(Kaitlin Brito / For The Times)
Wasn’t it just March? Yet now here’s summer, the season of escape, renewal, enlightenment and beach reads. You’ll need a plan to maximize it all, or the season will slip through your fingers like beach sand.
To get you started, here’s a batch of 26 Southern California ideas, from an alpaca encounter in Carpinteria to a glitzy sleepover in Coronado. Several are free.
Besides these adventures, don’t forget about SoCal’s beaches (see our list of the 50 best beaches), theme parks (with rankings of every single ride), outdoor summer movie events and fun things to do under $20.
Happy trails — and don’t forget the sunblock!
1. Slip into Old California at Ojai's newly restored Hotel El Roblar
Ojai Hotel
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The Hotel El Roblar, which reopened in June 2025, first went up in 1919, which makes it the oldest surviving hotel in town.
The vibe is Old California with Mission Revival details here and there, along with abundant antiques and artwork. Its 2 acres on Ojai Avenue include 39 guest rooms, 11 bungalows, a pool, an event space, a gym, a dinner restaurant (the Condor Bar), a breakfast-and-lunch restaurant (La Cocina), and Abra and Cadabra, a pair of resident tortoises. Most of the bungalows have kiva-style fireplaces. In the Cocina breakfast-and-lunch room, the bar wall is a stack of colored bottles mortared together with concrete like a ghost town bottle-house.
The hotel has been a fixture on Ojai’s main street for more than a century — party to multiple civic dramas, one fraud conviction, repeated closures and four decades of fitness retreats. Its latest life began after years of negotiation and restoration, and the new team of owners has reshaped the place to evoke Old California and celebrate the Ojai Valley’s wild side.
The Condor Bar serves “California Mexican” cuisine and uses a Santa Maria-style wood-fired grill. The hotel’s nightly rates begin at about $525.
The vibe is Old California with Mission Revival details here and there, along with abundant antiques and artwork. Its 2 acres on Ojai Avenue include 39 guest rooms, 11 bungalows, a pool, an event space, a gym, a dinner restaurant (the Condor Bar), a breakfast-and-lunch restaurant (La Cocina), and Abra and Cadabra, a pair of resident tortoises. Most of the bungalows have kiva-style fireplaces. In the Cocina breakfast-and-lunch room, the bar wall is a stack of colored bottles mortared together with concrete like a ghost town bottle-house.
The hotel has been a fixture on Ojai’s main street for more than a century — party to multiple civic dramas, one fraud conviction, repeated closures and four decades of fitness retreats. Its latest life began after years of negotiation and restoration, and the new team of owners has reshaped the place to evoke Old California and celebrate the Ojai Valley’s wild side.
The Condor Bar serves “California Mexican” cuisine and uses a Santa Maria-style wood-fired grill. The hotel’s nightly rates begin at about $525.
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2. Kayak into sea caves from La Jolla Shores
San Diego County Experience
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The kayak journey between La Jolla Shores and La Jolla’s sandstone cliffs is more or less perfect for a newbie: You launch at the shore, paddle about a mile and find yourself at the foot of the cliffs, with seals and sea lions often bobbing in the water nearby.
From that spot, you can peer into sea caves (and venture into one, if the water is calm enough). You then turn around and paddle back to shore, tide at your back. This is the roll-out for a typical La Jolla kayak tour, an adventure that will take 90 minutes to two hours, and you probably won’t be alone. (In cooler months, you can rent a wet suit along with your kayak.)
There are five kayak tour and rental companies within a few seaside blocks of Avenida de la Playa in La Jolla Shores, which means 100 or more kayaks making the same circuit on sunny summer days. Summer adult rates for the La Jolla Kayak cave tour are about $96 for a single kayak, $108 for a double, about 10% less on weekdays. Or you can take a kayak-and-snorkel tour in hopes of seeing garibaldi (they look like oversize goldfish) or a leopard shark (generally harmless, 4 to 5 feet long) that congregate off La Jolla Shores. Other kayak tour companies include Bike & Kayak Tours, Hike Bike Kayak Adventures and La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks and Everyday California.
From that spot, you can peer into sea caves (and venture into one, if the water is calm enough). You then turn around and paddle back to shore, tide at your back. This is the roll-out for a typical La Jolla kayak tour, an adventure that will take 90 minutes to two hours, and you probably won’t be alone. (In cooler months, you can rent a wet suit along with your kayak.)
There are five kayak tour and rental companies within a few seaside blocks of Avenida de la Playa in La Jolla Shores, which means 100 or more kayaks making the same circuit on sunny summer days. Summer adult rates for the La Jolla Kayak cave tour are about $96 for a single kayak, $108 for a double, about 10% less on weekdays. Or you can take a kayak-and-snorkel tour in hopes of seeing garibaldi (they look like oversize goldfish) or a leopard shark (generally harmless, 4 to 5 feet long) that congregate off La Jolla Shores. Other kayak tour companies include Bike & Kayak Tours, Hike Bike Kayak Adventures and La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks and Everyday California.
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3. Roam the new David Geffen Galleries at LACMA
Mid-Wilshire Art Museum
(Ariana Drehsler / For The Times)
Explore the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s permanent collection at the new David Geffen Galleries, where the layout, inspired by four bodies of water, gives you a fresh way to see Los Angeles as you walk above Wilshire Boulevard. The mix of different time periods can feel a bit jarring, but it’s exciting to spot works by local artists including Los Angeles ceramicist Dora De Larios and Betye Saar, alongside paintings by Henry Matisse and Francis Bacon. The new $724-million concrete museum, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor, has sparked significant debate. People seem to either love it or hate it. But everyone agrees the art itself is amazing. Even if the layout can feel disorienting at times, getting lost in art is a great way to spend the day.
Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Closed Wednesday. Adult admission is $25 (for L.A. County residents) or $30 (for those who reside outside L.A. County). Entrance is free for LACMA members and for NexGenLA Youth Members and accompanying adults. Also, L.A. County residents with valid ID are free after 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Closed Wednesday. Adult admission is $25 (for L.A. County residents) or $30 (for those who reside outside L.A. County). Entrance is free for LACMA members and for NexGenLA Youth Members and accompanying adults. Also, L.A. County residents with valid ID are free after 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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4. Meet dozens of alpacas on a Carpinteria farm tour
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(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Canzelle Alpaca Farm is a 20-acre haven where about 40 furry creatures with tiny heads stand in enclosures on a hillside overlooking Carpinteria. These are the alpacas, cousins to the llama. (And there are two llamas on hand, as well.)They get fleeced every spring, and they make genial hosts who are happy to be petted by your favorite animal lover all year round. Guide-led tours last an hour. The alpacas, native to South America, have mostly mellow dispositions and only bottom teeth, so there’s not much biting. But there will be petting and patting, and guests may get a chance to feed the animals carrots by hand. Also, lots of photos must be taken.
Besides the alpacas and llamas, the property includes two dogs, two horses, a peacock and peahens, a few chickens and a black sheep. Tours and separate sound baths (in a pasture with the animals) are offered Fridays through Sundays only. Advance reservations are required for all visitors. Children are welcome, dogs are not. To join a group tour (up to 20 people), the adult fee is $37.10. For a group sound bath, $65 per person. For a private tour (up to 30 people), the tab is $636. Gift cards available.
Besides the alpacas and llamas, the property includes two dogs, two horses, a peacock and peahens, a few chickens and a black sheep. Tours and separate sound baths (in a pasture with the animals) are offered Fridays through Sundays only. Advance reservations are required for all visitors. Children are welcome, dogs are not. To join a group tour (up to 20 people), the adult fee is $37.10. For a group sound bath, $65 per person. For a private tour (up to 30 people), the tab is $636. Gift cards available.
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5. Don't let summer pass without a magical evening at the Hollywood Bowl
Los Angeles County Venue
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
The Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, has been hosting performances since the early 1920s — before the Hollywood sign went up. Picnicking before and during shows there has become a treasured civic tradition in a city that could use more.
The 2026 summer schedule includes the bowl’s signature mix of pop, rock, hip-hop, jazz, Broadway, opera, film-score music and classical. Besides the L.A. Philharmonic, performers include Paul Simon, Chance the Rapper, the Tabernacle Choir, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Tower of Power and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, ZZ Top, David Byrne, Andrea Bocelli and My Chemical Romance.
Parking is always a challenge. But the Bowl’s transportation program includes a rideshare pick-up and drop-off zone (Lot C), a park-and-ride lot and a shuttle service to carry public transit users between the venue and the Hollywood-Highland Metro station and several park-and-ride lots.) Try to reach the venue 90 minutes ahead of the show.
By longstanding tradition, you’re allowed to bring your own food to all shows. You’re allowed to bring beer or wine to some shows but not others. Read up in advance.
The 2026 summer schedule includes the bowl’s signature mix of pop, rock, hip-hop, jazz, Broadway, opera, film-score music and classical. Besides the L.A. Philharmonic, performers include Paul Simon, Chance the Rapper, the Tabernacle Choir, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Tower of Power and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, ZZ Top, David Byrne, Andrea Bocelli and My Chemical Romance.
Parking is always a challenge. But the Bowl’s transportation program includes a rideshare pick-up and drop-off zone (Lot C), a park-and-ride lot and a shuttle service to carry public transit users between the venue and the Hollywood-Highland Metro station and several park-and-ride lots.) Try to reach the venue 90 minutes ahead of the show.
By longstanding tradition, you’re allowed to bring your own food to all shows. You’re allowed to bring beer or wine to some shows but not others. Read up in advance.
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6. Admire art and architecture at the Getty Center before its year-long closure
Los Angeles County Museum
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
If you’ve been meaning to get to the Getty Center in Brentwood, now is a good time to strike. The museum, which opened in 1997, will close temporarily March 15, 2027, for a year of modernization work. By most estimates, the J. Paul Getty Trust is the world’s wealthiest art institution, with holdings that include this 110-acre campus of bright, sleek buildings and a $10.4-billion endowment.
The most admired works here include Van Gogh’s “Irises,” Cézanne’s “Still Life With Apples” and David Hockney’s “Pearblossom Highway” photo-collage. The extensive gardens have many admirers. Admission is free — but parking is usually $20 — and usually, you must reserve a timed-entry spot. Take the tram up the hill and head for the West Pavilion, which houses photography and Impressionists. Also check out the cactus garden that seems to float in the sky. It’s closed on Mondays.
And remember, there’s another Getty farther north. If antiquities boost your pulse, spend a day at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, which specializes in ancient Greek, Roman and Etruscan art. Closed Tuesdays.
The most admired works here include Van Gogh’s “Irises,” Cézanne’s “Still Life With Apples” and David Hockney’s “Pearblossom Highway” photo-collage. The extensive gardens have many admirers. Admission is free — but parking is usually $20 — and usually, you must reserve a timed-entry spot. Take the tram up the hill and head for the West Pavilion, which houses photography and Impressionists. Also check out the cactus garden that seems to float in the sky. It’s closed on Mondays.
And remember, there’s another Getty farther north. If antiquities boost your pulse, spend a day at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, which specializes in ancient Greek, Roman and Etruscan art. Closed Tuesdays.
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7. Book a night at the new Baby Grand, a lush, maximalist hotel in Coronado
San Diego County Hotel
(Megan Morello / For The Times)
The hospitality maven who brought San Diego its most over-the-top maximalist hotel — the Lafayette in North Park — is back with another glitzy project, this time on Coronado.
Though Coronado is known for its traditional bent, Baby Grand, which opened in May, includes a 35-foot faux rock wall, a 20-foot waterfall, a Mediterranean restaurant that feels like a Greek ruin being consumed by a jungle and a hidden oyster bar full of crystal and mirrors. All of this, including the Spanish statuary, Moroccan fixtures and Murano glass, is squeezed onto an Orange Avenue lot that once held a 1950s motel. If Liberace had run away with an art historian, they might have landed here.
The traditional shops and restaurants along Orange Avenue give it a Main Street vibe (and the community is known for its Fourth of July parade). Baby Grand stands about two blocks from the Hotel del Coronado and wide, sandy Coronado Beach. But be sure to check local water conditions before swimming. Northward-flowing sewage from Tijuana often forces beach closures because of unsafe bacteria levels. (The U.S. and Mexican government say they have sewage-treatment projects in progress.)
