Winter in Los Angeles is cold but not as cold as in most areas in the world. Sometimes, the daytime weather can be in the low 50 degrees but sometimes, we can see the high 60s in the winter season. Here’s what to pack to LA in winter to keep warm.
Read on or save to pin for later!
Booking.com has the most accommodations/hotels to choose from at affordable rates.
✅ Guarantees the best rates
✅ Easy to use user interface
✅ Average 500M visits per month
WayAway provides the most competitive deals on airline tickets & gives cashback.
✅ Most competitive pricing
✅ Clearly shows luggage pricing
✅ Receive cashback on every trip
All The Travel Essentials I make sure I have before I leave for every trip.
✅ Find best activities to do
✅ Best credit card for travel
✅ And much more…
What To Pack To LA In Winter?
What to wear in LA in winter really depends on how the weather turns out. But to be safe, pack some winter clothes and some lighter clothes just in case the weather gets warmer. This LA packing list includes what to pack for LA in November, December, and January which are usually the colder months.
Thick Sweater
Thermal Undershirt
Puffer Jacket
Thin Sweater
Jeans
Hiking Clothes
Swimsuit
Sneakers
Boots
Sunglasses
Reusable Water Bottle
Umbrella
Sunscreen
Hair Accessories
Personal Bag
Luggage
Backpack
Toiletry Bag
Chargers
Worldwide Adapter
Travel Power Strip
Kindle
What To Pack To LA In Winter – Clothing
Thick Sweater
On colder days, the temperature is around 50 degrees so a few thick sweaters for LA winter weather is a must-have.
My favorite are the sweaters that are a bit loose and feels like a big blanket over you.
Thermal Undershirt
If you’re like me and are extra sensitive to cold weather, thermal undershirts are a lifesaver! They keep you so warm and sometimes, you even forget that you’re wearing them.
I quickly realized wearing a thick sweater isn’t enough in 50-degree weather but after putting on a thermal undershirt, I instantly feel all cozy and warm. I would definitely pack this if I was thinking about what to wear for LA in December.
If it reaches 60 degrees which LA might in winter, you might not need this.
Puffer Jacket
If the LA weather stays at 50 or even drops to the high 40s, I will pull out my puffer jacket to layer over my sweater and thermal undershirt.
Puffer jackets are actually very stylish and the insulation material they use inside the jacket makes it the perfect jacket to wear on cold days.
Puffer jackets are also very trendy in LA fashion and you’ll see tons of LA locals wearing them.
Thin Sweater
What to pack to LA in winter can be confusing because sometimes it randomly reaches 60 or even 70 degrees in the winter. In that case, there’s no need for a puffer jacket or thick sweater.
Just pack a thin sweater or a cardigan just in case the weather turns unpredictable. You can wear a thermal undershirt with this to stay extra warm.
Jeans
I always wear jeans or some sort of long pants when I’m in LA in winter weather. I feel like if I’m warm on the upper half of the body, I’m usually warm elsewhere. If you’re the same, you don’t need to wear too much on the bottom half.
Jeans are very trendy in LA fashion, especially the baggy/loose jeans look. It can pair well with the puffer jacket and all your sweaters.
Hiking Clothes
Los Angeles has some really nice hiking spots with some amazing views. Pack some leggings, sports bras, and athletic shirts for the hike.
Swimsuit
If the weather warms up on a random winter day in LA, hit up the beach! LA is known for its beaches including Santa Monica, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, etc.
I’ve been loving the halter neck two-piece swimsuits but if you’re planning on doing water activities (waterskiing, surfing, etc), a one-piece swimsuit is more suitable. There are plenty of one-piece swimsuits that are super cute!
What To Pack To LA In Winter – Footwear
Sneakers
LA is not very walkable unless you’re within the downtown LA area. In that case, you’ll need a comfortable pair of sneakers. I love wearing sneakers everywhere I go because it just makes every look more casual.
I love sneakers that have a rounded rectangular look like these ones. The shape really makes my outfits look more casual.
Boots
Something I highly recommend you pack to LA in winter is boots. It might rain in LA in winter so bringing a pair of waterproof boots is going to be so helpful.
I love my 1460 Dr. Martens and I love styling it with my loose jeans covering the top part of the boot.
If you like really warm boots, my favorite is my uggs. So warm, fuzzy, and cozy.
