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From Los Angeles

Weekend getaways from Los Angeles

Los Angeles is ringed by weekends: the desert-resort calm of Palm Springs, Ojai's hidden valley, the wine country of Santa Ynez, and a coast road north through Santa Barbara to Big Sur. Most are two or three hours out — the trick is leaving before the freeways seize up.

We rank each by real door-to-door time and plan the escape around it, so the two days are spent by the pool, in the vines or on the coast, not on the 101.

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Ranked by real travel time from Los Angeles

Each getaway below shows its true door-to-door time — the same journey our planner uses, ferries and traffic included — so you can judge the weekend before you commit.

Good questions

What's the best weekend getaway from Los Angeles?

Palm Springs for desert-resort pampering (about 2 hours), Ojai for a quiet valley hideaway, Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez wine country up the coast, and San Diego south. We rank them by real travel time and plan around the traffic.

Where can you drive for a weekend from LA without much traffic?

Leaving early or after the evening rush, Palm Springs, Ojai and Santa Barbara are all comfortable two-to-three-hour drives. We time the route to miss the worst of the freeways.

Is Palm Springs or Ojai better for a weekend from LA?

Palm Springs for full-service desert resorts, pools and nightlife; Ojai for a smaller, quieter spa-town valley. Both are close — we match to the weekend you want and your dates.

Weekend getaways by city

Your getaway, assembled

Tell us where you’re starting.

We’ll build the whole trip — travel, a checked stay and the local dinners and walks worth making time for — around your city and your dates.

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