National Recreation Area

Updated July 2026

Best Time to Visit Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

DecemberBest month to visit

California

Reviewed by WhenToVisitParks Editorial Team · Updated Jul 14, 2026

Our recommendation

Visit Santa Monica Mountains in December

December offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. 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.

0.9×Jan

0.9×Feb

1.1×Mar

1.1×Apr

1.3×May

1.1×Jun

1.0×Jul

1.0×Aug

0.9×Sep

0.9×Oct

0.9×Nov

0.8×Dec

Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight

Month	Crowd level	Best-time score	Daylight
January	Average	60 Good	10.0 h
February	Average	59 Fair	10.8 h
March	Average	34 Poor	11.7 h
April	Average	42 Poor	12.9 h
May	Busy	20 Poor	13.8 h
June	Average	53 Fair	14.3 h
July	Average	62 Good	14.1 h
August	Average	61 Good	13.3 h
September	Average	66 Good	12.2 h
October	Average	60 Good	11.1 h
November	Average	65 Good	10.2 h
December★ best	Quiet	79 Excellent	9.7 h

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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. If avoiding people matters most, December offers the thinnest crowds of the year, though you'll trade some warmth and daylight for the solitude. 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, 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.

Top-rated places to stay near Santa Monica Mountains

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

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Getting there — nearest airports

Updated July 2026

The 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.

Find flights to Bob Hope Airport - Hollywood Burbank (BUR)

Frequently Asked Questions

December offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight 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%).

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.