Guides

July 27, 2016

Looking to celebrate the magic of Harry Potter? The rehearsal script of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," a play that continues the story 19 years after the original series, will be released at midnight on July 31 to coincide with Harry's birthday. Here are some parties scheduled in and ...

June 30, 2016

Looking to celebrate the Fourth of July with a bang? Here are some places in and around Los Angeles that are hosting celebrations and professional fireworks shows.

June 13, 2016

A guide to all the vigils planned to mourn victims of the Orlando shooting in Southern California tonight.

July 2, 2015

Kent Twitchell's towering, multi-story murals — realistic portraits of arts, sports world and pop culture heroes — have dotted L.A.'s urban landscape for the past four decades. As is the fleeting nature of street art, many of his murals no longer exist. But more than a dozen are still up. ...

July 1, 2015

This guide to craft breweries in Los Angeles can help you discover your next favorite beer, whether it’s poured at the taproom of a production brewery (focused on distributing its production in bottles, cans or kegs to bars, restaurants and retailers) or served alongside a burger at a local brewpub ...

May 15, 2015

Cheers! It’s six o’clock somewhere. And while your attention may have been diverted elsewhere, Los Angeles has become a first-rate cocktail town. May we refresh your drink? Last updated: May 15, 2015

March 20, 2015

Centrally located and served by its own Metro stop, gritty MacArthur Park (like adjacent Lafayette Park) retains only tarnished hints of its former glory. But at 32 acres, it’s an unusually large open urban space, has been cleaned up considerably and contains fascinating bits of L.A. history. The stats Distance: ...

March 13, 2015

The route for the 30th L.A. Marathon travels "from the stadium to the sea," starting just after dawn on Sunday morning at Dodger Stadium and ending at the California Incline in Santa Monica. Before or after your favorite runner passes by and you cheer, enjoy a snack or meal in ...

March 13, 2015

These days, you have to #dobetter if you want to fill a bar — you can't just serve a dirty martini. Or, rather, you can serve the same dirty martini to both the 60-year-old crowd and to your average 23-year-old, but you need to serve it in a dimly lighted ...

Feb. 25, 2015

New York singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane's latest work is a love letter to Los Angeles. As he told The Times’ Jessica Gelt, his album "The Ambassador" is composed of 10 songs, each based on an address in the City of Angels. Explore a track-by-track listing with photos and facts on the ...

Feb. 23, 2015

Forty-eight hours of fun? You've got it. Here are weekend escapes that offer rest for the weary and restoration for the body and soul.

Dec. 18, 2014

Belvedere Community Regional Park, an unexpectedly lush urban oasis in East Los Angeles, features 30 acres of baseball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, swimming, skating and even trout fishing. Oh, and nice walking too. The stats Distance: 2 miles Difficulty: 1, on a scale of 1 to 5 Duration: 1 hour Details: ...

Dec. 2, 2014

If you're lucky enough to have family members who make them, cheers to you. But most of us buy them from our favorite little shops and restaurants, made by the tamaleras by the few or the dozen. Some restaurants only make tamales this time of year; others make them nearly ...

Nov. 25, 2014

Find an outing featured in our monthly L.A. Walks series.

Nov. 10, 2014

Do’s and don’ts when visiting the Alamo and San Antonio.

Oct. 17, 2014

Climb the L.A. staircase where the 1932 Laurel and Hardy short “The Music Box” was filmed and hike the neighborhood. The stats Distance: 1.5 miles Difficulty: 3, on a scale of 1 to 5 Duration: 1 hour Details: Dogs on a leash are OK. Free and metered street parking. Metro ...

Sept. 26, 2014

The confusing layout of the streets around Marina del Rey combined with limited street parking make this an almost traffic-free destination for a walk along Ballona Lagoon, the main marina channel and a deserted strip of Venice Beach. The stats Distance: 2.5 milesDifficulty: 2, on a scale of 1 to ...

Sept. 5, 2014

Where to stay and eat: Green lodging, craft beer and a breakfast burrito big enough for a family of seven.

Aug. 22, 2014

I've long thought it was a shame that those big green expanses of golf courses are reserved for golfers and that the city ought to open up a pedestrian lane circling them so the rest of us can enjoy the greenery. Well, turns out they did, sort of. Here is ...

July 25, 2014

Location, location, location. Browse Woody Allen's filmography and you'll notice the importance the director places on setting. Whether taking place in a New York City borough or abroad, Allen's narratives often thrive on the pulse of their surroundings. Click around to explore some of the cities that make up Woody's ...

