Things to do in Fall in Los Angeles

With its year-round sunshine, Los Angeles probably makes you think of summer before it makes you think of fall. But in reality, fall is one of the city's most exciting seasons. See why here.

With the sun-soaked glamor of Los Angeles being almost synonymous with summer, the great qualities of the other seasons in the City of Angels sometimes get unfairly overlooked. But a fall LA vacation brings a world of seasonal delights. There will still be bucket-loads of sun, though temperatures won't soar quite as high as in summer; and there's all the fall fun you would expect in any major city too, but often with a novel silver screen influence.

Whether you're a casual dabbler in fall fun or a fall obsessive who checks your garden every day from August onward for leaf color changes, the great range of fall activities and festivals in LA is sure to please.

Fall Festivals

  • Oktoberfest is a Bavarian import that celebrates all the finest things in life. By which we clearly mean beer, sausages and, um, lederhosen.
  • Following hard on the heels of Halloween, Day of the Dead takes the macabre fun even further, with colorful painted skulls and tasty Mexican food everywhere you turn.
  • A music festival on the beach in September? You must be in California. The Ohana Music Festival brings big names to Doheny State Beach, south of LA.

Outdoor Fall Activities

  • Various orchards around LA offer the opportunity to take part in one of the most fall-like fall activities of all: apple-picking.
  • Fall foliage in LA isn't always easy to find, but it's worth the search. Try Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.
  • The LA Farmers' Market explodes with the fruits (and vegetables, and other yummy produce) of local harvests each fall.

Halloween

  • Evil clowns and restless spirits abound at the Los Angeles Haunted Hay Ride, a spooktastic theme park with haunted houses and more.
  • Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights events offer all the immersive terror you would expect from a movie studio that knows a thing or two about horror.
  • Who knew a bus ride could be scary? The Haunted Hollywood Tour by Starline Tours manages to achieve just that.

Created in partnership with Discover Los Angeles