21 Day Trips From San Francisco, by Drive Time

Sonoma Plaza, the largest town square in California, is an hour and five minutes north of San Francisco. Napa, Oakville, Healdsburg and Calistoga all sit within an hour and a half, so plan wine country first. The rest of the 21 day trips here run down the coast to the sea otters of Moss Landing and Point Lobos, and inland to Sacramento and Pinnacles.

Begin with Sonoma. Point Reyes and Half Moon Bay are the nearest coast, and Moss Landing is the fall trip, when its otters are most often seen. In November, the otters are still in their fall season, while Gilroy Gardens opens on weekends only. With a night or two, the weekend getaways from San Francisco reach Yosemite, Big Sur, Lake Tahoe and Mendocino.

Costs are for two people in US dollars and cover gas there and back, food, entry fees and local transport. No hotel. Drive times are one-way from downtown San Francisco by road.

The short list

Filter:

Destination		Round trip	Best for
Mount Diablo	~35m31 mi	~1h 10m	Nature	$220–$330	April
Half Moon Bay	~40m29 mi	~1h 20m	Beach	$220–$330	September
Vallejo	~40m32 mi	~1h 20m	Family	$220–$330	–
Petaluma	~55m39 mi	~1h 50m	History	$230–$330	April
San Jose	~55m48 mi	~1h 55m	History	$230–$340	–
Mount Tamalpais	~55m23 mi	~1h 55m	Nature	$220–$320	April
Napa	~1h49 mi	~2h	Food and wine	$230–$330	–
Sonoma	~1h 5m45 mi	~2h 10m	Food and wine	$230–$330	Try September
Point Reyes	~1h 5m39 mi	~2h 15m	Nature	$220–$330	–
Oakville	~1h 10m56 mi	~2h 20m	Food and wine	$230–$340	–
Pescadero	~1h 10m47 mi	~2h 20m	Hidden gems (offbeat)	$230–$330	October
Healdsburg	~1h 20m70 mi	~2h 45m	Food and wine	$240–$340	Try September
Santa Cruz	~1h 25m72 mi	~2h 45m	Beach	$230–$340	–
Calistoga	~1h 25m66 mi	~2h 45m	Wellness	$230–$340	September
Gilroy Gardens	~1h 25m78 mi	~2h 45m	Family	$240–$350	July
Sacramento	~1h 25m86 mi	~2h 50m	History	$240–$350	Try September
Bodega Bay	~1h 30m67 mi	~2h 55m	Wildlife	$230–$340	April
Guerneville	~1h 35m75 mi	~3h 5m	Nature	$230–$340	July
Moss Landing	~1h 45m95 mi	~3h 30m	Wildlife	$240–$350	October
Point Lobos	~2h 5m118 mi	~4h 10m	Wildlife	$250–$350	–
Pinnacles	~2h 30m128 mi	~5h	Adventure	$250–$360	April

Point Lobos and Pinnacles cost four to five hours in the car, so leave by seven.

Under an hour from the city

Six trips sit within an hour of downtown: Mount Diablo at 35 minutes, Half Moon Bay and Vallejo at 40, then Petaluma, San Jose and Mount Tamalpais at about 55. Of the six, Mount Tamalpais makes the fullest half day: Muir Woods on the way up and the bay from East Peak.

Best for wine country

Five wine towns sit north of the bay, split between Napa Valley to the east and the Sonoma valleys to the west. Start with Sonoma, where the tasting rooms, the mission and the barracks are all a walk from one plaza.

Sonoma

Sonoma is a wine town built around its plaza, ringed by restaurants, a historic theater and tasting rooms. The same state historic park takes in the Sonoma Barracks and Mission San Francisco Solano, the last Spanish-Mexican mission built in California. Park once and walk all of it. The harvest runs from late August into early October.

Don't miss

Sonoma State Historic Park
Roche Winery
Sebastiani Theatre
Sonoma Valley Museum of Art

Iconic eats: Fresh Baked Pie

Napa

Napa, an hour out, is the valley's working city, with most of the big wineries to the north. Choose it over Sonoma for a food day. Start at Oxbow Public Market, a hall of local cheese, chocolate and bakery stalls, then take the Napa Valley Wine Train or visit the CIA at Copia, the culinary school's food and wine center.

