Day Trippin' › California › From Los Angeles › Best small towns
Our picks for the best small towns within 3 hours of Los Angeles: 30 places, 8 under an hour away, 14 between 1 and 2 hours and 8 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 Long Beach Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor, 28 min south of Los Angeles.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: shadowhound, CC BY-SA 2.0
#1 · Small town · 1 hr 26 min east
A lakeside village with shops, restaurants and a pretty mountain setting. Good for a relaxed lunch.
Heads-up: The lake is private, so public swimming is limited. Winter roads may need chains.
Photo: Allie_Caulfield, CC BY 2.0
#2 · Small town · 2 hr 9 min west
Danish-style village with bakeries, windmills and shops in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Heads-up: Busy on holiday weekends.
Photo: APK, CC BY-SA 4.0
#3 · Small town · 1 hr 47 min east
A cool pine-forest village under Mount San Jacinto with art shops, cafes and trailheads.
Heads-up: Winding mountain road. Snow and ice possible in winter. Mountain village; San Jacinto Ranger District office in town; snow Dec-Mar.
Photo: --Microsomen 17:11, 31 May 2005 (UTC), CC BY 2.0
#4 · Food town · 2 hr 24 min southeast
An old gold-mining mountain town known for apple pie, cider and fall color.
Heads-up: Very busy fall weekends. Snow possible in winter.
Photo: Contributor19, CC BY 4.0
#5 · Family fun · 29 min southeast
Free shops, restaurants and shows outside the park gates.
Heads-up: Parking is paid. Open daily; hours vary, check Disneyland calendar.
Photo: CanO27sprite, CC BY-SA 4.0
#6 · Family fun · 43 min southeast
Big park with a carousel, sports and open fields.
Heads-up: Some attractions open only some days (confirm before you go).
Photo: Cbeekman, CC BY-SA 3.0
#7 · Family fun · 44 min southeast
Old oak trees, a small zoo, pony rides and a pond for paddle boats.
Heads-up: Check zoo and ride hours (confirm before you go). OC Parks; fall/winter hours 6am to 6pm.
Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0
#8 · Small town · 47 min southeast
A tiny island of shops and frozen bananas, reached by a short car or passenger ferry.
Heads-up: Weekends are busy. Ferry runs about 6:30am to midnight daily (confirm on site).
Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0
#9 · Small town · 58 min southeast
Harbor with shops, boat tours and whale watching trips.
Heads-up: Whale watching best Dec-Apr and summer. OC Parks county harbor; revitalization construction may affect some areas.
Photo: Davishan99, CC BY-SA 3.0
#10 · Small town · 1 hr 22 min southeast
A Western-style main street with shops, cafes, and a short drive to the wineries.
Heads-up: Busy on weekends. Summer afternoons are hot. Historic district with shops, restaurants, museum and theater; Saturday farmers market.
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
#11 · Small town · 1 hr 23 min southeast
A beach town with a lively village, shops, cafes and a long coastal walk.
Heads-up: Summer crowds. Parking is metered.
Photo: Patrick Pelletier, CC BY-SA 3.0
#12 · 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: Original uploader was Ohnoitsjamie at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.0
#13 · Small town · 1 hr 33 min southeast
A surf town with beaches, a famous yoga garden area and a lively main street.
Heads-up: Beach parking is tight in summer. City beach rules: no dogs, alcohol, glass or grills; Moonlight Beach has free parking.
Photo: David S. Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
#14 · Family fun · 1 hr 53 min southeast
A beachfront amusement area with a classic roller coaster and arcade.
Heads-up: Ride hours vary. Free entry; buy ride tickets or wristband; open year-round.
Photo: Mfield, Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com, CC BY-SA 3.0
#15 · Small town · 1 hr 57 min east
A Western movie set turned small town with shops, live music and a roadhouse.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. Check event dates.
Long Beach Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor (28 min), Naples Island and Belmont Shore (32 min), Mount Baldy Village (48 min), Ventura Harbor Village (1 hr 6 min), Yucaipa Regional Park (1 hr 12 min), Downtown Ventura (1 hr 18 min), Bakersfield Basque Food (1 hr 45 min), Liberty Station (1 hr 54 min), Gaslamp Quarter (1 hr 56 min), Los Olivos (2 hr 8 min), Santa Ysabel (2 hr 14 min), Lompoc Murals and Flower Fields (2 hr 25 min), Kernville (2 hr 43 min), Mooney Grove Park (2 hr 44 min), Kingsburg (2 hr 59 min)
Our top picks are Lake Arrowhead Village (1 hr 26 min), Solvang (2 hr 9 min), Idyllwild (1 hr 47 min), Julian (2 hr 24 min) and Downtown Disney District (29 min). The page lists 30 places in all.
30: 8 under an hour away, 14 between 1 and 2 hours and 8 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 90012.
Long Beach Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor, about 28 min south of Los Angeles.
22 need no pass or fee, including Lompoc Murals and Flower Fields, Solvang and Pioneertown. Fees change, so check each place.
28 of the 30 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.