12 Things to Do in Los Angeles in Winter

While most of the United States is covered in snow, in Los Angeles the cold is not something to worry about. A few showers are the only thing that might bother you on a normal day, but overall, you can find plenty of things to enjoy. Plus, the temperatures are ideal for enjoying Los Angeles without worrying about the heat.

Winter brings with it Christmas and New Year's celebrations, at least in December, so get ready to participate in many themed parties. At each one, you can enjoy fireworks displays, good food and drink. In January, February and March, you'll also find traditional events that take place annually. Come on and celebrate winter in Los Angeles!

If your dream is to go to Los Angeles, you'll probably be excited by the idea of seeing the world's most famous actors. If you travel during the winter months, specifically in February, you can try to see them on the Red Carpet bleachers. To do so, you must register in advance for the Oscar Red Carpet Fan Experience. To participate, you must sign a liability and publicity release form and provide your ID. If you manage to register, when you arrive at the site, you must pass through several security checks.

It is worth noting that you must pay for the online registration, as it is a lottery in which thousands of people participate. If you are not selected, do not worry, you can always book a tour of the homes of Hollywood celebrities, book a bus tour of Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, or book your ticket to the Dolby Theatre. Inside the theatre, you can see an authentic Academy Award statuette and take the best photos.

Don't forget to stroll down the Walk of Fame before entering the theatre. There you can look for the stars of your favourite artists. It is also common to encounter impersonators of famous people such as Michael Jackson or Elvis Presley. What are you waiting for to experience the magic of cinema in Hollywood?

Among the things to do with children in Los Angeles, you should include a visit to the amusement parks. I would say that the most magical time to visit them is December, as everything is decorated with beautiful Christmas lights. For an unforgettable experience, I recommend keeping an eye out for the special events held at each park. For example, Universal Studios Hollywood celebrates Grinchmas, an event featuring a Villa Quién-style Christmas tree. In addition, The Grinch and Max participate by greeting visitors and taking photos with them.

If you want to ring in the New Year and haven't decided on a plan yet, you may be interested in booking your tickets to Universal Studios Hollywood. On 31 December, there is usually a celebration with live shows, good music, food and drinks. The event lasts until 2 a.m. and there is a countdown to celebrate the end of the year. You can buy general admission tickets that give you access to the party and the park, but you also have the option of purchasing VIP tickets for an area with a better view of the fireworks display.

Other parks you can visit are Warner Bros Studios or Disneyland and Pacific Park in Santa Monica. You decide if you have time to tour each one, or if you prefer to just go to Universal Studios, which, in my opinion, is the best of the three options during this time of year.

Without a doubt, on your trip to Los Angeles, it is essential to climb the Hollywood sign, as this photo is a must-have for your photo album. The Hollywood sign is about 13.7 metres high and over 100 metres long. It was built in 1923 as a temporary advertisement but due to its popularity, it was kept.

Ideally, you should take a walking tour with a local guide up Mount Lee. The tour lasts approximately two and a half hours, and during your climb you will discover the most popular spots in the American city. You will also have the opportunity to visit Griffith Park and Observatory.

And, of course, you will enjoy spectacular views, the best panoramic views of Los Angeles.

And if it rains in the morning, don't hesitate to plan a day of museums. Los Angeles has some must-see attractions, such as:

• The Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, which is dedicated to the Holocaust and other crimes against humanity that have occurred throughout history due to racism and xenophobia.
• Los Angeles Natural History Museum, one of the largest in the world with a collection of 35 million specimens and artefacts dating back 4.5 billion years.
• Rancho La Brea and its museum in Los Angeles, which includes admission to the ranch and its museum, which houses an important collection of late Pleistocene asphalt fossils.
• The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, where you can delve into the history of cinema and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by exploring its different spaces.
• The Museum of Illusions in Los Angeles, where you will be immersed in an immersive experience in which you can admire numerous 3D installations.

The Nutcracker ballet in Los Angeles is one of the most eagerly awaited events for lovers of art and classical music. This ballet performance is one of the things you can do to shelter from the cold or rain during the winter. Tickets cost an average of €140 and must be purchased in advance, as it is a very popular event during December.

If you are travelling to Los Angeles in winter, you can see the performances at the Dolby Theatre starting on 21 December. It is a great advantage to go on this date as you will be able to see the interior of Hollywood's most iconic theatre.

During the performance of The Nutcracker, you will not only be able to see the beautiful performance of the Los Angeles Ballet, but also hear the melodies of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Each team of artists works together to offer a magical evening to everyone present, where the cold will not be a problem. Would you like to see it for yourself?

Practical information

• Location: 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, 90028.
• When to go: You can go from the beginning to the end of December. To see it at the Dolby Theatre, it is best to book a performance after the 21st of the month.
• Price: €140.
• Opening hours: performance times vary depending on the day.

The Los Angeles Coffee Festival is an event held on the first or second weekend of February. It's a unique opportunity if you're a coffee lover, as you can try different types of coffee without paying for each sample. You'll also have the chance to enjoy interactive workshops, barista demonstrations, fast food, live music and much more.

If you go to this festival, you should keep in mind that each day has a different audience. Normally, the first day is dedicated to industry professionals, and you can attend seminars and workshops. Saturday and Sunday are for consumers, so they will be more fun days as you can sample coffee and food, watch the baristas at work, and enjoy the rest of the things I mentioned earlier.

Tickets for this event cost approximately €40. Children under the age of 10 do not need a ticket to enjoy this event. If you have any dietary restrictions or are vegetarian, don't worry: at this event, you will find a wide variety of options to choose from. Are you ready to try the best coffee in LA?

