7 best day trips from Los Angeles

Day trips compared

The day trips

45 km · About 45–90 minutes by car

1.Disneyland Resort

The original Disney park, opened by Walt Disney in 1955, sits beside Disney California Adventure in Anaheim. One park fills a day with children and two days cover both; Sleeping Beauty Castle, Main Street U.S.A. and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge are the highlights.

Getting there

Car, rideshare or train to Anaheim

Best for

Families, First-timers

60 km · About 1 hour by ferry from Long Beach

2.Santa Catalina Island

Avalon, the island's small harbour town, has a 1929 Art Deco casino building (a ballroom, not a gambling hall), glass-bottom boat trips, snorkelling at Lovers Cove and hiking in the protected interior, where a herd of bison roams.

Getting there

Ferry from Long Beach, San Pedro or Dana Point

Best for

Couples, Families, Beach

150 km · About 2 hours by car, 2.5 by train

3.Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara's red-tiled Spanish Colonial Revival centre, rebuilt after a 1925 earthquake, includes the Old Mission, the County Courthouse with a free clock-tower viewpoint, State Street and Stearns Wharf. The Funk Zone near the beach is full of wine-tasting rooms.

Getting there

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner or car

Best for

Couples, Food lovers, Quiet stays

80 km · About 1–1.5 hours by car

4.Laguna Beach

A former artists' colony on the Orange County coast, Laguna Beach has coves and tide pools at Crescent Bay and Treasure Island Beach, galleries along Coast Highway and, in summer, the Pageant of the Masters, where performers recreate famous paintings as living pictures.

Getting there

Car

Best for

Beach, Couples, Culture

210 km · About 2.5–3 hours by car

5.Joshua Tree National Park

Where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet, spiky Joshua trees grow among giant granite boulders. Short trails such as Hidden Valley and the Cholla Cactus Garden suit a day trip, and dark night skies reward an overnight stay. Go between October and April and carry water; summer heat is extreme.

Getting there

Car

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays

200 km · About 2.5–3 hours by train or car

6.San Diego

The Pacific Surfliner runs beside the ocean for much of the way to San Diego, where Balboa Park's museums, the USS Midway Museum and the Gaslamp Quarter are close to the station. The San Diego Zoo needs most of a day by itself, so many visitors stay overnight.

Getting there

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner or car

Best for

Families, First-timers, Beach

50 km · About 1 hour by car

7.Malibu

The Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica passes surf breaks and beaches including Surfrider Beach at Malibu Pier and, further west, Point Dume and El Matador State Beach with its sea stacks. Check current road conditions before setting out.

Getting there

Car along the Pacific Coast Highway

Best for

Beach, Couples

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Metro buses run along the main boulevards, Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus serves the Westside, and DASH minibuses circulate around Downtown and Hollywood.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask