5. Tournament of Roses – Rose Bowl Parade

The Buzz -- If you plan to be in LA during the winter holiday season, this traditional event is definitely worth seeing in person. Television cannot do justice to the intricacies of today's floats, decorated with millions of flowers and tons of natural materials like leaves and bark. In fact, each individual float uses more flowers than the average florist will handle over the course of five years! The floats take nearly a year to construct, but the bulk of decorating is done after Christmas, and many of the flowers are attached to the floats in little vials of water to keep them fresh. Although reserved seating is available, you can stake out plenty of great spots along Colorado Boulevard starting at noon on the 31st. Expect crowds!