Summer '26 is in the books, Labor Day has come and gone, and LA's version of early fall always seems to skip right over sweater weather. But it shows up for us anyway, with a stacked slate of great events. What to choose? The Team at Smith & Berg Property Group has curated your calendar for you. This is NOT your average "what's good to do today" list — consider this your fall "cheat sheet" of what's actually worth carving out time for this season.
Halloween Horror Nights & Disneyland's Halloween Time — Now through November 1
Universal's haunted house marathon is in full swing through November 1, with mazes and scare zones scattered across the lot. Go on a weeknight — weekends closer to Halloween sell out and lines double.
Disneyland's Halloween Time is running through October 31, bringing back the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay on Haunted Mansion Holiday, plus Oogie Boogie Bash on select nights at California Adventure. It's separately ticketed and sells out fast, so don't wait if it's on your list.
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Opens — September 22
LA's newest must-see landmark destination, located in Exposition Park, finally opens its doors on the 22nd. George Lucas's museum has been years in the making, with a striking Ma Yansong-designed building housing decades of Lucas's own collection alongside narrative art spanning illustration, film, and comic art. It's one of the most talked-about cultural openings LA has seen in a long while.
Abbot Kinney Festival — September 27
The one-day street fair that shuts down Abbot Kinney for art, food trucks, live music, and people-watching at its finest is back after a two-year hiatus. It draws crowds in the hundreds of thousands and turns the entire boulevard into one sprawling block party. Still the best gauge of what's trending this year, and proof of just how much creative energy lives on this one street.
LAX People Mover Debut — October 6
LAX's much-hyped automated train opens in October (if all goes to plan), connecting all nine terminals to the new Metro Transit Center and a consolidated rental car facility. (It sounds like a small thing until you remember what LAX curbside pickup feels like on a Friday afternoon). This one's a genuine quality-of-LA-life upgrade for anyone flying in or out on the regular, particularly ahead of the 2027 Super Bowl and 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games.
Off the Hook Seafood Festival — October 11
Santa Monica goes all in on seafood for a day, with 20 local chefs and purveyors setting up shop for tastings, demos, and more raw bars than you can reasonably hit in one visit — plus live yacht rock music, amusement park rides at Pacific Park, and more. Come hungry, leave incredibly well fed.
Space Shuttle Endeavour's Permanent Display — November 13
Prepare to audibly gasp: the California Science Center unveils the space shuttle Endeavour standing vertical inside the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, stacked with its boosters and external tank exactly as it looked at launch. FUN FACT: it's the only place in the world you can see a space shuttle displayed this way, viewable from multiple levels inside the building. This one's worth the calendar reminder.
Abbot Kinney Gets Its First Real Hotels
Skip the restaurant chatter: the bigger story on Abbot Kinney this fall is two boutique hotels bringing overnight guests to the famed street. The Venice Place Project adds a 78-room hotel at the north end, anchored by the fabulous Felix Trattoria, while 881 Abbot Kinney brings 43-rooms down at the corner of Main. Add the festival crowds and the latest restaurant openings, and the picture gets clear fast: Abbot Kinney is where it’s all happening.