Don't miss

Napa Valley Wine Train
Napa Valley Balloons
Napa Valley Opera House
Silverado Resort

Iconic eats: Burger

Oakville

Oakville, in the middle of Napa Valley about ten minutes past Napa, is the home of Robert Mondavi Winery and Opus One. Book tastings ahead and pair Oakville with Napa in a single day.

Healdsburg

Three Sonoma wine regions meet at Healdsburg: the Russian River, Dry Creek and Alexander valleys. Healdsburg's leafy plaza is lined with tasting rooms, galleries and restaurants. Pick Healdsburg over Sonoma for a day on a bike, riding into Dry Creek Valley. Try September, at harvest.

Don't miss

Dry Creek Valley
Wine Country Bikes
Paul Mahder Gallery

Iconic eats: Fresh Baked Pie, Smash Burger

Healdsburg Museum, Healdsburg — 1h 20m drive · Best in September
A wine town centered on a leafy downtown plaza of tasting rooms and galleries, where the Russian River, Dry Creek and Alexander valleys meet.
Top sights
Healdsburg Museum
Hand Fan Museum
Raven Performing Arts Theater
Windsor

Calistoga

Calistoga, at the top of Napa Valley, is the spa town, with mineral pools fed by natural hot springs and a petrified forest outside town. Book a soak, then see Old Faithful Geyser of California or Castello di Amorosa, a winery modeled on a 14th-century fortress down to its drawbridge. Tasting rooms line Lincoln Avenue, which hosts the Harvest Table dinner in September.

Don't miss

Castello di Amorosa
Golden Haven Spa
Old Faithful Geyser
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park

Best for the coast and its wildlife

The coast north and south of the city is cold and foggy. Bring a jacket in July.

Half Moon Bay

Winter swells bring surfers to Mavericks at Half Moon Bay, 40 minutes south. Buy fresh crab at the harbor, then walk the Coastside Trail along the bluffs to Francis State Beach. Come in winter if you want to see the swells.

Don't miss

Francis State Beach
Waterfront Coastside Trail
Pigeon Point Lighthouse
Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival

Point Reyes Station

Point Reyes Station, 1h 5m north, is the small town at the door of Point Reyes National Seashore, a peninsula of windswept cliffs. Drive out to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, then come back along Tomales Bay.

Don't miss

Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes Lighthouse
Tomales Bay State Park

Pescadero

Pescadero, the offbeat pick, is a small coastal town near Pescadero State Beach and its mile of sandy coves and tide pools. Blue herons hunt in Pescadero Marsh across the highway. Visit the goats at Harley Farms, then drive south to Pigeon Point Light Station.

As of November 2026, the lighthouse tower is closed while it is restored. The grounds and the Fog Signal Building, home of the original Fresnel lens, are open. Dogs are not allowed on the beach or in the marsh.

Don't miss

Pescadero State Beach
Butano State Park
Ano Nuevo State Park
Harley Farms Goat Dairy

Bodega Bay

Gray whales pass Bodega Bay, a Sonoma Coast fishing village, from January to May. Watch for them from Bodega Head, a clifftop above the ocean, then buy oysters and chowder at Fisherman's Cove. The nearby beaches have rip currents: walk them, don't swim.

Don't miss

Bodega Head
Horse N Around Trail Rides
UC Bodega Marine Laboratory

Moss Landing

Moss Landing sits at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough, a salt marsh home to more than 100 southern sea otters. Kayak in from the harbor launch ramp, or walk the trails at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve (open Wednesday to Sunday). Go in October, since fall is when the otters are most often seen.

Don't miss

Elkhorn Slough
Sanctuary Cruises

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Leave early for Point Lobos, a coastal reserve south of Carmel, a little over two hours each way. Sea otters and harbor seals float in the kelp forests below the trails. Walk the Cypress Grove Trail, then drop down to Whalers Cove and the old Whalers Cabin.

Don't miss

Cypress Grove Trail
Whalers Cove
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Whalers Cabin

Best for redwoods and peaks

Mount Tamalpais

Mount Tamalpais rises over Marin, with redwood canyons on its lower slopes and grassy hillsides above. The 0.75-mile Verna Dunshee Trail circles East Peak with views over the bay. Stop at Muir Woods on the way up. Aim for April, midway through a wildflower season that runs from February through May.

