Sunday Funday in L.A. with ‘The Office’ actor Leslie David Baker
Long before Leslie David Baker took on the role of Stanley Hudson — the grumpy pretzel- and crossword-loving salesman on the long-running comedy “The Office” — he was working as an administrator for the health department in his Chicago hometown,…
What is a cacao ceremony and why are they showing up all over L.A.?
Walking barefoot across the cool tile floor, her silver face gems twinkling in the sunlight, sound bath practitioner and energy healer Maya Andreeva distributed paper cups filled with brown liquid to the 20 mostly youngish adults seated on yoga mats…
The Hollywood Premiere Motel may soon become a historic monument
The Hollywood Premiere Motel hasn’t won any prizes lately. It has a 1.5 star rating on Trip Advisor, which ranks it 112th of 118 motels in Los Angeles. “Never again,” writes one reviewer. “I prefer to sleep in my car,”…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Adam Devine
Adam Devine (“Workaholics,” “Pitch Perfect”), who reprises his role as youth pastor Kelvin Gemstone on the HBO televangelist comedy “The Righteous Gemstones” for a fourth and final season that begins airing (and streaming on Max) Sunday, won’t share many details…
Will Trump’s tariffs affect your travel plans to Mexico and Canada?
Is this the moment for a spring break in Mexico or Canada? The idea might seem iffy as the Trump administration confounds its neighbors by toggling tariffs on and off and throwing countless jobs into doubt. Yet for travelers, industry…
No getting around it: Britain needs more Americans
To walk through Leicester Square in central London is to endure a pummeling of the senses. Its jostling tourists, the glaring lights of its supersized casino and M&M‘s store, and a backing track of buskers’ out-of-tune guitars put it among…
National park visits hit record high last year, agency reports as it endures deep cuts
As the Trump administration continues to slash the federal workforce, the National Park Service — which has lost nearly 10% of its staff to the sweeping cuts — just reported that 2024 set a record high for visits to its…
On Catalina, you can now ride a horse on rolling hills to scenic cliffs
Catalina Island, which has plenty of horses in its history but stopped offering rides to visitors in 2008, is bringing trail rides back. The fledgling, Avalon-based Catalina Horseback Adventures offered its first guided rides Feb. 22. Most rides take 45-90…
Why Pokémon Go is still drawing people out in droves
On the golf course just outside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, thousands of people stride across the grass, phones in their hands and eyes on their screens. “Who has a shiny Oshawott they can trade? What about a Blitzle? Any…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Melissa Fumero
Melissa Fumero’s sons, at 5 and 8 years old, are almost at the age that they can prep breakfast for themselves. When the time comes, it will be a help for the busy mom, who also doubles as the queen…
This L.A. stargazing party is ‘more interesting than going to a bar’
When Dylan Anderson was eight years old, he discovered an old telescope of his grandfather’s. The pirate-esque rig was dusty from years in the garage, but Anderson was instantly intrigued. “I was like, ‘Hey, what’s this?’ ” the now-18-year-old member…
The Gallery, L.A.’s new immersive restaurant, feels like a theme park
To set foot inside the Gallery, a new restaurant and bar in downtown, is to be whisked into a world fit for a theme park. Walk in via its bar, and gone are views of Olympic Boulevard. In the place…
Donald Trump, Elon Musk are coming for your summer vacation
According to travel experts, early spring is the ideal time to begin planning your summer vacation. Some of the more anxious among us (OK, me) might even push that to pre-spring, as in late February or early March, if only…
Amid budget chaos, more than 700 national parks employees take buyout
As the Trump administration continues its campaign to slash the federal workforce, more than 700 year-round National Park Service employees have taken buyouts, according to an internal email sent to supervisors late last week. That brings to at least 1,700…
You’ll feel like you’re in Oz at Carlsbad’s magical flower fields
There’s a big bloom coming to the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, along with many tiny flutters. On March 1, the property alongside I-5 opens for its annual springtime seasonal celebration, with color and scent supplied by 55 acres of…
Frustrated with crowded resorts, more skiers risk backcountry avalanches
MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. — On a clear, cold day in mid-February, we had spent hours on backcountry skis trudging up and across a remote mountainside in the eastern Sierra when we noticed that the trees directly above us were much smaller…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Poppy Liu
With a toddler, a Shih Tzu and several chickens, actor Poppy Liu has a full house. “I’m raising so many beings,” said the “Hacks” star, who recently appeared in the Netflix drama series “No Good Deed” and will star alongside…
Trump administration backtracks on eliminating thousands of national parks employees
Following a loud public outcry about job cuts at the National Park Service — and a relentless media campaign from outdoors enthusiasts across the country — it looks like the Trump administration has reconsidered. A plan to eliminate thousands of…
Could building ‘SuperAdobes’ lead to a more fireproof Los Angeles?
