Los Angeles At a Glance

Best Time to Go
Forget smog. Visit Los Angeles during the winter months -- November to May. The City of Angels is very sunny during this time and a great time for skiing. LA allows you the best of both worlds. Follow a morning of surfing with a day on the slopes. If you'd rather spend your time bike riding, sailing or spending an evening under the stars, then summer is your best bet. Basically anytime is a good time to visit LA.

 

Average Weather
From December to May, you can expect the low temps to hover around 48 degrees and the daily highs to reach 67 degrees daily. This time of year is best suited to a light sweater or jacket in the evenings, and a long- sleeve shirt during the days. Keep in mind that visiting LA means dressing in layers no matter what time of the year you come around. From June-November, expect the temps to range from daytime weather of about 74 degrees to crisp evenings in the low sixties.

Transportation
The bottom line here: You gotta have wheels. No matter what the driving conditions are like. If you plan to drive extensively, make sure you have good maps that outline specific details of the city. Traffic isn't always a problem -- if you avoid rush hour (between 7 and 9 am and 3 and 7 pm). Unlike New York City, LA's subway system isn't totally convenient. It successfully transports riders to specific areas of the city, but doesn't offer service to a variety of locations. Also unlike New York City, taxis aren't easily hailed. You have to phone ahead. Rates start at $1.90 and are $1.60 per mile.

In-Season Costs
Prices skyrocket and reservations are a must when tourism peaks from July through early October.

Day Trips
Set aside a day for the theme park of your choice: Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, or Universal Studios Hollywood. All are within a 90-minute drive of downtown Los Angeles.

Start early on your day with a visit to the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific or the Queen Mary in Long Beach. At the end of the day, head north on the Long Beach Freeway (I-710) to the San Diego Freeway (I-405) north. This leads to the Harbor/Pasadena Freeway (I-110) north, which will take you to Pasadena, where you can have dinner and explore a little of Old Town.

Make your way to the Santa Monica Freeway (I-10), and drive west to the coast. Have lunch and spend the rest of the day and early evening touring Venice, Santa Monica and Malibu. Be sure to catch the Pacific sunset at either of these three coastal towns.

Also keep in mind that, time permitting, you can continue your drive north to San Francisco and the Wine Country.