Day trips and getaways in and around Los Angeles

Escapes Things to do

30 minutes from L.A.: North America’s largest Buddhist temple and California’s biggest antique hub sit just 6 miles apart, complete with a $10 lunch buffet

Just east of Los Angeles, two extraordinarily different destinations make for a memorable day trip: the palace-like Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, which is the largest Buddhist temple in North Americ...

Escapes

California’s most endearing storybook village is only 3 miles from the ‘crown jewel’ of state parks — making for an epic day trip on the Central Coast

A quintessential California day trip doesn’t get much better than Carmel-by-the-Sea and Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. The two Monterey Peninsula destinations are only about three miles apart, pairing...

Escapes Things to do

1 hour south of Los Angeles: California’s oldest neighborhood is just 5 miles away from the ‘dolphin and whale watching capital of the world’

Just south of Los Angeles, two of Southern California’s most remarkable destinations sit only about 5 miles apart: San Juan Capistrano’s Los Rios Historic District, widely known as California’s oldest ne...

Escapes

‘It could give the East Coast a run for its money:’ This small California mountain town is the state’s ultimate fall foliage escape

While the East Coast is hard to beat when it comes time for leaf-peeping season, California can offer some unbelievably colorful landscapes if you know where to look. And high up in the Eastern Sierra, th...

Escapes Food & drink Things to do

Less than 2 hours from L.A., this charming ‘Little Denmark’ is taking over its streets with 3 days of Danish food, parades and live music

You don't have to fly to Denmark to spend a weekend surrounded by Danish pastries, folk dancing and old-world charm. Just head up the coast and into the Santa Ynez Valley, where one of California's most d...

Escapes Things to do

Less than 1 hour from L.A., 1,000+ classic cars are taking over 22 blocks of downtown for a massive free Route 66 celebration

If you love classic cars, this is one weekend you probably won't want to miss. Downtown Ontario is about to turn into a giant celebration of the open road, with more than 1,000 classic cars expected to fi...

Escapes Wellness & nature

With a $1,625 average monthly rent, a 3,670-acre park and hiking trails, this California city is the best place to retire

California has plenty of appealing places to call home, from major urban jungles like Los Angeles and San Francisco to charming small towns that look straight out of a storybook. But when it comes to reti...

Escapes Top news

After 50 years, North America’s largest regional amusement park operator might shut down a major California location by 2027

California is quietly watching one of its most recognizable amusement parks move closer to an expiration date, as long-term redevelopment pressures and shifting land use priorities reshape what entertainm...

Escapes Wellness & nature

After 50+ years, California’s ambitious 1,230-mile coastal trail is 70% complete — and you can already hike some of its most spectacular sections

For more than 50 years, California has been working toward an ambitious goal: a public trail spanning the Pacific coastline from the Oregon border to Mexico. The California Coastal Trail, or CCT, is a...

Escapes

This historic SoCal village is a back-in-time adventure, offering $5 rides aboard a 119-year-old steam locomotive and a 65-vendor Saturday farmers market

About 30 minutes northeast of San Diego, the small city of Poway is home to Old Poway Park, a charming 5-acre community space designed to resemble a turn-of-the-century village. With its winding pathwa...

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