Fun Road Trips Near LA To Enjoy With Your Friends

Los Angeles is a popular spot for vacations with friends – and not just because of the famous nightlife. The city is within easy reach of beaches, mountains, desert towns, and scenic coastal routes, making it the perfect base for short road tripping adventures. You can spend the morning in the city and reach a completely different landscape within a few hours – all you need for a great group trip is a loose plan, a car, and the right destination.

First, pick the right ride

Before you hit the road, think about how you’re getting around. If you’ve got your own car, consider whether or not it will comfortably accommodate you and your friends for full days out. If you’re flying into LA from elsewhere, run through your LAX car rental options with your group in advance. You want a ride that will provide plenty of room for everyone and their stuff, as well as be able to handle the terrain and climate around your road trip destinations. So, think about things like trunk space, seat comfort, tire treads, air conditioning, cup holders, and so on. The comfort, practicality, and convenience of your car will make a big difference to your experience.

Now, let’s get into some great road trip destinations within an easy drive of Los Angeles:

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara has a mix of beaches, waterfront paths, and relaxed dining that provides plenty for friend groups to enjoy together. What’s more, the drive up the coast is beautiful, with stunning ocean views and, inland, the backdrop of the Santa Ynez mountains.

When there, you can wander Stearns Wharf, rent bikes on the waterfront, chill on East Beach, or browse the shops and bars of The Funk Zone. The city center is walkable, which makes it easy for your group to split up and reunite without stress. All in all, Santa Barbara works well for a chilled trip with a focus on food, sun, and relaxation.

Aerial view of downtown Santa Barbara looking down Anacapa Street towards the ocean at sunset, featuring red tiled roofs. — Santa Barbara’s strict architectural guidelines require the Spanish Colonial Revival style for all downtown buildings.

Golden hour view of the Santa Barbara County Courthouse clock tower and red tile roofs with ocean in the distance. — The “El Mirador” clock tower offers the best free 360-degree view of the city and coast.

Aerial view of The Ritz-Carlton Bacara resort on the cliffs of Santa Barbara overlooking the Pacific Ocean. — The Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort. Located in Goleta, this resort sits on 78 acres of oceanfront bluffs about 20 minutes north of downtown Santa Barbara.

Palm Springs

If the desert is more your style, Palm Springs will give your group a desert escape complete with pool time, scenic views, and outdoor adventures. If you’re into photography (or just want some iconic snaps for your social feeds), the palm lined streets and mid century buildings offer a classic Californian aesthetic that make for a great backdrop to group pics.

Palm Springs isn’t just out oasis vibes, though. If you get the Aerial Tramway, you can quickly travel from the warm valley into cooler mountain air and enjoy eagle-eye views over the Chino Canyon. If you’re into hiking, there are plenty of trails in nearby Tahquitz Canyon and Indian Canyon. Within the town itself, you’ll find restaurants, bars, and shops that stay open late.

Vintage silver Cadillac parked in front of a white mid-century modern Alexander home in Palm Springs. — Exploring the “movie colony” neighborhoods by car is a popular way to see the desert modernism style up close.

Split image showing a red vintage Mustang in front of a mid-century home and the colorful pool at The Saguaro Palm Springs. — The Saguaro hotel (right) is famous for its technicolor balconies and lively pool parties, a contrast to the quiet residential streets (left).

Mid-century modern home in Palm Springs with flat roof and palm trees against San Jacinto Mountains background. — The Vista Las Palmas and Twin Palms neighborhoods host some of the city’s best preserved mid-century architecture.

San Diego

San Diego packs a lot into a relatively compact area. You can spend your morning at La Jolla Cove watching sea lions, your afternoon soaking up the sun at Mission Beach, and your evening in the lively Gaslamp Quarter. If your group enjoys nature and culture, Balboa Park has well-landscaped gardens, museums, and wide lawns for slow walks. If you want ocean views, Sunset Cliffs provides one of the best coastal lookouts in Southern California. All in all, San Diego suits groups that want a full day of activities without long drives between stops.

Beachfront luxury homes on Broad Beach in Malibu protected by sand dunes and vegetation. — Broad Beach is known for its exclusive row of oceanfront homes and the quiet, dune-backed shoreline.

