Here’s how you can kick-start your summer in L.A.
Summer has arrived and so has the heat! That means it’s officially the season to head out and explore the incredible natural landscape that Los Angeles has to offer. With the lockdown behind us, it’s our duty to revel in all the summer magic coming your way the month. From cinema under the stars, unmissable exhibitions, to a boozy tequila & taco festival, here are all the exciting ways to beat the heat and enjoy the summer sun.
1-11. Sip On Cocktails And Soak Up The Sun At A Stunning Poolside Bar
While you could also head to one of these natural swimming holes, or a stunning SoCal beach, having a delicious cocktail delivered straight to your hand while you’re semi-submerged in a sparkling pool is truly just a means of survival in this town. Take a look at some of our favorite poolside hangouts with menus of refreshing beverages to help you cope with the heat.
12-13. Sample Top-Shelf Tequila And Devour Gourmet Tacos At This Huge Festival In Ventura
The annual traveling festival is back for its 9th year at the historic Ventura County Fairgrounds — and it’s set to be bigger and more delicious than ever. Gather your fellow festival-goers and soak up the summer sun while indulging in mouthwatering tacos, dancing to live music, browsing local art vendors and sampling award-winning margaritas. Get your tickets here.
14. Pick Your Own Mammoth Sunflowers At This Farm In Costa Mesa
Hana Fields in Costa Mesa is bursting with swathes of bright yellow sunflowers that are currently in bloom. You can wander through them and pick your own to take home with you. Find out more here.
15. Travel Back To One Of L.A.’s Most Legendary Years In Music With This Immersive Parking Lot Concert
Slip into those vintage flares and get ready to groove, shake and move at Live in the Lot Summer ’73! Travel back to 1973, a legendary year of music in L.A. when Sunset Boulevard was the heart of the soul of the funk music world. Once you step through the gates, a body-shaking wave of funk music will sweep through the streets, awaking a collective spirit of grooving and moving. YBe there or be square! Get your tickets here.
16. Experience This Flaming Theatrical Dining Experience In Hollywood
Get a taste of blazing gourmet cuisine with a vintage garage twist at the ‘Torched’ dining experience! While the hospitality industry has been a little quieter than usual, Gastro Garage has been reigniting the scene at W Hollywood with a culinary spectacle that’s keeping the night skies aglow. The rooftop’s already-popularTorched’ pop-up experience serves up dinner and a show as chefs (or “gastro mechanics”) cook your meal in front of you using industrial-sized torches! Find out more here.
17-19. Attend A Gorgeous Concert By Candlelight At L.A.’s Most Stunning Venues
- Credit: Candlelight/Fever
Fever Originals brought their stunning concert series into an exclusive live stream setting so you can enjoy them from home! Relive the greatest works of classical music, from Beethoven to Chopin to Vivaldi, bathed in the gentle glow of candlelight. Or, if you want to head outdoors, they are bringing the concerts to stunning L.A. venues all summer. Here’s what you can enjoy this July:
- Open Air: Magical Movie Soundtracks At An Oceanfront Venue
- Chopin’s Best Works On The Stunning Bolsa State Beach
- Mozart’s West Forks At An Open-Air Setting
29. Eat At L.A.’s Most Beloved Outdoor Patio In Silver Lake
Bacari Silver Lake has taken over the former Cliff’s Edge space, and it’s a lush urban oasis. You can share Venetian-style dishes and sip unique beers and wines, or specialty cocktails until 2 am daily. Find out more here.
21.Feast On Films And Food Truck Fare With Street Food Cinema
L.A.’s largest outdoor movie series is back for another show-stopping season!. Blockbuster hits, live music, food trucks, and great weather – what more can you ask for? Choose from 8 incredible locations, including Griffith Park and Los Angeles State Historic Park. Browse them all here.
22-23. Or Head To A Rooftop For A Dazzling Night Of Films Under The Stars
- Rooftop Cinema Club: The beloved movie club is back at three stunning locations: The Santa Monica Airport this month with a 52-foot outdoor screen, a rooftop in El Segundo and another in DTLA. There’ll be all classic movies like “10 Things I Hate About You” along with all sorts of delicious concessions to snack on at these unique al fresco locations. Find out more here.
- Poolside Dinner & Movie At JW Marriott’s Rooftop: Enjoy bottomless popcorn and a film under the stars at the glossy, 54-story building in the heart of Downtown L.A. Head up to the rooftop pool deck on the fourth floor and you’ll find that the hotel is putting on some entertainment of their own. Every Friday and Saturday, from April 16 until May 24, the hotel will be hosting a poolside dinner with a movie. Find out more here.
