Day trips from Los Angeles

Situated on one of the most picturesque stretches of the American Riviera, the coastal city of Santa Barbara is one of the most glamorous spots in all of Southern California – just ask the numerous A-listers and members of royalty who call it home. The best way to see the city’s main sights is by hopping on the charming Santa Barbara Trolley, which winds up through the hills to the pastel pink 18th-century Old Mission, before heading over to the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, a prime architectural example of the city’s Spanish influences.

Downtown Santa Barbara is the place to come for buzzy bars and restaurants, with most of them located in the hip Funk Zone – sign up for the popular Urban Wine Trail to explore the area’s many independent wineries and tasting rooms. There’s plenty for families to do here too, from visiting the Santa Barbara Zoo and taking a stroll through the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden to hitting the water on a catamaran tour, where you can spot local pods of dolphins, whales, and sea lions.

How to get there: Santa Barbara is around an hour and a half drive north along the scenic Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles (depending on the traffic). You could also pick up the Pacific Surfliner Amtrak train from Union Station to Santa Barbara Station, which is convenientlylocated in the city’s downtown area, right in the heart of the action. The train journey takes one hour and forty-five minutes, with tickets costing around $30.

This city feels like Los Angeles’ more laidback little sister, with the same coastal beauty and vibrant buzz but none of the grit and gridlocked traffic. Start with a tour around the city’s Old Town, the first European settlement in California, where you can marvel at the Spanish architecture and sample first-rate Mexican food. Then hit sprawling Balboa Park, which is home to beautifully landscaped gardens and 17 museums, as well as the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

While you’re in the area, be sure to take a quick drive across Coronado Bridge (or a 15-minute ferry ride across the bay) to the wealthy peninsula of Coronado, where the famous Hotel del Coronado sits. First opened in 1888, the wooden Victorian building is a sight to behold, with its regal red roof and circular turret. A magnet for Hollywood stars over the years, everyone from Charlie Chaplin and Katharine Hepburn to Brad Pitt has stayed here, while Marilyn Monroe filmed Some Like It Hot at the hotel during the height of her fame in 1958. Grab lunch at the beachfront restaurant before going for a stroll along the water and feeling the baby powder-soft sand between your toes.

How to get there: San Diego is a two-hour drive from Los Angeles, or you can catch a bus from Union Station to downtown San Diego, which takes around two hours and 40 minutes and costs approximately $18. You can also catch an Amtrak train from Union Station, which takes 2h 45 min and costs around $30.

Many people who visit LA don’t even know that Catalina Island exists, but it would be a mistake to miss out on visiting this idyllic spot. The loveliest of California’s Channel Islands, Catalina is split into two sides: the port of Avalon, where the ferries dock, and Two Harbors on the opposite side. Avalon is the island’s main hub, where you’ll find most of the hotels and restaurants clustered around the pretty harbor. The main attraction here is the Art Deco Catalina Casino, which juts out over the water and was once a playground for the likes of John Wayne, Henry Fonda, and Marilyn Monroe (who lived on the island for a year during the Second World War). The quieter Two Harbors, meanwhile, is a short speedboat ride away from Avalon and is home to a laidback beach club and crystal-clear turquoise waters.

The island is blissfully peaceful, thanks in large part to the fact that very few cars are allowed on it, so most people get around on foot or by golf carts – a stark difference to LA’s bumper-to-bumper freeways. Days are spent exploring Catalina’s natural beauty, spotting the roaming bison (first brought over by a film crew in the 1920s and never returned), bald eagles, foxes, and deer, or taking ocean tours to discover the island’s diverse marine ecosystem. More adventurous types, meanwhile, will love the zip line that runs through the rugged hills, and sports fans are well catered for with an enormous golf course.

How to get there: You can catch the high-speed Catalina Express catamaran daily from Long Beach, which takes about an hour and costs around $77 round trip.

A getaway in Palm Springs is all about relaxation, thanks to its warm desert climate and multiple luxury resorts dotted around the city – most people come here to flop by the pool and do nothing more strenuous than book a massage. But if you do want to see the local sights, there’s still plenty to keep you occupied. Get an overview of the whole city by hopping on the Aerial Tramway, which offers a picturesque ride up to the top of the San Jacinto Mountains and spectacular views over Palm Springs. It’s best to get any hiking done before the day heats up – head to Indian Canyons first thing in the morning, which is made up of three canyons that all offer great hiking trails.

