California’s calm, palm-lined beaches, beautiful sunsets, and majestic mountains make it the ideal place for best weekend getaways in California, or honeymoon. There is something for everyone in the variety of landscapes.
Along California State Route One, also called Highway One, there are beautiful seaside towns, crescent-shaped bays, and quiet coves that attract beach lovers. Big Sur is the most beautiful place because it has steep cliffs that drop straight into the Pacific Ocean.
Carmel and Santa Barbara are both beautiful beach towns with high-end resorts. Santa Catalina Island, on the other hand, has an island feel but is easy to get to.
Historic towns in Sonoma and Mendocino counties are only a few hours from San Francisco. These towns have a country feel and are good for travelers who like that. Lake Tahoe is the best place for people who love the outdoors because of its beautiful alpine scenery and cozy, rustic lodges.
From quiet beaches to cute mountain towns, California is full of places that are great for couples. Our list of the best weekend getaways in California will help you find the best places to go and relaxing places in California.
Check out these best places to visit in California and the best hotels on the Northern Coast Of California if you must plan your vacation to this exciting city. If you enjoy our blogs, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Read our list of the best weekend getaways in California to make the most of your time there.
Best Weekend Getaways in California
Mountains, ocean, starkly beautiful desert: The Golden State sets the standard for quick road trips. Here are seven best weekend getaways in California within just a few hours’ drive of San Francisco, Los Angeles, or San Diego.
1. Napa Valley
There’s no way around it: Napa Valley has had a rough few years. Wildfires were even worse than the pandemic for tourism. They damaged some famous hotels, burned down others, and caused a lot of trouble for winemakers during the very important harvest season.
But California is known for being strong, and Napa is ready for you to come back. Solage Resort and Spa, which is part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, just finished a $30 million makeover in Calistoga.
Don’t miss the natural mineral pools and mud baths at Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs. There are also many new places to see down in the valley. A few miles south, in St. Helena, you can try delicious Cabs at the beautiful new Faust Haus.
You can’t miss the jet-black 1878 Victorian that has been restored and sits on a hill above the valley. One of the best places for a getaway in California.
Wine lovers can book an intimate tasting at Lang & Reed’s new St. Helena salon, which specializes in Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc, two grapes that don’t get much attention in this area. Take a break from wine at the California Brandy House.
Grape brandy has a long history in the state, and the well-priced flights in the stylish downtown Napa space include gems like the Germain-Robin XO. You can get dinner at Compline, a popular restaurant in the area.
About an hour and a half from San Francisco.
2. Yosemite
This year, going to Yosemite might take a little more planning, but the park’s main attractions, like Hetch Hetchy, Half Dome, and Mariposa Grove, are still as beautiful as ever. Even if you just want to drive through the park, you need to make reservations in advance.
Every vehicle that enters the park needs to book a pass, and day passes go fast. But if you get one or book a room at the famous Ahwahnee Hotel, the rustic Yosemite Valley Lodge, the tents at Curry Village, or any of the now-reopened campgrounds, the park is yours to explore.
Shuttle services are temporarily suspended, but all roads and trails are open and there are fewer people than ever. One of the best relaxing places in California.
About 3–4 hours from San Francisco and 4.5–5.5 hours from Los Angeles.
3. Healdsburg
Each of the small towns in Sonoma County has something to offer, but Healdsburg is especially charming and has a lot of new things that make it worth a visit. Montage Healdsburg is the most impressive new opening in the county in years, with 258 acres of oak forests and vineyards.
Its 130 rooms and suites almost blend in with the Sonoma landscape because they were made to show off the area’s natural beauty. As for wineries, you can visit the Russian River, Dry Creek, and Alexander Valley, which are all known for their world-class wines. One of the unique weekend getaways in California.
Must-see places include the House of Flowers, where you can sip estate vineyard Pinot Noir under stylish cabanas, and the Aperture Estate, which specializes in Bordeaux varietals grown in cool climates and has a beautiful new tasting room with a view of the Russian River Valley.
Healdsburg has always been a great place to eat. Some of the best new restaurants are Quail & Condor, an excellent bakery, Asahi Sushi & Kitchen, and Hazel Hill at the Montage, which is worth the drive even if you’re not staying there.
Watch for the openings of two more restaurants later this summer: Dustin Valette’s long-awaited The Matheson, which will have three floors, and the vegetarian restaurant Little Saint, which will be run by the same people who gave Single Thread its three Michelin stars.
About 1.5 hours from San Francisco.
