Senior Friendly Day Trips Southern California

Senior-Friendly Southern California Day Trips. Listed below are some great day trips with seniors in mind. These trips offer a slightly slower pace and have plenty of places to sit and relax while taking in the scenery. Popular options for seniors include bus tours or a train journey aboard Amtrak. All of these trips were picked with seniors in mind. Escape the daily routine and enjoy an adventure.

Take a Stroll Old Towne Orange

In Orange County, California, Old Town District is the perfect destination for a weekend day trip when all you want to do is wander. Old Town Orange will not disappoint with bric-a-brac antique stores tucked neatly between cozy sidewalk restaurants and soda fountains. Most of the Old Town District’s points of interest are near the central plaza.

Smell the Roses Sherman Gardens

Everything from exotic orchids to a California pepper tree is on display. Desert cactus, herbs, and, of course, a fantastic and super-fragrant Rose Garden are lovingly nurtured by the gardeners on staff. On-site Café Jardin Restaurant offers handmade crepes, freshly baked pastries, and other goodies to make stopping at the gardens worthwhile. The park is an easy walk and has plenty of places to sit and enjoy nature.

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Guided Tour of Catalina Island from Orange County

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Take a Trip on the Surfliner

A trip on the Pacific Surfliner can be as simple as a few miles to San Diego or Santa Barbara. Almost every train station along the route has an exciting attraction within walking distance. Popular stops include Mission San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente Pier, Old Town San Diego, and State Street Santa Barbara. Onboard snack bars and bathrooms make the train convenient for older and younger passengers.

Visit Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mission Capistrano makes a  good choice for a senior-friendly day trip. Tour buses and almost hourly train service make getting to the mission easy. Explore the beautiful gardens and historic buildings of the mission complex. Swallows migrate thousands of miles from winter homes to San Juan Capistrano in the spring. There are plenty of nearby dining and shopping opportunities in San Juan Capistrano.

Historic Olvera Street

Olvera Street is adjacent to Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.  Olvera Street is a landmark that retains its authentic charm and captures the essence of what LA used to look like years ago. This area of Los Angeles features 27 historic buildings with a traditional Mexican-style plaza, including the Avila Adobe, constructed in 1818, and the former home to Francisco Avila, one of the city’s first mayors. Olvera Street is a popular stop for many tour buses.

Take a Sunday Drive Heritage Valley

State Route 126 connects Santa Clarita to Ventura. The highway follows the banks of the Santa Clara River through Heritage Valley and makes a beautiful place for a Sunday Drive. Plenty of areas of interest include Bennets Honey Farm, Fillmore Railway, and the historic town of Santa Paula. So make sure you allow plenty of time to take them all in.

Richard Nixion Library

Take a tour of the original farmhouse where President Nixon was born, just a few steps away from his final resting place. Inside the Library is the main gallery, where you can journey through history, exploring the many exhibits. The Library has recently completed a $15 million renovation. The new Library features nearly 70 recent significant exhibitions, including a replica of President Nixon’s Oval Office and an extensive display of Nixon’s historic trip to China.

Step Back in Time Graber Olive House

Graber Olive House specializes in tree-ripened olives, a somewhat time-consuming process but a superb way to bring out the best in these green and black beauties. The olives come from the family ranch located in the San Joaquin Valley. Several hundred tons of olives are trucked to the historic Ontario Olive House each year to be canned or processed into olive oil at gift shops and tours.

Lunch at Original Farmers Market

Since 1934, a historic landmark has been on the corner of Third and Fairfax. It’s called the Farmers’ Market, and it’s a fascinating place to spend the day. The market stores offer a remarkable selection of fresh fruits, candy, baked goods, homemade ice cream, wines, meats, and poultry.

Take a Ride Auto Driving Museum

The Automobile Driving Museum has a remarkable, rotating collection of nearly 150 classic, antique, and historic cars, all with retro color schemes, snazzy hood ornaments, and unique taillights. Still, perhaps its claim to fame is that on Sundays, guests are given a rare opportunity to drive in a piece of history as they are whisked around in one of several pristine classic vintage cars from the museum’s collection.

Discover Sea Life Birch Aquarium

The Birch Aquarium is located on a hilltop site that provides a panoramic view of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus just off the Pacific Ocean. Birch Aquarium is a mid-size facility with most of the displays indoors. One of the highlights of a trip to the aquarium is a 70,000-gallon kelp tank forest. If children are along on this trip, there is a very popular Tide Pool Plaza where they can touch and learn about the tide-pool animals.

Take a Scenic Harbor Cruise

Hornblower Cruises offers the best bay boat tours for harbor tours and whale watching in San Diego. No other San Diego harbor cruise operator has more choices. Dinner Cruises, San Diego Bay tours, Scenic Brunch Cruise, and Whale Watching all depart from downtown every day of the year.

Enjoy the Seaside at Seal Beach

Home to the second-longest wooden pier in the United States, Seal Beach perfectly blends a rustic old surf town and a modern upscale cultural community. Of course, the main attraction that lures visitors to this quaint seaside town is the beach with its soft sand and sunshine. A trip to Seal Beach would not be complete without a visit to the Red Car Museum aboard Car No. 1734, a restored Pacific Electric Railway car on the corner of Main and Electric downtown.

Bring Home Some Treats Bates Nut Farm

Bates Nut Farm is tucked away in an oak-filled valley near Valley Center, California, and makes a great family day trip. The 100-acre Farm was established in 1921 when Gilbert and Beatrice Bates purchased the property. Today, the Bates Nut Farm offers a wide selection of nuts, dried fruit, candies, plus much more.

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