Los Angeles is a large, diverse, and sprawling area, but sometimes we all need to get out of it. LA can be suffocating. With the traffic, everything is far from everything. Leaving LA county seems difficult, but it’s necessary to get out of the smog, out of the traffic, and away from the grit of the city occasionally. Whether you’re living in Los Angeles or are just visiting for an extended period, below are five places to go when you want to get out of LA.
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara isn’t far away, but it is distinct from Los Angeles in its vibe, attitude, and location. Santa Barbara is a gorgeous place with all sorts of outdoor opportunities. There is wine and fine food. Any type of holistic wellness practice you can imagine is in Santa Barbara. Furthermore, it is a center of high-quality treatment and medical services. Whether you need to find medical attention, treatment for physical pain, or an addiction treatment center in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara is a great place to get out of the chaos of the city and focus on healing. Everything that the city has to offer makes it a great destination to get out of Los Angeles.
Joshua Tree
One of the most popular trips from Los Angeles is to Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree is a beautiful desert landscape that is both open and rugged. It has interesting, artistic, and eccentric people. There are even a few great local places to eat in the area. While you want to spend time in the National Park where there are few services, if you stay in an Airbnb outside the park, you can get a taste of the local culture. Hike up Ryan Mountain or watch the stars in the dark of night. Whatever you choose to do in Joshua Tree and the surrounding area will be fun. It’s the perfect getaway for anyone in Southern California.
Laguna Beach
On the center coast of Orange County is Laguna Beach. You’ve probably heard of the show but until you go there you don’t really have an idea what it is like. Laguna is beautiful. Whether you want to pay for a fancy hotel with a private beach, drink some beers and play volleyball on Main Beach, or hit up the bars and restaurants at night, Laguna Beach is a great destination outside of Los Angeles. It’s not that far, but it feels like a world away. Whatever you’re interested in, Laguna has something for you. When you come to this famous destination, you will realize that it is difficult not to love it.
San Diego
San Diego is a little further, but worth the drive. It has so much that Los Angeles has without all the bad. It is much cleaner for example. People aren’t in a rush the way they are in LA. San Diego has local communities and neighborhoods. You can find solitude and sociality in the city. You can have great food and drink great drinks. You can get exercise and spend time outside. You can relax and be holistic. San Diego is a great place to be comfortable in an accessible city but feel like you are outside of Los Angeles.
Palm Springs
Finally, everyone goes to Palm Springs at some point. Whether you are going for a wedding, to see grandma, or to enjoy the many resorts, Palm Springs is where you go to do little. You can sit by the pool any day of the week without judgment. You can go to a casino. You can get drunk and look at the stars. Palm Springs is a place that is for leisurely getaways from the city. Be careful when you go, though. It could be very hot outside.
When you are trying to get out of LA for a little while, there are plenty of places to go. After you decide on the atmosphere and activities you want to do, you can pick a destination for what they have there. All these places are worth visiting. Whoever you are, whatever you do, and how long you want to get away from, all the destinations above will give you the sense that you are somewhere different.
Ryan Beitler is a writer and Southern California resident.
Feature photo by Phil
