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Santa Monica, Los Angeles
north america

Los AngelesTravel Guide

United States4 stories

The sprawling capital of entertainment — a sun-washed patchwork of beach towns, canyon hikes, world-class museums, and the most famous sign on Earth.

Is Los Angeles right for you?

When to come

Spring and fall; mild year-round

Around 29°C by day in August, 20°C in December — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

No hour-by-hour route here yet — the guides below cover it by subject instead.

When to go
January: around 20 degrees by day, 9 at night, 84 millimetres of rain, wet.
February: around 20 degrees by day, 10 at night, 93 millimetres of rain, wet.
March: around 21 degrees by day, 11 at night, 57 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
April: around 22 degrees by day, 13 at night, 18 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
May: around 23 degrees by day, 15 at night, 8 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
June: around 25 degrees by day, 16 at night, 2 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
July: around 28 degrees by day, 18 at night, 1 millimetres of rain, dry.
August: around 29 degrees by day, 19 at night, 0 millimetres of rain, dry and hot.
September: around 28 degrees by day, 18 at night, 3 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
October: around 26 degrees by day, 16 at night, 15 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
November: around 23 degrees by day, 12 at night, 20 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
December: around 20 degrees by day, 9 at night, 63 millimetres of rain, some rain.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Spring and fall; mild year-round

Average daily highs, recorded at Los Angeles (Downtown), 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

NOAA — Wikipedia box is in Fahrenheit and inches; converted to C and mm.

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
Plan itWhere to stay in Los Angelesad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Los Angeles

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Los Angeles

Griffith Observatory and its copper domes seen from above at golden hour, the lawns and paths of Griffith Park below and the Downtown Los Angeles skyline rising out of the haze on the horizon.
01
The List

The Most Photogenic Corners of Los Angeles, Ranked

A ranking of the corners of Los Angeles that actually deliver the shot, with the light, the logistics and the parking fees that decide whether you get it.

United States · 12 min
View from behind the Hollywood Sign at sunset, looking down over the hills and the lights of the Los Angeles basin stretching to the horizon
02
The List

Los Angeles, Ranked: The Unmissable Experiences

LA rewards those who pick their battles with traffic. The experiences genuinely worth crossing the city for, ranked from essential on down.

United States · 2 min
Neon stall signs glowing under the high ceiling of Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles, shoppers moving down the central aisle between a butcher's display case and racks of bright produce.
03
Itineraries

Rain in Los Angeles? The All-Indoor Day That Saves Your Trip

It rains in Los Angeles for about three months a year, and the city holds far better indoor culture than it admits — here is the full day, in order, now that the subway finally reaches the Miracle Mile.

United States · 10 min
Santa Monica Pier at dusk, its Ferris wheel and roller coaster lit up in colour above the dark Pacific, under a violet and amber sky.
04
Stays

Where to Base Yourself in Los Angeles: A First-Timer's Guide

LA is a constellation, not a city — and your hotel decides your trip. Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hollywood or Downtown: here is how to choose.

United States · 2 min
In pictures

Los Angeles, framed

The travertine-clad pavilions of the Getty Center standing above a curving green lawn and terraced garden paths, with the Los Angeles basin fading into haze and the Pacific on the horizon under a clear blue sky.
Photo: Bernardo Ferrari / Unsplash
Santa Monica, Los Angeles
Photo: Matthew LeJune / Unsplash
West Hollywood, Los Angeles
Photo: Venti Views / Unsplash
West Hollywood, Los Angeles
Photo: Gabe / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Los Angeles

See and do

Where to stay

Before you go

Practical essentials for United States

Money

United States dollar (USD)

Language

English, designated the official federal language by executive order in 2025; Spanish is widely spoken in Miami, Los Angeles and the Southwest.

Power

Type A/B, 120V 60Hz

Getting around

New York runs entirely on OMNY, which takes a tapped contactless bank card or phone now that the MetroCard was withdrawn at the end of 2025; other cities have their own cards (Chicago's Ventra, Boston's CharlieCard, Washington's SmarTrip, San Francisco's Clipper), while Los Angeles and Las Vegas effectively require a car or ride-hailing.

Tipping

Tipping is expected rather than optional: 18-20% in restaurants, and bartenders, taxi drivers and hotel staff are tipped too.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink.

Driving

Right-hand side; there is no federal International Driving Permit requirement and many visitors drive on their home licence, but rules vary by state and rental firms may ask for an IDP, which must be obtained before you travel.

Emergency

911

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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