Holiday lights, craft markets, museum visits, and coastal outings give Los Angeles plenty of variety in November. Whether you want a seasonal evening out or a relaxed afternoon exploring the city, there are options across Los Angeles County.
This guide combines limited-time November events with places you can visit throughout the month. Some seasonal attractions continue into December or January. Admission requirements vary, and parking, food, rides, and special experiences may cost extra.
1. Browse independent makers at Renegade Craft
Renegade Craft brings more than 275 artists and makers to Santa Monica Airport for a weekend of independent shopping. Browse handmade goods, discover small creative businesses, and get an early start on holiday gifts.
The outdoor setting makes this an easy daytime outing, whether you are shopping for something specific or simply exploring.
📅 Dates: November 7–8, 2026
⏰ Hours: 10 AM–4 PM
📍 Location: Santa Monica Airport, Interim Open Space, 3233 Donald Douglas Loop South, Santa Monica
🎟️ Admission: A suggested entry fee can be paid onsite. Purchases cost extra.
2. Explore the Los Angeles Auto Show
The Los Angeles Auto Show returns to the Convention Center with vehicles, automotive displays, and experiences for car enthusiasts and curious visitors. Allow time to explore the exhibition floor and check the schedule for the day you plan to attend.
Requirements and availability for any driving experiences should be checked separately.
📅 Dates: November 20–29, 2026, including Thanksgiving Day
⏰ Hours: Vary by date; check the official schedule.
📍 Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Downtown Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: Paid tickets, sold online. Some experiences may have additional requirements.
3. Experience NightTales at the Natural History Museum
NightTales brings an indoor and outdoor evening light experience to the Natural History Museum. Artist Maggie West’s illuminated imagery draws on the museum’s collections, offering a different way to experience selected museum halls and gardens after dark.
This is a separately ticketed evening event, so do not assume it includes access to every daytime gallery.
📅 Dates: Select nights, November 12, 2026–January 10, 2027
⏰ Hours: After dark; check available times when booking.
📍 Location: Natural History Museum, 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: Paid event tickets. Prepaid parking is limited.
4. Walk through Enchanted Forest of Light
Descanso Gardens becomes an illuminated nighttime landscape during Enchanted Forest of Light. Follow garden paths through glowing installations and artistic light displays for a seasonal outing that combines a walk with a visual experience.
Book a timed entry and dress for an outdoor evening.
📅 Dates: November 22, 2026–January 9, 2027
⏰ Hours: 5:30–10 PM; check available entry times.
📍 Location: Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge
🎟️ Admission: Paid, timed tickets. Closed on Thanksgiving (November 26) and Christmas Day.
5. See the illuminated displays at L.A. Zoo Lights
L.A. Zoo Lights fills the zoo with oversized illuminated sculptures and nature-inspired displays. Explore the nighttime route, stop for photos, and check which seasonal refreshments and optional experiences are available during your visit.
This is a special evening event, rather than a standard daytime animal-viewing visit.
📅 Dates: Select nights, November 20, 2026–January 10, 2027. Closed November 26 and 30.
⏰ Hours: Evenings; check the calendar for operating nights and times.
📍 Location: Los Angeles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: Paid, separately ticketed event. The skating rink requires its own ticket.
6. Explore the Christmas light maze at Enchant
Enchant returns to Santa Anita Park with a seasonal light maze, illuminated installations, and festive photo opportunities. Take time to explore the displays and check the entertainment and food options for your selected evening.
Choose your date and arrival window before making the trip to Arcadia.
📅 Dates: November 20–December 27, 2026; check available operating dates.
⏰ Hours: Select an arrival window when booking.
📍 Location: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia
🎟️ Admission: Paid; prices vary by date and entry time. Ice skating and other add-ons cost extra.
7. Go ice skating at Pershing Square
The Holiday Ice Rink brings outdoor skating to the middle of Downtown Los Angeles. Make it a daytime activity or an evening outing surrounded by the city’s buildings, then explore nearby dining options.
Check the session schedule before arriving, especially on weekends and holidays.
📅 Dates: Open daily, November 12, 2026–January 3, 2027
⏰ Hours: Vary by date and skating session.
📍 Location: Pershing Square, 532 South Olive Street, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: Paid skating sessions; check the official site for what each ticket includes.
8. See Fast & Furious cars at the Petersen
The Petersen Automotive Museum’s “A Fast & Furious Legacy: 25 Years of Automotive Icons” explores the vehicles behind the film franchise. See screen-used cars and production vehicles while discovering how automotive design became part of its visual identity.
Allow additional time for the museum’s other galleries.
📅 Dates: On view through April 4, 2027
⏰ Hours: Check the museum’s visitor calendar.
📍 Location: Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: Paid museum admission. The exhibition is included with museum admission.
9. Explore the craft of filmmaking at the Academy Museum
Visit the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to explore the people, objects, and creative processes behind cinema. Its galleries offer a closer look at filmmaking, while the screening calendar provides options for visitors who want to add a movie to their outing.
Check current exhibitions and gallery closures before booking.
📅 Dates: Throughout November; closed Tuesdays.
⏰ Hours: Check the official visitor calendar.
📍 Location: 6067 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: Paid general admission for adults; free for visitors 17 and under and other eligible groups. Film screenings are ticketed separately.
10. Spend an afternoon at The Huntington
The Huntington combines botanical gardens and art collections in San Marino. Choose a few areas to explore at a comfortable pace rather than trying to cover the entire property in one visit.
It is a good option for a longer daytime outing, with different garden settings and galleries to build your visit around.
📅 Dates: Throughout November; check the calendar for closed days and holiday hours.
⏰ Hours: Usually 10 AM–5 PM; check-in closes at 4:15 PM. Confirm before visiting.