Baby Grand has 31 guest rooms, beginning at $350 per night. Each is dominated by a custom-made clamshell headboard (fiberglass). Beds are surrounded by animal-print seating, parquet oak flooring, marble tables, mirrored cabinets and custom wallpaper. The rooms measure roughly 300 square feet each, nearly half of that space taken up by their elaborate bathrooms, each with separate tub and shower, sinks from Morocco.
Though Coronado is known for its traditional bent, Baby Grand, which opened in May, includes a 35-foot faux rock wall, a 20-foot waterfall, a Mediterranean restaurant that feels like a Greek ruin being consumed by a jungle and a hidden oyster bar full of crystal and mirrors. All of this, including the Spanish statuary, Moroccan fixtures and Murano glass, is squeezed onto an Orange Avenue lot that once held a 1950s motel. If Liberace had run away with an art historian, they might have landed here.
The traditional shops and restaurants along Orange Avenue give it a Main Street vibe (and the community is known for its Fourth of July parade). Baby Grand stands about two blocks from the Hotel del Coronado and wide, sandy Coronado Beach. But be sure to check local water conditions before swimming. Northward-flowing sewage from Tijuana often forces beach closures because of unsafe bacteria levels. (The U.S. and Mexican government say they have sewage-treatment projects in progress.)
Baby Grand has 31 guest rooms, beginning at $350 per night. Each is dominated by a custom-made clamshell headboard (fiberglass). Beds are surrounded by animal-print seating, parquet oak flooring, marble tables, mirrored cabinets and custom wallpaper. The rooms measure roughly 300 square feet each, nearly half of that space taken up by their elaborate bathrooms, each with separate tub and shower, sinks from Morocco.
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8. Remember why people go to the movies at the Paramount Drive-In Theater
Paramount Drive-in theater
(Nicole Kagan / Los Angeles Times)
For a night out that feels as cozy as a night in, head to the Paramount Drive-In Theater. In the comfort of your own car, you can spread out, munch popcorn and make all the commentary you want without getting looks from other moviegoers. The property features two 75-foot-wide screens, with sound through FM radio and room for 800 cars.
Tickets are $14 ($7 for children ages 3-11; purchased on arrival), and the parking lot is huge, so you’re bound to secure a good view of the big screen. There is a concession store on site with candy, chips and drinks, but you are free to bring all the snacks you want from home. The drive-in — also site of longstanding daytime swap meets — first opened in 1947. It shut down in 1991 and was reborn in 2014.
Tickets are $14 ($7 for children ages 3-11; purchased on arrival), and the parking lot is huge, so you’re bound to secure a good view of the big screen. There is a concession store on site with candy, chips and drinks, but you are free to bring all the snacks you want from home. The drive-in — also site of longstanding daytime swap meets — first opened in 1947. It shut down in 1991 and was reborn in 2014.
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9. Jump off a cliff (or watch braver souls do so) at Torrey Pines Gliderport
San Diego County Attraction
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
This is the place to see people jump off a perfectly good cliff, then rise on the updraft. The gliderport sits between the UC San Diego campus and the Pacific, sending skyward a steady stream of paraglider pilots and the occasional model airplane. Grab breakfast or lunch at the Cliffhanger Cafe (which has pizza on weekends and nothing priced above $16.99), settle in at a picnic table and watch the action in the air.
Sail planes were taking off here as early as the 1920s. In 1930, Charles Lindbergh glided on these winds. Hang gliders joined in the 1970s, then paragliders, then tandem paraglider flights. These days, paraglider tandem flights (with an instructor) are offered when winds permit at $190-$200. See the shoreline about 200 feet below? That’s Black’s Beach, accessible by a steep, half-mile trail. (It has a nude zone.)
There’s usually live music on Saturday afternoons in summer.
And if the bold architecture of the Salk Institute next door intrigues you — there are tours.
Sail planes were taking off here as early as the 1920s. In 1930, Charles Lindbergh glided on these winds. Hang gliders joined in the 1970s, then paragliders, then tandem paraglider flights. These days, paraglider tandem flights (with an instructor) are offered when winds permit at $190-$200. See the shoreline about 200 feet below? That’s Black’s Beach, accessible by a steep, half-mile trail. (It has a nude zone.)
There’s usually live music on Saturday afternoons in summer.
And if the bold architecture of the Salk Institute next door intrigues you — there are tours.
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10. Explore the magnificent Adamson House on the beach in Malibu
Malibu Historic Home
(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Touring the grounds of the Adamson House, with its views of the Pacific Ocean and Malibu Lagoon and its stunning Spanish Revival architecture, is so dreamy that you wouldn’t be disappointed if you skipped the docent-led tour.
But if you are a fan of Malibu Potteries tile, you must go inside the house, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Designed by Stiles Oliver Clements for Rhoda Rindge and Merritt Adamson, founders of the Adohr Stock Farms, the 1930 home offers a spectacular display of the priceless tile from the hallway floors to the walls of the bathroom and kitchen.
The tour provides a historical overview of the family and house and a rare opportunity to see the family’s original furnishings, including some beautiful paintings by Danish artists Ejnar Hansen and Peter Nielsen. Note: You can take photos from the outside, but no photography is allowed inside.
The Adamson House is open for docent-led tours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Adult tickets are $7; ages 6-17 are $2; 5 years and under are free. Because the property is part of the state park system, the grounds surrounding the Adamson House are open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. There is no beach access, although the beach and Malibu Pier are a quick walk from the grounds.
But if you are a fan of Malibu Potteries tile, you must go inside the house, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Designed by Stiles Oliver Clements for Rhoda Rindge and Merritt Adamson, founders of the Adohr Stock Farms, the 1930 home offers a spectacular display of the priceless tile from the hallway floors to the walls of the bathroom and kitchen.
The tour provides a historical overview of the family and house and a rare opportunity to see the family’s original furnishings, including some beautiful paintings by Danish artists Ejnar Hansen and Peter Nielsen. Note: You can take photos from the outside, but no photography is allowed inside.
