The Best of Los Angeles in 2025
Wondering where to travel next? Los Angeles is one of the world’s most dynamic cities. Even frequent visitors and longtime residents who are familiar with LA can always discover something new in this vibrant and exciting metropolis.
From arts & culture to the hottest concerts and thrilling sports events, how many of these must-sees will you scratch off your LA bucket list this year?
Arts & Culture
LA's world-class museums are presenting a wide range of exhibits in 2025, from Black Cowboys and Native Art at The Autry; to classically-driven works at the Getty Center; contemporary art at the Hammer and a trio of Asian-themed exhibitions at LACMA. Plus, the acclaimed Frieze art fair returns in February for its sixth edition.
- Romance Reimagined (Feb. 8 - Mar. 23)
- Black Cowboys: An American Story (May 17, 2025 - Jan. 4, 2026)
- Family, Pride & Community in Native Art (Nov. 2025 - Jun. 2027)
- "Reflecting on Manuscripts" (Feb. 4 - May 4)
- María Magdalena Campos-Pons: Behold (Feb. 11 - May 4)
- A Brush with Nature: Romantic Landscape Drawings (Feb. 18 - May 25)
- Gustave Caillebotte: Painting Men (Feb. 25 - May 25)
- Symbols and Signs: Decoding Medieval Manuscripts (May 25 - Aug. 10)
- Artemisia's Strong Women: Rescuing a Masterpiece (Jun. 10 - Sep. 14)
- Queen Lens: A History of Photography (Jun. 17 - Sep. 28)
- Hammer Contemporary Collection: Jennifer Bolande, Mona Hatoum, Alison Saar (through Apr. 20)
- Hammer Projects: Lap-See Lam (through Jun. 29)
- Head for the Hills! Selections from the Hammer Contemporary Collection (Feb. 1 - Aug. 24)
- Hammer Projects: Colectivo Cherani (Feb. 8 - Aug. 31)
- Alice Coltrane: Monument Eternal (Feb. 9 - May 4)
- Made in LA (Fall)
- Zheng Chongbin: Golden State (Mar. 23, 2025 - Jan. 4, 2026)
- Line, Form, Qi (Apr. 6 - Aug. 24)
- Realms of the Dharma (May 11, 2025 - Apr. 5, 2026)
Frieze LA (Feb. 20-23)
The sixth edition of Frieze Los Angeles returns to Santa Monica Airport on February 20-23. Housed in a structure designed by Kulapat Yantrasast’s architectural studio WHY, the 2025 fair will feature more than 100 galleries from 20+ countries. Global names include Gagosian, Gladstone, Marian Goodman, Hauser & Wirth, Pace Gallery, White Cube and David Zwirner. LA’s thriving gallery scene will be represented by foundational spaces such as Blum, Regen Projects, David Kordansky Gallery and The Box.
Theatre
From independent venues to Broadway blockbusters, there is no better city in the country to experience live theatre than Los Angeles. Enjoy shows at Center Theatre Group and REDCAT in Downtown LA; The Pantages in Hollywood; Geffen Playhouse and The Wallis on the Westside; and Pasadena Playhouse, the Official State Theatre of California. For current and upcoming productions, visit the Discover LA Theatre page.
