Michael Juliano

Whether you intend to or not, you’re going to see some 4th of July fireworks—or at the very least hear them, thanks to Angelenos’ summer-long affair with very-much-illegal amateur pyro. But Independence Day itself brings about a whole other tier of patriotically loud, colorful explosions in the night sky at a bunch of professionally staged 4th of July fireworks shows. After spending a day at one of the best beaches in L.A., cooling off with the city’s best ice cream and grilling with friends and family, cap things off with a bang. From the Long Beach waterfront to Hollywood to a brand-new offering at the Coliseum, here’s where to see 4th of July fireworks this year. RECOMMENDED: Find more fun for the 4th of July in L.A.

Los Angeles is surprisingly lousy when it comes to dog-friendly beaches. So you want to bring your four-legged friend to one the best beaches in L.A.? Well, among the roughly 70 miles of coastline, there’s only one off-leash dog beach (in Long Beach) in all of L.A. County. Woof. But we’re not here to whine and howl about it; instead, we want to let pup-loving Angelenos know about the few beaches where they can have their best friend tag along without getting ticketed, both on and off leash. I’ve included a pair of picks in L.A. County (my personal nearby go-tos for my pup) plus one just over the county border in neighboring OC. I haven’t included any in Ventura County given that it’s a considerable trek for most Angelenos—but if you’re willing to put in the extra miles to go to Oxnard or Ventura, you’ll find those cities are considerably more welcoming to dogs on their beaches than L.A. Regardless of the policy at the beach you head to, do make sure to bring a leash with you (as well as some poop bags). Also, just like with humans, hydration is important so I suggest bringing an empty bowl and some water, as well; consider making sure that your pup doesn’t devour too much salt water or sand, as well. When a day at one of the city’s best parks just won’t do, here are the few dog-friendly beaches in L.A. for a day by the ocean (and maybe afterwards treat yourself and your pup to a snack at one of our favorite dog-friendly restaurants). Oh, and just in case you think, it’s fine,

Updated for 2026: Whatever you think of Netflix’s theatrical strategy, it continues to produce some of television’s most formally daring works, including Adolescence, a hard-to-watch but impossible to ignore limited series about an unimaginable crime. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s HBO’s hilariously profane The Righteous Gemstones, which stuck the landing in 2025 with its final season. In addition, we have moved Andor into the top 20 after its astounding second and final season.  Television used to be considered one of the lowest forms of entertainment. It was derided as ‘the idiot box’ and ‘the boob tube’. Edward R Murrow referred to it as ‘the opiate of the masses’, and the phrase ‘I don’t even own a TV’ was considered a major bragging right.  A lot has changed. Television is now the dominant medium in basically all of entertainment. The shift in perception is widely credited to the arrival of The Sopranos, which completely reinvented the notion of what a TV show could do. But that doesn’t mean everything that came before is primordial slurry. While this list of the greatest TV shows ever is dominated by 21st century programs, from The Wire to Succession to Adolescence, there are many shows that deserve credit for laying the groundwork for this current golden age.  Chiseling them down to a neat top 100 is difficult, so we elected to leave off talk shows, variety shows and sketch comedy, focusing on scripted, episodic dramas, comedies and miniseries. So don’t touc

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.

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

Looking for things to do in the summer? Thankfully, in Los Angeles we have no shortage of outdoor activities and festivals to suggest. We’ve got you covered with a list of things to do this season—75, to be exact—from a show at an iconic amphitheater in Hollywood to heading down PCH for a day at one of the best beaches in L.A. or even just finding an excuse to spend time outside. This year, we’re especially excited about World Cup festivities and the upcoming Fast & Furious roller coaster at Universal Studios. Read on to dispel your couch potato habits and make the most of the season with these things to do in the summer. RECOMMENDED: See our full guide to summer in L.A.

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, from Coachella in the early spring to New Year’s Eve celebrations. 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.

