Let’s check out some beautiful and favorite weekend day trips from San Diego, unique romantic or last-minute getaways from San Diego in California. Plan some amazing road trips from San Diego, California, with your family, children, and partner.
California – a golden state, is blessed with amazing sunshine, and the location of San Diego in southern California makes it more picturesque and beautiful to visit. Read this article to know about worth visiting places near San Diego, California, and a must-on #Californiaroadtrip itinerary.
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Weekend Day Trips From San Diego
San Diego is famous for its idyllic climate, 70 miles of pristine beaches, incredible culture, friendly locals, fantastic food is worth visiting, and therefore there are many nearby places to visit. So not only in San Diego city but nearby, there are many places where you can plan your day trips or weekend getaways.
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List of Weekend Day Trips From San Diego
Enjoy beautiful coastal towns, blue waters, islands, rolling hills, national parks, casinos towns, cultural places, forests, rivers, and fairy tale towns near San Diego, and choose your favorite weekend day trips from San Diego.
La Jolla
La Jolla Shores is one of the most famous and beautiful beaches in the world. Its breathtaking views, upscale shopping village, surfing waves, white sands, and mysterious sea caves make it worth visiting. This beach is also known for scuba diving and snorkeling. La Jolla Shores and La Jolla Caves are the two most famous attractions to see here. La Jolla is the perfect destination for a weekend day trip from San Diego.
RECOMMENDED TOUR – La Jolla: 90-Minute Sea Cave Kayaking Tour with Guide.
HOW TO REACH – 10 miles from San Diego and 15 miles from San Diego International Airport. La Jolla can be reached by bus through routes 30, 31, and 34/34A from San Diego.
DESTINATION TYPE – Nature and water sports lover attraction
Carlsbad
Carlsbad is the prime vacation spot for families due to its laidback stunning beaches, eclectic, colorful village, and kid-friendly attractions. It also has its little downtown area known as Carlsbad Village, with a wide range of boutiques, funky restaurants, and bars. Carlsbad downtown is walkable, and also the beach is within walking distance from downtown. Carlsbad is famous for sunset, stunning beaches with blue waters, surfing, and beachside plush resorts. That is why Carlsbad is one of the best places to visit near San Diego CA.
RECOMMENDED TOUR – Carlsbad Village: 3-Hour Local Food Tour.
HOW TO REACH – Carlsbad is 87 miles (140 km) south of downtown Los Angeles and 35 miles (56 km) north of downtown San Diego
DESTINATION TYPE – Nature and water sports lover attraction.
Los Angeles
The most glamourous city of southern California boasts world-class tourist spots, idyllic weather, a funky dining scene, and many cultural-artistic attractions. Los Angeles should be included in your California road trip as it has so many things to do.
Things to do in Los Angeles
- Universal Studios
- Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Rodeo Drive
- Beverly Hills Celebrity tours
- Museums and Studio tours
RECOMMENDED TOUR – Universal Studios Hollywood: Ticket with Easy Cancellation.
HOW TO REACH – LA is 2 hr 4 min (120.4 mi) via I-5 N from San Diego by road.
DESTINATION TYPE – Theme Park lovers, Hollywood fans, cultural and artistic city, shopper’s paradise.
Santa Barbara
It is also known as Californian Riveria, famous for its beautiful Mediterranean climate, and it has several pretty beaches, Mediterranean architecture, and palm trees. Also, it houses the famous California mission State Street shops with quaint, laidback vibes. Santa Barabara is one of the peaceful, relaxed weekend getaways near San Diego.
RECOMMENDED TOUR – From Santa Barbara: All-Inclusive Wine Tasting Tour & Lunch.
HOW TO REACH – Santa Barbara is 3 hr 48 min (218.2 mi) via I-5 N and US-101 N from San Diego by road.
DESTINATION TYPE – Laidback, relaxing, foodie and beach resorts type.
Solvang
Solvang attracts numerous visitors every year due to its unique Danish vibes and relaxed, laidback settings. The architecture is beautiful, but the backdrop of Santa Ynez Valley and its sunny climate is truly enchanting. Solvang is also famous for its Danish bakery, gourmet food, and a renowned wine county on the central Californian coast. Solvang is a perfect road trip from San Diego for culture lovers.
HOW TO REACH – Solvang is 4 hr 27 min (251.3 mi) via I-5 N and US-101 N from San Diego by road.
DESTINATION TYPE – Fairytale town, European vibes, Best for wine tours, cultural and natural.
