- Coastal escapes like Carmel-by-the-Sea and Carpinteria charm with their ocean views and easygoing vibes.
- Healdsburg and Lodi are ideal for wine lovers looking for tasting rooms and vineyard views.
- Towns like Mammoth Lakes, Ojai, and Guerneville offer peaceful getaways filled with outdoor adventure and creative energy.
California’s marquee cities—Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego—tend to steal the show. These cities are home to some of the best food, cultural attractions, and vibrant communities in the nation, but the Golden State delivers something even more rewarding for those who veer off the major freeways: small towns filled with abundant charm. From artist enclaves and wine country spots to quiet beach towns and alpine outposts, the best small towns in California offer experiences you won’t find in any major city.
Healdsburg
A busy patio in Healdsburg, California.
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Healdsburg is a small town with plenty of buzz—and for good reason. “Healdsburg is truly a slice of small-town Americana,” Daniel Strawn, the director of leisure sales at Montage Healdsburg, shared with Travel + Leisure about the community, which has a population of around 11,000 people. “What people don’t realize is even though, yes, the region is known for wine, it truly has its roots as an agricultural community with many families living here for generations.”
Visitors can experience that balance between rural charm and modern refinement everywhere, including the town’s Tuesday Concerts in the Park, three-Michelin-starred dining at SingleThread, and visits to its best galleries. Strawn is a big fan of The Harris Gallery—Art & Wine Collection, a father-and-son-run tasting lounge and gallery where you get the best of both worlds under one roof. Strawn also recommends visiting in early November, just after harvest, or during the quiet of winter: “These months offer the best time to curl up by our outdoor fire pits while drinking a glass of beautiful pinot noir.”
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Sunset over a beach in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
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“This area is where the country meets the coast in one of the most breathtaking parts of California,” Melissa Krueger, the CEO of Classic Vacations, shared about Carmel-by-the-Sea, which has a full-time population of just over 3,000 people. Think dramatic cliffs, redwoods, and white-sand beaches, all in the same panoramic view. Carmel is also filled with fairy-tale cottages, art galleries, and wine rooms. “It’s perfect for outdoor lovers: hiking, golf, and coastal adventures are all part of the everyday experience,” Krueger added.
It’s also the perfect place to bring your four-legged family member. “Carmel-by-the-Sea is a romantic destination that’s also very pet-friendly,” said Mark Jason Williams, the co-author of LGBTQ+ travel guide Out In the World. He recommended making a stop at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve during your stay, adding it’s key to “stay for the sunset.” Williams also noted that fall is a particularly great time to visit as it’s the area’s sunniest season, with September and October offering warm weather and perfect golden light.
Kirkwood
A person kayaking on Caples Lake near Kirkwood, California.
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Kirkwood is an escapist’s dream come true in all four seasons. “While it’s known for having some of the best skiing in California, summer is my favorite time here,” Krueger said about this town with a population of just 400 full-time residents. “The wildflowers are incredible, the hiking is top-tier, and the alpine lakes are peaceful and pristine.”
However, it’s key to note that this isn’t the place for high-end hotels or plentiful amenities. “Services are minimal—just enough to get by—but that’s part of the charm,” Krueger said. She recommends grabbing a bite and then spending the day wandering the area trails or kayaking Silver Lake.
Carpinteria
Lifeguard stand in Carpintiera, California.
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Carpinteria, located just south of Santa Barbara, delivers beach-town charm in droves. “Carpinteria is a special town with its small, local, old-school surfer’s vibe,” Louise Astbury, the general manager of California-based Paradise Retreats, shared about the town with just under 13,000 residents. “The beach is amazing and claims to be the ‘World’s Safest Beach.'”
Downtown “Carp” offers galleries, family-owned cafes, and walkable blocks for visitors to explore during a stay. Like others on this list, the shoulder season in October is a prime time to visit, thanks to the annual Avocado Festival and warm fall weather without the trouble of massive summer crowds.
Lodi
A vineyard in Lodi, California.
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“Lodi reminds me a lot of Healdsburg 20 years ago,” famed chef Charlie Palmer explained of the Central Valley town. “It’s got all the right ingredients: amazing wines, hard-working growers, serious food talent, and a strong sense of community.” With a larger population of around 67,000, it’s not a true small town, but it remains somewhat under-the-radar as a travel destination, which makes it easier to meet winemakers and find open tables at the area’s best restaurants.
That said, you may want to hurry up and visit—Palmer sees Lodi as a town on the verge of a breakthrough. “You feel this energy, like it’s right on the cusp of something big,” Palmer added.
Guerneville
Aerial view of Jonson’s Beach in Guerneville, California.