Center Theatre Group: Ahmanson Theatre
- Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends (Feb. 8 - Mar. 9)
- Life of Pi (May 6 - Jun. 1)
- Parade (Jun. 17 - Jul. 12)
- & Juliet (Aug. 13 - Sep. 7)
Center Theatre Group: Mark Taper Forum
- Fake It Until You Make It (Jan. 29 - Mar. 9)
- Hamlet (May 28 - Jul. 6)
Center Theatre Group: Kirk Douglas Theatre
- 44 (Feb. 23 - Mar. 23)
- El Otro Oz (Mar. 29 - Apr. 13)
- Adoration (Feb. 19-23)
- Can I Be Frank (Mar. 20-22)
- The Search for Power (May 29 - Jun. 8)
- Wicked (through Feb. 2)
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Feb. 15 - Jun. 22)
- Insidious: The Further You Fear (Apr. 30 - May 1)
- Annie (May 7-18)
- A Beautiful Noise (Jul. 8-27)
- Some Like It Hot (Jul. 29 - Aug. 17)
- Shucked (Aug. 19 - Sep. 7)
- Noises Off (Jan. 29 - Mar. 2)
- Furlough's Paradise (Apr. 16 - May 18)
- The Reservoir (Jun. 18 - Jul. 20)
- Memoryhouse (Jan. 30 - Feb. 1)
- The Great Yes, The Great No (Feb. 5-8)
- Here There Are Blueberries (Mar. 13-30)
- The Paper Escaper (Apr. 5)
- A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham (Apr. 11-12)
- Pepperland (May 16-18)
- Gatherings (Jun. 13-14)
- Topdog/Underdog (Feb. 26 - Mar. 23)
- New Play TBA (Spring 2025)
Concerts
Whether it's world-famous music legends or local rising stars, there are must-see performances happening every night in LA. Read on for highlights of concerts scheduled for 2025, from outdoor landmarks like the Hollywood Bowl and Greek Theatre to the state-of-the-art Intuit Dome and SoFi Stadium.
- Tyler the Creator (Feb. 14-15, 17-18, 20-21)
- Heart (Mar. 3)
- Calibash (Mar. 7)
- NCT 127 (Mar. 12)
- Kylie Minogue (May 2)
- Disney Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide (Jul. 23)
- Garden State 20th Anniversary (Mar. 29)
- The Avett Brothers (Apr. 12)
- Lucy Dacus (May 14-15)
- Turnover (May 16)
- One OK Rock (May 18-19)
- Hauser (May 30)
- Trombone Shorty (Jun. 8)
- OMD (Jun. 20-21)
- Alison Krauss (Jul. 13)
- Lost 80s Live (Aug. 24)
- Goo Goo Dolls (Sep. 7)
- Teddy Swims (Sep. 9-10)
- Kruder & Dorfmeister (Sep. 11)
- Stardew Valley (Sep. 13-14)
- Coheed and Cambria (Sep. 17)
- Megan Moroney (Oct. 2-3)
- Phish (Apr. 25-27)
- Ricky Gervais (May 31)
- A Roots Picnic Experience: Class of '95 (Jun. 8)
- Leon Bridges (Jun. 5)
- Opening Night at the Bowl (Jun. 7)
- Tyler Childers (Jun. 10)
- Blue Note Jazz Festival (Jun. 14-15)
- July 4th Fireworks Spectacular feat. Earth, Wind & Fire (Jul. 2-4)
- Foster the People (Feb. 6-7)
- San Holo 10th Anniversary (Feb. 14)
- What So Not (Feb. 15)
- Coin (Feb. 21)
- Ray Volpe (Feb. 22)
- Phantogram (Feb. 28)
- Apashe (Mar. 1)
- Finneas (Mar. 5)
- Rüfüs Du Sol DJ set (Mar. 6)
- Molchat Doma (Mar. 7)
- Omnom (Mar. 14)
- Tape B (Mar. 15)
- Flogging Molly (Mar. 17)
- Disco Dom (Mar. 22)
- Poison the Well (Apr. 4)
- Lil Texas (Apr. 19)
- Duki (Apr. 27)
- DJ Habibeats (May 9)
- Spiritbox (May 10-11)
- Jack White (May 12-13)
- Harry Mack (May 15)
- FLO (May 22)
- Slide Away 2025 (May 24)
- Panchiko (Jun. 14)
- Pixies (Jun. 20-21)
- The Driver Era (Jul. 18)
- FireAid (Jan. 30)
- Mary J. Blige (Mar. 1)
- Keith Urban (Jul. 26)
- Nelly (Aug. 23)
- FireAid (Jan. 30)
- aespa (Feb. 1)
- JJ Lin (Feb. 8)
- Four Tet (Feb. 22)
- Deftones (Mar. 5-6)
- Danzig (Mar. 29)
- 93.5 KDAY Presents Krush Groove (Apr. 19)
- Pierce the Veil (Jun. 26-27, Jul. 1)
- Gracie Abrams (Aug. 6-7)
- Toto, Men at Work & Christopher Cross (Aug. 24)
- Weird Al Yankovic (Aug. 30)
- Nine Inch Nails (Sep. 18)
- Billy Idol (Sep. 25)
- Tate McRae (Sep. 26-27)
- Dua Lipa (Oct. 4-5 & 7-8)
- Lord Huron (Nov. 2)
- AC/DC (Apr. 18)
- Rüfüs Du Sol (Aug. 16)
- Oasis (Sep. 6-7)
- Jamie XX (Jan. 23-24)
- Zayn: Stairway to the Sky (Jan. 28-29, 31)
- L'Impératrice (Feb. 7)