Santa Monica
Santa Monica is a beautiful beach city with a pier, small aquarium, historic merry-go-round, large, huge swath of beach with volleyball, and a long beach bike path to enjoy it all. Safe, easily walkable, pretty, seaside. It is like a fair and carnival on the beachside with lots of people are enjoying rides overlooking the Pacific coast. Santa Monica is a perfect vibrant and energetic weekend getaway from San Diego.
RECOMMENDED TOUR – Aquarium of the Pacific: Skip-the-Ticket-Line Admission.
HOW TO REACH – Santa Monica is 2 hr 26 min (133.5 mi) via I-5 N and I-405 N from San Diego by road.
DESTINATION TYPE – Nature & beach lovers, Ferris wheel with sea view
Coronado
Coronado Island is known for stunning beaches, quaint downtown area, stunning views of the San Diego skyline, with a perfect Mediterranean climate. This island town is great to stroll around and enjoy the beautiful weather, food, boutique shopping, historic hotels, friendly locals, and admiring the beauty of the beach. Therefore, Coronado is truly a romantic weekend day trips from San Diego.
RECOMMENDED TOUR – San Diego: Harbor Cruise.
HOW TO REACH – Coronado is 12 min (6.7 mi) via I-5 S and CA-75 S from San Diego by road.
DESTINATION TYPE – Romantic, island, Natural, Rustic shopping, and open-style eating out.
San Luis Obispo
Located on scenic foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains in Central California, San Luis Obispo is also known as the “Happiest City in America.” This happy and cheerful town has a friendly vibe, with more than 300 days of sunshine a year, a fun-loving young population, and stunning attractions like Pismo Beach and Morro Bay.
HOW TO REACH –San Luis Obispo can be reached in 5 hr 10 min (312.1 mi) via US-101 N from San Diego.
DESTINATION TYPE – Nature, romantic and cultural
Long weekend trips from San Diego
Death Valley National Park – Weekend getaways San Diego
The driest and hottest point of North America is known for extreme temperatures. This point is the lowest elevation on the continent—282 feet below sea level. Death Valley is one of the largest national parks in North America, and due to extreme weather, it is famous amongst adventure junkies. You must have spotted the Death Valley National Park in many movie backdrops because of its rough, adventure-friendly, and picturesque desert landscape. Death Valley National Park is the perfect weekend getaway from San Diego for nature lovers.
HOW TO REACH – Death Valley National Park is 4 hr 48 min (283.1 mi) via US-395 N from San Diego by road.
DESTINATION TYPE – Nature
Las Vegas – Weekend getaways San Diego
Las Vegas is a World-famous destination for complete entertainment, fun, and nightlife scene. It is also known as the ultimate playground for fun. It is a land of adventure, wild fun, with more than 150 casinos, 20 most prominent hotels, and the brightest glittering spot on the earth. As Las Vegas is approximately 5 hours drive from San Diego, it is recommended to stay in Las Vegas for a couple of nights. It is a perfect weekend out trip from San Diego for nightlife lovers.
RECOMMENDED TOUR – Las Vegas: Helicopter Flight over the Strip with Options.
HOW TO REACH – Las Vegas is 5 hr 2 min (332.0 mi) via I-15 N from San Diego by road.
DESTINATION TYPE – Entertainment, fun, Nightlife, Bright City life, Casino resorts.
Yosemite National Park – Weekend getaways San Diego
A 1200 sq. miles area blessed with natural beauties is a paradise for all nature lovers. Located at northern California’s Sierra Nevada mountain, here you can enjoy outdoor nature activities like hiking, climbing mountains, horseback riding, river rafting, in summers and snow skiing, snowboarding in winter. It is one of the most visited national parks in the USA, and it is famous for granite monoliths like Half Dome and Capitan. Yosemite should always be included in your list of road trips from San Diego.
RECOMMENDED TOUR – Yosemite Valley, Giant Sequoias and Glacier Point Tour.
HOW TO REACH – Yosemite National Park is 6 hr 52 min (405.7 mi) via I-5 N and CA-99 N from San Diego by road.
DESTINATION TYPE – Nature / National Park
Joshua Tree National Park – Weekend Getaways San Diego
Joshua National Tree Park is one of the finest hiking in the Californian desert area, where you can spot many natural rock formations, a Palm tree Oasis. It is a perfect spot for nature lovers and is a must-visit for incredible scenery and nature photography.
HOW TO REACH – Joshua National Park is 2 hr 43 min (164.0 mi) via I-15 N from San Diego by road.
DESTINATION TYPE – Nature / National Park
I hope you loved to read about some of the Perfect Weekend Day Trips From San Diego with the best places to visit near San Diego. Weekend getaways San Diego list. These are some of the Road trips from San Diego which are really recommended for romantic getaways or nature getaways in California.
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