The Adamson House is open for docent-led tours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Adult tickets are $7; ages 6-17 are $2; 5 years and under are free. Because the property is part of the state park system, the grounds surrounding the Adamson House are open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. There is no beach access, although the beach and Malibu Pier are a quick walk from the grounds.
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11. Munch a churro at Mexico City street-food chain El Moro, now open near Dodger Stadium
Echo Park Restaurant
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
El Moro, born in Mexico City in 1935, is a street-food chain with high style and a new location near Dodger Stadium.
More specifically, El Moro specializes in churros, coffee and hot chocolate. The Echo Park location opened in January. As at other El Moros, the restaurant is bathed in blue and white, from its tiled walls to its flashing sign. But in Echo Park, the servers wear Dodger hats.
A churro, $3, is fried in vegetable oil, coasted with cinnamon sugar, usually dipped in one of Moro’s several sauces. (Dodger fanatics can order blue churros.) There’s a smallish dining room and big patio that puts you in the middle of the action on Sunset Boulevard, less than a mile from Dodger Stadium.
Fun fact: Churros came from Spain. El Moro founder Francisco Iriarte migrated from Spain to Mexico in 1933 and set up his churrería two years later, bringing a new sugary treat to Mexicans (and eventually North America).
In Mexico City, there are more than a dozen Moro locations. The only U.S. locations are Echo Park and Costa Mesa (which opened in 2023). This year El Moro had a pop-up at the Coachella music festival.
More specifically, El Moro specializes in churros, coffee and hot chocolate. The Echo Park location opened in January. As at other El Moros, the restaurant is bathed in blue and white, from its tiled walls to its flashing sign. But in Echo Park, the servers wear Dodger hats.
A churro, $3, is fried in vegetable oil, coasted with cinnamon sugar, usually dipped in one of Moro’s several sauces. (Dodger fanatics can order blue churros.) There’s a smallish dining room and big patio that puts you in the middle of the action on Sunset Boulevard, less than a mile from Dodger Stadium.
Fun fact: Churros came from Spain. El Moro founder Francisco Iriarte migrated from Spain to Mexico in 1933 and set up his churrería two years later, bringing a new sugary treat to Mexicans (and eventually North America).
In Mexico City, there are more than a dozen Moro locations. The only U.S. locations are Echo Park and Costa Mesa (which opened in 2023). This year El Moro had a pop-up at the Coachella music festival.
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12. Hop on your bike and join Venice’s eclectic, electric light parade
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(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
What could be more summery than zooming along the beachfront in the Venice Electric Light Parade? Just about every Sunday at sunset since 2015, founder Marcus Gladney has led scores of riders from a beachfront starting point at Venice’s Windward Plaza. They roll at sunset, boomboxes throbbing, drummers drumming, several volunteers ensuring safety at intersections.
The eight-mile route follows the bike path alongside Ocean Front Walk to the Santa Monica Pier, returning via Main Street, Abbot Kinney Boulevard, the Venice Fishing Pier and the dangling letters of the Venice sign. Plan on a three-hour adventure including about 90 minutes of riding.
You can bring a bike, skates, etc., or rent something from Jay’s Rentals, which has bikes, e-bikes, three-wheelers and tandem bikes (typically $40-$85).
The eight-mile route follows the bike path alongside Ocean Front Walk to the Santa Monica Pier, returning via Main Street, Abbot Kinney Boulevard, the Venice Fishing Pier and the dangling letters of the Venice sign. Plan on a three-hour adventure including about 90 minutes of riding.
You can bring a bike, skates, etc., or rent something from Jay’s Rentals, which has bikes, e-bikes, three-wheelers and tandem bikes (typically $40-$85).
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13. Paddle a swan boat in Echo Park Lake
Echo Park Experience
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
On warm days, it’s hard to beat a ride on the swan boats at Echo Park. They’re powered by foot paddles, and the pedaling is easy because you’re in no hurry. Maybe you’ll want to do a circuit of the lake (really a man-made reservoir). Maybe you’ll sidle up to the towers of whitewater rising from the mid-lake fountain. Maybe you’ll wait until after dark (because the swans light up).
The boats are managed by Wheel Fun Rentals. Summer hours are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. (Last rentals go out at 10 p.m.) Rentals are $13 hourly per adult, $7.50 for those under age 18. Reservations required. The small boats can seat two adults and two children under age 10.
The large boats can seat up to five people. Hand-crank pedal boats also are available.
About parking: Although there’s a public lot at 1149 Echo Park Ave., it often fills and you may end up seeking street parking. Try Laguna Avenue, just east of Echo Park Avenue.
The boats are managed by Wheel Fun Rentals. Summer hours are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. (Last rentals go out at 10 p.m.) Rentals are $13 hourly per adult, $7.50 for those under age 18. Reservations required. The small boats can seat two adults and two children under age 10.
The large boats can seat up to five people. Hand-crank pedal boats also are available.
About parking: Although there’s a public lot at 1149 Echo Park Ave., it often fills and you may end up seeking street parking. Try Laguna Avenue, just east of Echo Park Avenue.
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14. Catch a movie, concert or yoga session in Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Los Angeles County Attraction
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
This movie studio-adjacent graveyard combines film screenings and other pop culture programming — including popular Día de los Muertos presentations — with a long roster of show business grave sites.
Mel Blanc, Cecil B. DeMille, Judy Garland, Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone, Rudolph Valentino, Burt Reynolds and many others either repose here or are celebrated with cenotaphs. (Toto, of “The Wizard of Oz,” has a cenotaph.) As it turns out, you too can stretch out here — at a yoga class. (They’re offered every morning; pay by donation.)
The yoga classes typically happen on the venue’s Fairbanks Lawn, as do Hollywood Forever’s perennially popular Saturday night summer Cinespia movie screenings. Comedy shows and concerts are also offered in Hollywood Forever’s on-site Masonic Lodge.
Also available at Hollywood Forever: cremation, $2,395.
Mel Blanc, Cecil B. DeMille, Judy Garland, Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone, Rudolph Valentino, Burt Reynolds and many others either repose here or are celebrated with cenotaphs. (Toto, of “The Wizard of Oz,” has a cenotaph.) As it turns out, you too can stretch out here — at a yoga class. (They’re offered every morning; pay by donation.)
