When To Visit Los Angeles

With 284 sunny days per year and low humidity, it's almost always a good time to visit Los Angeles. Whether it's the bright lights of Hollywood that lure you to Tinseltown or the "Hey there, everybody" of Mickey Mouse, you'll find yourself in good company. As the second-largest city in the U.S., Los Angeles is a culturally diverse area that offers reasons to visit year-round. We've put together this seasonal guide to help you determine when to hop over to sunny Los Angeles (and Orange County to the south).

When to Visit Los Angeles

Los Angeles has an average of 35 days receiving measurable precipitation annually, which means nine out of 10 days are dry. That of course varies per year, with some winters being wetter and some being very dry. The entire Los Angeles area sees plenty of sunshine and sometimes smog. The end of October through April is generally considered the rainy season. It’s also the time of year with the most gorgeous sunsets and colorful evening skies. For the most part, it's the quieter time of year when it comes to tourism and theme parks (except for holiday weeks and weekends). Disneyland crowds do pick up in spring due to good ticket deals and a variety of seasonal festivals. Hop over to our best times to visit Disneyland post for a year-round look at what you need to know about offerings and avoiding crowds.

Summer

You would think that the largest crowds appear in summer, from mid-June to mid-August. And yes, there are a lot of tourists at beaches and Universal Studios, but since locals stay away from Disneyland in summer (due to be blocked out by passes), it's actually not a crowded time to visit. That is when most families take their vacations and the weather is warmest. But like San Diego, Los Angeles suffers from "May Gray" and "June Gloom." That's when a low-lying marine layer blankets the area in a gray fog for the morning and sometimes much of the day. June Gloom keeps the average highs in the low 70s.

July, August, September and October are all warmer, with highs in the mid- to upper 70s and 80s. Daytime temperatures can climb quickly away from the coast. Vacationers  inland can find the summer months downright hot and often smoggy, although a quick trip to the beach or pool will set everything right again. The ocean warms up towards the end of summer. That's a good thing, because Southern California ocean water is on the refreshingly chilly side.

The LA and Long Beach Pride festivities, the Los Angeles Film Festival, the Orange County Fair, Pageant of the Masters and Vans US Open of Surfing are among the area's most popular summer events in Los Angeles and Orange County.

Late August through September is perhaps the ideal time to visit Los Angeles. Local tadpoles are back in school and crowds are at their lowest. But there is plenty of warm sunshine, making it perfect for trips to Disneyland, Universal Studios or Six Flags Magic Mountain in nearby Valencia.

Fall and Winter

Early September into October brings a number of Halloween and fall-related events, including Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland's Halloween Time (along with the Oogie Boogie Bash on select nights), Knott's Scary Farm (and the less- scary Knott's Spooky Farm) at Knott's Berry Farm, Queen Mary Dark Harbor and the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival. October is one of the most crowded times at Disneyland due to several fall breaks in neighboring states.

For stargazers, awards season starts with the Emmys in September and lasts until the Academy Awards in February. But any time is a good time to catch celebrities since they are out and about throughout the year! Popular celebrity haunts include The Grove shopping center, the nearby Farmers Market, and the Malibu Country Mart. You are likely to see stars in Los Angeles and Orange County when you least expect to, catching breakfast in a cafe or walking through a fancy hotel in Laguna Beach or Los Angeles. We've even bumped into a few at Disneyland!

Holidays in November and December right on through to New Year's Day bring more visitors to the City of Angels because of the special events, perhaps none more famed than the Rose Bowl Parade. These months also see cooler temperatures, with highs in the mid-60s, lows in the upper 40s, and higher rainfall, although not as much as January and February.

The holidays at Disneyland bring decorations and holiday entertainment to both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. It's also a festive time to celebrate Christmas in the Wizarding World, holidays in Super Nintendo World and Grinchmas at Universal Studios Hollywood. December is our favorite time of year to take the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. I mean we love it every day, but in December, you can step into Stars Hollow from the Gilmore Girls and experience behind-the-scenes stories from "Elf," "Gremlins," "Christmas Vacation" and more.

The fall and winter months also sport football games. Los Angeles is home two NFL teams. You can catch the Chargers or the Rams at So-Fi Stadium. And speaking of sports, if you're looking to catch an MLB game, you'll find two of the coolest ball parks right in the LA area. Dodger Stadium is one of the oldest ballparks still standing today, while Angel Stadium was built by the Walt Disney Imagineers! The LA area is also home to two NHL teams. It also boasts of two NBA Lakers and the Clippers (who are playing in the beautiful brand-new Intuit Dome). That means a sports game is always in season for sports fans! It's a great time to escape colder climates to soak up some California sunshine. You can also get outside to play some sports of your own! Surfing, golfing and hiking is always in season.

Knott's Berry Farm puts together a Boysenberry Festival with fun theming and foods in the Spring. Lunar New Year is celebrated late January and early February at Disneyland.

Spring

Springtime can be a good time to visit Los Angeles. During March and April, the highs are in the low 70s. Crowds are manageable and spread out because spring breaks vary so much. The last week of March and Easter week, however, do see a few more vacationers visiting Los Angeles. At Disneyland, foodies and wine buffs flock to Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival.

Late April to early May brings a unique after-hours, separately ticketed event to Universal Studios Hollywood. Universal Fan Fest Nights lets guests step into real movie sets with characters, props and an entertaining storyline. The 2026 event combines Scooby-Doo with Universal Monsters! In 2025, we enjoyed going "Back to the Future." And, of course, Undercover Tourist has discount Fan Fest Nights tickets to help you save big!

All year round you can catch concerts at the Kia Forum, Sofi Stadium and Intuit Dome. You can also see a stage show at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood!

Basically, there is not a bad time to visit Los Angeles. Even the coolest months are very comfortable for being outside and sightseeing. Just remember to bring a sweatshirt no matter what time of year you visit. With a coastal desert climate, temperatures tend to drop once the sun sets! It can be warm in the sun and cool in the shade. Plan to wear layers, and you'll always be hoppy with the temperature! Our Disneyland weather month-by month post will help you decide what to pack for your Los Angeles trip.

We hope you've found this overview of when to visit Los Angeles helpful in planning your visit to Los Angeles. You'll find more resources and tips inside our Los Angeles Planning Guide. You can save on all your Los Angeles tickets through Undercover Tourist from theme parks to movie studio tours, to hotels, museums, sports events, shows and more!

Related: What to See and Do in Los Angeles

Related: Best Time to Visit Universal Studios Hollywood

Hoppy planning!