There’s never a bad time—well, heavy snow, rain and fire seasons aside—to take advantage of this country’s incredible National Park system. We’re lucky to live in a nation that protects and preserves 63 separate parks (nine of which are in California, the most in any state) totaling 52.2 million acres of land. We highly suggest making the trip to as many of these parks as possible, but have chosen to highlight those within a day’s drive (eight hours or less) from Los Angeles—some are perfect for a day trip; others are better reserved for a road trip or weekend of camping. So get out there and enjoy (just make sure to check the road and weather conditions at each park first).
Psst: Look out for free entrance days at all of these parks in 2023, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan 16), the first day of National Park Week (Apr 22), the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (Aug 4), National Public Lands Day (Sept 23) and Veterans Day (Nov 11).