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Since Southern California is blessed with warm weather throughout the year it almost always feels like summer here. However, while there is plenty of fun things to do in Los Angeles year round there are some things that are better to do during the summer months. There is so much to do and see in Southern California that it can be overwhelming for both locals and tourists to decide what to do. The goal of this list of the best things to do in Los Angeles in the summer is to help you get ideas of what to do when you want to have some fun. Maybe you can make your own summer bucket list with it?
Go to A Baseball Game
I love spending a summer day at the ballpark. California has five baseball teams. The Los Angeles Dodgers play near downtown and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim play near Disneyland. I love going to the games when they are doing a giveaway or something special like showing fireworks or a movie after. You can get great deals on tickets through sites like Goldstar.
Cool Off At The Beach
One of my favorite things about living in Southern California is knowing that I can go to the beach year round. My favorite time to go to the beach, of course, is in the summer when the temperatures are hot. There are so many beautiful beaches to choose from and there is so much to do once you get to the beach. You can surf, stand up paddle board, boogie board, skim board, swim, tan, play volleyball, etc. The list goes on and on. When the sun goes down I love roasting marshmallows over a fire at the beach.
Go On A Hot Air Balloon Ride
Hot air balloon rides are such a fun thing to do. You can take a sunrise or sunset ride. The warmer weather makes these rides even better. You can read more about hot air balloon rides in Southern California here.
Summer Movie Screening Series
Summer movie screenings in Los Angeles are a beloved tradition for locals. Some of the best screening series are Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, movie nights at the Hollywood Bowl, Last Remaining Seats shows classic movies at old movie palaces in downtown Los Angeles. You can see a complete list of all the summer movie screenings here.
Visit a Theme Park
Los Angeles is blessed with a good amount of theme parks to choose from.
Six Flags Magic Mountain is a bit of a drive from Los Angeles but it still makes the list because it is a favorite for locals who want to ride as many roller coasters as possible. If intense roller coasters put a big smile on your face this is the theme park for you.
Universal Studios Hollywood is the closest theme park to anyone visiting or living in the Los Angeles area. With the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter land Universal now has more than ever to offer visitors.
The Disneyland Resort is kicking off summer by opening a Guardians of the Galaxy attraction. There is always plenty to do at the parks. While I highly recommend a visit to Disneyland please be aware that it is the most expensive of all the theme parks.
Knotts Berry Farm is a short drive from Disneyland and is one of the most affordable of the theme parks. Plus, they have a water park too. You can find discounted Knotts Berry Farm tickets here.
Take a Road Trip
Los Angeles is located in a great spot because there are so many places to visit that are only a short road trip away. To see all of the best road trips to take from Los Angeles click here.
Go for a Swim at One of these Los Angeles Pools
Even though going to the beach is great sometimes you just don’t feel like dealing with the sand and prefer a pool. Did you know that some of the hotels in LA let the public swim in their pools? The Skybar at the Mondrian, the Roosevelt Hotel, the Standard in downtown LA, and a few others are open to the public at various times. You can also check out the Annenberg Community Beach House.
Take a Quick Trip to Catalina Island
You can easily do a day trip to Catalina Island from Los Angeles. Of course, you can stay longer if you wish too. Catalina Island is a fun place to go for some fun in the sun.
Free Concert Series
KCRW Summer Nights concert series offers free shows all over LA from June to August. You can also go to a twilight concert at the Santa Monica Pier. There’s also a free summer concert series at The Grove.
This list is only a start for ideas on how you can find fun things to do in Los Angeles in the summer. There is so much cool stuff to do if you are willing to try something new.
Cooling off at the beach sounds like a fabulous idea. There is no shortage of fun things to do during the summer in LA. This is a great list.