The Best Time to Visit Los Angeles: Season-by-Season Guide

Starting to plan your perfect LA vacation? This Los Angeles local is here to help! 

There isn’t necessarily a bad time to visit Los Angeles, but there are some things you should take into consideration before booking your trip. Each season has its own benefits and drawbacks, and depending on your budget and general travel preferences, certain months are better than others. 

I recommend travelers with flexibility visit Los Angeles around the early fall. This is the best time to visit Los Angeles for warm, sunny weather without the crowds that you see in the summer. 

That said, you can plan a fun trip to LA at any time of year…you just need to know what to expect during each season!

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Visiting in the Spring

The spring is perfect for a Los Angeles trip if you want to squeeze in a visit before the summer crowds rush in (and before the hotel prices rise for peak season!). That said, if you want to avoid crowds, don’t visit around the very end of March into the first two weeks of April (when schools are off for spring break).  

This is a great time to be out and about, exploring the most popular attractions and some cool hidden gems in Los Angeles. 

In the spring, flowers are in bloom (including the beautiful purple jacaranda trees!), and the landscape is lush and green. This is my favorite time of year to take a day trip to Malibu to go on a hike!

The weather is also generally super pleasant. Daytime temperatures typically hit the high 60s into low 70s during the day, and drop down into the 50s at night. 

It’s important to note that Los Angeles (and coastal SoCal in general) experiences what is referred to as “May Gray” and “June Gloom” in the spring. This is a weather pattern characterized by cloudy or foggy skies…so you may not get as much sun as you might expect!

You may also experience some rain, particularly in the earlier spring. That said, it’s usually more rainy in the winter. 

Events in the Spring

• Los Angeles Marathon (one day in early March) 
• Renaissance Pleasure Faire (multiple weekends from early April to mid-May)

Visiting in the Summer

Unsurprisingly, the summer is the most popular time for tourism in LA. If you hate crowds, this is going to be the worst time to visit Los Angeles!

Many families flock to the area while school is out. Travelers also like to head to LA in the summer for a trip to Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, and other beach cities to soak up the sun. 

Of course, this has a major impact on crowds, so you should expect heavier traffic and more people at the beaches and LA’s top attractions. This applies to popular Southern California theme parks like Universal Studios, as well as Disneyland and California Adventure in nearby Anaheim.

As you’re looking at places to stay in Los Angeles, you’ll see that prices are also at an all-time high. If you do visit in the summer, I recommend booking early to try to get a better price! 

Despite these drawbacks, there are still benefits to visiting Los Angeles in the summer…most notably the weather! You can expect warm, sunny days throughout most of the summer, with particularly pleasant weather along the coast. 

Average temperatures reach into the high 70s to mid 80s during the day. Keep in mind that it does get warmer as you go inland. Depending on exactly where your itinerary takes you, you may experience even hotter weather. 

Note that the June gloom mentioned above will continue into the early summer. It typically dissipates by early July. 

Events in the Summer

• West Hollywood Pride (one weekend in early June)
• Los Angeles Pride (one weekend day in early/mid-June)
• Los Angeles Summer Olympics 2028 (July 14 to July 30, 2028)

Visiting in the Fall

In my opinion, the fall (especially late September into mid-October) is the absolute best time to go to Los Angeles weather-wise and crowd-wise. 

The crowds from the summer rush dissipate, and hotel prices are a touch more reasonable. This certainly isn’t the cheapest time to visit Los Angeles, but it is generally better than the summer! 

You also still have super warm temperatures and clear, sunny days. If you want to spend a weekend in Santa Monica relaxing at the beach, this is the time to go! 

In the early fall you can expect temperatures in the high 70s into mid 80s during the day. Those temperatures drop into the low to mid 60s at night. 

It cools off a bit in the later autumn, but the weather is still pleasant…perfect for exploring all of the best fall activities in Los Angeles! Temperatures ranging from the high 60s into the mid 70s during the day. At night, they drop into the mid 50s to low 60s. 

Events in the Fall

• Emmy Awards (one day in September) 
• Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios (September through early November) 
• Dia de Los Muertos Festival (one Saturday around late October or early November)

Visiting in the Winter

As you would expect, the two weeks around Christmas and New Years are busy in Los Angeles, with prices on accommodations peaking during this time. Of course, this is still a fun time to visit, as you can explore all of the seasonal holiday attractions in Los Angeles! 

January into mid-March is an excellent time to visit for better hotel and vacation rental prices, as well as far fewer crowds. 

It’s important to note that the weather isn’t (typically) at its best during this time, but it’s still mild (thanks to coastal Southern California’s Mediterranean climate!). 

On average, LA sees about 4 to 5 days of rain per month in the winter. Average temperatures don’t go beyond the mid to high 60s during the day. At night, you can expect temperatures to drop into the high 40s to low 50s. 

However, LA’s weather can be random. As someone who has lived in Los Angeles for nearly a decade, we very frequently have hot spells in the dead of winter. It’s not unheard of to have a sunny 80 degree day in the middle of February! With that said, it’s important to add layerable clothes to your Los Angeles packing list.

One thing to note is that the winter is awards season in Los Angeles. This won’t have a major impact on travelers, but hotels may be pricier right around where the shows are taking place. Certain roads around the event spaces will also be closed or impacted on event day. 

Events in the Winter

• Hollywood Christmas Parade (one day around late November or early December)
• Golden Globe Awards (one day in early/mid-January)
• Grammy Awards (one day in early February)
• Oscars (one day in mid-March)

Planning Your Perfect Los Angeles Visit

The early fall is my top recommendation for people looking to enjoy great weather, less crazy crowds, and slightly better prices compared to the summer.

For visitors traveling on a budget, the winter (after the holidays) is the best. You’ll be able to get a nice deal on accommodations, and the weather is still pleasant enough for exploring.