2026's 10 Best Small Towns To Visit In Southern California
Southern California's small towns span diverse landscapes, from the Pacific Ocean to the Mojave Desert. No matter the season, there's always something to do, whether skiing at Big Bear Lake, or watching the arrival of the monarch butterflies in Goleta. Experience the restorative mineral waters of Jacumba Hot Springs, or wander the wilderness around Joshua Tree National Park. Explore the wild west in Pioneertown, or stop by a classic roadside attraction in Barstow. Whatever the desire, these ten towns are worth the visit in Southern California.
Solvang
Although originally founded by Danish immigrants in 1911, Solvang's signature Danish-inspired architecture came decades later. Visiting Solvang is like stepping into a village in Denmark rather than a Southern California town, with a three-story windmill on the skyline and half-timbered buildings that look lifted from an old European village. Yet this highly stylized theme only came about following a 1947 article in the Saturday Evening Post describing the Danish enclave. Tourists suddenly began arriving, and local leaders decided to embrace their expectations by remodeling the town and even going as far as to rename local streets. Today, visitors can view The Little Mermaid statue, a replica of the famous statue in Copenhagen's harbor.
At the center of town, the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, located on the second floor of The Book Loft, celebrates the life and stories of the Danish author of fairy tales. The shop is stocked with Andersen's books, as well as children's books, rare and antiquarian books, and Nordic literature. The museum is part of the Solvang Heritage Walk highlighting Danish culture throughout the community, like the Elverhøj Museum of History & Art with exhibits on Danish history, artists, and culture, as well as hosting events like a book club and cultural lecture series.
Although not related to Denmark, the Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum has an incredible collection of vehicles dating from 1910 through the modern era. The collection is primarily focused on racing motorcycles, and the vehicles on display are rotated each month to keep the exhibition fresh.
Goleta
The Ellwood Oil Field in Goleta produced over 100 million barrels of oil in the 20th century, but since then the fields have been redeveloped into the Ellwood Mesa Open Space providing a scenic overlook along the Pacific Ocean. The open space includes hiking trails criss-crossing the preserved land, and the Goleta Monarch Butterfly Grove. Monarch butterflies arrive along the California coast beginning in October, landing in trees in the grove through the winter as part of a historic migration pattern. Scientists count the butterflies each season to track the health of the species, but visitors are welcome in the groves as well.
Goleta is also home to the South Coast Railroad Museum housed in the historic Goleta Depot. The Southern Pacific Railroad originally built the depot in 1901, but the building now highlights the importance of the railroad to regional history. The museum includes an HO-Scale Model Train layout, a historic caboose, and the Goleta Short Line, a scaled-down freight train that runs on a half-mile loop around the property.
Just down the street from the railroad museum, the Goleta Valley Historical Society maintains the historic Rancho La Patera and Stow House. The preserved ranch includes agricultural artifacts and historic equipment. The surrounding gardens are filled with exotic horticultural specimens, like the Cow Itch Tree, Chilean Wine Palm, and Giant Bamboo. Nearby Stow Grove Park has 300 coast redwoods, some growing as tall as 130 feet, planted by Edgar Stow in the 1930s.
Ojai
Featuring more than 130,000 volumes, Bart's Books in Ojai claims to be the world's largest outdoor bookstore. In addition to the thousands of used books, Bart's also has rare collectible books in a small indoor portion of the store.
Visitors in Ojai will find local history on display at the Ojai Valley Museum of History and Art. The museum chronicles the story of the valley beginning with archeological artifacts dating back 12,000 years through the modern development of the town. The artist registry highlights local contemporary artists, and the galleries highlight local artworks. The museum also hosts walking tours of the community on Saturday mornings highlighting places and architecture of interest.
Local arts are an important part of Ojai's character. The Ojai Art Center has eight branches offering performances, classes, exhibitions, and other special events. The center hosts an annual Art in the Park festival featuring the works of more than 70 fine artists across various mediums.
