California

Duration: 2 days
Mileage: 500
Starting point: Mountain View, CA
States: CA
Average budget for 2 people: $280 ($60 gas, $100 food, $120 hotel) *

  • Day 1: Early morning drive to the mountains (or Friday after work drive, then hotel price doubles), snowboarding
  • Day 2: Snowboarding and drive home

* Excluding ski lift tickets and gear/clothes rental

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Duration: 2 days
Mileage: 260
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $180 ($20 camp, $40 gas, $100 food, $20 other)

  • Day 1: drive to the campground, hike in the area (Indian Cove Nature Trail), relax in the campground
  • Day 2: breakfast and drive back home

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Duration: 2 days
Mileage: ~300
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $130 ($30 gas, $70 food, $30 camp)

  • Day 1: drive from Irvine, CA to Anza Borrego, CA (140 mi, 3 h), hike Slot Canyon trail, visit Galleta Meadows statues, overnight camping
  • Day 2: relax in the campground, drive back home

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Duration: 2 days
Mileage: 1000
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $300 ($120 gas, $150 food, $30 other)
No hotel expenses since we stayed at a friend's place

  • Day 1: explore San Francisco (Golden Gate bridge area)
  • Day 2: Big Basin Redwoods State Park, local beaches, Santa Cruz

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Duration: 1 day
Mileage: ~160
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $90 ($20 gas, $70 food)

  •  Day 1: drive from Irvine, CA to Oak Glen, CA (80 mi, 2 h) and back

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Duration: 2 days
Mileage: 160
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $163 ($33 camp, $30 gas, $100 food)

  • Day 1: drive to the campground, visit Lake Arrowhead Village, hike
  • Day 2: relax in the campground; drive back home

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Duration: 2 days
Mileage: 500
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $210 ($58 camp, $60 gas, $70 food, $20 other)

  • Day 0: drive to Montana de Oro State Park, California
  • Day 1: explore the park and nearby hiking trails
  • Day 2: relax by the beach; drive back home

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Duration: 4.5 days
Mileage: ~2000
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people : $450 ($65 for 2 nights in camps, $45* for 2 nights in hotels, $200 gas, $120 food, $20 other)

  • Day 0: drive to San Francisco after work
  • Day 1: drive to Redwoods National Park along Pacific Coast, explore Glass Beach and Avenue of the Giants (420 mi, 10 h overall)
  • Day 2: explore Fern Canyon, Big Tree of Elk Creek Prairie SP, Newton B. Drury Scenic Pkwy, Crescent Beach, Enderts Beach, Howland Hill Road; drive to Lassen Volcanic National Park (400 mi, 9 h overall)
  • Day 3: hike to Cinder Cone; drive to Sacramento (300 mi, 6 h overall)
  • Day 4: explore Sacramento; "17 mile drive"; drive home (600 mi, 10 h)

* We used our Wyndham rewards to book hotels, one night price was $15, second $30

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Duration: 2 days
Mileage: 300
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $130 ($20 camp, $40 gas, $50 food, $20 other)

  • Day 1: drive to Joshua Tree National Park, CA; explore the park
  • Day 2: explore Noah Purifoy Outdoor Art Museum, CA; drive back home

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Duration: 2 days 
Mileage: 0
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $360 ($100 camp, $140 boat tickets, $60 food, $40 Uber, $20 other)

  • Day 1: take a boat from Newport Beach, CA to Avalon, CA; explore the island
  • Day 2: explore Catalina island, CA; take a boat back to Newport Beach, CA

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Duration: 1 day 
Mileage: ~430
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 2 people: $70 ($40 gas, $30 food)

  •  Day 1: drive from Irvine, CA to Kelso Dunes, CA (215 mi, 4 h) and back

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Mileage: ~800
Starting point: Irvine, CA
States: CA
Budget for 6 people: $2100 ($1300 chalet rental, $250 gas, $400 food, $150 other)

  • Day 0: drive from Irvine, CA to Yosemite, CA (350 mi, 7 h)
  • Day 1: explore Yosemite Valley, Lower Yosemite Fall, Mirror Lake
  • Day 2: do all day Panorama Trail hike
  • Day 3: visit Mariposa grove with giant sequoia trees; drive home (350 mi, 7 h)

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