Upcoming in Los Angeles
All events →Lotus Festival (45th Annual)
The 2026 edition honors Sri Lanka, set against Echo Park Lake's blooming lotus beds — with food, dragon-boat races, and AAPI cultural performances. All free, with a companion Lotus Run 5K on the 12th.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 25th Anniversary Concert
A live-to-film concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of the film, performed at the Peacock Theatre in downtown LA.
Joe Hisaishi: Film Music
The 2026 Composer in Focus performs his Studio Ghibli scores at the Hollywood Bowl during Gustavo Dudamel's final Bowl season as LA Phil music director.
Joe Hisaishi presents Music Future
Composer Joe Hisaishi presents his Music Future program at The Ford in Los Angeles.
St. Vincent with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
St. Vincent performs with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra during the 2026 summer season.
Nisei Week Japanese Festival (86th Annual)
Little Tokyo's signature nine-day celebration with taiko, ondo street dancing, cultural exhibits, and food throughout downtown's historic Japanese American core. The Grand Parade rolls Sunday, August 16.
Top things to do
All attractions →Free admission, free telescopes on clear nights, and the single best combined view of the Hollywood Sign and the downtown skyline. Trails from the parking lot climb to Mount Hollywood.
Free to enter (you pay only for parking) and reached by a hillside tram. Worth it for the Richard Meier travertine architecture and Robert Irwin's Central Garden as much as the Van Goghs.
Free general admission to a heavyweight contemporary collection. Book the timed Infinity Mirror Room slot in advance, and catch special exhibitions like Yoko Ono's Music of the Mind.
One of North America's largest urban parks at over 4,000 acres, holding the observatory, the LA Zoo, the Greek Theatre, pony rides, and dozens of trails. A whole day's worth of city and nature in one spread.
Open since 1917 and still the most honest snapshot of how LA eats. Get pastrami at Wexler's or tacos and work the stalls of this living cross-section of the city.
The city's newest big-ticket museum in a Renzo Piano building, dedicated entirely to the art and history of movies. Current shows include Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon, running through Feb 2027.
Where to stay
All hotels →The 1929 castle-on-Sunset where old-Hollywood mythology lives, with bungalows, suites, and fierce privacy. Worth it if the legend is the point of your trip.
Kelly Wearstler-designed interiors with a rooftop pool and bar, a short walk to the pier and Third Street Promenade. Best for design lovers who want the beach nearby.
Reliably good value for a stylish room, with a rooftop pool and restaurant. Easy access to Crypto.com Arena, Grand Central Market, and the DTLA scene.