Red Tile Roofs Behind You, Open Road Ahead—These 20 Day Trips Start in the Dreamiest Part of California
You finally have a free day in Santa Barbara, but lounging by the beach or hitting State Street again isn’t cutting it.
The good news? There are plenty of day trips from Santa Barbara nearby that take you through wine country drives or art gallery hopping. Everything on this list is within about three hours or less and ranked by distance, so you can actually spend the day exploring, not sitting in traffic or rushing back before dark.
During my van life stretch along the California coast and after living in LA, Santa Barbara was a quick enough nearby place I circled back to often. After road-tripping through 38 states and spending years exploring the West Coast, these were the places I found myself returning to when I needed something new without going far.
Easy Day Trips from Santa Barbara: Less than 1 Hour
1. Carpinteria
Distance: 12 miles/~20 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Carpinteria: Year-round
Carpinteria is home to what’s been dubbed the “world’s safest beach” thanks to its gentle slope and calm surf. It’s small and easygoing with that classic SoCal energy where you can walk straight onto the sand from downtown.
If the beach isn’t calling, the nearby Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve has oceanfront trails. Downtown is compact and walkable, with antique stores, surf shops, and old-school roadside attractions like the quirky Alcazar Theatre.
2. Gaviota State Park
Distance: 33 miles/~40 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Fall for fewer crowds
A railroad trestle arches across Gaviota Pass, a dramatic welcome sign to the stretch of coastline that defines this park. The beach, backed by steep cliffs and rolling hills, feels far wilder than most spots near Santa Barbara.
Once you cross under the historic train bridge, a tucked-away cove opens up with a sandy beach and a rocky shore. Surfers paddle out while hikers head inland on the Gaviota Peak Trail, a steep climb with sweeping views at the top. Gaviota Hot Springs is hidden in the foothills.
3. Los Olivos
Distance: 35 miles/~45 minutes
Type: Artistic
Best Time to Go to Los Olivos: Spring for wildflowers in bloom
This tiny town has more tasting rooms per capita than most cities have coffee shops. It’s also where art galleries are just as common as boutique wine spots.
While wine is the main attraction, galleries like Judith Hale and J. Woeste mix local art with eccentric garden décor. Expect horse ranches just outside town, old western buildings turned into design-forward storefronts, and frequent live music tucked into courtyards or porches.
4. Solvang
Distance: 35 miles/~45 minutes
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go to Solvang: Winter for Danish-style holiday events
Solvang is a Danish-American town founded in 1911 that looks like it fell out of a fairy tale. You can walk past a replica of Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid statue and an actual working clock tower within the same block.
Architecture is lined with timber-framed buildings, red tile roofs, and ornate signage that feels straight out of a European village. The Elverhøj Museum digs into the town’s Danish roots. Horse-drawn trolley rides circle through town, and several independent bookstores and old-school candy shops make it worth poking into storefronts.
5. Santa Ynez
Distance: 36 miles/~50 minutes
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go to Santa Ynez: Summer for rodeo season
Santa Ynez was once a stagecoach stop. It’s quieter than neighboring Solvang but with a more cowboy swagger than European village vibes.
Downtown’s false-front buildings now house saloons-turned-art-galleries. Try to time your visit with a horse show or small-town parade. Independent shops sell everything from cowboy hats to turquoise jewelry.
6. Lompoc
Distance: 55 miles/~1 hr
Type: Educational
Best Time to Go to Lompoc: Spring for wildflower fields
Lompoc produces more than 50 percent of the world’s flower seeds and turns into a literal field of color in spring. It also has some of the most accessible murals per square block in Southern California.
Start in Old Town, where over 30 murals cover walls, alleys, and even utility boxes. Mission La Purísima Concepción is one of the best-preserved California missions, with walking paths through 2,000 acres of restored 19th-century grounds. If space launches interest you, Vandenberg Space Force Base occasionally offers public viewing areas for rocket launches.
