15 things to do this winter in L.A.

It might defy East Coast common sense, but winter is an ideal time to go to the beach. Sure, the water temperature is hypothermia-inducing, but it nearly always is, and let’s be honest: You had no plans to get wet anyway. Beach city air temperatures typically flirt with 70 degrees during the winter, which is cold enough to keep tourists away but warm enough to relax with a comfy sweatshirt—that counts as winter wear, right?

Ice skating isn’t really synonymous with winter in Los Angeles; we’d instead file it under “ways to make it feel like Christmas.” But there are still a handful of outdoor rinks that stay frozen into January. Whether you’re looking to glide in a DTLA plaza or mere blocks from the ocean, lace up those skates before the plentiful sunshine gets the best of the rinks.

Climb up into the hills before those sweaty summertime days—and crowds—return. And did we mention the dramatic city views? The best part of the rainy season (other than, you know, not being on fire) has to be the clear skies that showers leave behind. Just make sure to keep in mind the cooler temperatures and fleeting daylight before you set out on your trek.

When the sun sets early and that Pacific Ocean breeze blows in, it’s time to get cozy. These fireplace bars keep us warm with crackling flames and seasonal cocktails all season long. Pardon our pun, but let’s get lit!

One of the greatest things about winters in Los Angeles? Never scraping ice off of your windshield or slipping on an icy sidewalk. But if you’re pining for snow, leave the comfortable 70s in the L.A. Basin behind and head into the mountains for a scenic drive. If you want a glimpse of the white stuff, you don’t have to drive nearly as far as you think. After the first snowfall of the season, you can ride the ski lift at Mt. Baldy for a snowy escape within an hour or two of the city.

Or, if you simply want to roll up a few snow balls, follow the Angeles Crest Highway (assuming the weather has cleared up enough that it’s open) for about 45 minutes, just past Newcombs Ranch, and you’ll typically find plenty of turnouts brushing up against snowy hills. A couple of low-elevation storms each season tend to drop some powder even closer than that (Georges Gap sometimes presents a perfect snowy view), while once-in-a-generation storms can coat some of the foothills, like the image at the top of this story, captured in February 2023 from Deukmejian Wilderness Park.

If you do want to take a bit of a drive, you’ll find just under a dozen major ski resorts within a day’s drive of L.A. In particular, Snow Valley, Mountain High and the twin slopes of Bear Mountain and Snow Summit are all within a three-hour drive from most parts of L.A.

Warm your cold-intolerant bones with a steaming bowl of the city’s best ramen—or udon, miso and pho, if you so desire. But for ramen, you can’t go wrong with a stop in Little Tokyo or, for Westsiders, along Sawtelle. Either way, get your soup spoon ready for those feels-like-freezing 50-degree days.

It’s easy to take L.A.’s brutally pleasant winters for granted, but let’s look at things from an outsider’s perspective: This would be the perfect vacation spot if you didn’t already live in Los Angeles. So why not take advantage of the city’s assets and check into a scenic hotel for a staycation weekend? Plus, you won’t have to waste wintertime’s dearth of federal holidays on traveling—traffic on the 405 permitting.

We never need an excuse to visit L.A.’s excellent institutions—especially when we’ve been bestowed with so many free museums. But those rare cold, rainy winter days present the perfect opportunity to catch up on some exhibitions, without the throngs of summer crowds.

Lunar New Year celebrations in L.A. last into mid-February with plenty of events and things to do, from a century-old Chinatown parade to kids activities like paper-lantern making. Need to feed your belly for an auspicious year ahead? Slurp some of the city’s best noodle dishes or check out our favorite dim sum. Whether you’re celebrating a long-running family tradition or experiencing the holiday for the first time, join the Chinese New Year festivities for a year of good luck and fortune.

Pause for a moment and give thanks that our winter colors are a vibrant, grassy green and a range of floral pastels—not brown and white. Los Angeles is a pretty amazing place; stick practically any plant in the ground, and it’ll grow almost any time of year. Even though some of us can reach out our windows and pluck an avocado from a tree, a trip to one of L.A.’s many manicured gardens reveals vegetation that simply can’t be found on our city streets.

How do we fuel ourselves to get through those not-so-bitter cold days? Coffee. And lots of it. Whether it’s paired with a fantastic brunch or enjoyed solo, good java is a necessary winter—and, really, anytime—staple. But where can you find great coffee? And what makes a good coffee shop? To help you find the perfect cup, we’ve sipped our way through the best coffee shops in town.

Even on the coolest days, you hit up a hiking trail and reach the summit only to find you’re a sweaty mess with the return hike still to go. Well, these hikes have a natural cooldown built in. Just make sure to monitor the weather; waterfall hikes tend to be too dangerous right after it rains, so you’ll want to give it at least a day before attempting to tackle the trail.

For those few months where outdoor movie season hits pause, shake up your cinema-going routine and hit up one of these half-dozen or so old-school drive-ins still going strong near L.A., where you can cozy up in your car while catching a flick.

Sometimes you just need to escape for a few hours, and luckily we happen to be surrounded by spectacular landscapes and beautiful beaches that are perfect for a quiet afternoon day trip. What better time than the winter; crowds are light and, depending on your destination, you’ll probably spot some snow-capped mountains. Just make sure to bundle up if you’re headed into the desert—the average high temperature in Joshua Tree this time of year barely breaks 60.