Day Trippin' › California › From Los Angeles › Best mountains and viewpoints
Our picks for the best mountains and viewpoints within 3 hours of Los Angeles: 40 places, 11 under an hour away, 20 between 1 and 2 hours and 9 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 90012.
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 Will Rogers State Historic Park, 27 min west of Los Angeles.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Mfield, Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com, CC BY-SA 3.0
#1 · Landmark · 1 hr 45 min east
A rotating tram car lifts you from desert floor to cool alpine forest in about ten minutes.
Heads-up: Top is 30 degrees or more cooler than the desert. Bring a jacket. Check the maintenance closure dates.
Photo: Blervis, CC0
#2 · National park · 2 hr 2 min southeast
A historic lighthouse and tide pools at Point Loma with a big view over San Diego bay.
Heads-up: Tide pools are best at low tide. Check for any closures.
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Miskatonic assumed (based on copyright…, CC BY 2.5
#3 · State park · 2 hr 36 min southeast
California's largest state park, with palm canyons, badlands and, in some years, spring wildflowers.
Heads-up: Very hot in summer. Dirt roads. The wildflower bloom can be weak in dry years. Open; visitor center 9 AM to 5 PM; Coyote Canyon Road closed to vehicles at Third Crossing
Photo: Thcipriani, CC BY-SA 4.0
#4 · Landmark · 29 min south
A grand ocean liner moored at Long Beach, open for tours, dining and events. Her 90th year is 2026.
Heads-up: Hours and tours vary by date (confirm before you go).
Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0
#5 · Beach · 1 hr 50 min southeast
A sheltered cove with sea lions, snorkeling and sea caves, with cliff views above.
Heads-up: Parking is hard on weekends. Strong swells at times. Sea lions are wild, keep away.
Photo: Mfield, Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com, CC BY-SA 3.0
#6 · Viewpoint · 2 hr 34 min east
A high lookout over the Coachella Valley, the San Andreas Fault and the Salton Sea on clear days.
Heads-up: Wind and haze. Dogs only on paved areas.
Photo: Kayamon (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
#7 · State park · 27 min west
A historic ranch with polo fields, a short loop trail and views toward the ocean.
Heads-up: Burned in the Palisades fire. Inspiration Loop only partly open (confirm before you go). Reopened with limited access Nov 2025 after Palisades Fire; ranch house and stables destroyed; some areas…
Photo: The original uploader was Geographer at English Wikipedia., CC BY 2.5
#8 · State park · 36 min west
Easy hikes to a rocky pool, the old M*A*S*H set site and views of Malibu Canyon.
Heads-up: Fire recovery status (confirm before you go). Closed on red flag days. Official page loads; the closure wording was only about fire-safety/firewood rules. Check park page for trail status.
Photo: Thomas from USA, CC BY 2.0
#9 · Landmark · 46 min north
Tilted rock slabs used in many movies and TV shows, with easy trails.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. Bring water. LA County park, closed Mondays; winter hours roughly 8am-5pm; nature center may be under construction.
Photo: Patrick Pelletier, CC BY-SA 3.0
#10 · Small town · 1 hr 24 min northwest
Art galleries, orchards and mountain views in a relaxed valley town.
Heads-up: Plan for heat in summer. Check Thomas Fire area trails (confirm before you go). Official Ojai visitor center at Ojai Valley Museum; hours limited, check page.
Photo: CityMorgue, CC BY-SA 4.0
#11 · Landmark · 1 hr 25 min east
Giant roadside dinosaurs by the freeway and a gift shop with a museum.
Heads-up: Check hours.
Photo: Arnoldus13, CC BY-SA 3.0
#12 · Zoo · 1 hr 31 min west
Small, hilltop zoo with ocean views and animals from around the world.
Heads-up: Hills are steep in spots. Buy tickets online.
Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 4.0
#13 · Landmark · 1 hr 32 min west
Historic pier with seafood stands, a science center and harbor views.
Heads-up: Parking is a short walk.
Photo: Konrad Summers from Santa Clarita (Valencia) , California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
#14 · Landmark · 1 hr 33 min west
Spanish Revival courthouse with a free clock tower view over the city.
Heads-up: Tower lines are short on weekdays.
Photo: Daderot at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
#15 · Garden · 1 hr 34 min southeast
A large garden in Encinitas with themed areas, a bamboo forest and a children's garden.
Heads-up: Hilly paths in parts. Open 9 AM to 5 PM, closed Tuesdays; some areas temporarily closed on select days through Nov 17 for Lightscape setup
Topanga State Park (33 min), Point Vicente Lighthouse and Interpretive Center (37 min), Mount Wilson Observatory (47 min), Heisler Park and Tide Pools (51 min), Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park (54 min), Mount Rubidoux (57 min), Santa Monica Mountains Backbone Trail Sections (59 min), Kimberly Crest House and Gardens (1 hr 4 min), Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center (1 hr 6 min), Ventura Pier (1 hr 6 min), Oceanside Pier and Harbor (1 hr 20 min), Carlsbad Flower Fields (1 hr 26 min), Lotusland (1 hr 32 min), Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (1 hr 39 min), Buck Owens Crystal Palace (1 hr 43 min), Birch Aquarium at Scripps (1 hr 46 min), Mount San Jacinto State Park (1 hr 53 min), Cougar Crest Trail (1 hr 59 min), Sunset Cliffs Natural Park (2 hr), Mission Santa Ines (2 hr 9 min), Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (2 hr 31 min), Laguna Mountains Recreation Area (2 hr 40 min), Trona Pinnacles (2 hr 49 min), Borrego Springs Sculptures (2 hr 50 min), Lake Isabella (2 hr 52 min)
Our top picks are Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (1 hr 45 min), Cabrillo National Monument (2 hr 2 min), Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (2 hr 36 min), Queen Mary (29 min) and La Jolla Cove (1 hr 50 min). The page lists 40 places in all.
40: 11 under an hour away, 20 between 1 and 2 hours and 9 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 90012.
Will Rogers State Historic Park, about 27 min west of Los Angeles.
12 need no pass or fee, including Santa Barbara County Courthouse, Trona Pinnacles and Mount Rubidoux. Fees change, so check each place.
28 of the 40 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.