How are you staying fit after 65? Tell us about your unique routine
Want to know the secret to longevity? Hint: It can’t be found at the bottom of a serum bottle or at some luxury doctor’s office. The key is to consistently engage in “multicomponent” physical activities that encompass aerobic activity, muscle…
Tell us: What’s your favorite walk in Los Angeles?
At some point in your time living in L.A. you’ve probably heard someone bemoan it as a city built for cars. I’ve never quite understood that complaint. While it may be true that we spend a fair share of our…
L.A. walking guides to help you explore the city by foot
Walking might not be built into the daily life of your average Angeleno, but our city is still full of fantastic places to explore by foot. Our team of experts is constantly scouting the best ones for you and talking…
19 years in, the Great Los Angeles Walk proves L.A. is a walking city
The morning I meet Michael Schneider at a quaint coffee shop in Glendale, it quickly becomes clear that he walked here. His sneakers are the first clue — worn, white Nike trainers smudged with dirt. It’s uncharacteristically warm out this…
A walkability ranking of L.A. neighborhoods
Admit it, you’re here because you want to see how walkable your favorite (or least favorite, I suppose) L.A. neighborhood is. You want bragging rights, you want your biases confirmed, you want a totally unscientific, more than a little opinionated…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Kamasi Washington
To say that jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington is a fan of Los Angeles is an understatement. “I love how big L.A. is and how it’s like 10 different cities in one,” said the Grammy-nominated Washington, who released his third full-length…
Visit Stars Hollow on Warner Bros.’ ‘Gilmore Girls’ studio tour
It’s fall, and for many that means it’s “Gilmore Girls” season. Though its original run ended in 2007, the series about the mother-daughter escapades of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore has remained a viewing behemoth, often returning to the top 10…
I’ve walked the same L.A. trail 400 times. Here’s how it saved me
“Hello, old friend.” That’s the phrase that popped into my head at the start of my favorite walk recently. It was a warm October evening and the swaths of black mustard weed on the trail had completely dried up, leaving…
10 walking clubs to help you see L.A. — and make friends
Walking is considered one of the healthiest ways to exercise, but let’s be honest: Unless you have a dog dragging you to the door or a friend pulling your arm, it’s easy to find reasons to stay on the couch….
Walk L.A.: A pedestrian’s guide to exploring the city by foot
When it comes to “walkability,” L.A. gets a bad rap. To the weekend visitor, our city can seem like a maze of twisting freeways and roads built for cars, walled off to pedestrians. But those who really know L.A. can…
The best freebies and discounts for L.A.’s 50-plus crowd
According to the census, nearly a third of Los Angeles residents are over 50. And we’re aging collectively — according to a Times report, L.A. County’s median age rose 2.6 years between 2012 and 2022. Thankfully, L.A. is an enticing…
6 things to know about L.A.’s whimsical new Balloon Museum
You won’t find any clowns at the L.A. leg of the traveling Balloon Museum, but there are plenty of other carnival-inspired sights and sounds to be experienced: massive inflated tents, queue lines marked by bright primary colors and concessions fit…
The ultimate holiday gift guide you need in Los Angeles
Credits Creative Director: Amy KingFeatures Editor: Brittany Levine BeckmanLead Gift Guide editor: Marques HarperProject editors: Jen Doll, Philip Gray (books), Betty Hallock (food), Michelle WooWriters: Lisa Boone, Stephanie Breijo, Kailyn Brown, Cindy Carcamo, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Danielle Dorsey, Betty Hallock, Jenn…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Sophie Thatcher
Sophie Thatcher isn’t in L.A. at the moment — but “Yellowjackets” fans will appreciate the reason. She’s in Vancouver filming the new season of the hit Showtime series, in which Thatcher’s character Natalie was revealed last season as the ringleader…
Has Nintendo found a better way to wake up? A review of Alarmo
No one has ever applauded me for getting out of bed before. But for the last week and a half a tiny, cheery red machine has been rewarding me with a fanfare when I decide to rise. Its digital screen…
Allan McLeod’s “Walkin’ About” podcast will help you explore L.A.
• In April, comedian Allan McLeod launched “Walkin’ About,” a podcast in which he and a guest stroll somewhere in the L.A. region.• His walking companions have included actor Dan Stevens, Ed. Begley Jr. and comedian Jon Gabrus. • Through…
What 22 Dodger fans wore for the World Series
The last time the Dodgers were in the World Series, it was in the thick of the pandemic. So all the games were played at a neutral site in Arlington, Texas, and the capacity was capped at 25% of capacity….
A definitive yet unserious guide to L.A. for Yankees fans
You’re a Yankees fan headed to Los Angeles for the first time. Of course you have questions. After all, you’ve come west from an old, dense, stinky, shrinking, corruption-plagued city while we wait here in a young, sprawling city that’s…
How a forgotten California border town became a hip hideaway
The first two surprises, as you roll up Old Highway 80 into this dry and silent Sonoran Desert town, might be the steam and the music. The steam rises from two pools at the recently reborn Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel….
Workers turn to van life amid Eastern Sierra housing crunch
MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. — Emily Markstein, a sinewy rock climber and skier who has spent seven years living and working in the Sierra resort town of Mammoth Lakes, opens a large sliding door and welcomes a stranger into her home….
Surfer dies after being pierced by a needlefish in Indonesia
An Italian surfer died last week after being impaled by a needlefish in the waters off Masokut Island in Indonesia. Antara, a local news agency, reported that 36-year-old Giulia Manfrini had been surfing at around 9:30 a.m. when the freak…
A guide to the Santa Ynez Valley, L.A.’s nearest wine country
When Alexander Payne’s wine-drenched dramedy “Sideways” first came out, Santa Ynez Valley didn’t have the luster of Napa or the breadth of the Russian River Valley. It still doesn’t match the touristic draw of either, but the spunky kid sister…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Julie Bowen
For Julie Bowen, mom of three teenage boys, a perfect Sunday would include plenty of “me time.” “My whole family calls laundry and dishes my ‘hobbies,’” she said. “No, no, my hobbies are reading, going to museums, hiking and playing…
How to see the lost art of rebel Disney imagineer Rolly Crump in L.A.
