There are so many great options for National Parks near San Diego! Cabrillo National Monument is located in San Diego and then there are multiple parks within a few hour drive.
National Parks near San Diego, California
Each of these National Park Service sites can be reached within a 6 hours drive from San Diego. I know it is hard to leave the gorgeous beaches of San Diego but trust me these parks are amazing.
California has the most National Park sites of any state within the United States. The West Coast is packed full of National Parks, National Monuments, National Historic Sites and more!
Whether you want to see Joshua Tree forests, the Mojave Desert, sand dunes, tide pools, or learn more about history these parks are perfect.
We calculated the miles from San Diego near the Gaslamp Quarter to each of the park's visitor centers. If you have driven in California you know that the times are estimated and may vary depending on the day, time, weather, or any other thing that can happen along the way.
The parks are list by the mileage from closest to farthest away.
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Cabrillo National Monument
Distance from San Diego - 10 miles, 30 minutes
Top Attractions - Tide Pools, whale watching, Statue of Conquistador Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo
Cabrillo National Monument commemorates the first European footsteps on the Pacific coast. Conquistador Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed into San Diego harbor on September 28, 1542.
He was the first European to step food on what is now the United States west coast.
Visitors today can enjoy a great visitor center, park films, 1855 Old Point Loma Lighthouse, a 2-mile Bayside Trail through the coastal Mediterranean habitat and coastal sage scrub, and whale watching for migrating Pacific Gray Whales.
Lodging - There are no National Park Lodges within this California National Monument.
Camping - There is no camping within the park.
Park Address - 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego, CA 92106
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Distance from San Diego - 157 miles, 3 hours
Top Attractions - Hiking, Biking, Historic Sites
Santa Monica NRA is located near Los Angeles and offers the perfect backdrop for a day of hiking and exploring. There are over 500 miles of trails within the park.
Visit Paramount Ranch which has been used in tons of TV shows and films. A portion of this area burned unfortunately in a wildfire but you can still see the chapel used in HBO's "Westworld" and the only other building that still stands on the former Hertz Era Western Town site the train depot that was used in the T.V. show Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.
Camping - Circle X Ranch Group Campground is the only campground the National Park Service operates in the Santa Monica Mountains. Visit recreation.gov to make reservations for this 10 person minimum group camp.
Park Address - 26876 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas, CA 91302
Joshua Tree National Park
Distance from San Diego - 161 miles, 3 hours 25 minutes
The distance is calculated to the Joshua Tree visitor center which is located outside of the park in Joshua Tree, California.
Top Attractions - Joshua Trees, Cholla Cactus Garden, Epic Sunsets, Gorgeous photo opportunities.
Joshua Tree National Park includes three ecosystems in a desert landscape that is awe-inspiring. There are three entrances to Joshua Tree NP including through the town of Joshua Tree which is a little over 3 hours from San Diego.
Visitors can enjoy amazing views, great scenic driving, hiking, and camping under millions of stars. Don't miss Skull Rock, Jumbo Rocks, the Cholla Cactus Garden (hint don't touch the cactus), and Keys View.
Lodging - There are no lodges within the park.
Camping - There are nine Joshua Tree Campgrounds. Camping in Joshua Tree is an opportunity to experience unique rock formations, and epic dark skies.
Park Address - 6554 Park Blvd, Joshua Tree, CA 92252
Channel Islands National Park
Distance from San Diego - 190 miles, 3.5 hours
The miles are calculated to the Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center in Ventura and do not include the boat ride out to the islands.
Top Attractions - Wildlife cruises, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, and camping.
Channel Islands NP stretches approximately 90 miles in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California. The park encompasses five islands and protects a large variety of wildlife, marine life, and vegetation.
Visitors can visit the visitor center in Ventura, California to learn more about the park. In order to visit the islands you will need to book a boat trip with Island Packers or via a private boat. There is no transportation available on the islands. All areas must be accessed on foot or by private boat or kayak.
We highly suggest making boat reservations prior to your visit to the park. The boat tours are incredibly popular!
Lodging - There are no lodges on any of the islands.
Camping - Primitive camping is available year round on all five islands in Channel Islands National Park in National Park Service-managed campgrounds. Landing Cove on Santa Barbara, on the east islet of Anacapa, at Scorpion Ranch on Santa Cruz, at Water Canyon on Santa Rosa, and above Cuyler Harbor on San Miguel.
Park Address - 1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001
Cesar E. Chavez National Memorial
Distance from San Diego - 253 miles, 4 hours 20 minutes
Top Attractions - Visitor Center, Memorial Garden
Cesar Chavez National Monument is a memorial to a influential labor leader. Cesar Chavez was the leading figure in the ight for better pay and safer working conditions for agriculture workers in the 1960s.
His political effort led to the formation of a labor union that would later become the United Farm Workers of America.
