California is preparing for a busy year in 2026, with new attractions, hotels, restaurants, and major sporting events scheduled across the state.
Theme parks will introduce several additions. Universal Studios Hollywood plans to open its first high-speed outdoor roller coaster, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift. Disneyland Resort in Anaheim will feature a Bluey stage show at Fantasyland Theatre beginning March 22, and the Mandalorian and Grogu will join Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run starting in May. LEGOLAND California in Carlsbad is launching Galacticoaster, its first new roller coaster in over twenty years, as part of the LEGO Galaxy area.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park will debut Danny Sanford Elephant Valley in early 2026. SeaWorld San Diego is updating its Shark Encounter exhibit with a 360-degree underwater tunnel and additional features set to open in spring.
Entertainment districts are also expanding. West Harbor at the Port of Los Angeles expects more venues to open by summer. In Anaheim, OCVIBE—centered around Honda Center and ARTIC—will start opening its market hall and concert spaces late next year. Palm Springs’ historic Plaza Theatre has reopened after restoration to host classic films and live performances.
Major sporting events include Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on February 8. The week before the game will feature concerts by Sting and The Killers at Palace of Fine Arts along with other fan activities. Los Angeles hosts NBA All-Star Weekend at Intuit Dome on February 15, introducing a U.S. vs. World tournament format.
California will be one of the hosts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup from June 11 to July 29, with fourteen matches played across Los Angeles County and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Other sports developments include ONT Field opening for the Ontario Tower Buzzers’ inaugural season; NASCAR’s first event on an active military base taking place in Coronado; and community sports complexes planned throughout the year.
Several hotels are scheduled to open or reopen statewide: The Elene in Napa Valley; Appellation Petaluma in Sonoma County; Rosewood San Francisco; Outbound Yosemite near Yosemite National Park; luxury RV sites at Oasis at Death Valley; Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara after restoration; Kali Hotel and Rooftop in Inglewood’s Hollywood Park; DSRT Surf resort in Palm Springs featuring a surf pool; and Hotel Solea near LEGOLAND California.
New restaurant openings include Ilora (Calistoga), Rotation by Feast It Forward (Napa), Horn Barbecue (Fresno), Little Mountain (Montecito), Spacca Tutto (Pacific Palisades), Wilde’s (Los Angeles), Sant Ambroeus (Beverly Hills), and Chick & Hawk (Encinitas). Notable chefs such as Nancy Silverton and Tony Hawk are involved with some projects.
Retail developments continue as well: Union Square in San Francisco welcomes new flagship stores including Bang & Olufsen, Zara, and Uniqlo through 2026. Rodeo Drive saw recent openings for House of Dior—with Dior’s first U.S. restaurant—and Bulgari’s relocated boutique featuring a rooftop terrace. South Coast Plaza adds brands like Manolo Blahnik while Westfield UTC expands luxury offerings starting spring.
Cultural institutions plan notable launches too. Palo Alto Museum opens February inside the Roth Building focusing on local history via interactive exhibits using AI technology. Dataland—the world’s first museum dedicated to ethically-generated AI arts—opens spring inside Frank Gehry’s Grand LA complex with multisensory galleries.
LACMA introduces David Geffen Galleries offering single-level exhibition space from April 2026 onward while September marks the debut of Lucas Museum of Narrative Art co-founded by George Lucas in Exposition Park.
The state will also celebrate key anniversaries including Route 66 Centennial on November 11—with events from San Bernardino to Santa Monica—and San Diego Museum of Art’s centennial festivities throughout Balboa Park starting February 28.
“Whether you’re exploring California for the first time or revisiting favorite destinations, these events and openings will make for exciting additions to your Golden State bucket list,” according to Visit California.
