South Bay Secrets
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South Bay Secrets

South Bay Secrets

Regular price $65.00 USD
Sale Sold out

One trip is required per group.

* "PDF Instant Download" means the trip will be sent by email as a PDF document, and not by mail (the email is sent immediately after completing your purchase)

WHAT TO EXPECT

Coastal walks and lighthouse views make this South Bay road trip incredibly picturesque. It's the perfect choice for a trip close to home!

Trip Highlights

  • Epic lookout points & scenic views
  • A gorgeous botanical garden ($)
  • Two lighthouses with a funky past
  • Tasty local eateries

AVAILABLE TO DEPART

This itinerary can be used anytime of the year on any day.

SUGGESTED FOR

  • Couples
  • A close-by road trip
  • Outdoor Aventurers
  • Photographers

Itinerary

STOP 1

Your first lighthouse of the day is definitely photo-worthy so get those cameras out! Drive time to the second stop is 10 minutes.

STOP 2

Grab a coffee and head out on a 2 mile walk along the coastline with incredible views. Drive time to the third stop is 10 minutes.

STOP 3

Another lighthouse but this time with a haunted twist! Our local lunch recommendation will knock your socks off. Drive time to the fourth stop is 20 minutes.

STOP 4

Wander through a botanical garden, hike along a nature trail, check out a cherished local market, or heading to the beach. The choice is yours!

Region

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Can depart from

Los Angeles Area

Before you go

What You'll Need to Bring

  • Camera
  • Walking Shoes
  • Water
  • Sunscreen (lots of easy outdoor activities)
  • Bug Spray
  • Cash
  • Beach Towel
  • Bathing Suit

Additional Details

  • Kid-Friendly
  • Accessible
  • Dog-Friendly

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We're here to help!

Please see the approximate driving distances below. Please note this just includes round-trip driving distances and not time spent at stops.

Don't see a city close to home listed below? Send us an email with your departure location and trip choice(s) and we'll give you an idea of the round-trip driving distance from home.


From Downtown LA:

2 hours and 15 minutes / 80 miles

From Santa Monica:

2 hours and 10 minutes / 77 miles

From Huntington Beach:

2 hours and 40 minutes / 87 miles

From Pasadena:

2 hours and 40 minutes / 97 miles

From Santa Clarita:

3 hours and 5 minutes / 128 miles

From Anaheim:

2 hours and 25 minutes / 86 miles

From San Bernardino*:

3 hours and 50 minutes / 177 miles

*We recommend booking an overnight hotel if the driving distance is greater than 4 hours round-trip.

This trip can be done any day throughout the year.

We recommend departing between 9:00 am and 9:30 am. The later you leave, the less time you’ll have to explore the stops!

This trip is pet-friendly! On every stop there will be at least one option that allows furry friends.

Note that most of our eatery suggestions will only allow dogs on outdoor patios. Please keep this in mind and coordinate with the weather.

We recommended bringing up to 5 people on your surprise road trip.

If you're bringing a larger group, we highly recommend having one person in charge of booking reservations at restaurants and attractions in advance. Please see the previous page for a copy of the digital itinerary.

First Stop: No fee

Second Stop: No fee

Third Stop: No fee

Fourth Stop: One suggestion requires an entrance fee ($) and another option has paid parking ($). We’ve provided several free alternatives.

After booking your trip, we'll send you a confirmation email with a few recommended accommodation options.

Customer Reviews

Based on 2 reviews
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M
Marie Julian
Overall, how would you rate this trip?:
I would not recommend this trip
Excellent! I would definitely recommend this trip
Rate how active the trip was:
Not very active
Very active
Rate how accessible the trip was:
Not very accessible
Very accessible
Rate how 'unique' the stops were:
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Yes, very unique!
Fun weekend getaway

My husband and I chose the South Bay as a quick weekend getaway. We had 4 stops, and each one had its own charm. I enjoyed the Point Vicente lighthouse with the interpretative center. The center has docents who are excited to talk about the center and the rich history of the area. Our last stop was the Malaga store. We did a bit of wine tasting and met some interesting locals.

J
Jennifer Cline
Overall, how would you rate this trip?:
I would not recommend this trip
Excellent! I would definitely recommend this trip
Rate how active the trip was:
Not very active
Very active
Rate how accessible the trip was:
Not very accessible
Very accessible
Rate how 'unique' the stops were:
Not really
Yes, very unique!

We were a bit disappointed by this trip. It’s listed as a “take anytime” trip, but one lighthouse is only open from 1-4 for tours (closed on Mondays), but you can access the grounds during park hours. The other lighthouse is only open on Saturdays from 10-3 and the grounds are inaccessible. We were only able to see both lighthouses from afar. We got some great pictures anyway, but it wasn’t exactly what we were expecting.
The restaurant options were pretty underwhelming, so we ended up skipping them.
Also, this trip was listed as dog friendly, but we felt pretty limited having our dog along with us. Dogs were not allowed on the lighthouse grounds (of the one that was open, at least), on the beach, or at the botanical gardens. She loved being at the parks, at least.
Overall, we still loved the idea of this trip and got to see some cool new things from afar, but the trip felt a bit misleading in total as we mostly just ended up at parks. It has good bones though. With some updates, it could be really cool.