Theme park · 42 min west
Disneyland Park
The original Disney park with classic rides and character meetups.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Day Trippin' › California › From Riverside
Day trips from Riverside
From Riverside, Disneyland Park is under an hour away, Big Bear Lake about an hour, and San Diego Zoo Safari Park under an hour and a half. The best day trips from Riverside, by drive time.
180 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Riverside
- Disneyland Park 42 min west
- Knott's Berry Farm 43 min west
- Lake Arrowhead Village 44 min northeast
- Aquarium of the Pacific 1 hr 2 min west
- Griffith Observatory 1 hr 4 min west
- Universal Studios Hollywood 1 hr 5 min west
- Getty Center 1 hr 10 min west
- Cuyamaca Rancho State Park 2 hr 1 min southeast
- Catalina Island Avalon 2 hr 47 min southwest
- Santa Barbara Mission 3 hr west
Within an hour from Riverside 51 spots
Theme park · 43 min west
Knott's Berry Farm
Roller coasters, a Western ghost town and famous boysenberry treats in Buena Park.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round; check calendar
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 44 min northeast
Lake Arrowhead Village
A lakeside village with shops, restaurants and a pretty mountain setting. Good for a relaxed lunch.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to visit
State park · 51 min southwest
Crystal Cove State Park
Beach, tide pools and coastal bluff trails with historic cottages.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 52 min southwest
Mission San Juan Capistrano
A historic mission with gardens, the Great Stone Church ruins and swallows legend.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Open daily (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Landmark · 58 min east
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
A rotating tram car lifts you from desert floor to cool alpine forest in about ten minutes.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round; annual maintenance closure in fall (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Beach · 50 min southwest
Laguna Beach Main Beach
A pretty cove beach in a classic art town with basketball and sand volleyball.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free; parking is paid
Lake · 58 min northeast
Big Bear Lake
A mountain lake with boating, fishing, paddleboards and a lively village. Snow play in winter.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
1 to 2 hours from Riverside 91 spots
Aquarium · 1 hr 2 min west
Aquarium of the Pacific
Sea lions, sharks, jellyfish and a lorikeet forest in Long Beach.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Observatory · 1 hr 4 min west
Griffith Observatory
Free views of the city and the Hollywood Sign, plus space exhibits and a planetarium. Sunsets here are a classic LA moment.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Closed Mondays (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 5 min west
Universal Studios Hollywood
Movie-themed rides, a studio tram tour and Super Nintendo World.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Museum · 1 hr 10 min west
Getty Center
A hilltop art museum with big gardens and wide views over the city. Entry is free.
- Half day · Easy
- Closed Mondays (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
Zoo · 1 hr 13 min south
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
A big wildlife park in Escondido with African savannah areas and a tram or safari tour.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 19 min south
LEGOLAND California
A theme park in Carlsbad built for kids ages 2 to 12, with rides, shows and a water park.
- Full day · Easy
- Check calendar; some weekdays closed
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 1 hr 27 min northeast
Calico Ghost Town
A restored silver mining town with shops, mine tours and a mini train.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Theme park · 1 hr 27 min northwest
Six Flags Magic Mountain
A big park known for roller coasters, in Valencia.
- Full day · Easy
- Open select days; check calendar
- See the official site for current fees
2 to 3 hours from Riverside 31 spots
Island · 2 hr 47 min southwest
Catalina Island Avalon
A ferry ride to a car-free island town with beaches, glass-bottom boats and golf carts.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Historic site · 3 hr west
Santa Barbara Mission
Large, elegant mission church often called the Queen of the Missions.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
State park · 2 hr 1 min southeast
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
A mountain park of oaks and pines with trails, a lake and views toward the desert.
- Half day · Moderate
- Year-round
- California State Parks day-use fee per car
Small town · 2 hr 15 min west
Ojai Valley
Art galleries, orchards and mountain views in a relaxed valley town.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Zoo · 2 hr 23 min west
Santa Barbara Zoo
Small, hilltop zoo with ocean views and animals from around the world.
- 3-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Garden · 2 hr 31 min west
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Native California plant garden with trails, historic dams and views.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Food town · 2 hr 9 min west
Downtown Ventura
Craft beer, vintage shops and good dining a short walk from the beach.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Bike trail · 2 hr 37 min northwest
Kern River Parkway Trail
A paved path along the Kern River in Bakersfield, good for biking and walking.
- 1-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 92501 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.