- 070 Shake (Feb. 28)
- Two Friends (Mar. 1)
- Refused (Mar. 28)
- BoyWithUke (Apr. 5)
- Smino (May 1)
- Barry Can't Swim (May 2-3)
- Denzel Curry (May 9)
- Julión Álvarez Y Su Norteño Banda (Apr. 17-19)
- Kendrick Lamar and SZA (May 21, May 23-24)
- Stray Kids (May 31 & Jun. 1)
- Shakira (Jun. 20)
- KODO (Feb. 4)
- Samara Joy (Feb. 7)
- Herbie Hancock (Mar. 30)
- Yo-Yo Ma, Williams & Dudamel (Apr. 3-4)
- Patrice Rushen (May 2)
- Max Richter (May 9)
- Seoul Festival with the LA Phil (Jun. 6-8)
Music Festivals
Get your multi-day tickets, book your hotel and experience LA's incredible music festivals!
Skyline - Gloria Molina Grand Park (Feb. 15-16)
For EDM fans, the place to be in February is Skyline, which will transform Downtown LA's Gloria Molina Grand Park into a vibrant, pulsating playground for music and art lovers alike. The weekend festival will celebrate LA's creative underground with top DJs, bold murals and immersive digital installations.
Rolling Loud - Hollywood Park (Mar. 14-16)
Taking place at the Hollywood Park Grounds adjacent to SoFi Stadium, Rolling Loud California will feature a stacked lineup of hip-hop stars - the 2024 edition was headlined by Nicki Minaj, Post Malone and Future x Metro.
Cruel World - Brookside @ Rose Bowl Stadium (May 17)
Cruel World will return to Brookside at Rose Bowl Stadium with headliners New Order and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. Notable reunions include Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Go-Go’s, Death Cult (aka The Cult) and 'Til Tuesday, which will perform with its original members for the first time in 35 years. The festival lineup also includes Devo, OMD, Garbage, Madness, She Wants Revenge, Alison Moyet and more.
Dine LA Restaurant Week (Jan. 24 - Feb. 7)
The largest dining event of its kind in the country, Dine LA Restaurant Week returns for its Winter Edition from January 24 to February 7. During Restaurant Week, hundreds of restaurants across Los Angeles feature special prix fixe menus - from casual to Michelin-starred, it's a great way to discover new dining spots or return to old favorites. Participating restaurants and menus are being added daily, so check the Restaurant Week list often and get your 2025 off to a delicious start!
Sports
It was another banner year for LA pro teams in 2024: in October, the Los Angeles Dodgers won the eighth World Series in franchise history; and the LA Galaxy hoisted their record sixth MLS Cup in December!
Rose Bowl Game (Jan. 1)
The 111th edition of "The Granddaddy of Them All," the 2025 Rose Bowl Game kicked off the year in sports with a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal between the No. 1 Oregon Ducks and No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes. The Ducks entered the game with an undefeated record and the Big Ten Championship, but were crushed by the Buckeyes 41-21.
LA Galaxy vs San Diego FC (Feb. 23)
One of the MLS charter members, the LA Galaxy will kick off their 2025 campaign on Sunday, February 23 when they host expansion side San Diego FC at Dignity Health Sports Park. SD's debut will add to the Galaxy's interstate rivalries, from crosstown rivals LAFC (the series known as "El Tráfico") to the San Jose Earthquakes ("California Clásico").
LA Dodgers
For the second consecutive year, the Los Angeles Dodgers will open their season in Asia when they face the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome. The two-game Tokyo Series will feature several Japanese natives: the Dodgers' NL MVP Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto; and the Cubs' Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki. On Opening Day, the Dodgers will host the Detroit Tigers to start a three-game home stand.