July 25, 2014

This walk in the Tujunga Wash Greenway in the Valley is a combination leg stretch, history lesson and art gallery, taking in one of the city's least-known cultural constructions and one of the longest murals in the world.

July 8, 2014

Let the myriad songs that mention Los Angeles be proof that this metropolis leaves an impression. Songwriters have weaved imagery of its boulevards into odes, turned a critical lens on its darker corners and crooned about moments birthed within the county's boundaries. We've mapped out a small selection of tracks ...

June 20, 2014

More than 100 years ago, developer Abbot Kinney conceived the mad idea of building a “Venice of America,” a cultural Valhalla dedicated to the fine arts, complete with canals, gondolas and imported Italian gondoliers. The experiment failed, and the gondoliers went home, but the canals remain and are a splendid ...

June 20, 2014

Do's and don'ts when visiting Durango, Colo. (See the full story here)Note: If you’re driving from Albuquerque, don’t automatically take the 218-mile route by way of U.S. 550 and Cuba, N.M., that Google Maps recommends. If you can, make time for the more scenic 277-mile route on U.S. 84, passing ...

June 18, 2014

Is Leon Logothetis compassionate or crazy—or both? Logothetis, you may recall, bought a 1985 London taxi, dubbing it the Kindness Cab, and drove it from New York to Los Angeles, doing good deeds—driving a veteran to a VA Hospital for cancer treatment, taking a down-on-its-luck family out for ice cream—along ...

May 30, 2014

This is a surprisingly lush walk in the unlikeliest of places -- off La Cienega Boulevard, surrounded by barren hills dotted with rusted oil pumping equipment. But within the 308-acre Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area are broad lawns, groves of eucalyptus, sumac and oak, several lakes, a rushing stream and ...

May 17, 2014

If you take into account Los Angeles’ superb produce, its breathtaking diversity and its imagination, it can be one of the most pleasurable places to eat on Earth. The list below is a ranking of the best restaurants in 2014. Get the 2016 list >>

May 16, 2014

Do's and don'ts when visiting the Redwood Coast (See the full story here)

April 25, 2014

This is a short, vigorous walk that unites two of Griffith Park's most charming features — the vintage 1926 merry-go-round and the ruins of the park's original zoo.

April 19, 2014

In the Hanalei area, the burgers come with a side of humor at Bubba's and a pleasant scene is baked into baked goods at Kilauea Bakery. A list of places and activities, plus, a Kilauea Lighthouse tip.

March 21, 2014

This rocky landmark in Chatsworth is a worldwide draw for climbing enthusiasts. But it's also a great place to take a walk while watching the climbers practice their art on small rocks at the base and sheer cliffs near the peak.

Feb. 21, 2014

For more than two decades, the mile-long stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood known as Theatre Row has served as home to the city's densest plot of live theaters, drawing audiences to a diverse array of stages run by scrappy companies. On busy nights, spectators can see works by ...

Feb. 21, 2014

Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in South El Monte offers an easy lakeside hike with views of swans and herons. Hike details: Distance: 3 miles Duration: 1 hour Difficulty: 2 on a scale of 1 to 5 Details: Ample free parking. Dogs on a leash are OK. Wheelchair accessible.

Feb. 17, 2014

New York artist Jason Shelowitz, also known as Jay Shells, installed signs with rap quotes around Los Angeles. Most of his signs have already disappeared. Photographs of signs by Jason Shelowitz.

Feb. 10, 2014

In celebration of National Pizza Day, here's a run-down of Los Angeles pizza, including go-to delivery spots, Chicago-style, New York-style, Neapolitan-style and New York-Naples hybrids. Here's where to get your gooey, cheesy, melty, crispy- and/or chewy-crusted pizza fix. View the full list here.

Jan. 24, 2014

Head to Thousand Oaks' Wildwood Park, where the moderately difficult trail to Paradise Falls leads to a robust waterfall.

Jan. 18, 2014

Some of the Los Angeles locales featured in "Her" may be hard to recognize after Spike Jonze's futuristic revamp of the city. We've mapped out the L.A.-centric spots (parts of the film were also shot in Shanghai) that help set the scene as protagonist Theodore Twombly's romance unfolds.

Dec. 27, 2013

In the Studio City area, try this Fryman Canyon path that was once named the best running trail in the city.

