The Brief

It's a sparkling afternoon and the Goodyear Blimp is cruising above the southern shoreline of Los Angeles, a few miles from its base in the suburb of Carson.

The airship's slender gondola, which has seats for eight passengers, is a little under the size of a school bus and has a gobsmacking, 360-degree view. Dolphins bounce over waves and seals flop off a floating dock below.

Goodyear Chief Pilot Taylor Deen steers the blimp above Los Angeles' southern shoreline.

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Chloe Veltman

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NPR

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There's no door separating the cockpit from the rest of the craft, so a dizzying display of buttons, switches and levers is on full view. One of them, the "Weight On Wheels" switch (it turns on the transponder allowing air traffic control to track the blimp in flight) is fittingly labeled "WOW."

Grabbing headlines — and the public's attention

The Goodyear Blimp has been wowing people for a century, though it's changed quite a bit since Goodyear's first branded blimp, The Pilgrim, started bobbing gracefully across American skies in 1925. Back then, it was a true blimp — that is, a giant, soft balloon full of helium. Today's Goodyear blimps — the company has a trio of the airships spread across Ohio, California and Florida — are still helium-filled. But they have a semi-rigid frame which supports structures like their tail fins and engines.

Though other companies built airships as far back as the late 19th century for both military and commercial uses, Goodyear's blimps became some of the most famous when they debuted.

A Goodyear blimp lands on top of the Emerson & Orme building in Washington, D.C., in 1928 — one of the many publicity stunts the tire company undertook to draw attention to its brand.

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Courtesy The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

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"All of a sudden, these blimps began appearing all over the United States over parades, during holidays and major events," said John Geoghegan, the author of When Giants Ruled the Sky, a book about airships. "This is how they captured the imagination of the public."

Goeghegan said a string of headline-grabbing publicity stunts also helped bring the Goodyear Blimp into the public sphere, such as the day in 1928 when one landed on the roof of a department store in Akron, Ohio. "And of course that photograph ran in newspapers all across the United States," Geoghegan said.

Soon there were airship toys, airship postage stamps, and airship songs. Early films captured the luxury of long-distance travel by Zeppelin — German craft, which were much bigger than blimps and had a rigid frame.

They also used a more readily available — and more flammable — gas. Hydrogen.

Disasters keep airships in the public eye 

The public's carefree fascination with airships dimmed in the 1930s after deadly accidents started making headlines. Most famously: The Hindenburg.

The enormous Zeppelin airship, which held about 100 people, was finishing up a transatlantic flight in New Jersey in 1937. No one knows exactly what happened. But as it gracefully floated down to the ground, the hydrogen caught fire, suddenly exploding. Thirty-six people were killed. The entire shocking spectacle was captured by the mass media of the day.

"People saw this enormous tragedy happening kind of right before their eyes in the newsreels in theaters and on radio," said National Air and Space Museum Curator Emeritus Tom Crouch. "So it's something people remember."

An advertising, event-covering icon

The Hindenburg disaster meant that the glamorous era of commercial passenger travel on airships was over.

But blimps and other airships continued to hover on the edges of the public imagination in movies, books and songs. The Goodyear Blimp had long been used as a giant advertisement for the company. In the post-war years, Goodyear intensified its efforts, working to get the brand in front of as many ordinary, tire-buying Americans as possible.

"We fly lower than we need to, we fly slower than we need to, because it's a big billboard for Goodyear," said Goodyear spokesperson Dan Smith. "We want people to see it."

Starting in the mid-1950s, the Goodyear blimp provided a vehicle for the live TV coverage of sports events, such as the annual Rose Bowl game in Pasadena pictured here in 1978.

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The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

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The blimp has also become an integral part of live TV sports coverage beginning in the 1950s. The airships provided a groundbreaking aerial platform for the coverage of the Super Bowl and the World Series, among other events, adding to the spectacle.

