Packing List
November Packing List for Los Angeles — What to Wear & Bring
November in Los Angeles is the gateway to winter — highs drop to 72°F, lows cool to 55°F, and rain appears on about 3 days. Mornings are noticeably cooler than summer and evenings can feel genuinely chilly, particularly along the coast. LA's November climate feels like early fall in most other cities, so layer accordingly: a light coat, sweaters, and waterproof footwear round out the monthly kit.
Averages 55–72°F, ~3 days of rain
Clothing
November lows of 55°F in Los Angeles — the coolest the city has been since last winter — mean a light wool coat or structured jacket is needed for mornings on the Venice Beach boardwalk and evenings in Silver Lake.
The 17°F daily swing from 55°F mornings to 72°F afternoons in November makes sweaters the most versatile layering piece — worn under a coat in the morning and standalone by afternoon in Los Feliz or Larchmont Village.
November afternoons still reach 72°F on clear days in Los Angeles — a long-sleeve top is the right layer for outdoor activities from Griffith Park to the outdoor Farmers Markets that continue through the cooler months.
November has 3 rain days and evenings cool to 55°F — mid-weight trousers or dark jeans handle the full day from a potentially rainy morning on the Third Street Promenade to a cool evening dinner in West Hollywood.
November regularly delivers warm sunny afternoons at 72°F in LA — the Westside neighborhoods, Melrose, and Brentwood Village see locals and visitors in light dresses on the many clear, warm November days.
Footwear
November averages 3 rainy days in Los Angeles as the winter rainy season begins — water-resistant ankle boots are the practical choice for navigating wet Venice Beach parking lots and rain-slicked sidewalks on Melrose.
November's predominantly dry days — about 27 of them — are best navigated in classic leather loafers or flats: they work for the art galleries of Culver City, weekend Farmers Markets, and the Beverly Hills shopping corridors.
November is an excellent month for Griffith Park hiking before winter rain turns the trails muddy — the trails are dry and clear, temperatures are comfortable at 72°F, and the hillside views of downtown LA are sharp in fall air.
November evenings in West Hollywood and Silver Lake drop to 55°F after sunset — a low-heeled bootie provides warmth and polish for the indoor-to-outdoor restaurant transitions that define LA's evening dining culture.
Accessories
55°F November mornings in Los Angeles — especially along the Malibu coast and at the Santa Monica Pier — carry a marine chill: a lightweight scarf adds targeted warmth for morning outdoor activities.
November still delivers significant sunshine in LA — the lower sun angle creates intense glare particularly during morning and afternoon driving on the freeways, making sunglasses a daily essential through the fall.
November's 3 rain days mark the beginning of LA's winter rain season — Pacific storms can arrive with short notice during November, and a compact umbrella is worth packing for the outdoor markets and walking-intensive neighborhood exploring.
November in Los Angeles still delivers meaningful UV exposure on the 27+ clear days — combining daily SPF with a moisturizer makes skin protection simple during the cooler months when sunscreen habits can slip.
Gear
November Pacific storms can produce brief but heavy rain in Los Angeles — a packable jacket provides coverage for outdoor activities at Elysian Park or along the Malibu coast where umbrella use is impractical.
November marks the official start of LA's rain season with 3 wet days — a compact umbrella fits in any day bag and is the minimum rain preparation worth making for a November trip to Los Angeles.
California's plastic bag ban applies at all LA grocery stores and markets — a reusable tote is a practical daily carry for the Brentwood, Hollywood, and Hollywood Boulevard Farmers Markets that run through November.
LA's November alternation between sunny dry days and rainy humid days creates chapped-lip conditions — an SPF lip balm addresses both the UV exposure on sunny days and the wind and cold-air drying on overcast days.
Local tips for Los Angeles in November
- 1.Thanksgiving in Los Angeles is celebrated with an enormous Macy's-style parade that runs down Hollywood Boulevard — if you're visiting over Thanksgiving week, the parade and the subsequent shopping events on the Westside and in Beverly Hills bring significant foot traffic and crowd-heavy conditions along the main shopping corridors.
- 2.November is one of LA's best months for hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains — the trails at Topanga State Park, Malibu Creek State Park, and Point Mugu are completely accessible, the heat is gone, and the hillsides begin to show green after the first rains. A day hike in the Santa Monica Mountains is an underappreciated LA experience.
- 3.The holiday shopping season starts in earnest in LA in mid-November — the boutiques on Abbot Kinney, Melrose, and Montana Avenue in Santa Monica offer a far more distinctive shopping experience than the malls, and November crowds are lighter than December. The 72°F afternoons make outdoor shopping on these corridors genuinely pleasant.