Travelers throughout the world are continuing to develop wanderlust for the West Coast of the United States. Don’t get me wrong, the East Coast offers some amazing cities and small towns, but they tend to be filled with tourists and are pretty congested, leaving many aching to venture out west where cities are more spread out, mountains are higher and beaches are serene. There is so much to love about the West Coast, especially Southern California! Even if you only have a few days, you can’t go wrong with all the options for Southern California weekend getaways.
First there are two amazing cities, LA and San Diego. There are so many things to do in LA that it is a destination in itself, and San Diego, is a wonderful mix of charm, scenery, and diverse culture. Then there are the most incredible scenic beaches, mountains and deserts. There is so much to explore in this breathtaking region of the country.
Whether you are visiting the United States for the first time and want to explore the West Coast, are traveling from the East Coast or Midwest (maybe you came via a Route 66 Road Trip) and are looking for a fulfilling vacation, or even if you live in Southwest already and want to do a “staycation”, there are so many wonderful Southern California weekend getaways!
I am Taylor Deer, a world traveler who has visited 4 continents and most of the US, and the owner of the travel site Brown Eyed Flower Child. (You may already know me from my other articles on Gypsy With a Day Job: Fabulous New England Weekend Getaways, Planning a Sicily Itinerary or Holidays in Finnish Lapland.) I have spent quite a bit of time in Southern California, and have 7 favorite Southern California Weekend destinations that I think you will love. You may want to try them all!
The 7 Best Southern California Weekend Getaways
Here is an insider’s guide to some amazing Southern California weekends from Los Angeles and San Diego for you to enjoy either with a significant other, friends and family or even by yourself. If you live outside of the area, these options are so fabulous, you won’t regret flying in for a long weekend.
#1- A San Diego Weekend Getaway
If you are visiting Los Angeles, I highly recommended that you do not miss out on experiencing the wonderful beach city of San Diego. Even though I am from the East Coast, I have explored San Diego numerous times and never get sick of it. As one of my favorite cities in the country, it offers beautiful beaches, stunning scenery, blissful mountains, breathtaking desert, quaint neighborhoods and amazing restaurants, making it the best of Southern California weekend getaways. And, if you travel as a family, San Diego is great with kids!
San Diego is over two hours away from Los Angeles, without traffic. The best way to get to and from each city is by car, bus (Greyhound), train (Amtrak) or even by a short plane trip.
Here are some amazing things to do in San Diego:
- Play with the seals in La Jolla Cove and enjoy the seaside village.
- Hike Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, a state park that offers eight miles of trails for all types of hikers.
- Enjoy a relaxing beach day and swim in the ocean in Coronado. (Don’t forget to also pay a visit to the hotel Del Coronado.)
- Watch a surfing competition or experience a boardwalk-type of day in Mission Beach, Pacific Beach or Ocean Beach.
- Walk through the historic Gaslamp Quarter.
- Savor a delicious Italian meal in Little Italy.
- Shop your heart out in Seaport Village.
- Catch a ballgame in Petco Park stadium.
- Get your nature fix in Balboa Park.
- Cool off with a refreshing beer at one of San Diego’s renowned breweries. Some great ones to visit are Ballast Point Brewing, Barley and Sword, and Little Miss Brewing.
- Admire some of the best sunsets in the world at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park.
Find fabulous deals on hotels in San Diego!
#2- A Perfect Orange County Beach Weekend
The breathtaking beach towns in Orange County are perfectly situated between Los Angeles and San Diego, making the area an ideal spot for Southern California weekend getaways. The popular beaches in Orange County are Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and San Clemente. In addition, Orange County offers stunning villages with quaint downtown areas, pristine state parks, wondrous hiking trails and amazing restaurants.
Depending on traffic, it takes close to an hour from Los Angeles and two hours from San Diego to get to the hotspots in Orange County. Some of the best ways to get to the towns in Orange County, from both cities, is by car, bus (Greyhound), train (Amtrak) or even Uber or Lyft.
Here are some amazing things to do in Orange County:
- Hike and enjoy a beach day at Crystal Cove State Park, Orange County’s largest remaining open space and natural seashore.
- Stroll through the town of Laguna Beach and grab an oceanside meal.
- Enjoy a relaxing beach day and stroll through the town of Newport Beach.
- Catch talented surfers ride some gnarly waves in Huntington Beach.
- Shop till you drop at Fashion Island, Newport Beach’s best shopping center and lifestyle mall.
- Get a workout in while catching amazing views from the Pacific Ridge Trailhead that is located in both Irvine and Newport Beach.
- Savor some of the best Mexican food with a view at Las Brisas in Laguna Beach and Javier’s in Crystal Cove State Park.
- Rent a bike and enjoy coastal nature in San Clemente.
Find the best deals on hotels in Orange County!
#3- A Malibu Weekend Getaway
As a place known to have cliffside celebrity homes, the city of Malibu is one of the most beautiful places in the state, and it makes one of the perfect Southern California weekend getaways. Between the stunning beach area, gorgeous mountainside and wonderful wine country, you could get the best of all worlds in Malibu. Stretching for more than 30 miles along the Pacific coast, Malibu has it all.
Malibu is a little over an hour north of Los Angeles and around three and a half hours from San Diego. The best way to get to Malibu is by driving (I highly recommend renting a car to go there).
There are a plethora of different things to do in Malibu:
- Enjoy a day relaxing in the sun on the beach in Zuma Beach.
- Spot ocean wildlife at Point Dume.
- Take a magical hike through the hills and canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
- Taste wine while learning about farm life and agriculture at Malibu Wine Hikes.
- Savor some of the best seafood at Malibu Seafood.
