Museum · 46 min northwest
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 Fremont
Day trips from Fremont
From Fremont, Winchester Mystery House is about 25 minutes away, Exploratorium under 40 minutes, and Lick Observatory under an hour. The best day trips from Fremont, by drive time.
171 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Fremont
- California Academy of Sciences 46 min northwest
- Lick Observatory 54 min southeast
- Six Flags Discovery Kingdom 54 min north
- Muir Woods National Monument 1 hr 4 min northwest
- Alcatraz Island 1 hr 26 min northwest
- Old Sacramento State Historic Park 1 hr 43 min north
- Pinnacles National Park 1 hr 46 min southeast
- Columbia State Historic Park 2 hr 11 min east
- McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park 2 hr 14 min south
- Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park 2 hr 31 min northeast
Within an hour from Fremont 48 spots
Observatory · 54 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
Theme park · 54 min north
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Roller coasters, a water park and live animal shows in one park in Vallejo.
- Full day · Easy
- Check calendar; fall and winter events on select days (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 54 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
Museum · 39 min northwest
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
Landmark · 51 min northwest
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
Hike · 35 min southwest
Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Popular loop trails and farm views in the South Bay foothills.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 42 min west
Half Moon Bay
A coast town with a historic main street, beaches and pumpkin patches in fall.
- 3-5 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; pumpkins in October
- Free to visit
1 to 2 hours from Fremont 75 spots
Hike · 1 hr 4 min northwest
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
Island · 1 hr 26 min northwest
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
Historic site · 1 hr 43 min north
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
National park · 1 hr 46 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
Landmark · 1 hr 55 min northwest
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
State park · 1 hr 12 min north
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
Aquarium · 1 hr 29 min south
Monterey Bay Aquarium
World-famous aquarium with kelp forest, jellyfish and sea otters, right on the water.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 1 hr 34 min north
Napa Riverfront and Downtown Napa
A walkable downtown with tasting rooms, shops and river views.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to walk
2 to 3 hours from Fremont 41 spots
Historic site · 2 hr 11 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
Waterfall · 2 hr 14 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
Historic site · 2 hr 31 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)
State park · 2 hr 34 min northeast
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)
Historic site · 2 hr 41 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
Small town · 2 hr 4 min east
Sonora
The Gold Country hub with old brick streets, shops and eateries. Good for a slow afternoon.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Lake · 2 hr 8 min northeast
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
A big reservoir with beaches, bike paths and boating close to Sacramento; Beals Point and Granite Bay are the main beaches.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round (best May to September)
- California State Parks day-use fee (per vehicle)
Garden · 2 hr 33 min southeast
Forestiere Underground Gardens
A handmade underground garden with courtyards and tunnels dug by one man. Reservations are a good idea.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Seasonal; closed winter, reopens spring (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 94536 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.