Los Angeles in December: what to expect

December sits in LA's cool season. Days are usually mild and often sunny, evenings turn chilly, and a few storms move through — the coast gets more of the rain than the inland valleys. Snow is not a factor in the city, but the San Gabriel Mountains behind it can pick up snow, which is why ski areas a couple of hours away open around this time.

Expect a jacket for the evening and a light layer for the day. Rain, when it comes, tends to arrive in one or two-day spells rather than all month, so a wet day is usually followed by a clear one. Morning haze near the coast often burns off by midday.

The ocean is the surprise for first-time visitors: it stays around 15 °C, so swimming is a wetsuit activity. Walking the sand, watching surfers and eating outdoors are all comfortable.

The month splits in two. The first three weeks are one of the quieter stretches of the LA year outside Thanksgiving: hotel rates are moderate, museum and studio-tour slots are easy to get, and freeways move better than in summer. From about 20 December, when schools break and holiday visitors arrive, the city fills up and rates climb sharply through New Year.

If your dates are flexible, aim for roughly 1–18 December. If you are coming for the holidays, book hotels and any theme-park or studio-tour tickets well ahead, and expect the busiest days at theme parks between Christmas and 2 January. New Year's Eve brings its own crowds and road closures.

December in LA is built around holiday lights, parades and awards-season screenings. Dates shift each year, so confirm before you plan a day around one.

Mild days suit the outdoor sights that are unbearable in summer. Walk the beach towns, hike in the Santa Monica Mountains or Griffith Park, and take the studio tours and museums — indoor options are useful on the occasional wet day.

The desert parks east of the city are at their best now: daytime temperatures are comfortable and the summer heat is gone, though nights near the desert are cold. Mountain roads above the city can be affected by snow, so check conditions before driving up.

Pack for two seasons in one day: a light jacket or sweater for evenings and coastal mornings, short sleeves for sunny afternoons, and a compact rain shell for the occasional storm. Comfortable shoes matter more than usual if you are walking between sights or standing in holiday crowds.

Add sunglasses and sunscreen — winter sun is still strong here — plus a warm layer if you are heading to the desert or mountains, where nights drop close to freezing. A refillable water bottle and a small day bag cover most days.

November is quieter and slightly warmer, with Thanksgiving week as the exception. January is the coolest month of the year but also one of the driest and least crowded, which makes it good value for sightseeing.

If you want warm beach weather, come between June and October; if you want the driest, most comfortable sightseeing conditions, aim for spring or autumn.