9 Best California Towns For A Weekend Trip
Have a weekend to spare or planning to escape the hiatus of the everyday at your first convenience? California is longstanding among the top three states to visit. There's something intangible about California's small towns that makes you forget the worries in a heartbeat, like Eureka's blend of creative culture, Victorian architecture, and the rugged, remote ocean landscapes.
From a ritzy island destination to the popular lakeside town along Lake Tahoe's southern shore, these nine have been a favorite escape for over a century among new and returning weekenders. Find a special spot in the Golden State with your name on it. The craggy coastlines, mountains, lakes, and redwood forests will leave a permanent mark on your heart.
Avalon
Seeking beachy vibes on a culturally enriching weekend? Join the ranks of those preaching Avalon, a real vista on Santa Catalina Island. It couldn't feel further away, strolling the welcoming docks with sun kisses on your face. Hike up to the charming downtown overlooking the splendor at the waterfront. From the Catalina Island Visitor Center, the Catalina Museum for Art & History exhibits over 8,000 years of human history in the area. Avalon bathes in tropical SoCal beauty with turquoise waters lapping up the island’s southeast coast. Each with a vibe and tide, South Beach, Middle Beach, and Step Beach highlight favorite activities like boating, kayaking, snorkeling, parasailing, and swimming. A variety of boat excursions depart from Green Pleasure Pier.
Some 20 miles off the SoCal coast, Catalina Express offers year-round ferry access, just a scenic hour to one of the state's most romantic spots. Escape the bustle downtown just east during the intimate sunset hour at the Buena Vista Point Scenic Overlook. The beautiful city hosts a wide variety of lodging options, restaurants, and spas to unwind in between the water and land activities. Strolling along Front Street, the tiled Wrigley Fountain is next to a petite cafe on the way to Tour Plaza to get hyped up for the inland tours. Don't miss the Catalina Chimes Tower, a 1925 Spanish-style tower that chimes every 15 minutes. Imbibe some local vibes through quirky restaurants over fresh-caught, delicious seafood, fruity drinks, and people-watching.
Carpinteria
Known for colorful beachfront buildings, Carpinteria is like a postcard with its charming mom-and-pop shops and unique experiences that attract a constant string of curious tourists. Home to under 13,000, one of the country's last sleepy beach towns welcomes visitors with traditional hospitality that feels like a 360-degree change in pace from the city's. Whether you're in for the beaches, food along the main, or the “back-in-time vibe," Carpinteria entices city dwellers, calms your soul, and evokes the long-forgotten sense of the simple joys in life. Strolling along the thoroughfare to the next interesting shop or family-owned restaurant, find large breakfast portions, plus gourmet burgers, fish and chips, and more at The Spot that make it a new favorite dinner spot in town.
Just 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles, with a cool, local feel under warm weather, it's super clean beach is exactly what you've been craving for a weekend escape in the summer. Escape civilization at Toro Canyon Park along a trail from a picnic area to an overlook. Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve is an oceanfront acreage with hiking trails and green space overlooking the harbor seals below. Settled by the Spanish in 1769, who saw Chumash natives building canoes out of wooden planks, Carpinteria is Spanish for “carpenter shop.” Follow their footsteps to Rincon Point along the shore at sunset; quaintness is part of its charm. From Santa Claus Beach to Loon Point Beach, don't miss the kid-friendly El Carro Park and Canzelle Alpacas, a local attraction.
Eureka
This largest coastal city between San Francisco and Portland is a favorite stopover at the heart of the US redwood coast among explorers into the Pacific Northwest. Blending creative culture and unique Victorian architecture into the stunningly beautiful, rugged, remote ocean landscapes that mimic the PNW's, the city's elegance and passion for the arts attract tourists. From fine and performing arts to the huge street murals over three street art corridors, Eureka is a designated California Cultural District City. On a weekend escape, satiate your need for the green minutes from the town's one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants, and artisanal businesses to the hiking and biking trails. Between the world's tallest trees and the water, the Eureka Waterfront Trail wraps around Humboldt Bay for over six miles of recreation and education opportunities among wildlife.
Right on-site, Sequoia Park is home to the most iconic redwood grove, while Redwood Sky Walk is now open at Sequoia Park Zoo for a bird's-eye view from over 100 feet above the forest floor and towering redwoods. Eureka's spirit extends into an enthusiastic après outdoors scene through eateries catering with locally produced menus, upbeat bars, and lodgings ranging from cozy to luxurious. Stop by the Eureka Visitor's Center for a personalized itinerary, plus Humboldt history, at the Clarke Historical Museum Shop. From the historic Carson Mansion to the "Pink Lady" across the street, Blue Ox Millworks specializes in Victorian architectural elements, including blacksmithing, stained glass, and printing. After a sunset stroll along the picturesque waterfront district, end the weekend over dinner out on the historic Old Town.
Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg, a former military garrison turned lumber town north of Mendocino, boasts a historically alluring downtown area. With an unpretentious feel yet indulgences around each corner, you can enjoy fresh-off-the-boat seafood and sift through boutiques in a frame of architecture. From mountain biking along the wild coast to kayaking upstream the Noyo River, the Botanical Garden offers peaceful walks and ocean views. Just north, the Pudding Creek Trestle is a beautiful bridge with easy access to the water and sunset views. Many enjoy the 25-acre dog-friendly green space at Pomo Bluffs Park with benches and interpretive signs along coastal multiuse trails. The inland Otis R. Johnson Wilderness Park features trails and picnic tables with wildlife, a creek, and redwoods.
Central along the shore, Glass Beach, named after the smooth, colorful sea glass around small coves, is sought after by photographers and scavengers for sea-made souvenirs washed up on the rocky shore. Kayaking and kayak excursions are popular in the summer. Next to the Headlands Coffeehouse, the Sea Glass Museum offers a relaxed atmosphere of a converted home with a collection of colored sea glass and a gift shop. Next door, the iconic Skunk Train, sought after from far and wide, journeys along a historic railroad through meadows, canyons, and redwood forests. Return for a fun night out at the popular North Coast Brewing Co., serving barrel-aged beers and classic pub food in a chill taproom with outdoor seating and even a gift shop.
Pacific Grove
Pacific Grove, the Butterfly Town USA, boasts an incomparable setting along the rocky, curving shores of Monterey Bay. With narrow streets descending to the oceanfront along 19th-century cottages, Pacific Grove is unapologetically traditional, catering to the local community without the tourist kitsch of the nearby Monterey. Strolling or biking the 18-mile Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail north along the shore to Castroville, Pacific Grove’s stretch is often called the prettiest. The scenic journey plucks you from Jewell Ave. and Ocean View Blvd., past the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row. In October, thousands of monarch butterflies arrive at the town’s Monarch Grove Sanctuary in time for the annual Butterfly Parade & Bazaar, a tradition since 1939.
Lovers Point Park and Beach is popular for scenic kayaking, with wildlife like harbor seals and sea otters twirling offshore. Rentals are available from Adventures by the Sea. Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds boasts historic architecture in a frame of unspoiled natural beauty. For Instagram shots, don't miss the boardwalk along a restored section of dunes and the mile-long Asilomar Coast Trail along the shoreline. Asilomar’s incomparable collection of Arts and Crafts-style buildings is the largest in one location, designed by Julia Morgan, the architect behind Hearst Castle. Pacific Grove’s own vintage downtown boasts destination dining at Passionfish, an inventive seafood restaurant. The fabled golf kingdom is next door in Pebble Beach.
Pebble Beach
This coastal community tucked within the pine-studded Del Monte Forest offers access to Monterey County's nearly 100 miles of coastline for one epic weekend escape. Right between Pacific Grove and Carmel-by-the-Sea, the region is packed with the iconic natural beauty of the Monterey Peninsula, like the transcending China Rock Vista Point. Blending old elegance into raw nature, paddle among the twirling sea otters in the kelp forests. Since its debut in 1881, the 17-mile Drive has become one of the world's most scenic motorways. Picnic against the giant trees at Crocker Grove and stop by Sunset Point Overlook, or take the boardwalk at sunset in Spanish Bay overlooking the beach. Spotlighted as the "Cannery Row" in Steinbeck's novel, the infamous Old Fisherman's Grotto is 20 minutes east.
From the Franshell Beach outlook to Pescadero Point, the Lone Cypress is a scenic landmark of a single cypress tree overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Chase the scenery along through Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. Just 20 minutes south, its moderate 1.4-mile North Shore Trail overlooks picture-perfect beaches that call your name. Boasting three public courses, choose between the towering pines at the Spyglass Hill Golf Course, the sand dunes at The Links at Spanish Bay, or the cliffs of the Pebble Beach Golf Links. The annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is a world-class classic-car competition, while Pebble Beach Food and Wine is a great reason to join the celebration of the world’s finest cuisine and vintages over local seafood and organic produce through the town's restaurants.
