Laguna Beach in October

Weather in October

October’s average high is 77°F and its average low is 55°F, in NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the Laguna Beach station. Days stay warm, and the 22-degree gap to the low means evenings feel noticeably cooler. Visit Laguna Beach mentions a slight evening chill year-round and calls September and October an endless summer.

Rain is still unusual. The October normal is 0.49 inch, and the station averages 0.9 day with 0.10 inch or more.

The sun sets at 6:35 p.m. on October 1 and 6:00 p.m. on October 31 in 2026, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory, in Pacific Daylight Time. Clocks go back on November 1 in 2026, so the first November sunset is 4:59 p.m. The sunset spots page lists lookouts. OC Parks’ Aliso and Wood Canyons closes at sunset, parking lot included, so plan a ridge hike to finish before then.

The ocean in October

NOAA’s San Pedro South buoy (station 46253) averages about 68°F for October across 2015–2025, two degrees below the late-summer peak. It sits offshore in 66 meters of water, roughly 23 miles west of Laguna Beach, so use it as a guide to the month and not as a reading at the sand.

Leashed dogs may be on city beaches at any time of day in fall, winter and spring, according to the city’s beach information page. The standing beach rules continue: no alcohol, and beaches close from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. The city still asks you to swim near a lifeguard, as not every beach has one at all times. See the ocean safety guide.

What’s on in October

• Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational. Every year the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association invites 30 of the country’s top plein air painters to paint and compete around town. The 29th Invitational runs October 2 to 10, 2027, with a Collectors Art Party at the Festival of Arts on October 9.
• Coast Film & Music Festival. The organizer runs it as an annual festival. Its 2026 edition filled ten days in mid-October with film screenings, concerts, workshops, talks and outdoor events at venues around town; its site posts each year’s dates.
• First Thursdays Art Walk. The free gallery night happens on the first Thursday of every month. The Art Walk page and art galleries list cover the stops.

The summer festivals are over by October, and the Sawdust holiday show opens later; see Laguna Beach in November. The events guide lists the year by season.

Crowds and getting around

The city’s summer trolley season ended on September 7 in 2026, and its non-summer schedule applies in October. The Coastal Route is free along Coast Highway, every 20 to 30 minutes. The Canyon Route runs on weekends: park at Lot 16 (Act V, 1900 Laguna Canyon Road) for $5 and ride a free trolley downtown. Lot 16 is closed to the public on weekdays.

Lots and meters are covered in the parking guide, and the getting around guide explains the trolley and the on-demand Laguna Local service.

If you plan to hike, OC Parks lists Aliso and Wood Canyons hours as 7 a.m. to sunset and warns that trails may close for three days or more after rain. The hiking page covers the trail systems.

What to pack

• Light layers. A 77°F afternoon and a 55°F night call for a sweater you can stow.
• Sunglasses. Afternoons stay bright with an average high of 77°F.
• A small flashlight or phone light. Sunset is at 6 p.m. by the end of the month.
• Closed shoes. They work for bluff trails, tide pools and gallery streets.
• A light rain shell for late October. Rain is uncommon but not absent.