Nov. 22, 2013

Union Station, an L.A. setting for so many movie and TV stories, is living history with a promising future in the works.

Nov. 21, 2013

In their Postcards From the West series, writer Christopher Reynolds and photographer Mark Boster search for new angles and forgotten history among some of the most iconic views in the American West.

Nov. 21, 2013

A look through the important Dallas locations tied to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and the search for his killer.

Oct. 25, 2013

Casual or gourmet food options. Surprising places to spend the night. And a way to get closer to the animals.

Oct. 22, 2013

There's an L.A. bakery out there to suit any craving. Love dainty French gateaux, chocolate layer cake, the stickiest sticky buns, or great bread on which to smear copious amounts of butter? There’s a bakery for you. Here's a map of some of our favorites. Why these bakeries are so ...

Oct. 18, 2013

Seven hotels with rates of less than $200 a night and 10 restaurants where you can eat for $20 a person or less in Waikiki, Hawaii by Rosemary McClure.

Oct. 18, 2013

Wattles Garden Park is a bucolic, verdant garden in the heart of Hollywood. It’s loaded with history, and a delightful place to have a picnic, watch a sunset or just hang out. This easy walk will introduce you to the many charms of this recently restored Los Angles landmark, closed ...

Sept. 27, 2013

Do's and don'ts across the miles of Monument Valley. The story: Monument Valley: A stark beauty deep in Navajo country

Sept. 13, 2013

What place lifts your spirits? We asked a group of seasoned travelers to describe their happy places, the destination they conjure in times of trouble. The allure is aesthetic, but it's also emotional. The place is reminiscent of home — or the polar opposite of home. It is exotic — ...

Sept. 12, 2013

Croissant-doughnut pastry hybrids and iterations such as cruller-croissants and brioche-doughnuts have swept Los Angeles. Here's where to find the best, and the rest. RELATED: 5 best not-Cronuts in L.A.

Sept. 5, 2013

Waterfalls along the Columbia River Gorge and other parts of Oregon. The story: Oregon: Columbia River Gorge waterfalls refresh a scorched SoCal soul

Aug. 23, 2013

Some tips for dining, lodging and what to see in Portland, Oregon. The story: Portland's quirky comeback kid

Aug. 16, 2013

This beach-and-bluffs walk in Santa Monica is a great way to soak up some scenery, take in some salty air and learn a little local history. It can be a gentle walk or a generous workout — depending on whether you use any (or all!) of the four massive staircases ...

Aug. 16, 2013

This walk is easy on the legs but full of wonders for the eyes and mind — beautiful buildings, weird history and more — through the lesser-known side of Old Town Pasadena.

Aug. 12, 2013

A quick guide to major arenas, stadiums, racetracks and other sports facilities, past and present, in the L.A. area.

July 19, 2013

A walk around Echo Park Lake offers views of downtown, and straying nearby leads to L.A.'s best collection of Victorian-era houses.

July 19, 2013

Some tips for dining, lodging and what to see, and how best to use the cable cars. The story: San Francisco's famed cable cars

July 8, 2013

The steady stream of new-wave coffee in L.A. that began several years ago has turned into an espresso-fueled torrent. Now dozens of cafes are serving excellent brewed coffee or perfect pulls of espresso. Each has its own apparati (siphons, Steampunks, Kalita drippers, even Fetco brewers, not to mention La Marzoccos, ...

July 5, 2013

A guide to some of the LA Freewalls murals in downtown Los Angeles' Arts District. The project is headed by the controversial Daniel Lahoda, who brokers deals between businesses and street artists.

July 3, 2013

Orange’s claim to the title “antique capital of Southern California” is bolstered by about 60 shops selling vintage collectibles in and around downtown.

June 14, 2013

Cold-pressed juice bars are popping up all over Los Angeles. Some are indie shops, others are fast-expanding chains. What makes cold-pressed juice bars different? They use hydraulic presses to make juice rather than traditional centrifugal juicers because they claim it makes better-for-you juice. But some fans are drinking the stuff ...

June 6, 2013

Leave your car and take the shuttle to roam Yosemite Valley. And don't forget to see the Ahwahnee hotel.

May 31, 2013

An eclectic shopping area has emerged in the desert community near the national park. Vintage clothing and recycled furniture stores, along with artists working in ceramic, fiber, glass, metal and more are among those who have set up shop. The town boasts an almost-mall that's housed in a former trailer ...

