Beach · 29 min south
Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
Wide dunes and beach next to Pismo where visitors can walk and play on sand.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Day Trippin' › California › From San Luis Obispo
Day trips from San Luis Obispo
From San Luis Obispo, Bishop Peak is about 10 minutes away, Solvang about an hour, and Hearst Castle under an hour and a half. The best day trips from San Luis Obispo, by drive time.
108 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from San Luis Obispo
- Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area 29 min south
- Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes 33 min south
- Lompoc Murals and Flower Fields 59 min south
- Solvang 1 hr 5 min southeast
- Santa Barbara Mission 1 hr 6 min southeast
- Hearst Castle 1 hr 22 min northwest
- McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park 1 hr 48 min northwest
- Pinnacles National Park 2 hr 2 min north
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk 2 hr 41 min northwest
- Six Flags Magic Mountain 2 hr 51 min southeast
Within an hour from San Luis Obispo 11 spots
Hike · 33 min south
Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes
Huge coastal dune system with trails and wildlife near Guadalupe.
- 2-4 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 59 min south
Lompoc Murals and Flower Fields
Town of dozens of outdoor murals, with flower fields blooming in summer.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; flowers peak Jun-Aug
- Free
Historic site · 59 min south
La Purisima Mission State Historic Park
Restored mission with working gardens and trails near Lompoc.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Wildlife · 1 hr northwest
Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery
Hundreds of elephant seals rest on the beach next to Highway 1.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round; peak Dec-Mar and spring
- Free
Winery · 31 min north
Paso Robles Wine Country
Hundreds of wineries on rolling oak hills, plus a charming town square.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round; harvest Sep-Oct
- See the official site for current fees
State park · 41 min west
Montana de Oro State Park
Rugged coast with tide pools, dunes and bluff trails.
- 3-5 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 40 min northwest
Cambria Village
Little town with shops, galleries, pine hills and ocean-side dining.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
1 to 2 hours from San Luis Obispo 19 spots
Small town · 1 hr 5 min southeast
Solvang
Danish-style village with bakeries, windmills and shops in the Santa Ynez Valley.
- 3-5 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
State park · 1 hr 22 min northwest
Hearst Castle
Grand hilltop mansion with tours of the pools and gardens along the coast.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round; tours need reservations
- See the official site for current fees
Waterfall · 1 hr 48 min northwest
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 · 1 hr 6 min southeast
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 · 1 hr 8 min southeast
Gaviota State Park
Rugged coast with a pier, hot springs hike and long trails.
- 2-4 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Beach · 1 hr 23 min southeast
Refugio State Beach
Palm-lined cove with tide pools and calm swimming on the Gaviota coast.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Zoo · 1 hr 40 min southeast
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
Historic site · 1 hr 5 min southeast
Mission Santa Ines
Peaceful mission with a garden, museum and valley views in Solvang.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
2 to 3 hours from San Luis Obispo 71 spots
National park · 2 hr 2 min north
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
Theme park · 2 hr 41 min northwest
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
Theme park · 2 hr 51 min southeast
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
Theme park · 2 hr 57 min southeast
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 · 2 hr 59 min southeast
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
Viewpoint · 2 hr 16 min northwest
Bixby Creek Bridge
Photo stop for the tall arched bridge on Highway 1 in Big Sur.
- 30 min · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Aquarium · 2 hr 24 min northwest
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
State park · 2 hr 29 min northwest
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
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 93401 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.