Hollywood took note: The blimp was pivotal to the climax of the 1977 thriller Black Sunday. In the movie, a terrorist group attempts to blow up a Goodyear blimp as it hovers over the Super Bowl.

Cultural nostalgia

Blimps still occasionally show up in the culture — though now they are often steeped in nostalgia for the days when airships ruled American skies, such as with the 2023 steam-punky Airship: Kingdoms Adrift video game.

There are are also a handful of blimps that are leased by companies around the country for advertising or surveillance. But some other familiar blimps — like the MetLife blimp — have faded away. There's a worldwide shortage of helium, which makes each trip very expensive.

Yet there have been signs that airships might make a comeback. In the past couple of years, companies in the U.S. and around the world such as Lighter Than Air Research, founded by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, have announced plans to launch a new generation of commercial airships.

As for the Goodyear blimp — its footprint isn't what it once was. The company's airships helped cover more than 120 live events in 2014. In 2024, they covered fewer than 70. But Goodyear's Smith says the company plans to up its presence for its centennial year.

"You're going to be hard pressed to not find the Goodyear Blimp somewhere near you this year," he said.

The blimp is also attracting a new generation of fans — largely through social media. It has nearly 140,000 followers on Instagram.

Madison Opdahl and Niklas Tostar are big blimp fans. Goodyear invited them to take a ride in response to Tostar's many blimp-related posts on social media.

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" It's always fun to see the blimp flying around," said Madison Opdahl, a 27-year-old Los Angeles transplant, who recently got to take a ride in the blimp in honor of its 100th anniversary with her college buddy Niklas Tostar.

"We send photos of the blimp whenever we see it to each other," Tostar said. "We'll be at work or wherever the situation is, and it's just kind of a running inside joke, but also at the same time a little bit serious that we like the blimp so much."

Jennifer Vanasco edited digital versions of this story.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Los Angeles is often celebrated for its warm weather, Hollywood glamour and championship sports teams but the city’s foundation has a powerful Black history that is often overlooked.

From the city’s Black founders and their fight to be free from slavery, to a Black architect who designed thousands of buildings throughout the city, L.A.’s first Black residents have had lasting influence.

The LA Local traveled around the city to unearth some of the intriguing Black history facts. Here we highlight seven sites in Los Angeles that show the contributions of Black people in Los Angeles.

Bridget ‘Biddy’ Mason Memorial Park

Situated behind an office building on South Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles is a tribute to Bridget “Biddy” Mason. She was born enslaved in Mississippi and was brought to California by her owner Robert Marion Smith — even though slavery was illegal in California. After being enslaved in the state for five years, Mason won her freedom in 1856 by challenging her enslavement in court. Thirteen other family members were also freed, according to the National Park Service..

She became one of L.A.’s first Black woman landowners building wealth through real estate. Her net worth was said to be about $3 million in the 1860s, which would equate to nearly $60 million today. She also provided housing and food for the poor, acted as a midwife and helped establish the city’s first Black church, NPS noted.

The memorial park stands near property she once owned.

First African Methodist Episcopal Church

The First African Methodist Episcopal Church, also known as First AME or FAME, was co-founded in 1872 by Mason and other Black leaders. It was first located on Spring Street in Los Angeles, according to the National Park Service. The church was then moved to Harvard Boulevard, where it still stands today. It became a spiritual, political and organizing hub for Black Angelenos during segregation, according to the church’s website.

Most recently, the church was pastored by the Rev. Cecil Murray from 1977 to 2004. Under his leadership the church grew from 250 members to 18,000 at the time of his retirement, according to the Los Angeles Sentinel.

The first home built by architect Paul R. Williams

Though he faced racial discrimination, Paul Revere Williams became one of the most celebrated architects in L.A., whose legacy reshaped the city’s skyline and luxury design culture.

He was the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects. He designed thousands of buildings during his career, including The Beverly Hills Hotel and homes for Hollywood stars like Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball. Williams was also part of the team that designed the iconic Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport, as reported by LAist.

His first home sits in South Central and is designated as a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument, according to the Los Angeles Conservancy. He lived in this home for about 30 years until racial covenants were outlawed in the 1950s.

African American Firefighter Museum

On Central Avenue in South Central sits the historic fire station and museum that honors the Black firefighters who broke racial barriers in the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The museum “resides inside Fire Station No. 30, one of two segregated firehouses in Los Angeles between 1924 and 1955,” according to the museum’s website. The museum also notes that Sam Haskins was the first Black man to join the L.A. Fire Department in 1892 and died three years later fighting a fire.

The museum was founded in 1997 and is a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument. It is also registered with the National Register of Historic Places.

Gilbert W. Lindsay Recreation Center

The Gilbert W. Lindsay Recreation Center on East 42nd Place is named in honor of the first Black member of the Los Angeles City Council, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

Before taking office, he worked as a janitor for the city’s Department of Water and Power, according to LA City Parks.

Elected in 1963, Lindsay represented District 9 for nearly 30 years. He supported civil rights and fought for economic investment, infrastructure improvements and services in historically underserved Black neighborhoods. He also served on the board of directors of the NAACP.

28th Street YMCA

The 28th Street YMCA building was designed by Williams, the renowned architect.

It was originally constructed to serve Black residents in L.A. who were banned from other facilities during segregation, according to the LA Conservancy. It won a Conservancy Preservation Award in 2013.

It became a hub for housing, community programs and social gatherings. Today, it serves as affordable housing for low-income adults and is listed with the National Register of Historic Places.

The Ralph J. Bunche House

The former home of Ralph J. Bunche, the first Black person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, is located in South Central on East 40th Place. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Bunche played a key role in negotiating the 1949 Arab-Israeli armistice agreements through the United Nations. He also helped organize the civil rights march in Montgomery, Ala., in 1965, the Nobel Peace Prize organization said.

Born in Detroit, he moved to L.A. with his family and later became valedictorian at Jefferson High School. He attended UCLA on an athletic scholarship and “graduated in 1927 summa cum laude, valedictorian of his class, with a major in international relations,” the Nobel Peace Prize organization said. He also received a master’s degree in political science from Harvard in 1928. The Ralph J. Bunche Center was established in 1969 at UCLA in his honor.

The World Cup already is a massive undertaking for organizers. So imagine what it would take for families to brave the traffic, parking and crowds for one of the eight tournament matches at SoFi Stadium this summer.

But don’t worry: There are plenty of World Cup-related things to do with kids and a bunch of activities around L.A. to help you get in on the tournament action.

L.A. County Library's Summer of Soccer starts now

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Courtesy LA County Library

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LA County Library Summer of Soccer

LA County Library is celebrating the World Cup being in town with a “Summer of Soccer” at its branches. Activities include storytimes, movie nights and craft-making activities for kids of varying ages.

When: May 20 to July 9

Cost: Free

Learn more.

California Science Center's new exhibition celebrates the transformative power of play and the joy of the human body in motion.

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Courtesy California Science Center

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California Science Center ‘GAME ON!’ exhibit

The California Science Center has a new 17,000-square-foot exhibit, “GAME ON! Science, Sports & Play,” full of interactive activities to explore the science behind sports. The exhibit includes a practice batting area and a mini-field to practice soccer kicks.

When: Now, through the LA 2028 Olympics

Cost: Admission is free, but groups of 15 or more require a timed reservation.

Learn more.

Union Station hosts a World Cup fan zone.

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City of Los Angeles’ ‘Kick it in the Park’ 

The city is hosting a series of family-friendly watch parties across the city during the World Cup. The parties will have youth soccer clinics and “family fun zones” with interactive activities and arts. Other cities, like West Hollywood and Pasadena, are also hosting local family-friendly watch parties.

When: June 11 to July 19

Cost: Free

Learn more.

