Top-Rated Weekend Getaways from San Diego. When you choose it's time to get away from the cozy weather and also gorgeous beaches of San Diego, the surrounding area provides a nearly countless range of options. From treking via the rugged canyons of Joshua Tree National Park in the Mojave Desert to fishing off the coastline of Baja Mexico, it's all just a brief drive away.
Natural marvels, like the gigantic redwoods of Sequoia National forest are easily accessible, as are metropolitan adventures like discovering the taking off food scene of DTLA (Downtown Los Angeles).
Southern California's substantial highway network, integrated with some mindful planning, can likewise permit 2 exceptionally different journeys in a solitary day. Quite conveniently, it's feasible to surf at Pacific Beach in the morning and also spend the mid-day skiing in the hills of Large Bear.
Strategy your journeys with our list of the very best weekend escapes from San Diego.
1. Catalina Island
Catalina Island
Just 26 miles off the coast and with normal Catalina Express catamaran service departing from Dana Factor, this trip is only two hours from San Diego (a 90-minute boat ride plus half an hour to drive to Dana Factor).
Catalina Island is loaded with tiny hotels, fantastic dining establishments, and a variety of exterior activities. You can take pleasure in the sun on among the island's beaches or spend time out on or under the water fishing, kayaking, snorkeling, or scuba diving. If you like jazz, the Catalina Island JazzTrax Celebration takes place each October.
Catalina Island was when had by the Wrigley household (Wrigley as in the chewing gum), and also their mansion is currently a luxury shop bed-and-breakfast called Mt Ada. It rests high up on a hill overlooking the harbor.
Mr. Wrigley saw to it his residence had the best sights on his island, and visitors currently benefit with sweeping postcard views of Avalon (the island's main town); the Pacific; and on clear days, the coast of Southern California, 26 miles away. The Wrigley home is just one of the extra expensive resort choices on the island, but this is an extremely special place.
Accommodation: Where to Stay on Catalina Island
2. Idyllwild
Idyllwild
This summer-only weekend destination is high in the San Jacinto mountains of Riverside Region, but only a two-hour drive from midtown San Diego. The hill resort has a few roads of eclectic stores and also art galleries, along with restaurants as well as cafés.
You can go to throughout the wintertime, but there are no ski hotels in the area, as well as the hill roadways can be tough to drive on in the snow. Some businesses closed down also.
Idyllwild is a jumping-off place for numerous miles of treking tracks, for all levels of hikers. The towering landscape, loaded with massive pine trees, is gorgeous and also resembles something out of north Alaska, rather than Southern The golden state. To expand your vacation, you can drive down Freeway 74, called the Palms to Pines Breathtaking Byway, which attaches Idyllwild with Palm Desert, near Hand Springs It's less than a hr repel.
The Quiet Creek Inn is a rustic, pet-friendly bed-and-breakfast in Idyllwild, with a store resort feel. You're snuggled in the woodland, with vintage (yet perfectly selected) cabin accommodations. It's relaxed as well as separated yet within strolling range of the community's lots of galleries and also shops.
3. Palm Springs
Palm Springs.
Additionally regarding 3 hrs by auto from San Diego, this desert resort location flaunts greater than 100 golf courses in the Greater Hand Springs area (comprised of the cities of Hand Springs, Hand Desert, Indian Wells, and La Quinta). It likewise averages concerning 350 days of sunlight each year.
The Coachella Valley location has a superb restaurant scene, numerous deluxe and also resort hotels, as well as a lot more to do than simply golf. Aeronautics followers will certainly like the vintage aircrafts of the Palm Springs Air Gallery, as well as the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is another must-do. It blends you from the desert floor to a hill summit almost 9,000 feet high, in only 10 mins. It's possible to play in the snow at the top, while it's over 100 levels Fahrenheit (38 levels Celsius) down below in Palm Springs.
Go beyond vintage as well as remain at the Ingleside Inn, among the city's oldest (and coolest) hotels. Built in 1925 as a personal estate, it was after that the city's most exclusive private club (preferred with stars as well as movie stars as a result of its privacy) until ending up being a resort in the late 1960s. Make certain to have dinner at Mervyn's, their retro dining establishment as well as dinner club.
Holiday Accommodation: Top-Rated Resorts in the Palm Springs Area
4. Sequoia National Forest
Sequoia National Park
The stunning, large redwood trees of Sequoia National forest are about a six-hour drive from San Diego. Sequoia National Forest remains in Central California, in the southern part of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Site visitors obtain 2 national parks appropriate next to each other, as Kings Canyon National forest adjoins Sequoia.
