The Best LA Road Trips to Take This Spring

From Baja to the North Coast, here’s everywhere to explore and where to stop and eat along the way.

When you ’re think about getting out of townspeople , it ’s promiscuous to concentre only on the destination , to countenance your thinker bound to ‘ when we get there ’ andeuro - stepright by ‘ on the direction . ’ But that ’s a greenhorn mistake . California is a gravid body politic for route misstep , and that ’s not just because of thebeautiful placesat the end of the route . Whether you ’re go north along the duration of the state , head south toward the margin , or Orient into thedesert , there are many wondrous spot within light driving space that also have plenty of fun stops along the path .

To avail manoeuvre you , we ’ve compiled a leaning of ten of the best road trips from LA . There are place to visit in every direction , with some route guidance for the best Michigan to make your journey as fun as the destination . Here are the 10 good road trips from LA right now .

Paso Robles

Distance from LA:3 hoursCentral California ’s wine-colored country is an easy skip up from Southern California , but that does n’t mean you have to burn rubber all the way . It ’s ordinarily a little faster to take the 5 and cut over through the mountains , but it ’s a peck more pleasant to ride up the 101 . Then you’re able to belt down out forcoffeein Ventura , asnack in Santa Barbara , stretch your legs in theSanta Maria Valley , and enjoy the cool beach air on the direction up . You ’re probably going to Paso for wine , and there aremany great choices , but do n’t overlook the food and beer . Try ramen and cookies atPaso Market Walkfood hall , The Hatchfor forward-looking Southern dining that ’s become a local insane asylum , woods - fired pizza atLebber ’s , and Central Coast BBQ tri - tip atCregor ’s . There ’s alsoBarrel House , Silva , KiloKilo , and legendaryFirestone - Walkerbreweries .

Sacramento

Distance from LA:6 hoursCalifornia ’s capital city is often maligned as a backwater“cow town,”but if you have n’t been in a while it may be metre for a revisit . The city has a endearing farm - to - table food conniption with greatmodern Mexican food , someoutstanding coffee shops , and a beautiful waterfront along both banks of the Sacramento River just west of downtown . you could also visit all sorts of California turning point , from the Capitol Building building and its surrounding park to theStanford Mansionand more . On your path up , take the 99 freeway to breeze through Bakersfield for aBasque banquet , Fresno for their vauntedbrewery district , and a golf shot through Merced for someretro small town charm .

Napa Valley

Distance from LA:6.5 hoursPlenty of physical and digital ink has been spilled about the Napa Valley , California ’s most esteemed and fanciest wine area , and there are a ton of fantasticreasons to claver . That includes wine-coloured , of course , but also all of the luxuriant thing that spring up in places where people with disposable income congregate — okay dining , health spa , live line balloons , glamping , golfing , bocce ball , and more . On the way up , pull off the 580 in Pleasanton in the East Bay for southeasterly Asiatic noggin and the jelly dessert Kuih Lapis atNyonya Cafe , followed by striking coffee and more gorgeous desserts atKamurocho .

Valle de Guadalupe

Distance from LA:4 hoursThere is also wine country to the Confederate States of America of LA , a few hours across the border in the Valle de Guadalupe . Like Napa , Paso , and Santa Barbara to the north , Baja ’s wine land has fantastic juice , beautiful natural landscapes , and a particular solid food scenery that’smore than worth a sojourn . On your way to your idyllic eco - conscious luxury refuge in the Valle , you may want to hop out for a bite inSan Diego . Then you ’ll probably cross the border into Tijuana , which gives you the opportunity to take advantage of that city ’s thrilling food — try outbirria , mariscos , adobada , and so much more at various stands around townspeople , or come out byTelefónica Gastro Parkto check out some new - waving vendors in the TJ view .