- Pretend you’re a college student and tour the oceanside college of Pepperdine University.
- Get out on the water and see the coast from a different perspective on the Malibu Waverider.
- Grab a healthy bite to eat at Malibu Farms, an organic café on Malibu Pier.
Find fabulous deals on hotels in Malibu!
#4- A Camping in the Desert Weekend
Camping in Southern California offers an exciting and adventurous experience for all. One cool thing to know about camping in the deserts of California is that each is unique from the others, offering a journey you will not forget. The thought of actually camping, or roughing it, is a surprising option for many people considering Southern California weekend getaways.
Most campgrounds are far from the major cities in Southern California, so it is recommended to rent a car or RV to get to your prospective campsite.
Here are some of the best places to camp in Southern California:
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Borrego Palm Canyon Campground
- San Bernardino National Forest
- Mojave National Preserve
- Red Rock Canyon State Park
- Death Valley National Park
#5- The Mountains at Big Bear Weekend
Gorgeous beaches and breathtaking desert aren’t the only natural wonders you could find on the Southern California weekend getaways. Just short of two hours from Los Angeles and three hours from San Diego is Big Bear Lake, a glistening lake surrounded by the greenery of the San Bernardino National Forest. This wonderful lake area offers something to do for everyone all throughout the year, and it makes an amazing trip.
Since Big Bear Lake is pretty far from Los Angeles and San Diego, it is best to rent a car and drive to the cozy village.
Here is what you could do while experiencing the beauty of Big Bear:
- Relax in a cozy log cabin and have a campfire.
- Try a watersport such as waterskiing, wakeboarding or floating yoga.
- Go on a scenic hike overlooking the lake.
- Ski, snowboard or go snow tubing in the wintertime.
- Enjoy one of the many beaches along the lake.
- Savor amazing food and drinks by checking out the village’s many award-winning restaurants and bars.
- Warm up in a hot tub surrounded by wilderness; don’t forget the wine!
Find the best deals on hotels near Big Bear Lake!
#6- A Magical Disneyland Weekend
No matter how old you are, you can never feel bored at the happiest place on earth. You don’t have to go to Orlando, Florida to experience the magic of Disney; located in Anaheim, California is the magical Disneyland Resort that you can add onto any weekend in Southern California!
Situated a little less than an hour from Los Angeles is where you can find the land of magic! There are a plethora of different transportation options to choose from when you want to make your way to Disneyland. You could take the train such as the Orange County Line or Amtrak; the SuperShuttle from LAX in Los Angeles or John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana; Uber or Lyft as well as drive by car or RV.
Here are things to do during a fun weekend in Disneyland:
- Have fun on the thrilling rides!
- Savor amazing food!
- Attend a Disneyland After Dark event for a fun themed night in the park.
- Sign up for a VIP Tour. Some of the popular ones are Walk in Walt’s Foot Steps and The Grand Circle Tour, which are perfect for history lovers!
- Party your way through Downtown Disney. Enjoy amazing food, drinks and live entertainment.
- Catch a ballgame at Angel’s Stadium.
- Get your nature fix at Yorba Park.
- Enjoy the endless amount of foodie options at Anaheim Packing District.
Find fabulous deals on hotels near Disneyland!
#7- A Relaxing Palm Springs Weekend
Known as the “Hamptons” for Los Angeles residents, Palm Springs is a posh desert city that is located in the heart of the Mojave Desert. It is also a popular vacation spot for residents of San Diego. Palm Springs is also iconic for their high-end resorts, a renowned design district and isn’t too far from the famous Coachella Valley (where the annual music festival, Coachella, is taken place). It may be one of the more popular southern California weekend getaways.
Palm Springs is over two hours from both Los Angeles and San Diego and the best way to get there is by car.
Here are the best things to do in Palm Springs:
- Wander through the stores of the Design District. This lovely area offers an array of boutiques, home good stores as well as antique shops.
- Get a glimpse of some of the most beautiful succulents at the Moorten Botanical Garden.
- Take a ride on the Aerial Tramway up to the highest elevation in California.
- Relax at your resort’s pool and schedule a spa appointment.
- Go horseback riding at Smoketree Stables and explore the beautiful Tahquitz Canyon.
- Go on a scavenger hunt to find That Pink Door. Known as one of the most “Instagrammed” places in Palm Springs, this lovely door stands out in the beautiful desert city.
Find the best deals on hotels in Palm Springs!
Which of the Southern California Weekend Getaways is Right for You?
I hope you all enjoyed this guide for wonderful getaways in Southern California and that it gave you ideas for your next weekend adventure.
If you are looking for other SoCal options, perhaps you might be interested in the Cool Things to Do at Death Valley.
If you are looking for something a little further north, perhaps you would like:
- A Weekend in Santa Cruz.
- A Whirlwind Weekend in San Francisco.
- Making the Most of One Day in Yosemite.
And don’t forget, if you are looking for a fabulous weekend getaway, and southern California is not the right neighborhood, be sure to check out our Weekend Getaways page, for lots of other amazing choices!
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About the Author
Taylor Deer is a world travel blogger, writer and content creator from New Jersey who created Brown Eyed Flower Child to show the world through her eyes. The travel bug bit Taylor when she studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain during summer 2012. Ever since then, Taylor’s sense of wander has expanded to several different countries and regions in Europe, Asia and Africa as well as throughout the United States. Whether she is traveling to get out of her comfort zone and find herself, to gain better insight on the world, to help someone or participate in an event or retreat, each travel journey is special and means something different to her. For more travel articles and inspiration, visit Taylor’s blog at www.browneyedflowerchild.com or follow her on her Facebook page, or on Instagram.
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