8 Easy Weekend Trips from San Francisco
San Francisco is a great city, but one of its best features is how quickly you can leave it. Within a few hours, you can be in wine country, on a wild stretch of coast or standing under granite cliffs in Yosemite.
In this guide
Here are eight easy weekend trips from San Francisco, roughly in order of driving time. Most are doable in a Friday-to-Sunday trip, and a couple work as long day trips too.
1. Napa and Sonoma
Wine country is the classic SF getaway, about an hour to an hour and a half north. Napa is more polished, with grand wineries and fancy restaurants. Sonoma is more relaxed, with smaller, family-run tasting rooms.
Tastings often cost $40 or more each, so pick two or three wineries a day and book ahead. Stay in a small town like Healdsburg or Sonoma for a slower pace. Rent bikes or hire a driver if you plan to taste a lot.
2. Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes, about an hour and a half north, is a wild, windy peninsula with beaches, cliffs and rolling hills. It feels remote, even though it’s so close to the city.
Walk down the 300-plus steps to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, look for tule elk at Tomales Point and eat oysters in the tiny town of Inverness or at Tomales Bay. Bring layers, because it’s often foggy and cold, even in summer.
3. Mendocino
Mendocino, about three hours north up the coast, is a small village of wooden houses perched on cliffs above the Pacific. It’s quiet and pretty, and it’s perfect for a slow weekend.
Walk the Mendocino Headlands trails, browse the galleries and look for whales in winter and spring. The drive up Highway 1 is gorgeous but twisty, so take your time. Honestly, the drive is half the reason to go.
4. Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe, about three and a half hours east, is a huge, impossibly blue lake ringed by mountains. In summer, it’s all hiking, kayaking and beaches. In winter, it’s one of the best ski areas in the country.
Don’t miss Emerald Bay, on the southwest shore, for the most famous view. South Lake Tahoe has more nightlife and casinos on the Nevada side. The north shore is quieter. In winter, check road conditions and carry chains.
5. Yosemite National Park
Yosemite is about four hours away, which makes it a long but very doable weekend. Leave early on Friday or very early on Saturday.
Stop at Tunnel View for the famous first look at El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Fall. Hike to Vernal Fall if you can. Check whether you need a reservation to enter, since the park has used timed entry in busy seasons. Book lodging well ahead.
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6. Monterey and Carmel
Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea, about two hours south, are a great pairing. Monterey has Cannery Row and the excellent Monterey Bay Aquarium. Carmel is a storybook village with cottages, galleries and a white-sand beach.
Drive the 17-Mile Drive along the coast, and if you have an extra day, continue south into Big Sur. We’ve got a full guide to things to do in Monterey and Carmel if you want more detail.
7. Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, about an hour and a half south, is a classic California beach town. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, open since 1907, has the Giant Dipper, a wooden roller coaster from 1924.
Watch the surfers at Steamer Lane, walk out on the wharf to see sea lions and hike among redwoods in Henry Cowell State Park. It’s relaxed, a little quirky and a lot of fun.
8. Gold Country
California’s Gold Country, in the Sierra foothills about two and a half to three hours east, is full of small towns from the 1849 Gold Rush. Nevada City, Sutter Creek and Murphys are the prettiest.
Expect old wooden storefronts, antique shops, cozy inns and good wine at a fraction of Napa prices. It’s an underrated weekend, especially in fall, when the foothills turn golden.
How to plan a weekend trip from SF
Avoid leaving on Friday afternoon, when traffic out of the city is terrible. Leave before 2pm or after 7pm. Book hotels early for summer weekends, especially in Tahoe, Yosemite and Napa.
If you don’t have a car, Napa, Sonoma and Santa Cruz have tours from the city. For everything else, renting a car is the way to go.
Pairing trips together
Some of these combine nicely if you have a long weekend. Point Reyes and Sonoma are close, so you can do the coast one day and wine the next. Monterey, Carmel and Santa Cruz all sit on the same stretch of coast, and Big Sur is just south of them.
Tahoe and Gold Country also work together. Drive up through the foothill towns on Friday, stop for lunch in Nevada City and arrive at the lake by evening. Yosemite and Gold Country pair well too, since the southern Gold Rush towns are on the way.
Mendocino is the one that’s best on its own. It’s far enough that you’ll want to slow down and stay put once you get there. Book a cottage with a view and plan to do very little.
The best season for each trip
Napa and Sonoma are best in late summer and fall, during the grape harvest, though they’re lovely and quieter in spring. Point Reyes and Mendocino are great in winter and spring for whale watching. Tahoe works in every season, from beaches in July to skiing in February.
Yosemite’s waterfalls peak in late spring, when the snow melts, and fall brings fewer crowds. Santa Cruz and Monterey are fine year-round, but late summer and fall are the sunniest months on that foggy coast. If you’re flexible, September and October are the sweet spot for almost every trip on this list.
Common questions
What’s the best weekend trip from San Francisco?
Wine country for food lovers, Point Reyes for nature, Yosemite for big scenery.
Can I do these without a car?
Some, through tours. A car gives you far more freedom.
Is Yosemite doable in a weekend?
Yes, but it’s a long drive. Leave early and focus on Yosemite Valley.
What’s the closest beach town?
Half Moon Bay is about 45 minutes away. Santa Cruz is a bit farther but livelier.
When is the best season for these trips?
Fall. The weather is warm and clear, and summer crowds are gone.
