work. When do tickets for the 2028 Olympics go on sale? A registration period for the Olympic Games will begin on January 14, 2026 on the LA28 site and run through March 18, followe

You either love or hate the drive from L.A. to Las Vegas, and you’re almost surely on the “hate” side if you’ve ever left on a Friday night or come home on a Sunday afternoon. High-speed rail is still a couple of years away and most flights can be a hassle; the considerable time spent getting to the airport and through security whittles down the advantage over the five-hour drive. So how about showing up only 20 minutes before your flight and jetting off to Vegas from a private terminal—located, not at LAX, but in Santa Monica. That’s exactly what JSX is offering: The public charter operator launched a daily flight from Santa Monica Airport to Harry Reid International Airport in December, and on January 22 it’ll start to offer two Vegas flights per day as well as service to Scottsdale Airport in Arizona. (It’ll add a third Vegas flight starting February 5.) The Santa Monica aspect of the service is by far the most novel part: The single-runway, nearly 103-year-old Santa Monica Airport was once home to the bygone Douglas Aircraft Company, but for decades has served as a general aviation airport, a public-use facility mainly for enthusiasts and private jets—not commercial service. It also happens to be right in the middle of a relatively wealthy residential area, and after years of complaints about noise, safety and pollution, in the 2010s both Santa Monica voters and the FAA agreed to shutter the airport and turn it into a public park. Photograph: Michael Juliano for Time Out