The yoga classes typically happen on the venue’s Fairbanks Lawn, as do Hollywood Forever’s perennially popular Saturday night summer Cinespia movie screenings. Comedy shows and concerts are also offered in Hollywood Forever’s on-site Masonic Lodge.
Also available at Hollywood Forever: cremation, $2,395.
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15. Behold the universe, or the skyline, from Griffith Observatory
Los Angeles County Attraction
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
When was the last time you actually came up here?
Without ever stepping inside the observatory on its perch in the Hollywood Hills, you can see Los Angeles as a tidy, twinkling grid of city lights, an epic view at dawn or sunset. From inside, you can scan distant stars and check your weight on Mars.
Since 1935, Angelenos have embraced Griffith Observatory as “the hood ornament of Los Angeles,” in the words of observatory director E.C. Krupp. It’s the architectural star of 4,210-acre Griffith Park, with three green copper domes, prime views of the Hollywood sign and a bust of James Dean, who sulked here in the 1955 film “Rebel Without a Cause.”
Parking is rare and pricey (prime spots fetch $10 per hour), so you might want to hike up from the Greek Theatre or Fern Dell or see about Dash shuttle bus service from Vermont or Hillhurst avenues or the Sunset-Vermont Metro stop.
Besides its public telescope and shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium (32 to 35 minutes each; $8 to $12 per person), the observatory offers an array of free indoors exhibits, plus presentations in its Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater. When hunger calls, the Café at the End of the Universe awaits (with some of the city’s best balcony views). The observatory is closed on Mondays.
Want more steps? Start early in the morning and hike from the observatory to the Tom LaBonge Panorama atop Mt. Hollywood, a round-trip journey of 1.4 to 3.2 miles, depending on the route. As payoff, enjoy big views of the Hollywood Hills and the San Fernando Valley. And at some point, be sure to read up on the felon-philanthropist who made this all possible, Griffith J. Griffith.
Without ever stepping inside the observatory on its perch in the Hollywood Hills, you can see Los Angeles as a tidy, twinkling grid of city lights, an epic view at dawn or sunset. From inside, you can scan distant stars and check your weight on Mars.
Since 1935, Angelenos have embraced Griffith Observatory as “the hood ornament of Los Angeles,” in the words of observatory director E.C. Krupp. It’s the architectural star of 4,210-acre Griffith Park, with three green copper domes, prime views of the Hollywood sign and a bust of James Dean, who sulked here in the 1955 film “Rebel Without a Cause.”
Parking is rare and pricey (prime spots fetch $10 per hour), so you might want to hike up from the Greek Theatre or Fern Dell or see about Dash shuttle bus service from Vermont or Hillhurst avenues or the Sunset-Vermont Metro stop.
Besides its public telescope and shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium (32 to 35 minutes each; $8 to $12 per person), the observatory offers an array of free indoors exhibits, plus presentations in its Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater. When hunger calls, the Café at the End of the Universe awaits (with some of the city’s best balcony views). The observatory is closed on Mondays.
Want more steps? Start early in the morning and hike from the observatory to the Tom LaBonge Panorama atop Mt. Hollywood, a round-trip journey of 1.4 to 3.2 miles, depending on the route. As payoff, enjoy big views of the Hollywood Hills and the San Fernando Valley. And at some point, be sure to read up on the felon-philanthropist who made this all possible, Griffith J. Griffith.
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16. Frolic in the great urban green space that is Los Angeles State Historic Park
Chinatown Park
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
At the edge of Chinatown, wedged between Spring Street and a set of Metro rail tracks, L.A. State Historic Park is a 32-acre splash of green surrounded by big city scenery. There’s no better place to find a grassy expanse with skyscraper views, and the shade trees get a little taller every year.
Expect to find dog-walkers, bike-riders, kite-flyers, runners and young families enjoying the mostly flat site, which includes one burgers/burritos/sandwiches restaurant — Cargo Snack Shack (which also serves beer, wine and margaritas). There’s a farmers market on Thursday afternoons, and weekend concerts often happen on the park’s Main Lawn and Promenade.
Several more eating and drinking spots stand ready on the other side of Spring Street, including Highland Park Brewery (opened in 2018), Nick’s Cafe (a breakfast/lunch diner that goes back to 1948) and Homage Brewing on Main Street.
The best viewpoint is Roundhouse Bridge, which overlooks a circular spot where trains used to turn around. To the west, the skyscrapers of downtown rise. The park also includes a section of the Zanja Madre, the brick-lined “mother ditch” that brought water from the L.A. River to the plaza of El Pueblo de Los Angeles in the 19th century.
As parks go, this is a young one. After Southern Pacific stopped using the site as a railyard, the state bought the land, sometimes known as “the cornfield,” in 2001. Some 13 acres opened to the public in 2006 as a hint of what was to come in the otherwise industrial area. After a series of delays and budget shortfalls, the park reopened in its current form in 2017.
Expect to find dog-walkers, bike-riders, kite-flyers, runners and young families enjoying the mostly flat site, which includes one burgers/burritos/sandwiches restaurant — Cargo Snack Shack (which also serves beer, wine and margaritas). There’s a farmers market on Thursday afternoons, and weekend concerts often happen on the park’s Main Lawn and Promenade.
Several more eating and drinking spots stand ready on the other side of Spring Street, including Highland Park Brewery (opened in 2018), Nick’s Cafe (a breakfast/lunch diner that goes back to 1948) and Homage Brewing on Main Street.
The best viewpoint is Roundhouse Bridge, which overlooks a circular spot where trains used to turn around. To the west, the skyscrapers of downtown rise. The park also includes a section of the Zanja Madre, the brick-lined “mother ditch” that brought water from the L.A. River to the plaza of El Pueblo de Los Angeles in the 19th century.
As parks go, this is a young one. After Southern Pacific stopped using the site as a railyard, the state bought the land, sometimes known as “the cornfield,” in 2001. Some 13 acres opened to the public in 2006 as a hint of what was to come in the otherwise industrial area. After a series of delays and budget shortfalls, the park reopened in its current form in 2017.