Another unique art museum is Canvas and Paper, a small museum showcasing thematic exhibits based around a single artist. The exhibits, celebrating 20th century modernism, change every two months.
Barstow
Barstow was originally known as Waterman Junction, and steam locomotives once stopped there to refill their water supply before attempting to cross the Mojave Desert. Barstow Station, a roadside attraction along the historic Route 66, includes 17 vintage railcars as part of the shopping complex. The local McDonald's uses four rail cars for the restaurant's dining rooms, with shops like Hollywood Gift Shop and Double R Gifts spread across other portions of the building that includes boxcars and a caboose.
The Route 66 Mother Road Museum celebrates the storied highway with memorabilia and a collection of restored classic cars. The museum recently reopened in the Barstow Harvey House, the railroad depot and hotel the Santa Fe Railway completed in 1911. The Western America Railroad Museum shares the building, hosting displays of railroad artifacts, a model train diorama, and an outdoor display of rolling stock.
For a creepier experience, check out the California Clown Museum in the center of town. Clown figurines of every size fill the display cases, marionette clowns are suspended from the ceiling, and disturbing clown paintings hang on the walls. This unique museum includes costumes, toys, posters, and even an adults-only section devoted to criminal clowns responsible for heinous acts.
Big Bear Lake
At one time, Big Bear Lake was the largest man-made lake in the world, though the water was originally intended for agricultural irrigation rather than attracting tourists. Today, the town is a year-round destination taking advantage of both the lake and the surrounding mountains. Swim Beach at the center of town provides a sandy swimming area in warmer months, and Big Bear Marina offers boat rentals and lake tours. The Big Bear Watersports School hosts seasonal water skiing and has a floating inflatable water park with a family-friendly obstacle course for climbing and jumping.
On the mountains overlooking the town, Bear Mountain Ski Resort offers hiking, mountain biking, and scenic chair rides during warmer weather and skiing and snowboarding in winter. The mountain includes artificial snowmaking to ensure snow coverage, making it a reliable resort destination for winter sports.
Despite having snow in the name, Big Bear Snow Play features summer tubing on slides using synthetic surfaces. The park includes a speedway with Sodi Kart racing in single and double karts where anyone with a valid driver's license can feel like a professional racer. In winter, there is snow tubing on the gentle slopes as well.
Pioneertown
Built as a living set for the silver screen, Pioneertown offers more than the facade of a traditional Hollywood backlot. Intended as a three-dimensional place, the theme town looks like it comes straight out of an old cowboy western film, but the dusty "Mane Street" is an actual town filled with real shops, like the Pioneertown General Store. The shop is stocked with vintage clothing, boots, and textile arts.
The Pioneer Bowl offers a retro bowling alley experience with stock fixtures from the mid-20th century. On New Year's Eve, the bowling alley hosts an annual Big Lebowski Event including a screening of the film, costumes, and dinner.
Surrounding the town is the 25,500-acre Pioneertown Mountains Preserve where visitors will find hiking trails descending from 7,800-foot high ridges. For those looking to ride off into the sunset, horseback access is allowed through the Chaparrosa Wash, accessible directly from Pioneertown.
Yucca Valley
Just southeast of Pioneertown, Yucca Valley offers visitors access to the nearby Joshua Tree National Park. The distinctive, namesake Joshua trees are not actually trees but rather members of the agave family of plants. The park's delicate ecosystem can be accessed through trails like the Maze Loop, a 5-mile pathway wending through granite rock formations.
Visitors can learn about the unique ecosystem in town at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Permanent exhibits include information on the biodiversity of the Mojave Desert, dioramas featuring native wildlife and insects, and gems and minerals from the region. The Living Mini-Zoo features native species with examples of snakes, lizards, amphibians, and insects from the surrounding desert landscape.
