Michael Juliano

Skim through the must-visit attractions in Los Angeles and you’ll notice a trend: It’s a lot of outdoorsy fun. So committing to a day inside of a museum might be a tall ask. In fact, choosing anything over a 75-and-sunny day at the beach is a hard ask—especially if you’re visiting from somewhere with a climate that’s not as consistently comfortable as SoCal’s.  But here’s the thing: No matter how good the weather, visiting L.A.’s museums is a must. In fact, not only are they among the city’s best things to do, but Los Angeles museums can increasingly stand toe to toe with ones in cultural capitals like New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C. And, lucky you, a handful of them have stunning outdoor campuses with hilltop views, sculpture gardens and sunny courtyards. I’ve spent the past decade-plus visiting all of L.A.’s museums (and revisiting them as each riveting new exhibition opens). There are even more institutions in the L.A. area than just the ones on this list (including plenty of quirky, off-the-beaten-path museums), but I think the 21 below are the very best—and I’d say the top five in particular are borderline essential for any trip to L.A. If you’re on a budget, don’t worry: L.A. is flush with free museums. In fact, of the ones on this list, nearly half of them don’t cost a dime, and most of the rest offer regularly scheduled free days. Sure, you might have to pay for parking or trek across town, but that’s nothing a Metro trip or ridesharing service can’t solve. Thi

There’s a pretty good chance if you’re headed to Anaheim that you’re either hitting the rides at Disneyland or headed to a show at the Anaheim Convention Center. But there are plenty of other things to do in Anaheim outside of the theme park and trade show circuit. If you plan in advance, you can schedule your trip to coincide with a baseball game at Angel Stadium, hockey game or live concert at Honda Center, or catch a medieval-themed dinner show. There’s also a local brewpub, modern food hall, historic library and a slew of smaller theme parks and water parks within the Greater Anaheim area to explore. While you’re here, be sure to check out the best restaurants and bars in Anaheim and any upcoming events and festivals. Be prepared for sunny, hot weather during the summer and mild winters, which should help keep your packing to a manageable level. Start carving out your itinerary and checking off items from our list of the 12 best things to do in Anaheim, included your obligatory trip to Disneyland. We’re convinced this city really is the happiest place on earth.

L.A. is great and all, but sometimes you need a change of scenery. If you only have one day to spare, consider one of these quick day trips from Los Angeles to some amazing nearby destinations. Luckily, living in L.A. means it’s an easy (well, depending on traffic) and often scenic drive to SoCal’s best beaches, small towns, wineries and gorgeous desert landscapes—all within three hours of the city. Oddly enough, taking advantage of the ease with which you can get out of L.A. is easily one of the best things to do in L.A. From wine tasting in Santa Barbara and vintage hunting in Palm Springs to camping in Joshua Tree or feeling the sand between your toes in San Diego, you’re sure to find a short trip (as opposed to a longer road trip) worth taking on this list. Note that all of our commute time estimates are based on a trip originating from Downtown L.A. in light traffic (so your mileage may quite literally vary). RECOMMENDED: The best weekend getaways from L.A.

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.

It’s just about Labor Day weekend, but summer sure doesn’t feel like it’s over yet. That’s kind of the blessing and curse of L.A.’s seasons: If anything, warm days are only heating up this time of year (hello, Santa Ana winds). But on the other hand, it means more weeks of outdoor movie screenings and all sorts of other alfresco affairs. With that bit of weather chat out of the way, here are the events you can look forward to over Labor Day weekend in L.A. RECOMMENDED: Labor Day weekend in Los Angeles

A few decades ago, DTLA never would’ve landed on any out-of-towner itineraries: There simply weren’t enough things to do in Downtown Los Angeles. Urban sprawl and L.A.’s car culture meant much of the city’s action shifted to the suburbs around the middle of the 20th century, and though the skyline sprang upward in the decades that followed, it wasn’t quite enough to revitalize the once-buzzing city center. These days, it’s a mostly different story—though one that’s been unquestionably impacted by the uncertainties of the past few years. Downtown’s momentum has slowed down since 2020, when it was arguably just hitting its stride: The area was in the midst of a retail, institutional and architectural resurgence that was turning the neighborhood into a more walkable, Metro-friendly destination dotted with museums, superlative restaurants and beautiful buildings. That’s still largely true on paper, but it’s definitely not quite as buzzing as it was a few years ago—and the recent protests, immigration raids and now-lifted curfews have only further slowed down business. Still, we think it’s worth getting to know Bunker Hill, the Historic Core and beyond with these things to do in Downtown Los Angeles. Just a heads-up: Though it’s home to L.A.’s biggest cluster of tall buildings, DTLA feels pretty different from most other cities’ downtown areas. For starters, L.A.’s cultural destinations are spread all over the city and not just in Downtown. And as for the neighborhood itself, it l