Soccer Shots, a kids soccer program, is hosting a Game Day at the Americana.

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Courtesy Discover Los Angeles

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Soccer Shots Game Day 

Soccer Shots, a kids soccer program, is hosting a Game Day at the Americana on June 27 for children 5-8 years old. Players will be split into teams to play round-robin style games.

When: 2 to 4 p.m. June 27

Cost: Tickets are $20

Learn more.

The Torrance Historical Society & Museum

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Courtesy Torrance Historical Society & Museum

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Torrance Historical Society & Museum

Did you know that the American Youth Soccer Organization, or more commonly known as AYSO, was founded in Torrance? Well, the museum there is hosting a curated collection of soccer memorabilia to celebrate the World Cup.

When: The exhibit is open until Aug. 31

Cost: Free

Learn more.

Thousands of international soccer fans are about to descend on Inglewood for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. SoFi Stadium is the tournament's premier venues — but the best reason to spend time in the neighborhood has nothing to do with what's happening on the pitch.

Inglewood's food scene reflects a city where Black and Latino residents make up nearly 90% of the population. These aren't tourist traps — they're the spots locals have been eating at for years, from a James Beard-recognized soul food diner open since 1983 to a carnitas truck with roots in Michoacán.

Here's where to eat before the whistle blows.

Wings 2 Go

Lemon pepper chicken wings from Wings 2 Go in Inglewood.

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Wings 2 Go is a small but mighty wing shop that sits in a tiny strip mall along Crenshaw Boulevard, attracting wing fanatics from far and wide looking to get a fiery bite. The menu at Wings isn't huge by most standards but it still manages to pack a punch when it comes to offering a variety of tastes and flavors.

Opt for the six-piece ATL Special with hot lemon pepper seasoning, $10.91. Upon the first transformative bite of a wing, suddenly you're Jordan after clinching his first NBA finals win in 1991, celebrating in ecstasy. The sticky, crunch-fried wing is drenched in the perfect amount of sauce, then sprinkled with galactic bits of salty, citrusy lemon pepper seasoning that will leave your lips tingling.

If you're looking to broaden your flavor horizons, there are also jerk BBQ, aji verde, and Cajun rub as sauce options. Whichever fiery selections you choose, wash them down with lemonade or sweet tea, or go for a hole-in-one with an Arnold Palmer to quench your thirst.

Country Style Jamaican Restaurant

The exterior of Country Style Jamaican Restaurant.

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Our love for Jamaican-style take-out restaurants knows no bounds, and the city of Inglewood has some of the best Jamaican food in Los Angeles.

This particular casual walk-up counter establishment has a particular place in our heart. The welcoming, joyous atmosphere is infectious as soon as you enter. The walls are painted the same dark green as the Jamaican flag. Images of Black luminaries are featured next to maxims extolling a virtue-filled life.

To get the most for your buck, we recommend choosing any of the mini plate options. Our personal favorite is the curried goat ($14.50). Stewed bone-in pieces of goat have been cooked in a dark yellow curry full of aromatic spices. The chunks of meat are spicy, juicy, and fatty, and fall off the bone onto a bed of rice and beans that's also saturated with maximum curry flavors.

Carnitas El Artista

Plates of tacos at Carnitas El Artista.

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While it might be easy to pledge one's allegiance to the culinary wonder that is carnitas, how often do you take it upon yourself to dive deep into the different parts of the pig? Each has its own unique textures that delight with every helping. Carnitas El Artista is where such dreams can come true, thanks to the hard work of owner Gustavo Chavez and his family, who are from Michoacán, the Mexican state known as the birthplace of carnitas.

With Mexico entering the World Cup as one of the tournament's most celebrated footballing nations, this is where to eat in their honor. Their tacos de carnitas ($4.95 each) are the best option: choose the mix that includes all the different cuts of pork.