Near the West Entrance Station to the park, the Invisible House hides amidst the desert landscape disguised by its walls of mirrored glass. Part architectural art project, part vacation rental, the house includes a 100-foot indoor pool that is more than just an amenity. The large volume of water helps stabilize the temperature inside the house where outdoor temperatures can hit extremes, both hot and cold.
Borrego Springs
California's first designated International Dark Sky Community, Borrego Springs protects the natural darkness of the night sky with limits on light pollution, ensuring visitors can easily view the stars. The surrounding Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the largest state park in California, further protects the nighttime stargazing. One of the best ways of experiencing the night sky is by camping in the park, such as at the Borrego Palm Canyon Campground where visitors will find water, restrooms, and coin-operated showers.
On the north side of town, the Under the Sun Foundation looks after the Sky Sculptures of Galleta Meadows. The 1,500 acres of desert is home to 130 large-scale, free-standing sculptures by artist Ricardo Breceda, commissioned by landowner Dennis Avery. The organization also hosts the annual Candlewood Arts Festival, a celebration of public art with artists creating site-specific works in response to the surrounding local landscape.
In the center of town, the Borrego Art Institute maintains a gallery in downtown Borrego Springs hosting 10 to 14 shows each year with local artists' work, themed exhibitions, and group shows. The ArtPark Botanical Gardens combine community gardens, desert landscape, and sculptural creations with an emphasis on sustainable practices.
Julian
The one-time gold mining town of Julian has since evolved into a local destination for outdoor recreation. The nearby Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve contains 2,900 acres of forest, and the 5-mile, round-trip hike to the top of Volcan Mountain offers views of the surrounding valley.
The valley is home to vineyards and apple orchards. Volcan Valley Apple Farm has U-Pick apples with seven apple varieties growing across 7,000 trees. The trellis-trained trees are kept low to the ground to make harvesting easier, and the farmstand includes apple-themed goods like apple cider and applewood bacon. For a less hands-on approach, check out the Volcan Mountain Winery, where visitors can sample red, white, rosé, dessert, and apple wines in the tasting room.
In town, the Julian Historical Society maintains the Stage Line Museum housing two restored, century-old vehicles. The 1912 Mack Stage, an open-air vehicle, and the 1924 Cadillac Bus, with an enclosed cabin, both ferried travelers between Julian and Foster, where the rail line ended.
In the hills overlooking town, the Eagle Mining Company offers guided tours of a historic gold mine. The 1870s-era mining operation features antique equipment and restored tunnels where visitors can experience the gold rush era.
Jacumba Hot Springs
The sulfur-rich natural hot springs have long been a tourist attraction in Jacumba Hot Springs, and even attracted early Hollywood stars before Palm Springs became popular. After the San Diego and Arizona Railway reached town in 1919, an influx of visitors followed, and the Old Bathhouse was built to serve them. A fire in the 1970s shuttered that structure, but more recently, it has been renovated into an events venue featuring concerts with local tribute bands, comedy shows, and vintage marketplaces featuring local artists and artisans.
Today, the Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel has pools fed directly by mineral-rich waters, open to both guests of the hotel and pass holders. In addition to soaking in the mineral waters, the hotel also has an on-site restaurant, the Long Shadow, highlighting locally sourced foods.
Just outside of town, Boulder Park is home to animal figures carved into granite boulders by W.T. Ratcliffe in the 1930s. These Depression-era sculptures are built directly into the landscape and reached by pathways around the area.
Explore Destinations Worth Visiting
These ten towns in Southern California showcase a wide range of reasons to visit. Stop by a Danish village without leaving California, or experience the raw beauty of the night sky without modern light pollution diluting the stars. Learn about the diversity of the desert ecosystems in Yucca Valley or experience the creative energy of art in Ojai. And there's nothing wrong with sipping a glass of locally produced wine in Julian or relaxing in the warm baths in Jacumba Hot Springs. The unique experiences in these small towns make them worth visiting.
