• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • News
  • Fleet
  • Guides & Tips
  • Innovations
  • Special Offers
  • Travel
  • sixt.com

SIXT rent a car Magazine

Travel Tips and News

5 Awesome Day Trips From L.A

The coastal location of Los Angeles and the warm climate mean there is a wealth of day trip options that can be enjoyed all year. We rounded up 5 day trips from L.A. that showcase the diverse landscape and wealth of entertainment options less than 2 hours from downtown. Go to the desert, sip some wine, or visit an island that feels a world away from L.A. It should be noted that traffic is notoriously bad, so be sure to add extra time if you are traveling at peak hours.

Santa Catalina Island

Leave the congested freeways behind and take a ferry to Catalina (as the locals call it) where you can feel like you’re on a tropical island. This is one of the Channel Islands off the Pacific Coast, and the one with the most to offer for a day trip. The easiest way to get there is to take the Catalina Express ferry. It departs multiple times a day from Long Beach, San Pedro and Dana Point south of Los Angeles, and the trip takes about an hour. Once you get to the island you can walk around Avalon, go SCUBA diving, or go to Two Harbors at the other end of Catalina where you’ll find beaches and campgrounds.

Catalina Island
The harbor on Catalina Island

Disneyland Park

Embrace your inner child or take your actual kids to Disneyland, the iconic theme park in Anaheim. Only about 30 minutes south on I-5 from downtown, you can explore the original park designed by Walt Disney himself in 1955. There are tons of things inside the park to take up a day, like Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, and of course, many rides.

Disneyland Anaheim
Classic rides at Disneyland in Anaheim

Temecula Valley Wine Country

While California has no shortage of areas known for wine – Napa, Sonoma, the Central Coast – there is also the lesser-known Temecula Valley. There are more than 10 wineries in the area around Temecula, about 1 hour and 20 minutes southeast from L.A. While other wine-producing areas in the state are known for particular kinds of wine, Temecula Valley is known for its diversity, with more than 50 varietals produced. If you want to visit multiple wineries without driving yourself, there are multiple options for wine tours, including via cable car!

Palm Springs & Joshua Tree National Park

Situated in the Coachella Valley less than 2 hours east of L.A., Palm Springs is a great day trip option or a base for a weekend exploring the surrounding area including Joshua Tree National Park. Palm Springs is a resort town, with most people coming here in the winter months when the temperatures are milder. You can enjoy spas and resorts, and also just drive around and look at some of the mid-century modern architecture the city is known for. If you have time, the entrance to Joshua Tree is about a 45-minute drive from Palm Springs and is a great place to go hiking during the winter months when temperatures int he desert are more tolerable. Or, if you would rather skip Palm Springs and just go to Joshua Tree, it’s roughly 2.5 hours from L.A.

One of the midcentury-modern houses in Palm Springs

San Diego

Less than 2 hours down the coast on I-5 is San Diego where you can visit the world-renowned San Diego Zoo, go to Sea World, or visit the USS Midway, an aircraft carrier-turned-museum. Walk or drive around Old Town, which is where San Diego was first settled. If you have time on the way to or from L.A., stop at La Jolla Cove for a swim or walk along the beach.

San Diego Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach in San Diego

SIXT Rent a car in Los Angeles

You need a car to get the full experience of Los Angeles, including the infamous traffic jams. Luckily, you can find SIXT rent a car locations throughout the city, including at LAX and downtown. We also have multiple branches in the cities surrounding L.A., like Inglewood.

Related posts:

  1. Sixt now offers car rental at San Diego International Airport
  2. 500 Miles: Scenic Road Trips from Los Angeles
  3. San Diego Road Trip: 59-Mile Scenic Drive
  4. Top 5 Small Towns Near Los Angeles

Primary Sidebar

Fleet News

Our SIXT Network remains operating and your safety is our top priority!

SIXT PREMIUMCLEANING STANDARDHYGIENE MEASURESIN OUR … [Read More...] about Our SIXT Network remains operating and your safety is our top priority!

The Best Cars For Long Distance Driving

From packing up the kids for a vacation road trip or looking … [Read More...] about The Best Cars For Long Distance Driving

What Are the Best Electric Cars? 🚗🌿

Electric cars are the choice of environmentally aware … [Read More...] about What Are the Best Electric Cars? 🚗🌿

More Posts from this Category

Follow us on

Tags

arizona atlanta austria bmw cadillac california convertible europe florida ford mustang frankfurt georgia germany israel italy jaguar las vegas los angeles madrid mercedes-benz miami mydriver nevada new station new york one-way route Pennsylvania roadtrip san francisco savannah seattle shuttle SIXT ride Spain Special offers suv switzerland toll roads usa vienna

Footer

Sixt in the USA

  • Los Angeles Airport
  • Miami Airport
  • San Francisco Airport
  • All Sixt US Locations

  • Long-term car rental
  • Monthly car rental
  • Luxury car rental

SIXT WORLDWIDE

Austria Belgium France Germany Italy
Netherlands Spain Switzerland United Kingdom United States

All SIXT Services

  • SIXT rent
  • SIXT share
  • SIXT ride

Follow Us On

Sixt App

Sixt app Android Sixt app iOS
Contact Us Imprint & Privacy Terms & Conditions

Copyright Sixt © 2021. All rights reservered.

  • Home
  • News
  • Fleet
  • Guides & Tips
  • Innovations
  • Special Offers
  • Travel
  • sixt.com
Sixt uses cookies to provide you with the best possible service, to improve and evaluate the content of the website and to promote Sixt products. By continuing to use this website, you agree that cookies may be placed and used on your computer. You can change this under our cookie policy. Find out more.