- Tokyo Series: Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs (Mar. 18-19)
- Opening Day: Dodgers vs Detroit Tigers (Mar. 27)
- Rivalry Weekend: Dodgers vs Los Angeles Angels (May 16-18)
- July 4th Weekend: Dodgers vs Houston Astros (Jul. 4-6)
CONCACAF Nations League Finals - SoFi Stadium (Mar. 20-23)
The fourth edition of the Concacaf Nations League Finals will take place at SoFi Stadium from March 20 to 23. The Semifinals will feature U.S.A. vs Panama and Canada vs Mexico on Thursday, March 20. Following the Third Place Match, a new CNL Champion will be crowned on Sunday. Home to the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, SoFi Stadium is one of the host venues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and previously hosted a sold-out Concacaf Gold Cup Final between Mexico and Panama in 2023.
U.S. vs Brazil - SoFi (Apr. 5)
The U.S. Women's National Team will face Brazil in a friendly on Saturday, April 5. It will be the first women's professional sporting event at SoFi Stadium, and a rematch of the gold medal game at the Paris Summer Olympics in August, which the U.S. won 1-0. Along with the Concacaf Nations League Finals in March, the match will test the natural grass system that will be used for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
USC vs UCLA - LA Memorial Coliseum (Nov. 29)
One of college football's greatest rivalries will be renewed when the USC Trojans host the UCLA Bruins at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, November 29. The winner of the annual USC-UCLA game takes possession of the Victory Bell, a 295-pound brass bell from a Southern Pacific railroad locomotive. USC currently has the trophy after beating UCLA 19-13 in 2024. USC leads the overall series, 51–34–7.
Festivals
Celebrate LA's diverse communities at cultural festivals taking place across the city all year long.
Oshogatsu Family Festival - Little Tokyo (Jan. 5)
Hosted by the Japanese American National Museum, the annual Oshogatsu Family Festival welcomed the Year of the Snake with cultural performances, crafts, and activities for families and kids of all ages. Highlights included a traditional mochitsuki (Japanese rice pounding ritual) performance by Kodama Taiko; candy sculpture demos by “Shan the Candyman”; interactive storytimes and a scavenger hunt.
Lunar New Year - Chinatown (Jan. 29)
Historic Chinatown celebrates the Year of the Snake with the Midnight Temple Ceremony at Thien Hau Temple - visitors make offerings and burn incense for good fortune; traditional lion dancers perform; and firecrackers will scare away evil spirits for an auspicious start to the new year. The Lunar New Year festivities will culminate with the 126th Annual Golden Dragon Parade and festival, with more than 100,000 spectators lining the route to watch floats, marching bands, entertainers, local business leaders and cultural groups. The Golden Dragon Parade is the oldest celebration of its kind in the U.S.
TCM Classic Film Festival (Apr. 24-27)
Held over four days in the heart of Hollywood, the TCM Classic Film Festival welcomes movie lovers from around the world to gather and watch classic movies as they were meant to be experienced: on the big screen, in historic venues, with the people who made them. The festival's 2025 theme is "Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film," featuring screenings at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX, TCL Chinese 6 and the Egyptian Theatre.
Festival of Books - USC (Apr. 26-27)
Since 1996, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books has gathered writers, poets, artists, filmmakers, musicians and emerging storytellers for a weekend celebration of the written word. Taking place at USC, the festival is the largest event of its kind in the country.
LA Fleet Week - LA Waterfront (May 21-26)
LA Fleet Week is an annual celebration of our nation’s Sea Services, held on the LA Waterfront at the Port of Los Angeles over Memorial Day Weekend. Public events include active duty ship tours; military displays and equipment demos; aircraft flyovers, live entertainment and the ever-popular Galley Wars, a cook-off competition between Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Army teams.
LA Pride (June 2025)
Los Angeles has a long and rich history in the LGBTQ+ community, from one of the country's earliest Pride demonstrations at Silver Lake's Black Cat bar in 1967; to the world’s first permitted parade advocating for gay rights that was organized in 1970. To celebrate Pride Month in June, LA Pride presents the world-famous LA Pride Parade on Hollywood Boulevard, Block Party and the LA Pride in the Park festival, which featured Ricky Martin in 2024.
