Best time to visit Los Angeles

Los Angeles is mild and sunny most of the year, with the main variations being the winter rainy season from December to March, the coastal fog known as May Gray and June Gloom, and the hot, dry late summer when inland valleys bake and fire season begins. September and October are the warmest beach months with the warmest ocean, while spring brings green hills and, in wet years, wildflowers. Crowds follow school holidays, with July and August the busiest and most expensive.

The city is spread over a huge area, so plan around neighbourhoods and traffic rather than weather; the Metro now reaches Santa Monica, Hollywood and LAX, but a car is still the default. The Getty is free with paid parking; the Griffith Observatory is free and busiest at sunset. Disneyland and Universal sell date-based tickets that price up for holidays. For the best balance of beach weather and price, take April or the second half of September.