At the southern edge of the Mojave Desert on an unusually warm Saturday in February, dozens of people mill throughout the living space of a 2,300-square-foot three-bed, two-bath house with a connected two-car garage. A couple gliding past the open…
Disabled Disneyland visitor sues over new, stricter DAS pass
Last July, San Diego resident Trisha Malone applied for a disability exemption at a booth just outside the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks. The Disability Access Service, or DAS, pass she wanted would have allowed her to avoid waiting…
‘Love Game’ is an interactive play that unfolds inside an L.A. bar
On a recent weekday evening, I found myself in a romantic position for which I have had zero training for: a dating coach. Yet there I was, at an East Hollywood bar, listening and analyzing a conversation among two prospective…
Hiking and yoga: How to combine the two for a perfect workout
• Yoga adds flexibility and strengthens lower body joints, which makes it a great addition to your hiking routine. • Try these structured events in L.A. and Orange counties that combine the activities. • We’ve also found trail-adjacent yoga classes,…
With a David Hockney show in Palm Springs, we visit the artist’s L.A. haunts
Artist David Hockney was a driver: after visiting and then moving to Los Angeles in 1964, he zipped around the Hollywood Hills in his red 450 SL Mercedes, perhaps to Chateau Marmont, his spot in Malibu or the studio at…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Meredith Hagner
About five years ago, when Meredith Hagner (whose characters range from clueless to maniacal in “Search Party,” “Vacation Friends” and “Bad Monkey,” to name just a few) fully committed to giving up her rent-controlled Williamsburg apartment in Brooklyn, N.Y., to…
We asked what smells best represent Los Angeles. Our readers answered
Of our five senses, smell might be the most ignored. And yet the role it plays in our lives is inescapable. Smell activates many parts of our brain, including our limbic system, which plays a key role in memory recall….
Yosemite reservations system halted reportedly for Trump ‘blessing’
Summer online reservations for Yosemite National Park have been postponed indefinitely. After the park announced several months ago that a new system was in the works, the online reservation page now reads, “Yosemite National Park anticipates sharing details about this…
These Angeles National Forest trails are closed after the Eaton fire
Much of Angeles National Forest reopened Thursday after a weeks-long closure because of wildfires and red flag warnings, but some beloved trails and campgrounds will remain inaccessible while the land recovers from the blazes. The areas that burned in the…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Topher Grace
While it’s true that who you know can matter just as much as talent, for Topher Grace, the connection that ultimately launched his career was formed in New Hampshire, not L.A. In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play…
As Trump cuts federal jobs, even national parks on chopping block
As the Trump administration rushes to cut spending and eliminate federal jobs, even the people who work at the national parks — among the country’s most beloved and least politicized institutions — find themselves directly in the crosshairs. Last week,…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Bozoma Saint John
The first home Bozoma Saint John bought in L.A. was a condo in Marina del Rey. “It was the first time I bought anything on my own, and it was such a boost to my confidence,” said the entrepreneur, marketing…
Take a shortcut to ‘womb-like’ euphoria at L.A.’s Chromasonic Field
The world inside a downtown L.A. warehouse seemed to come to a halt, and all I saw was a blur of colors, where pinkish-red hues bled into shades of yellow and purple. And I was surprised at what I felt:…
The brands selling Altadena and Palisades gear for fire relief efforts
As historic fires continue to burn across Southern California, a number of Los Angeles brands have started selling limited edition merchandise to raise crucial funds for relief efforts. Pulling from themes of unity and strength, brick-and-mortar stores, as well as…
These 28 hiking trails burned in the Palisades fire
Since the Palisades Fire broke out on Jan. 7, it has burned almost 24,000 acres through Pacific Palisades and several neighborhoods along Pacific Coast Highway. Many of those acres were populated by homes, and others popular hiking trails throughout the…
These are the 26 hiking trails that burned in the Eaton fire
An accounting of the damage of the Eaton fire is still ongoing. Since starting in early January, it has burned more than 14,000 acres, destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in Altadena and, as of Friday, killed 16 people. Now…
Disneyland’s original Haunted Mansion returns this week
When Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion reopens Saturday in its classic, non-holiday form it will essentially mark the completion of a nearly yearlong refurbishment project, one that added significant backstory and lore to one of the resort’s most famed and mysterious attractions….
Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner offers $10 train fares to aid fire relief
The operators of Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner are offering one-way $10 fares between any two of the train’s 29 stops from San Diego north to San Luis Obispo. The rare offer is intended “to assist those impacted by the Southern California…
Amid fires, San Diego, Palm Springs resorts see a rush of Angelenos
January is usually an easy month to book a Southern California hotel room. Not this year. Driven by the fires that have uprooted hundreds of thousands of L.A. County residents, legions of displaced families and individuals are grabbing rooms in…
Fire evacuees can find rooms at these L.A. hotels
The Hotel Assn. of Los Angeles reported that its members “are currently taking in thousands of Angelenos who have been displaced by the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires,” often at discounted rates. Many of the hotels are also taking in…
L.A.’s KFM Karaoke Country Revue is a hootenanny with a queer twist
“I’m gay so I can’t do the guitar solo,” quips Sam Buck. A grin plays across his face as the unmistakable jangle of Tim McGraw’s “I Like It, I Love It” wafts through the room. Members of the audience chuckle…
Want to get in touch with your senses? Try this cozy ASMR massage
I’ve never felt weird about paying strangers to touch me. Massages, facials, martial arts — it’s all just bodywork to me. That is, until I booked my first professional back scratch with Julie Luther, the founder of Soft Touch ASMR…
You’re the only guest at ‘Undersigned,’ a thrilling show in L.A.
Last summer I had a chance to strike a deal with the devil. I sat, contemplating my choice — what I could live without to acquire the one thing I most desired. This was no arbitrary crossroads. Over the past…
California’s Great America wraps winter season. Could it be the last?
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Not everyone got the email. But the word spread, along with the dread. California’s Great America — Northern California’s best-known theme park — appears set to scrap its winter run for the 2025 season, according to a…
New adventures are calling. Let us be your guide for fun each month
Jaclyn Cosgrove covers the (great!) outdoors at the Los Angeles Times. They started at The Times in 2017 and have written about wildfires, culture, protests, crime and county government. In 2022, they managed For Your Mind, a yearlong mental health…
12 California experiences and adventures to have in 2025
Has it occurred to you that civilization might be overrated? Me too. So I’ve been thinking about the natural world — actually, the many natural worlds contained within California, and how whole they can make us feel. With that and…
Go phish! Scammers target FasTrak system users with threatening texts
A phishing text message warning of a legal threat and financial penalties has been hitting users and even non-drivers of Los Angeles County’s Metro ExpressLanes. The spam has led to a flood of complaints from Metro ExpressLanes users, who have…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Justine Lupe
For years, Justine Lupe bopped back and forth between Los Angeles and New York. It wasn’t until the pandemic that she decided it was time to stop living out of her suitcase in hotels and short-term sublet apartments. “The world…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Kyle Mooney
Now that he has a baby, Kyle Mooney doesn’t leave a certain L.A. radius much if he doesn’t have to. And he’s content with that. The “Saturday Night Live” alum spends most of his time in Pasadena, Glendale, Highland Park…
Meet the queer Gen Z women giving billiards a rebrand in L.A.
