weekender.

Weekend trips from Loyola Marymount

Hidden spots near Los Angeles, day trips and weekend road trips from Loyola Marymount in November, scored 1–10 on price, timing and what's happening, with gas, park fees, a campsite or room and food included.

Plan your own trip from Loyola Marymount →

Local finds near campus

Will Rogers State Beach

Local find · drive 20 min each way
$69.6/10

A beach near campus, found in OpenStreetMap.

South Coast Botanic Garden

Local find · drive 30 min each way
$69.6/10

A garden near campus, found in OpenStreetMap.

Cabrillo Beach

Local find · drive 40 min each way
$79.6/10

A beach near campus, found in OpenStreetMap.

Venice & Santa Monica

Local find · drive 10 min each way
$89.6/10

The skatepark, the canals and a bike ride along the boardwalk to the pier.

Palos Verdes

Local find · drive 40 min each way
$89.6/10

Tide pools, a sea arch and the Portuguese Bend coves on LA's quiet peninsula.

Catalina Island

Local find · drive 35 min each way
$879.4/10

A ferry to a car-free island town with bison, snorkeling and golf carts.

Day trips

Palm Springs

Day trip · drive 2½h each way
$2210.0/10

Midcentury pool motels, palm oases in Indian Canyons and a rotating tram up the mountain.

Calico Ghost Town

Day trip · drive 3h each way
$3210.0/10

A silver-mining boomtown on the way to Vegas, with a mine you can walk into.

Sandstone Peak

Day trip · drive 1h each way
$159.6/10

The highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, with Channel Islands views.

Mount Lukens

Day trip · drive 1h each way
$159.6/10

A summit hike near campus, found in OpenStreetMap.

Vasquez Rocks

Day trip · drive 1h each way
$169.6/10

Tilted sandstone slabs where Captain Kirk fought the Gorn, and a hundred other westerns and sci-fi films. Free.

Laguna Beach

Day trip · drive 1h each way
$169.6/10

Hidden coves, tide pools and the Thousand Steps beach.

Weekend trips

Anza-Borrego & Borrego Springs

Weekend trip · drive 3½h each way
$499.9/10

Giant metal dinosaur sculptures in the desert, wildflowers in spring and a dark-sky town.

Salvation Mountain & Salton Sea

Weekend trip · drive 4½h each way
$499.9/10

A hand-painted hill, Slab City's off-grid art town and the eerie shores of the Salton Sea.

Pismo Beach & Oceano Dunes

Weekend trip · drive 3½h each way · or train
$509.9/10
🦋 Monarch butterflies

Drive or sandboard on the only beach dunes you can camp on, then clam chowder in Pismo.

Joshua Tree

Weekend trip · drive 4h each way
$569.9/10

Twisted trees, boulder scrambles and some of the darkest skies near LA.

Palm Springs

Weekend trip · drive 2½h each way
$829.8/10

Midcentury pool motels, palm oases in Indian Canyons and a rotating tram up the mountain.

Las Vegas (Nevada)

Weekend trip · drive 5½h each way
$959.8/10

The Strip's free shows, the Neon Museum's sign boneyard and cheap Sunday-night rooms.

Long weekends

Anza-Borrego & Borrego Springs

Long weekend · drive 3½h each way
$709.3/10

Giant metal dinosaur sculptures in the desert, wildflowers in spring and a dark-sky town.

Salvation Mountain & Salton Sea

Long weekend · drive 4½h each way
$709.3/10

A hand-painted hill, Slab City's off-grid art town and the eerie shores of the Salton Sea.

Pismo Beach & Oceano Dunes

Long weekend · drive 3½h each way · or train
$719.3/10
🦋 Monarch butterflies

Drive or sandboard on the only beach dunes you can camp on, then clam chowder in Pismo.

Mojave Preserve & Kelso Dunes

Long weekend · drive 5½h each way
$729.3/10

Booming sand dunes that hum when you slide down, and free camping under the stars.

Joshua Tree

Long weekend · drive 4h each way
$779.3/10

Twisted trees, boulder scrambles and some of the darkest skies near LA.

Death Valley

Long weekend · drive 5½h each way
$849.3/10

Salt flats below sea level, rainbow-colored hills and the darkest night sky in California.

Personalize it

Set your budget, how many friends are coming, your car (or no car: train and bus), and what you're into (hiking, beaches, camping, stargazing, food and more), and Weekender re-ranks every trip for you, with a day-by-day plan, directions and campsites.

Find my trips from Loyola Marymount →