Los Angeles was awarded the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics way back in 2017, but now, nearly a decade later, we’re close enough that you can actually say that the next Olympics will be held in L.A. The flag is here and ticket sales have started—the Summer Games are getting close—so now it’s time to start looking ahead to where everything will actually be taking place. There are a couple of relatively dense clusters of venues, notably in Downtown L.A., Long Beach, Exposition Park and the Valley, but the Games will touch plenty of other pockets of L.A., and in some cases even outside of it—but more on that in a bit. From July 14 to 30, 2028, the Olympics will hold 353 events in 36 sports, and a month later the Paralympics will hold 560 events in 23 sports from August 15 to 27. That’s a lot of medals to witness being awarded, and you’ll need to trek between dozens of venues to see them all. Given L.A.’s aim for a “no-build Olympics,” you’ll find events taking place at plenty of familiar venues—albeit sometimes with unfamiliar names. As was the case for the World Cup, the Olympics largely drops corporate branding when it comes to venue names, so something like SoFi Stadium simply becomes 2028 Stadium. But some companies have struck deals to keep their branded venue names. Regardless, to keep things as easy to follow as possible, we’ve listed out all of the venues below with the titles that Angelenos are most familiar with; if it’s referred to by an unbranded name on LA28’s

Get out your calendars: Your guide to the best summer concerts of 2026 has arrived. Here, our picks for the best warm-weather gigs, including summer concert series, free shows, summer music festivals and more. Make sure to check out our monthly concert calendars, too, for shows in outdoor venues, clubs and theaters. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to things to do in the summer 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 June 2026: OK honestly? There are an overwhelming amount of amazing things to do this June in Los Angeles. In addition to all of our evergreen favorites, summer’s best events are all back in action: Last Remaining Seats, KRCW Summer Nights, the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival and 626 Night Market, as well as even more alfresco theater, free concerts and outdoor movies. And of course, it’s Pride Month, followed by Father’s Day and Juneteenth. The Hollywood Bowl kicks off its summer season, the Broad and Academy Museum have exciting new exhibitions, there’s a brand-new amphitheater opening on the waterfront in Long Beach, and the La Brea Tar Pits Museum is hosting a couple of shindigs before it closes its doors for two years. And as if all that wasn’t enough to fill your calendar, Los A

A good sandwich is like sex. When done right, you feel completely satisfied, daydream about it for days after, and can't wait to have it again. Lucky for us, Los Angeles is one of the great sandwich cities in the country. In fact, the French dip was (ironically) birthed here over a century ago, or at least that's the tale according to Philippe Mathieu of Philippe the Original, which you'll find on this list. Also on this list: a newer player who's reimagined the French dip sans-roast-beef—boy do we hope that thing sticks for the next hundred years. Of course, there's so much more to discover when it comes to iconic sandwiches in the City of Angels. You'll find Vietnamese shops slinging incredible banh mi, old- and new-school Jewish delis honoring (and reinventing) pastrami, and Italian subs in every conceivable form. Simply put, our sandwich game is on lock. For your mouth-watering pleasure, here are L.A.'s very best sandwich shops (excluding the bagel and fried chicken varieties, which deserve lists all their own). Updated June 2026: For this update, we’ve removed the now-closed Gwen / The Pie Room as well as All'Antico Vinaio and Uptown Provisions. Joining the list are Henrietta, Sogno Toscano, and Gjusta. We've also reformatted each entry to make the most useful info easier to find at a glance. For more on our editorial policies and ethics, feel free to check out how we review at Time Out.