People walking on the sand at Sleepy Hollow Beach in Laguna Beach with beachfront houses and a lifeguard tower. — Just south of Main Beach, the Sleepy Hollow area (often called “The Cleo Street Beach”) features homes built directly onto the sand.

Wide landscape view of Zuma Beach in Malibu showing white sand, blue ocean, and Santa Monica Mountains in the background. — Zuma Beach offers 1.8 miles of beach frontage and is one of the few spots in Malibu with ample parking and wide sands.

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree has some of the most iconic desert landscapes in the USA, with huge rock formations, clear skies, and the dramatic Joshua trees themselves. If your group isn’t up for a long day’s hiking (or have a range of fitness levels) there are plenty of shorter but very rewarding walks to places like Hidden Valley or Barker Dam. There’s also lots to do in the towns of Joshua Tree or nearby Yucca Valley, including restaurants, quirky coffee shops, and vintage emporia, and stores where you can pick up some ethical souvenirs.

Golden hour landscape in Joshua Tree National Park featuring monzogranite boulder piles and desert scrub vegetation. — The unique “piles of rocks” landscape was formed by volcanic activity and flash floods washing away the soil over millions of years.

Backlit Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) silhouetted against a dramatic cloudy sunset sky in the high desert. — The park is named after these twisted, spiky trees, which are actually a species of yucca that only grow in the Mojave Desert ecosystem.

Malibu

Malibu isn’t just the place where Barbie hangs out. It’s also a great road trip destination with gorgeous cliffside views, calm beaches, and scenic stops along the Pacific Coast Highway. Stroll along El Matador Beach for dramatic scenery, head to Point Dume for short hikes, and hit Zuma Beach for easy swimming in the sea. Malibu is also a known celebrity hangout, so it’s a great destination for anyone with an interest in the glitzy side of LA.

A Malibu trip is great for groups that want a simple plan and an open schedule. The combination of ocean air, good food, and wide sandy beaches creates a laid back environment that suits free-and-easy group travel.

Aerial view of El Matador State Beach showing sea stacks, eroded cliffs, and stairs leading down to the shore. — Aerial view of El Matador State Beach. Part of the Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach, this spot is famous for its sea caves and massive rock formations.

Ojai

Ojai is a charming, quirky town with small shops, quiet streets, and scenic valley views. If you like to browse bookstores, art galleries, and farmers markets, this is the road trip destination for you. The hills around Ojai offer short hiking trails to stretch your legs after the journey, with gentle inclines and clear views. You’ll also find a strong wellness culture in the town, with spas, saunas, meditation classes, and more, so this is definitely the spot to hit if you need to unwind. All in all, Ojai offers a relaxed pace that works well for groups that want conversation, relaxation, and good meals.

Aerial view of Ojai Valley citrus orchards and Topa Topa Mountains glowing pink at sunset. — The “Pink Moment” is a phenomenon where the setting sun casts a rosy glow on the Topa Topa Mountains, best viewed from the valley floor.

Dusty trailhead parking area in Ojai with mountains in the background and a vintage car parked. — Ojai’s rustic charm is defined by its unpaved trailheads and strict limits on chain stores and modern development.

Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach offers creative energy, small coves, and clean blue water. You can explore tide pools, wander around the downtown art galleries, and relax on beaches like Victoria and Crescent Bay. The paths around Heisler Park offer ocean views and plenty of spots to take photos. You’ll also find plenty of shops and cafes within walking distance of the water. Ultimately, Laguna Beach suits groups that want nature, art, and an enjoyable coastal atmosphere.

View from Heisler Park looking south toward Main Beach with tall palm trees framing the coastline. — A walk along the cliffside paths of Heisler Park provides the best vantage point for seeing the Main Beach boardwalk and coastline.

Aerial view of Heisler Park and Picnic Beach in Laguna Beach featuring the white gazebo and rocky coves. — Heisler Park stretches along the bluffs and offers access to several distinct coves, including Picnic Beach and Diver’s Cove.

Bond with your friends on a day trip from LA

Within a short drive of LA, you and your friends can explore beaches, mountains, desert landscapes, and charming towns. Whether your group prefers a slow day at the beach, a lively day in San Diego, or a sojourn in the desert at Joshua Tree, this part of California has plenty of options to keep everyone engaged.