Visitors today can learn more about Cesar Chavez's work by watching the park film, seeing his office within the visitor center, and exploring the museum.
Lodging - There are no National Park lodges within the park.
Camping - There is no camping within the park.
Park Address - 29700 Woodford-Tehachapi Road, Keene, CA 93531
Mojave National Preserve
Distance from San Diego - 273 miles, 5 hours
Miles are calculated to the Kelso Depot Visitor Center
Top Attractions - hiking, scenic driving, epic scenery of sand dunes, cinder cone volcanoes, a large Joshua tree forest
Mojave National Preserve is perfect for adventurous travelers! The park encompasses three of the four major North American deserts the Mojave, Great Basin and Sonoran Deserts.
Visitors can explore epic sand dunes, see volcanic cider cones, and the world's largest forest of Joshua Trees. Don't miss the Kelso Depot Visitor Center a restored 1924 Spanish-style building.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.
Camping - Two developed campgrounds—the Mid Hills Campground and Hole-in-the-Wall Campground are available year-round.
Park Address - Kelso Depot, is located inside the Preserve, 95 miles east of Barstow, and 90 miles west of Las Vegas, at the intersection of Kelso-Cima and Kelbaker Roads.
Manzanar National Historic Site
Distance from San Diego - 307 miles, 5 hours 35 minutes
Top Attractions - Visitor Center, historical exhibits, auto tour
Manzanar NHS remembers the forced relocation of Japanese Americans during World War II. Following the December 7 , 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the United States government ordered more than 110,000 Japanese American citizens to leave their homes and relocate to military style camps.
Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten military camps set up around the country.
Visitors can take an auto tour of the camp to see the preserved buildings and gardens. Make sure to watch the parks movie it does an amazing job of telling the story of Manzanar. The visitor center is one of the best interpretive displays we have experienced in visiting over 275 National Park Sites.
This is a park that will sit with you and make you think a lot about US history and how we treat civil rights, democracy, and freedom.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.
Camping - There is no camping within the park.
Park Address - 5001 Highway 395, Independence, CA 93526
Castle Mountain National Monument
Distance from San Diego - 309 miles, 6 hours
Castle Mountains does not have a visitor center. The distance is to cross into the park boundary via Mojave Preserve.
Top Attractions - Off road driving and exploring.
Castle Mountain NM protects some of the most unique features of the Mojave Desert. This park has no real infrastructure except a couple of dirt roads and a park boundary sign.
This is a park that you are going "off road" to visit and will need to be prepared to not see anyone else during your visit.
Lodging - There is no lodging within the park.
Camping - There is no camping within the park. The closest camping is within Mojave National Preserve.
Park Address - The park address goes to the main office. We used a Mojave National Preserve brochure map to find our way into the park.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Distance from San Diego - 349 miles, 6 hours
Top Attractions - Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Photography
Lake Mead was the first National Recreation Area designated in the United States. The park protects over 1.5 million acres of land making it one of the largest National Park Sites in the country.
Visitors can enjoy year-round adventures in this epic park.
Lodging - There are three National Park Lodging options within the park Cottonwood Cove Resort, Lake Mojave Resort, and Temple Bar Marina Resort.
Camping - There are over 900 camping and RV sites within Lake Mead NRA.
Park Address - 10 Lakeshore Road, Boulder City, Nevada 89005
Death Valley National Park
Distance from San Diego - 352 miles, 6 hours 20 minutes
Distance is calculated to the Furnace Creek Visitor Center within the park.
Top Attractions - Hiking, Camping, scenic driving, wildlife viewing.
Death Valley is one of the most famous California National Parks. The name evokes many emotions including fear and wonder.
Badwater Basin is 282 feet below sea level and the lowest place in North America. Some of the highest recorded temperatures in the world have been found at Furnace Creek.
Visitors can enjoy epic scenery, unique wildlife, and a landscape unlike any other you will see. This is a park you want to prepare for and make sure you have water and other essentials.
Lodging - There are multiple Death Valley Lodges including The Inn at Death Valley.
Camping - There are multiple National Park Campgrounds within the park. Check out our Death Valley Camping Guide to learn more about each campground.
Park Address - Furnace Creek, CA 92328
We suggest using this San Diego Itinerary to help plan your visit to this epic Southern California city.
There are so many amazing things to see while visiting..
San Diego National Parks - 350+ miles away
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument - 360 miles, 5 hours 25 minutes
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument - 370 miles, 5.5 hours
Pinnacles National Park - 394 miles, 6 hours
Saguaro National Park - 401 miles, 6 hours
Devils Postpile National Monument - 409 miles
Make sure to check out all of the National Parks in California and neighboring Arizona National Parks, Nevada National Parks, and National Parks in Oregon
Don't miss these epic beaches while in San Diego, California!
Check out this SoCal kayaking guide for great places to hit the water near San Diego.
For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando
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