Culture lovers will want to make a beeline for the Palm Springs Art Museum, in the city’s downtown area. The largest cultural institution in the Coachella Valley, it features works by top artists including Andy Warhol and Picasso. It’s also worth spending some time checking out some of the more visually striking local buildings. Palm Springs is a haven of mid-century modern architecture and driving around the city you can spot gems like the Kaufmann House, which was designed by Richard Neutra for department store tycoon Edgar J Kauffman in 1946, and the eye-catching House of Tomorrow, designed in 1960 by William Krisel and Dan Palmer and later rented by Elvis and Priscilla Presley as their honeymoon retreat.

How to get there: A two-hour drive from Los Angeles, the easiest way to get to Palm Springs is to rent a car and drive yourself. If you don’t have your own set of wheels, you can also catch a bus from downtown LA to Palm Springs, which takes around three hours and costs approximately $40.

Famous for its otherworldly landscape, a visit to Joshua Tree National Park should be high on your list of day trips, as you’re unlikely to encounter anything quite like it elsewhere. The magical desert spot is filled with spiky ancient Joshua Trees, as well as giant granite monoliths, clusters of cacti, and spellbinding rock formations. Avid rock climbers will be in heaven here, as they scale mini mountains and are rewarded with spectacular views. If you visit in the spring or summer make sure to stop off at the Pinto Basin to admire the wildflowers in full bloom.

If you’re traveling with the kids, don’t miss a visit to the Cabazon exit on your drive out, which is where you’ll find the famed dinosaur park that appears in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. It’s also worth making the short drive to nearby Pioneertown, a historic artist community that’s home to a scenic ghost town and hip live music venue Pappy and Harriet’s.

How to get there: Driving to Joshua Tree National Park from Los Angeles takes around two hours and 15 minutes, or you could catch a Greyhound bus from Union Station to Desert Hot Springs which takes 3h 40 min and costs around $30.

Newport Beach is known for being Orange County’s chicest enclave and is one of the loveliest spots in Southern California to go for a dreamy coastal getaway. Head to Newport Harbor as your first port of call, where you can jump on one of the electric Duffy boats and take a scenic tour of the harbor and its many pretty islands. Keep an eye out for the opulent villas and mansions that sit right on the water, which include John Wayne and Shirley Temple’s former homes, as well as the resident sea lions.

Of the local islands, Balboa Island is the most fun to explore. You can drive onto it via Marine Avenue, but we’d recommend parking your car and taking the five-minute journey across the water on the Balboa Island Ferry instead. Once there you can take a stroll along the boardwalk, picking up one of the island’s famous frozen bananas on the way, before exploring the boutique shops and restaurants on the island’s main street, Marine Avenue. Kids will love the Balboa Fun Zone, home to a Ferris wheel and plenty of arcade games, as well as paddle boarding and kayaking on the calm waters.

How to get there: It takes around an hour to drive from Los Angeles to Newport Beach and the easiest way to get there is by hiring your own car and driving yourself. There are buses you can take, but they’re not direct and will take you around 3h 15min.

While Southern California is famous for its sun-drenched beaches, it’s also possible to go skiing just a short distance from LA. The mountain resort of Big Bear is where Angelenos go to hit the slopes in the winter, choosing between Snow Summit and Bear Mountain. Together they offer over 400 acres of powder, with 26 lifts and 55 runs, so there’s plenty of terrain to shred. There are lots of cabin rentals available near the slopes and Big Bear is known for being a family-friendly destination, with a variety of runs available for all skiing and snowboarding experience levels.

While Big Bear is known primarily for its snow sports, it’s also a great spot to visit in the summer to escape the intense SoCal heat. There are plenty of hiking trails that offer amazing views over the valley, and once you’ve worked up a sweat you can cool off with a refreshing dip in the mountain lake. More adventurous types can rent a mountain bike to zip along the trails, which range from easier fire roads for beginners to fast downhill tracks for more experienced riders.

How to get there: Driving from LA to Big Bear takes around two hours, but bear in mind that the roads may be trickier to navigate during the winter months. There are buses you can take, but they’re not direct and will take you around 4h 50 min.