Day Trippin' › California › From Sacramento › McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
The drive from Sacramento to McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park takes about 3 hr 44 min (south of Sacramento), by real roads from ZIP 95814. Along the way we found 93 stops within a short detour: 19 coffee shops, 3 bakeries, 20 ice cream and treats and 25 places to eat.
The list below is the best few of each kind, in driving order, with how far into the drive you reach each one (counted from Sacramento) and the detour it adds. Stops marked Our pick are chosen by us; the rest come from OpenStreetMap listings, so confirm hours before you count on them.
Photo: Wordydave, CC BY-SA 3.0
Waterfall
Short walk to an overlook of an ocean waterfall dropping onto a beach.
Heads-up: Do not climb down to the cove. Highway 1 can close from slides.
First third Middle third Last third McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
About 3 hr 44 min by road, heading south from the middle of ZIP 95814. Traffic and weather change that.
Good ones to start with: Cool Patch Pumpkins (Dixon), Que Onda Tacobar (Vacaville), Noodle or Rice (Vacaville), Fentons Creamery (Vacaville) and Donut Queen (Vacaville). The page lists 30 in all, in driving order.
One House Bakery in Benicia, Milk Tea Lab in Pleasant Hill, Batter 'N Icing in Pleasant Hill and Boba Bliss in Dublin. Check hours first; they come from OpenStreetMap listings.
Que Onda Tacobar in Vacaville, Noodle or Rice in Vacaville, Scandia Cafe in Cordelia Junction and Frymazing in Fairfield.
Cool Patch Pumpkins in Dixon, Pena Adobe Park in Vacaville, American Armory Museum in Chadbourne and Giant artichoke in Castroville.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Stops come from our own picks and OpenStreetMap listings; hours and detours change, so check before you go. We do not store anyone's location.