One of our favorite things about L.A.—aside from, you know, all of the things to do in L.A.—is that you can leave its urban sprawl at a moment’s notice and quickly find yourself surrounded by nature. Sometimes that means setting aside time for a whole weekend getaway (hello, Vegas or Big Sur) while a few others are even within day trip territory (maybe Joshua Tree?). But regardless of many miles you’re willing to put in, this list has a destination for every kind of traveler. We’ve also specifically settled on spots that make for great road trips—meaning the journey is just as important as the things to see and do at each destination. That’s specifically the case for some of the bigger destinations in this list; we have entire guides dedicated to nearby desert and Bay Area cities (which we link to below), so in those cases we’re instead suggesting where road-tripping Angelenos should stop along the way. (Oh, and if you want to ditch your car entirely, we also have a separate story on our favorite train trips from L.A.) So hop in the car, crank up the tunes and take your pick of scenery: Forest, beach, desert and mountain landscapes all make up these gorgeous road trips from L.A. Happy travels!  RECOMMENDED: The best day trips from Los Angeles This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

There’s a reason ABBA has birthed a wildly popular stage musical, two movie adaptations and a holographic show: The hits are absolute bangers. “Dancing Queen,” “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight),” “Take a Chance on Me”: Those synth-laden bursts of 1970s pop perfection make for most of the fun in Mamma Mia!, the Mediterranean sun–soaked rom-com musical about a young bride-to-be who, unbeknownst to her single mother, invites her three potential fathers to her wedding for a vibes-based paternity test. You can either thank or blame Mamma Mia! for the inundation of jukebox musicals in the quarter century since its debut, and the production at Downtown L.A.’s Ahmanson Theatre is a largely familiar affair, albeit one with some winningly warm and scene-stealing performances, as Time Out’s theater critic Adam Feldman wrote in a three-star review of the touring show’s New York stint. The first act wackiness wanes when the second act asks for more interpersonal investment, but you’ll undoubtedly leave the theater on a high thanks to the three-song ensemble-led encore.

Borrowed from Woody Guthrie’s egalitarian folk anthem, the title of this exhibition at the Huntington offers a pretty literal teaser of what you can expect to see: lots of relics tied to land, specifically American land. But that lens provides an insightful and profound perspective on 250 years of ambition, achievement, struggle, exclusion and belonging in the United States. There are some truly remarkable documents on display here: two annotated early printings of the Declaration of Independence; hand-drawn estate plans from George Washington and Thomas Jefferson; manuscripts and notes from Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes and Octavia E. Butler; and Guthrie’s original lyrics sheet for “This Land is Your Land,” paired with one of his acoustic guitars with a faded proclamation that “this machine kills fascists” scratched into the back. The theme of land embraces botany, national park brochures and surveys of the Colorado River, but also considers the impacts of America’s territorial takeovers, spotlights artwork made along the Mexican border and tells the story of a Japanese family in Los Angeles forced out of their flower farm and into an internment camp during WWII. The most humbling piece on display just might be the one that first greets you: the cross section of an oak tree that stood on the grounds of the Huntington for 250 years.

Try your hand at the claw machine, pose in a photo booth and dive into a personal Papa Johns pie during this one-day-only Pizza Planet pop-up tied to the upcoming release of Toy Story 5. Find it at 8180 Melrose Avenue on June 12 from noon to 7pm (last entry at 6:15pm). Though reservations are all booked, there’ll be a standby line as well. The space is very, very small inside, so do keep that in mind if you consider braving the around-the-block line—but, hey, free pizza is free pizza.

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. For 2026, Cinespia’s 25th(!) season in the cemetery, June includes Fast Times at Ridgemont High (June 6), The Matrix (June 13), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (June 20) and Legally Blonde (June 27); July kicks off with a pair of fireworks-accompanied screenings, Shrek (July 3) and Jurassic Park (July 4), followed by Pulp Fiction (July 11), Rosemary’s Baby (July 18) and Edward Scissorhands (July 25). In addition, Cinespia is teaming up with See’s Candies this year to sell specially branded candy boxes during screenings. 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 a

