Get Out of Town: Great Places to go Day Trippin’

By Rich Manning

Make no mistake: We are truly privileged to live in Orange County. What is routine for us – an envious climate of virtually perpetual springtime temperatures, miles of meandering coastline hugging PCH, Disneyland – is the source of marvel for those living in different parts of the country. And yet the grind of daily habit will unwittingly cause even the most ardent OC cheerleader to saddle the things that make this area of Southern California so incredible with unspeakable terms like “boring” and “mundane” as they plot a means to escape town. Sadly, the ability to squelch such feelings of wanderlust aren’t always easy to come by, as economic and employment factors have far too often conspired to prevent many a person from extending such a jaunt for more than just a day or two in the past couple years.

Fortunately, one day or even a few hours out of the OC is all that is really needed to satiate the appetite of the travel bug that resides within us all. Whether one traditionally refers to it as a day trip or a rather silly and unfortunate buzzworthy term like “daycation,” Orange County residents are blessed with enough escape options to pose a delicious dilemma on just how to spend those precious hours once the current premises are fled. And as the following places demonstrate, the only thing that is needed to replenish the charge in the proverbial batteries is a reliable car, a willingness for enjoyment, and very little else.

1. San Diego – At first glance, their rather brazen claim of being America’s Finest City may come across as a wee bit haughty, self-indulgent, and even narcissistic. Then you start recalling the absurd wealth of activities to partake in here: The world-class zoo; the epically sprawling Balboa Park; the electric Gaslamp District; the charming Old Town; the breathtaking shores of the Coronado Bay. And after your mental rolodex processes all of the information, you have little choice but to concede their slogan as pretty bloody accurate. Truly, it is impossible to have a poor time in San Diego, no matter if your agenda includes getting away with your family or trekking there with a buddy or two. And this claim even includes the times you happen be there the weekend the Chargers lose a playoff game at home, which is a lot more frequent then I would care to admit. In fact, let’s just move on, shall we? (Search San Diego Hotels)

2. Palm Springs – Time was you could motor out to Highway 111 and see Palm Springs shining brightly as this solitary oasis located in the midst of vast nothingness. Sadly, the evils of expansion and construction have intruded upon the desert haven, to the point that the road to desert paradise is currently paved with the dreary specter of nondescript strip malls. That being said, can you think of any better place in Southern California to quench the thirst of your inner Sinatra? I say no. Once you get past all of the modern suburban dreck, the ghosts of Crosby, Martin, Davis, and their cronies are still felt here, sprinkling their inimitable coolness in all corners of the city, to the point where venues that may look downright tacky in other settings are sublimely refined and hip. Plus, there is so much more to do out here beyond the act taking your kooky broad out and indulging in the swank Rat Pat vibe; the oasis also boasts nearby mountain hiking, the famed aerial tramway, and golf courses so breathtakingly gorgeous, it may inspire you to pick up a bag of clubs on the way home. (Search Palm Springs Hotels)

3. Temecula – A lot of people scoffed at this town when it started its serious push to pump out wine a couple decades ago. And really, it was hard not to view their proceedings through a cynical eye since the climate there is typically arid and can get brutally hot. Plus, it didn’t help matters that a lot of folks imagined the pioneering vintners attempting to plant grapes amongst thickets of sagebrush and other desert fauna. However, it turns out that the naysayers were completely foolhardy in their assumptions, and the seeds of innovation have flourished to make Temecula an essential day trip to anyone who appreciates good wines (as attested by the numerous awards that wineries like South Coast and Falkner have scooped up over the past few years). (Search Temecula Hotels)

4. San Luis Obispo – Okay, so maybe you are one of those jaded oenophiles who thinks nothing involving grapes has ever good come out of Temecula, California gold medal winning labels be damned. Or maybe you would prefer to not tolerate scorching triple digit heat as you fastidiously slog from one winery to the next. Then again, you could actually have a disdain for wine, yet don’t want to be surrounded by various forms of sagebrush as you escape the wiles of the OC. In this case, get yourself to this central coastal town post haste. Vintners lust after the regions’ lush, undulating hills, fertile soil, and mild climate – elements that many say mimic the south of France. What’s more, the area’s curvaceous coastline is dotted with mellow patches of sand and adorable seaside villages that initially grips you in Santa Barbara and does not ever let go. It’s as visually stunning as anything in California can get, filled with the kind of life-rejuvenating energy that John Steinbeck would passionately articluate into his novels. One word of warning, though: If you plan on visiting the famed Madonna Inn while you are there, just know that it’s a bit of an eyesore. Okay, more than a bit. It’s a rather disturbing mélange of tacky kitsch and aggressively jarring color schemes that quite nearly has the power to reverse engineer the cool quotient that “Mad Men” and its ilk have bestowed on the mid-century modern look. Then again, if the notion of a banquet hall festooned in angry, Pepto-Bismol pink quickens your pulse, please enjoy by all means. (Search San Luis Obispo Hotels)

5. Los Angeles – Before you give into your temptation to mock this neighborly choice, let me share a story with you. When my wife and I were on our honeymoon in Vancouver we crossed paths with an older couple from Boston, who was celebrating their 40th anniversary of wedded bliss. As random chance encounters amongst tourists often do, the ensuing conversation quickly gravitated toward comparing places we had visited. In the midst of the dialogue, the couple revealed that, despite the fact that both of them lived in Boston their whole lives, neither of them saw the essential historical sites that dot the greater Beantown area until their 35th anniversary. Hearing such a confession was an epiphany of sorts for the both of us, as we spontaneously commenced in making a mental checklist of the things in Los Angeles that we had never done; the types of activities that tourists the world over clamor to do the moment they touch down in the city. Sadly, we were able to log a ton of undone activities, and we have been on a casual crusade to eventually knock that catalogue of municipal ignorance into oblivion. And that life lesson is why L.A. is represented here. Our proximity makes it far too easy to take the sprawling town and its plentiful endeavors for granted; if you aren’t too careful, its spellbinding offerings may pass you by completely. Check out the Getty. Take a breathtaking drive through the foothills on Mulholland Drive. Catch a flick at Groman’s Chinese Theatre. Scope out some of the city’s architectural marvels (there are much more than you may think – not all of them have been felled by the wrecking ball). Just remember to be thankful that you can drive home to the OC when you are done. (Search LA Hotels)