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17. Get lost in Santa Monica Pier's trippy Funhouse
Amusement Park
(Santa Monica Pier)
This attraction at Santa Monica Pier’s Pacific Park should thrive year round, not just during Halloween season. That’s because it’s weird, hallucinogenic and more than a tad creepy. The backstory of the 2,800-square-foot Funhouse (which opened in September 2025) is that Sprinkles the Clown — we told you it was creepy — is working with a fortune teller to lure unsuspecting guests into an ice cream freezer. Their goal, to say the least, isn’t to have a giant sundae party. Throughout, we’ll get turned around in rooms full of mirrors and disorientating illusions. The Funhouse, designed by experiential group Epic Entertainment Group, also taps into Santa Monica Pier history, as its lore is a nod to an attraction that stood at Ocean Park Pier in the 1920s.
Pacific Park is open 365 days a year, and operating hours vary by season but most days is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Funhouse is $15 per person.
Pacific Park is open 365 days a year, and operating hours vary by season but most days is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Funhouse is $15 per person.
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18. Soak up art, science, culture and greenery at Balboa Park in San Diego
San Diego County Park
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
This is San Diego’s backyard, a condensed, flatter version of Griffith Park, but with more historic buildings, more museums and a zoo with a global following. If you’re a Balboa Park rookie, start with the San Diego Zoo, which may take your entire day. (Admission: $68-$74 per adult, $58-$64 per child age 3-11.) If you’ve already done that, well, it’s lucky for you that the zoo is less than 10% of Balboa Park’s 1,200 acres, and the park’s other institutions have been growing and changing.
The park’s emblematic 1914 Botanical Building is open again after major reconstruction that ended in late 2024. The Mingei International Museum, which focuses on global folk art, won Michelin praise in 2023 for its eclectic restaurant, Artifact at Mingei (which serves lunch Tuesday through Sunday, dinner Thursday and Friday).
The park’s museums and other institutions cover art (fine, folk, contemporary and photographic), natural history, anthropology, flight, model railroading and all the imagined worlds that come with Comic-Con (which opened its museum here in 2021).
The Old Globe theater complex includes three stages. The big lily pond between the promenade and the Botanical Building may be the most wholesome over-the-counter tranquilizer in town. The Centro Cultural de la Raza, housed in an enormous former water tank, covers Chicano, Latin and Indigenous culture. The park’s Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum fills 12 acres with greenery, koi ponds and bonsai displays.
If you’re planning to hit several museums over a couple of days, look into a park Explorer Pass, which might save you money.
About parking: In January, after years of free parking, the city imposed a fee system charging non-residents $10-$16 per day and residents slightly less. San Diegans rose in outrage, and in late May city officials announced a plan to end the parking fees by Jan. 1, 2027.
The park’s emblematic 1914 Botanical Building is open again after major reconstruction that ended in late 2024. The Mingei International Museum, which focuses on global folk art, won Michelin praise in 2023 for its eclectic restaurant, Artifact at Mingei (which serves lunch Tuesday through Sunday, dinner Thursday and Friday).
The park’s museums and other institutions cover art (fine, folk, contemporary and photographic), natural history, anthropology, flight, model railroading and all the imagined worlds that come with Comic-Con (which opened its museum here in 2021).
The Old Globe theater complex includes three stages. The big lily pond between the promenade and the Botanical Building may be the most wholesome over-the-counter tranquilizer in town. The Centro Cultural de la Raza, housed in an enormous former water tank, covers Chicano, Latin and Indigenous culture. The park’s Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum fills 12 acres with greenery, koi ponds and bonsai displays.
If you’re planning to hit several museums over a couple of days, look into a park Explorer Pass, which might save you money.
About parking: In January, after years of free parking, the city imposed a fee system charging non-residents $10-$16 per day and residents slightly less. San Diegans rose in outrage, and in late May city officials announced a plan to end the parking fees by Jan. 1, 2027.
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19. Take a ferry from Ventura Harbor to rugged and stunning Santa Cruz Island
Santa Barbara County National Park
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
What if a chunk of California broke away and floated offshore before anyone had time to build an ADU on it? You’d get something like the rugged bluffs, beaches and sea caves of Santa Cruz Island, the largest portion of Channel Islands National Park.
The island’s Scorpion Anchorage, where most visitors arrive, is about an hour’s boat ride via an Island Packers ferry from Ventura Harbor. (Adult round-trip fares usually start at $72.) You can do a day trip or camp. Either way, you can kayak in sea caves with a guide and rented vessel from Channel Islands Adventure Co. (Adult prices: $159 and up.) Or hike to Smugglers Cove. On your way, keep an eye out for island foxes, which have grown bold and numerous in recent years.
Once, the island’s hills and valleys were home to 11 Chumash villages (and Santa Cruz served as a sheep ranch as recently as 1984). Nowadays, there’s one 31-site campground about half a mile’s walk from Scorpion Anchorage. The park service controls about a quarter of Santa Cruz. The rest, owned by the Nature Conservancy, is off-limits.
Be aware: Though more than 30% of nearby Santa Rosa Island was burned in a wildfire that began May 15 (prompting closure by the National Park Service), Santa Cruz Island was unaffected.
The island’s Scorpion Anchorage, where most visitors arrive, is about an hour’s boat ride via an Island Packers ferry from Ventura Harbor. (Adult round-trip fares usually start at $72.) You can do a day trip or camp. Either way, you can kayak in sea caves with a guide and rented vessel from Channel Islands Adventure Co. (Adult prices: $159 and up.) Or hike to Smugglers Cove. On your way, keep an eye out for island foxes, which have grown bold and numerous in recent years.
Once, the island’s hills and valleys were home to 11 Chumash villages (and Santa Cruz served as a sheep ranch as recently as 1984). Nowadays, there’s one 31-site campground about half a mile’s walk from Scorpion Anchorage. The park service controls about a quarter of Santa Cruz. The rest, owned by the Nature Conservancy, is off-limits.
Be aware: Though more than 30% of nearby Santa Rosa Island was burned in a wildfire that began May 15 (prompting closure by the National Park Service), Santa Cruz Island was unaffected.
