Outdoor movies in Los Angeles are incredibly popular. It seems like every summer there is a new outdoor movie experience. In the very first episode of the LA Dreaming Podcast, I talk about Outdoor Movie Screenings in LA with my friend Casey Hempel. In this post, I’ll be recapping the ones we discussed on the show and sharing about other ones that we did not cover.
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Outdoor Movie Screenings We Talk About On the Podcast
Street Food Cinema
Street Food Cinema offers some of the best outdoor movies in LA. They have the largest variety of venues that are spread out through the Los Angeles area. This screening series typically takes place from April through September. They also try to do screenings for Halloween, Christmas & Valentine’s Day though some of the holiday screenings take place indoors. I have a full blog post on Street Food Cinema that you can check out.
Cinespia
Cinespia is an outdoor movie screening series that takes place at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. This experience has been shown in movies like Valentine’s Day & Under the Silver Lake. It sounds weird that you are watching a movie in a cemetery but you are not sitting on top of the graves. One of the best reasons to come to this particular series is for the fabulous photo booths. Shown above is the photo booth from when I saw ET on the 4th of July. They put on a pretty good firework show for the holiday!
You can get tickets for Cinespia here.
Boat Cinema
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I have not experienced Boat Cinema myself so far. This is one of the newest outdoor movie series in the LA area and probably ties Cinespia for being the most unique. It is one of the most expensive experiences but, considering you are watching the movie from a boat, it makes sense. They did recently add beach seating which is $20 so that is definitely more affordable. You can find tickets and more information here.
Melrose Rooftop Theatre
The Melrose Rooftop Cinema is located in the same spot as the E.P & L.P restaurant off of Melrose in West Hollywood. Your ticket includes a bean bag-type chair that comes with a blanket and a headset so that you can hear the movie well. The general admission tickets are $32.40 with the service fee. They also offer a dinner & movie package for $56.05. Ticket prices are per person. You can visit their website here.
Rooftop Cinema Club
I have been to the Rooftop Cinema Club location in El Segundo. They also have venues at Row DTLA and LEVEL. This is a similar setup to the Melrose Rooftop Theatre. You do not have to bring a chair. That is provided for you as well as headphones.
Hollywood Bowl
I highly recommend putting a movie night at the Hollywood Bowl on your LA bucket list. Each summer the bowl will host a Sound of Music sing a long which is one of the most fun events I have been to. They will also host movie screenings where the LA Philharmonic will play alongside the film. The events are truly spectacular.
Outdoor Movies In LA Screening Essentials
Since I go to several of these screenings I am constantly adding more items to my personal collection that make these events more comfortable & enjoyable for me. For the screenings where I need to bring my own chair, I use the Tommy Bahama beach chairs that I got from Costco but you can find them on Amazon as well. You can wear them on your back which makes them incredibly easy to transport.
The grass will get wet with the dew during the movies so I love having a blanket down on the ground so that my feet don’t get as cold. I use a pineapple blanket that zips up into a pouch. You can find something similar on Amazon. Other items I love using are a foldable pop-up table & a picnic basket with wheels.
Make sure to bring plenty of blankets & jackets so that you are not tempted to leave early because of how cold you are. Bring quarters in case you need them for parking meters.
Other Outdoor Movie Screenings in LA
Movies on Location
I went to a screening of Top Gun at the Van Nuys Airport a few years ago as part of this screening series. Sometimes, the screenings do take place at a filming location that was used in the movie being shown. For example, Top Gun did film at the airport. The only bummer was that they never shared with us details about what part of the movie was filmed there. This is a cool way to experience the locations while watching a movie.
In 2021, they did a screening of Cars at the iconic Pink Motel. The Pink Motel was not animated and included in the movie but it fit the theming for it so it worked. You can find out more about Movies on Location here.
Hollywood Roosevelt Pool Screenings
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The famous Hollywood Roosevelt hosts movie screenings by the pool. The events are open to anyone with a ticket regardless of whether you are a hotel guest or not. *Hotel guests do not need a ticket. For hotel guests, please email tspreservations@hollywoodroosevelt.com to reserve your spot. You are welcome to swim or lounge on a chair while you watch the movie. If you show up in a costume themed to the movie they will give you a free cocktail or candy. You can get tickets for their movie nights here.
Marina Del Rey Movie Nights
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In Marina Del Rey you can see movies at the Jamaica Bay Inn.
Eat See Hear
This is another series that I still need to check out. Eat See Hear is similar to Street Food Cinema. They host their screenings at various spots around LA and have food trucks at each one. My favorite location where they host events is Pasadena City Hall. You can find tickets here.
Movies at One Colorado in Pasadena
This is a series that I just found out about and am looking forward to experiencing myself soon. Movies are shown on the side of a building at One Colorado in Pasadena. There are a few different seating options. YOu can bring own your chairs, you can sit in chairs on the balcony for free, or if you spend $20 at one of the restaurants and show your receipt to the screening staff you can sit in a reserved seat. Complimentary popcorn is provided!! You can find out more information by visiting their Instagram.
Moonlight Movies on the Beach
Moonlight Movies on the Beach in Long Beach is one of my favorite outdoor movie screenings in LA. Yes, it will be cold but listening to the waves while watching a movie is so relaxing. This was one of my favorite memories from 2021. The screening series takes place at Granada Beach in Long Beach. You can find plenty of free street parking on Ocean or you can pay to park if you don’t want to walk as far. You can find out more information on their website here.
2nd & PCH Movies
2nd & PCH is an outdoor shopping center near the water. They have a great selection of places to eat. I have truly enjoyed each place that I have tried so far. One of my favorite things about living close by is getting to to go their movie nights. They host free movie screenings at different times throughout the year. You can visit their website here.
“Come See” Movie Night at Westfield Century City
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The Westfield Century City is one of my favorite malls in LA due to its fun events and beautiful photo spots. Each summer they host an outdoor movie series that they call “Come See”. Tickets average $10 for each movie which includes a lawn chair. Your ticket also includes a $5 gift card selected from a grab bag that you can use towards your dinner or a future purchase.
Street Style Cinema
The Grove used to give out free tickets to attend their movie screenings. This year they are charging $25 but it is supposed to include candy & popcorn. Previously, my Mom and I had a lot of fun watching an outdoor movie at The Grove but I don’t know if it would be worth $25.
Outdoor Movies at the Skirball
Skirball will be showing movies on Fridays. The evening includes a kid-friendly lounge and activities. Adult tickets start at $20. Children 12 and under are free.
Movies on the Roof
My Valley Pass and Westfield Fashion Square have partnered for a new screening series that features bean bag seating. The event runs every Friday and Saturday through the end of August. Tickets are $5.
Plaza West Covina Movie Night
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Visit plazawestcovina.com/events to register.
Splash La Mirada
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Movies in Orange County Parks
The OC Parks host the OC Sunset Cinema. You can see movies at Orange County parks in cities like Fullerton, Brea, Orange, Anaheim, Dana Point, and Laguna Niguel. The screenings are free and include fun pre-show entertainment. You can see the full 2022 schedule here.
Anaheim Town Square
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They are hosting a monthly free drive-in movie. You can RSVP here.
Movie Nights at Ovation at Hollywood & Highland
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If you like Drive-Ins I have blogged about my experience at the Paramount Drive-In, the Mission Tiki Drive-In, and the Vineland location.