Rolly Crump had an outsized reputation. A rebel in the Disney fold. A beatnik. An unapologetic tell-it-like-it-is you-know-what. Crump, who died last year at the age of 93, also forever changed the look of Disneyland. His art can be found…
I set up camp on a Lost Coast beach. Then a mountain lion showed up
It was 1996, and while traveling through the Lost Coast in far northern California, my boyfriend and I were camping without a tent on the beach. We’d been to Yosemite and some other places, but we’d just gotten there. We…
Hiking inn-to-inn from Santa Monica to San Diego
Approaching Laguna Beach on the hike from Newport Beach to San Clemente. (Tom Courtney) This charming stroll will transport you back to the 1930s, through popular Laguna Beach, with its throngs of tourists and stylish art galleries, to Dana Point,…
A New York City guide for L.A. people (Dodgers’ version)
Any Dodgers fan visiting New York is bound to have questions. Why is the Statue of Liberty calling for a right-handed relief pitcher? Why does the wait for trains along the High Line seem like forever? Can I trust these…
Navigating a world-record corn maze tests the human psyche
DIXON, Calif. — Deep inside one of the world’s largest corn mazes, where the tri-tip sandwiches and soft-serve ice cream purchased at the concession stand have become but a memory and all that can be seen in any direction are dirt…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Abby Wambach
Imagine it: Soccer legend Abby Wambach, five years old and a gifted forward, scoring 27 goals in her first three youth soccer games. Now widely known, it’s a story that Wambach shares often to emphasize the importance of working with…
Trans people find sexiness and absurdity on the wrestling mat
“Dale!” drag king Mauro Cuchi shouts into the mic. “Eso!” the crowd roars back. A spotlight shines on two glistening bodies facing off on the wrestling mat, each scantily clad and grappling to subdue the other in a takedown. But…
The ‘Little Women Ballet’ leaps into a historic L.A. site
As contemporary Angelenos, seeing the immersive “Little Women Ballet” might be as close as we’ll ever get to stepping into a time machine. The series of dance works about Louisa May Alcott’s beloved 19th century novel are staged inside the…
These are the most fascinating L.A. museums you’ve never heard of
Todd Lerew is curious. He likes lists. And he doesn’t like doing things halfway. This is why he collects pictorial maps, why he has visited 248 public libraries in Los Angeles County and 401 of the 483 municipalities in California….
Commentary: ChainFest is a fetishization of cheap food for rich people
Hollywood’s upper-class elites have found a new way to show that they’re out of touch. And I fell for it. Chain, a recent darling of social media and beneficiary of articles that speak of its nostalgia-fueled good times, promises the…
The brilliant fall foliage of the Eastern Sierra draws a global crowd
BISHOP, Calif. — Just after dawn on Thursday, I pointed my car up a long, steep hill outside Bishop and climbed through the high desert scrub toward the towering peaks of the Eastern Sierra. For about 15 miles, the land and…
Join the L.A. Times on a fall hike along the Gabrielino Trail
Howdy! I’m Jaclyn Cosgrove, an outdoors reporter at the L.A. Times. I write about the best trails, bodies of water, campgrounds and more that you should visit in and around Los Angeles County. I’m also the voice behind The Wild,…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Charlie Puth
When pop singer-songwriter Charlie Puth first began visiting Los Angeles in the early 2010s, he remembers landing at a house near Mount Olympus with an incredible view. Though he‘d only recently become a legal adult, he’d already built a following…
13 Los Angeles places to celebrate halloween all year long
For Halloween lovers, there is only one major problem with spooky season: it ends. But in a city where the change in seasons is more of a shift in mindset anyway, it doesn’t have to. Where there is a will…
Princess Zelda is the year’s most butt-kicking childless cat lady
About 15 hours into “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom,” I came across a character expressing concern for Princess Zelda: “Is she overextending herself for the sake of the kingdom?” I bristled. “Echoes of Wisdom” is the first core…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Sasheer Zamata
Here’s a shortlist of American cities Sasheer Zamata has called home: Brooklyn, N.Y.; Charlottesville, Va.; Indianapolis; Lexington, Ky.; San Antonio; and Riverside. The actor, comedian and former “Saturday Night Live” star was a self-described military brat, born in Okinawa, Japan,…
How to plan a dreamy winter Amtrak trip from L.A. to New Mexico
It was early morning in mid-December when I awoke to the sounds of steady rumbling while lying in the top bunk in my 9-by-5-foot family room in Amtrak’s Southwest Chief train. I climbed down a ladder to find my husband…
Waiting for a flight at LAX? You might be able to read a banned book
Travelers waiting for flights at Los Angeles International Airport can bide their time by having a meal, grabbing a drink, people watching — or, perhaps, reading a banned book. At least that is the intention of a collaboration between the…
Universal Studios rolls out its first all-female monster maze
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, like all major theme park haunt events, hopes to scare its guests. But Universal’s key architect this year wanted to raise a different question: Is it possible to create a haunted maze that’s…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Tony Hawk
Even though he officially retired from competition more than two decades ago, skateboarding legend and entrepreneur Tony Hawk seems to be everywhere these days. If you’re an avid video game player, you can watch him (or maybe even help him)…
Adult recess? L.A. groups for double Dutch, dodgeball and more
As a Black woman who grew up in New York City in the late ’90s and early aughts, double Dutch has always been near and dear to my heart. In the summertime, the balmy Bronx streets would be filled with…
How Lauren Bello created ‘The Morrison Game Factory’ board game
I knew “The Morrison Game Factory” had its hooks in me when I started talking back to it. There I was, alone and at home, and in conversation with a fictional machine. Puzzles were sprawled around me. Colorful dice, a…
These 25 hiking trails were burned in the Bridge fire
As the Bridge fire spread from the East Fork of the San Gabriel River to the beloved mountain communities of Mount Baldy and Wrightwood last week, questions arose about what would be left in its wake. And those included which…
A look at the ‘party car’ on the swanky high-speed rail coming to SoCal
One day in the late 2020s, if the people at Brightline West deliver on their promised fast train between Southern California and Las Vegas, you’ll be able to order a drink while rolling toward the Strip. And apparently you’ll be…
Sunday Funday in Los Angeles with Tinx
From an early age, Christina Najjar, better known by her moniker Tinx, recalls the grip that “Sunday scaries” had on her household. “I remember my dad being kind of stressed out, and it was the day that everybody went to…
Yosemite’s Wawona Hotel closing. No reopening date set; workers reassigned
Yosemite National Park’s historic Wawona Hotel is closing, and park officials are not saying when it will reopen. The hotel’s workers are being reassigned elsewhere. One of the last times this Victorian-era hotel closed in Yosemite National Park, the raging…
Want a new way to see Little Tokyo? Chase a spy in ‘Spies Among Us’
The conceit: Players are tasked with tracking down a rogue spy. But perhaps they’re the ones being tracked. I’m standing in a Little Tokyo courtyard, and I receive a text message from a stranger. I’m being watched, they tell me….