How far do you have to get from Los Angeles to find something that doesn’t feel like L.A.? Oh sure, Santa Barbara is beautiful, and San Diego and Palm Springs have their own vibes, but most destinations within a day trip range merely feel like a different flavor of Southern California sprawl. That’s not the case with Big Bear, though. As you climb nearly 7,000 feet into the San Bernardino Mountains, you’ll find a charming village of timber-framed storefronts and cozy clusters of cabins that surround a freshwater lake (erm, reservoir, technically) filled with boaters and close-to-shore swimmers, all set against hills that host mountain bikers and hikers in the summer and skiers and snowboarders in the winter. And all of that is a mere two-hour drive from many parts of L.A. So how should you spend your time here, whether for a single day or an extended weekend? We’ve picked out our favorite things to do in Big Bear, including activities for the summer and winter, and for action sports enthusiasts and families. A quick note about getting to Big Bear: Whether you’re approaching from the east or west, you’ll most likely exit the 210 freeway and then face roughly 45 minutes of very winding roads along the 330 highway. If you have concerns over car sickness or (in the winter) snow, consider the desert route to the north along the 15 and 18 as an alternative, which adds an extra 30 miles and at least as many minutes but reduces mountain driving to a minimum. And for you electric vehi

Who says L.A. lacks culture? Not only do we boast an impressive array of amazing museums, but almost every single one offers free admission, either on select days or all the time. Aesthetes and culture vultures can get their fix for free at the spots below, which even with their affordable price point removed from the equation would still rank among the best things to do in the city. Whether you prefer the greatest hits at LACMA or off-the-beaten-path museums, it’s easy to plan a free museum visit (especially if you have a library card)—as long as you keep some key dates and times in mind. Here are the best free museums in Los Angeles, whether they offer free admission year-round or free museum days.  RECOMMENDED: See the full list of free things to do in L.A.

L.A. is a sprawling, hugely varied place, which can make deciding on where to stay in Los Angeles a difficult task. You could go all out with a plush hotel by the beach, or opt for a more affordable budget hotel and save those extra dollars for increasingly costly cocktails. You could stay in the midst of the action of Hollywood’s famous attractions, or get as far away as possible and find the real L.A. If you’re struggling to decide, I’ve taken some of the guesswork out of where to stay in Los Angeles with these six neighborhoods, including a vibrant beachside locale and the one section of Downtown that’s actually worth staying in. I’ve even called out which areas can be reached by the L.A. Metro—so that infamous L.A. traffic won’t clog up your trip and get in the way of your plans for all of the city’s amazing things to do. First time visiting? I suggest brushing up on these 20 essential L.A. travel tips. RECOMMENDED: The best hotels 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? August 2025: Summer is winding down, but our favorite alfresco movies, concerts and parties are still going strong—take advantage of the warm nights before things turn autumnal. The 626 Night Market pops up in Arcadia twice this month, with over 250 Asian street food and drink vendors to choose from. Also worth a visit is the new Photo Booth Museum in Silver Lake, where retro photography meets selfie culture. Or perhaps plan an island-getaway day trip to Catalina over Labor Day weekend? Note: In the wake of the Los Angeles wildfires, we’ve temporarily removed the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine, Temescal Gateway Park and Eaton Canyon Falls from our list, as at press time the beloved L.A. attractions were still closed. You can also find out more about how Time Out selects the very best things

Looking for a fun date idea? Travel back to a time when going to a movie was a major Friday-night activity and enough to land you a second date. We’re not talking about the local multiplex or a plush dine-in theater: We’re talking about drive-in theaters. Yes, they still exist—as many of us were reminded were reminded of a few years ago. In fact, there are a number of drive-in theater options in Southern California that have never gone away and stayed true to those midcentury ways (including no options to buy tickets online, so make sure to show up early if you want a prime parking spot). Skip a romantic restaurant and instead pack a picnic or stock up at the snack bar while you enjoy a (mostly first-run) flick at one of these classic drive-in theater locations. Enjoy your movie! Looking for even more cinema options? Try one of the best movie theaters in L.A., or consider an alfresco evening at an outdoor screening.

