Sunny Terraces in Los Angeles: Where to Soak Up the California Sun

LA's Mediterranean climate and sun angles

Los Angeles sits at 34 degrees north latitude, blessed with a Mediterranean climate that delivers over 280 days of sunshine per year and an average of 3,250 hours of annual sunlight — among the highest of any major city in the United States. The sun climbs to nearly 79 degrees above the horizon at the summer solstice, meaning midday shadows in June are almost nonexistent. Even in December, the sun reaches about 33 degrees, which is higher than what many northern cities experience in spring.

This means terrace hunting in LA is fundamentally different from cities like New York or San Francisco. The question is rarely "where can I find sun?" but rather "where can I enjoy the sun comfortably?" In summer, when temperatures regularly exceed 30 degrees Celsius in inland areas, some shade becomes desirable. The marine layer — that characteristic coastal fog that rolls in from the Pacific — can keep beach neighborhoods overcast until late morning, especially from May through July in a phenomenon locals call "June Gloom." Understanding this pattern is key: if you want guaranteed morning sun, head inland. If you want cooler afternoon terraces with late-clearing fog, stick to the coast.

LA's sprawling, low-rise character means building shadows are generally less of an issue than in denser cities. Most of the city is built at two to four stories, which lets sunlight reach the ground for most of the day. The exceptions are Downtown LA's growing cluster of high-rises and Century City's towers, where canyon-like shadow effects can occur on certain streets.

Venice Beach, Abbot Kinney, and the Westside

Venice Beach is quintessential LA terrace territory. The Ocean Front Walk is lined with cafes and restaurants whose outdoor seating faces west over the sand and the Pacific. These terraces get afternoon and evening sun — perfect for golden-hour drinks. The Waterfront Venice on the boardwalk and the cafes along Windward Avenue enjoy wide-open western exposure with no buildings between them and the ocean sunset. The trade-off is the marine layer: mornings can be gray and cool, with the fog often not burning off until 11:00 AM or later in early summer.

Abbot Kinney Boulevard, one block inland from the beach, is arguably LA's premier terrace street. This mile-long stretch between Venice Boulevard and Brooks Avenue runs northwest-southeast, and the northeast side of the street gets the best all-day sun. The buildings are uniformly low — one to two stories — which means shadows are minimal. Cafes like Intelligentsia Coffee, The Butcher's Daughter, and Gjelina all have coveted outdoor seating that catches sun from late morning through the afternoon. Because Abbot Kinney is slightly inland, it often clears from marine layer fog an hour or two before the beach does.

Further north, the Santa Monica Third Street Promenade is a pedestrian street with outdoor dining on both sides. The east side gets morning sun while the west side gets afternoon rays. Montana Avenue in northern Santa Monica is a quieter alternative with charming low-rise cafes and excellent sun exposure. Main Street in Santa Monica, running north-south, offers terraces that benefit from the wide street and low buildings — the west side is ideal for morning coffee in the sun.

Silver Lake, Los Feliz, and the Eastside

LA's Eastside neighborhoods are inland enough to avoid the marine layer almost entirely, making them reliably sunny from morning to evening. Silver Lake, centered on Sunset Boulevard and Silver Lake Boulevard, has become one of the city's most vibrant cafe terrace scenes. Sunset Boulevard's stretch through Silver Lake runs roughly east-west, and the south side of the street gets excellent north-facing... actually, let's correct that: the north side of Sunset gets south-facing sun exposure, making terraces there sunny for most of the day. Dinosaur Coffee on Sunset, Intelligentsia on Sunset Junction, and the cafes clustered around the intersection of Sunset and Griffith Park Boulevard all have popular outdoor seating.

Los Feliz, just north of Silver Lake, benefits from its position at the base of the Hollywood Hills. Vermont Avenue between Franklin and Prospect is the main terrace corridor, with cafes like the Dresden Restaurant and Alcove Cafe offering generous outdoor patios. The Alcove, on Hillhurst Avenue, has one of LA's most beloved garden patios — an enclosed courtyard that traps warmth and sun while shielding diners from the street. Griffith Park, the massive mountain park that borders Los Feliz, provides elevated picnic spots with completely unobstructed sun and panoramic views of the city.

The Arts District in Downtown LA has transformed from an industrial wasteland into a terrace hotspot. The wide streets and converted warehouse buildings — typically one to three stories with large setbacks — create excellent sun conditions. Traction Avenue, East 3rd Street, and the area around the Arts District Brewing Company have outdoor terraces that benefit from the district's open, industrial-scale layout. Because these buildings are far apart compared to typical urban areas, shadows rarely reach neighboring properties.

Hollywood, West Hollywood, and the central corridor

Hollywood Boulevard itself is more tourist trap than terrace destination, but the neighborhoods flanking it offer excellent sun. Cahuenga Boulevard, just south of Hollywood Boulevard, has a cluster of restaurants and bars with outdoor patios. The street runs north-south, so the east side gets morning sun and the west side catches the afternoon rays. Nearby, the Hollywood and Highland complex has an open-air courtyard with framed views of the Hollywood Sign — touristy but genuinely sunny at midday.

West Hollywood is LA's terrace capital for dining and nightlife. Santa Monica Boulevard through WeHo is lined with cafes and restaurants, many with sidewalk terraces. The boulevard runs east-west, and the north side gets the best sustained sun. Melrose Avenue, running parallel one block south, offers a similar setup. The stretch of Melrose between La Cienega and Fairfax is particularly good for terrace-hopping — low-rise buildings, wide sidewalks, and a south-facing orientation on the north side. The rooftop pool and bar at the Mondrian Hotel on Sunset Strip offers sunset views over the LA basin with unobstructed western exposure.

The Grove and the nearby Original Farmers Market at 3rd and Fairfax form a popular outdoor dining cluster. The Farmers Market, dating to 1934, is an open-air collection of food stalls and tables that gets sun for most of the day thanks to its low-rise, open-plan design. It remains one of the most pleasant places to eat outdoors in central LA.

Seasonal tips and where the marine layer can't reach

LA's terrace season is essentially year-round, but the experience varies by month and location. From November through March, the marine layer is minimal and the whole city enjoys clear, sunny days with comfortable temperatures around 20 to 24 degrees Celsius. This is actually LA's best terrace weather — warm enough to sit outside but not scorchingly hot. April and May are transitional, with morning clouds increasing near the coast.

June through August is peak marine layer season on the coast. Venice, Santa Monica, and Malibu can be socked in with fog until noon, while Silver Lake, Pasadena, and the San Fernando Valley bake in sunshine. If you must have morning sun in summer, go east: Pasadena's Colorado Boulevard, Eagle Rock's Colorado Boulevard, and Highland Park's Figueroa Street all have excellent terrace scenes with reliable morning sun. Old Town Pasadena is particularly lovely, with wide sidewalks, historic buildings, and a mountain backdrop.

For sunset terraces, the coast is unbeatable once the fog clears. Malibu's Pacific Coast Highway is lined with restaurants perched above the ocean — Nobu Malibu, Malibu Farm, and the Sunset Restaurant all offer west-facing terraces where you can watch the sun sink into the Pacific. In a city this spread out, knowing which neighborhoods are sunny right now — as opposed to fogged in — saves enormous time. Coffee in the Sun maps real-time building shadows and helps you understand sun exposure at any terrace across the sprawling LA metro area, whether you are choosing between a foggy Venice morning and a sunlit Silver Lake brunch.