Live out your Dungeons & Dragons dreams at downtown L.A. bar
Carlos Leon found himself in a depressed state — a personal relationship was stalling and his career seemed directionless. What he craved was an escape, one inspired by the fantasy worlds he devoured as a child and continued to consume…
Disney-obsessed couple loses lawsuit to get back into exclusive Club 33
As members of Disney’s exclusive Club 33, Scott and Diana Anderson visited the two Anaheim theme parks 60 to 80 times a year. The private club, with its wood-paneled trophy room and other amenities, was the center of their social…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Tony Gonzalez
When NFL Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez was growing up in Torrance, he remembers spending Sundays watching the Los Angeles Raiders on television. After all, “they had Bo Jackson,” Gonzalez says of the famous running back. (The Rams,…
The best Hollywood movie studio tours, from Warner Bros. to Universal
Tourists view a variety of locations during the Sony Studios lot tour, with Tony Tasset’s 94-foot, 2012-constructed rainbow that references “The Wizard of Oz” in the distance. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) Best for: Game show devotees and a vision…
Kings Canyon is a hiking and camping paradise — without the crowds
Just five hours north of Los Angeles sits a national park that should be on your outdoor bucket list. It features a valley carved millions of years ago by glaciers, hulking mountains made of granite and other rock, countless waterfalls,…
Listen to music from around the world at these L.A. parties
As the Latin trap anthem “Singamo” rings over the speakers at the Echo in Echo Park, more than 50 people sing along and twerk on stage. Dina Ben-Nissan and Courtney Hollinquest take turns spinning tracks by artists from around the…
How to tour Bellosguardo, a haunting estate on a Santa Barbara bluff
The house, a French palace on a Santa Barbara bluff, stands as undisturbed as a crime scene, a pair of unstrung harps in the music room, china laid out on the dinner table, waves crashing on East Beach below. This…
Sunday Funday in Los Angeles with Jessica Alba
When Jessica Alba reminisces about her Sundays as a child, the first things that come to mind are sleeping in and having Sunday dinner with her tight knit family. “We would do enchiladas, al pastor or a more elaborate dinner…
Rick Steves, travel guide and TV host, has prostate cancer
TV travel host Rick Steves, who has been guiding Americans through Europe for nearly half a century, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is set to have surgery this fall. “My doctor assures me that, if you’re going to…
The best lakes in L.A. County for swimming, fishing and boating
Nothing screams “summer” more than a day spent by the water. And Angelenos have many ways to access it, including a long coastline hugged by the Pacific, plenty of pools and refreshing swimming holes galore. But consider the local lake,…
One of Disneyland’s original rides plans to remove racist tropes
Disneyland is set to to update one of its oldest rides to correct racist tropes about Indigenous people. Peter Pan’s Flight, one of the original theme park attractions when Disneyland opened in Anaheim in 1955, will update Tiger Lily and…
‘Escape From Godot’ is an escape room that is also a work of theater
A few minutes after the play begins, the actors stop, empty their pockets and repeat their last few lines. And then they do it again. And again. And again. This live approximation of a vinyl record that catches on loop…
The hootin’-hollerin’ allure of Knott’s Berry Farm’s Ghost Town Alive!
“Have you ever pickpocketed?” No, I have not. At Knott’s Berry Farm, it was suggested I give it a try. Thieving, the man gushed, is freeing, and, by it’s very nature, comes with a reward — or spoils. But I…
Why some residents of Europe’s hot spots want tourists to stay away
AMSTERDAM — For people who live in particularly picturesque quarters of charming European cities, the words “Instagrammable” or “Tik-Tok famous” can feel like harbingers of doom. Or harbingers, at the very least, of intense annoyance. Across the continent, this has been…
How not to be a terrible tourist: What Europeans want visitors to know
AMSTERDAM — Travel can be exhilarating or awful, and like it or not, we all leave footprints. Of course, some tourists tread more heavily than others, leaving residents swearing, slack-jawed or just shaking their heads. In this busy European travel season,…
‘Avatar,’ ‘Coco’ attractions are coming to Disneyland
Walt Disney created it. James Cameron will help add to it. The Disneyland Resort in its seventh decade is getting a new area dedicated to a world of fantasy, this one having originated from the mind of filmmaker Cameron. A…
5 great campsites near L.A. that are local favorites
Los Angeles is brimming with special slices of nature, tucked high in the mountains or along the coast. So when we put together a guide highlighting some of the best first-come, first-serve campsites in the city, we asked readers to…
A whimsical game is hiding among books at Los Angeles Public Library
Imagine that your local public library is inhabited by an undiscovered race of tiny people. They’ve hidden themselves in the racks, tucked behind books and magazines, amidst history and fiction, new media and old. If you’re lucky, you might spy…
What it’s like to travel to Maui one year after the catastrophic wildfires
Five hundred feet outside the Lahaina burn zone, the tourists receive their leis. As the torches of the Old Lahaina Luau flicker, bartenders mix mai tais and hula dancers get ready. After dinner, dancer and emcee Niki Rickard gathers the…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Andrew Bird
For Andrew Bird, Sundays hold special meaning. Those were the days when jazz would be etched into his subconscious before sunrise — as a 20-something living in Chicago, he’d doze off to late-night music broadcasts on local radio, listening to…
Southern California beaches that locals love, some off the beaten path
When readers shared their favorite Southern California beaches with us, the majority of their recommendations were for beaches that made our recent top 50 list. Picking the best beaches out of the roughly 200 in Southern California was an ambitious…
The best L.A.-area hikes, according to Angelenos (who don’t gatekeep)
Truism No. 1: Los Angeles is a patchwork of vast hiking terrain, with about 1 million acres in the L.A. area. The Angeles National Forest alone offers 700,000 acres and 8,000-foot-plus peaks to explore. Truism No. 2: Even the most…
Commentary: Tourists have made Europe a nightmare. I was part of the problem
Ten years ago, in an opinion article for the Los Angeles Times, Rick Steves advised readers to swallow their fears of terrorism and disease, “just get on the plane” and go see the world. And who am I to disagree…
It’s like Vegas’ Sphere, but it’s in L.A. 7 things to know about Cosm
Outside it was sunny and in the high 80s, but inside, a large, spectral-like glacier was rushing toward me. As it broke apart in the water, it looked sickly, with glowing green streaks running through it. Then it was overhead,…
2024 Paris Olympics: A close look at the iconic venues
PARIS — Throngs of tourists flocking to the Eiffel Tower on a warm, humid afternoon cannot help but notice the 2024 Summer Olympics are close at hand. Much of the surrounding gardens have been cordoned off with chain-link fencing, transformed into…
The best water rides in Southern California, ranked by splash factor
Robotic dinosaurs. Mechanical miners. Unpredictable chaos. Our local water rides offer the promise of getting wet with a dash of surprise and excitement. Home to four world-class theme or amusement parks, the Southland isn’t lacking in inventive ways to get…
15,000-gallon sewage leak triggers closures at two L.A. County beaches
Parts of Venice Beach and Dockweiler State Beach are closed after 15,000 gallons of sewage leaked into the ocean near Marina del Rey over the weekend, the Los Angeles County Public Health Department said. Beachgoers are being advised to stay…
The L.A. resident’s big, wet guide to water in the city
(Photography by Henry Hargreaves; prop styling by Victoria Granof; post-production by Zak Vitale and Craig Peterson; thanks to Jarett Loeffler.) In L.A., water rules our minds, bodies and yards. That’s why we’re decoding H20 during our city’s most sizzling season….