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20. Take a dip at the Annenberg Community Beach House
Santa Monica Point of Interest
(Kendra Frankle / For The Times)
This historic Santa Monica mansion — now best known for its public pool — has a prime position in Santa Monica. Its 5 acres include a swimming pool that’s 110 feet long and 22 feet wide (open daily June 14-Sept. 7). There’s also a playground, splash pad, beach volleyball courts, a soccer area and the Back on the Beach Cafe.
Visitors can also reserve beach canopies or tour the Marion Davies Guest House. The beach house, run by the city of Santa Monica, also offers swim classes and a summer camp for kids and yoga and stand-up paddleboard classes for adults. And don’t forget the annual cardboard yacht regatta (this year on June 13).
The property dates to the 1920s when media mogul William Randolph Hearst hired architect Julia Morgan to design a mansion of more than 100 rooms for actress Marion Davies. The mansion was leveled in the 1950s, but the pool and guest house (also designed by Morgan) endure.
Admission to the pool is $10 for adults, $4 for ages 1-17. Parking is $4 per hour, up to a daily max (April through October) of $15.
Visitors can also reserve beach canopies or tour the Marion Davies Guest House. The beach house, run by the city of Santa Monica, also offers swim classes and a summer camp for kids and yoga and stand-up paddleboard classes for adults. And don’t forget the annual cardboard yacht regatta (this year on June 13).
The property dates to the 1920s when media mogul William Randolph Hearst hired architect Julia Morgan to design a mansion of more than 100 rooms for actress Marion Davies. The mansion was leveled in the 1950s, but the pool and guest house (also designed by Morgan) endure.
Admission to the pool is $10 for adults, $4 for ages 1-17. Parking is $4 per hour, up to a daily max (April through October) of $15.
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21. Get lost in the winding paths at Sawdust Art Festival
Laguna Beach Festival
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
When the Sawdust Art Festival began in the mid-’60s, it was a feisty little upstart, in part a response to the more traditional Festival of the Arts, home today to the Pageant of the Masters. The Sawdust event grew fast, winning a reputation for diverse, anything-goes art, and moved into its current location in the mid-’70s. To walk the grounds today is to explore a theme park-like setting dedicated to winding paths of artist booths, pop-up bars, and fountains and wishing ponds.
There are areas dedicated to glassblowing and ceramics — check the daily class schedule if you want to catch a demonstration or hone your skills — and even Wednesday afternoon wine tours that stop at a handful of booths. You might watch a metal wrist cuff be melted and hammered into shape, learn from a photographer on how he scores his perfect sub-Saharan Africa shots and or receive a crash course in bringing a plein air painting to life.
At Sawdust, one can find everything from handmade belts, artisan jewelry, exquisite watercolors, sports photography, toe rings, mushroom sculptures, glass panels and more. Whether your tastes lean irreverent, contemporary or more traditional, somewhere at Sawdust you’ll feel at home.
This year’s festival runs June 26-Sept. 6, but don’t stress if you miss it this summer. A holiday-themed Winter Fantasy edition returns for five weekends beginning Nov. 20 with an emphasis on handmade gifts.
There are areas dedicated to glassblowing and ceramics — check the daily class schedule if you want to catch a demonstration or hone your skills — and even Wednesday afternoon wine tours that stop at a handful of booths. You might watch a metal wrist cuff be melted and hammered into shape, learn from a photographer on how he scores his perfect sub-Saharan Africa shots and or receive a crash course in bringing a plein air painting to life.
At Sawdust, one can find everything from handmade belts, artisan jewelry, exquisite watercolors, sports photography, toe rings, mushroom sculptures, glass panels and more. Whether your tastes lean irreverent, contemporary or more traditional, somewhere at Sawdust you’ll feel at home.
This year’s festival runs June 26-Sept. 6, but don’t stress if you miss it this summer. A holiday-themed Winter Fantasy edition returns for five weekends beginning Nov. 20 with an emphasis on handmade gifts.
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22. Look at the ocean from Ventura Pier and Promenade
Beach Trail
(Jeanette Marantos / Los Angeles Times)
Ventura’s historic wooden pier, the oldest in California, was known as San Buenaventura Wharf when it was built in 1872, jutting 1,620 feet from the shore to sea. Heavy storms in January 2023 closed most of the Ventura Pier for repairs, but the entire length reopened in June 2024. Within days it was bristling with fishing poles and their owners, swapping stories as they cast their lines, and leisurely walkers curious about that day’s catch. The pier stays open until 10 p.m. and is just a few blocks west of Ventura’s downtown eateries, so this is a good place for an after-dinner stroll. You can also find plenty to eat at the beginning of the pier, at Eric Ericsson’s Fish Co., Beach House Tacos and MadeWest Brewing Co.‘s Ventura Pier Taproom. After making the rounds of the pier, walk, skate or bike north for about a mile on the broad Ventura Promenade to Surfer’s Point and the Ventura River Estuary, where you can count surfers and many species of seabirds.
Along the way you’ll find benches, restrooms, a playground and the beachfront Aloha Steakhouse, where, weather permitting, you can comfortably sit, sip and/or eat while watching the water and everyone walking by. There’s free parking past the fairgrounds at Surfer’s Point, or paid parking at the Harbor Boulevard Parking Structure just north of the pier. The cost is $2 an hour or $10 for the day, and if you dine at a validating restaurant, you can get two hours of parking free.
Along the way you’ll find benches, restrooms, a playground and the beachfront Aloha Steakhouse, where, weather permitting, you can comfortably sit, sip and/or eat while watching the water and everyone walking by. There’s free parking past the fairgrounds at Surfer’s Point, or paid parking at the Harbor Boulevard Parking Structure just north of the pier. The cost is $2 an hour or $10 for the day, and if you dine at a validating restaurant, you can get two hours of parking free.