Ready or not, spooky season is slowly stalking its way ever closer. The clearest sign? Universal Studios has already announced the first haunted house set to inhabit its Hollywood-adjacent theme park for Halloween Horror Nights—and it’s a big one. Sinners will get its own haunted house at Universal Studios Hollywood this year (as well as the theme park’s Orlando location). The commercial and critical favorite from 2025 is a natural fit for Horror Nights. Guests will be transported back to Club Juke in 1930s Mississippi and have to survive the night while dodging vampires Remmick, Bert and Joan—as well as the warring Smoke and Stack. The Warner Bros. film won four Oscars this year, for screenplay, best actor, cinematography and original score—so just imagine how awesome the blues soundtrack will be set to screams. Halloween Horror Nights will run on select evenings from September 3 to November 1. Tickets cost $77 to $107, depending on the night; with Express Pass add-ons, options range from $249 to $399. You can also opt for early access or the R.I.P. tour if you have the desire (and funds). See more of the best haunted houses in L.A.

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 will be providing free, open-air tunes on select nights from June through September at Maydan Market, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, La Brea Tar Pits, CAAM, ASU FIDM Museum, the Kidspace Children’s Museum, Hauser & Wirth, MOLAA, California Plaza, LACMA, Wende Museum, Union Station, downtown Long Beach, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Bowers Museum, the Autry and the NoHo Arts District. (Missing from the lineup this year and last are 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. Regardless of the location, you really can’t go wrong with any evening spent at Summer Nights. (Note: The kickoff June 1 event at Maydan Market and Aug. 8’s LACMA event are only for KCRW members.)

Listen to classical and jazz in a dome more than a mile above L.A. during this mountaintop concert series curated by artistic director Cécilia Tsan. The Mount Wilson Observatory is once again hosting monthly concerts this summer inside the dome of its 100-inch Hooker telescope—which was the largest telescope in the world for much of the first half of the 20th century. Tickets cost $65 (that also includes access to the exhibit at the observatory), and it’s highly recommended that you buy them in advance since seating is limited. Note: You’ll need to be able to climb 53 steps to reach the dome, and children under 12 aren’t permitted. 

This epic (and free) outdoor concert series—now in its 40th season—features live performances by artists from around the world at the totally overhauled California Plaza stage in DTLA, where the shallow water separating the stage from the audience has been replaced by a proper event lawn. Don’t miss a diverse and highly intriguing mix of bands, DJ sets and dance parties on Saturday nights (and a few Friday Nights) from June 6 through August 22. Highlights this year include a season kickoff with Grupo Soñador and Wachiwara, tributes to Stevie Wonder, Ritchie Valens and Roy Ayers, and an edition of KCRW Summer Nights headlined by Mariachi El Bronx and the Tijuana Panthers. Just be sure to RSVP ahead of time to reserve a spot.

This Pasadena flagship isn’t the first U.S. location of Nana’s Green Tea, a Japanese matcha chain, but unlike the handful of franchised outposts, this is the sole location to have rice bowls and plates on the menu, plus way more tea options. You’ll likely turn to sipping the hot and cold classics on repeat visits, but it’s the parfaits that may very well draw you in for a first encounter: These tempting sweets layer matcha pudding, ice cream, red bean paste and mochi balls into a treat that feels fit for a birthday.

Last festival edition, the iconic host took the stage at the Montalbán for a series of sit-down chats with unannounced comedians (I caught a wholesome convo with Nate Bargatze that fell somewhere between Letterman’s relatively serious My Next Guest series and his sardonic late-night days). But this time around, you know what you’re getting: an evening with Martin Short, who will almost certainly completely take charge of the interview to laugh-till-you-can’t-breathe effect. John Mulaney guests earlier in the week (May 5).

Today’s secret word is: essential. Because a staggering assortment of guests are coming together for this essential—ahh!—40th anniversary celebration of Pee-wee’s Playhouse at the Greek. Patton Oswalt hosts, with music from the B-52s, Danny Elfman and Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale of DEVO, plus everything from comedians like Fred Armisen and Patti Harrison to David Arquette (who has taken up the Bozo the Clown mantle) and Puddles Pity Party to some of the show’s original puppeteers and cast members. If you need more Pee-wee, the Egyptian Theatre is screening a five-episode marathon of the show (May 9 at 7pm).