4. Big Sur
Big Sur is ready for you if your idea of a California vacation includes redwood forests, endless views of the stars, and the vast Pacific Ocean. The trip to the town on the edge of a cliff isn’t the easiest. One of the best weekend trips in California.
Whether you’re coming from Northern or Southern California, you’ll take Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway (or the PCH), which often closes during the winter because of rain. But there’s no better place to see California’s wild and dramatic coast, and since road repairs were finished in April, you can now get to the town from either way.
The Post Ranch Inn, which is 1200 feet above the ocean, is the gold standard for rustic elegance and pure escape. Just across the road is another idyllic place called Ventana Big Sur. You won’t find much in the way of shopping or nightlife, but you don’t need to. You’re here for the beautiful scenery of the Pacific coast, which is truly among the best in the world.
San Francisco is about 3 hours away, and Los Angeles is about 6 hours away.
5. Paso Robles
Napa and Sonoma are the best-known wine regions in California, but Paso Robles, which is near the Central Coast, has just as much to offer. It has beautiful vineyards with rolling hills and quiet horse country.
The Allegretto Vineyard Resort and the smaller Hotel Cheval aren’t the only places to stay in town. There are also newer places to stay, like the Stables Inn, which is run by the same people as the stately Cheval but has a more casual feel.
Paso’s restaurant scene is as lively as ever. Don’t miss The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar, which serves wood-fired food and local wines on tap, or Les Petites Canailles, which has great French food and an equally interesting wine list. One of the unique weekend getaways in California.
And because you have to make a reservation, there won’t be as many people there. This makes it a great time to visit wineries like Epoch, DAOU Vineyards, and Booker.
About 3.5 to 4 hours from Los Angeles or San Francisco.
6. Santa Barbara
With palm trees, beaches, and a blue sky, it’s easy to see why Santa Barbara is so popular. But there’s a lot more to do in this busy town than just soak up the sun. The Palihouse Santa Barbara has 24 rooms and has been one of the best boutique hotels in the city since it opened this spring.
Nearby, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art is getting ready to open its new wing of modern art and photography on August 15. The downtown main street has been turned into the car-free State Street Promenade, which is now a permanent walking zone with bars and restaurants spilling out onto the street.
If the idea of a weekend without a car sounds good, Santa Barbara BCycle, the city’s new fleet of electric bikes, has passes for visitors. Try some natural wines at the 1960s-style Venus in Furs before going to La Paloma Café around the corner. You could spend your one of the best weekend trips in California.
La Paloma has been around since the 1940s, and it just reopened with a menu that brings together California and Mexican food traditions.
It takes about 2 hours to get there from Los Angeles, 3.5 hours from San Diego, and 5 hours from San Francisco.
7. Palm Springs
Yeah sure, you’ll want to find some shade from the desert sun during the middle of the day. But even in the middle of summer, Palm Springs is one of the best places for a getaway in California because of its lively art scene, great restaurants, and mid-century style.
Plan any hikes, like the two-mile loop to Tahquitz Falls, for first thing in the morning. Even though you can’t avoid art and design here (everything is mid-century), the recently reopened Palm Springs Art Museum is worth mentioning.
It has a large collection of modernist photography and art, so make sure to book your timed ticket in advance. Check into Casa Cody, the oldest hotel in Palm Springs that is still open. It was recently updated by its new owners, the Casetta Group, and is in a great downtown location and one of the best relaxing places in California.
You can walk a short distance to a number of great restaurants, like Sandfish for sushi and cocktails, Birba for pizza, and Rooster and the Pig for modern Vietnamese. And since almost all of Palm Springs is made for living both inside and outside, people who still like to eat on patios have a lot of options.
From Los Angeles or San Diego, it takes about 2 to 3 hours.
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FAQs For Best Weekend Getaways in California
Does California have quick trips?
From small beach towns to popular spots in wine country, California has a wide range of places to visit for a short trip.
What is the prettiest place in California?
Most Beautiful Places To Visit In California
Lake Tahoe.
Napa Valley.
Santa Barbara.
Yosemite.
Palm Springs
Big Sur.
What is the best small town in California?
Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Arcata.
Dunsmuir. Hedge Creek Falls near Dunsmuir.
Half Moon Bay. Sunset at Half Moon Bay.
Mendocino.
Ojai.
Ferndale.
Avalon.
What part of California is the best to visit?
Best Places to Visit in California
Yosemite.
San Francisco.
San Diego.
Lake Tahoe.
Monterey.
Big Sur.
Napa Valley.
Sequoia National Park.
What is the newest city in California?
The City of Jurupa Valley
Due to the people who live there, the City of Jurupa Valley is known for being the newest incorporated city in the state of California.
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