Based on the sheer volume of stand-up comedy shows that happen in Los Angeles on any given night, it’s safe to say we’re the center of the comedy universe. So how do you choose where to go? (Especially as some long-standing venues have gone dark, while at the same time shows increasingly pop up in unconventional venues.) We’ve made things a bit easier by picking out the very best comedy clubs in L.A., including Sunset Strip venues where you’ll catch well-known names and live podcast tapings, plus spots ranging from an old-school haunt in West Hollywood to an intimate theater on the edge of Koreatown where you’ll find cutting-edge comedians. Bring your sense of humor, and prepare to laugh the night away at the best comedy clubs in L.A. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best things to do in Los Angeles

While some may scoff at the idea of Grand Avenue becoming L.A.’s Champs-Élysées, we’re too busy making the most of the Downtown street’s cultural treasures to even engage in that argument. For one afternoon, more than a dozen institutions will celebrate their Bunker Hill home with free performances, exhibitions and tours. Most of the action takes place on Grand Avenue between Temple and Sixth Streets. Highlights of this year’s event on October 25 include a singing workshop and a chance to try instruments at the Colburn School; a sugar skull workshop and Halloween necklace-making at the Los Angeles Central Library; LA Opera recitals at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion; a preview of the world’s first museum of AI arts, DATALAND; and a Day of the Dead celebration at Gloria Molina Grand Park. Other participating institutions include the Broad, MOCA, REDCAT, the Music Center, Center Theatre Group, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grand Performances and Metro, which now has a station just off of Grand Avenue atop Bunker Hill.

Well, well, well, what have we here? The Nightmare Before Christmas’s bug-stuffed sack is once again taking over the Halloween duties at Disneyland Resort for Oogie Boogie Bash, an after-hours, specially ticketed seasonal event at Disney California Adventure Park. Here’s the gist if you’ve never been to one of Disneyland’s seasonal parties: Halloween spirits begin to materialize around both parks before Labor Day, with glowing decorations and spooky ride overlays, but this five-hour ticketed event (held on select nights from mid-August through October) throws in a bunch of exclusive Halloween entertainment, plus the promise of considerably shorter wait times for select rides. You’ll find a mix of long-standing Halloween fixtures and more recent additions at California Adventure for the event: trick-or-treating trails, kid-friendly shows, the Headless Horseman-led Frightfully Fun Parade and the maze-like Villains Grove. As for end-of-night entertainment, the World of Color show “Villanous!” that debuted in 2019 never made it back onto the lineup; instead, you’ll need to pick up a general admission ticket to Disneyland, which will shoot off its “Halloween Screams” fireworks show select nights from August 22 through Halloween. The perks of the after-hours event aren’t just Halloween-y: You’ll be able to venture through and hop on rides in most areas of the park, including at Avengers Campus (the Guardians of the Galaxy ride that predates the land will flip to its Monsters After

Formed in the wake of a wildfire in the late 1950s, this compassionate care center gives a second chance to injured, orphaned and imprinted wild animals. If the thought of a zoo in a touristy area sets off alarm bells for you, don’t worry: This place is just lovely, and you’ll learn all about the stories behind the 85-plus species here, including bears, wolves, raptors and big cats (many with some adorably punny names—we’re looking at you, Edgar Allen Crow). If you’re swinging by in the summer, the mid-day sun feels strong—and the shade-seeking animals know that too (the zoo has misters running on hot days). Consider arriving in the morning instead.

The park’s namesake Alpine Slide ($10) is the only bobsled-like ride in the region: You’ll take a chairlift up the hill and then plop onto a sled with a brake that you control as you scoot down one of two slides (first-timers are suggested to stick to the right one) with a mix of banked turns and straightaways, plus scenic lake views at the top. You’ll also find go-karts, a zip line and mini golf, plus snow tubing in the winter and a water slide in the summer. There’s no admission fee, instead you pay per attraction. I actually think that the comparatively newer Mineshaft Coaster is the attraction to do here. It’s a little more expensive than the slide ($20), but these zippy, rail-bound carts are much more thrilling.

