One tank trips from Hesperia/ Victorville could include many around the Los Angeles and San Diego areas. For those seeking a quaint and romantic getaway, the idyllic Santa Catalina Island is the ideal choice. Families with kids will want to visit Disneyland, one of the top attractions in California. You can also take a slight detour to California's only castle along the Central Coast – Hearst Castle, visit Calico Ghost Town, the World’s Tallest thermometer, see giant sequoias or visit the Peace Bridge in Mount Rub, all of which are near Victorville.
You can also get to Palmdale by driving about an hour straight west on CA-18, and see the San Gabriel Mountains, which separates Palmdale from Los Angeles. Palmdale is nicknamed the 'aerospace capital of America' due to its main industry of aerospace technology.
Several places on the list below are two to three-hours' drive away but each is worth the extra journey: the island of Santa Catalina, fashionable Malibu for a beach retreat, the unique California desert environment of Joshua Tree, and Coronado Island, near San Diego. Here are some trips to choose from for excellent day (or overnight) trips nearby.
Santa Catalina Island is only about 2 hours including a ferry ride from L.A. It has been luring visitors since the 1920s, when it was used as a location for Hollywood films. Today, tourists can still appreciate the island's cinematic seaside beauty.
The moment visitors set foot on the island the idyllic atmosphere engulfs one. With its leisurely pace, sunny weather, and soothing ocean waves, Santa Catalina Island is one of the most romantic places in California.
Besides being a delightful day-trip destination, the island is perfect for a weekend getaway, short vacation, or honeymoon centered around relaxation and recreational activities. Hiking, cycling, backpacking, sailing, sunbathing, and picnicking are popular activities.
The picturesque town of Avalon has the island's largest selection of hotels, shops, and restaurants, along with breathtaking ocean views, palm-fringed beaches, and a botanical garden.
All of Avalon's beaches have gentle crystal-clear waters, and most are ideal for swimming. Tucked away in a sheltered cove, Descanso Beach is prized for its beach club, which offers private cabanas and oceanfront restaurant dining.
Santa Catalina Island is an hour-long ferry ride on the Catalina Express from San Pedro, Long Beach, or Dana Point to the port of Avalon. The Catalina Flyer operates ferry boat transportation from Newport Beach to Avalon, which takes just over one hour.
From Los Angeles, it takes about two hours (a one-hour drive to Long Beach plus the one-hour ferry ride) to arrive at Santa Catalina Island.
For a convenient day trip to the island, you may want to try an organized tour. The Catalina Island Day Trip offers an enjoyable experience complete with round-trip transportation, including pickup from a hotel in Anaheim or Los Angeles and ferry rides to and from the island. There is also an option to take a guided 50-minute scenic tour of Avalon, join a one-hour boat tour of the Catalina Channel, or participate in a two-hour adventure-filled zipline experience.
Malibu:
Hit the beach! Head north from Los Angeles and visit Malibu. It’s super close, only about 33 miles from LA, and is famous for its beaches dotted with surfers and lined with celebrity homes.
There are a few lovely places to eat, a nice pier to stroll and take photos, and plenty of places to park your RV.
Malibu has a fantastic coastline about 27 miles long where the Pacific Ocean waves lure surfers, so be sure to bring your board! (Or rent one).
Hiking trails weave through waterfalls and low-lying grassy areas, if you love a stroll. In fact, the Santa Monica National Recreation Area offers about 500 miles of hiking trails.
You can visit any of the beaches here but the Malibu Lagoon State Beach is the best for surfing. El Matador Beach has sea caves. Zuma Beach has the most expansive shoreline where you can play a game of volleyball at the nets.
Coronado Island
Drive south for about 2 hours to arrive at Coronado.
Gorgeous beaches, luscious landscape and an overabundance of choice places to enjoy the sun, Coronado Island offers it all in a one-day trip from Los Angeles.
Think fine-grained, golden sand, vast shores, and crystal-clear beaches.
The Hotel del Coronado is a historic beachfront hotel just across the bay from San Diego. It is one of the few wooden Victorian beach resorts remaining in the USA.
Coronado’s timeless charm inspires you to wander, experiencing cashmere-soft sands, lush parks, one-of-a-kind boutiques and atmospheric dining. If you long to escape to relax, your heart will love Coronado.
This resort city has about five white-sand beaches: Central Beach, Glorietta Bay Beach, Silver Strand State Beach, and Coronado Dog Beach.
The vast beaches attract surfers, so don’t forget to take along your surf board, camera, and your bathing suit.
You can also get to Coronado via a ferry from San Diego. Coronado Ferry Landing has restaurants and a small beach so you can enjoy a meal with a breathtaking view of the ocean.