Practical information

• Location: Magic Box @ The Reef, 1933 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, 90007
• When to go: Second weekend in February.
• Price: €40
• Hours: each day of the weekend starts at 9 a.m. and ends at approximately 6 p.m.

If you are a nature lover, then you must visit the gardens of the Huntington Library in Los Angeles. During the months of January and March, camellias bloom in these gardens, making it an excellent plan to enjoy the outdoors and be in touch with nature.

These gardens are considered a very important historical collection of camellias in the United States. While most states are still covered in snow, this space is in bloom.

The most interesting thing about this garden is that camellias are actually native to China and Japan, among other Asian countries, which reinforces Los Angeles' Asian heritage. This is the site with the most species of these flowers in the entire country. I invite you to visit the library for free, appreciate the flowers, and perhaps take a short tour inside the library.

Practical information

• Location: 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, 91108.
• When to go: between January and March
• Price: free.
• Hours: from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Although you probably think of a beach atmosphere when you think of Los Angeles, if you travel in winter you will find different temperatures. Outdoor skating rinks are very popular with skating enthusiasts, and you will surely enjoy visiting one. The average cost of admission to each rink is €20. Here are my favourites:

• ICE, Santa Monica, a skating rink that opens during the winter, more specifically from November to February. The rink is approximately 2,500 square metres in size, where visitors can enjoy the cold weather, but very close to the Pacific Ocean. You can visit during the day and even at night until approximately 9 p.m.
• Woodland Hills Ice is another rink you'll definitely want to visit. Its more than 2,100 square metres are located in the Westfield Promenade shopping centre. This rink is only open from November to February. In addition to skating, you can request hockey lessons or hold birthday parties on site.
• Pershing Square Ice Rink, located in historic Pershing Square. After a tour of Los Angeles, you could end the day skating at this rink. Are you up for a different kind of day?

The Rose Bowl Parade is an annual event held in Los Angeles on 31 December or 1 January. Each year, this parade has a different theme: for example, there have been parades about patriotism or achieving dreams. In this parade, many artists create beautiful floats using only flowers. It is so popular that the event is broadcast on several national television channels.

You do not have to pay any admission fee to see the parade; just go to Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. In addition to the beautiful floats, you can also enjoy a wide variety of music and spectacular dances. Originally, this event was held to welcome the good weather in California, which allowed people to see the new flowers of the year.

The parade features more than 40 floats and over 18 million flowers from different Latin American countries. The decorations for the entire event are made by approximately 1,000 volunteers. Take advantage of this opportunity to take beautiful photographs of this magical event. After the parade, you can watch the annual Rose Bowl American football game at the Rose Bowl Stadium, one of the largest stadiums in the world.

Practical information

• Location: Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.
• When to go: 31 December or 1 January.
• Price: free.
• Time: during the day, around 9 a.m.

The Cupid's Undie Run is a very unique race held every year in February in Santa Monica. It is a race in which participants run wearing only their underwear. The event takes place on the weekend closest to Valentine's Day. Volunteer participants must pay around €45 for their registration. This money is used to raise funds to find a cure for neurofibromatosis (NF).

You can go to the site where these competitors will be running or you can also participate as a volunteer. Would you dare to run in your underwear through Los Angeles? It would certainly be a fun experience, and best of all, it would be for a good cause!

If you do not want to participate in the race but would like to contribute, you can make small donations on the website. At the end of the event, there is a party for all race participants.

Los Angeles is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United States. If you are there between January and February, you can participate in the Lunar New Year celebration, a tradition that originated in China. During this celebration, you can enjoy large parades, shows, and traditional food in Chinese restaurants, all thanks to the city's enormous Asian heritage.

You can visit the Thien Hau Temple in Chinatown, located in the city centre, to see the Lunar New Year ceremony. There you will see monks, traditional dances and then the Golden Dragon parade that leaves the temple and travels through the streets of Chinatown.

You can also visit the Port of Los Angeles to enjoy the celebrations held in this part of the city. You will see dance performances and food and craft stalls. Even at amusement parks such as Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland, you can see the traditional decorations for this celebration and many animated film characters dressed in traditional Chinese clothing.

The Bachata Festival in Los Angeles is an event that takes place twice a year, once in February and once in August. If you are travelling to Los Angeles in February and you like bachata, but especially dancing it, I recommend buying your tickets in advance. The average cost is around €500.

During this festival, you can attend hip hop and mambo workshops, professional bachata classes, lectures with international dance instructors, and more. There are also other interesting classes on disciplines such as yoga and the relationship between business and dance.

This festival is usually held in mid-February for four days. During these days, you can enjoy a pleasant atmosphere, meet people with the same interests as you, and learn more about dance and music while having fun.

Winter is a season with average tourist numbers compared to other seasons. However, some events, such as the Oscars in February, can cause a slight increase in the number of tourists.

Nevertheless, you can take advantage of this season to travel, as prices for attractions and tours are usually cheaper. Flights to Los Angeles are also usually cheaper during this time of year. Don't hesitate to choose this date to see and do everything you want in Los Angeles.

Winter in Los Angeles begins in mid-December and ends in mid-March. During these months, rain is common. Because of this, the temperature ranges between 10 and 20 °C, so you may feel a bit cold, but it will not snow. Humidity will also be present on most days, as will cloudy skies.

Due to these weather conditions, winter is not the preferred season to visit Los Angeles. However, this can be an advantage as the most popular sites are less crowded than in summer, for example.

As I mentioned in the previous section, Los Angeles in winter is a rainy and cloudy place. That's why the first thing you should pack in your suitcase is a raincoat to protect you from the rain or an umbrella. You can also bring a jumper to protect you from both the rain and the cold.

Comfortable boots are also a good option in case it rains. This will keep your feet warm and dry. Make sure they have non-slip soles and that you can walk for hours in them.