Los Angeles is one of the world’s most dynamic cities. Even frequent visitors and longtime residents can discover something new in this vibrant and exciting metropolis. From grand openings and new attractions to world-class sports events and cultural milestones, read on for your 2020 LA bucket list.

GRAND OPENINGS

Los Angeles continues to expand its world-class collection of sports and event venues, museums and hotels.

SoFi Stadium

Located on the site of the former Hollywood Park racetrack in Inglewood, the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium will be the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. Scheduled to open in the summer of 2020, SoFi Stadium is the centerpiece of a 298-acre mixed-use development featuring retail, commercial office space, a hotel, residential units, and outdoor park spaces.

The first indoor-outdoor stadium to be constructed, SoFi Stadium will host Super Bowl LVI in 2022, the College Football Championship Game in 2023, and co-host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games in 2028.

Taylor Swift will kick off the stadium’s inaugural year of events with Lover Fest West on July 25 and 26. With these two concerts, Swift will become the first woman in history to open an NFL stadium.

Academy Museum of Motion Picture Arts

One of the most anticipated and important cultural events of 2020, the opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures marks the debut of the first institution of its scope and scale devoted to the past, present, and future of cinema. The Academy Museum’s inaugural exhibitions include a retrospective of legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and the long-term exhibition, Where Dreams Are Made: A Journey Inside the Movies.

LA Plaza Cocina

LA Plaza Cocina will be the first museum and teaching kitchen dedicated to Mexican cuisine when it opens this spring at the 425,000 square-foot LA Plaza Village mixed-use complex in Downtown LA. The multi-disciplinary venue will celebrate and educate visitors on Mexico’s rich and vibrant culinary heritage, from its indigenous roots to its contemporary interpretations, through an array of exhibitions, cooking classes, lectures, workshops, and culinary festivals.

Fairmont Century Plaza

Reopening in 2020, famed architect Minoru Yamasaki’s mid-century modern hotel has been redesigned to include 400 luxury guest rooms, 63 private residences, 14,000 square-foot Fairmont Spa Century Plaza, a signature French brasserie Lumière, and nearly 24,000 square feet of private event space.  

The reimagined Fairmont Century Plaza is part of a $2.5-billion mixed-use redevelopment project on 6.14 acres, which also includes two 44-story towers with 290 privately-owned luxury residences, and 92,127 square feet of boutique shopping and restaurants surrounding a pedestrian plaza. 

The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash – Universal Studios Hollywood

Currently under construction on the former site of the Globe Theater, The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash is an all-new, fully immersive experience in which guests will assume the roles of stray puppies as they join a familiar cast of leading characters from the hit animated films — Max, Snowball, Gidget, Chloe and Duke, along with a host of other animal friends — on the ultimate quest of finding forever homes.

Destination Crenshaw + Metro Crenshaw/LAX Line

Destination Crenshaw is a 1.3-mile long “outdoor art and culture experience celebrating Black Los Angeles.” The project will use Crenshaw Boulevard as a canvas and anchor for public art and streetscape design. Destination Crenshaw will “celebrate the historical and contemporary contributions of Black LA and the Crenshaw community—the largest black community west of the Mississippi River.” Led by renowned architecture firm Perkins&Will, the project will include community gathering spaces, parks, landscape and streetscape improvements, and hundreds of locations for commissioned artwork.

Destination Crenshaw coincides with the opening of the Metro Crenshaw/LAX Line, which is currently under construction and will extend from the existing Metro Expo Line at Crenshaw and Exposition Boulevards. The Line will travel 8.5 miles to the Metro Green Line and will serve the Crenshaw District, Inglewood, Westchester and surrounding area with eight stations:

  • Expo/Crenshaw
  • Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Leimert Park
  • Hyde Park
  • Fairview Heights
  • Downtown Inglewood
  • Westchester/Veterans
  • Aviation/Century

SPORTS EVENTS IN Los Angeles

The sports capital of the world welcomes elite athletes from across the country and around the globe.

MLB All-Star Game – Dodger Stadium (July 14, 2020)

The 91st All-Star Game will take place at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, July 14. This will be the fourth All-Star Game hosted by the Dodgers, the first in 40 years at Dodger Stadium, and the third in Los Angeles. “Major League Baseball is thrilled to bring the All-Star Game back to Dodger Stadium, one of our game’s marquee ballparks,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. “With the combination of two consecutive World Series appearances, continued success on the field, and the anticipation of our 2020 Midsummer Classic, this is a great time to be a Dodger fan.”