Best Day Trips from Santa Barbara: Less than 2 Hours
7. Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia
Distance: 74 miles/~1 hour 15 minutes
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go: Fall for shorter lines
Magic Mountain holds the record for the most roller coasters in any theme park in the world, with more than 20 high-speed rides. Coaster fans come for the heavy hitters like Twisted Colossus, X2, and Tatsu, each one trying to outdo the last in speed, drops, or absurd track twists. The DC Universe section adds immersive comic-book theming, while live shows and seasonal events like Fright Fest change the pace.
8. Ventura
Distance: 30 miles/~50 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Ventura: Summer for beach weather
Ventura is home to one of California’s few remaining wooden piers, stretching 1,700 feet into the Pacific. San Buenaventura State Beach runs for miles with wide stretches of sand and views of the Channel Islands. The Ventura Harbor area offers access to boat tours, paddleboard rentals, and departures for the Channel Islands.
In town, vintage shops, old theaters, and a handful of galleries line Main Street. I once came here just to see a Demolition Derby.
9. Ojai
Distance: 38 miles/~1 hour
Type: Artistic
Best Time to Go to Ojai: Spring for orange blossom season
Ojai is known for its “pink moment,” a brief time at sunset when the mountains take on a surreal hue. But even outside of that window, the downtown strip is lined with art galleries and small boutiques to stroll through.
Bart’s Books is a bookstore built almost entirely outdoors. Look out for public art scattered across town and rotating exhibits in small spaces. An arts-and-crafts-style arcade at the heart of town dates back to the 1910s and remains the local hangout.
10. Pismo Beach
Distance: 80 miles/~1 hour 30 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Pismo Beach: Winter for monarch migration
Pismo Beach is one of the few places in California where you can legally drive on the sand. Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area lets you take an ATV or 4×4 right onto the beach. Surfing is steady, and the beach itself is wide enough that it never feels packed.
The Monarch Butterfly Grove just south of town is a seasonal spectacle, with thousands of butterflies hanging from eucalyptus trees between November and February.
11. San Luis Obispo
Distance: 95 miles/~1 hour 45 minutes
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go to SLO: Fall for student energy and events
San Luis Obispo is home to Cal Poly and regularly lands on lists of the happiest towns in America. Start in the historic Mission Plaza, then wander the creekside paths behind it that connect to shops and galleries.
Bubblegum Alley is one of those things you just have to see once: a narrow passage completely covered in chewed gum, gross and oddly photogenic. On Thursdays, downtown fills up with one of the best night markets in California.
12. Avila Beach
Distance: 90 miles/~1 hour 45 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Avila Beach: Summer for warmer water
Avila Beach is warmer and more sheltered than most Central Coast spots, thanks to its south-facing orientation. It’s a smaller and more underrated coastal town than, say, Pismo.
The beachfront promenade is walkable and filled with shops and tasting rooms. Kids often head to the Pirate Park, while adults make their way to Sycamore Mineral Springs nearby. Tidepools show up at low tide near the pier, and there’s usually a harbor seal or two lounging nearby.
13. Paso Robles
Distance: 110 miles/~2 hours
Type: Historical & Cultural
Best Time to Go to Paso Robles: Fall for grape harvest
Paso Robles has over 200 wineries, but what sets it apart is how many of them are small-batch or family-run.
The town square is anchored by a central park, surrounded by historic buildings that house tasting rooms and boutiques. Beyond wine, Sensorio, an immersive light installation set in the hills, has become one of the area’s signature attractions.
14. Morro Bay
Distance: 107 miles/~2 hours
Type: Wildlife
Best Time to Go to Morro Bay: Winter for sea otter sightings
Morro Rock, the massive volcanic plug rising 576 feet above the shoreline, is the centerpiece of this working harbor town. Watch sea otters float on their backs, explore seaweed-covered rocks at low tide, and take a guided kayak tour to see the harbor from the water level. The nearby Montana de Oro is one of the best state parks I’ve ever been to.
