Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation AreaCalifornia
Best month to visit
December
69°F / 42°F avg high / low
Our recommendation
Visit Santa Monica Mountains in December
December offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, May is the most crowded month (~1.3× the average month) and December is the quietest.
- Annual visits
- 723K
- 2025
- Busiest month
- May
- 1.3× avg
- Quietest month
- Dec
- 0.8× avg
- 10-yr trend
- falling
- -10.3%
How crowded is Santa Monica Mountains by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1982–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area weather by month →
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Average | 60 Good | 70°F / 43°F | 10.0 h |
| February | Average | 59 Fair | 70°F / 44°F | 10.8 h |
| March | Average | 51 Fair | 74°F / 46°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Average | 62 Good | 78°F / 48°F | 12.9 h |
| May | Busy | 55 Fair | 82°F / 53°F | 13.8 h |
| June | Average | 61 Good | 89°F / 57°F | 14.3 h |
| July | Average | 45 Fair | 95°F / 61°F | 14.1 h |
| August | Average | 39 Poor | 97°F / 61°F | 13.3 h |
| September | Average | 52 Fair | 94°F / 59°F | 12.2 h |
| October | Average | 76 Excellent | 85°F / 53°F | 11.1 h |
| November | Average | 72 Good | 76°F / 46°F | 10.2 h |
| Decemberour pick | Quiet | 70 Good | 69°F / 42°F | 9.7 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00049785, ~12.6 mi away).
Email me when Santa Monica Mountains's crowd forecast updates
Get an email when new NPS visitation data changes the best time to visit Santa Monica Mountains or its month-by-month crowd levels. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
About visiting Santa Monica Mountains
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area in CA and a moderately visited park, drawing about 723,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has eased over the past decade, down about 10.3%. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: May is the busiest month at about 1.3× the park's average month, while December is the calmest at roughly 0.8× — a 2-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 26% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 79°F in August down to about 56°F in December, with the wettest stretch in February. About 12 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is December: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the May rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.7 hours in midwinter to 14.3 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1982–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultural sites, from old movie ranches to Native American centers. What will you and your family discover?
Weather & conditions
Summers are hot and dry while winters are cool and wet.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Santa Monica Mountains
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area — live availability and prices to plan your trip. December is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather. Full lodging guide: when to book, gateway vs in-park, and the crowd calendar that drives room rates.
Top-rated places to stay near Santa Monica Mountains
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Santa Monica Mountains?
Get the best time to visit Santa Monica Mountains plus lodging deals near the park by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Getting there — nearest airports
Updated October 2026The closest airport to Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is Bob Hope Airport - Hollywood Burbank (BUR), about 34 mi (57 min drive) away.
| Airport | Distance | Drive time | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Hope Airport - Hollywood Burbank (BUR)Best for flights | 34 mi | 57 min | Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Silk Avia, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines |
| Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) | 41 mi | 1 hr 5 min | Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Air India |
| Long Beach Airport (LGB) | 61 mi | 1 hr 26 min | Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Silk Avia, jetBlue |
| Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) | 76 mi | 1 hr 43 min | Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| John Wayne Airport - Santa Ana (SNA) | 80 mi | 1 hr 47 min | Air Montenegro, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Copa Airlines, Delta, Fly Lili |
Which airport should you choose?
- Shortest drive: Bob Hope Airport - Hollywood Burbank (BUR) — about 57 min from the park.
What takes a reservation at Santa Monica Mountains
From National Park Service records read on October 11, 2026. Timed-entry and permit rules change from season to season; the official Santa Monica Mountains page has this year's.
Campgrounds with reservable sites
- Circle X Ranch Campground - CLOSED: 1 reservable site, 1 first-come, first-served
Frequently Asked Questions
December offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The park is busiest in May (about 1.3× the average month) and quietest in December.
May is the busiest month at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, running roughly 1.3 times the park's average monthly visitation.
December is the quietest month at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, at about 0.8× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area recorded about 722,626 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been falling over the past decade (-10.3%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area averages about 79°F (August). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Bob Hope Airport - Hollywood Burbank (BUR) is the closest airport to Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, about 34 mi (57 min drive) away.
There is no airport inside Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Fly into Bob Hope Airport - Hollywood Burbank (BUR) and drive the rest of the way — about 57 min.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Beach water quality near Santa Monica Mountains
Beaches within a 40-mile drive, graded on multi-year bacteria sampling from EPA BEACON — worth checking before you plan a swim day.
- Broad Beach water qualityGrade A · 6 mi · CA
- Zuma Beach - Dph 008b water qualityGrade A · 6 mi · CA
- Malibu Beach - Dph 001 water qualityGrade A · 7 mi · CA
- El Matador State Beach - Smb-1-3 water qualityGrade A · 7 mi · CA
- Nicholas Canyon County Beach - Dph 009 water qualityGrade A · 9 mi · CA
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1982–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.