Don't miss

Mount Tamalpais East Peak
Muir Woods National Monument
Panoramic Highway
Downtown Mill Valley

Iconic eats: Sourdough Bread, Mission Burrito, Cioppino

Mount Diablo State Park

A 1930s tower of fossil-bearing sandstone holds the visitor center on top of Mount Diablo, the East Bay summit 35 minutes from the city; its elevator is out of service as of November 2026. Off South Gate Road, short trails reach the Wind Caves and Elephant Rock. Come in spring, when wildflowers fill Mitchell Canyon. Gates open at 8am and close at sunset. Dogs are not allowed on the trails.

Don't miss

Summit Visitor Center
Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center
Diablo Challenge
Blackhawk Ranch Quarry

Guerneville

Walk the flat 1.5-mile Pioneer Nature Trail among the old coast redwoods of Armstrong Redwoods, beside the Russian River town of Guerneville. Parking at the reserve costs $10 a car as of November 2026. In July, rent a kayak or claim a spot on the river at Johnson's Beach.

Don't miss

Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve
Johnsons Beach
Pee Wee Golf and Arcade
Russian River Jazz and Blues Festival

Pinnacles National Park

Pinnacles, about 2h 30m south, is a park of rock spires and talus caves with California condors overhead. Hike the High Peaks Trail or walk through Balconies Cave. Hike early in summer, when the afternoons get hot. Bear Gulch Cave closes completely from mid-May to mid-July for bat pupping season. April, with the wildflowers at their peak, is the month to go.

Don't miss

High Peaks Trail
Balconies Cave
Prewitt Point
Moses Springs to Rim Trail Loop

Best for old towns and history

Petaluma

Petaluma's 19th-century downtown, one of the best preserved in Sonoma County, is full of boutiques and antique shops. Petaluma was once called the Egg Basket of the World. The Butter & Egg Days parade, an April event in 2026, still celebrates the town's farms. Time a visit for the parade, and add Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park, a short drive out.

Don't miss

Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park
Helen Putnam Regional Park
Petaluma Arts Center
David Yearsley River Heritage Center

Helen Putnam Regional Park, Petaluma — 55m drive · Best in April
A riverside town with a preserved nineteenth-century downtown of boutiques and antique shops, once called the Egg Basket of the World.
Top sights
Helen Putnam Regional Park
Petaluma Historical Library and Museum
Petaluma Downtown SMART station

Sacramento

Sacramento, the state capital, is an hour and 25 minutes east. Start in Old Sacramento, along the river, among Gold Rush buildings such as the 1849 Eagle Theater and the 1855 Big Four Building. Then add the California State Railroad Museum, the State Capitol or the Crocker Art Museum. Try September.

Don't miss

California State Capitol
Crocker Art Museum
Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail
Old Sacramento

California State Capitol, Sacramento — 1h 25m drive · Best in September
The state capital, where the riverside Old Sacramento district keeps Gold Rush buildings such as the Eagle Theater and the Big Four Building.
Top sights
California State Capitol
Crocker Art Museum
Arden Fair Mall
California State Fair
California State Railroad Museum

San Jose

Book the tour of the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, a sprawling Victorian mansion full of winding staircases that lead nowhere. Then eat at San Pedro Square Market. The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is the other reason to stay into the afternoon.

Don't miss

Winchester Mystery House
The Tech Interactive
Japanese Friendship Garden
San Pedro Square Market

Iconic eats: Garlic Fries

Best with kids

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is the family pick: the Beach Boardwalk has a wooden roller coaster and an arcade right on the sand. For a full day, add The Mystery Spot in the hills or the redwoods of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.

Don't miss

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
The Mystery Spot

Iconic eats: Artisan Coffee, Smash Burger

Vallejo

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, in Vallejo, has wildlife encounters and roller coasters on the waterfront, 40 minutes from the city. The Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum, downtown, is the quieter stop.

Don't miss

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum
Empress Theater
Greater Vallejo Parks and Recreation District

Gilroy Gardens

In November 2026, Gilroy Gardens opens on weekends only, then for North Pole Nights evenings from November 21. The family theme park has garden rides, water slides, six gardens and the Circus Trees, whose trunks were trained into odd shapes. Save it for July and the summer splash season if the water rides are the point.

