what is the weather like in Los Angeles in mid-May?

Question

Is it warm enough to lay out at the beach and swim in the ocean?
I am from the midwest and have never been to the west coast before and am not sure what to pack. What are the best options to travel around the city, I am not sure I will rent a car, is there public transportation? Is it safe? - I will be staying in El Segundo and want to be able to visit other parts of the city like Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, the beaches, etc. Any suggestions will be helpful. I will be travelling alone (female).

Answer 1

Warm to sunbathe; ocean will be cold. You need to rent a car. Public transport is dreadful, what there is of it. El Segundo is close to the beach and LAX. Go to Hollywood during the day, it's still a bit dicey at night. Rent a bike in the town of El Segundo and take the bike path south to Redondo Beach, and north to Santa Monica. You'll see all the beaches that way. There are beach cafes to stop at. You'll see Venice Beach (a real slice of life), the Marina to the north, Manhattan and Hermosa to the south. The sun is very strong so wear plenty of SPF15. In May summer clothes are already being worn, but you'll need a light jacket or sweater in the evening. Mind you we could have a heatwave or we could have early June gloom and the beaches will be cool and foggy.

Answer 2

May is typically overcast in the morning with hazy sunshine in the afternoon. Not the best beach weather.

I recommend renting a car. Make sure you have maps and are sure you know how to get there. You wouldn't want to get lost in the wrong neighborhood.

We have public transportation, but it's not very convenient.

Clothing is very casual for most events. It can get chilly at night, especially by the beach. Think layers.

I don't know why people think LA isn't safe. The news isn't filled with stories about tourists being murdered. Most of the violent crime is gang on gang. Stay out of gangs and don't buy drugs and you'll be fine.

Answer 3

At the beaches like Santa Monica and Venice Beach, it is pleasant because of the ocean breezes. In downtown LA, it could be 95 degrees while in Santa Monica it is 80 degrees. The buses are safe and have a lot of people on them; and most of them are Mexican. North Los Angeles is nicer than the rest of the city. It stretches from Burbank to Santa Monica. In between is Beverly Hills (UCLA) and Hollywood. The boardwalk goes for miles from Santa Monica on past Venice Beach. There are lots of little shops and eateries, and the weather is very pleasant. The Pacific Ocean is very cold so there may not be a lot of swimmers. Still, the beach is wide and has lots of people on it.

Answer 4

September - would 60's-80's in the daylight hours 40's-50's at night a million-5 days of rain in row some cases in the 300 and sixty 5 days August 80's-ninety's +10 levels close to the mountains or in the San Fernando Valley -10 levels on the sea

Answer 5

Usually the weather in May is cool. Its not warm enough to swim in the ocean.
To travel around the city, you might want to rent a car. Its really hard to get around the city with public transportation becuase public transportation isn't reliable in los angeles.

Answer 6

it is very nice. But there may be some overcast days at the beach. the hills are still green . It is a great time for hiking.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

i live in southern cali. it is nice in may. public trans is good go any where you want to go.women travling alone should always be careful not just in la.