How’s this for a surreal, one-of-a-kind lineup: Lizzo hosts and performs at a night of music and comedy (and “yo mama,” as the show poster cheekily reminds that it coincides with Mother’s Day) that includes Eric André, Bob the Drag Queen, Dulcé Sloan, Myke Wright and Godfrey. 

We’ve seen tournament-branded bus wraps and checkout aisle T-shirts popping up in Los Angeles for weeks, but now the traffic warning signs on the freeways can only mean one thing: The FIFA World Cup is finally here, back in the L.A. area for the first time in over three decades. Though L.A. is just one of 11 cities in the U.S. (plus five others in Mexico and Canada) to host matches during the 39-day tournament, it sure feels like we’re in the center of the soccer world right now: Even if you’re not attending one of the eight matches hosted here, daily watch parties are everywhere, and our weekend events calendar is teeming with fan festivals. It’s a lot to keep track of—maybe even too much—so we’re distilling the overwhelming flood of information down to the essentials. RECOMMENDED: Our full guide to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in L.A. Where is the FIFA World Cup being held in Los Angeles? At Los Angeles Stadium, according to FIFA, but this is simply the un-branded name for SoFi Stadium, the (American) football stadium in Inglewood that’s usually home to the Rams and Chargers. The entire tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, though SoFi will host its matches on select days between June 12 and July 10. Courtesy MetroWorld Cup Enhanced Service How can I get to SoFi Stadium? And can I park there? Though you can drive there, it’s upwards of $250 to park at the stadium (and not much cheaper outside of it), and you’ll need to book a spot in advance. Instead, Metro will be operati

You don’t have to score a ticket inside SoFi Stadium to soak up the electric atmosphere of the FIFA World Cup: Thanks to watch parties all over Los Angeles, the celebratory soccer vibes have spread to landmarks, parks and city streets, often for free. But there’s one particular match on the horizon that’s remarkably reflective of L.A.’s deeply intertwined multicultural roots and—as KCRW took the words right out of our mouth—“the most L.A. World Cup game ever.” On Thursday, June 18, Mexico will face South Korea at 6pm Pacific time, and while the group stage match takes place in Mexico, the watch parties in L.A.—two in particular—are bound to be absolutely magnetic. The two countries’ camaraderie has captivated social media, and it’ll likely be the event to watch in L.A. on Thursday night. RECOMMENDED: 20 ways to watch the World Cup in Los Angeles First up is a watch party in Koreatown, a neighborhood that’s the capital of Korean culture and cuisine in L.A., as well as a majority Latino one—and really, what could be more L.A. than the fact that K-town’s main watch party this week takes place across from the city’s most famous Oaxacan restaurant, Guelaguetza? But judging by the jerseys at last week’s watch party along Wilshire Boulevard, this is very much a rally for team South Korea supporters. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Los Angeles Korean Festival Foundation (@losangeleskoreanfestival) This time around, the Los Angeles Korean Festival

It’s official: World Cup fever has taken over L.A. The global soccer tournament takes place only every four years, and this time around, it’s back in the U.S. for the first time in over three decades—and Los Angeles is hosting eight of the matches at SoFi Stadium. (The freeways are already warning of more traffic—advising people to “use transit” on June 12.) To celebrate, seemingly every local business is getting in on the action, hosting special promotions, soccer-themed activations and World Cup viewing parties. You can expect every sports bar and lots of restaurants to be tuned in—Clifton’s Republic is even temporarily reopening just for the occasion—but major museums, shopping centers and local attractions are also hosting their own events. It’s a bit overwhelming, to be honest, but to help you out, we’ve rounded up 20 ways to catch a match surrounded by a community of fellow football fans. In fact, even if you’re not a sports fan, some of these parties should still appeal to you. 1. FIFA World Cup 2026June 11–July 19 The first way to see a match is, well, to brave the traffic (or go Metro) and watch a match in person. L.A. is just one of 11 host cities in the U.S., but all of the local matches will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (FIFA’s official schedule calls it “Los Angeles Stadium,” but that’s simply the un-branded name for SoFi). Things kick off June 12 with USA vs. Paraguay and lead up to a quarterfinal match on July 10. Photograph: Michael Juliano for Tim

