Museum · 42 min southwest
California Academy of Sciences
An aquarium, planetarium, rainforest dome and living roof all under one roof in Golden Gate Park.
- 3-5 hrs · Easy
- Open daily (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Day Trippin' › California › From Concord
Day trips from Concord
From Concord, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is about 20 minutes away, California Academy of Sciences under an hour, and Napa Riverfront and Downtown Napa about an hour. The best day trips from Concord, by drive time.
188 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Concord
- California Academy of Sciences 42 min southwest
- Muir Woods National Monument 54 min west
- Winchester Mystery House 55 min south
- Old Sacramento State Historic Park 1 hr 7 min northeast
- Lick Observatory 1 hr 21 min southeast
- Alcatraz Island 1 hr 22 min southwest
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk 1 hr 25 min south
- Empire Mine State Historic Park 2 hr 5 min northeast
- Columbia State Historic Park 2 hr 10 min east
- Pinnacles National Park 2 hr 16 min southeast
Within an hour from Concord 47 spots
Hike · 54 min west
Muir Woods National Monument
Easy paths through old coast redwoods in a quiet canyon just north of the city.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; best on weekdays
- See the official site for current fees
Landmark · 55 min south
Winchester Mystery House
A huge odd mansion in San Jose with stairs to nowhere and doors that open to walls.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Museum · 35 min southwest
Exploratorium
Hands-on science exhibits on the San Francisco waterfront. Great for kids and curious adults.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Closed Mondays (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
State park · 46 min southeast
Mount Diablo State Park
A tall peak in the East Bay with a summit road, wide views and many trails.
- Half day · Easy to strenuous
- Year-round; spring wildflowers; summit views best on clear days
- See the official site for current fees
Landmark · 47 min southwest
Golden Gate Bridge
The famous orange bridge. Walk or bike across for big views of the city, the bay and the Marin Headlands.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; fog common in summer
- See the official site for current fees
Zoo · 30 min south
Oakland Zoo
Hillside zoo with a gondola, a kids' ride area and a California wildlife section.
- 3-5 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Open daily (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Food town · 37 min northwest
Oxbow Public Market
Food hall by the Napa River in downtown Napa with cheese, oysters and coffee.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Open daily (confirm before you go)
- Free entry
1 to 2 hours from Concord 80 spots
Historic site · 1 hr 7 min northeast
Old Sacramento State Historic Park
A riverfront district of Gold Rush and railroad-era buildings with wooden sidewalks, under Tower Bridge.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Observatory · 1 hr 21 min southeast
Lick Observatory
Historic hilltop telescopes above San Jose with a long winding road and big views.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Grounds open daily; visitor center hours limited (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Island · 1 hr 22 min southwest
Alcatraz Island
Ferry to the old island prison with an audio tour and big city views.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round when ferry is running
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 25 min south
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Classic seaside amusement park with a wooden coaster, arcade and a wide beach next door.
- Half day · Easy
- Open daily in summer; limited days in winter (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Landmark · 1 hr 43 min west
Point Reyes Lighthouse
A historic lighthouse at the end of a long peninsula road with steep stairs and winter whale watching.
- 2-3 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round; open Thursday to Monday (confirm before you go); whale season Dec to Apr
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 1 hr 54 min northeast
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
The place in Coloma where the 1848 gold find set off the Gold Rush, with a replica sawmill, a museum and gold panning on the American River.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- California State Parks day-use fee (per vehicle)
Small town · 1 hr 2 min northwest
Napa Riverfront and Downtown Napa
A walkable downtown with tasting rooms, shops and river views.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to walk
Island · 1 hr 34 min west
Angel Island State Park
Ferry to a bay island with a loop road, hiking, bike rentals and old military sites.
- Full day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round; reduced ferry in winter (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
2 to 3 hours from Concord 57 spots
Historic site · 2 hr 5 min northeast
Empire Mine State Historic Park
One of California's richest hard-rock gold mines, with a stone owner's cottage, formal gardens and the old mine yard.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission (per person); trails free
Historic site · 2 hr 10 min east
Columbia State Historic Park
A whole Gold Rush town kept as it was, with stagecoach rides, gold panning, old saloons and costumed shopkeepers.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
National park · 2 hr 16 min southeast
Pinnacles National Park
Spires and talus caves from an ancient volcano, plus condors and good hiking trails.
- Half day · Moderate
- Year-round; best Oct-May
- See the official site for current fees
State park · 2 hr 27 min east
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Giant sequoias in the North Grove on an easy, mostly flat loop, where the big trees first became famous in the 1850s.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round (best May to October)
- California State Parks day-use fee (per vehicle)
Waterfall · 2 hr 44 min south
McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Short walk to an overlook of an ocean waterfall dropping onto a beach.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 2 hr 59 min northwest
Mendocino Village
A seaside village on a bluff with art galleries, shops and Victorian houses.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to walk
State park · 2 hr 5 min south
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Rocky coves, sea otters, harbor seals and cypress groves, often called the crown jewel of state parks.
- 3-5 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Viewpoint · 2 hr 16 min south
Bixby Creek Bridge
Photo stop for the tall arched bridge on Highway 1 in Big Sur.
- 30 min · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 94520 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.