Tinsel-Dusted Sunshine: Quirky and Essential Things to Do in Los Angeles in December

Festive Yet Sunbathed: Essential Things to Do in Los Angeles in December

December transforms Los Angeles into a tinsel-draped contradiction where traditional holiday experiences collide with the city’s perpetual summer vibe. This creates a uniquely LA phenomenon where visitors can experience classic winter activities without the accompanying hypothermia risk. The following essential things to do in Los Angeles in December showcase how the city embraces festive cheer while steadfastly refusing to acknowledge actual winter.

Holiday Light Spectaculars (With Short-Sleeve Viewing Options)

The LA Zoo Lights transform the Griffith Park institution into an after-hours illuminated wonderland where animals made of light replace the real creatures who’ve sensibly gone to bed. Tickets run $22-33 per person for this nightly 6-10pm extravaganza featuring 3D animations, disco-ball forests, and plenty of opportunities for Instagram content that will make snow-bound friends violently jealous. The event draws significantly smaller crowds in early December weeknights, when locals are still pretending they’ll finish Christmas shopping early this year.

Downtown’s Grand Park Winter Glow offers a free alternative light installation where visitors can wander through illuminated art pieces while wearing light jackets instead of the parkas and boots required for similar events elsewhere in America. The installation provides a legitimate reason to visit downtown after dark—something even locals typically avoid without considerable incentive.

For those seeking luxury holiday decorations, Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive “Unwrapped” event features palm trees adorned in designer lighting that costs more than the average visitor’s monthly rent. The displays transform already ostentatious storefronts into twinkling tributes to conspicuous consumption, creating a holiday atmosphere where even the Christmas trees wear more expensive outfits than most tourists.

Boat Parades: Where Santa Trades His Sleigh for a Yacht

The Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade (second Saturday in December) showcases the curious spectacle of yacht owners competing to determine who can attach the most LED lights to their watercraft without triggering an electrical fire. Spectators line the marina for free views of boats festooned with animatronic reindeer, blasting holiday music, and occasionally featuring living nativity scenes performed by crew members who clearly lost some bet.

The more elaborate Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade runs for five consecutive nights in mid-December, drawing over 100,000 spectators to watch multi-million-dollar vessels transformed into floating light displays. The parade includes everything from humble dinghies wrapped in simple string lights to 100-foot yachts featuring professional lighting designs, synchronized music, and occasionally B-list celebrities waving awkwardly from the bow.

For a more bohemian boat experience, the Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade offers a quirky, smaller-scale version where homeowners along the canals transform their waterfront properties into light displays. Participants paddle decorated kayaks, canoes, and small electric boats through narrow waterways while neighbors judge from bridges above—a perfect activity for visitors seeking things to do in Los Angeles in December that locals actually attend.

Theme Parks Without the Crushing Crowds

Universal Studios Hollywood transforms for “Grinchmas” in December, featuring themed shows and photo opportunities with characters from Dr. Seuss’s holiday classic. The park operates at approximately 30% lower capacity than summer months, meaning visitors can experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter without the customary 90-minute wait for Butterbeer. The crisp 65°F evening temperatures actually enhance the experience of wandering through Hogsmeade Village, making winter robes slightly less ridiculous than during August’s 95°F heatwaves.

Disneyland’s holiday transformation includes seasonal overlays like “It’s a Small World Holiday” and “Haunted Mansion Holiday,” where Jack Skellington from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” infuses Halloween-Christmas hybrid elements into classic attractions. December weekday visits offer the rare opportunity to experience Disney magic without experiencing Disney claustrophobia, as average wait times drop to 45-60 minutes versus summer’s soul-crushing 90-120 minute standards.

Knott’s Berry Farm becomes “Knott’s Merry Farm” during December, offering holiday shows and temperature-appropriate comfort food like boysenberry pie and hot chocolate that doesn’t seem completely insane to consume. The park’s Ghost Town section transforms into a Christmas village that actually makes historical sense, unlike summer visitors sweating through wool pioneer costumes in 90°F heat.