What To Pack For LA: Accessories
This packing list can’t only include what to wear in Los Angeles in the winter since accessories are just as important. These accessories can be worn year-round, not just in winter.
Sunglasses
Protect your eyes from the sun and add it to your casual look with a pair of cute sunglasses. I love classic Ray Ban sunglasses – it’s incredibly sturdy and every time I buy a pair, it lasts me many years.
But still, sunglasses are pretty easy to get crushed and scratched. So if you don’t like to spend too much on a pair, there are some really affordable ones on Amazon as well!
Reusable Water Bottle
It’s so hard to drink enough water during trips. I find myself really only getting water during meals and that’s not enough at all.
So bringing a reusable water bottle is so important and makes it easier to drink more water on trips.
These hydroflasks are big enough to hold lots of water and are easy to carry around.
Umbrella
It doesn’t rain too much in Los Angeles but when it does, it rains hard so you need to get yourself a sturdy umbrella that can shield you from all that heavy wind and rain.
You know that feeling of embarrassment when your umbrella flips over and then you get all wet from the rain? I’ve had my fair share of moments like that because I bought cheap and flimsy umbrellas.
These two are by far the best I’ve seen.
Sunscreen
LA is always sunny, even in winter so sunscreen is a must. But regardless of whether the sun is out, you should still put on sunscreen for protection.
Just make sure the sunscreen doesn’t contain oxybenzone because it’s known to be bad for the environment and can cause skin allergies.
This one is a good mineral sunscreen for everyday use and if you want a tinted sunscreen, I love the Elta MD one.
Hair Accessories
Bring hair accessories like hair ties and claw clips to tie your hair up when eating, at the beach, during the shower, etc.
In the past, I used to have a bunch of stiff black hair ties on my arm, ready to use to tie my hair up. But recently I’ve been only using soft scrunchies instead. It’s because it doesn’t tug onto my hair as harshly and prevents hair fallout.
What To Pack For LA: Travel Bags
Luggage
If there are a lot of things you plan to pack to LA in winter, a check-in luggage may be a good choice. But if you’re packing lightly, you can get by with just a carry-on luggage.
I’ve been using Samsonite luggage for years and it’s my favorite. It’s sturdy, reliable, and easy to use.
Personal Bag
Bring a personal bag to carry every day of this trip. If you’re like me and like to don’t like to carry much day-to-day, choose a simple crossbody bag. Bring a tote bag if you have more to carry.
Backpack
On hiking trips, I like to bring a backpack instead of a tote bag/crossbody bag. It’s so much easier to carry and it’s handy to have all the essentials in one place.
The backpack is enough to carry a water bottle, sunscreen, a light jacket, and a portable charger. I always carry my Fjallraven backpack on trips like these. I love its wide color variety and the rectangular shape of the bag.
Toiletry Bag
For all your skincare, makeup, toothbrush, and other travel essentials. Any kind of bag could work but I love the ones with a zipper.
What To Pack For LA: Electronics
Chargers
Nowadays we use our phones for everything – searching Google Maps, playing music on Spotify, and taking photos… It’s easy to use up phone battery. So I always try to bring a portable charger in addition to my regular phone chargers.
Don’t forget your laptop charger as well.
Worldwide Adapter
If you’re not in the US, this is something you need to pack to Los Angeles in winter and all year round – an American plug. I always pack a worldwide adapter so I know to just bring this wherever I go in the world!
Travel Power Strip
Every time I’m at the hotel, there seem to be not enough outlets or the outlets are in the most inconvenient places. It’s super frustrating to have to move to different areas of the room to get to your devices.
When I have lots of devices to charge, I like to bring one of these travel-friendly power strips and it has made my life so much easier.
Kindle
If my flight is over an hour long, I like to bring my Kindle so I can get some reading in on the plane. Don’t know if it’s just me but I feel extra productive on the plane.
A Kindle is so easy to carry around and I bring it on almost every trip.
Miscellaneous
Travel Insurance
This is not a must but it gives you peace of mind to know that you’re protected when it comes to trip cancellations, stolen/lost luggage, medical evacuation, and some other incidents. First, check to see if your credit provides travel insurance. The Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card I’m using comes with travel insurance which is so great.
But if your credit card doesn’t, get a quote for your trip here.