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23. Live the island life on a Catalina day trip
Los Angeles County Attraction
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
When you need an island escape and Hawaii is too far, this is your easiest answer. The ferry ride is about an hour (about 22 miles) and you may encounter playful dolphins on the way. In tiny downtown Avalon (population about 3,300), traffic is a matter of bikes and golf carts. Back in the day, Zane Grey wrote westerns here and chewing gum potentate William Wrigley Jr. built a mansion (Mt Ada, now a boutique hotel with overnight rates starting at about $750). Nowadays, there are just enough options to fill a weekend: submarine tours, snorkeling, miniature golf, cycling, Descanso Beach Club and the Catalina Zipline Eco Tour, which will set you zinging above eucalyptus trees.
Round-trip ferry rides for adults with Catalina Express to Avalon from Long Beach, San Pedro or Dana Point cost $97 to $99. Or you can explore the island’s more rugged side if you catch a boat to Two Harbors, the island’s narrowest point.
Poised between the two harbors, you’ll find one or two restaurants (depending on how you count), a general store, several nearby campgrounds and the hillside Banning House Lodge, whose 12 rooms have startling views. Several hiking trails lead into the hills from Two Harbors, and it’s where the 38.5-mile, four-day hiker’s ordeal/adventure known as the Trans-Catalina Trail comes to an end.
Round-trip ferry rides for adults with Catalina Express to Avalon from Long Beach, San Pedro or Dana Point cost $97 to $99. Or you can explore the island’s more rugged side if you catch a boat to Two Harbors, the island’s narrowest point.
Poised between the two harbors, you’ll find one or two restaurants (depending on how you count), a general store, several nearby campgrounds and the hillside Banning House Lodge, whose 12 rooms have startling views. Several hiking trails lead into the hills from Two Harbors, and it’s where the 38.5-mile, four-day hiker’s ordeal/adventure known as the Trans-Catalina Trail comes to an end.
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24. Ride the hot air balloon or watch a concert at Irvine Great Park
Irvine Park $
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
This isn’t your everyday park with a playground and a few picnic tables. Nope, this is Irvine Great Park, which has 450 acres of sports fields, artistry and a massive hot air balloon.
Ride the hot air balloon 400 feet up ($10 per adult, first-come, first-served) or spin around the carousel. Sports fans can play at dozens of soccer fields, tennis courts, baseball and softball fields. Great Park Ice features skating and hockey.
The park is unfinished, with additions popping up now and then. The Wild Rivers Waterpark opened on the property in 2022. Every time you visit, the park might be a bit different than before. At the outdoor music venue Great Park Live, which opened in 2024 and holds up to 5,000 people, a new permanent amphitheater is due to open in 2027.
Ride the hot air balloon 400 feet up ($10 per adult, first-come, first-served) or spin around the carousel. Sports fans can play at dozens of soccer fields, tennis courts, baseball and softball fields. Great Park Ice features skating and hockey.
The park is unfinished, with additions popping up now and then. The Wild Rivers Waterpark opened on the property in 2022. Every time you visit, the park might be a bit different than before. At the outdoor music venue Great Park Live, which opened in 2024 and holds up to 5,000 people, a new permanent amphitheater is due to open in 2027.
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25. Roam the Hollywood Hills on horseback
Hollywood Hills Experience
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
It’s easy to think of L.A. geography in terms of driving and walking. Climbing onto a horse and roaming the Hollywood Hills change that. It also allows you to imagine you’re starring in your own 21st century western.
One popular starting point for guided trail rides is Sunset Ranch Hollywood, a western throwback at the end of Beachwood Drive on the edge of Griffith Park. It’s more or less beneath the Hollywood sign. Since 1929, the ranch has given Angelenos and visitors a chance to ride horses in the hills. If you go at sunset in the right weather, distinctions between the open range and the traffic-choked city are blurred in golden haze.
The hourlong Mulholland Trail Tour (starting at $75 per person) takes you, your group and your guide near the Hollywood sign, with broad views of the L.A. basin. The two-hour Mt. Hollywood Trail tour (starting at $125) takes you to the top of Mt. Hollywood (Elevation: 1,625 feet) for a 360-degree of the basin and the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys. The two-hour Mt. Hollywood Trail Evening Tour (starting at $175) gives you the same scenery at sunset and dusk with a million twinkling city lights.
One popular starting point for guided trail rides is Sunset Ranch Hollywood, a western throwback at the end of Beachwood Drive on the edge of Griffith Park. It’s more or less beneath the Hollywood sign. Since 1929, the ranch has given Angelenos and visitors a chance to ride horses in the hills. If you go at sunset in the right weather, distinctions between the open range and the traffic-choked city are blurred in golden haze.
The hourlong Mulholland Trail Tour (starting at $75 per person) takes you, your group and your guide near the Hollywood sign, with broad views of the L.A. basin. The two-hour Mt. Hollywood Trail tour (starting at $125) takes you to the top of Mt. Hollywood (Elevation: 1,625 feet) for a 360-degree of the basin and the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys. The two-hour Mt. Hollywood Trail Evening Tour (starting at $175) gives you the same scenery at sunset and dusk with a million twinkling city lights.
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26. Enjoy some old-fashioned carnival rides at the Balboa Fun Zone
Newport Beach Amusement Park
(Sandy Huffaker / Corbis via Getty Images)
The fun zone on Newport Beach’s Balboa peninsula features a Ferris wheel, a trio of carnival rides and an arcade with nearby boat and Sea Doo rentals and parasailing. When you get hungry, there are burgers and pizza. The amusement area goes back to the 1930s. A few steps away lies the Balboa Pier (and Ruby’s restaurant at the end of the pier).
As a bonus adventure, catch a ride on the neighboring Balboa Island Ferry (a 900-foot journey, three cars at a time). The service goes back more than 100 years but lately has been looking forward: With more than $10 million in grants from public agencies, the family-owned business has announced it will gradually replace its three diesel-driven vessels with an all-electric fleet. A ride costs $3 per vehicle plus $2 per adult passenger and $1 per child passenger.
As a bonus adventure, catch a ride on the neighboring Balboa Island Ferry (a 900-foot journey, three cars at a time). The service goes back more than 100 years but lately has been looking forward: With more than $10 million in grants from public agencies, the family-owned business has announced it will gradually replace its three diesel-driven vessels with an all-electric fleet. A ride costs $3 per vehicle plus $2 per adult passenger and $1 per child passenger.
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