What's the best time to visit Los Angeles?
The best time to visit Milan is from April to June, with comfortable weather for exploring and Milan Design Week in April. As the weather warms up in May and June, the city gets busier and prices slightly rise. This season offers a balance between enjoyable weather and avoiding peak summer crowds.
Los Angeles may be one of the most attractive destinations in the entirety of the USA, but when exactly is the best time to visit? Some might like to go during the peak tourist season; others may prefer sleepy streets and fewer crowds, but let’s face it — LA never sleeps.
Then, certain travelers place budget as their top criterion in making up their minds. That said, whichever category you fall into, there’s an LA season for you.
Consider this your go-to guide to the best, cheapest, least busy, and worst times to visit the “City of Flowers and Sunshine,” where you can create exciting travel memories.
The Overall Best Time to Visit Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 1, 2016: Traffic on Hollywood Boulevard at dusk. The theater district is a famous tourist attraction/Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
The best time to visit Los Angeles is in spring, during the March–May period. This period offers the ideal combination of fewer crowds, an ideal climate, and engaging activities.
The lack of summer’s persistent smog and winter’s annoying rain is a nice bonus too! That said, room rates are more expensive than the winter ones, so make sure you book in advance.
A pleasant spring month, March has average temperatures ranging between 68°F and 51.4°F. The month is marked by the Los Angeles Marathon, so pack your running sneakers and get ready for a bit of competition.
If running doesn’t float your boat, you can always cheer them on and soak the joyful city atmosphere. April sees temperatures varying between an average high of 70.9°F and an average low of 53.4°F.
Bookworms will be thrilled to know the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books takes place in April — if this is you, check out the engaging lineup of poets, authors, and artists right away.
If you’re looking for something a bit more fun, head to the Fiesta Broadway celebration, the annual pre-Cinco De Mayo celebration featuring finger-licking food from local venues, exciting performances, and a myriad of fun activities.
May has temperatures in the range of an average high of 72.9°F and an average low of 56.3°F. The Jazz Reggae Festival makes everything even more exciting than it already is, and spring vibes are felt everywhere you go.
The Cinco de Mayo Fiesta features numerous celebrations and activities, so get ready for tacos, parades, and mariachi.
Cheapest Time to Visit Los Angeles
Los Angeles, USA. September 20, 2022. Tourists on boardwalk by shops and palm trees in a row exploring Venice beach with clear blue sky in the background during summer/Pandora Pictures/Shutterstock
The cheapest time to go to Los Angeles is from early to mid-September. This is when you can score the best airfare deals, which is kind of challenging, as the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is one of the busiest airports in the world.
September, the first month of fall, has temperatures fluctuating between an average high of 82.2°F and an average low of 64.4°F.
The climate makes Los Angeles a much more pleasant place to be after the summer heat’s gone, and dispersing crowds give occasional tourists a chance to enjoy the city as they should. That said, exciting events such as the Emmy Awards give back the city the buzz it always craves.
Located in the heart of Venice, the Abbot Kinney Festival is yet another highly anticipated event. Next, there’s the Mexican Independence Festival, honoring Mexican culture and history.
Least Busy Time to Visit Los Angeles
Nodiya Ilya/Shutterstock
The least busy time to visit Los Angeles is in the fall, during the September–November period. This shoulder season is ideal, as the summer chaos has dwindled down, school’s back in the game, and things are somewhat quiet in LA (if we can even talk about quiet in such a buzzing city).
A relatively hot fall month, October sees average temperatures varying between a maximum of 77.4°F and a minimum of 60.8°F.
What makes Los Angeles come alive in October is arguably the annually-held Dia de los Muertos Festival (Day of the Dead), which is one of a kind. Parades full of costumes, graveyard picnics, and skulls — you name it, the festival’s got it!
Note that the event is sometimes held in November, however. If you come toward the end of the month, don’t forget to check out local Halloween events, especially the leading, one-of-a-kind Halloween street party hosted by the City of West Hollywood Community.
