Tonight is the night sky lovers have been circling on their calendars. The Perseid meteor shower, widely considered one of the most popular stargazing events of the year, peaks on the night of August 12 into the early hours of August 13. NASA calls the Perseids “the best meteor shower of the year“. Their brightness stands out, and their colorful trails can linger in the sky for several seconds. Under the right conditions, you could spot 60 to 100 meteors per hour!
The Perseids happen every year when Earth passes through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. These tiny particles burn up in the atmosphere at incredibly high speeds. That creates the fast, bright streaks meteor watchers wait all year for. This year’s timing works in your favor: the peak coincides with a new moon, so there’s no moonlight to wash out fainter meteors. Your best window runs from after midnight through dawn. To catch the show, plan to head somewhat outside the city.
Here are the best places to watch the meteor shower near L.A.
Mount Wilson
Mount Wilson sits in the San Gabriel Mountains along Angeles Crest Highway, at roughly 5,700 feet. That elevation puts you above a good chunk of the city’s glow, and you won’t need a major expedition to get there. Astronomers classify it as a Bortle 5 sky — not pristine, but a real step up from downtown L.A. The Mount Wilson Observatory closes to the public at night, but the parking lot near the summit stays open, and wide pullouts along the highway offer unobstructed sky views. It’s a popular pick for a legitimate dark-sky experience without a multi-hour drive.
Mount Pinos
Want to go further? Head to Mount Pinos in the Los Padres National Forest. Many consider it the closest truly dark sky to Los Angeles. It sits at around 8,300 feet, roughly 90 minutes to two hours from the city. Interestingly, this spot has long served as the unofficial headquarters for Southern California’s amateur astronomy community. Expect a friendly crowd of fellow stargazers — some with serious telescope setups.
Angeles Crest Highway
Angeles Crest Highway (Route 2) winds from La Cañada up toward Wrightwood. Wide pullouts and turnouts line the road, making it one of the easiest, most flexible stargazing options near the city. The road climbs steadily in elevation, so you can simply keep driving up until the glow fades to a manageable level. Then pick a safe shoulder and park. This flexibility makes it ideal if you want to adjust your spot on the fly instead of committing to one location for the whole night.
Joshua Tree
Ready to make a real night of it? Joshua Tree remains one of the most reliable dark-sky destinations in the region. Its distance from major city centers means minimal light interference, and the park’s wide-open desert terrain gives you an unobstructed view in nearly every direction. It’s a longer drive than the other spots on this list. But for anyone chasing the fullest version of the Perseids, it consistently ranks among the top choices for Southern California skywatchers.
