3 Easy Day Trips to Take from Los Angeles

The year 2020 solidified my love of the day [road] trip. At this point, we are becoming day trip pros. We can have our bags packed and be ready to go within the hour. I am personally a huge fan of getting away for just the day – much less planning involved. And, you get to explore for a full day, but still spend the night in your own bed. (Which is a win-win in my book.) We’ve been exploring our own backyard all summer as we slowly started stepping out to “travel” again. I’m a little ashamed to admit how many local spots I had never visited, despite living in Southern California for over six years. I’ve come to truly appreciate all that Southern California has to offer. And wanted to share some of my favorite spots for a quick day trip from LA.

3 Easy Day Trips to Take from Los Angeles

Santa Barbara

Less than 2 hours up the coast from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara is an oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Staying a night (or two) is highly preferred. But if you only have a day, you can still squeeze a lot out. Santa Barbara’s weather is much more temperate than Los Angeles, even in the summer it doesn’t get unbearably hot. My favorite way to spend the day is to drive up early in the morning, grab a coffee at Handlebar Coffee Roasters, and hang out by the beach. We usually bring the pup with us, so Hendry’s Beach is a favorite – it’s dog friendly, and has a great restaurant right on the beach.

Some of my other favorite things to do: go wine tasting in the Funk Zone or at the Frequency Wines tasting room, grab Mexican food at La Super Rica or Los Agaves, or go on an easy hike (the trails are relatively flat).

If you have more time, there’s even more wine tasting less than an hour away in Santa Ynez.

If you’re completely charmed by Santa Barbara (it’s hard not to be!) and want to splurge on a room for a night, check out the Ritz Carlton Bacara ($$$$) or the new-ish Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito ($$$).

Catalina Island

A few weeks ago I visited Catalina Island for the very first time. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that after 6+ years in Los Angeles I’d never made the trip. But the sentiment I heard from many locals is that they’re guilty of the same! If you haven’t been, you shouldn’t sleep on it. Yes, you can only get there by boat or helicopter, but it’s totally doable for a day trip.

If you’re heading for the day, you can catch an early ferry. (Book in advance as times and spots are limited currently due to COVID). The island is charming in the sense that it feels like time has frozen. And everything on the island is an institution.

There’s a lot to do on the island, you can hang by the beach (reserve a beach chair at Descanso Beach Club in advance and try the island’s signature drink, a Buffalo Milk!), go paddleboarding or kayaking, golf, or even go ziplining. If nothing else, I highly recommend embarking on a self-guided golf cart tour to explore the island further.

Catalina feels like Disneyland – but in a good way. A day trip for me was more than enough, but I’ve heard great things about camping on the island and staying at Pavilion Hotel right on the main street.

Los Alamos

Los Alamos is a tiny town about 2.5 hours from Los Angeles that’s perfect for a quick getaway. Or a stop if you’re driving further north along the coast. I visited “Little Los Angeles” a month ago and can see why it’s often compared to LA. The entire town along Bell Street is only 7 blocks long and feels reminiscent of the Old West. I loved Los Alamos and would love to come back to spend a night or two at Skyview Los Alamos.

While you’re there, stop at one of the many tasting rooms along Bell Street – Bodega (Pinterest dreams come true) and Casa Dumetz are highly recommended.

If you’re a foodie, you’re in luck! Los Alamos punches above its weight class when it comes to dining out. Snag a reservation at Bell’s, a French bistro that is reason enough to make a visit to Los Alamos (run by Food and Wine’s “Best New Chef” Daisy Ryan!). We really loved Bob’s Well Bread (get the bread, duh), which was started by a former Sony exec who took his love for all things bread to Los Alamos.

What are your favorite day trips?