San Luis Obispo
Home to nearly 50,000, San Luis Obispo offers an incomparable atmosphere, like a unique small mountain town but on the beach. Enjoy surfing and learn more about its history on a weekend escape, some four hours from LA and San Francisco on Highway 101. With clues throughout in unique details and monuments, the historic Spanish Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, founded in 1772, exudes a special aura without too many crowds as a real touchstone to the past. From boutique shopping and fine dining to a world-renowned university, take a campus stroll and join the youth at one of the many pulsating bars. Despite its top-notch entertainment scene, everything feels outdoors-oriented, where a good hike or bike ride is a reward under the everyday perfect weather.
San Luis Obispo is super cute and tons of fun, thanks to its larger population, translating into more local farmers markets to browse, artisan jewelers, and galleries. For something completely different, Bubblegum Alley is one of the strangest, most popular spots in town, comprising a 15-foot-high by 70-foot-long wall to add your own chewed piece of gum to hundreds of others in the ever-growing collection since the 1950s. Just 50 minutes away, Hearst Castle is a great addition to any weekend escape along the former grounds of an early 20th-century oligarch, comprising a state park and museum. The newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst's exquisite mansion and art collections offer public access, with actors dressed in era clothing.
Solvang
This Danish-influenced town, some 35 miles northeast of Santa Barbara, in the Santa Ynez Valley of SoCal, is unique, inviting, and engaging. Perfect for a culturally enriching escape, the European-style village has something for every culture vulture, architecture fan, and wine aficionado. From windmills to local bakeries and whimsical shops, its dining and unique shopping opportunities transport you overseas. Various city tours depart to admire authentic buildings and taste local delicacies, including vineyards. Home to fewer than 6,000 people, it's like a weekend of living in the “sunny fields” translated from Danish, with traditions, sites, and events like the Solvang Stomp in October with activities, food, and drinks. Don't miss Ostrichland USA, a ranch with free-roaming big birds.
Founded in 1911 by colonists from Denmark who lived in the area since the late 19th century, the town has kept its heritage alive, adding a tasteful elegance with many Viking statues, dinnerplate dahlias, and themed hotels. Many are drawn by the area's natural beauty, including the artsy Hans Christian Andersen Park with structures and picnic areas and the nearby Nojoqui Falls, the glistening waterfalls straight from a fairytale. Surrounded by fields of organic farms, enjoy easy access to SoCal's state parks and crowdless beaches for a nature lover's perfect weekend escape, and soar above it all with Highline Adventures. The culinary scene demands a themed trip, from world-class cheeses to the best meats and handmade pastries to taste on the spot and bring home for friends.
South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe is arguably the ritziest lakeside town in the Golden State. Enjoy easy access just off Interstate 80 for a lakeside weekend escape, charged with views of the towering Sierra Nevada Mountain range. Boasting a top spot along the bottom of the state's most popular lake, Lake Tahoe, the town near the Nevada border is also the base village for the Heavenly ski resort. Whether you're a photographer, a hiker, a water sports enthusiast, or a mountaineer, its crystal-clear waters framed by pine-studded forests straight from your site at Tahoe Valley Campground leave no visitor underwhelmed. Catering to worldwide interests, seek leisure along the beach, with dining and entertainment steps away from the relaxed shoreline to the spirited downtown area.
Many enjoy Washoe Meadows State Park at the doorstep, plus easy access to Emerald Bay State Park and Fallen Leaf Lake. There's year-round family-friendly fun along the lakefront trails, like fireworks, music, food pairings, and sporting events in each season, including summertime outdoor concerts with past appearances like Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. Offering year-round fire pits along the Shops at Heavenly Village, relax and browse among its boutiques and eateries, with a stop by the multi-screen movie theater, a handsome architecture of stone and timber. Take the boardwalk at Thomas F. Regan Memorial City Beach, or hike High Meadow Trailhead and then relax at one of the many spas, like Serenity Spa in the Heavenly Village, perfect for a zen-inspired weekend escape.
Cure your wanderlust over a single weekend—try to make it a long one—in one of these epic towns. Carpinteria's postcard-like looks and unique experiences attract weekenders year-round. Discover Eureka at the heart of the US redwood coast, or visit San Luis Obispo for history. So, what defines your perfect weekend? Could it be an idyllic coastal location or a camping site in South Lake Tahoe?
With so many ways to squeeze every ounce out of even a short escape under pleasant weather, how about some scenic tee time around Pebble Beach, tucked within the pine-studded Del Monte Forest on the Monterey Peninsula? Bike the 18-mile Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail north from Pacific Grove, or take Fort Bragg's Skunk Train through the famed redwoods.