It’s about as in-demand as World Cup or Olympics tickets but with only a single zero in its price tag: The free open house at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is returning this fall. Back for the first time since 2023, the overwhelmingly popular Pasadena-area tradition will once again welcome space-curious Angelenos on October 10 and 11 to step inside mission control and a host of fabrication facilities at the Caltech-managed command center for satellites and Mars rover missions. Tucked into the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, the robotic research lab drew increasingly Disneyland-level crowds to its two-day open house over the years, which prompted a shift to (free) timed ticket admission about a decade ago. That’ll be the case once again for 2026, when tickets for “Explore JPL” become available on Saturday, August 29 at 9am. You’ll be limited to five tickets and you must select a specific time slot and name each attendee when you reserve them (IDs will be checked at the door). Expect slots to be fully booked within 10 or 15 minutes.   Photograph: Michael JulianoJPL Open House 2014. Photograph: Michael JulianoJPL Open House   The rocket propulsion lab was founded back in 1936 and oversaw the launch of the United States’ first satellite, and since then its Pasadena–meets–La Cañada Flintridge campus has overseen the conception and management of multiple Mars rovers (Perseverance, Curiosity, Pathfinder) and space probes (Voyager 1 and 2). During the annual open house

Do World Cup ticket prices have your eyes watering right now? Are you wincing at trying to stay under your credit limit for the next Olympics ticket drop this summer? Thankfully, there’s a way to attend L.A.’s next global sports spectacular without breaking the bank—as long as you’re alright with working during it. LA28 announced new details for the volunteer program at the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Starting July 14, you’ll be able to apply for positions across eight categories of volunteering roles, from driving to technology to sports. You won’t be able to just pop in for a single day, though; you’ll need to commit to 10 nonconsecutive shifts before or during either the Olympics (Mar–Aug 2028) or Paralympics (Aug–Sept 2028). Here’s how it works: Applications open on the LA28 site on July 14. In order to register, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old, proficient in English, available for 10 eight-hour shifts and present in the L.A. area during the Games—or Oklahoma City, as well as the satellite soccer host cities like New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San Jose and San Diego. Note that all of these positions are unpaid, and LA28 will not cover travel or lodging expenses. View this post on Instagram A post shared by LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games (@la28) Roles are available across eight categories: ceremonies, communications, driving, experience, medical, operations, sport and technology. (LA28 provides a few examples of responsibiliti

Amid all of L.A.’s traffic doomers, I wanted to believe that the World Cup wouldn’t be any more of a gridlocked nightmare than normal. After all, SoFi Stadium hosts at least 17 NFL games every fall, plus multi-night runs from the likes of Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. And the World Cup? Technically the stadium (dubbed “Los Angeles Stadium” for the duration of the FIFA tournament) had to slightly lower its seating capacity to squeeze in the pitch, and the jacked-up parking prices and expanded public transit access should—in theory—ease some of the congestion surrounding the stadium. Fortunately, my optimism proved mostly right: The bottlenecks by SoFi during Friday night’s sold-out local opener felt like mostly routine event traffic, and thanks to Metro’s smoothly-coordinated fleet of $1.75 direct buses, I at least didn’t have to be the one with my foot hovering over the brake pedal. Unfortunately, that still means the surface streets around the Inglewood venue—especially postgame—were kind of miserable. RECOMMENDED: FIFA World Cup 2026 Los Angeles: Match schedules, tickets and how to get there Let’s start with the good—maybe even great. Whereas the shuttles for Rams games or major concerts run solely from the light rail stop near LAX, Metro and its partner agencies are operating World Cup buses that depart every 10 minutes from 13 mostly-transit-connected spots across L.A. County, as well as two in Orange County. And, at least for my Union Station–originating trip, I can’t say en

