Distances are from South County Airport.

Within One Hour's Driving Time:

• Henry Coe State Park: the largest state park in northern California, with over 80,000 acres of wild open spaces for hiking, backpacking, camping, biking, fishing, and riding. Located in the hills just east of South County Airport.
• Santa Clara County Model Aircraft Skypark: A haven for radio-controlled model aircraft enthusiasts that's always fun to watch. [12 miles]
• San Juan Bautista: home of the largest mission church in California, the Mission San Juan Bautista, founded in 1797. [21 miles]
• Tech Museum of Innovation: Contains exhibits and interactive displays that show how technology affects every day life. In downtown San Jose. [26 miles]
• Winchester Mystery House in San Jose: a Victorian mansion, designed and built by the Winchester Rifle heiress. The house is riddled with many unexplained oddities, and is considered an architectural marvel (or a tourist trap, by some). [30 miles]
• Old Town Salinas: Home to the National John Steinbeck Center. [35 miles]
• Pinnacles National Monument in Paicines: Features spire-like rock formations 500 to 1,200 feet high, with caves and a variety of volcanic features. [36 miles]
• Skydive Monterey Bay: Another place for skydiving, at the Marina Airport (OAR).[40 miles]
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: Exhibits more than 350,000 strange and colorful creatures that live in Monterey Bay, from playful sea otters and delicate jellies to powerful sharks, elusive octopus and giant ocean sunfish. If you are radio-qualified or can bring such a co-pilot, you can fly into nearby Monterey Airport (MRY). [48 miles]
• Santa Cruz Boardwalk: California's only seaside amusement park. It features 28 rides including the famous Giant Dipper wood roller coaster. [50 miles]
• Carmel, Pacific Grove, and 17-Mile Drive: On the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel is a charming retreat town with and many unusual shops, galleries, and an architectural blend of many styles. Take the scenic 17-Mile Drive with over 20 points of interest from Pacific Grove to Carmel. [50 miles]

Within Two Hours' Driving Time:

• San Francisco: See Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, ride the cable cars, etc. [73 miles]
• Big Sur, Tassajara Ventana Wilderness: an especially scenic and rugged area south of Carmel. [84 miles]
• Muir Woods National Monument: One of the most beautiful and accessible redwood groves, with some of the tallest trees in the world (upwards of 250 feet). For some contrast, go down to nearby Stinson Beach afterwards. [95 miles]

Within Three Hours' Driving Time:

• Hearst Castle in San Simeon: A magnificent 127-acre estate of 165 rooms on a hilltop in the Santa Lucia Mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Once the home of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. [126 miles]

More than Three Hours' Driving Time:

• Yosemite National Park: A region of unusual beauty in the Sierra Nevada. [170 miles; allow 5 hours driving time]