Perseid meteor shower: Catch the best meteor light show of the year
The first time Bill Cooke ever saw a meteor shower, he was 11 years old in the woods of North Georgia getting eaten alive by the mosquitoes. But as he looked up, the sight of color streaks from the Perseid…
Descanso Gardens opens train ride and model railroad garden
All aboard! Starting this week, the Descanso Railroad train ride is open to riders once again. And model trains winding their way around a new railway garden promise to charm a generation of engine-obsessed little kids. Imagine a garden where…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Miranda Cosgrove
Los Angeles-born actor and singer Miranda Cosgrove has been part of our pop culture landscape for more than two decades. She made her big-screen debut in 2003’s “School of Rock” (filmed when she was 9) followed by a run of…
In defense of Disney adults
There are two words that will strike fear in a grown-up fan of a Disney theme park: Disney adult. While some may wear the designation as a badge of honor, many associate it with a specific form of humiliation. For…
A look inside the new state fair cannabis consumption lounge
SACRAMENTO — Last month, the California State Fair announced plans to allow cannabis to be sold and consumed on-site for the first time in its 170-year history. On Sunday, I hopped on a flight from L.A. to Sacramento, bypassed the stands…
What is a Bojin facial? We tried the luxury L.A. skincare treatment
I know my way around a facial. I have well-formed opinions about collagen face masks and laser treatments. I planned a trip to Seoul, in part, so I could visit a famous spa known for its advanced skin care techniques…
Fecal fears pile up as L.A. hiking mecca reopens — minus half its toilets
Joanie Kasten remembers peering out the kitchen window of her 108-year-old cabin in the Angeles National Forest and seeing a woman “going potty” near a large rock. “Poor thing,” the 74-year-old thought. “She doesn’t know I’m right here.” That was…
What do you think is the best beach in Southern California?
Of course, naming the best beaches of Southern California is subjective. But when a group of reporters set out to take on this massive task for The Times, they had some guiding principles. We sought beaches from San Diego to…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Lisa Ann Walter
When I video-call Lisa Ann Walter, she’s in the middle of making a banana cake to serve alongside the curry she’ll soon prepare for Sunday dinner, a standing tradition at her house. In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a…
Tell us: What’s your California wilderness survival story?
On any given day in Southern California, you have vast opportunities to escape for an outdoor adventure, whether that means surfing a wave, hiking a mountain or traversing the desert. But with any adventure comes risk. As much as we…
Tell us: How much did you spend on your summer vacation?
Here in Los Angeles, summer vacation means many different things to many different people. For some it’s a five-week-long trip to Majorca, Spain; for others it’s a long weekend at a Malibu campsite. Some of us will save all year…
Looking for good vibes in L.A.? Readers share their ‘happy place’
“Just before visiting Los Angeles in summer 2008, I read a story in the Los Angeles Times about the opening of the first public park in downtown L.A. in more than 100 years. I was intrigued by the description of…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts vividly remembers how she was welcomed to life in Los Angeles 30 years ago. “I was 3, because my first memory of L.A. was of that big [Northridge] earthquake in 1994,” the actor told The Times via Zoom…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Eva Longoria
Sundays have always been a “sacred” day for Eva Longoria. Growing up in Texas, the Golden Globe-nominated actor would go to Sunday Mass with her family before heading to one of her favorite restaurants, Luby’s, where she’d order a fried…
Every Southern California theme park ride, ranked
(Daniel Sulzberg / For The Times) Times theme park critic Todd Martens was handed a wild assignment: Rank every theme park ride in Southern California. The mission was dizzying, literally, as he spent months fastening his seatbelt and zipping through…
Libraries have free passes to California parks under budget deal
Californians can once again borrow a pass from their local library to gain free entry to a state park. The popular state library parks program that began two years ago was on the chopping block this spring, a potential victim…
Helpful tips for taking preschoolers to Disneyland
When you figure in the high cost, endless lines, height restrictions and miles of walking, does it ever make sense to take a preschooler to Disneyland? Yes, as long as their adults adjust their expectations, plan carefully and slow waaay…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Paul Scheer
Paul Scheer’s memoir, “Joyful Recollections of Trauma,” is not just a collection of harrowing — and often humorous confessions — but also a reminder that to persevere, we must strive to maintain our passions. Scheer’s first loves come through in…
Do you have a ‘happy place’ in L.A.? We want to hear from you
Is there a place in L.A. that simply makes you happy? A spot where you go to escape? Where the noise just stops and you feel nothing but delight? Perhaps it’s a favorite store where the bright and clean interior…
Hate hidden hotel fees? In California, they’re about to be illegal
If you’re making travel plans for summer or fall, brace yourself for a jump in some advertised prices — which is, believe it or not, good news for consumers. It’s the result of a new California law aimed at bringing…
A roadmap to cannabis tourism spots in Mendocino weed country
Mendocino County, Calif. — As you drive through some of California’s most storied agricultural land, a few hours north of the Bay Area, you’ll zoom past fields full of plants straining under the weight of their almost-ready-to-harvest bounty. After checking into…
Chase Sapphire lounge at LAX: What cardholders should know
While a swanky airport lounge can’t alleviate Los Angeles International Airport’s infamous curbside gridlock, it can make it become a more distant memory. The latest predeparture sanctuary that will land at LAX? It’s from a company best known for its…
Review: Replacing Splash Mountain, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure shines
Bay Lake, Fla. — As we dip into the bayou, the scene before us feels a tad mystical, all glowing fireflies with hues of blue and purple seeping through the trees. While there’s a comfortably paced current carrying our log-carved…
Tell us: What’s your favorite local L.A. campground?
