With the pandemic stretching into its 8th month, Angelino’s are no doubt longing to do anything other than sitting at home all day. The year has not turned out the way anyone planned. Millions of people have had to cancel plans. Jobs have been lost and tourism has suffered particularly severely, as travel has been largely impossible.
However, there are still things to do in Los Angeles, whether you live here or are visiting. While COVID-19 is still keeping us from gathering in large crowds, there are nonetheless events going on, with social distancing protocols in place.
Concerts and Sporting Events?
The events schedule in Los Angeles is generally chock-full of concerts and sporting events. The Grammy Awards and headline entertainers share venues with sports teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers, Dodgers, Rams, Chargers, Kings, and Galaxy. As a cultural and sports hub, Los Angeles is constantly hosting some of the most notable spectator events in the world.
COVID-19 has put an end to most of that for now, which meant the Lakers played the NBA Finals away from home in Orlando. And while the city is slowly opening up, taking steps to see what is possible, crowded events are still far off. Nobody is sure how the sports leagues will shake out. The NFL is currently playing local games at empty stadiums, and MLB and the NBA and NHL have remained tight-lipped about how they see the 2021 seasons shake out.
Live music events may not suffer as much. The fair weather in Los Angeles could make socially distanced concerts and music events possible in the coming months. Ticket vendors are making available the best concert tickets to buy for paid events. Meanwhile, there have been a number of live streaming events, including top artists like Machine Gun Kelly, Miley Cyrus, and Sam Smith.
Drive-in Movies
When was the last time anyone thought about going to a drive-in movie? Once a staple in American life, drive-in movies lost their charm a long time ago; pretty much reduced to nostalgia-filled evenings at a handful of locations nationally. How things have changed.
Currently, there is no other way to see a publicly screened movie. Drive-in theaters are now offering the only opportunity to go to the movies and enjoy a communal experience safely. In any other year, the drive-in would not be an event worth talking about, but right now they’re seeing a huge revival in Los Angeles which boasts three fixed location drive-in theaters within the city and numerous pop-up versions in and around L.A.
Forest Bathing
Never heard of it? Forest bathing is based on a Japanese practice. It involves experiencing nature with all your five senses and is said to have healing benefits. You see the plants and animals, hear the sounds of nature, smell the many different odors, and feel the textures. If you are brave, you can even taste berries and other natural outgrowths as part of the experience.
The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Garden lead forest bathing walks every Wednesday when weather permits. They employ strict social distancing strategies to ensure that everyone is safe throughout. It is well worth it, especially if you are feeling cabin fever at home.
Sandstone Peak
If you want something more intense than forest bathing, why not take a hike up Sandstone Peak? Sandstone Peak is the tallest peak in the Santa Monica Mountains which are just North of Los Angeles. Throughout a six-mile looping trail, you will get a great workout while seeing some incredible views.
Hiking can still be difficult to do safely if there are lots of people on the trail. Take a peek at the parking lot or call in advance to find out if it is a good day to visit.
Events in 2020 are different from what once was, but there is still plenty to do in Los Angeles. Don’t despair, get out of the house, and enjoy what the city has to offer.
