12 Things to Do in Los Angeles at Night

In a city as big as Los Angeles, there are tons of things to do at night. It's not all about partying and nightclubs, or the beach and the ocean. Los Angeles has many different sides that will make you enjoy its nightlife like never before, no matter what time of year you visit.

If you're planning a vacation, keep in mind that the day doesn't end when the sun goes down. No matter the season, Los Angeles is full of nighttime activities that would be a shame to miss. Read on to discover ten of the best things to do!

Los Angeles is the city to enjoy an NBA game, as it has not one but two teams, so you have the option of:

• Book a ticket for the Los Angeles Lakers, the most popular team with a huge fan base. Their kit is yellow and purple, and some of the stars who have worn it or still wear it today include LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Derek Fisher, and Shaquille O'Neal. Games are currently played at the Cryptocom Arena, formerly known as the Staples Center, which has a capacity of around 19,000 people.
• Book a ticket for the Los Angeles Clippers, which, although not as well known, is a great team that has included players such as Eric Piatkowski, Blake Griffin, Elton Brand, and Chris Paul. They currently play in their new stadium, Intuit Dome, an 18,000-seat venue.

If you want to discover all the secrets of Hollywood, don't hesitate to book a ghost tour at dusk. You have two options depending on how long you want the experience to last:

• Los Angeles Ghost Tour, from $35: An approximately one-hour tour with an expert local guide who will take you deep into the most terrifying stories.
• Los Angeles Ghost and Crime Tour, from $40: A two-hour tour with an expert local guide, where you'll hear disturbing, spine-chilling, and paranormal stories.

If there's one thing the city of Los Angeles has and offers, it's a huge coastline that can be enjoyed from end to end. But what about enjoying the sea directly? That's a great option, which is why I recommend taking one of the best boat tours of the city and, specifically, booking a cruise in Los Angeles at sunset.

These cruises usually depart from the Santa Monica Pier, Marina Del Rey, or Newport Beach and skirt the entire Los Angeles coastline. Some even go as far as the Channel Islands. They often start around sunset and complement the sea tour with an international dinner menu that will delight any palate.

The tour usually lasts about two hours, and sometimes a tour guide will explain the city lights and how they reflect on the sea. There are cruises that take place on special holidays such as New Year's Eve, which is one of the best things to do in Los Angeles in winter.

Santa Monica is one of the most famous districts in Los Angeles. Its beach and pier are a great place to spend a day, but also the night, particularly because it is full of neon-lit attractions. I recommend booking a bus tour of Santa Monica to get to know the area in depth, as well as some of its main attractions such as Pacific Park, a place where you can spend a fantastic night filled with laughter and attractions.

One of the best attractions is the Ferris wheel, known as the Pacific Wheel. This is the only Ferris wheel in the world that runs solely on solar power, making it a milestone in the Ferris wheel industry. Here you can sit back and enjoy the nighttime scenery as you ascend, or just enjoy a unique moment watching the neon lights of Santa Monica.

When you're down, you'll realize that the Ferris wheel itself is incredible to photograph, thanks to its lights and movements. Plus, its proximity to the sea will give you a coastal breeze that you can breathe in even on the coldest nights. Are you going to miss out on experiencing Santa Monica in such a fantastic way at night?

Practical information

• Location: 380 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, 90401.
• Price: admission to the amusement park is free, but each attraction costs between approximately $5 and $12.
• Hours: every night, although show times should be checked in advance.

Los Angeles is the movie capital of the world, and Universal Studios Hollywood is one of its most famous theme parks. Right next to the park is Universal City Walk, a sort of entrance plaza that runs from the parking lot to the start of the attractions. Throughout this area, you'll find restaurants and vendors selling products, as well as fantastic lighting.

Because of this lighting, I recommend visiting this area at night. When booking your ticket to Universal Studios, keep in mind that the entertainment industry comes alive at night, with different theaters and cinemas at your disposal. You can also take advantage of the opportunity to shop for clothes and souvenirs of your vacation.

And if street performances are your thing, you should know that many artists and magicians gather at Universal City Walk at night, so you can stop for a few minutes to watch their performances. All this makes walking along Universal City Walk an activity you can enjoy every night you go.

Los Angeles' privileged geographical position means that the sun sets over the vast Pacific Ocean, right before your eyes. When you visit this great city, a trip to Venice Beach is a must, as it is the city's most important beach. But how about stopping there at the end of the afternoon, sitting for a while in front of the sea and watching the sun go down behind the ocean?

And if you want to enjoy this area to the fullest, book a food tour of Venice Beach. It's something you have to do, no matter what time of year it is. Even in winter, sitting on the sand and watching night fall is a sublime experience. The Los Angeles sun has been the star of all kinds of artistic expressions, and when you're sitting on Venice Beach watching it bid farewell to the day, you'll understand why.

And why Venice Beach? Not only because it's a four-kilometer-long esplanade, but also because it has a lot of infrastructure to enjoy. You can sit at a nearby restaurant, have a drink, and watch the sunset. You can also bring your family and friends along to chat while the sun goes down. Or you can even meet people on the beach who want to share that moment with you. Are you going to miss it?

What? Did you think that the only option for seeing the city from above on one of the best helicopter tours was during the day? Not at all! The experience at night is truly incredible, and I highly recommend it. The aerial view is excellent because the city is beautifully lit, and every street is clearly visible from the air.

