Planning a trip to the Entertainment Capital of the World? Los Angeles is located right on the Southern California coastline. This is great news for any beach lover. Indeed, there are quite a few destinations up and down the coast from L.A. that are well worth driving to and exploring. Let’s take a look!

1. Point Mugu State Park

It takes about an hour and a half of driving from the Los Angeles city center to reach Point Mugu State Park near Malibu and Oxnard. This park includes five miles of beach together with more than 70 miles of trails. Surrounded by the beauty of the Santa Monica Mountains, it offers sand dunes, hills, bluffs and river canyons to explore. Go swimming or body surfing if the water is warm enough, or head up to the northern part of the park to explore the Boney Mountains State Wilderness Area.

2. Goleta Butterfly Grove

If you drive a couple of hours west of Los Angeles along the coast, you will reach Goleta. There, you can visit the Goleta Butterfly Grove next to the Santa Barbara Shores County Park. Monarch butterflies frequent the grove between November and February each year. There is no fee, and you can visit anytime between sunrise and sunset. Explore the shady paths, walk to the beach, and wonder at the flutter of hundreds of wings around you. Be sure to leave a donation to support the park.

3. Gaviota State Park

Not far past Goleta, you will arrive at Gaviota State Park. Comprising 3,000 acres of parkland, this beautiful location offers you the chance to hike, swim, and fish along the coast. There are also opportunities to snorkel and scuba dive, windsurf, picnic, ride on horseback, and more.

4. Monterey

Up for a longer trip? Drive five hours up the coast from L.A. to arrive at beautiful Monterey. This charming coastal city offers quite a few diversions. Visit Cannery Row for shopping and wine tasting, or drive to the nearby Pinnacles National Park to explore rock formations and caves.

You will of course want to visit Monterey Bay. At this famous destination, you can watch whales and other marine wildlife. You can also stop in at the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, famously featured in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and also used as an inspiration for the fish hospital in Finding Dory. This amazing aquarium is home to more than 550 species, including around 35,000 animals in all. The facility draws around 1.8 million visitors on average each year, making it one of the most popular aquariums on the planet.

These are just a few of the numerous beautiful and exciting coastal destinations which your rented motorhome or campervan puts you within reach of when you are visiting Los Angeles. Enjoy exploring the SoCal seashore and all it has to offer!