Operated by the New Jersey Institute of Technology, this high-altitude observation center built right onto Big Bear Lake has four specialized telescopes pointed at the sun. You can easily admire the exterior of the largest one from a boat ride on the lake, but you’ll need to book a tour to step inside. Small-group tours are offered every other Thursday at 2pm from June to September, so you’ll need to nab a reservation. If you are able to secure one, just note you’ll need to be able to walk down and back a roughly 1,000-foot-long gravel road, as well as up and down three flights of stairs.

We usually don’t put much stock in a place being Yelp-famous, but at Tropicali you can absolutely believe the hype. The laid-back, lake-facing hangout serves top-notch poke bowls (if you want an extra crunch, try the eel-sauce-drizzled Kraken with panko crumbs and wonton chips) alongside BBQ bowls and “tiki tortas,” Beligan waffles topped with BBQ chicken and a drizzle of sauce. You can opt for the patio for perfectly-framed views of the lake, but you’d be missing out on the interior’s gonzo SoCal-surfer-punk take on tiki decor. Tropicali can get remarkably busy, like line-out-the-door busy. But while you’re waiting to place your food order at an oversized touch screen, you can walk right up to the counter and order a drink from the remarkably chill bartenders (the smoothies are delightful; try the Tropsicle, a blend of passion fruit, orange, guava, pineapple and coconut).

About a month and a half before the start of the NFL season, you can see the Chargers take the field at their training facility in El Segundo—and for free, no less. For four weeks in July and August, the team holds practices at the Bolt that are open to the public, with covered bleacher seating behind the north end zone. Admission is limited to 1,500 fans per session; tickets are available the Monday prior to each practice week (so sessions from July 21 to 26, for example, are available to book on July 14). Look out for a handful of themed days, including a family day, a celebration of women in sports and a happy hour with some Chargers legends—just note that select days are exclusive to season ticket holders.

Before achieving mainstream success with Fun, singer Nate Ruess fronted indie pop darling the Format. After the pandemic scrapped plans for a reunion, Ruess will finally rejoin multi-instrumentalist Sam Means for a limited tour, including this October 10 stop on the Fairbanks Lawn at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Upping the aughts nostalgia: “California” scribes Phantom Planet open the show.

Ready or not, spooky season is slowly stalking its way ever closer. The clearest sign? Universal Studios has already announced the haunted houses set to inhabit its Hollywood-adjacent theme park for Halloween Horror Nights—and there are some pretty big ones. Fallout will get its own haunted house at Universal Studios Hollywood this year (as well as the theme park’s Orlando location), which promises to be a blast. Wander through the post-apocalyptic Wasteland—complete with Scavengers, Raiders, the Ghoul and RAD Roaches the size of dogs—inspired by the award-winning video game franchise and Prime Video TV show. You’ll also find a maze celebrating 45 years of Friday the 13th’s iconic villain, Jason Voorhees, in “Jason Universe,” which will re-create the summer camp, cabin and forest as the hockey-mask-wearing killer goes on a vengeance tour. And a Five Nights at Freddy’s haunted house will bring the creepy animatronic characters to life. Over on the studio tour—ahem, Terror Tram—you can expect a “disturbing new turn” this year.  Halloween Horror Nights runs on select evenings from September 4 to November 2. Tickets cost $77 to $107, depending on the night; with Express Pass add-ons, options range from $209 all the way up to $529 (for the R.I.P. Tour option). See more of the best haunted houses in L.A.

It isn’t summer in L.A. until the first cemetery screening brings hoards of movie-lovers to Hollywood Forever Cemetery, toting folding chairs, picnic blankets, snack spreads and lots of booze. Each year, Cinespia brings classic cult favorites to the hallowed resting place of such Hollywood greats as Rudolph Valentino and Bugsy Siegel. The series typically releases its slate one month at a time, with summertime screenings at the cemetery and a few off-site ones on either end (usually at L.A. State Historic Park). For each evening at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, pack a picnic (yes, booze is allowed), pose in the photo booth and enjoy DJ sets, dance parties and all sorts of other magical mischief that’d otherwise be strictly forbidden behind the cemetery gates. The outdoor screenings are an L.A. rite of passage, a quintessential summer experience and one of the best film venues in the city. Just be sure to get your ticket early, arrive early, pee early… it’s a popular affair, to say the least.

