Inside LA - The Los Angeles Lowdown
10 Best Things To Do In LA In July
As summer – more commonly known as pool party season in Los Angeles – gets into fifth gear (if you know how to drive stick shift) we start the month off with THE most ‘merican of celebrations, Independence Day. It’s a special holiday here, probably to some extent because LA has a such a significant immigrant population (immigrants are often the most enthusiastic about being American). Nevertheless, there’s a ton of different events and activities to do in Southern California this month, running the gamut from exhibitions, to underground comedy shows, via outdoor film screenings, Malibu wine tastings and rooftop bars. So, here are some ideas for the best things to do in LA in July. Enjoy!
Events & Activities in Los Angeles This Month
1. VISIT A WINERY (ALL MONTH)
Most people don’t know this, but Los Angeles used to be the center of the California wine industry, selling its produce to the rest of the state and the East Coast. In fact, in the nineteenth century, if you bought a bottle of wine and it said ‘California’ on the label, you knew it was from LA. The first winery in California occupied the site of today’s Union Station, where a French immigrant by the name of Jean Louis Vignes planted a huge vineyard that was watered by the Los Angeles River (hence Vignes Street, which runs from behind the station to the Arts District).
Vignes’s vineyards are long gone, but The Angeleno Wine Company continues this tradition today. They source their grapes only from vineyards within Los Angeles County and their Chinatown-adjacent tasting room is open to the public every weekend. It’s a great spot to enjoy one of their fine LA wines (more information here).
Another option is the Malibu Wine & Beer Garden, which is also open on weekends (more information here).
We have a Malibu Food & Wine Tour, which is available for private bookings. On the tour we do all the work, so you can relax as we take you on a 6 hour food and wine tour of the best vineyards in the region. It’s great for groups of friends and corporate bookings.
2. WATCH THE SUN SET FROM A ROOFTOP BAR (ALL MONTH)
One of the best things to do in LA in July is to witness one of the amazing sunsets we often get here (it could be something to do with the pollution!). One of the best places to have on of those those magical moments is at a rooftop bar – something else we have a lot of here. If you’re in the right spot you can see the sun set over the city, the Pacific and the mountains.
Our recommendations are:
Perch (Pershing Square, downtown)
Grandmaster Recorders (Cahuenga Boulevard, Hollywood)
Yamashiro (N Sycamore Avenue, Hollywood)
Desert 5 Spot (Selma Street, Hollywood)
We also have a Hollywood Speakeasy Bar tour every Friday evening, which usually visits at least one Hollywood rooftop bar.
3. GRIFFITH PARK & HOLLYWOOD SIGN HIKE (ALL MONTH)
There are so many hiking options around Los Angeles that you’re really spoilt for choice. Arguably the San Gabriel Mountains have better hiking than the Hollywood Hills, simply because they’re higher and part of a HUGE state park, but Griffith Park sure ain’t bad!
If you’re looking for drama (and a good workout) you can’t go far wrong with the Burbank Peak Trail (formerly known as the Wonder View Trail), which will take you up to the top of Mount Cahuenga, where sits the Wisdom Tree. From there you can hike over the top of Mount Lee to the back of the Hollywood Sign (the closest you can get to it).
We offer a much easier option though, the Griffith Park & Hollywood Sign Hike, which still affords amazing views of the city and Hollywood Sign, and which finishes at the Griffith Observatory (yet another LA jewel). It runs every day at 4pm throughout July, and is a great way to experience and learn about this amazing park and Los Angeles.
4. CATCH A DODGERS GAME (ALL MONTH)
What could possibly be a better thing to do in Los Angeles during those hot summer nights than to spend an evening at Dodgers Stadium, watching the American national sport. The Dodgers are one of the most successful and storied sides in Major League Baseball, and just last year they won the World Series, so it’s well worth it.
And there’s also the smaller matter of watching Ohtani…
More information here.
5. CELEBRATE U.S. INDEPENDENCE DAY (JULY 4)
There are many places you can celebrate old Uncle Sam’s birthday on July 4, but the main celebration organized by the City of Los Angeles is in Grand Park, in front of City Hall, and the biggest firework display is at Marina Del Rey. Definitely one of the best things to do in LA in July.