In late November, I prepared myself for one of the most common pastimes of any nature-loving Californian. I got up early and trekked a dozen steps over to my laptop, where I quickly logged onto Recreation.gov to secure a campsite…
Mojave Desert ghost town Amboy fights to survive on Route 66
AMBOY, Calif. — It’s a Friday afternoon in mid-May and a Czech biker is eating an ice cream cone at the counter of a gas station along a desolate stretch of the Mojave Desert. Outside, his entourage crowds around a towering…
Parts of Kings Canyon National Park set to reopen after closure
A popular area in Kings Canyon National Park is reopening after a closure caused by flooding damage that lasted more than a year. Cedar Grove will reopen to the public Monday, the National Park Service announced. The area at the…
Mosquitoes can ruin a hike. Here’s how to stop them
The hoot of a great horned owl. The munching of a mule deer enjoying grass. The crunching of your feet on the sandy soil. To any hiker, these sounds enhance the joy of being outdoors. But the endorphin rush of…
The best West Coast travel spots, according to L.A. Times readers
Sometimes 101 is just too small a number. Many readers, having digested our new list of 101 best West Coast experiences, have stepped up to make the case for destinations we left out, from a country road in Malibu to…
How Southern California piers, from Santa Barbara to San Diego, endure
Over and over again, they stretch out their spindly little matchstick fingers into the mighty Pacific, and over and over again, they get their knuckles rapped. Rapped, broken, burned, smashed to bits. And yet what do they do? They keep…
California climbers use pioneering techniques to summit Mt. Everest
Graham Cooper rejoices after reaching the summit of Mt. Everest. (Alpenglow Expeditions) Sleeping with your head in a bag works. Graham Cooper and Adrian Ballinger, California mountaineers whose acclimatization for Mt. Everest included sleeping at home with their heads in…
Splendid day trips you can take from Las Vegas
I have a new system for beating the casinos in Las Vegas: I don’t spend a penny on the slots, the tables or the sports books. Instead, I bet heavily on red and green. Red rocks and green waters, that…
How to conquer the new Las Vegas
Plan your ultimate trip to always-evolving Las Vegas. Try new immersive experiences and the best places to eat on and off the Strip — including desserts approved by Cake Boss Buddy Valastro. Check out the coolest indie shops and escape…
Join the L.A. Times on a hike along the Lower Arroyo Seco Trail
Hi! I’m Deborah Vankin and I’m a wellness writer for the L.A. Times. We just finished putting together a massive guide to fantastic hikes in Los Angeles. While testing out the trails this spring, I went on about 10 solo…
How to score a first-come first-served campsite near Los Angeles
It’s Thursday night, and you’re dying to get out of the city. You can no longer take the cacophony of leaf blowers, police helicopters and honking horns. The forecast for the weekend is, in typical Southern California fashion, clear, temperate…
Marin caps short-term rentals, saying coastal communities are dying
DILLON BEACH, Calif. — A stay in Brian Maggi’s house, per the Airbnb listing, is what coastal California dreams are made of. “Bathed in natural sunlight,” it reads, you can “enjoy unobstructed panoramic views of the ocean and Point Reyes.” You…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Todd Selby
Skateboarders, creative directors, chefs and hip designers are all captivating subjects for photographer Todd Selby, who has traveled the world for more than 20 years, capturing creatives at home for his blog, the Selby. “I have always been interested in…
Disneyland’s ‘Fantasmic!’ returns after fire — without a dragon
For more than three decades, Disneyland’s nighttime show “Fantasmic!” has lighted up the Anaheim park’s Rivers of America. A story about our dreams and nightmares centered heavily on Disney’s animated works, “Fantasmic!” has long boasted an assortment of projections, pyrotechnics…
The magical California state park that doesn’t allow visitors
SUTTER BUTTES, Calif. — About 60 miles north of Sacramento, the Sutter Buttes rise starkly from the floor of the Central Valley, the remnants of a volcano active more than 1.4 million years ago. Their cathedral-like spires twist upward, some…
Tell us: What’s the most extraordinary West Coast experience?
Our guide to the 101 best West Coast experiences brings you essential things to do in Baja, California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. We think it has something for every type of explorer, from the awe-seeking (a hike around the…
From Baja to British Columbia, these are the 101 best West Coast experiences
Walk the vast salt flats of Death Valley. Marvel at a glorious Oregon waterfall. Tiptoe above a misty forest in Vancouver. In this guide, we’ll help you discover what makes the West Coast the absolute best coast.
The 10 most memorable things to do on the West Coast
I couldn’t help it. In the course of scouting out great adventures for West Coast 101 — our new guide to essential destinations in Baja, California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia — I found myself compiling a personal top 10….
Las Vegas’ Mirage Resort to close after 34-year run
Once hailed as “Las Vegas’ first 21 Century resort,” The Mirage Hotel & Casino confirmed Wednesday that its iconic volcano outside of its front entrance is going dormant less than a quarter of a century into the new millennium. Owner…
Download the checklist of the 101 best West Coast experiences
Michelle Woo is the West Coast experiences editor for the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she worked as a senior editor at Medium, the parenting editor at Lifehacker and a staff writer at OC Weekly. She is the author of “Horizontal…
How to see Yosemite’s moonbows, rainbows that form at night
We met Brian Hawkins, a Redondo Beach mechanical engineer-turned-videographer, in the near-empty lobby of the Yosemite Valley Lodge. It was just after 9 on a Tuesday night in late April. Our hunt was about to begin, but the weather augured…
Meow Wolf announces its Los Angeles venue
Immersive entertainment firm Meow Wolf, whose multiple locations of floor-to-ceiling psychedelic-leaning art have attracted about 10 million visitors across its four venues since 2016, has revealed the location of its in-development Los Angeles-based exhibition. Meow Wolf Los Angeles will be…
Californians love our parks. We just don’t know they’re state parks
When Dos Rios Ranch opens to visitors next month in the San Joaquin Valley, California will have 280 state parks — making it one of the nation’s largest systems, as well as one of its most popular, with about 70…
Sunday Funday in Los Angeles with Michaela Jaé Rodriguez
Since bursting onto the Hollywood scene with memorable performances in shows like “Nurse Jackie” and the critically acclaimed FX drama “Pose,” Michaela Jaé Rodriguez has shown her many dimensions. The Golden Globe winner stars in the Apple TV comedy “Loot,”…
Do you have to pay to camp on the Lost Coast? Here’s what to know
The Lost Coast, a Northern California trail on many a hiker’s bucket list, is one of the only coastal backpacking opportunities in the contiguous United States. Starting in November, backpackers camping there will be required to pay $12 per trip….
