9 Nicest Small Towns In California
Visiting California’s small towns can put you right in the heart of some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the country. Ojai’s charming resorts and mom-and-pop stores sit on the edge of miles of protected forest in the Transverse Ranges of southern California. Twentynine Palms' vintage stores and art galleries are surrounded by the arid landscapes of the Mojave Desert. In Lone Pine, the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada serve as the backdrop for the town's Old West culture and fascinating film history. Featuring foggy enclaves on the north coast and mountain escapes in the San Jacinto Mountains, these are some of the state's nicest small towns.
Solvang
A main street that looks plucked out of a fairytale, delicious bakeries, and some of the best wines in the country are just a few features that make the Danish hamlet of Solvang a perennial favorite. Located northwest of Santa Barbara in the Santa Ynez Valley, this small town’s old-world charm and architecture make it one of the more unique and distinctive towns in California.
Hop aboard the Solvang Trolley & Carriage Company for a narrated tour of the charming downtown full of gingerbread architecture and windmills. Explore museums like the Hans Christian Andersen Museum and the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art to learn about Solvang’s history and Danish culture. On the edge of town, the Old Mission Santa Inés, founded in 1804, has great views of the valley and the Santa Ynez and San Rafael Mountains. Solvang’s location in the heart of the award-winning Santa Barbara wine country makes it a premier destination for wine enthusiasts. With over twenty tasting rooms in downtown, and vineyards lining the hills and valleys outside of town, it’s easy to sample the region’s vinicultural bounty on foot, or on guided wine tours offered by local companies. Visit in September to experience the Danish Days festival, an annual celebration of the town’s Danish heritage that includes authentic food, dancing, music, and Viking reenactments.
Ojai
Sixty miles east of Solvang, you’ll find Ojai hidden away in a valley in the Topatopa Mountains south of Los Padres National Forest. This charming mountain town is known for its boutique hotels, spiritual retreats, and art scene, and the town’s culture places a strong emphasis on sustainability, organic agriculture, and spirituality.
The Ojai Valley Inn is one of the town’s most popular resorts, famous for its luxury atmosphere, spa, and award-winning golf course. Ojai is also home to the world’s largest outdoor bookstore, Bart’s Books, which has been open since 1964 and houses a collection of over 130,000 new and used titles. Stop by the Ojai Valley Brewery to sample locally brewed beer and wine. The local favorite venue has board games and live music on the weekends. Explore the gorgeous natural surroundings on the Ojai Valley Trail, a nine-mile multi-use path available for hiking, biking, or horseback riding.
La Jolla
Southern California is full of beautiful beach towns, and La Jolla is consistently ranked as one of the best. The hilly, seaside community sits near Mount Soledad and is renowned for its vibrant art scene, walkable village center, and excellent surfing.
La Jolla Cove is one of the town’s most popular beaches, easily walkable from the village center. The calm water is perfect for swimming or snorkeling, and you are very likely to see some of the hundreds of sea lions that make their home here basking in the sun on shore. Surfers will want to make their way up the coast for some of the best waves in the state. Beginners can hone their skills on La Jolla Shores’ easy beach break, and more advanced surfers can really shred at Black’s Beach, which many locals consider to be the best wave in San Diego. If you get tired of catching waves or rays, the Museum of Contemporary Art is a great place to spend an afternoon, and the La Jolla Playhouse is a Tony Award-winning theater venue with a great reputation. For great day hikes and gorgeous natural scenery, check out Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, which contains several miles of trails and is one of only two places you can see the nation’s rarest pine tree.
Twentynine Palms
Trade beach sand for desert sand and travel inland to this artsy community in the Mojave Desert. The high desert city of Twentynine Palms serves as one of the entry points to Joshua Tree National Park and is brimming with art galleries, eclectic shopping, a wide array of delicious restaurants, and a great craft brewery.
Cool vintage stores like Delilah’s Vintage and the Desert Dreamin’ Outpost sell a wide array of clothing, desert-themed accessories, and unique furniture and decorative pieces that make for awesome souvenirs. Grab delicious barbecue at The Rib Co. or relax on an outdoor patio with a craft brew at the 29 Palms Beer Co. The desert environs surrounding town have long inspired creatives, and galleries like The Glass Outhouse Art Gallery and the 29 Palms Art Gallery display paintings, sculptures, and blown glass from local artists. Wander the streets to see the 26 murals commissioned by the city as part of the Oasis of Murals project, or create your own art by visiting the 29 Palms Creative Center, where you can take pottery or fused glass classes.
Of course, no trip to Twentynine Palms would be complete without taking a drive through Joshua Tree National Park. The 800,000-acre preserve is a wonderland of unique rock formations, otherworldly Joshua Trees, and a vast array of wildlife. Drive the 35-mile Park Boulevard to view the park's highlights from the comfort of your car, or venture on foot into the desert and watch the sunset from Keys View or Ryan Mountain. The park is a designated International Dark Sky Park and hosts an annual night sky festival typically in the fall at the Sky’s the Limit Nature Center and Observatory.
Idyllwild
Idyllwild is just over thirty miles, as the crow flies, from the barren deserts of Joshua Tree, but its location 5,413 feet up in the San Jacinto Mountains results in a much milder climate. Under the leadership of their young, universally-loved mayor, a golden retriever named Max, this scenic mountain retreat attracts visitors with its nationally renowned art scene, outdoor recreation, and lineup of festivals and holiday celebrations.
