California is so much more than Los Angeles and San Francisco. Its smaller-town culture feels like being in a film. If you’re in LA and have a few days spare, hire a car and head out on a mini southern California road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway to these places, some familiar and others less so.
Santa Monica
Let’s start with arguably the most famous spot on this trip: Santa Monica.
Santa Monica is on the outskirts of LA, so technically not a small town like the others on this list. But it’s iconic and you’ll be passing it anyway, so why not drop in?
Santa Monica is best-known for its beach and pier. The beach is a huge sweep of sand on the Pacific Ocean, flat waves curling along the coastline. You’ll probably recognise the famous Ferris wheel on Santa Monica’s century-old pier.
Topanga State Park
Topanga State Park is just a short distance out of LA’s suburbs but it feels like a different planet. The roads narrow and you’ll find yourself twisting along a thin but scenic route into the heart of the State Park.
Pause your southern California road trip here for a day or two and do some hiking. Despite the scrubby landscape, the paths are well-marked and you’ll be able to find hikes of all abilities. On a clear day, you can see all the way to the ocean.
Unfortunately the Topanga Canyon area was heavily affected by the January 2025 fires. You’ll need to double check before starting your hike that your intended route is open, and be careful if the fires have done any damage to the path.
Malibu
From Topanga State Park, drive back to the coast and head west into Malibu.
Malibu is best-known for its opulent houses along the Pacific Coast Highway and up on the hillside overlooking the ocean, owned by California’s rich and famous. Sadly, many of these homes and businesses in Malibu along the oceanfront were also destroyed by the fires in January 2025. Rebuilding is underway but it might take a few more years to get Malibu back to normal.
Nevertheless, I still think Malibu is worth a stop on any southern California road trip. Park in town and walk down the path to the beach past the Malibu Lagoon. From the beach, you can see Malibu’s pier which, like Santa Monica, is over a century old.
Ventura
Further up the coast, you’ll reach Ventura. What I liked most about Ventura was that it has a pedestrianised high street – rare for an American town!
A lot of the houses and other buildings in downtown Ventura seemed to be in what I always think of as a Little House on the Prairie style: constructed from wooden planks with a slanted roof and a neat wooden porch and gate at the entrance. I don’t know why but this style makes me feel as though I’ve travelled back in time. It reminds me of cosy things like log fires and molasses (probably also inspired by Laura Ingalls Wilder). Ventura’s pasted-painted cinema was my favourite – nostalgic and retro.
Ventura is an ideal stop for somewhere to slow down. Browse its independent bookshops, relax over a coffee in one of its numerous cafés or catch a jazz gig at The Grape.
Ojai
Ojai has similar vibes to Ventura except that you’re nearer the mountains. Go on a hike up the mountain path and see Ojai’s clock tower and palm trees from above. Vinyards encircle the town, reminding you that you really are surrounded by nature here – a stark contrast from busy LA just 80 miles away.
My favourite time in Ojai is sunset, when the mountains turn a peachy orange and the air stays summery-warm.
Santa Barbara and Montecito
The northernmost spot on this southern California road trip is Santa Barbara, another upmarket town on the seafront. Santa Barbara’s features are similar to Malibu’s in some ways, such as its beach, its century-old pier and its wealthy status. You’ll have noticed these are common themes along the southern Californian coast.
I recommend having lunch in one of the restaurants on the pier. From here, you can watch the boats sailing along the seafront on one side, and see the palm-lined beach and mountains on the other. It’s a scenic spot. And, in line with the USA’s car culture, you can drive onto the pier and park right there. Convenient, eh?
On your way into or out of Santa Barbara, check out Montecito. Montecito is an upmarket area of Santa Barbara (doubly upmarket, as Santa Barbara is also a pretty fancy place). It’s home to various celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow and Prince Harry. You can get a tantalising glimpse of the swanky houses behind the tall trees and closed gates that guard their privacy. What would a southern California road trip be without some celebrity-spotting anyway?
How long is this southern California road trip?
It’s up to you how long you spend in each of these places. I recommend setting aside five days to a week to avoid rushing.
Alternative route
This southern California road trip travels north in case you’re continuing to San Francisco or further. But you could do a loop from LA – it’s less than 100 miles from Santa Barbara (at the end of this list) back to LA. Either way, all of these places are worth visiting, both the familiar and the lesser-known places in between.
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