Walk, run, skate, bike and explore car-free stretches of South Pasadena, Alhambra and San Gabriel during the latest edition of this open streets event series (formerly known as 626 Golden Streets). The Metro-presented Active Streets clears cars off the road in different parts of the San Gabriel Valley for one day only. On Sunday, June 22, you’ll be able to set foot on five miles of streets sans cars, from Mission Street in South Pasadena, down Marengo Avenue and along Alhambra Road, Main Street and Las Tunas Drive toward Mission Drive in San Gabriel (hence the “Mission at Twilight” name of this particular event).

Everyone’s favorite NPR member station has a hand in a slew of summer concert slates at public plazas and beloved museums, and this summer’s schedule is reliably packed. Familiar KCRW DJs and local buzz bands will be providing free, open-air tunes on select nights from June through September at Union Station, CAAM, Descanso Gardens, Bowers Museum, Wende Museum, the Autry, Benny Boy Brewing, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, California Plaza and—our favorite—the party-till-midnight bashes at Chinatown Central Plaza. The details slightly differ at each spot, but you can typically expect a bunch of food trucks, beer gardens and after-hours museum admission. This year, there’s even a kid-oriented installment at the Kidspace Children’s Museum, where DJ Lance Rock of Yo Gabba Gabba is the special guest. Regardless of the location, you really can’t go wrong with any evening spent at Summer Nights. (Note: The kickoff June 7 event at Benny Boy Brewing and Aug. 29’s Descanso Gardens event are only for KCRW members).

Many of us think of Labor Day weekend as the end of summer (though fall doesn’t technically begin until September 22). But in Los Angeles, we know better. We’re in the midst of a heat wave, and we’re still in for weeks of sunny days and balmy, warm nights where we can keep summer alive. In the meantime, if you’re in need of ideas for the best way to spend your long weekend, we’ve got you covered with 18 picks, from alfresco films to pop-up markets, free concerts to stadium shows. Here are our top things to do this Labor Day weekend. 1. Watch a movie outdoorsFri–Mon Outdoor movie season isn’t slowing down yet—in fact, some series keep the fun going all year long—but this weekend is particularly full of fun films. On Friday, Dive-In Movie Nights presents Moana poolside at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown; the Huntington is showing Paddington 2 as part of its family-friendly Summer Movie Nights; and ​​Friday Movie Nights hosts a free screening of The Goonies at Ovation Hollywood. In DTLA, Rooftop Cinema Club has a reliably great lineup throughout the weekend: Amélie, When Harry Met Sally…, The Godfather, Pride & Prejudice, Crazy, Stupid, Love and La La Land. Meanwhile, Cinespia hosts The Princess Bride on Saturday and The Silence of the Lambs on Sunday; the Montalbán is showing Scream and Before Sunrise; and if there are any 1D fans in the house, Street Food Cinema will present One Direction: This Is Us at the Autry.   Photograph: Courtesy Smorgasburg 2. Cool off with

UPDATE: On Wednesday, July 30, Green Boy began to bloom and achieved its peak stink overnight around 2am the next day. I visited around 8:30am on Thursday, when the Huntington estimated the corpse flower was at around 50% stink. Expect that distinctive scent (which to me had an earthy, decomposing smell to it) to dissipate by the afternoon. That’s also when the flower will start visibly wilting (it’s already closed up quite a bit compared to its overnight peak). Regardless, I think it’s still beautiful to see, and you can find it in the conservatory today during regular museum hours (10am–5pm). Photograph: Michael Juliano for Time OutGreen Boy, a corpse flower at the Huntington in 2025 Our original story appears below. Normally we associate gardens with all sorts of lovely smelling flowers. But it’s a stench akin to that of rotting flesh that attracts visitors to the Huntington each summer—including this one. The San Marino botanical garden announced on Tuesday that its latest corpse flower is expected to bloom within the next two weeks. As a result, the institution has started an around-the-clock live stream to keep tabs on the remarkably stinky but short-lived bloom cycle. For now, “Green Boy,” as it’s been nicknamed, looks like a stumpy green stalk. But during its peak development, the rare titan arum specimen can grow as much as six inches per day to ultimately reach a height of 12 feet. When it’s finally ready to bloom, as it previously did in 2021, it’ll unfurl into w