Phoenix

space from LA:6 hoursIt ’s uncanny to recommend a road misstep outside of California — this is n’t the East Coast , where you may circumstantially chaffer like eight nation on a occasional afternoon campaign . But Arizona is snug than you think , and there are fun things to do in Phoenix , even though baseball game ’s spring grooming is over . The intellectual nourishment shot isfun and diverse , there’selectric nightlife , and theDesert Botanical Gardenis a miracle if you are interested in desert plants . The campaign over is a unbent shot on the 10 East , so next meter you get a slight run up with that 110 North connector , maybe keep going another six or so hours through the desert . You ’ll make pass throughPalm Springsand the right way by Joshua Tree before drifting across a few hundred mile of passive , flat desert landscape painting that makes for a surprisingly assuasive and broody drive .

Kings Canyon National Park

Distance from LA:4.5 hoursEveryone should visit Yosemite as often as they can , but confine your adventures in the Sierras to Yosemite is like playing“Grindin”on repeat and ignoringHell Hath No Fury . Kings Canyon is less popular than its neighbors but no less stunning for it . There are jumbo Leslie Richard Groves of Sequoias , hidden falls , andthe most distant scenic drive in America . The route to get there brings you on the 99 through the intemperately agrarian Central Valley , and it ’s deserving take a minute to appreciate the landscape painting that provides so much of the universe ’s produce . Or just pop out in Bakersfield for tortas ahogadas atLoncheria Otro Rollo , chocolate atCafe Smitten , or a beer atDionysus .

Santa Cruz

Distance from LA:5.5 hoursThere is no shortage of ill-scented beach towns up and down the California coast , but if you ’re headed out for a road trip , you may as well go to Santa Cruz , the funkiest of them all . The city has managed to defend its chill vibes even in the side of an inflow of digital nomads from San Francisco , and the Laurus nobilis ’s killer surf break is n’t going anywhere . All of the common outdoorsy adventures are at the tip of your toes , from surfing to hiking to kayaking and beyond , and the arena ’s vino and beer scene are top - snick . chequer outSante AdairiusorHumble Seafor some of the best beer in California , intercept intoApero Clubfor fun and approachable born vino , or browseBad Animalfor wine , books , and snack . skip over from the 5 and land in Paso Robles , which is a perfect halfway point to stretch your legs and take hold of some food for the 2d half of the driving through the Central Coast .

The Grand Canyon

Distance from LA:8 hoursThe line between iconic and cliche is a okay one , and a road trip to the Grand Canyon terpsichore back and forth across it . You could end up inJoe Dirt , National Lampoon ’s Vacation , or infinite other picture and TV shows . But there ’s a rationality the Grand Canyon gets so much shine in democratic media — it lives up to its billing as one of the few legitimately reverence - exhort place in the country . The drive from LA to the South Rim get hold of you north-east through the Mojave Desert . That stand for there are n’t a ton of obvious stop along the way , but it ’s nevertheless a beautiful and unique drive .

Sea Ranch

length from LA:8 hoursIf you desire your road trip to take you off the grid , take the belittled North Coast community of interests of Sea Ranch . The compendium of architecturally significant homes was first developed in the sixties as a spot where dwelling house would intermix in to the natural landscape , build up using local forest and designed to allow as much natural light as possible . There are some 50 miles of trail to search , in accession to tennis court of law , playgrounds , a program library , and a rich sentience of placidity that blankets the stretching of rugged coastline . There are homes for rent , andThe Lodgehas just reopened its restaurant , bar , coffee bar , and store after a prolonged restoration , and is set to begin accepting guests for undivided rooms this summer . The route from LA takes you up through Oakland , Marin County , and Petaluma , which means you ’ve get a net ton of fun stops to make on the farsighted drive up to the remote coast .

San Francisco

Distance from LA:6 hoursCalifornia ’s most obvious drive finish is probably the respectable , so do n’t overthink it — San Francisco is an implausibly fun position to chatter . The food , artistry , history , and rude beauty are all great understanding to make the trip-up , even if it ’s not precisely the laid-back Beatnik paradise it used to be . You ’ll probably force back right up the 5 without any particularly interesting catch , though you could always pop over the 152 state highway through Gilroy and into the South Bay to get up to the city . It lend a few second — especially at rush hour — but it open a whole world of places to get out along the way , from collation and tech history inSan Josetobreweriesin San Mateo andoutstanding parched goods .

kings canyon scenic byway at kings canyon national park