The huge redwood trees are spectacular, and also at around 3,500 years old, some are the earliest living things on Earth. These redwoods, some of which have actually grown to be 300 feet tall, with a trunk almost 30 feet in size, are interesting to explore and stroll underneath. There are a number of camping areas, as well as four lodges, located inside Sequoia as well as Kings Canyon National Park.
Wuksachi Lodge is right in the Giant Woodland area, inside the park, where several of the biggest trees can be located. The rock as well as cedar hill lodge is open year-round, however tire chains might be required to access it throughout the winter. The lodge has a ski store and a full-service restaurant.
5. Riverside
Waterfront
Waterfront may seem like an unusual weekend break escape location as it doesn't have a reputation for resorts, but a stay at the Mission Inn Hotel & Medspa deserves the journey alone.
The architecturally interesting home has been welcoming visitors for greater than 100 years and also is appropriate in the heart of the city. After you've checked out the property (get a totally free tour from among the resort's ambassadors), there are a few galleries to visit: the Waterfront Metropolitan Gallery, about the city and also area; the Riverside Art Museum, with a remarkable selection of mainly The golden state as well as American painters; and the University of The Golden State, Waterfront Gallery of Photography.
The Objective Inn is also ideal across the street from the city's historic Fox Executing Arts Center, a classic cinema that organizes live events and also preferred music performers.
Find out more:
Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Waterfront, CA.
6. Joshua Tree.
Joshua Tree.
When you want your weekend trip to consist of some outdoor camping as well as strikingly beautiful natural scenery, a journey to Joshua Tree National Park is the excellent destination. It's simply outdoors Hand Springs and also about a three-hour drive from San Diego.
Right here, you'll discover hundreds of countless square miles of raw desert landscape, with lovely camping sites and also treking routes. The village of Joshua Tree appears purposefully captured in a 1960s time warp and also can be almost as fun to go to as the national forest.
The Joshua Tree Inn is a seriously diverse hacienda-style shop resort located right in the heart of the little town outside the park.
You can likewise do Joshua Tree as an excursion from Palm Springs. The park entrance is only thirty minutes from Palm Springs, and much of the park's highlights come to visitors that drive. You can drive from the park's primary entrance near the community of Joshua Tree with the park to the other entry in concerning 2 hours. The park's various other entrance is near the Cottonwood Site visitor's Center and also very near to the 10 highway.
7. Rosarito Coastline, Mexico.
Rosarito Beach, Mexico.
Only half an hour from the U.S. - Mexico boundary, Rosarito Coastline provides a genuine Mexican beach vacation, total with tasty freshly-caught fish and shellfish, walking Mariachi artists, and vast sandy coastlines.
Park on the UNITED STATE side of the border, stroll over the bridge, and also take a taxi (or Uber or Lyft) right into Rosarito. It's just around half an hour away as well as ought to set you back regarding $30 per cab (not each). Once below, you'll discover a vivid seaside trip city. Why not take a full- or half-day fishing expedition on one of the many vacationer fishing watercrafts, or attempt a whale-watching journey, likewise offered.
The Rosarito Beach Hotel is a large mid-priced mega-resort, right on the coastline in the facility of town. Other than its own stretch of beach, there are several swimming pools, a health club, a bunch of dining establishments, and also all examples to do on-property.
8. Solvang.
Solvang.
Although primarily an innovation for tourists, this quaint Danish community is about thirty minutes from Santa Barbara as well as a five-hour drive from San Diego. It's everything about Denmark here - the shops and little downtown is completely carried out in Danish/European design, and it feels like you're in Copenhagen.
The primary draw here are the many Danish dining establishments, shops, galleries, and also bakeshops - it's enjoyable simply walking around and discovering. A journey to Solvang is likewise a good day journey throughout a weekend getaway to Santa Barbara.
The Royal Copenhagen Inn is a fun and prominent bed-and-breakfast, exactly on Mission Drive in the heart of community. Stay here, as well as you can stroll to whatever.
9. Ojai.
Ojai.
This picturesque valley in Ventura Region is near Santa Barbara and also a five-hour drive from San Diego. You'll discover a cool, New Age town, full of one-of-a-kind stores and also different kinds of healers.
The surrounding location is primarily agricultural, and the regional fruit and vegetables and also food products are especially impressive. Try to check out a regional farm mean some fresh fruit or produce.