It’s one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles, one of two debated originators of the French Dip and the birthplace of a cornerstones of the city’s contemporary cocktail scene. But come next month, Cole’s will permanently close its doors. The Downtown L.A. restaurant, a 6th Street mainstay since 1908 that’s easily spotted by its neon sign, will cease operations on August 3, 2025. The news surfaced over the weekend—first spotted by DTLA Weekly—and since then, Eater spoke with owner Cedd Moses, who confirmed the plans and cited the lingering impacts of the pandemic, the dual writers and actors strikes, rising costs and local bureaucracy. “We have cherished our time serving the Downtown community, and will continue to craft great drinks and our renowned French dip sandwiches until we shutter,” Moses said in a statement shared with the publication. If you ever sat in one of Cole’s shiny red booths over a late-night plate of garlic fries and an old-fashioned, then you already probably have some sense of the history here, from its famed French dip to its frequent appearances in film and TV (perhaps most beautifully shot on Mad Men) to its purported regulars: Plaques in the men’s room boast that gangster Mickey Cohen and novelist Charles Bukowski “pissed here” (as seen in my photo below from a 2014 visit—so excuse the decade-old smartphone quality). Photograph: Michael Juliano for Time Out Cole’s started service in 1908 as a sandwich shop and bar on the ground floor of the Paci

There’s not a single piece of artwork to see on the concrete walls of LACMA’s new building right now. And yet, this is undoubtedly the most exciting art destination in Los Angeles this weekend. Months ahead of the galleries’ planned April 2026 debut, and before the institution begins installing artwork, LACMA has allowed the public to take a peek inside its new David Geffen Galleries—to the tune of a one-of-a-kind performance from local saxophone extraordinaire Kamasi Washington, no less. For the museum members and everyday Angelenos who were lucky enough to secure tickets, they’ll find more than 100 musicians split between 10 performance areas, with each ensemble playing a different component of the six-part jazz suite Harmony of Difference; you might catch Washington soloing on sax toward the center of the building, but round a corner and you’ll hear the buzz of a brass section or the echoing voices of a choir. Photograph: Michael Juliano for Time Out Photograph: Michael Juliano for Time OutKamasi Washington But what about the building itself? The Peter Zumthor-designed replacement for LACMA’s myriad mid-century buildings on its eastern campus consolidates collections into a single-floor, 110,000-square-foot amoeba-shaped space. It’s also, since its unveiling in 2013 and start of construction in 2020, invited plenty of strong opinions about everything from its aesthetic to its footprint. So what’s it like to actually step inside (still sans art, of course)? Photograph:

“You know the beginning of Beauty and the Beast? ‘Oh, bonjour! Bonjour!’ This is Glendale Boulevard for me.” Atsuko Okatsuka is barely exaggerating her Belle-like status. The Los Angeles stand-up stops to take a selfie with a fan, bumps into the set builder for her new special, checks in with the owners of her favorite shops and tries to decipher a barely-intelligible “I love you” from some shrieking fans in a car—all in the span of about an hour in Atwater Village. For quite a few years now, this cluster of bakeries, thrift stores, bookshops and restaurants just across the L.A. River from Los Feliz and Silver Lake has been the stomping grounds for her and her husband, Ryan Harper Gray. “I grew up in Japan where I got to do all of my business within steps of my home,” she laments about America’s gotta-drive-everywhere culture. “And so I try to keep things convenient, I just keep it on Glendale Boulevard.” We’re meeting ahead of the then-upcoming release of Father, her new stand-up special that just hit Hulu on June 13. You’ve possibly seen Okatsuka’s viral videos on Instagram and TikTok, often dancing with her grandma or killing it in a colorful outfit—or both. But her comedy routines transcend phone-sized screens—there’s a reason she was in our 2019 class of L.A.’s “comedians to watch”—as I was invited to see at one of the Father performances, taped last fall at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre (where she became the first female comedian to perform at the Disney-owned movie p