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“Guerneville is a charmingly rustic town on the Russian River,” Lauren Levin, California resident and chief marketing officer of Lightstone/Moxy Hotels, said. “It mixes towering Redwoods, calm river waters ideal for tubing, and laid-back attitudes with trendy restaurants, breweries, and boutique hotels,” along with a vibrant LGBTQ+ community.
Levin recommended checking into the retro-chic Boon Hotel + Spa, renting a canoe, and ending the day with craft beer at Stumptown Brewery. Levin added that San Franciscans have long come here, and Angelenos are now catching on thanks to short flights into Santa Rosa.
Los Olivos
Storefronts in Los Olivos, California.
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“Tucked into the Santa Ynez Valley, Los Olivos feels like one of those rare places where time slows down in the best way,” Levin said about the tiny town that’s home to fewer than 1,000 people, about 45 minutes north of Santa Barbara. It’s home to a walkable downtown that features wine-tasting rooms, art galleries, and shops, all “surrounded by vineyards, ranches, and open skies,” Levin said. “It’s equal parts rustic and refined.”
Sam Highley, the founder of U.S.-focused travel company All Roads North, agreed, noting the town is “the perfect place for a languid weekend exploring the winding backroads.”
Three Rivers
A person hiking between giant sequoias in Three Rivers, California.
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Three Rivers, a town of 2,300 people located in the Sierra Foothills at the entrance to Sequoia National Park, deserves at least a full day’s stop, according to Highley. “Many pass through the town on their way to the park, but that would be a mistake.” According to Highley, there’s whitewater rafting on the Kaweah River, hiking in the foothills, and an emerging food scene that simply must be tasted. Furthermore, Autocamp just opened a stylish glamping retreat here, offering riverside Airstreams and fire pits under the stars, making it a destination in its own right.
Mammoth Lakes
A couple fishing in Mammoth Lakes, California.
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Highley has one more must-visit small town to recommend for outdoor lovers: Mammoth Lakes. “As mountains go, Mammoth has never had the glitz of Aspen,” Highley shared, “but things are fast changing.” With its namesake high alpine lakes, fantastic hiking and biking trail systems, and nearby hot springs, the town that’s home to fewer than 8,000 full-time residents is just as attractive to visit in the summer as it is during ski season.
Ojai
Buildings in Ojai, California.
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Ojai has long been the bohemian dream down in California, and Alex Alioto, the Cali-based head of growth at Whimstay, thinks it’s high time you visit, too. The haven, Alioto said, is “nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains and has attracted artists, spiritual seekers, and luxury travelers for decades.” With walkable streets full of wellness shops, bookstores, and juice bars, just about everyone can find their little slice of heaven. Alioto shared that it’s best to come in spring for the citrus blossoms or in the fall for harvest season. Don’t miss the “Pink Moment,” when the mountains are bathed in a rosy alpenglow from the sunset.
Solvang
Buildings in downtown Solvang, California.
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With its half-timbered buildings, bakeries, and windmills, Solvang blends whimsy and tradition, and the town comes recommended by several of our local experts. “This little Danish town in California’s Santa Ynez Valley was my very first taste of Europe,” Jonathan Alder of Jonathan’s Travels explained. “It still holds a special place in my heart.”
“Solvang is so unexpected. You’re driving through wine country and suddenly find yourself in a Danish village, complete with windmills, wooden shoes in the windows, and bakeries selling aebleskivers (little pancake balls made of fried batter),” Eugene Triasun, from online travel agency eSky Group, added. “Solvang is playful and super walkable, and there’s a warmth to it that goes beyond the architecture.” According to Triasun, the best time to visit is in September during the Danish Days celebrations.
Avila Beach
Promenade with shops in Avila Beach, California.
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“Avila Beach takes its independent spirit seriously,” Kirstin Koszorus of Highway 1 Road Trip shared. “The town has long embraced its role as the liaison between the sea and the woodlands and between the field and the vineyard.”
Koszorus said visitors can spend a day biking the Bob Jones Trail, hiking to the historic Point San Luis Lighthouse, or exploring the Central Coast Aquarium. She also noted you can always find something fresh at Valley Barn, including “seasonal fruits and vegetables, including world-famous See Canyon apples.”
Cambria
Houses along the coast of Cambria, California.
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Cambria, a town of just 6,000 people, is the perfect pit stop on a road trip between two of California’s major cities. “Perfectly positioned between Los Angeles and San Francisco, this pristine seaside village punches well above its weight culinarily,” Alioto explained. “The town’s remarkable restaurant scene rivals much larger destinations, featuring everything from farm-to-table establishments to oceanfront dining.” But it’s not just the food that makes it great. Alioto also recommended stopping at Moonstone Beach, which offers “dramatic coastline walks, while the village center bustles with art galleries, antique shops, and cozy bed-and-breakfasts housed in Victorian buildings.” As for the ideal time to book a trip, Alioto said it’s best to go in September or October for “warm, sunny days and calm seas.”