Art Beyond the Glass - Catch One (Jun. 29)
The West Coast's largest cocktail festival, Art Beyond the Glass (ABTG) is taking place once again at the legendary Catch One nightclub. ABTG is a showcase for the artistry of bartenders - all of the cocktails, fine art, photographs, live music and DJ sets are created and performed by bartenders. Since its inception, ABTG has donated more than $250,000 to arts nonprofits in LA and across the country.
Anime Expo - LACC (Jul. 3-6)
The largest anime convention in North America, the Anime Expo (AX) is held annually over July 4th Weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Downtown LA. Each year, the four-day AX welcomes more than 100,000 fans to celebrate Japanese pop culture and experience the Masquerade, Anime Music Video Contest, concerts, and the epic Fashion Show. There's also late-night programming such as dance, video screenings, tabletop and electronic gaming, and open-mic karaoke.
Nisei Week (Aug. 9-17)
Spanning two weekends and nine days of family-friendly events in Little Tokyo, Nisei Week includes the Grand Parade, Plaza Festival, Car Show, and traditional performances of Taiko and Ondo.
Watts Towers Festivals (September 2025)
For more than 40 years, the iconic Watts Towers has hosted a weekend of cultural festivals: the Day of the Drum Festival and the Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival. Both events are free and feature an all-star line-up of international recording artists, local jazz greats, percussionists and dancers. The weekend includes art exhibitions, supervised children's activities, plus food and arts & crafts vendors.
Día de los Muertos - Hollywood Forever (October 2025)
Taking place at the historic Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Día de los Muertos is California's largest celebration of the Mexican holiday that honors loved ones who have passed away. The festival features two separate events: the family-friendly Día de los Muertos is a daytime event with a children’s plaza; and Noche de los Muertos in the evening. Both events feature traditional ofrendas (altars), live music, cultural performances, art exhibitions, Aztecs, traditional dance, arts & crafts and culinary vendors.
Anniversaries
Cultural attractions and tourist destinations across the city are celebrating milestones in 2025.
Central Library Centennial
The crown jewel of the Los Angeles Public Library system, the Richard J. Riordan Central Library (known familiarly as simply the Central Library) is the third largest public library in the U.S. and houses more than ten million items. The original Goodhue Building was built in 1925 and a 1993 expansion includes an eight-story atrium dedicated to Tom Bradley - like Riordan, a former LA mayor. The Central Library was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1967 and the Goodhue Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
Griffith Observatory (90th Anniversary)
One of LA’s most popular cultural attractions, the Griffith Observatory opened to the public on May 14, 1935. Today, the Observatory is a national leader in public astronomy, a beloved gathering place for visitors and Angelenos alike, and has made memorable appearances in movies like La La Land and Rebel Without a Cause.
Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine (75th Anniversary)
Founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1950, the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine is a lush, ten-acre site tucked away off Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades. Visitors can walk along lake-side paths and spend quiet time in various meditation gardens. One of the Lake Shrine's most famous outdoor spaces is the Gandhi World Peace Memorial, a "wall-less temple" that features a thousand-year-old stone sarcophagus from China that holds a portion of Gandhi's ashes in a brass and silver coffer.
LACMA (60th Anniversary)
Located on Museum Row in the Miracle Mile, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection of more than 150,000 objects that illuminate 6,000 years of artistic expression across the globe. The artworks range from world-famous masterpieces by Picasso and Magritte to iconic public installations like Chris Burden's Urban Light and Michael Heizer's Levitated Mass.
Marina del Rey (60th Anniversary)
Formally dedicated on April 10, 1965, Marina del Rey is home to the largest man-made small-craft harbor in North America. Located four miles north of LAX, the seaside community offers seven resort-style waterfront hotels, dozens of coastal dining options, and - thanks to its year-round sunny weather - a variety of water sports and harbor cruises.
Hammer Museum (35th Anniversary)
Widely regarded as one of the world’s leading cultural venues for emerging artists, the Hammer Museum in Westwood was founded in 1990 by Armand Hammer as a venue to exhibit his extensive art collection. The Hammer houses a permanent collection with masterpieces by Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Sargent, as well as one of the finest collections of works on paper. A multi-year revamp culminated in March 2023 with 40,000 square feet of additional exhibit space.
