4 Days: LA and Southern California
Four days adds an island to the mix. Same three days as our 3-day plan , Disneyland, Malibu, Santa Barbara, plus a Catalina Island ferry day that runs on its own schedule, not a drive time. Going longer? The 5-day version adds Palm Springs.
Book these before you go
- A rental car for three of the four days: compare cars in Los Angeles
- Disneyland’s dated one-day ticket: book directly on the official site
- Your Catalina Express ferry seats, outbound and return: check schedules and fares
- A Catalina Island day-trip tour if you’d rather not plan it solo: browse options on GetYourGuide
| Day | Trip | Distance / Drive Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disneyland, Anaheim | 30-45 mi / 45-90 min southeast |
| 2 | Malibu + PCH | 36 mi / ~1 hr northwest |
| 3 | Santa Barbara | 96 mi / 1h40-2h up the 101 |
| 4 | Catalina Island | ~1 hr ferry crossing from Long Beach |
Day 1: Disneyland, Anaheim
Morning
Leave before 8am, Disneyland is 45 to 90 minutes from central LA in Anaheim, and this eats the whole day, not just a morning. 2026 single-day tickets run roughly $104 to $224 depending on the date.
Afternoon
Disneyland Park and California Adventure share one ticket and sit side by side, budget the full day for both if that’s the plan. Lightning Lane passes are worth it for a one-time visit.
Evening
Dinner in Downtown Disney, then the drive back. This is the longest driving day of the four, don’t stack anything else onto it.
Is Disneyland Worth a Full Day From LA?
Yes, and it anchors this whole itinerary for a reason. Go in with a plan: an early start, a decision on one park or both, and no evening plans competing with the drive back. Treated as a full-effort day, it earns the ticket price every time.
Day 2: Malibu and the Coast
Morning
North on PCH, free to drive, though there’s a 25 mph zone through the Palisades fire-repair area between Temescal Canyon Road and Carbon Beach Terrace, work continuing into fall 2026. Pace this stretch as scenic, not fast. Current closures are posted on Caltrans’ PCH recovery page .
Afternoon
Zuma Beach or Point Dume, $10-20+ for parking, the reason the rental car earns its keep. Bring a towel and stay a while.
Evening
Dinner in Malibu or back toward Santa Monica. Weekend and Sunday-evening PCH traffic can double the return drive, plan around it.
How Long Do You Actually Need for Malibu?
Half a day covers it; a full day lets you add a slower lunch or a longer beach stretch. This is the easiest day of the four to compress if Day 3’s Santa Barbara push needs an earlier start.
Day 3: Santa Barbara
Morning
Ninety minutes to two hours up the 101 for coffee on State Street.
Midday
State Street’s downtown blocks stay closed to regular vehicle traffic under a June 2026 city council vote, with a permanent master plan due in August 2026, so park in a garage and walk from there. Current closures are posted on the city’s State Street project page . Lunch near the Arts District blocks by the Arlington and Granada theatres.
Afternoon
Wine country sits just inland if you booked a tasting, or a slower harbor walk if you’d rather skip it. This is meant to be the calm day between two busier ones.
Is Santa Barbara a Long Day Trip or Worth an Overnight?
A day trip works and is what this itinerary uses, but it’s a genuine 4-5 hours of round-trip driving on top of time in town. If four days already feels packed, Santa Barbara is the easiest of the group to swap for a one-night stay instead.
Day 4: Catalina Island
Morning
Drive 20-30 minutes to Long Beach or San Pedro for your booked Catalina Express sailing, about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes each way. Round-trip adult fare runs roughly $99 including the wharfage fee and tax.
Midday
Avalon is walkable start to finish, golf carts and glass-bottom boat tours cover anything farther out. This is a full-day trip built around the ferry schedule, not your own pace.
Afternoon
Snorkeling, a glass-bottom boat tour, or just the harbor and a slow lunch, depending on how much of the day the ferry times leave you.
What Happens if You Miss the Last Boat Back?
You’re stuck overnight, and Catalina’s lodging is both limited and priced for it. Know your return sailing time before you plan the rest of the day, and build in a real buffer getting back to the terminal, traffic to San Pedro on a Sunday afternoon is not a formality.
Things to know: rent at LAX and keep the car for three of the four days, you won’t need it on the island itself. Parking runs $10-25 most places on the mainland days. Pack sunscreen and layers, coastal mornings run cooler than the reputation suggests, and Catalina’s harbor breeze is stronger than the mainland forecast implies.
Book your Catalina ferry seats the same day you lock in flights, weekend sailings sell out weeks ahead in summer. For the version of this trip that adds Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, and Big Bear, see our full LA day trip guide .