Once named one of the country’s top art towns, Idyllwild is home to several famous artists and craftspeople. Visitors can browse local galleries like the Gold Pine Gallery or throw their own clay at the Mountain Pottery. The Rustic Theatre has been a community hub for over 70 years, hosting film screenings, live music, and comedy shows, and the town is surrounded by opportunities for outdoor adventure like the challenging climb to the summit of Mount San Jacinto, one of the most topographically prominent peaks in the country, or famous rock-climbing routes on Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks. The town puts on several festivals throughout the year, including Strawberry Fest and the Idyllwild Cinema Fest, which screens films from around the globe.
Lone Pine
The town of Lone Pine has a culture and geography more akin to the interior states of the American West than the Mediterranean climes of the Pacific Coast. Located in Owens Valley, between the Inyo Mountains and the towering Sierra Nevada, Lone Pine is a nature lover's dream. Its location along Highway 395 makes it a fantastic jumping-off point for a range of outdoor adventures in the Sierras, as well as Death Valley National Park. For less outdoorsy visitors, Lone Pine also has a storied moviemaking history, several well-preserved ghost towns, and lots of cool events throughout the year.
The easiest way to explore the Sierras is via the Whitney Portal, just thirteen miles west of town. From here, intrepid hikers can attempt to summit Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous US. Other great outdoor destinations in the area can be found in the Alabama Hills, a collection of striking rock formations in the foothills of the Sierras. Fans of Old West history can explore several ghost towns that dot the hills and mountains nearby, including Cerro Gordo in the Inyo Mountains, one of the best-preserved ghost towns in California.
Film buffs will love visiting the Museum of Western Film History to learn about the more than 400 films that were filmed in the area over the years. Lone Pine hosts several unique events throughout the year, like the Lone Pine Film Festival in October.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
This coastal enclave on Monterey Bay routinely makes it onto lists of the best small towns in the US. Carmel-by-the-Sea has everything you could want out of an oceanside retreat. There is, of course, the beautiful cypress-lined Carmel Beach, but the town is also home to more than 50 art galleries, more Michelin Star-winning restaurants than anywhere else in Monterey County, and some of the most breathtaking natural environments in the country.
Among the numerous galleries in town, William A. Karges Fine Art stands out for its internationally recognized collection of early California, American, and Philippine paintings. The second Saturday of every month, you can attend the Carmel Art Walk, where you can tour galleries for free and meet the artists who live and work in town.
Carmel is also renowned for its wines, and you can explore the range of tasting rooms and vineyards on the Carmel Wine Walk, a self-guided tour of the town’s thriving wine scene. Spend a day on the links at Pebble Beach, the number one public golf course in the country, or take a tour of the beautiful Tor House, the former residence of poet Robinson Jeffers, a stone cottage overlooking the Pacific. Lastly, go for a hike in the rolling meadows and rocky headlands of Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.
Mendocino
Continuing up the Pacific Coast Highway from the Bay Area will take you to the tiny town of Mendocino, an art colony perched on a headland that juts out into the Pacific Ocean. This picturesque seaside community was once a bustling port city during the logging boom in the 19th century, but the rowdy hotels and saloons have given way to neat saltbox houses, art galleries, and fine dining establishments.
Mendocino has been recognized by the National Register of Historic Places for its preserved buildings that showcase a variety of architectural styles. You’ll see Gothic Revival in the Mendocino Presbyterian Church, Victorian-style homes along Main Street, and the colorful Kwan Tai Temple, a California Historical Landmark, and one of the oldest continually used Chinese temples in the state. Mendocino Headlands State Park surrounds the village and contains several well-maintained trails that wander along the rocky coastline and secluded beaches easily accessible from town. Further up the coast, visit Point Cabrillo Light Station, another popular destination in the area. The historic lighthouse still uses its original Fresnel lens, and the surrounding buildings include a restored keeper’s house and museum, a marine science exhibit, and rentable vacation homes.
Eureka
Eureka is the largest coastal city between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, but still has a population of less than 25,000 people. Located on Humboldt Bay about ninety miles south of the Oregon border, this lively seaside town has a rich history, maintained through its preserved Victorian architecture, an artsy college-town culture, and easy access to the beautiful redwood forests of northern California.
The town’s most distinctive building is the Carson Mansion. The four-story Victorian home was built in the late 19th century and sits on a hill with a view. Visitors can also check out the Morris Graves Museum of Art, which is housed in the old Carnegie Free Library, and see a collection of works from local and international artists.
At the Clarke Historical Museum, you can immerse yourself in the history of Northern California from Native American inhabitation to the gold rush and the logging boom. Eureka is also home to the Sequoia Park Zoo, the oldest zoo in California, located next to a stand of old-growth redwood trees in the center of town. The zoo contains several animal habitats ranging from bears and coyotes to red pandas, and visitors can explore the majestic redwood grove a hundred feet above the forest floor on the Redwood Sky Walk. As the cultural center of the north coast, Eureka hosts several events throughout the year, its most famous being the annual Kinetic Grand Championship. Held nearly every year since 1969, this sculpture race sees contestants attempt to complete an over 40-mile course in human-powered homemade vehicles.
In the laid-back surfing community of La Jolla, you can start your day hiking the coastal hills of Torrey Pines and your evenings watching the sunset from La Jolla Cove. Solvang’s Danish architecture and delicious bakeries are surrounded by the rolling hills and valleys of the Santa Ynez and San Rafael Mountains. After enjoying Michelin-recognized cuisine in Carmel-by-the-Sea, you can explore one of California’s most beautiful state parks at Point Lobos. In California’s small towns, you don’t have to travel far to experience the state’s diverse natural beauty.
