San Diego ★ 4.5
San Diego is two hours south of Los Angeles. The Convoy Street Asian corridor, Baja-style fish tacos at Oscar's and the Liberty Public Market anchor a food day trip.
More food day trips in Los Angeles
Los Olivos and Foxen Canyon Wine Trail ★ 4.5
Los Olivos and the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail north of Los Angeles cluster 20 tasting rooms in a single small town. The Sideways-era Pinots are still pouring.
San Gabriel Valley ★ 4.7
San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles holds the largest Chinese-American population in the country. Sichuan, Cantonese, Shanghai, Taiwanese and Hong Kong cooking.
Temecula wine country ★ 4.2
Temecula is 90 minutes southeast of Los Angeles and holds 40 tasting rooms. The Pechanga Resort hosts the larger producers; Wilson Creek pours sparkling.
Santa Barbara ★ 4.6
Santa Barbara is a 90-minute coast drive from Los Angeles, with the city's best uni, spot prawns at the harbour and 30 tasting rooms in the downtown Funk Zone.
Santa Ynez Valley wine country ★ 4.6
Santa Ynez Valley is two hours from Los Angeles and holds 200 wineries. Sanford and Foxen are the canonical Pinot stops; Solvang holds Danish pastry traditions.