The ticket prices, the traffic, the surrounding politics: There were plenty of reasons for Angelenos to be wary ahead of the arrival of this year’s FIFA World Cup. And all of those concerns certainly don’t evaporate just because the ball has hit the pitch at SoFi Stadium (dubbed “Los Angeles Stadium” for the length of the tournament). But after attending Friday night’s sold-out opener—the first World Cup match in the U.S. in over three decades, and the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team’s first appearance of this tournament—it’s pretty clear that the aura of World Cup soccer is still absolutely intoxicating. Not even gridlock can dull the the lingering glow of the United States’ 4–1 victory over Paraguay on Friday night. (Though if you’re intrigued by the mostly-pretty-typical traffic, I have a minute-by-minute account of my journey on Metro’s $1.75 direct bus service.) The atmosphere was electric through every hour of the evening, from the jersey-clad fans joined in song filing into the grounds to the “U-S-A” chants roaring underneath the stadium’s translucent roof to the elated eruptions in response to the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team’s opening and closing-minute goals. RECOMMENDED: FIFA World Cup 2026 Los Angeles: Match schedules, tickets and how to get there Everything about L.A.’s first World Cup match since the 1994 final at the Rose Bowl felt surreal. SoFi’s striking setup admittedly makes almost anything look impressive, but the first sight you have of the pitch is ju

WeHo Pride may be over, but in L.A, we’re lucky because we hav two blockbuster Pride Month events to look forward to, with a pair of parades and festivals in both West Hollywood and Hollywood each June. Here’s the deal: The L.A. Pride Parade, the long-running LGBTQ+ event produced by Christopher Street West that traces its history back to the 1970s, moved east into Hollywood starting in 2022. Meanwhile, back at the event’s familiar location from the past few decades, West Hollywood now stages its own inclusive festival, WeHo Pride, complete with a parade and a ticketed festival at West Hollywood Park, which took place last weekend. (Since each takes over a separate weekend, you thankfully don’t have to choose one over the other.) With that bit of intro info out of the way, here’s everything else you need to know about this year’s L.A. Pride Parade. RECOMMENDED: Our full guide to L.A. Pride Photograph: Foster SnellLA Pride Parade When is the L.A. Pride Parade? The L.A. Pride Parade takes place on Sunday, June 14, in Hollywood, at the site of the first permitted gay parade in the world (back in 1970). For 2026, the grand marshals include Emmy-winning actor Jeff Hiller and civil rights activist Mia Yamamoto. When does it start? The parade kicks off at 11am on Highland Avenue at Sunset Boulevard and lasts about three hours. From noon to 8pm, you’ll also find live entertainment, local vendors and food and drinks along Hollywood Boulevard at the mid-day L.A. Pride Village. Where

Every few months, some social media thread or casual bit of conversation reminds us just how confusing the city borders of Los Angeles can be. Some Angelenos insist that the Valley isn’t part of L.A. (it is), and sometimes we come across people in, say, Culver City who think they can vote for the mayor of L.A. (they can’t). We get it: L.A. is a murky mix of county, city and neighborhood divisions that doesn’t always make it easy to tell what’s what. During election season (statewide primaries and the L.A. mayoral election are now through June 2), your mail-in ballot will sort out basically all of your local geopolitical questions, like which city and county officials you can vote for and what school district you reside in. But for the rest of the year, we thought we’d try and help answer this deceptively complicated question: Do I actually live in L.A.? Some of the confusion stems from just how vague the term “L.A.” actually is. Does that mean the City of Los Angeles? The County of Los Angeles? An area even more expansive than the county that still feels like it’s culturally part of Los Angeles? Or, on the other extreme, an even smaller slice within the city that some folks like to gatekeep as the true Los Angeles? Given that, we’ll make sure to be very clear in this story whether we’re talking about L.A. as a city or county. How L.A. is divided on a map To start, if you’re a Southern California local who says you live in L.A., you’re within one of four areas: – the City of L