Grand Park in DTLA
Featuring an Iconic Drone Show, Interactive Art, Live Music from Acclaimed Trumpet Player Tatiana Tate and Afro-Latin Band L.A. Tropifunk Collective, Dance Performances by Kaimera, and Epic DJ Sets from Anthony Valadez and Pangea Sound.
Grand Park LA
Dodger Stadium – there’s an extra special firework display for the fourth of July (and another reason to catch a game).
Hollywood Bowl – July 4 fireworks spectacular with the Beach Boys and John Stamos, no less.
The Rose Bowl in Pasadena – enjoy Foodieland, a family friendly food festival, apparently the largest in the Nation.
Marina Del Rey – enjoy fireworks on the waterfront.
6. WATCH A MOVIE UNDER THE STARS (ALL MONTH)
With the great weather that we get throughout the year LA is a great place to watch a movie in the great outdoors. We have quite a few rooftop cinemas, as well as screenings in parks and other urban settings, so there’s a lot to choose from. Here are three great options:
7. GO TO A THEME PARK (ALL MONTH)
Something else we sure have a lot of in Southern California is theme parks or adventure parks. Obviously everyone knows Disneyland, but there are many others to choose from in Southern California:
Knotts Berry Farm (which is actually regarded as the oldest theme park in the U.S.)
Legoland California, south of Los Angeles in Carlsbad, which is close to San Diego.
Take your pick, they’re all awesome and always one of the best things to do in LA in July.
8. GO TO AN EXHIBITION (ALL MONTH)
LA has a ton of world-class museums and some of them even organize concerts, such as Black Fire Sessions, at the Broad, which is definitely well-worth visiting:
Join us this summer for Black Fire Sessions at The Broad, which present two evenings of jazz, contemporary hip-hop, and R&B inspired by the landmark exhibition, Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983, on July 17 and August 14. Each of these two programs will present innovators and masters of progressive jazz, including Roscoe Mitchell (July 17) and Anthony Braxton (August 14), along with a new generation of Los Angeles artists, such as Georgia Anne Muldrow, Busdriver, and Kelsey Lu, who are keeping the language of jazz vital in contemporary music. The events will also feature choreographed interventions by dancers in the Soul of a Nation galleries and throughout the museum.
There’s also an exhibition at Hauser & Wirth, called CHARLES GAINES CIPHERING AFRICAN ACACIAS AND SUPREME COURT DECISIONS, which also looks very interesting.
Both the Broad and Hauser & Wirth are in DTLA.
9. GO TO A COMEDY SHOW (DATES THROUGH JULY)
Who couldn’t do with a good laugh at the moment, or any moment for that matter? Most of LA’s comedy clubs have reopened with shows featuring lineups of both household names and up-and-coming stand-ups.
Hollywood Improv has a full slate of shows and The Comedy Store and the Laugh Factory have a nightly program on the Sunset Strip.
Don’t Tell Comedy is an underground series of “secret” standup shows offering pop-up shows at outdoor venues, including parking lots and rooftops.
10. VOLUNTEER FOR A GOOD CAUSE (ALL MONTH)
Volunteering is something of which, let’s face it, we should all do a little more. Apparently everyone’s looking for community nowadays – well this is a great way to find one. Nonprofits are always looking for support, and it’s a vital way to contribute (your time is extremely valuable). Some local ones I know, and that The Real Los Angeles Tours has supported are:
Friends of the Ballona Wetlands
Also consider the LA Mutual Aid Network, a collection of people doing direct, street-level service for others.
The City of Los Angeles also has a portal, VolunteerLA, to connect people with opportunities to get involved. A lot of activities are fun – like tree planting on urban farms, where you’re paid with a t-shirt and community meal. So, a good way to meet like-minded people?
If you have any feedback on 10 Best Things to Do in LA in July please email us or reach out on social media, we’d love to hear from you.
– By Damien Blackshaw (Twitter)
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