24. Sail Into The Sunset With Wine And Ocean Views
Enjoy a private 3-hour sailing adventure from Marina del Rey to the Malibu coastline and back while enjoying specially prepared hors d’oeuvres made by the chef and captain himself. Have up-close encounters with wildlife of the Pacific, while relaxing in a pristine marine environment. Experience the self-healing that can happen when you slow down enough to catch up with yourself! Book yourself a seat in pure luxury!
25. Wander Through A Vibrant Summer Pop-Up Featuring Art Installations And A Secret Garden Oasis With A Lemonade Stand
Beverly Center is about to become the ultimate summer haven with immersive art, whimsical summer moments and a mystery surprise. Grab tickets to the Summer of Dreams experience and get access to the Museum of Dream Space (MODS), a summer garden oasis with picnic tables, neon hearts, treats and special gifts — which could even be a $500 shopping spree. Get your tickets here.
26. Take An Evening Stroll Through The Huntington Gardens Or Descanso Gardens
Wander through the gorgeous gardens at twilight with Summer Evening Strolls. On selected days (on weekends) The Huntington’s gardens will be open 4:30-8 p.m. to Members and the public with advance reservations or pre-purchased tickets. Browse their events calendar and get tickets here. Or you can take in stunning live music and a sunset stroll at Descanso Gardens.
27. Laugh Out Loud With Comedy On The Beach
L.A.’s legendary live comedy scene has been dormant for about a year now but it’s finally back with this Comedy On the Beach experience from the creators of the Venice Comedy Compound Ahmed Ahmed & Jason Rogers. It combines all of the things we love most about L.A. in one evening: an iconic beachfront setting, hilarious national headlining comedians and delicious offerings. Tickets sell out fast, so don’t wait. Book your spot here.
28. Cool Off With Some Frosty Treats
Sometimes you can’t head out to the beach or a pool, so the next best thing is to dive straight into a frozen dessert or make yourself one. Here are some recommendations:
- 7 Glorious Frozen Treats To Keep You Cool In The Summer Heat
- This Black-Owned Rainbow Treat Truck Has Opened Its First Store On Melrose Avenue
29. Book Your Tickets To This Incredible Bansky Exhibition Coming To L.A.
Take in over 100 works from one of the most influential (and controversial) creators of our time in LA this summer! Explore the iconic street artist’s most important pieces at this incredible multimedia installation, along with clues to his cleverly masked identity & even a VR element so you can immerse yourself in his legendary work like never before. You’ll want to grab your tickets before they sell out!
30-40. And Take A Trip To One Of These 11 Majo Museums & Galleries In The Meantime
After being starved of in-person arts for a year, you can finally get your cultural fix at one of these fine institutions. While some of L.A.’s major museums and galleries are yet to reopen date, you can already explore these:
- Petersen Automotive Museum
- Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
- Hammer Museum
- Getty Museum
- Hammer Museum
- The Broad
- The Huntington
- Hauser & Wirth
- MOCA
- Skirball
- Museum of Latin American Art
- Norton Simon Museum
41. Experience The Sistine Chapel At This Incredible Multisensory Exhibition
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition showcases the awe and wonder of arguably one of mankind’s greatest artistic achievements while allowing its visitors to experience this art from an up-close, life-sized, and never-before-seen perspective.Allow the artistic genius’s masterpieces to blossom around you, enfolding you in their brilliance. Get your tickets here.
42. Explore The Breathtaking U.S. National Parks
- Credit: Abby Kihano from Pexels
43. Plan Your Summer At The Hollywood Bowl
The Bowl is back! And the summer of music under the stars will see 14 weeks of concerts with 100% of seats up for grabs! All vaccination requirements have been dropped too. Tickets go on sale on June 1 with customizable options available. Find out more here.
44. Head To One Of These Dreamy Cliffside Havens In SoCal
- Credit: @allisoncaffrey
Summer is always better when it’s spent by the refreshing, salty air of the ocean. Whether you’re looking for a less crowded place to take in an ocean view, a mini road trip, or you’re dying to get out and exploreSoCal’s incredible beaches. Find our essential beach list here.
45-55. Sip On Cocktails At One Of These 11 Lush Rooftops With Incredible Views
Nothing elevates happy hour like the sweeping views of the twinkling city lights or magical pink-and-orange sunsets (courtesy of the smog), punctuated by beachside palaces and palms. If there’s one way to take in Los Angeles it’s from the top floor, shrouded in plants and dotted with fairy lights. Find a list of our favorite spots here.
Featured Image: Cameron Venti via Unsplash