The sizable taco manages to pack all the flavor and texture of each aspect of the protein, providing an extremely nuanced bite that combines sticky, fatty, and chewy elements. Serve the meat on a fresh tortilla with crisp-tasting salsa, topped with thin shards of red onion, for the right amount of acidity to cut the richness of the pork.

It's a showtime taco for the masses, if ever there was one. Pro tip: they offer a 2-for-1 deal on tacos Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to close.

Woody's Bar-B-Que

The inflation fighter (3x) lunch special at Woody’s Bar-B-Que.

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If you've spent any time in Inglewood, there's a good chance you've seen Woody's Bar-B-Que on Market Street. If not, you've definitely smelled it. The unmistakable aroma of delicious grilled and smoked meat is the unofficial scent of that part of town. It's not uncommon for lines to wrap around the small business, spilling into the moderately sized parking lot.

It's never not a joyous occasion at Woody's as you wait in line to place your order at the walk-up window, where overhead speakers play booming deep cuts from the '80s and '90s R&B or Madlib's Shades of Blue, helping set the mood.

Our favorite aspect of Woody's is the lunch special menu, which feels like a trip back to when the restaurant opened in 1975. Names like Inflation Fighter, Business Man's Lunch, and Lady's Lunch all add to its charm and cost $10.95.

All plates come in a brown paper bag, giving the vibe of the school lunch that your mom used to pack, along with two slices of white bread and a small container of a side of your choice.

El Capitalino

Quesadilla fritas from El Capitalino MX food truck.

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What if the quesadillas from your youth were, in fact, a gateway into a large quesadilla universe that's actually larger than what you might have originally considered? El Capitalino achieves just that. Owner Ivan Gomez was inspired by the quesadillas he saw prepared during a trip to Mexico City and by his mother and grandmother, who grew up making the meal. For $5, each thick corn tortilla is made by hand, usually by Ivan's mom, Norma Ramirez. She takes the raw masa and forms it into a flat disk, then stuffs it with cheese.

The tortilla is then folded and fried in oil. After it's done cooking, the quesadilla is removed, pulled apart, and packed with a filling of your choice — chicken tinga, hongos, rajas con queso, carne asada, or chicharrón prensado — then fried with guajillo salsa and stuffed with lettuce and cream. No matter what the filling is, you'll get a unique griddled cheesiness, accented by expertly flavored fillings, that makes for one of the best-tasting quesadillas we've ever had.

The Serving Spoon

The Serving Spoon has been an Inglewood cornerstone for four decades, dishing up grilled corn bread and fried turkey chops.

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Isaiah Murtaugh

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Founded in 1983 by Harold E. Sparks — a young man from Hamilton, Ohio who traded a steady foreman job at General Motors for his dream of opening a soul food restaurant in Inglewood — The Serving Spoon is now in its third generation of family ownership and a recent recipient of the James Beard Foundation's America's Classics award.

The Foundation called it a "vital social and cultural anchor," which feels right the moment you slide into one of the red leather booths or take a seat at the wooden counter.

Go for breakfast: the catfish and waffle, the salmon croquettes, the grits. Plates run $15–25, depending on your protein. Come early on weekends or expect a wait.

If you're visiting from out of town and want to understand Inglewood's cultural legacy in a single meal, this is the place to start.

Sunday Gravy

Cheesy garlic bread at Sunday Gravy, the Italian-American spot on Centinela Avenue in Inglewood.

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Courtesy Sunday Gravy

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In the early 1970s, the Bashirian family opened their first restaurant, Jino's, in this very same Centinela Avenue location — aiming to give the people of Inglewood something different from the big chains.

Their children Sol and Ghazi have continued building on that foundation with Sunday Gravy, a modern red-sauce Italian-American spot serving fresh pasta from Florentyna's and artisan breads from Cadoro Bakery, both made in Inglewood.

Italy is one of the world's great football nations, and this is about as close as the neighborhood gets to a proper Italian-American Sunday table: meatballs with whipped ricotta, short rib ragù, Caesar salad with Calabrian pepper aioli.