In the summer of 2023, Alix Max, new to town with a cigarette in their mouth, was shooting pool on the patio of 4100 Bar in Silver Lake. They were pretty good, too — good enough to catch the eye…
Southern Californians brace for crowded airports, freeways
Southern Californians can expect to see high wait times at the airports and congested traffic on the freeways during the holidays this year. And because Christmas and New Year’s days both land in the middle of the week, the weekends…
On Big Bear’s slopes, a new lift opens. Is a link between resorts next?
Snow has been slow to arrive in Big Bear this year, but the long-term forecast calls for big changes. Bear Mountain resort in Big Bear is adding its first new chair lift in 30 years, a six-seat, high-speed lift that…
Strong at any age: Older adults share their favorite fitness routines
Mark Olson at the gym. (Mark Olsen) “Throughout my life I’ve been a skier, weightlifter, hiker and runner, including many local 10K races. Following open-heart aortic valve replacement surgery in late 2023, I embarked upon a cardio rehabilitation program introduced…
Why travel is worthwhile despite flights and LAX stress
As an L.A. native and a professional traveler, I know getting a ride to LAX is rarely fun. But even I was tested in summer 2023 after an Uber and then a Lyft canceled on me when I needed to…
No plans? This app will match you with a group of strangers for dinner
When David Brown moved from Chicago to Los Angeles this summer, one of the first things he did was download an app that aims to “fight big-city loneliness.” The 35-year-old sales director had seen an Instagram ad for Timeleft, which…
At the Earlybirds Club, you can dance, sweat and be in bed by 11 p.m.
About a year ago, longtime friends Laura Baginski and Susie Lee reconnected at their 30-year high school reunion. As the two women caught up with each other about their careers, motherhood and everything in between. They vented about how they…
In Coachella Valley, residents seek a park along shrinking Salton Sea
SALTON SEA, Calif. — In a state boasting epic mountain ranges and stunning coastlines, the Salton Sea is not typically considered an outdoor-lover’s paradise. California’s largest inland lake, which straddles Riverside and Imperial counties, is in fact beautiful. The 35-mile-long…
Two Bit Circus is back as a Santa Monica pop-up arcade
Before me stands a glistening silver box — sleek, elegant and with boldly defined protruding vertical lines, giving it an ever-so-slight vintage Art Deco look. A golden vent rests at its top, the figures on its grille appearing like alien…
How to hike among redwoods at Big Basin Redwoods State Park
• Big Basin Redwoods State Park, near Santa Cruz, is recovering after fire scorched almost the entire park in 2020.• Of 115 miles of trails and fire roads in the park, 31.5 are open. More are to reopen soon. •…
Airport facials, anyone? The 7 best luxury lounges at LAX
Best for: Ultra-luxury travelers who want extra privacy What it’s like inside: Though it doesn’t come cheap, PS is the ultimate commercial-yet-feels-private airport experience. Travelers begin their journey at a facility completely separate from the rest of the airport, with…
Disneyland doubles down on diverse live shows for the holidays
One of the Disneyland Resort’s new holiday offerings is a show featuring the young guitar-slinging character of Miguel from “Coco.” But it’s ultimately rooted in a culture and history that long predates the 2017 film. Show director Tobi Longo pulled…
Sunday Funday in Los Angeles with chef and cook book author Molly Baz
Molly Baz ended up in Los Angeles by chance. In March 2020, she was vacationing in L.A. with her family when government officials issued a stay-at-home order due to COVID. She didn’t feel comfortable going back to her crowded apartment…
Everything coming to Disneyland in 2025 — including $67 per day tickets
Disneyland is turning 70 next year, and the theme park has never missed an excuse to throw a nostalgia-fueled party. The coming months will be no different, and arguably the star of the festivities will be Walt Disney himself, albeit…
They planned a day hike in Yosemite. Then they got lost in the snow
On May 20, 2016, my wife and I visited Yosemite National Park. Before we set out on a trail, I talked to a park ranger. I told her that I was looking for a picture of water reflecting the trees….
Los Angeles has many scents. What does L.A. smell like to you?
There’s no single smell that defines Los Angeles. Certain scents are often linked to the bustling streets of downtown or the verdant banks of the L.A. River, while others are tied to the more secluded, quiet corners of places like…
Creepy vibes drives booming business at Tonopah’s Clown Motel.