📍 Location: The Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino
🎟️ Admission: Paid. Tickets are booked for a specific day and arrival time.
11. Visit Urban Light after sunset
Chris Burden’s Urban Light installation outside LACMA is an easy stop along Museum Row. Walk among the historic streetlamps, see the installation illuminated after dusk, and combine your visit with a nearby museum or meal.
Visiting Urban Light is separate from entry to LACMA’s galleries.
📅 Dates: Throughout November
⏰ Hours: The installation is always open; the lamps turn on at dusk and off at dawn.
📍 Location: LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: No ticket is needed to see the outdoor installation. LACMA’s galleries require timed-entry tickets.
12. Eat your way around Grand Central Market
Grand Central Market brings a range of food vendors together in a historic Downtown food hall. Browse before deciding what to order, or visit with someone who wants to try a different stall.
Pair the market with nearby Angels Flight for a compact Downtown outing.
📅 Dates: Throughout November; closed on Thanksgiving.
⏰ Hours: Open daily 8 AM–9 PM; individual vendor hours vary.
📍 Location: 317 South Broadway, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: Food and drinks are purchased from individual vendors. Market parking is paid.
13. Take in the views at Griffith Observatory
Griffith Observatory combines panoramic city views with astronomy exhibits and public telescopes. Arrive before sunset if you want to see the landscape change from daylight to evening.
The grounds and building have different opening schedules, so plan around the parts you want to visit.
📅 Dates: Throughout November; the building is closed Mondays.
⏰ Hours: Check the official schedule for the building, grounds, and programs.
📍 Location: 2800 East Observatory Road, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: Free admission to the Observatory. Planetarium shows are ticketed, and the closest parking is paid.
14. Explore art, gardens, and architecture at the Getty Center
The Getty Center offers art galleries, landscaped spaces, architecture, and wide views across Los Angeles. Plan a relaxed visit with time outdoors as well as inside the galleries.
Check current gallery access before you go, since several pavilions are closed for renovation.
📅 Dates: Throughout November; closed Mondays and Thanksgiving.
⏰ Hours: Check the official calendar.
📍 Location: 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: Free with a required timed-entry reservation. Parking costs extra.
15. Discover contemporary art at The Broad
The Broad is a Downtown destination for contemporary art, with large-scale works and changing gallery presentations. Reserve a time, explore the collection, and check whether any special exhibitions or installations require separate arrangements.
You can combine the museum with a walk around Grand Avenue.
📅 Dates: Throughout November; closed Mondays and Thanksgiving.
⏰ Hours: Vary by day.
📍 Location: 221 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: General admission is free; advance timed tickets are recommended. Some exhibitions and the Infinity Mirror Rooms require separate tickets or reservations.
16. Spend time at Santa Monica Pier
Walk along Santa Monica Pier for ocean views, coastal atmosphere, and a close-up look at its amusement attractions. Visit during daylight for beach views or stay into the evening to see the pier’s lights.
Rides, games, and food are separate purchases.
📅 Dates: Throughout November
⏰ Hours: The pier is open daily 6 AM–10 PM; individual businesses set their own hours.
📍 Location: Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica
🎟️ Admission: Rides, food, and games cost extra. Posted parking rates apply.
17. Walk around the Venice Canals
The Venice Canals offer a quieter walk through a residential neighborhood of waterways, footbridges, and distinctive homes. Explore at an easy pace and combine the visit with time elsewhere in Venice.
Keep noise low and respect residents’ privacy.
📅 Dates: Throughout November
⏰ Hours: Daylight is a practical time to visit.
📍 Location: Venice Canal Historic District, between Venice Boulevard and Washington Boulevard, Venice
🎟️ Admission: No ticket or reservation is needed. Nearby parking may cost extra.
18. Take a swan boat out on Echo Park Lake
Rent a swan boat for a different view of Echo Park Lake and its surroundings. Choose an available daytime session or book an evening ride on an LED-lit swan boat.
Reservations are required, and operating conditions can change with the weather. A walk around the lake is another way to enjoy the area.
📅 Dates: Throughout November, subject to availability and weather.
⏰ Hours: From November 2, 9 AM–10 PM daily, with night rides from sunset. All hours are weather permitting.
📍 Location: Echo Park Lake, 751 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: Paid boat rental; reservations required, no walk-ups.
19. Ride Angels Flight in Downtown Los Angeles
Angels Flight provides a short funicular ride between Hill Street and Bunker Hill. It is a small activity that fits easily into a Downtown itinerary, especially alongside Grand Central Market or a visit to Grand Avenue.
Check its operating status before heading over.
📅 Dates: Throughout November
⏰ Hours: 6:45 AM–10 PM daily.
📍 Location: Lower station at 351 South Hill Street, Los Angeles
🎟️ Admission: Paid fare.
20. Explore the Aquarium of the Pacific
Head to Long Beach for a day exploring marine life at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Its exhibits introduce visitors to different ocean habitats, with plenty to see for families, couples, and anyone interested in the coast.
Check the daily program schedule and whether optional experiences require additional tickets.
📅 Dates: Throughout November
⏰ Hours: Check the official calendar for your selected date.
📍 Location: 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach
🎟️ Admission: Paid. Reservations are required on weekends and holidays. Optional experiences and parking cost extra.
Plan your November in Los Angeles
Choose a few activities based on the area you want to explore, and leave time for travel between neighborhoods. Seasonal evening events often require advance booking, while museums may have closed days or timed-entry requirements.
Check official schedules before heading out. Dates, hours, availability, and admission policies can change, and parking, transportation, food, and optional experiences may cost extra.
For more ideas, explore our guides to free things to do in Los Angeles this November and holiday events in Los Angeles this November.
Follow Places Los Angeles for local events, seasonal guides, and things to do around the city.
