Day Trippin' › California › From Sacramento › Best beaches and lakes
Our picks for the best beaches and lakes within 3 hours of Sacramento: 50 places, 2 under an hour away, 29 between 1 and 2 hours and 19 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 95814.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, 29 min northeast of Sacramento.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Chris6d, CC BY-SA 4.0
#1 · Island · 2 hr 12 min southwest
Ferry to the old island prison with an audio tour and big city views.
Heads-up: Island and ferry closed Oct 26 to Nov 18, 2026 for dock repairs (confirm before you go). Book only on the official site. Tickets sell out weeks ahead.
Photo: The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0
#2 · Theme park · 2 hr 26 min south
Classic seaside amusement park with a wooden coaster, arcade and a wide beach next door.
Heads-up: Weekend parking fills fast in summer. Check the calendar before you go.
Photo: Taras Bobrovytsky, CC0
#3 · Island · 2 hr 17 min southwest
Ferry to a bay island with a loop road, hiking, bike rentals and old military sites.
Heads-up: Ferry needs advance tickets. No ferry on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Last boat leaves early afternoon in winter (confirm before you go).
Photo: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
#4 · National park · 2 hr 42 min north
Boiling mud pots, steam vents, lava peaks and clear lakes along one scenic highway in one of the least crowded national parks.
Heads-up: Highway 89 through the park closes for winter, usually by November; then you can drive only to the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center or Manzanita Lake. No dogs on trails.
Photo: Vince Migliore, CC BY 3.0
#5 · Lake · 29 min northeast
A big reservoir with beaches, bike paths and boating close to Sacramento; Beals Point and Granite Bay are the main beaches.
Heads-up: The lake is low now with a 5 mph boat limit, and some areas have E. coli alerts. No dogs in the main swim areas.
Photo: Ijon, CC BY-SA 4.0
#6 · Hike · 1 hr 21 min southwest
A park in the Berkeley hills with trails, a lake, a carousel and a small steam train.
Heads-up: Swimming at Lake Anza costs money in summer (confirm before you go). Open 5am-10pm; Lake Anza swim beach closed for the season
Photo: Robert Campbell, CC BY-SA 3.0
#7 · Historic site · 1 hr 34 min southwest
A former army post turned park with trails, gardens, beaches and a visitor center.
Heads-up: Plan a route. Free shuttle runs in the park (confirm before you go).
Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0
#8 · Garden · 1 hr 35 min southwest
A huge city park with gardens, lakes, museums, bike paths and the Japanese Tea Garden.
Heads-up: Car-free areas on some days. Parking inside is limited.
Photo: Flickr user "NileGuide.com", CC BY 2.0
#9 · State park · 1 hr 37 min northeast
A museum on the Donner Party and the building of the transcontinental railroad, beside the Pioneer Monument and the shore of Donner Lake.
Heads-up: The visitor center is open daily 10 to 5 except major holidays. No dogs in the visitor center or on the Nature Trail.
Photo: Anderson Marsh State Historic Park Staff, Public domain
#10 · State park · 1 hr 42 min west
Wetlands and old ranch trails near Clear Lake with birds and short walks.
Heads-up: Mosquitoes in warm months. Monthly guided nature walks 2nd Saturday (not Jan/Dec)
Photo: Doc Searls, CC BY-SA 2.0
#11 · Small town · 1 hr 58 min southwest
A coast town with a historic main street, beaches and pumpkin patches in fall.
Heads-up: Highway 92 and Highway 1 get slow on weekends.
Photo: Anlace, CC BY-SA 3.0
#12 · Beach · 1 hr 59 min west
A long coast of rocky headlands and sandy coves along Highway 1.
Heads-up: Strong rip currents. Swimming is not safe. Sneaker waves.
Photo: Kazuho Okui, CC BY 2.0
#13 · State park · 2 hr east
Clear water and granite-boulder coves at Lester Beach, where the Rubicon Trail starts along the cliffs to Emerald Bay.
Heads-up: Closed to cars from October 1 until spring; park at the gate lot on Highway 89 and walk in. No dogs on beaches or dirt trails.
Photo: Kglavin, CC BY 2.5
#14 · State park · 2 hr 5 min northwest
A lakeshore park with swimming, boating, fishing and campsites at the largest natural lake in the state.
Heads-up: Algae blooms may close swimming areas (confirm before you go). Open; four campgrounds, no hookups
Photo: DimiTalen (talk · contribs), CC BY-SA 3.0
#15 · State park · 2 hr 6 min northeast
An old-growth pine forest on the west shore with the Ehrman Mansion, a lakefront pier and beach, and groomed ski trails in winter.
Heads-up: Mansion tours run late May to September 30; the grounds are open all year. Highway 89 often needs chains or 4WD in winter.
Auburn State Recreation Area (38 min), Oroville Dam (1 hr 18 min), South Yuba River State Park (1 hr 20 min), Lake Merritt (1 hr 21 min), Calistoga Hot Springs and Mud Baths (1 hr 27 min), Donner Summit Bridge (1 hr 31 min), Bidwell Park (1 hr 35 min), Crissy Field Promenade (1 hr 36 min), Ocean Beach (1 hr 38 min), Muir Beach Overlook (1 hr 39 min), Point Reyes Station (1 hr 43 min), Stinson Beach (1 hr 47 min), Palisades Tahoe Aerial Tram (1 hr 48 min), Downieville (1 hr 51 min), Tahoe City (1 hr 52 min), Bodega Bay (1 hr 52 min), Fallen Leaf Lake (1 hr 55 min), Eagle Falls (1 hr 57 min), Limantour Beach (1 hr 59 min), Los Gatos Creek Trail (1 hr 59 min), Lake County Wine Region (2 hr), Russian River at Guerneville (2 hr), Drakes Beach (2 hr 8 min), Grover Hot Springs State Park (2 hr 14 min), Pigeon Point Lighthouse State Historic Park (2 hr 20 min), Lakes Basin (2 hr 22 min), Roaring Camp Railroads (2 hr 28 min), Capitola Village (2 hr 29 min), Natural Bridges State Beach (2 hr 32 min), Lake Shasta Caverns (2 hr 39 min), Whiskeytown Lake (2 hr 42 min), Fort Ord Dunes State Park (2 hr 49 min), Marina State Beach (2 hr 50 min), Cannery Row (2 hr 59 min), Carmel-by-the-Sea (3 hr)
Our top picks are Alcatraz Island (2 hr 12 min), Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (2 hr 26 min), Angel Island State Park (2 hr 17 min), Lassen Volcanic National Park (2 hr 42 min) and Folsom Lake State Recreation Area (29 min). The page lists 50 places in all.
50: 2 under an hour away, 29 between 1 and 2 hours and 19 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 95814.
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, about 29 min northeast of Sacramento.
16 need no pass or fee, including Crissy Field Promenade, Half Moon Bay and Lake Merritt. Fees change, so check each place.
37 of the 50 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.