Museum · 41 min southwest
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 Vallejo
Day trips from Vallejo
From Vallejo, Exploratorium is under 40 minutes away, Old Sacramento about an hour, and Alcatraz Island under an hour and a half. The best day trips from Vallejo, by drive time.
192 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Vallejo
- California Academy of Sciences 41 min southwest
- Muir Woods National Monument 46 min southwest
- Old Sacramento State Historic Park 56 min northeast
- Winchester Mystery House 1 hr 8 min south
- Alcatraz Island 1 hr 20 min southwest
- Point Reyes Lighthouse 1 hr 24 min west
- Lick Observatory 1 hr 34 min southeast
- Columbia State Historic Park 2 hr 24 min east
- Pinnacles National Park 2 hr 28 min southeast
- Mendocino Village 2 hr 40 min northwest
Within an hour from Vallejo 55 spots
Hike · 46 min southwest
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
Historic site · 56 min northeast
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
Museum · 34 min south
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
Small town · 43 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
Landmark · 46 min southwest
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
State park · 1 hr southeast
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
Zoo · 35 min south
Oakland Zoo
Hillside zoo with a gondola, a kids' ride area and a California wildlife section.
- 3-5 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Open daily (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
1 to 2 hours from Vallejo 64 spots
Landmark · 1 hr 8 min south
Winchester Mystery House
A huge odd mansion in San Jose with stairs to nowhere and doors that open to walls.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- See the official site for current fees
Island · 1 hr 20 min southwest
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
Landmark · 1 hr 24 min west
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
Observatory · 1 hr 34 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 · 1 hr 38 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
Historic site · 1 hr 43 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)
Historic site · 1 hr 54 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
Island · 1 hr 26 min southwest
Angel Island State Park
Ferry to a bay island with a loop road, hiking, bike rentals and old military sites.
- Full day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round; reduced ferry in winter (confirm before you go)
- See the official site for current fees
2 to 3 hours from Vallejo 69 spots
Historic site · 2 hr 24 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
National park · 2 hr 28 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
Small town · 2 hr 40 min northwest
Mendocino Village
A seaside village on a bluff with art galleries, shops and Victorian houses.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to walk
State park · 2 hr 41 min east
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)
Waterfall · 2 hr 57 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
Aquarium · 2 hr 12 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
State park · 2 hr 17 min south
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
Viewpoint · 2 hr 29 min south
Bixby Creek Bridge
Photo stop for the tall arched bridge on Highway 1 in Big Sur.
- 30 min · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 94590 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.