10 Most Relaxing California Towns
Most people have heard about California because of all the movies Hollywood has churned out. And most people might only know about the major metropolises such as San Francisco and Los Angeles. But there is more to California than what filmic glamor glistens from the silver screens. From the fertile fields of the Napa Valley to the humungous mountains dominating the horizon, you will find some of the most relaxing California towns worth visiting this year and the next. Whether you are wading about in Avalon’s beaches, venturing into the past at San Juan Capistrano, or taking a tour of the outdoors at Idyllwild, you will nevertheless feel refreshed and restored when visiting the most relaxing California towns ever. Rethink your assumptions about the Golden State of California once you get to see and know more about these amazing small towns.
Ojai
Approximately 60 miles from the city of Santa Clarita, the vivacious and bodacious town of Ojai captivates visitors with some of the best wineries in California. Among these excellent wineries is the Topa Mountain Winery, located within the vineyards of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy and right beside the Los Padres National Forest. Book lovers around the world can head over to the largest independent outdoor bookstore in the US, Bart’s Books, to purchase whatever reading materials are available.
At the Ojai Valley Museum, history enthusiasts can learn all about the Chumash people who once prospered in the area. The Topatopa Mountains are riddled with trails and treks for everyone, just as the Ventura River Valley and the Enchanted Forest are alive with horseback-riding tourists on their way to new adventures. You ought to attend the Ojai Music Festival in June around Lake Casitas in addition to the Ojai Wine Festival. There is no need to worry about accommodations, not when you are staying in excellent retreats such as the Ojai Valley Inn and the Caravan Outpost.
Los Alamos
Even though the small town of Los Alamos in California may not have been the site of the Manhattan Project—which happened in the similarly named town of Los Alamos in New Mexico—this quaint community about 46 miles from Santa Barbara is nevertheless a relaxing and riveting destination for those wanting to explore the Californian outdoors. So named from the Spanish word “cottonwood” due to the abundance of cottonwood in the area, Los Alamos is a gateway to the Santa Ynez Valley, the Gaviota State Park, and Cachuma Lake.
The nearby La Purísima Mission State Historic Park houses an 1820s red-brick mansion of Spanish design, while the Firestone Vineyard and the Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard give you a hefty amount of wine to savor. During the last week of September each year, the townsfolk celebrate the Old Days Festival with much merriment and fervor. You might also fancy entering through the Neverland Gates and into more of California's secretive outdoors, such as the Los Padres National Forest. So, if you are interested in seeing more of what Los Alamos has in store, then you ought to book a room in places like the Union Hotel, Skyview Los Alamos, or the Alamo Motel.
Idyllwild
Need an idyllic vacation out in the wilds? Then, travel about two hours from Los Angeles and into the ideal town of Idyllwild. Whether you are traipsing about in Idyllwild-Pine Cove and in the Mount San Jacinto State Park or listening to exquisite and inventive jazz music during the “Jazz in the Pine” festival around July, you will undoubtedly feel rejuvenated and restored from most of the big city anxieties. Get a better appreciation of Idyllwild’s wilderness sceneries by first educating yourself at the Idyllwild Nature Center.
Afterward, partake in challenging climbing experiences up the San Jacinto Mountains vis-à-vis the Tahquitz and Suicide Rock Climbing challenges. For bikers, you can appreciate a marathon with the Spring Challenge. And for those of you who want to stay a little longer in Idyllwild, you can pick from a number of lodgings, such as the Idyllwild Buckhouse, Silver Pines Lodge, the Fireside Inn, or Idyllwild Inn.
San Juan Capistrano
Built in 1776 by colonists from Spain, the historic town of San Juan Capistrano received its name from Saint John of Capistrano. Many of its old Spanish architecture have endured the turning tides of time, although an earthquake did reduce the Mission San Juan Capistrano into a ruin that tourists can still explore. The San Juan Capistrano Basilica and the Los Rios District, the oldest neighborhood in California, continue to preserve the mementos of the past.
Likewise, Spanish artifacts can be found in the galleries and exhibits of both the Blas Aguilar Adobe Museum and the Acjachemen Cultural Center. Every year in October, which celebrates both Halloween and Saint John’s Day in San Juan Capistrano, the town’s skies are filled with flocks of swallows migrating out of the area and returning back to town on St. Joseph’s Day in March. Only about two hours away from Idyllwild, you can feel satisfied and safe in one of San Juan Capistrano’s accommodating establishments, such as the Inn at the Mission, Beachwood Village, or Capistrano Surfside Inn.
Wrightwood
At approximately 6,000 feet above sea level on the slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains, you will find the delightful small town of Wrightwood. Formerly the home of the Yuharetum (“people of the pines”), who was also called “Serrano” by the Spanish, which means “mountaineer,” Wrightwood has transformed since the time it was built by a Spanish mission, and long after it became a Mormon colony in California’s mountains.