MLS All-Star Game – Banc of CA Stadium (July 29, 2020)

Banc of California Stadium, home of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), will host the 2020 MLS All-Star Game on July 29. The midsummer showcase will reach new heights as the best of Major League Soccer take on the LIGA MX all-stars in a first-of-its-kind All-Star matchup during the league’s milestone 25th season. LAFC’s Bob Bradley, a three-time MLS Coach of the Year, will coach the MLS All-Stars after leading LAFC to the Supporters’ Shield and setting a new MLS regular-season points record in 2019.

2020 Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship – Dignity Health Sports Park (Feb. 7 & 9, 2020)

The home of the LA Galaxy, Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson will host the 2020 Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Semifinals and Final, taking place on Friday, February 7 and Sunday, February 9, respectively. The winners off the all-important semifinal matches will qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Japan. The U.S. Women’s National Team will attempt to qualify for a seventh consecutive Olympic Games and win the Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying event for the fifth consecutive time.

Running Universal: “Trolls” – Universal Studios Hollywood (April 26, 2020)

On Sunday, April 26, turn up the music, put your hair up, and find your happy place with Running Universal, featuring DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls. Join Poppy, Branch and Guy Diamond for a brand new race through the Theme Park and parts of the Backlot at the 5K and 10K events. Plus, kids can join in on the Kids’ 1K. Run for fun and stop for photo ops as you hug it out with your favorite DreamWorks characters from Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar and Shrek. Then tap your toes to the finish line to receive a Trolls-themed race medal and fun swag that’ll have you smiling all the way home. Registration is now open at the Running Universal website.

ARTS & CULTURE

From the return of the blockbuster Frieze LA festival to Michelangelo and the Made in LA biennial, 2020 will be an unforgettable year of arts and culture in LA.

Frieze LA (Feb. 14-16, 2020)

Following the sold out success of its inaugural edition, Frieze Los Angeles returns to Paramount Pictures Studios from February 14-16 to present the best of LA and international contemporary art by emerging and established artists, alongside a curated program of talks, films and artists’ projects in the iconic backlot.

In addition to the three-day fair at Paramount, Frieze Week LA (Feb. 10-16) will feature new exhibitions and special events across the city. Participating museums include The Broad, MOCA and LACMA among many others. Along with their presentations at the fair, many of LA’s leading galleries will have special exhibitions on view during Frieze Week.

CONCERTS

Los Angeles welcomes world-famous acts and rising stars for a stellar year of concerts.

Primavera Sound (Sept. 19-20, 2020)

Barcelona’s acclaimed Primavera Sound festival is expanding to Los Angeles in 2020. Co-produced by Live Nation, Primavera’s first-ever U.S. event is scheduled for September 19-20 at Los Angeles State Historic Park in Downtown LA. Fans can expect a wide-ranging lineup featuring legends, icons of today, and artists of tomorrow during a weekend of music that includes a public commitment to gender equality.

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“We have been thinking about Los Angeles for many years now, and the celebration of our 20th anniversary felt like the perfect timing for the decision of crossing overseas,” said Gabi Ruiz, one of Primavera Sound’s directors. “Our goal is to bring the Primavera Sound spirit and vibe to cities with a similar feel: creative, colorful and welcoming. … So it’s a dream to finally say: yes, it had to be Los Angeles.”

NEW RESTAURANTS

The Winter edition of dineL.A. Restaurant Week (Jan. 17-31) will offer diners a delicious start to the new decade. World-class chefs from LA and beyond will be opening new restaurants across the city.

Halo at Wells Fargo Center

Brookfield Properties is opening Halo at the Wells Fargo Center on Bunker Hill in Downtown LA. Halo will feature full service restaurants, plaza seating, several fast casual dining options, a rooftop deck, tenant lounge, concierge services, health and wellness amenities, and an indoor-outdoor bar.

Halo’s inaugural dining lineup includes Trejo’s Tacos and Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts; Green Thing from We Have Noodles alum Darren Sayphraraj; Danny Boy’s Famous Original Pizzeria by Chef Daniel Holzman (The Meatball Shop); and a second DTLA location of burger juggernaut, Shake Shack.