Day Trippin' › California › From Santa Rosa
From Santa Rosa, Napa Riverfront and Downtown Napa is under an hour away, Exploratorium about an hour, and Point Reyes Lighthouse under an hour and a half. The best day trips from Santa Rosa, by drive time.
159 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
Theme park · 50 min southeast
Roller coasters, a water park and live animal shows in one park in Vallejo.
Hike · 57 min south
Easy paths through old coast redwoods in a quiet canyon just north of the city.
Small town · 48 min east
A walkable downtown with tasting rooms, shops and river views.
Landmark · 58 min south
The famous orange bridge. Walk or bike across for big views of the city, the bay and the Marin Headlands.
State park · 30 min east
Wide valley views, oak woodlands and a night sky observatory in Kenwood.
Beach · 39 min southwest
A long coast of rocky headlands and sandy coves along Highway 1.
Food town · 51 min southeast
Food hall by the Napa River in downtown Napa with cheese, oysters and coffee.
Bike trail · 48 min south
A flat shoreline path from Tiburon toward Corte Madera with bay views and cafes in town.
Museum · 1 hr 2 min south
An aquarium, planetarium, rainforest dome and living roof all under one roof in Golden Gate Park.
Landmark · 1 hr 20 min southwest
A historic lighthouse at the end of a long peninsula road with steep stairs and winter whale watching.
Historic site · 1 hr 41 min east
A riverfront district of Gold Rush and railroad-era buildings with wooden sidewalks, under Tower Bridge.
Landmark · 1 hr 44 min southeast
A huge odd mansion in San Jose with stairs to nowhere and doors that open to walls.
Island · 1 hr 50 min south
Ferry to the old island prison with an audio tour and big city views.
Small town · 1 hr 56 min northwest
A seaside village on a bluff with art galleries, shops and Victorian houses.
Museum · 1 hr 4 min south
Hands-on science exhibits on the San Francisco waterfront. Great for kids and curious adults.
Island · 1 hr 37 min south
Ferry to a bay island with a loop road, hiking, bike rentals and old military sites.
Theme park · 2 hr 14 min south
Classic seaside amusement park with a wooden coaster, arcade and a wide beach next door.
Observatory · 2 hr 15 min southeast
Historic hilltop telescopes above San Jose with a long winding road and big views.
Historic site · 2 hr 29 min east
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.
Historic site · 2 hr 39 min northeast
One of California's richest hard-rock gold mines, with a stone owner's cottage, formal gardens and the old mine yard.
Beach · 2 hr 6 min northwest
A pebble beach with sea glass pieces polished by waves. Look, do not take.
Scenic drive · 2 hr 44 min northwest
A 31-mile old highway beside US 101 through Humboldt Redwoods, with pullouts and short grove walks along the way.
Aquarium · 2 hr 49 min south
World-famous aquarium with kelp forest, jellyfish and sea otters, right on the water.
State park · 2 hr 55 min south
Rocky coves, sea otters, harbor seals and cypress groves, often called the crown jewel of state parks.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 95403 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.