‘Particle Ink’ in Las Vegas: Animation enters its live-theater era
Las Vegas — There are multiple dance duets in “Particle Ink: House of Shattered Prisms,” a mixed-media theatrical production that debuted last month on the Las Vegas Strip. They are highly acrobatic and borderline risqué — this is Vegas, after all…
Experimental art collective Meow Wolf is coming to L.A.
A Meow Wolf exhibition is designed as a dream space, a walk-through floor-to-ceiling collection of psychedelic art with a sci-fi bent and an anything-goes, punk rock spirit. Apples that melodically squeal when squeezed? One can find those in “Omega Mart,”…
What to know about riding your bike on the Inglewood Pumptrack
On a rainy Sunday morning in Inglewood, while most of the sprawling Edward Vincent Jr. Park was empty, one area was alive with action: the Inglewood Pumptrack. On the wavy, asphalt track that almost looks like a modern sculpture emerging…
California climbers train for Mt. Everest from the comfort of bed
TRUCKEE, Calif. — Graham Cooper sleeps with his head in a bag. Not just any bag. This one has a hose attached to a motor that slowly lowers the oxygen level to mimic, as faithfully as possible, the agonies of fitful…
Sunday Funday in Los Angeles with singer-songwriter Laufey
Icelandic Chinese vocalist and songwriter Laufey (pronounced lāy-vāy) has an appreciation for life’s many wonders. It’s apparent in her music, which fuses the sounds of jazz and classical giants past with romantic storytelling, punctuated by a deep vibrato and modern-day…
What to know about California’s newest state park
On June 12, California will open its first new state park in nearly a decade, setting aside 1,600 acres near the confluence of the Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers in the San Joaquin Valley. The park will give visitors a…
A guide to hiking Utah’s Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park
“Is that the trail?” I asked Steve, my longtime adventuring buddy. Not out of frustration or worry. I was more amazed at how this trail was marked, which is hardly at all. So you know, Steve has led me off…
DisneylandForward: What new attractions will come to Disneyland?
With the city of Anaheim unanimously voting to pass DisneylandForward, the Disneyland Resort will be forever changed. Twice in the last 69 years, Disneyland has been significantly transformed. Four years after the park opened in 1959, Disneyland added its monorail,…
What to expect on the new TCM tour at Warner Bros. Studios
In 2021, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour created new interactive exhibits focused on the company’s recent history, unveiling areas dedicated to the DC Comics universe and the “Harry Potter” franchise. This week, the popular Studio Tour in Burbank is doubling…
What are the wildflowers like in Carrizo Plain right now?
Carrizo Plain National Monument in eastern San Luis Obispo County is one of California’s most iconic wildflower viewing areas, but is this year’s display worth the 150-mile drive from L.A.? If you’re looking for blankets of bright color covering the…
Sunday Funday in Los Angeles with Tia Mowry
Sunday is Tia Mowry’s favorite day of the week because it’s the day that she gets to do whatever she wants. “With my career, there’s always some sort of schedule,” the actor and entrepreneur said. But on Sundays, “it’s just…
Disneyland’s plan to cut down on disability cheats
Disney theme parks have seen the use of their disability services program skyrocket in the last five years. Is it because cheaters are making use of the program to avoid what the majority of park-goers simply endure — the ride…
The Ladder from Hatch Escapes is redefining the escape room
Word got out that there was a whistleblower wanting to meet. The company was suspicious, but this was the first overt notice that our place of work was corrupt. Should we investigate and see what ethics were being breached, or…
What to know about Disneyland’s updated Star Tours ride
Disneyland’s Star Tours: The Adventures Continue has proved to be one of the theme park’s most versatile attractions. Though perhaps no longer the groundbreaking technological marvel that it was when it debuted in 1987, the flight simulator ride has shifted…
See a spring superbloom at Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles residents hoping to see a superbloom this spring don’t need to go far — a field of flowers has sprung up between the runways at Los Angeles International Airport. A series of recent storms and heavy rains have…
Old Northern California rail track could become 300-mile hiking trail
More than a century ago, a railroad was constructed to shuttle passengers and redwood logs between San Francisco and Humboldt Bay. Now the since-abandoned train track could be transformed into a 307-mile pathway through remote, wild country along California’s North…
Inside Disneyland’s high-tech animatronics at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Cutting edge robotics are descending upon the Disneyland Resort. With new droids arriving at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge this week — and some of the most lifelike characters ever created coming later this year to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure — the…
Where — and how — to watch the solar eclipse in California
While a narrow strip of North America celebrates the arrival of a rare total solar eclipse April 8 — when midday darkness will be cast on a sliver of states, including Texas, Illinois, Ohio and New York — there won’t…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Cheech Marin
You’d be hard pressed to find someone with local roots deeper than L.A.-born Cheech Marin, who parlayed a 1970s stoner comedy act (as half of the Cheech & Chong duo) into a six-decade (and counting) movie and TV career, becoming…
L.A.’s modern menders teach you how to give old clothes new life
It’s a rainy Wednesday evening at low-lit, moody Arts District hangout Tea at Shiloh, where a dozen students including myself perch on round white floor cushions, sipping carob cardamom tea and peering uncertainly at piles of denim on the low…
An epic quest led us to the best sunrise views in Joshua Tree
We plodded through an obsidian darkness, one deliberate step at a time, our headlamp beams illuminating the way. The steep trail seemed to stretch into eternity. My 8-year-old griped, “We’ve been hiking for years,” and I wondered why I’d ever…
The story of Tetiaroa, Marlon Brando’s enchanting island laboratory
It wasn’t like Marlon Brando to go spilling his private beans to the world about the life he had spent his years protecting. American actor Marlon Brando, circa 1965, about a year before he bought Tetiaroa. (Screen Archives / Getty…
What does the future hold for theme parks? 5 trends to look for
The theme park industry is expansive. The catch-all term encompasses your favorite rides, yes, but also an assortment of industries, ranging from architecture to animation to cinema to engineering to writing to game design. And that’s just a surface-level scan….