Somerville

Somerville's homage to the past

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Photograph: Jakob N. Layman/Jakob N. Layman

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Jakob N. Layman

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South L.A. hasn't traditionally been known for its vibrant restaurant scene, but that's slowly changing — and Somerville, opened by actor and entrepreneur Issa Rae along with partners Yonnie Hagos and Ajay Relan of GVO Hospitality, is one of the reasons why.

Technically a short drive from SoFi, the name refers to Hotel Somerville, a focal point for the Black jazz scene on Central Avenue in the 1930s and '40s that regularly hosted Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and Billie Holiday. "I just wanted to be able to dress up, hang out, and eat well in my neighborhood," Rae has said.

The menu honors the spirit of the original hotel: start with Parker House rolls with truffle butter ($19) or the fried chicken and caviar sliders ($29), then move on to the collard green lasagna ($36) or paccheri pasta with short rib ragù ($36). It's a dressed-up night out in a neighborhood that's long deserved exactly that.

When the sun goes down it’s easy to spot the bars and clubs where the parties happen in Los Angeles. But summertime is (possibly) the best time to explore the region’s not-so-obvious nightlife offerings.

Want to explore the cemetery through music or take a night ride with thousands of bicyclists? What about joining citizen scientists to study urban bats or stare at the stars (not the ones in Hollywood)?

LAist prepared a handy guide to help visitors and locals alike make the most of our summer nightlife.

Gear up with citizen scientists

Yuma myotis is another possible bat candidate and one of the bats recorded in the Backyard Bat Survey.

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Courtesy of L.A. County Natural History Museum

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The Natural History Museum of L.A. County conducts its annual Bat Roost Count, a community led science project where teams study bat roosts and give biologists, policymakers and activists information about bat populations and activity in the region.

Registration is open for those 14 and older. You need to RSVP to join the June 13 survey or the June 14 survey. If you miss out on June, you can register for the July survey in August.

For families, the museum plans to offer separate bat roost events sometime in August or September. People of all ages will be able to learn about bats, roosting behavior, watch a bat and learn how scientists are studying them. Those interested should fill out a form for details.

Concerts in the cemetery 

The sun sets at the Hollywood Forever cemetery on Dec. 4, 2025.

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Hollywood Forever is one of the most iconic cemeteries in the world and it’s more than just a resting place for the famous. The sprawling 60-acre grounds also host cultural events, film screenings and evening concerts. Big names such as Olivia Rodrigo, Tame Impala and Lana Del Rey have performed at the cemetery.

Check out their events here.

Star parties above L.A.

Grab a flashlight and go on a night hike in Griffith Park.

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Mario Tama

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The Griffith Observatory is considered one of the most visited public observatories on the planet and offers plenty of things to do for night owls.

Once a month, the Observatory partners with local telescope groups and hosts a Star Party. Dozens of telescopes set-up on the lawn and the observatory says there’s always something to see. Check out the dates here.

If you can’t make a Star Party, the observatory is open Tuesday to Friday from noon to 10 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The observatory is closed on Mondays.

You can also catch other evening events here.

L.A.’s Critical Mass 

Cyclists gather for the monthly Critical Mass rides in Koreatown on Nov 8th, 2025.

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Steve Saldivar

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The LA Local

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Join thousands of bikers in one of the largest community bicycle rides in the U.S. The evening ride happens on the last Friday of every month on the corner of Western and Wilshire. Check the routes, they change each month.

Aboard the Queen Mary

The Queen Mary is lit at night on Nov. 2, 2025 in Long Beach.

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Los Angeles Times

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At sunset the Queen Mary in Long Beach provides a host of spooky experiences. The ship is rumored to be haunted and there are tours and ship walks to investigate the claim.

The cheapest ticket is the Haunted Encounters Tour with general admission costs around $58 with Graveyard Tours starting at $89.

VIP Tours are also available starting at around $200.

View the times and dates here.