I recommend you don't miss this tour because Los Angeles is a huge city. Although it's not one of the most populated cities in the world, it's very sparsely populated and the buildings are usually low-rise, which means you can appreciate just how vast it is from the air. You have two options depending on how long you want the experience to last:

• 15-minute helicopter flight in Los Angeles, from $205
• 30-minute helicopter flight in Los Angeles, from $257

In addition, you'll be able to see how the coastline marks the end of the city and, with a little luck, the islands located off the coast. Many of these helicopter trips are designed as romantic tours for couples, but there are actually options for the whole family. What are you waiting for? Book one now!

When making your list of things to see and do in Los Angeles at night, keep in mind that the epicenter of the party scene is the beach, but this city has so much nightlife, and much of it is concentrated on the Sunset Strip in Beverly Hills. This neighborhood is full of clubs and discos where you can party until dawn, so if you decide to go, it's not a time to be tired.

I recommend going out to the clubs on Sunset Strip if you've rested during the day and relaxed on the beach, because at night you can go to a pop or Latin music club where you can dance all night long. But those aren't your only options, as Sunset Strip also has more intimate clubs focused on genres such as jazz, blues, and even rock. Book a pub crawl in Hollywood and get to know the main ones.

The truth is, there's something for everyone. I recommend you don't miss the Viper Room, a live music club that used to be owned by Johnny Depp, if you want something more lively, or the Tower Bar, located in the Sunset Tower Hotel, if you want something much more relaxed, with jazz in the background. It's all up to you how you spend the night, wandering between venues and dancing until you drop.

Rooftops are a classic feature of Los Angeles. This city has a very low density and the buildings are usually quite small, so it is common to find bars and restaurants on rooftops with incredible views of much of the city and, especially, the coast. The ideal time to visit these rooftops is at dinner time: here you can simply have a drink with an appetizer or a more sophisticated dish.

In general, Los Angeles is well known for its rooftop bars. Some are only open at night and offer a variety of alcoholic beverages, while others open earlier and serve food. It also varies depending on the season, but going to one of these bars is one of the best things you can do in Los Angeles in the summer.

My advice is to choose a restaurant with a type of food you like that serves on a rooftop. This way, you can enjoy the most delicious food while admiring the lights of Los Angeles and even listening to the waves in the distance. And if you want to delve deeper into the culinary tradition of the place, book a food tour in Los Angeles. You'll be surprised!

Although it doesn't originate from California, jazz has permeated American culture, and this can also be seen in Los Angeles. What better way to spend an evening than listening to all kinds of jazz groups, both emerging and classic, without having to pay anything? This happens every Friday in the plaza of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), one of the best museums in the city.

This is one of the most important museums in Los Angeles and is also well known to tourists because it houses the Urban Lights sculpture, composed of different antique lanterns, which has become a favorite spot for taking photos. But in the plaza, you can sit down as if you were having a picnic and listen to the best jazz, regardless of the season.

Jazz concerts are usually scheduled every Friday between April and November, but on numerous occasions they have also been extended into the winter, although using other facilities. The idea is to spend a relaxing Friday evening enjoying jazz in a beautiful setting with the best company.

Practical information

• Location: Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) plaza, located at 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, 90036.
• Price: completely free.
• Hours: Friday evenings, starting at 6 p.m.

Walking down Hollywood Boulevard is an experience I recommend you do at night when you're in Los Angeles. Here you can see the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as lots of brightly lit buildings bustling with activity. But for this activity, I suggest you visit two of the most impressive buildings in Los Angeles, which mark the beginning of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, having been built in the 1920s with architecture inspired by Ancient Egypt and East Asia:

• Grauman's Egyptian Theatre.
• Grauman's Chinese Theatre. This is a must-see stop on any tour of Hollywood.

When you go at night, you can see their imposing facades illuminated by spotlights that highlight their beauty. Plus, once you're inside, you can catch a show. I recommend going to a movie, because these theaters are constantly used as part of different film series.

Grauman's Egyptian Theatre was recently purchased by Netflix, and its productions are part of the cultural agenda, especially from Monday to Thursday. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are reserved for the American Cinematheque, the former owners. So, what better excuse to see an old or new movie than to step into one of the most striking theaters in Los Angeles?

Practical information

• Location: 6925 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles (Chinese Theatre) and 1650–1654 McCadden Pl & 6706–6712 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles (Egyptian Theatre).
• Price: admission to a tour of one of the theaters is around €9, but if it includes a movie, it can be up to approximately €12.
• Hours: every night, although movie showtimes are usually after 7:00 p.m.

To see the stars, all you have to do is look up at the sky, although Griffith Observatory can help you. In a city like Los Angeles, seeing the stars in outer space can be tricky, but this observatory is the perfect place. It is one of the most important planetariums in the entire US and often has nighttime or open-air shows. It's also an ideal place to watch the sunset over the city.

This is because Griffith Observatory is located at the top of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, offering a phenomenal view of the city. That's why I highly recommend coming here at night, because you'll be able to see the city skyline, with the tallest buildings in Los Angeles lit up at night.

Keep in mind that the park closes at 10 p.m., so you should arrive before then to make it to the observatory. Also, if you go and it's cold, be sure to bring coats or sweaters because it gets very windy in the park, and the idea is to enjoy the lights of the sky and the city, not freeze to death.

Practical information

• Location: Griffith Park.
• Price: performances cost around €10, but access to the park where the observatory is located is free.
• Hours: every night, although show times should be checked in advance.