The surest sign that it’s just about summer in Los Angeles? The nightly barrage of fireworks. But the next-surest sign? Outdoor movie screenings in a century-old cemetery. Put ‘em together and you have the recipe for a perfect summer night. After making its seasonal return over Memorial Day weekend, Cinespia has announced the classic cinema selections headed for Hollywood Forever Cemetery this July, including two chances to see a fireworks-accompanied film. The lineup—which we’ll dive into below—boasts a high-flying action classic, a local love letter, a semi-recent horror sensation and a pair of ‘90s comedies. Fri, July 4: Top Gun + FireworksSat, July 5: La La Land + FireworksSat, July 12: IT (2017)Sat, July 19: Romy and Michele’s High School ReunionSat, July 26: The Addams Family Tickets for the events, presented by Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video, are on sale now and cost just under $52 per person for the two fireworks screenings and $30 for the rest, with prices roughly between $24 and $36 for parking. We’d suggest jumping on tickets soon, too; Cinespia’s screenings pretty much always sell out. “Each summer, we invite our city to come together and celebrate the movies that made us laugh, dream and scream,” said Cinespia founder John Wyatt in a statement. “This July is pure movie magic—from high-flying action and fireworks to nostalgic reunions and spooky classics under the stars.” If you’ve never attended the summertime rite of passage before, here’s the deal: Since 20

We really want to believe that traffic won’t be an issue for Los Angeles’ “no-car” turn at hosting the Olympics in 2028. After all, the city will have more Metro expansions finished by then, a pivotal people mover at LAX and a fleet of Summer Games-specific buses—plus none of L.A.’s traffic fears came to pass during the 1984 Olympics. But, you know, just in case the traffic doomers are proven right, maybe an air taxi isn’t a bad backup. On Wednesday, Archer Aviation announced that it’s been chosen as the official air taxi provider for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as for Team USA. So what exactly does that mean? The San Jose-based company’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, dubbed Midnight, will transport fans and VIPs and shuttle emergency services to vertiports at SoFi Stadium and the L.A. Memorial Coliseum (as well as all local airports, as outlined in the company’s initial network announcement last year). Expect 10-to-20-minute rides between key Olympics venues. Rendering: Courtesy Archer Aviation Of course, you probably haven’t actually seen Midnight airborne yet; the four-person electric vehicle, which Archer says produces less noise and emissions than a traditional helicopter, was first announced with a 2026 service target, and the vehicles are still in the process of achieving FAA certification. As for pricing? In an interview with the L.A. Times, Archer Aviation CEO Adam Goldstein said the cost would be similar to a high-end r

There’s clearly an insatiable appetite for live film score performances in the Los Angeles area. John Williams has been a fixture at the Hollywood Bowl for decades, as has, more recently, Danny Elfman and a slew of orchestra-backed movie screenings. It’s spilled into the music festival circuit, too; I can very distinctly remember its apparent origin, when the Coachella 2017 crowd lost its collective mind over Hans Zimmer’s performance of his themes from Pirates of the Caribbean and Interstellar. So kudos to award-winning composer duo Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who are putting together an entire one-day-only festival with some of the coolest and most legendary film and television composers on the lineup. Future Ruins will take over the Los Angeles Equestrian Center on November 8, and it’ll bring with it a blockbuster lineup of folks behind some of your favorite moody movie music, including Danny Elfman, John Carpenter and more than a dozen other composers behind films and shows like The White Lotus, Stranger Things, Joker and many, many more. “There’s no headliner. There’s no hierarchy. This is a stacked lineup of visionaries doing something you might not see again,” say Reznor and Ross in a statement (they’re on the lineup too—though you can also catch them in September at the Forum under Reznor’s more storied Nine Inch Nails moniker). Expect three stages at the outdoor Burbank venue with a mix of electronic, live band and orchestral performances, including appearances fr

Four miles of new subway tracks will completely transform how Angelenos can commute to and from parts of the Westside by the end of this year. The first phase of Metro’s D Line extension, slated to open later in 2025, will extend service underneath Wilshire Boulevard from Koreatown to just past the Beverly Hills border—and eventually as far west as UCLA. But transit riders, particularly those in K-town, will have to tolerate a couple months of commuting pain before we can get there: Metro announced that it’ll temporarily close the entire D Line (formerly known as the Purple Line) for 70 days, starting on Saturday, May 17 at the start of service through the end of service on Friday, July 25, in order to connect its current terminus at Wilshire/Western with three upcoming stations to the west. The D Line is the shortest of Metro’s half-dozen rail lines, and of its eight stops, the six in Downtown L.A. and Westlake are shared with the B Line (Red). Thankfully, that means all of those stations will continue to have rail service during the closure due to the DTLA-to-North Hollywood B Line. In Downtown L.A. specifically, Metro says you can expect trains to increase from every 12 minutes to every 8 minutes (until 7pm on weekdays and after 7am on weekends). Courtesy Metro But it’s a much different story for the two stops west of there in Koreatown: Wilshire/Western and Wilshire/Normandie. With those two stations completely out of service, Metro will instead operate a temporary 855

