20 Places to Cry in Public in LA
.png)
It’s gloomy in LA. You’re feeling moody. You might even need to cry.
But if, for some reason, you still feel the need to go out and function, here are 20 places in LA where it’s perfectly acceptable to cry in public, just in case the mood shifts and the tears start falling.
La Cuevita, For a happy hour cry
Location: Highland Park
Crying at a bar is basically a rite of passage. La Cuevita has the essentials for an emotional evening: dim lighting, strong drinks, and an outdoor patio when you need to excuse yourself for a totally normal five-minute breakdown. Happy hour runs until 8pm daily, which feels a little ironic given why you’re here.
Sam First, For a jazzy cry
Location: Westchester
Sometimes sitting in a dark room listening to live jazz is exactly what the mood calls for. Sam First hosts live music throughout the week, but Tuesdays are particularly fitting, with a 7:30pm set followed by a late-night jam session. Grab a drink, find a seat, and let yourself feel a little dramatic for the evening.
Sound Nightclub, For crying in the club
Location: Hollywood
There ain’t no crying in the club, but we’d argue a packed dance floor is actually one of the better places to do it. Sound has the dark room, loud music, and enough people dancing around you to provide plenty of cover. If a tear happens to fall somewhere between songs, honestly, nobody needs to know.
Del Amo Fashion Center, For some retail therapy
Location: Torrance
If you need somewhere to wander around until you feel better, Del Amo is the largest shopping mall in the LA area, so you’ve got plenty of ground to cover. Find a semi-private corner, have your moment, then get an Auntie Anne’s pretzel and maybe buy something you don’t need. Will it solve the underlying problem? Probably not. But it’s worth a shot.
The Wolves, For a cry over cocktails
Location: Downtown LA
Alcohol and emotions have a long history together, so naturally we needed a cocktail bar on this list. The Wolves gives you appropriately moody lighting, elaborate drinks, and a beautiful historic setting for whatever you’re currently going through. If the tears are coming either way, you might as well have a good cocktail in front of you.
Wi Spa, For a spa cry
Location: Koreatown
If you’re already having a day, you might as well spend it in a robe. Wi Spa is open 24 hours, with hot and cold baths, saunas, a restaurant, and a rooftop terrace, so you can disappear for a few hours if necessary. Plus, if you cry in a sauna, there’s really no way for anyone to prove that those aren’t just beads of sweat.
Vista Hermosa Natural Park, For a city-view cry
Location: Westlake
Sometimes you need to look at the city that’s been stressing you out. Vista Hermosa has walking trails, plenty of greenery, and a bench with a pretty great view of the Downtown skyline. Sit down, stare at the buildings, have your moment, then take a walk until you’re ready to rejoin Los Angeles.
Aero Theatre, For a socially acceptable cry
Location: Santa Monica
Movie theaters are basically built for public crying. It’s dark, everyone is looking in the opposite direction, and whatever is happening onscreen provides excellent plausible deniability. The Aero regularly screens classics, restorations, and retrospectives, so check the calendar for something appropriately devastating and plan accordingly.
Metro E Line, For a staring-out-the-window cry
Location: East LA <-> Santa Monica
The E Line runs from East LA to Santa Monica, giving you plenty of city to stare at while you work through some things. Put on headphones, watch LA pass by, and once you’ve pulled yourself together, get off for the beach, lunch in Culver City, a museum near USC, or a drink Downtown. It’s basically a cry with an itinerary.
Lake Shrine, For a peaceful cry
Location: Pacific Palisades
If you prefer your emotional release with a lake, gardens, and somewhere quiet to sit, Lake Shrine is probably more your speed. Wander through the meditation gardens, find a peaceful spot, and have your moment surrounded by greenery. At a certain point, this stops being crying in public and starts becoming spiritual reflection.
Arlington Garden, For crying under a tree
Location: Pasadena
Sometimes you don’t need a bar, spa, or elaborate plan. You just need a tree. Arlington Garden is a peaceful public garden filled with winding paths, native plants, shady spots, and plenty of places to sit with your thoughts. Find a quiet corner and have your moment. To everyone else, you’re simply reflecting in nature.
Max Karaoke Studio, For singing through the tears
Location: Little Tokyo
Sometimes listening to the sad song isn’t enough. You need to perform it. Max Karaoke has private rooms, which means you can grab some friends, queue up your most devastating playlist, and really commit without an audience of strangers. If someone starts crying during the bridge, that’s between you, your friends, and the karaoke machine.
Orpheum Theatre, For a glamorous cry
Location: Downtown LA
If you’re going to get emotional during a movie, concert, or show, you might as well do it somewhere beautiful. The historic Orpheum has ornate interiors, dramatic lighting, and more than a century of performances behind it. Hundreds of people have almost certainly cried in these seats before you, so you’ll be in good company.
LA Central Library, For a silent cry
Location: Downtown LA
Libraries are practically designed for discreet emotional moments, and Central Library gives you eight floors to work with. Wander the stacks, find a quiet reading area, or grab a tragic-looking book and hide behind it until things improve. Just remember this is still a library, so try to keep any actual sobbing at an appropriate volume.
Da Poetry Lounge, For a poetic cry
Location: Downtown LA
If you’d rather let someone else put your feelings into words, Da Poetry Lounge hosts an open mic every Tuesday night. Grab a seat and listen to poets and performers get extremely vulnerable in front of a room full of strangers. Eventually, somebody is probably going to say something that hits a little too close to home.
EVERYBODY, For a productive cry
Location: Cypress Park
Exercise is supposed to make you feel better, but sometimes it doesn’t finish the job. EVERYBODY offers everything from strength and movement classes to a Heal category featuring breathwork, meditation, sound, and relaxation. So if you’re going to have an emotional day anyway, you might as well see if you can get something productive out of it.
Westfield Topanga, For a retail therapy cry
Location: Canoga Park
The mall is a classic public crying destination, and Westfield Topanga gives you plenty of room to work with. Find a semi-private bench, wander through a few stores until the mood passes, or head straight for the food court. Sometimes retail therapy works. Sometimes you just need somewhere to be sad that also has a Nordstrom.
Mulholland Drive, For a dramatic cry
Sometimes a regular cry isn’t enough. Sometimes you need sweeping views of Los Angeles while contemplating every decision that brought you here. Head up Mulholland, find a safe scenic overlook, put on the appropriate soundtrack, and stare dramatically at the city below. Your problems may remain, but the setting will be excellent.
.avif)