Travelers eager for exploration can fulfill their desires by taking the Pacific Crest Trail, a route stretching from the southernmost reaches of Mexico to the northernmost corners of Canada. Go skiing and snowboarding at the Mountain High ski resort, or paddling and kayaking across Jackson Lake. Before the day ends, you can journey deeper into the Acorn Canyon, Lone Pine Canyon, Mine Gulch, and Slover Canyon.
Solvang
Solvang, praised by visitors and locals alike for being the “Danish Capital of America,” is a remarkable image of Denmark in the middle of America. Each year in the month of September, the townsfolk celebrate their Danish heritage with the Solvang Danish Days, complete with a live reenactment of how Vikings used to live in old Denmark. Seek out more Danish delights along the fabulous Copenhagen Street, or admire the amazing artworks and exhibits at the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art.
In contrast, the California Nature Art Museum features works specifically from the beautiful outdoor landscapes surrounding Solvang. There are plenty of more attractions reminiscent of Europe in Solvang, so consider booking a room in one of Solvang’s homely establishments, such as the Vinland Hotel and Lounge, The Hadsten Solvang, King Frederik Inn, or The Landsby.
Avalon
The Channel Islands are famous destinations for its beaches and shores along the Pacific Ocean. And on Santa Catalina Island, a member of the Channel Islands, you will be mesmerized by the beautiful town of Avalon. From the Catalina Casino, where the elites of Hollywood used to gamble, to the Wrigley Memorial Botanical Garden’s sunny temperaments, Avalon’s magical destinations will thrust you into the mists of time and space and into a new world of wonders.
Experience new emotions when watching birds-of-prey take flight during the Catalina Falconry Experience, and make new memories when having fun at the Descanso Beach Club and the Lovers Cove Marine Preserve. Most of all, dive into the artistic landscape at the Catalina Island Museum for Art & History. More wonders are in store in Avalon, even in the town’s many accommodations like the Bellanca, Atwater, Pavilion, or Aurora hotels.
Julian
High up in the Cuyamaca Mountains and about 60 miles from the city of San Diego, the jolly town of Julian first started out as a mining colony out for gold in the mountains before developing into a premier resort town in California. The Julian Pioneer Museum and the Eagle and High Peak Mine contextualize much of Julian’s humble beginnings, while the Calico Ranch Orchard’s near-infinite fields of apples and its production of apple pies show why Julian is the Apple Capital of Southern California. You can certainly dine on a delicious slice or bunch of raw apples while exploring the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve, the Anza-Borrego Desert, and the Salton Sea.
Finally, you can attend the annual Starfest festival in August when Julian’s night sky is dark enough for people to see the Milky Way galaxy in all its starry glory. If you are interested in staying a little longer in Julian, you ought to first book a room at either the Orchard Hill, Apple Tree Inn, or Tucker Peak Lodge.
Sausalito
Just ten miles north of San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge, you will find the sweet town of Sausalito. With its magnificent biomes at the Muir Woods and the Marin Headlands and its scenic viewpoints of San Francisco from Battery Spencer, Kirby Cove Campground, and Lime Point Historic Lighthouse, Sausalito is a humble getaway from the big city as well as offering a new appreciation for one of the biggest metropolises in California.
The Bay Area Discovery Museum gives you a better idea of how Sausalito developed from a humble fishing and port community. Finally, the Marine Mammal Center is home to many diverse species of marine mammals protected by Sausalito’s community. Take your time and enjoy your vacation in Sausalito, particularly when resting in lodgings such as the Casa Madrona, Inn Above Tide, or Cavallo Point Lodge.
Saint Helena
At the heart of the pleasant Napa Valley shines the refreshing small town of Saint Helena. Renowned for its beverages and brews, Saint Helena is just an hour and 30 minutes from Sacramento and is the homebase for the CIA—not the Central Intelligence Agency, but rather the Culinary Institute of America. It is one of the best places to learn all about cooking from the Napa Valley, just as the nearby 1881 Napa Wine History Museum is one of the best places to learn all about the operations of the oldest wine region in California.
At the Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, you can appreciate the sight of a 36-foot water wheel and grist mill from the 1800s. Meanwhile, the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum chronicles the life and works of renowned author Robert Louis Stevenson. Travelers can always purchase a ride aboard a hot air balloon for an aerial view of the Napa Valley and Saint Helena, or you can purchase a room in resplendent accommodations such as Harvest Inn, Alila Napa Valley, or The Ink House for a merrier vacation in Saint Helena.
California—the Golden State, bright and gleaming with golden opportunities like visiting the most relaxing California towns this year and the next. Outside the metropolitan confines of Los Angeles and San Francisco, you will be sipping fine wine from the many vineyards around towns like Helena and Ojai or traipsing through the wild and rural countryside near Wrightwood and Idyllwild. Additionally, you will love the beachside attractions in Avalon and the remarkable histories to learn from San Juan Capistrano. But most of all, you will not forget your experiences and adventures in the most relaxing California towns.
