Best Weekend Trips From Los Angeles
Los Angeles exudes vibrant energy, excitement and glamour. But, when you want a break from big city life, a relaxing weekend getaway is just a short drive away.
Here are a few ideas that’ll make you want to pack your bags and hit the road for a mini-vacay.
Newport Beach
Newport Beach is home to almost 22 miles of sandy coastline, so it’s one of the best weekend trips from Los Angeles for sun-seekers. Everything beachy is on the menu in Newport, including swimming in the Pacific, kite-flying, strolling the sand, playing volleyball and building elaborate sandcastles. Rent a bike and pedal off to the pier where you can explore cute shops, grab an ice cream cone, or take selfies with the ocean as a backdrop. For a special treat, catch a ferry out to Balboa Island in Newport Harbor for some laughs at the Balboa Fun Zone.
Paso Robles
You don’t have to go as far as Napa Valley and Sonoma for great wine. Paso Robles is less than three hours away from LA by car, and Sunset Magazine named it the “best wine country town in the West.” The city has 30,000-plus acres of vineyards and more than 200 tasting rooms. Most of the wineries are family owned, and tastings are often staged in barns, underground caves and cattle ranches rather than in official wine-tasting rooms. Drive along Highway 46 and fall in love with the pastoral countryside.
Ojai
Drive about 90 minutes north of Los Angeles, and you’ll arrive in Ojai. The town is nestled in the beautiful Ojai valley, tucked between citrus groves, vineyards and olive trees. Ojai’s Mediterranean climate seems to grow everything, making for fine, farm-to-table dining. You can also buy local wine after sampling from the tasting rooms scattered around the downtown area. Residents range from energy healers and hippies, to artists and bikers. Rent a bike and head for the old rail line that has been renovated into the Valley Trail, or head up to the Los Padres National Forest to hike some of the 1,257 miles of maintained trails through wilderness.
Laguna Beach
One short hour from LA by car, Laguna Beach has a restful, isolated feel nestled along the Pacific Ocean. Relax in nature here. Listen for the crash of waves and roar of the sea lions in the early morning and stroll down to Treasure Beach at sunset. Did you know this town is also known as an artist colony? Tour the Laguna Art Museum, and then spend an entire afternoon checking out local art galleries.
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara has been nicknamed the American Riviera. This picture-perfect beachside city offers unlimited options for dining, as well as a variety of bars were you can sip on chilled cocktails. Stroll down State Street to shop eclectic boutiques and keep right on walking along it until you reach Stearns Wharf, where fisherman unload their fresh catches. Don’t miss the Santa Barbara Museum of Art with its 20th-century Western American paintings, and get a glimpse in to the city’s past by visiting the old Santa Barbara Mission, which was built in the 1700s.
Ready to travel? Find your hotel near Newport Beach, Ojai, Laguna Beach, Santa Barbara.
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