May 30, 2013

The informal trail includes seven creameries that are open to the public year-round for tasting.

May 27, 2013

In Malibu, 29 sites have been set aside for access to the beach or coastal viewpoints by the California Coastal Commission since 1973. Only eight have opened to the public. Nine are being disputed. The commission has not yet taken action on the others. Read the full report: Scouting out ...

May 25, 2013

High in the hills, perched between Hollywood and Vine and the Hollywood sign, sits scenic Lake Hollywood, a reservoir held back by a dam designed by the great water wrangler William Mulholland. Flanked by a classic California mix of oak, pine, eucalyptus, agave and sage, and circled by a pedestrian ...

May 22, 2013

If you take into account Los Angeles’ superb produce, its breathtaking diversity and its imagination, it can be one of the most pleasurable places to eat on Earth. The list below is a ranking of the best restaurants. Create a wish list, brag list and share with your friends

May 17, 2013

Where to eat, sleep and have fun near the Lone Cypress. The story: Standing before the Lone Cypress

May 5, 2013

Tacos - can we ever have enough tacos in our lives? I didn't think so. Because when the taco is right, the birds start to sing and the stars shine more brightly and you have the impression that everything is right with the world, which is a lot of happiness ...

May 4, 2013

No places match the breadth and depth of Mexican restaurants we have in Southern California, except Mexico City itself – and maybe not even there. You can find the cooking of almost every region in the country here, crafted at street-corner taco trucks as well as cutting-edge places like the ...

April 16, 2013

The literary life of Los Angeles was already in gear when F. Scott Fitzgerald settled here in the 1930s, and it's been heating up ever since. This map, which will be updated periodically, highlights some literary landmarks, contemporary bookstores and passages from a number of works about L.A. by authors ...

March 23, 2013

Elysian Park near downtown L.A. is a huge space containing great networks of trails and commanding broad city and mountain views. This introductory walk might make you a regular visitor.

Feb. 23, 2013

Psst — have you heard about these spots in San Francisco? From NightLife at the Academy to free walking tours to Japantown and beyond, spots in San Francisco that are new, newly transformed or underappreciated. Time to explore!

Feb. 23, 2013

Near the junction of the 405 and 101 freeways, in the green space below the Sepulveda Dam, is a haven for many species of winged wildlife. Nearby are a hidden Japanese garden, an archery range and a string of cricket pitches.

Jan. 19, 2013

Here is a lovely country-in-the-city walk, with delightful views, varied greenery and an unlikely hilltop lake, all within 15 minutes of downtown Los Angeles.

Oct. 27, 2012

Silver Lake has recently been named the hipster capital of cool. Its reservoir and meadow provide great walking and a green urban outpost right in town.

Sept. 22, 2012

Among the newest Southern California parks, this Santa Monica Mountains facility in Malibu is a step back in time to the Southland's golden age.

Aug. 23, 2012

This is an unexpectedly verdant walk surrounded by urban sprawl, where the Los Angeles River, gradually being allowed to return to its natural state, is home to an amazing array of native fish, fowl, joggers and cyclists.

July 21, 2012

This is a short, steep hike that begins on a trail amid the mansions of La Cañada-Flintridge, with massive mountain and city views — a real workout with a real payoff.

June 23, 2012

Spend a hot summer day on a cool summer walk around the Naples district of Long Beach. It's flat and breezy and makes a sweet sunset stroll too.

May 26, 2012

I only recently discovered this hidden country-in-the-city hiking spot, set below Mulholland Drive, west of Coldwater Canyon, and just minutes from Beverly Hills or Studio City. Although less well known than nearby Runyon or Fryman canyons, it may look familiar on your first visit: Bits of TV shows, such as ...

April 28, 2012

You don't have to fight the crowds in Santa Monica Canyon to get a great stairway workout. You can hike the historic wooden Eldred stairs in Highland Park and get great city and mountain views in the bargain.

March 24, 2012

Nobody walks in L.A.? Ridiculous! A gentle, flat walk in an urban setting, this is an East L.A. oasis in the midst of historic Boyle Heights, filled with old city history and fine downtown views. It's a popular weekend destination for local families for Saturday strolling or Sunday picnicking.

Jan. 2, 2012

This is an unexpectedly bucolic walk through city-center neighborhoods unknown even to most Los Angeles natives, offering great downtown views and unlikely encounters with nature and history.