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Road Trips Are Growing in Popularity – Here Are a Few of Our Favorites in California.

By Jake Orens, Plaza Travel

I’ve been fortunate enough to go on several road trips in the past few months. Thinking about all these incredible destinations is making me crave another road trip, exploring all the beautiful places that are so close to Los Angeles. California really is the most diverse state: from beautiful beaches to towering mountains, interesting desert landscapes and the coolest trees, we really do have it all. While this is certainly not a complete list, I hope this sparks a little motivation and creativity to get out there and explore one of the most incredible states.

Palm Springs / Joshua Tree

Just a 2 to 3-hour drive from Los Angeles, Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park are definitely a must for a weekend trip. While it may not be the first thing you think of, winter is a great time to go. Of course Palm Springs has cute streets and towering mountains to check out, but Joshua Tree is only a quick 45-minute drive from Palm Springs. I can confidently say that it is home to some of the coolest boulders, rock formations, and plant species you'll ever see. Every time I go to Joshua tree I think to myself, "Wow this place is so cool and I can’t believe it’s so close to LA!"


Yosemite

Now I know everyone has heard of Yosemite, but to be honest I went for my first time a couple years ago and this place is amazing. I remember the first time I went (and I’d seen pictures of Yosemite many times) and first laid my eyes on Yosemite Valley, my jaw literally dropped. To see those 3,000 foot tall granite walls shooting straight up from the valley floor for the first time is something I’ll never forget. Yosemite is only a 5-hour drive from LA and it’s a great option for a quick weekend trip.


Sequoia and Kings Canyon

Who wouldn’t love to see some of the most massive trees on this planet? California really has so many cool places to soak in, and I recently discovered how cool sequioa trees are. Now there is Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park, but they are easily connected and are just waiting for your car to explore. In the summer time, there are gorgeous lakes and mountains to hike all around, but during the winter months it’s mainly taking in the views and admiring the scale of how large these trees actually are. You can even walk and drive through some of the trees!


Pismo and Avila Beach

Definitely one of my favorite places to go explore are the coastal towns in central California that are only a 3-hour drive fom Southern California. There are so many that I’m not listing here, but some of my favorites include Pismo and Avila Beach. While both are cute little towns right on the water, there is a ton to do in the surrounding area. Besides hiking, wandering around the streets and hanging out at the beach, you can rent ATVs and ride around the sand dunes of Pismo Beach. In Avila Beach, you can rent a kayak and paddle around the bay.


Monterey, Carmel, and Pebble Beach

Another coastal recommendation for you. If you’re open to planning a longer road trip, these can be connected with Pismo Beach and Avila Beach if you take Highway 1 and explore Big Sur along the way. Along the same vibe as Pismo and Avila, there’s so much to explore around the Monterey Peninsula. Carmel is a cute little town to cruise through with a very famous dog-friendly beach. Pebble Beach is home to one of the most well-known and iconic courses to play golf and there are dozens of others throughout the county. And while Monterey is famous for its aquarium, there are also several fun little streets and coastal walks to take while in the area.


Mammoth 

I’m a bit biased here from spending several months in Mammoth over the last couple of years, but I stand by the fact that the Eastern Sierras (including Mammoth) are one of the most beautiful places in California. Of course Mammoth is a winter (and summer) destination and ski resort in and of itself, but there are so many other really interesting places to check out in the area: June Lake Loop, Mono Lake, as well as several hot springs to name a few. When summer comes around, there are literally hundreds of beautiful lakes to check out and places to explore in the region.

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