Outdoor Activities Without Frostbite Risk

Hiking Runyon Canyon or Griffith Park delivers peak experiences during December’s perfect 65-70°F days. Trails remain dry and navigable while offering spectacular photo opportunities with rare atmospheric clarity after winter rains wash away the city’s infamous smog layer. The Hollywood Sign hike becomes significantly more pleasant without summer’s punishing heat, and parking spaces—the true Los Angeles luxury item—become marginally easier to find.

Beach activities remain entirely viable in December, though visitors will notice locals bundled in parkas while looking horrified at tourists actually entering the “frigid” 60°F ocean water. Venice Beach’s famous boardwalk circus operates year-round but achieves peak absurdity during December when bodybuilders don Santa hats while continuing their outdoor workouts and street performers incorporate holiday themes into their acts.

Outdoor ice skating creates LA’s most delightfully contradictory December experience. Rinks at Pershing Square downtown and near the Santa Monica Pier offer the bizarre juxtaposition of palm trees surrounding synthetic ice where visitors can practice their triple axels while wearing t-shirts. These installations prove that Los Angeles will not be denied any winter experience, regardless of how climatically inappropriate it might be.

Holiday Shopping Without Frostbitten Fingers

The Unique LA Holiday Market features local designers and artisans selling items guaranteed not to appear under any other relative’s Christmas tree. Tickets run $15 online/$20 at door for this showcase of LA’s creative class, where visitors can purchase everything from hand-printed t-shirts to artisanal hot sauces to jewelry made from recycled skateboard decks. The market offers the rare opportunity to complete holiday shopping without setting foot in a chain store.

The Grove shopping center stages elaborate decorations including hourly “snowfall” shows featuring a mystery substance that dissolves before hitting the ground—a chemical marvel that mystifies visitors from actual snow states. The center’s 100-foot Christmas tree and trolley decorated with garlands create perfect photo opportunities for proving to social media followers that Los Angeles does indeed acknowledge December holidays.

Sunset Strip and Melrose Avenue boutiques offer high-end shopping with the added bonus of possible celebrity sightings, as even the rich and famous eventually succumb to last-minute gift-buying panic. December brings special holiday sales even to designer boutiques that normally consider discounting to be beneath their dignity.

Where to Stay While Exploring December LA

Luxury seekers should consider The Beverly Hills Hotel ($595-895/night), where pink-and-green holiday decorations complement the property’s iconic color scheme. December packages include complimentary champagne and decorated mini-trees in rooms, allowing visitors to experience how the 1% celebrates Christmas. The property’s Polo Lounge transforms into a holiday-themed celebrity-spotting venue where guests might witness A-listers awkwardly navigating family obligations.

Mid-range travelers find ideal accommodations at Hotel Figueroa downtown ($250-350/night), providing central access to Grand Park festivities and LA Live holiday events. The hotel’s restored 1920s Spanish Colonial architecture receives tasteful holiday decorations, and its heated pool remains operational during December’s “chilly” 68°F days that locals consider unsuitable for swimming.

Budget-conscious visitors should investigate The Freehand Los Angeles ($129-179/night), offering reasonably priced rooms and a rooftop pool still perfectly usable in December. The hostel/hotel hybrid provides both private and shared accommodations in a converted 1924 building, with a lobby decorated for holidays and a central downtown location ideal for exploring December events without extensive driving.

Transportation Tips for December Navigation

Rental cars ($40-60/day) remain the most convenient option for experiencing things to do in Los Angeles in December, with the added advantage of competitive rates during this lower-demand period. December offers the rare gift of slightly less catastrophic traffic, decreasing by approximately 15% during holiday weeks when locals flee to visit relatives elsewhere.

The Metro Rail system now connects previously isolated areas, including a direct line to Santa Monica Beach ($1.75 one-way fare). Trains decorated with holiday themes run throughout December, creating the peculiar experience of riding public transportation while surrounded by tinsel—something visitors from New York would find suspiciously cheerful.

Rideshare services (Uber/Lyft) actually function more efficiently in December when reduced traffic allows for somewhat accurate arrival time estimates. Drivers often decorate vehicles with holiday elements, creating the uniquely LA experience of discussing screenplay ideas with a Santa hat-wearing aspiring director while being driven to seasonal events.