San Diego district, California, United States

Places to visit near Poway

Poway is a town in San Diego district, California, United States, home to about 50,157 people. Within 50 km by road there are 166 places to visit — 26 hill stations & viewpoints, 48 parks, 22 wildlife, forests & gardens and 18 lakes, dams & reservoirs. The must-see places are Lake Poway (7 km), Potato Chip Rock (10 km) and Woodson Mountain (10 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Poway on the map

Poway, California
Poway, San Diego district, California, United States. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Poway at a glance

Location
San Diego district, California, United States
Population
about 50,157
Coordinates
32.9628° N, 117.0359° W
Places within 50 km
166 (124 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for parks

Top places to visit near Poway

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Poway: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

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Things to see near Poway, by type

Hill stations & viewpoints near Poway

60 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Poway. The closest is Twin Peaks (4 km); the best-known is Woodson Mountain (10 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

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Parks near Poway

51 parks within 100 km of Poway. The closest is Hilleary Park (1 km); the best-known is Kit Carson Park (17 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Poway

30 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Poway. The closest is Blue Sky Ecological Reserve (8 km); the best-known is Black Mountain Open Space Park (11 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Poway

23 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Poway. The closest is Van Dam Peak (5 km); the best-known is Lake Poway (7 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

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Museums near Poway

12 museums within 100 km of Poway. The closest is Museum of Contemporary Art (33 km). Best time: year-round.

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Churches near Poway

11 churches within 100 km of Poway. The closest is San Diego California Temple (26 km). Best time: year-round.

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A one-day trip from Poway

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 67 km on the road.

  1. Start in Poway
  2. 7 km Lake Poway · lake, San Diego
  3. 5 km Woodson Mountain · viewpoint, San Diego
  4. 13 km San Vicente Reservoir · reservoir, San Diego
  5. 21 km Lake Miramar · lake, San Diego
  6. 10 km Black Mountain Open Space Park · nature spot, San Diego
  7. 11 km Back to Poway

Plan a longer trip from Poway — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Poway

No traveller has reported from around Poway yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Poway

    All places near Poway by distance

    Within 15 km of Poway

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Poway by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Hill stations & viewpoints2660Twin Peaks (4 km)
    Parks4851Hilleary Park (1 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens2230Blue Sky Ecological Reserve (8 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs1823Van Dam Peak (5 km)
    Other attractions1718Potato Chip Rock (10 km)
    Museums912Museum of Contemporary Art (33 km)
    Churches711San Diego California Temple (26 km)
    Forts & heritage810Audrey Geisel University House (27 km)
    Beaches & coast46Black's Beach (27 km)
    Waterfalls34Ramona Waterfall Trail Hike (10 km)
    Buddhist sites23Deer Park Monastery (31 km)
    Treks11South Poway Trail (3 km)
    Temples11Electric Eel (35 km)

    Poway: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Poway?

    Lake Poway (lake, about 7 km), Potato Chip Rock (attraction, about 10 km), Woodson Mountain (viewpoint, about 10 km), Lake Miramar (lake, about 10 km), Black Mountain Open Space Park (nature spot, about 11 km), San Vicente Reservoir (reservoir, about 14 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Poway?

    166 places on Spotwander: 26 hill stations & viewpoints, 48 parks, 22 wildlife, forests & gardens, 18 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 17 other attractions.

    Which is the nearest viewpoint to Poway?

    Twin Peaks, about 4 km by road; Sycamore Canyon Park (6 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest park to Poway?

    Hilleary Park, about 1 km by road; Old Poway Park (1 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest sanctuary to Poway?

    Blue Sky Ecological Reserve, about 8 km by road; Black Mountain Open Space Park (11 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Poway?

    Start in Poway, visit Lake Poway, then Woodson Mountain, then San Vicente Reservoir, then Lake Miramar, then Black Mountain Open Space Park, and drive back — about 67 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Poway?

    October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for parks.

    Towns near Poway

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Poway’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Poway on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.