The Ojai Valley Inn is a true destination hotel and also a remarkable place to remain for a vacation. Originally opened in 1934, the 220-acre hotel is a small city, with multiple sorts https://www.pearltrees.com/tommybb of holiday accommodations and also plenty of tasks as well as features. The hotel has an award-winning medspa, an 18-hole fairway, as well as 8 different dining choices, from formal to casual.
10. Los Angeles.
Los Angeles.
Los Angeles is only three hrs north of San Diego, as well as it makes a fantastic weekend break trip location. It's most likely best to focus on a solitary area, like a beach getaway to Santa Monica or a metropolitan food lover trip to DTLA (downtown Los Angeles).
The downtown location of LA is growing - it has lots of road after street of brand-new dining establishments, and also building after constructing exchanged deluxe loft space homes or upscale buying. A meal at the Grand Central Market, now a gastronomic food hall, is a must-do, as is a check out to Disney Hall for a music performance. DTLA's refurbished Minister Theater hosts a lot more modern musical entertainers.
If you don't intend to drive, Amtrak trains run from San Diego's Santa Fe Depot right to Union Terminal in DTLA. It's then simple to take the Metro system around downtown as well as all over Los Angeles consisting of traveler locations like Hollywood, Universal City, and also the Santa Monica Coastline.
The Ace Resort Midtown Los Angeles was developed from an early 20th-century office complex as well as theater, and also the theater continues to be a prominent place for performances as well as efficiencies. The fashionable resort is centrally located right on Broadway in the heart of DTLA making it easy to stroll to all the trendy stores as well as restaurants.
Accommodation: Where to Remain In Los Angeles: Ideal Locations & Hotels.
11. Lake Arrowhead.
Lake Arrowhead.
Found high up in the San Bernardino mountains, Lake Arrowhead is just a two-hour drive from San Diego. In the wintertime, it's a popular area for winter sports - the Snow Valley ski hotel is just thirty minutes away, yet in the summertime, it's a beautiful, rustic family-friendly escape destination.
There's a massive lake, certainly, along with hundreds of miles of treking as well as mountain biking tracks. The town of Lake Arrowhead has a wonderful option of resorts, restaurants, shops, and also art galleries.
The Lake Arrowhead Hotel and Spa is a huge, extravagant, lakeside resort. It has its own marina and also supplies all sort of fun on the water. Throughout the winter months, it's an outstanding option, with very easy accessibility to neighborhood ski hotels.
12. Temecula.
Temecula.
This gorgeous backwoods, just an hour from San Diego, has transformed itself from a farming region right into a popular tourist location. The Temecula Valley is full of golf links as well as now additionally many hotel choices. It's likewise a popular area in Southern California for warm air ballooning.
Temecula's Old Community area pays homage to its farming past as well as retains several of the original design. The portable downtown location has several dining establishments as well as antique stores, along with a few galleries, including Pennypickle's Workshop, a hands-on children's scientific research museum.
The Signature Temecula is a good option for those intending to invest more time in the Old Town location. It's next door to Lienzo Charro, took into consideration among the very best Mexican dining establishments around, and a short walk from the Old Community location.
13. Monstrous Lakes.
Mammoth Hill Ski Area.
This primarily winter resort location is high in the Eastern Sierra hills. It's a day's drive (regarding eight hrs) or a quick trip away. You can fly to Mammoth from San Diego with a connecting trip, or in the winter, drive concerning 90 minutes and fly direct from John Wayne Airport Terminal (SNA) in Orange Region.
In the winter, it's all about snow, and Mammoth gets a lot of it. The Mammoth Hill ski resort boasts The golden state's greatest lift-serviced ski mountain. There are 28 lifts taking you to 150 runs, the longest of which is 3 miles.
Monstrous is additionally a wonderful place for a summertime escape. The hill hotel is full of hiking routes, first-rate mountain cycling, and also some great fairway. Several of the ski raises operate, so you can check out higher elevations.
Accommodation: Where to Remain In Mammoth Lakes.
14. Santa Barbara.
Sight over Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara is a scenic four-hour drive up the coast from San Diego as well as is an outstanding location for a weekend break trip. The city's midtown area, focused around State Street, uses visitors an assortment of locally-owned stores, dining establishments, as well as art galleries.
When you get starving, head down to the city's Funk Area, a former commercial stockroom location now loaded with hip restaurants as well as art galleries.
For a cool, high-end shop resort experience in the downtown location, the Kimpton Canary Hotel is among the city's newest buildings. Aside from elegant, yet comfortable rooms, there's a prominent dining establishment, Finch & Fork, and also the hotel likewise has the city's only rooftop swimming pool.