TONOPAH, Nev. — Business is so good at the Clown Motel, you might expect more of its painted faces to be smiling. But as Vijay Mehar has learned in his years as owner of the creepiest motel in Tonopah, Nev., happy…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Tiffany Haddish
Tiffany Haddish names her pets after things she wishes she could have more of. Namely, sleep. Her dog Sleeper and cats Sleepy and Catonic (whom she adopted from the set of the cat-themed movie “Keanu”) make her house in L.A.’s…
Partners pitch ‘exclusive’ club at California ski resort, spurring concern
Prospective new owners intend to revitalize the vintage Mt. Waterman ski resort in the Angeles National Forest — in part by selling exclusive access to coveted powder days to well-heeled customers and ferrying them to the mountains in chartered helicopters….
‘I got lonely’: Why a student built an escape room in a UCLA dorm room
“Code Green” has the trappings of a modern escape room. We enter what we are told is a hidden bunker-turned-research lab. It’s dark, but there are clearly challenges that surround us: patterns in the walls, a cork board filled with…
9 L.A. locals share their favorite walks in the city
Los Angeles is teeming with beautiful places to walk, but for many of us, our favorite paths are those that are closest to home. These are the walks we do again and again, when we need to shake out our…
Need an alternative to Black Friday? Look to L.A.’s museum stores
Holiday gift shopping? It’s chaos. The Grove on Black Friday? Good luck finding parking — it’s a two-hour wait just to squeeze into a spot. And big box stores? Just no. If you’re looking for something less stressful and more…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Manuel García-Rulfo
Manuel García-Rulfo moved to Los Angeles 15 years ago, and now the Guadalajara-born actor says he feels more like an Angeleno than a transplant. “I love this city. It’s cool. It has so much to offer,” he says with a…
Arthur Frommer championed travel for all, not just the wealthy
The president was Eisenhower. The Dodgers belonged to Brooklyn. The cost of a Los Angeles-London round-trip flight was $720 — a staggering amount in 1956. Yet in his off hours, a young Manhattan lawyer named Arthur Frommer pressed ahead with…
Want to see Yosemite’s famed ‘firefall’? A reservation is now required
For a rare, if not lucky, few days a year, Yosemite National Park’s famed El Capitan granite cliff converts into what looks like an active volcano jutting 3,000 feet above the valley floor. The conditions need to be right, including…
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Kaley cuoco
For Kaley Cuoco, Sundays mean one thing: football. Her fiancé Tom Pelphrey first made her a fan. “Because Tom is so obsessed with football, if I wasn’t going to join then I would be an outsider,” she says. “I needed…
Everything you need to know about Disneyland’s Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Splash Mountain’s eviction is complete. With the opening Friday of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Disneyland has formally rid itself of an attraction that came to be seen as problematic. In its place is a ride that serves as a celebration, boasting…
Downtown’s Music Center is turning into an outdoor arcade this weekend
The game started as an experiment. A way to look at emergent behavior — the coordinated and mesmerizing flight of a flock of birds, for instance. For artist and researcher Hillary Leone, the concern was that the world was becoming…
This real life video game takes you across L.A. — literally
“Great Gold Bird,” a theatrical production unfolding across multiple sites in Los Angeles, begins inside my home. It starts with a mystery, introducing itself as a missing persons story. Yet it’s also a puzzle. Henry, we’re told, has disappeared. Only…
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 swordfish in Indonesia
An Italian surfer died last week after being impaled by a swordfish in the waters of 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 Southern California fires
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…
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,…
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…
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,…
The worlds of ‘Avatar’ and ‘Coco are coming to the Disneyland Resort.
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) In L.A., water rules our minds, bodies and yards. That’s why we’re decoding H20 during our city’s most sizzling season. Learn how to filter your tap and optimize your hydration. Discover…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
L.A. Times travel quiz: How well do you know the West Coast?
Travel writer Christopher Reynolds floats in a pond at the magnesium-chloride-rich waters of the Guerrero Negro saltworks in Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur. (Photo by Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times; logo typography by Jacky Sheridan / For…
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…