Day Trippin' › California › From San Jose › Best small towns
Our picks for the best small towns within 3 hours of San Jose: 28 places, 6 under an hour away, 9 between 1 and 2 hours and 13 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 95112.
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 Mystery Spot Santa Cruz, 38 min south of San Jose.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Sanjay ach, CC BY-SA 3.0
#1 · Family fun · 38 min south
A quirky roadside attraction where the ground seems to bend gravity and height.
Heads-up: Tours are on a timed schedule. The hillside is steep.
Photo: Doc Searls, CC BY-SA 2.0
#2 · Small town · 47 min west
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: en:User:Squirrel 22, Public domain
#3 · Small town · 1 hr 5 min northwest
A hillside bay town with galleries, a waterfront walk and ferry rides to the city.
Heads-up: Parking is tight. The ferry is a nice option.
Photo: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
#4 · Small town · 1 hr 13 min south
Storybook village with art galleries, a white sand beach and tiny alley courtyards.
Heads-up: Parking is time-limited in town.
Photo: Daderot, CC0
#5 · Food town · 1 hr 23 min north
Food hall by the Napa River in downtown Napa with cheese, oysters and coffee.
Heads-up: Weekends are busy.
#6 · Small town · 1 hr 48 min north
A walkable downtown with tasting rooms, shops and river views.
Heads-up: Parking fills on weekends.
Photo: Flickr user MiguelVieira, CC BY 2.0
#7 · Town · 2 hr 6 min northeast
A small, well-kept Gold Rush town with balconied buildings, antique shops and wine tasting along Highway 49.
Heads-up: Main Street parking is limited on weekends.
Photo: Karl98007, CC BY-SA 3.0
#8 · Small town · 2 hr 13 min northeast
The Gold Country hub with old brick streets, shops and eateries. Good for a slow afternoon.
Heads-up: Street parking in downtown. Weekends are lively.
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
#9 · Town · 2 hr 31 min northeast
"Old Hangtown," a Gold Rush Main Street with Gold Bug Park mine tours and the Apple Hill orchards just up the ridge.
Heads-up: Apple Hill traffic on fall weekends can back up Highway 50.
Photo: Omar Bárcena, CC BY 2.0
#10 · Small town · 2 hr 44 min southeast
A Swedish-themed town with painted buildings and cafes.
Heads-up: Quiet most weekdays. Swedish Village downtown; Swedish Festival in May, Santa Lucia in December. Source is the local chamber.
Photo: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
#11 · Town · 2 hr 52 min north
The best-preserved Gold Rush downtown in the foothills, with gaslit streets and historic buildings, and Grass Valley next door.
Heads-up: Steep streets and metered downtown parking; weekends and holiday events get crowded.
Photo: Jeremy Weate, CC BY 2.0
#12 · Small town · 2 hr 59 min northwest
A small Highway 101 town near the Skunk Train depot with shops and diners.
Heads-up: Skunk Train departs here in season (confirm before you go).
Photo: Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 4.0
#13 · Family fun · 42 min southwest
Steam train rides through redwoods in Felton, plus a beach train to Santa Cruz in season.
Heads-up: Book ahead on weekends and holidays.
Photo: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0
#14 · Small town · 43 min south
Colorful seaside village with a beach, a wharf and cafes along the creek.
Heads-up: Parking is hard on sunny weekends.
Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0
#15 · Family fun · 54 min northwest
Sea lions, street food, an arcade and a carousel on the busy waterfront.
Heads-up: Crowds and car break-ins at lots. Use transit if possible.
Moss Landing (1 hr), Napa Valley Wine Train (1 hr 24 min), Sonoma Plaza (1 hr 33 min), Point Reyes Station (1 hr 40 min), Healdsburg Plaza (1 hr 52 min), Bodega Bay (1 hr 53 min), Murphys (2 hr 16 min), Groveland (2 hr 23 min), Tower District (2 hr 27 min), Mariposa (2 hr 39 min), Downtown San Luis Obispo and Bubblegum Alley (2 hr 55 min), Oakhurst (2 hr 55 min), Cambria Village (2 hr 59 min)
Our top picks are Mystery Spot Santa Cruz (38 min), Half Moon Bay (47 min), Sausalito (1 hr 5 min), Carmel-by-the-Sea (1 hr 13 min) and Oxbow Public Market (1 hr 23 min). The page lists 28 places in all.
28: 6 under an hour away, 9 between 1 and 2 hours and 13 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 95112.
Mystery Spot Santa Cruz, about 38 min south of San Jose.
23 need no pass or fee, including Half Moon Bay, Point Reyes Station and Sausalito. Fees change, so check each place.
27 of the 28 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.