Los Angeles events & things to do in December 2026
Start with Santa Monica Pier, Union Station, plus Venice Beach Boardwalk and Canals. December in Los Angeles averages 16°C / 61°F highs, 8°C / 46°F nights, and about 7 rainy days.
Expect 16°C/61°F days and about 7 rainy ones in December. Start with these:
- Santa Monica Pier★ 4.6 · 132.5k reviewsThe pier dates to 1909 and includes the 1916 Looff Hippodrome, Pacific Park rides, Route 66 markers, and broad beach views.
- Union Station★ 4.5 · 11.3k reviewsLos Angeles Union Station opened in 1939 with Spanish Colonial Revival and Art Deco details, tiled waiting rooms, courtyards, and rail links across…
- Elf - The MusicalDec 1Hollywood Pantages Theatre · Source: SeatGeek
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By TripSapien Research · Updated June 3, 2026
Los Angeles in December 2026
Weather
TempTemperature
61°F / 46°F
16.1°C / 8°C
RainPrecipitation
7d
2.2in · 55.5mm
LightDaylight
9.7h
Sea
63.7°F
17.6°C
December is mild but wetter, so pair outdoor viewpoints with indoor Grand Avenue museums.
Events & festivals
Event calendar- Dec 1
- Dec 2
- Dec 3
Show all 34 events for December
- Dec 4 – Dec 5
- Dec 4
- Dec 5 – Dec 26
Drag Show: “Saturday Drag Brunch” at Hamburger Mary's West Hollywood
Arts & Theatre · Performance Art.
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 6
Hollywood Christmas Parade
The annual Hollywood Christmas Parade kicks off the holiday season with festive floats, marching bands, and celebrity appearances along Hollywood Boulevard.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Dec 6
- Dec 7
- Dec 8 – Dec 9
- Dec 9
- Dec 9
- Dec 10
- Dec 11
- Dec 11
- Dec 12
Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade
A festive boat parade featuring decorated vessels cruising the marina, accompanied by holiday music and fireworks.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Dec 12
- Dec 13
- Dec 13
- Dec 14 – Dec 20
- Dec 15
- Dec 16 – Dec 24
- Dec 17
- Dec 17 – Dec 18
- Dec 18 – Dec 19
- Dec 18
- Dec 19
- Dec 21
- Dec 24
Christmas Eve Music Show at The L
A popular Christmas Eve concert held in Downtown Los Angeles at The L, featuring seasonal music performances.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Dec 27 – Dec 28
- Dec 28 – Dec 29
- Dec 29 – Dec 30
- Dec 30
BenDeLaCreme Presents The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show
Arts & Theatre · Performance Art.
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 31 – Jan 1
Holidays, observances & long weekends
Holiday and observance schedules can affect services and venue hours; confirm each place directly.
- Dec 25Christmas DayPublic holiday
- Dec 25-Dec 27Long weekend
About Los Angeles
City overview
Los Angeles spreads across the Los Angeles Basin between the Pacific, the Santa Monica Mountains, and the San Gabriel Mountains, so a single day can move from Hollywood studios to Downtown concert halls to Venice sand. The city works best as a neighborhood plan: Hollywood for film history, Downtown LA and the Arts District for museums and food halls, Santa Monica and Venice for the coast, and Pasadena for older civic architecture.
Food & drink
Los Angeles food is a city map: street tacos, Korean barbecue, Armenian lahmajune, sushi, French-dip sandwiches, smash burgers, pupusas, and farmers-market produce all matter. Grand Central Market, Thai Town, Koreatown, Boyle Heights, Sawtelle, and the Original Farmers Market give first-time visitors a practical route through that range.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Venice Beach Boardwalk and Canals
- 2Getty Center
- 3Griffith Observatory and Griffith Park
- 4Walt Disney Concert Hall
- 5The Broad
- 6Hollywood Bowl
- 7La Brea Tar Pits and LACMA
- 8TCL Chinese Theatre and Hollywood Walk of Fame
1Venice Beach Boardwalk and Canals
4.5★ · 2,318outdoorDeveloper Abbot Kinney opened Venice of America in 1905, and the remaining canals still show the original resort-city idea. The boardwalk, Muscle Beach, skate park, and Abbot Kinney Boulevard sit south of Santa Monica.
2Getty Center
4.8★ · 36,465indoorClosed MonRichard Meier designed the hilltop Getty Center, which opened in 1997 with European paintings, decorative arts, gardens, travertine terraces, and wide views over Brentwood and the 405. The tram from the parking area is part of the visit.
WikipediaAdmission is free but timed reservations and paid parking are still part of the logistics.
3Griffith Observatory and Griffith Park
4.7★ · 17,741indoorClosed MonThe 1935 Art Deco observatory crowns the south slope of Mount Hollywood with telescopes, space exhibits, and one of the clearest skyline-to-Pacific views in the city. It is above Los Feliz and a short drive or DASH ride from the Hollywood/Western Metro station.
Show 3 more sights
- 4Walt Disney Concert Hall
- 5The Broad
- 6Hollywood Bowl
Neighborhoods
1Hollywood and Los Feliz
This side is cinematic and hillside, with the Chinese Theatre, Walk of Fame, Griffith Observatory, Franklin Village, studio history, and late-night Thai Town food nearby.
2Downtown LA, Bunker Hill, and Arts District
Downtown is dense and mixed, with Union Station, Grand Central Market, Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Broad, Little Tokyo, warehouses, galleries, and brewery patios.
3Santa Monica
Santa Monica is coastal and walkable, with the pier, Third Street Promenade, Palisades Park, the E Line terminus, and hotels facing the Pacific.
Day trips
45km / 40-75min by car from Downtown LA or about 1.5h by Metrolink and bus via Anaheim
Disneyland Resort
The 1955 theme park and Disney California Adventure make a full Orange County day, with timing driven by freeway traffic and park reservations.
35km / 1h ferry from Long Beach or San Pedro terminals
Catalina Island
Avalon, Descanso Beach, glass-bottom boats, hiking, and harbor views give Los Angeles a true island day trip.
210km / 2.5-3h by car from Central Los Angeles
Joshua Tree National Park
Desert boulders, Joshua trees, Keys View, and dark skies are reachable as a long day but work better with an overnight in Twentynine Palms or Joshua Tree.
Getting around
Metro rail and buses use the TAP card, with the B Line for Hollywood, E Line for Santa Monica, A Line for Pasadena, and regional trains from Union Station. A car or rideshare is still fastest for cross-basin moves, but parking and freeway traffic make neighborhood clustering essential.
Planning a Los Angeles trip?
Add your dates and we'll check every place for closures, limited hours, and booking needs in December.
Common questions about Los Angeles in December
- What to pack for Los Angeles in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Los Angeles checklist.
- Layerable daytime clothes for average highs around 16°C / 61°F.
- A heavier evening layer because nights average 8°C / 46°F.
- A small umbrella or packable shell for scattered rain across about 7 days.
- How many days do you need in Los Angeles
- 4 days covers the main Los Angeles highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Los Angeles worth visiting in December
- Yes. December in Los Angeles averages 16°C / 61°F highs, 8°C / 46°F nights, and about 7 rainy days.
Ready to plan Los Angeles?
You've seen what's on — now get a day-by-day Los Angeles plan for December 2026, every place checked for your exact dates.