Small town · 37 min southeast
Solvang
Danish-style village with bakeries, windmills and shops in the Santa Ynez Valley.
- 3-5 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Day Trippin' › California › From Santa Maria
Day trips from Santa Maria
From Santa Maria, Solvang is under 40 minutes away, Hearst Castle under two hours, and Six Flags Magic Mountain under two and a half hours. The best day trips from Santa Maria, by drive time.
120 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Santa Maria
- Solvang 37 min southeast
- Santa Barbara Mission 38 min southeast
- Morro Rock and Embarcadero 51 min northwest
- Montana de Oro State Park 1 hr 6 min northwest
- Santa Barbara County Courthouse 1 hr 9 min southeast
- Santa Barbara Zoo 1 hr 12 min southeast
- Hearst Castle 1 hr 49 min northwest
- McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park 2 hr 15 min northwest
- Six Flags Magic Mountain 2 hr 23 min east
- Universal Studios Hollywood 2 hr 29 min southeast
Within an hour from Santa Maria 20 spots
Historic site · 38 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
Landmark · 51 min northwest
Morro Rock and Embarcadero
Sea-level volcanic plug beside a harbor with sea otters and kayak rentals.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Beach · 25 min northwest
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
State park · 40 min south
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
Winery · 26 min northwest
Edna Valley Wine Country
Cool-climate vineyards just outside San Luis Obispo with tasting rooms.
- 3-5 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 31 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
Landmark · 32 min northwest
Madonna Inn
Eye-popping pink roadside inn, with a famous bakery.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to visit
1 to 2 hours from Santa Maria 20 spots
State park · 1 hr 49 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
State park · 1 hr 6 min northwest
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
Landmark · 1 hr 9 min southeast
Santa Barbara County Courthouse
Spanish Revival courthouse with a free clock tower view over the city.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Weekdays and some weekends (confirm before you go)
- Free
Zoo · 1 hr 12 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
Beach · 1 hr 21 min southeast
Carpinteria State Beach
Calm, family beach with tide pools and a nearby seal rookery in winter.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Small town · 1 hr 45 min southeast
Ojai Valley
Art galleries, orchards and mountain views in a relaxed valley town.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Landmark · 1 hr 10 min southeast
Stearns Wharf
Historic pier with seafood stands, a science center and harbor views.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Garden · 1 hr 11 min southeast
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
2 to 3 hours from Santa Maria 78 spots
Waterfall · 2 hr 15 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
Theme park · 2 hr 23 min east
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 29 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
National park · 2 hr 29 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
Museum · 2 hr 31 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
Observatory · 2 hr 39 min southeast
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
Aquarium · 2 hr 57 min southeast
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
Theme park · 2 hr 59 min southeast
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
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 93454 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.