20 Incredible Free Tourist Attractions in the West
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
16. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Location: San Diego, California
One of the most gorgeous tourist attractions in San Diego is definitely Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. At this 2000 acre coastal gem, you can enjoy miles of beautiful hiking trails and beaches. All of the trails feature amazing views of the coast and are relatively short and easy. For anyone looking to get in a light workout without much sweat and also enjoy the beach, Torrey Pines is the winner in San Diego. This was my absolute favorite thing I did on my trips to San Diego!
17. Chiricahua National Monument
Location: Southern Arizona
The “Wonderland of Rocks” as it has been nicknamed should be added to any adventure seekers/photographers bucket list. Chiricahua National Monument is a true treasure located just 2 hours outside of Tucson. An 8 mile scenic drive and 17 miles of hiking trails take you past jaw dropping rock formations. The unique hoodoos and balancing rocks found throughout the park are truly incredible and unusual, especially to see in person. Start with the incredible scenic drive and then enjoy an easy 1 mile starter hike along the Echo Canyon Grottos trail. If you are up for exploring more, there are number of fantastic moderate trails where you can explore the ancient rock formations further. See more crazy pics I took at Chiricahua!
More great daytrips from Tucson
18. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Location: Los Angeles, California
No visit to LA would be complete without taking some time to explore the Santa Monica mountains. With 153,000 acres of land and 500 miles of trails for public use, it comes in as the world’s largest urban park! If you prefer to take your adventures outdoors over attending movie show tapings and exploring Hollywood stars, hiking in the Santa Monica mountains should be a real treat.
Definitely add Zuma Beach, Santa Monica State Beach, Point Magu State park, and Will Rogers State Beach to your itinerary. A great trail for beginners is the Los Liones hike in beautiful Topanga Canyon State Park. The full hike is about 7 miles RT, however, there are many beautiful overlooks so you can go out to your comfort level (Topanga Fire Road is 3 miles RT and a great stopping point for first timers).
On an interesting side note, more than 100 mountain lions have been found in the mountains since 2002!
19. Bridger Teton National Forest
Location: Wyoming
A great alternative to Grand Tetons National Park is exploring Bridger Teton National Forest. This 3.4 million acre nature oasis comprises part of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. With so much land, there is endless opportunity for recreation all year round, whether it be hiking, camping, horseback riding, biking, or winter sports like cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Wildlife is abundant with grizzly bears, bighorn sheep, and moose calling the forest home. Gros Ventre Rd. is an incredibly scenic (and free) drive featuring wonderful mountain vistas and endless opportunities to see wildlife in their natural environment. Also Moose Wilson Road is a scenic 7 mile route between Teton Village and Moose, WY. A great spot for wildlife watching especially bears and moose!
20. Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway
Location: Tucson, Arizona
This breathtaking 27 mile drive starts just outside of Tucson and travels up over 6000 feet in elevation to a Sky Island known as Mt. Lemmon. What makes this drive so incredible is that you get to take in such diverse scenery. A Sky Island is basically a higher elevation isolated mountain area surrounded by lower elevation areas which differ dramatically in scenery. From exotic Saguaro cacti, to hoodoos and rock formations, to pine trees and aspens, you will get to see so much in so little time. At the base, you can enjoy various mountain hiking trails, leaf peeping in the fall, and even a ski resort in winter (the southernmost ski resort).
As I lived in Tucson for several years, I am familiar with most hikes. Check out my Tucson hiking guide to get started!