Too much poop, trash shuts down Big Sur’s only free camping site
San Carpoforo Beach in California’s Los Padres National Forest offers an idyllic view of the Pacific Coast and is the only free public camping site in the Big Sur area. The combination of beauty and exclusivity helped to make the…
Anza Borrego: How to see the wildflowers and bighorn sheep
Don’t hold off until summer: March and April are two of the best months for weekend road trips because the wildflowers begin to grow after the winter rain and wildlife can be more active with the abundant greenery and flowing…
Trek from Carson City to Canada and possibly make $5,000
People will soon be able to trek from the steps of the Nevada state Capitol in Carson City through the Sierra at Lake Tahoe and on to the Pacific Crest Trail, where they can complete the 1,600-mile journey to the…
Walk through this mini-Disneyland in a SoCal backyard
The castle is immaculate, its gold etching regal and its towers a bold shade of sky blue. The band at its gates plays no real instruments, but the musicians look dapper and at the ready. Before it all sits an…
Some travelers will be able to screen themselves at Vegas airport
Going through airport security can be a soul-sucking experience, which is why many travelers enroll in the TSA PreCheck system to qualify for shorter lines — and the right to keep their belt and shoes on as they go through…
A glorious ride on Amtrak’s California Zephyr in the winter
Crossing up and over the fabled Donner Pass in the northern Sierra Nevada and descending to Lake Tahoe is one of those essential rites of passage for Californians. But forget doing it in a car. Now is the time to…
California libraries may lose free passes to state parks
As California faces a staggering budget deficit, library card holders may soon lose the ability to check out free passes to more than 200 state parks, including popular destinations near Los Angeles. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget for the upcoming…
What to know about Treehouse Point, a treehouse hotel near Seattle
The drive to Treehouse Point, half an hour east of Seattle, takes you through a forest fit for hobbits, crowded full of fir, spruce, cedar, maple and hemlock. Alongside the Raging River — yes, that’s its name — you get…
Sunday Funday with Jay Shetty and Radhi Devlukia
If there was an award for the most wellness-focused couple in Los Angeles, Jay Shetty and Radhi Devlukia would take the cake. In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and…
A slime museum is coming to L.A. this summer
When it comes to healing from grief, there’s often not a simple answer, but there are some recommended standbys. Therapy, of course, is essential, and maintaining close contact with a community also is often recommended. And maybe, perhaps, a bit…
Can Taylor Swift park a private jet for Vegas Super Bowl?
Taylor Swift needs to get from Tokyo to Las Vegas this weekend. Chances are she’ll be using a private jet to get from Japan’s capital — where she is performing Saturday night — to Sin City, where boyfriend Travis Kelce…
High-speed rail is coming to the Central Valley. Residents see a new life in the fast lane
FRESNO, Calif. — The piling rig was in position, ready to drive a concrete pillar 40 feet into the ground. Just beyond the rig on this winter afternoon, trucks and cars continued streaming down State Road 198 in Hanford, separated from…
12 readers share their favorite trees in L.A.
“At 6601 West 82nd Street, there is the biggest naked coral tree I have ever seen. It’s stunning. Instead of spreading wide, which many do, this tree is both wide and about 50 feet high. In the summer, it’s full…
Fall in love with animation at Disneyland’s Pixar Place Hotel
They say you shouldn’t sleep where you work, but Pixar chief Pete Docter means it at as a compliment when he says that Disneyland’s reimagined Paradise Pier Hotel — now branded to the Emeryville-based animation powerhouse — is like “walking…
HoloTile Floor, the latest invention by Disney’s Lanny Smoot
Many of Lanny Smoot’s best-known inventions are, at least to nonengineers, more like magic tricks. Floating disembodied heads, a lightsaber that actually expands, retracts and glows and, in his latest sleight-of-hand, a reinvention of the floor. Yes, a floor. Smoot…
The greatest trees of Los Angeles
There is a sycamore in the front yard of my grandparents’ house, the house where my father grew up. It is a giant, towering over the home, the yard, the whole neighborhood. Last spring, when my grandmother was fading and…
How to have the best Sunday in LA, according to Kate Berlant
On the stand-up stage, comedian Kate Berlant is a lot — a lot of exaggerated faces, a lot of abrupt free-form physicality and a lot of on-a-dime thematic pivots. She’s brought that same frenetic theatricality to both the small and…
‘Top 100’ best chef: respect Guatemalan Indigenous food
GUATEMALA CITY — One of Debora Fadul’s earliest childhood memories is traveling in the backseat of her family’s sedan as her father negotiated long, windy roads to far-flung and verdant villages in Guatemala’s interior. In the countryside, her father trained schoolteachers…
What to do, see and eat at Disneyland’s Lunar New Year celebration
Festival season has begun at the Disneyland Resort, with the annual Lunar New Year celebration landing at Disney California Adventure. Over the past decade, Disneyland’s Lunar New Year festivities have swelled from relatively modest weekend events to extravaganzas spanning multiple…
The ultimate guide to ice climbing in California
Thwack! Thwack! Thud! Oh, thank god, my whole body exclaimed. After a few swings, the razor-sharp pick I clutched lodged firmly into a cascading frozen waterfall. Shards of ice exploded from the point of contact onto my face. A taste…
Feeling drained? Here’s how to rediscover your childlike wonder
The older I get, the more I enjoy acting like a kid. I jump at every opportunity to do backflips in the pool and absolutely love seeing the circus when it’s in town. I’ll giggle over banana splits at Fluffy…
SoCal’s forgotten hot springs oasis is finally reopening
Murrieta Hot Springs, a palm-shaded haven of steaming streams and coveted mud just north of Temecula, has been home to a Christian Bible college, a TV-free vegetarian commune and a popular mostly Jewish resort. Now comes a new chapter that…
What can you do with a preschooler at Disneyland?