Unless you were there on a commercial shoot or to campaign for Bernie Sanders, you haven’t really been able to linger in Johnie’s Coffee Shop since the Space Age restaurant shuttered in 2000. But now—just in time for the debut of a new Metro D Line stop across the street—this iconic Googie structure along Wilshire Boulevard is open to the public again thanks to one of L.A.’s most recognizable artists. Gary Baseman has filled the historic Fairfax Avenue space with his mischievous illustrated characters, in plush form filling booths and, most uniquely, as drawings on top of local restaurant menus. Dubbed “Off the Menu,” the show—which officially opened Friday afternoon—is just bursting with love for both Fairfax and L.A.’s restaurant scene. “I’m able to bring all these different dining establishments together [through these drawings],” Baseman tells us. “From Musso & Frank to Nancy Silverton’s Mozza to Tommy Brockert’s LaSorted’s in Downtown (the best pizza in L.A.) to Jurassic Magic (who makes great coffee) to Canter’s (which my mom was the head bakery sales lady for 35 years) to Genghis Cohen.” Photograph: Michael Juliano for Time Out Photograph: Michael Juliano for Time Out Walk inside of the Armet & Davis–designed coffeehouse and you’ll spy some of Baseman’s three-dimensional creations sidled up to the bar or occupying seats in the corner. And in between them, placed on tabletops and lining the counter, dozens of menus from L.A. restaurants have been doodled over with t

I don't consider myself much of an aviation nerd, but standing in front of the fuselage of a 747 or craning my neck up at a fighter jet suspended from the ceiling is just awe-inspiring. The engineering and history are of course fascinating, but it’s the knee-jerk “that big thing goes in the sky” reaction that really tickles my brain. After taking an early look at the California Science Center’s forthcoming aviation displays, I can pretty confidently say that there’ll be plenty more of that sort of aeronautical astonishment to go around inside the Korean Air Aviation Gallery. The museum recently completed building construction on the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, and artifact installation has now begun inside of the aviation-focused section of its expansion—including a considerable slice of a jumbo jet that you’ll be able to step inside. There are three main areas to the Exposition Park museum’s new building: the centerpiece Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, the 20-story pinnacle-shaped home for Space Shuttle Endeavour; the Kent Kresa Space Gallery, a collection of robots, rockets and spacecraft; and the Korean Air Aviation Gallery, which I visited on Tuesday. (There’s still no public opening date quite yet, but museum president and CEO Jeffrey Rudolph says we can expect an announcement “in a matter of weeks.”) Photograph: Michael Juliano for Time Out About 20 aircraft will be on display in the space, which will be broadly divided between three themes: learning to fly, ev

We can’t even give you a precise number of shows that Netflix is a Joke Fest is staging, because that number seems to increase by the hour. (As of publication, it was upwards of 440.) There are so many events to see during the third iteration of this city-spanning comedy marathon, but as an Angeleno with only so much time and money, you simply can’t see everything—or really even more than a small fraction of the fest, which runs from May 4 and 10. So where do you start? You have your heavy hitters: theater and arena-sized headlining sets from the likes of John Mulaney, Chelsea Handler, Nate Bargatze, Dave Chappelle, Atsuko Okatsuka and Shane Gillis, among others. And amphitheater-filling spectacles like a star-studded Seth Rogen–hosted show and a Flight of the Conchords reunion at the Greek Theatre or Night of Too Many Stars at the Hollywood Bowl. But this is L.A., where you can see big names drop into intimate comedy clubs almost any night of the week. With that in mind, we set out to spotlight some of the standout shows (ones that still had tickets left) on the Netflix is a Joke Fest lineup that feel like truly one-of-a-kind occasions, either due to their extraordinary lineups or unprecedented premises. With that in mind, these are the 11 shows that we think stand out as some of the most unique ones to see at this year’s Netflix is a Joke Fest. Celebrating the 40th Anniversary Of Pee-wee’s Playhouse The Greek TheatreMay 4 at 8pm Today’s secret word is: essential. Because a