The Paris Olympics’ riverfront opening ceremony route along the Seine probably had some Angelenos wondering if Los Angeles would alter its own plans for 2028 and try something equally inventive. Alas, you’ll have to keep dreaming as the city’s Olympic organizers have formally unveiled their plans—and they seemingly don’t involve a parade of athletes on the 110-105 interchange à la La La Land. As expected, LA28 announced on Thursday that the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium will share hosting duties for the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. How exactly they’ll divide up the blockbuster event remains to be seen. LA28 says that both locations will “feature artistic elements.” But we’ll have to wait for “specific activities to be identified” further on in the development process—inevitably, only one will be able to actually hoist the Olympic flag. (For what it’s worth, L.A. mayor Karen Bass referred to the Coliseum as the “heartbeat” of the Olympics during a press conference on Thursday.) In a bid book from 2017, organizers proposed a “Hollywood-produced program” of live music at the Coliseum; the Olympic torch would then leave that stadium and head toward Inglewood, where SoFi would host the formal ceremonies, including the parade of nations and Olympic oath. But that information is roughly eight years old at this point, back when L.A. was initially bidding for the 2024 Olympics and SoFi was nothing more than a dirt field sti

Oh, Oceanwide Plaza… The trio of Crypto.com Arena–adjacent towers began construction a decade ago, but stalled out in 2019 when its developer ran out of money. Then, early last year, the windows of about 27 floors were tagged with very visible graffiti—and, despite the L.A. City Council initially saying it would clean up the buildings, they still remain all tagged up. Now, these monuments to Downtown L.A.’s slump are about to be immortalized in a video game. The graffiti towers’ appearance is actually part of a much more upbeat announcement: The Los Angeles-inspired level in the upcoming Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 will include a detailed recreation of Miracle Mile’s much-loved El Rey Theatre. Thanks to a collaboration between publisher Activision and promoter AEG Presents, both Goldenvoice and the Roxy will have billboards in the level, as well. But the announcement footage for the El Rey’s inclusion came with one unmissable detail: a graffiti-covered skyscraper looming in the background that looks unmistakably like the beleaguered Oceanwide Plaza buildings. If you’re wondering what a Mid-Wilshire theater is doing next to a DTLA high-rise, the remake of the early-aughts skateboarding game’s L.A. level is kind of a pastiche of local landmarks. (And the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 didn’t include the El Rey in that space but an adult movie theater instead.) Pershing Square’s purple tower is immediately recognizable, as is the Biltmore across the street and the ca

We’ve just crossed the year-to-go mark until the opening of LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries, and as promised, the Miracle Mile museum is offering a pretty unique opportunity to step inside the building’s empty interior. L.A. native, Kendrick Lamar collaborator and all-around saxophone wizard Kamasi Washington will headline three performances inside the new building this June—months ahead of its artwork-filled April 2026 opening. But he won’t be alone: More than 100 musicians will be scattered across 110,000 square feet of vacant gallery space. Washington’s performances on June 26, 27 and 28 will tackle Harmony of Difference, a six-movement suite that he released eight years ago—but that’s never been performed live in its entirety. “I wrote Harmony of Difference in 2017 to celebrate the beauty of humanity’s diversity through a metaphor of music,” Washington said in a statement. “In music it is the combination of different notes, chords and rhythms that create beautiful songs. The same is true in life; most of humanity’s greatest achievements came from the combined efforts of people of different backgrounds with different knowledge and abilities.” Photograph: Christian Bertrand / Shutterstock.comKamasi Washington Washington goes on to elaborate on the Geffen Galleries’ unique acoustic properties; visitors will hear both the direct sounds from nearby musicians as well as the “spirit” of other farther-away groups of performers. If you want to check out the performance inside