Don't miss

Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park
Circus Trees at Gilroy Gardens
Henry W. Coe State Park

Iconic eats: Garlic Bread, Garlic Fries

Gilroy Gardens — day trip — 1h 25m drive · Best in July
A family theme park of garden rides and water slides, with the Circus Trees and six gardens of trees and flowers.

Which to skip, and when

Bear Gulch Cave at Pinnacles closes from mid-May to mid-July, so skip that window if the caves are the point. Point Lobos and Pinnacles also leave little daylight on a short winter day. Avoid the bridges at Friday rush hour, and book wine country tastings ahead in September and October.

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Common questions

What's the closest day trip from San Francisco?

Mount Diablo State Park, about 35 minutes east by road, is the closest of these 21 day trips from San Francisco. Half Moon Bay and Vallejo are next at about 40 minutes each.

What's the best day trip from San Francisco?

Sonoma, about 1h 5m north, is the strongest day trip from San Francisco. Its 8-acre plaza, the largest town square in California, is ringed by tasting rooms, and Mission San Francisco Solano and the Sonoma Barracks are beside it. Napa, Healdsburg and Calistoga are the other wine country day trips, all under 1h 30m.

How much does a day trip from San Francisco cost for two?

A day trip from San Francisco costs about $220 to $360 for two people on this page, covering gas, food, entry fees and local transport, with no hotel. The closest trips run $220 to $330; Point Lobos and Pinnacles National Park reach about $350 to $360.

Is Napa or Sonoma better for a day trip from San Francisco?

Sonoma is the better first day trip from San Francisco, because its tasting rooms, mission and barracks sit around one walkable plaza about 1h 5m from the city. Napa, about an hour away, suits a day built around Oxbow Public Market and the Napa Valley Wine Train. The Oakville wineries are 10 minutes further up the valley.

What are the best coastal day trips from San Francisco?

Half Moon Bay at about 40 minutes and Point Reyes Station at about 1h 5m are the closest coastal day trips from San Francisco. Pescadero, Bodega Bay and Moss Landing sit between 1h 10m and 1h 45m. Point Lobos, south of Carmel, is about 2h 5m.

Where can you see sea otters on a day trip from San Francisco?

Moss Landing, about 1h 45m south, is the sea otter day trip: more than 100 southern sea otters live in Elkhorn Slough, and fall is when they are most often seen. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, about 2h 5m away, has sea otters and harbor seals in its kelp forests.

Can you see redwoods on a day trip from San Francisco?

Yes. Muir Woods sits on the flank of Mount Tamalpais, which is about 55 minutes from San Francisco. Armstrong Redwoods outside Guerneville, about 1h 35m away, has a flat 1.5-mile Pioneer Nature Trail among old coast redwoods.

What's a good day trip from San Francisco with kids?

Santa Cruz, about 1h 25m south, is the family day trip from San Francisco, with the Beach Boardwalk's arcades and wooden roller coaster on the sand. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo is about 40 minutes away. Gilroy Gardens, about 1h 25m south, is a garden theme park that opens on weekends only in November 2026.

Is Pinnacles National Park a realistic day trip from San Francisco?

Pinnacles National Park is about 2h 30m each way from San Francisco, so the round trip alone is about 5 hours. Go in spring, when the wildflowers peak from March through May. Bear Gulch Cave closes completely from mid-May to mid-July for bat pupping season.

What's an offbeat day trip from San Francisco?

Pescadero, about 1h 10m down the coast, is the offbeat pick: a small coastal town beside the tide pools of Pescadero State Beach and the herons of Pescadero Marsh. Pigeon Point Light Station is to the south, though its tower is closed for restoration as of November 2026.

The bottom line

Napa and Oakville make the second wine day, once Sonoma is done. Plan your day trip free.

Browse more day trips by city, or stay out a night with the weekend getaways from San Francisco.

Drive times are routed by road from downtown San Francisco in November 2026. Check park hours, closures and Highway 1 conditions before you go. Cover photo: the Bay Bridge western span at night, by Dllu (CC BY-SA 4.0).