15. Cayucos
Distance: 115 miles/~2 hours
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Cayucos: Spring for ideal beach weather
Cayucos still feels like the 1970s never left. There are no chains and very few crowds. The wooden pier is the centerpiece, popular with surfers and local kids casting lines. The beach itself is wide and clean. At low tide, tide pools pop up just north of the pier, especially around Estero Bluffs.
16. Cambria
Distance: 125 miles/~2 hours
Type: Artistic
Best Time to Go to Cambria: Fall for fewer tourists
Cambria sits along the iconic route, Highway 1, where people drive for the views but stop for the vibe. It’s artsy and surrounded by pine forests instead of palm trees.
Moonstone Beach is one of the main draws, with its driftwood-lined shore and boardwalk trail. The town itself is split into East and West Village, both walkable and filled with galleries and offbeat shops. Nitt Witt Ridge, a house made almost entirely of junk and reclaimed materials, is a bizarre landmark that doubles as folk art.
Santa Barbara Day Trips: Around or Less than 3 Hours
17. Los Angeles
Distance: 95 miles/~2 hours
Type: Urban
Best Time to Go to Los Angeles: Winter for clearer skies
Los Angeles County is home to over 10 million people and more than 400 neighborhoods. It’s impossible to do the whole city in a day, but it’s easy to carve out a section and go deep.
Stick to one area to keep things sane. Downtown LA has the incredible Broad Museum, the Arts District, and Grand Central Market within a walkable radius. If it’s your first time, Griffith Observatory and the nearby trails deliver those classic skyline views. Westside neighborhoods like Venice and Santa Monica skew more beachy but classic.
18. Malibu
Distance: 75 miles/~1 hour 30 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go to Malibu: Summer for beach access
Malibu has 27 miles of incredible coastline and a decades-long reputation for being both laid-back and out-of-reach. Unfortunately, with the latest 2024 LA wildfires, many places are still not yet accessible.
Zuma Beach is the most spacious and usually has room to spread out, even on weekends. El Matador State Beach is my favorite for photo-worthy sea stacks and narrow coves, especially at low tide. Drive the Pacific Coast Highway for blufftop views, or head inland to Malibu Creek State Park for trails through canyonland and old filming locations. The Getty Villa sits at the eastern edge of Malibu, a Roman-style estate packed with classical art and sculpture.
19. Channel Islands National Park
Distance: Via Ventura Harbor / 1 hour 15 minute ferry
Type: Wildlife
Best Time to Go to Channel Islands: Summer for calm seas
Five islands make up this Channel Islands National Park, and none have cars, stores, or hotels. The ferry ride out is part of the experience, often with dolphin pods or whales making an appearance.
Santa Cruz Island is the most visited, where one goes sea cave kayaking or backcountry hiking. At Scorpion Anchorage, you can snorkel with bright garibaldi fish or watch the island foxes that only exist here. Anacapa is smaller with a historic lighthouse and colonies of nesting seabirds. Day trips are totally self-supported.
20. Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve
Distance: 130 miles/~2 hours 30 minutes
Type: Nature & Outdoors
Best Time to Go: Spring for peak bloom
The reserve can explode with millions of California poppies, carpeting the Mojave grasslands in vivid orange. It only happens for a few weeks each spring and depends entirely on rainfall. I once went during a “superbloom,” and it was vastly more impressive than the other year I had gone.
A network of trails loops through the fields with elevation points for wide views of the bloom. Stay on the paths to protect the ecosystem, which also includes lupines, cream cups, and goldfields. The wind here can be intense. Pair it with a stop at the nearby Aerospace Valley or scenic routes through the Antelope Valley hills to stretch the trip.
Catherine, a seasoned travel writer, has lived in 4 different states and explored 36 states and 28 national parks. After spending two years embracing van life, she's now dedicated to sharing her vast knowledge of day trips across America. Catherine's other works has been referenced in major publications like MSN, Self, and TripSavvy.
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