There are lots of great events in Los Angeles this month. Christmas and the New Year don’t slow us down at all! The month starts off with a bang, with one of the most famous festivals in the U.S. and it doesn’t let up. There are cultural celebrations, art exhibitions, comedy shows, interactive TV show experiences, and there’s even ice-skating. Deep breath – these are the 10 best things to do in LA in January. Enjoy! 

1. THE ROSE PARADE (JANUARY 2)

One of the most famous annual events in California, known and beloved all over the U.S. (it’s always featured live on a Network TV station). What else is there to say about this storied of festivals? It starts at the Rose Bowl, in Brookside Park, in Pasadena (near where the 1937 Robin Hood filmed the archery scenes) and wends its way through Old Town Pasadena before heading East. Like many cultural events in the U.S. corporations and brands have made an attempt to hijack it – but they haven’t yet succeeded. Insider tip: if you haven’t already reserved seats head to the Eastern end of the route, spaces are much easier to find there.

More information here.

2. INSPIRING WALT DISNEY: THE ANIMATION OF FRENCH DECORATIVE ARTS (ALL MONTH)

The Huntington Library is something of a hidden gem in Los Angeles. It’s extensive botanical gardens boasts a huge array of different landscapes, plants and trees. It also has a very handy art museum, with some wonderful (and famous) works. This exhibition shows how Disney was influenced by trends in European Art, with a lineage going all the way back to eighteenth century France.

More information here.

3. LUNAR NEW YEAR FESTIVAL (JANUARY 21-22)

There are several concentrations of people of Chinese descent in the LA area, the biggest are in Chinatown, near Dodger Stadium, and in the San Gabriel Valley, to the East. Over the last few years the one in Monterey Park, in the SGV, has become the biggest celebration of the Lunar New Year, with a great atmosphere. Nearby Alhambra has some of the best Chinese food in Southern California too.

4. SUNSET STRIP TOUR (JANUARY 28)

The Sunset Strip has been a legendary neighborhood for nearly a century. Born in the 1920’s, when Sunset Boulevard was extended West to the sea, its location in the badlands between Hollywood, the entertainment industry’s Wall Street, and Beverly Hills, haven of the movie-stars themselves, meant that it rapidly became known as the place to go to have fun in LA.Join us on a trip down the Strip, as we trace the steps of those silent-movie stars, sip a cocktail in a Mafia boss’ old penthouse, learn about the illicit activities that used to take place here, and tell you some surprising history about the neighborhood and its clubs.

More information here.

5. VISIT AN ENCHANTED FOREST (TO JANUARY 8)

Definitely one of the best things to do in LA in January is this interactive, after dark, experience that is well worth checking out. The Enchanted Forest features a one-mile walk through unique lighting experiences at Descanso Gardens (which is always worth visiting anyway). 

More information here.

6. VISIT THE NEW ACADEMY MUSEUM (ALL MONTH)

The Academy Museum opened during the pandemic, so maybe it hasn’t got all the attention that it deserved. It joins a stellar list of institutions at the Museum row on Miracle Mile – LACMA, the La Brea Tar Pits Museum and the Petersen. Nevertheless the Academy Museum holds a special place in the heart of LA because of our history. At some point you have to do this!

More information here.

7. GO TO A COMEDY SHOW (ALL MONTH)

Who couldn’t do with a good laugh? Los Angeles has a thriving comedy scene, as you might expect, and shows often feature lineups of both household names and up-and-coming stand-ups. 

Hollywood Improv has a full slate of shows and The Comedy Store is open almost nightly. Don’t Tell Comedy is an underground series of “secret” standup shows offering pop-up shows at outdoor venues, including parking lots and rooftops. The Groundlings and the Upright Citizens Brigade are also well-established and, usually, really good.

8. ROSE BOWL FLEA MARKET (JANUARY 8)

This monthly open-air market gives you another reason to visit Pasadena, and the Rose Bowl. It’s the biggest and the best known such event in Southern California. There are over two thousand vendors, selling everything from perfume to antiques, electrical goods to clothes, and everything in-between. You you may pick up a bargain and who couldn’t do with one of those nowadays?

More information here.

9. STRANGER THINGS: THE EXPERIENCE (ALL MONTH)

Experience Upside Down, Hawkins Lab, Scoops Ahoy and Family Video in this interactive experience of the hit Netflix TV series. There’s a story-driven narrative that will take you on a journey, as visitors use their own wits to solve mysteries and save the day.

More information here.

10. GO ICE-SKATING (ALL MONTH)

A lot of visitors are surprised when they see an open-air ice-rink in Los Angeles. It doesn’t fit the image they have in their heads, of palm trees swaying in the warm Pacific breeze under a cloudless, deep-blue, sky. Ice skating is for places like Chicago and New York, but our weather does allow for open-air rinks in the coldest months (especially this year!). The best ones are at Pershing Square (to January 8), Santa Monica (to January 16) and the LA Kings (to January 8) and Pasadena (indoor, year round).

If you have any feedback on the 10 Best Things to Do in LA in January please email us or reach out on social media, we’d love to hear from you.

– By Damien Blackshaw. (Twitter)