Jeanette Marantos started writing for the Los Angeles Times in 1999, doing Money Makeovers until 2002. She returned to write for The Times’ Homicide Report in 2015 and the Saturday garden section in 2016, a yin and yang that kept…
How Pacific Surfliner’s beautiful route came to be
The tale of California’s railroads is a tale of beauties and beasts. The beasts are the muscle machines, the workaday haulers chuffing to and fro with the takings of forests and mines, fields and factories. The beauties are the glamor…
Try mystery experiences with L.A.’s Renaissance Club
When Luca Paoluzzi signed up for Renaissance Club last October, he had no idea what he was in for. “I saw this ad, it was a video, and it was really intriguing,” Paoluzzi said, describing the clip on Facebook that…
Yosemite says rock cairns are bad — and you should knock them down
If you’ve been feeling like you want to knock over giant piles of rocks, then Yosemite National Park might be your playground. The park posted a video on Facebook earlier this month instructing visitors to stop building large rock towers,…
See hidden waterfalls in Hetch Hetchy outside Yosemite Valley
The water was winning. Fed by the heaviest Sierra snowmelt in decades, it gushed down the narrow valley’s walls and rushed across the trail in front of me. The bravest and most foolish hikers plunged on through, ice-cold whitewater up…
Tioga Road reopening, bringing access back to the high country
After a summer of standstills, some relief may finally be on the way for traffic-weary visitors to Yosemite National Park. Tioga Road, a scenic route that provides access to the high country and also serves as the park’s eastern entry…
Las Vegas Delta airline passengers stuck in cabin for hours in 100+ degree heat
When Derek Clarke first took his seat on Delta’s flight 555 from Las Vegas to Atlanta on Monday, he noticed that the cabin felt toasty. The temperature outside was in the triple digits that afternoon as a prolonged and record-breaking…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Travis Bennett
In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends. It’s hard to imagine what Travis…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Bianca Del Rio
Ten years ago, when Bianca Del Rio was crowned the winner of Season 6 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” it was a different time: The reality competition aired on Logo, not MTV. It was a single franchise, not an extended universe…
Jodie Sweetin: How to have the best Sunday in L.A.
In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration for where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends. For children of the ’90s wondering…
How to spend the night in a lighthouse in San Francisco Bay
You might be reluctant to stay at a $475-a-night inn that warns of flashing lights and foghorns throughout the night, or bans one-night guests from bathing, or requires that you be ready to climb a ladder above roiling seas. But…
Inside Bart’s Books, California’s most iconic outdoor bookshop
It’s the open-air bookshelves and palm trees standing sentry in the courtyard. It’s the inventory of more than 100,000 books, including rare finds such as a first American edition of Jane Austen’s “Northanger Abbey,” It’s the Instagram-famous cats that have…
How will the Boeing 737 Max 9 problem affect air travel?
As shocking as the in-flight blowout on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 was last week, federal officials initially estimated that the problem that caused a gaping hole to open in the plane’s fuselage would be relatively easy to diagnose and fix….
Chris Appleton: How to have the best Sunday in L.A.
In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends. Even if you’ve never heard of…
After years of running a deficit, the Queen Mary has turned a profit for the city of Long Beach.
The Queen Mary has for years been a landmark in the city of Long Beach, an iconic ocean liner serving as a majestic sentry at the port and a popular attraction for both tourists and locals. But the aging ship…
Readers share their favorite restaurants and bars in Mexico City
“Everyone has a ‘list.’ That’s your running, messy sheet of restaurants and sightseeing options for your favorite city that you only share with relatives or friends,” writes Times Food editor Daniel Hernandez. After The Times published a series on Mexico…
Kristen Bell and family kicked out of airport for sleeping
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard were kicked out of an airport — and no, it wasn’t for letting their kids chug some non-alcoholic brewskis. The celebrity couple shared that they dropped $600 buying pillows and blankets so their family could…
Disneyland’s Paradise Pier adds Nemo- and Dory-themed features as it converts to Pixar Place
Disneyland’s Paradise Pier Hotel’s long-awaited “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory”-themed slide and splash pad will open Tuesday as the venue continues its transition toward becoming the nation’s first Pixar-themed hotel. Pool patrons can climb three flights of blue stairs to…
Blight invades a beloved corner of the San Gabriel Mountains
Moises Rivera and Marisol Medina had a clear vision in mind when they began their summer excursion in the mountains above blistering Los Angeles recently — and that vision definitely included a cooling dip in the East Fork of the…
Need a new or renewed U.S. passport? Get ready to wait
A Bay Area family of six had everything arranged for their trip to France at the end of June — except a passport renewal for one of their sons. They’d booked their flights and accommodations in April and gotten a…
How the Universal Studios tram tour defined the modern theme park
The Universal Studios tram tour — officially designated as the World-Famous Studio Tour — is today a polished theme park ride, a large-scale attraction bundled with a host of mini attractions within it. From a shark attack referencing Steven Spielberg’s…
Saweetie’s Sunday Funday involves brunch, a Dodgers game and bar hopping
In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends. Since hip-hop artist Saweetie burst onto…
Sound baths in L.A. churches? Enchanting — and not religious
Adrienne Bawa pulled into the parking lot of the First Congregational Church of L.A., her seven-seater Volvo filled with fabric, gongs and lights. It was two hours before the registered nurse and sound healer would welcome more than 50 people…
berk-sunday-funday-in-los-angeles – Los Angeles Times
In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends. You might not expect one of…
Should I travel to Maui right now? Wildfires may change Hawaii plans
The Hawaiian island of Maui is asking visitors to stay away as it tries to recover from devastating wildfires. Officials said Thursday morning that two of the three fires on Maui were largely contained. But the damage to portions of…
Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis put Santa Barbara house on Airbnb
Celebrity power couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have listed their Santa Barbara beach house on Airbnb — for free. The actors announced Tuesday that their oceanfront cottage would soon be available to book for one night only on the…
Black bears are also scaling Half Dome: What to do if you meet up
Climbers who summit Yosemite’s Half Dome can expect panoramic views of the national park’s luscious valley — but now park rangers say they might also spot traces of black bears, or even the animal itself. Park rangers recently found evidence…
Things I wish I could bring with me on my travels
It’s hard to think of a scenario in which being overprepared could be a bad thing. But here’s one: You’re in a foreign country, you have the vocabulary of a 5-year-old in the country’s language and your flight boards in…
One of the most magnificent concert venues in L.A. is the dome of this 100-inch telescope
I’ve been to my fair share of live music performances, held everywhere from Radio City Music Hall to college dorm rooms. The first concert I saw was the Jonas Brothers in New York City’s Central Park (which 9-year-old me thought…