Be it family-friendly Halloween fun or spooky entertainment and ghostly vibes, Los Angeles’ Halloween celebrations have something for everyone. Just make sure to get your costumes and pumpkins ready!
Being the last fall month, November has fairly agreeable temperatures too, with an average high of 71.2°F and an average low of 55.6°F.
With a relative humidity of 50%, November is also the least humid month in the entire year. If you’re a car enthusiast and find yourself in Los Angeles in November, head to the LA Auto Show — you won’t be disappointed.
Worst Time to Visit
Hollywood, California, USA – April 26, 2023. Street scene. The intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, one of Los Angeles most iconic and hectic intersections/HannaTor/Shutterstock
The worst time to go to Los Angeles is in summer, during the June–August period. Not only is it unbelievably hot, but it’s also quite crowded!
However, if you decide to take your chances with the LA summer months, there’s so much to do and see. Being the first summer month, June sees moderate average temperatures hovering around 76.6°F during the day and 58.6°F at night.
June is also the most humid month in the entire year, with an average relative humidity of 65%. It also has the longest days of the year — an average of 14 hours of daylight. LA Pride colors the city, both literally and metaphorically, and suddenly, everything becomes about diversity.
Then, there’s the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival, summer’s trademark festival. Arroyo Seco Weekend is reserved for festival-goers who know how to appreciate awesome live music.
July is yet another hot summer month, with average temperatures ranging between a maximum of 81.7°F and a minimum of 63.7°F. It’s when people hit the beach, bask in the sun, and prepare for the Fourth of July celebration.
Summer fun is all that matters, and festivals such as Outfest and Bachatavibez Fest confirm it. August wraps up the season with average temperatures fluctuating between 83.3°F and 64.9°F. Along with July, August is the summer month with the most sunshine in LA.
The hot weather and full beaches keep both locals and visitors busy. Those willing to leave the beach attend the Nissei Week Japanese Festival and indulge in tasty food, authentic entertainment, music, and exhibits.
Curious foodies should mark their calendars for the Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival. Get ready for some exquisite dishes, world-famous chefs, and high-quality wineries.
Lastly, always featuring a great lineup of creative artists, the Long Beach Jazz Festival says farewell to the summer season and slowly welcomes the fall melody.
Things to Consider
Los Angeles, California, USA – April 26, 2023. Hard Rock Cafe on a Hollywood boulevard, traffic, and tourists on the street, LA, California/HannaTor/Shutterstock
Going to LA is going to be an unforgettable visit, regardless of whether you spend time preparing for the trip or decide to go with the flow. However, to ensure a hassle-free stay as much as possible, we believe the following tips should suffice:
- Buy a Go Los Angeles Card. It’s ideal for travelers planning on going to museums and doing quite a bit of sightseeing. Buying the card is a better money-saving option than playing for all tickets separately.
- As the Los Angeles area is, in a way, classified as a desert, bring a moisturizer because your skin can get much drier than usual (especially if exposed to this type of climate). Also, the LA sun is quite strong and bright, so wearing sunglasses during the daytime is a must.
- While some areas are walkable — such as Pasadena, Downtown LA, or Santa Monica — most of your trip will require suitable transportation and planning in advance to get to a specific location. More about the means of transport in a minute.
- Don’t just stick to some popular (or even overrated) beaches. Explore smaller ones and those with fewer crowds — you’ll be pleasantly surprised. For instance, Paradise Cove is a secluded beach and a favorite among locals. El Prescador allows beach-goers to catch a glimpse of dolphins. Lechuza Beach is perfect for the ideal family day.
So, What’s the Best Time to Visit Los Angeles?
To sum up, the best time to visit Los Angeles is in spring, during the March–May period. This period sees reduced crowds, pleasant temperatures, and opportunities for many recreational activities.
All in all, no matter when you decide to visit Los Angeles, there’s something to see or do.
But now that you have all the necessary information, you can pick the season that matches your personal travel preferences. Happy travels!