Getting out of town is no simple thing, even in the summer. And now, with the sun setting on summer (already?), getting away for a long period of time seems even less likely. Pretty soon there will be backpacks and boxes of crayons to buy.

There’s plenty to do around here that makes for a nice day trip, perfect if you don’t have a lot of time but still want to take a break from your everyday routine.

Here are some suggestions within 50 miles of the San Fernando Valley. For most of these places, you can get there by car of course, but if you want to save gas, there’s usually a public transportation option available nearby. So it may not be as long of a trip as you had planned to take when the summer started, but work with what you’ve got. Pack a backpack and get going.

1. Los Angeles Zoo and Aquarium of the Pacific — This is a deal that will score huge points with your kids. For $26, you get to do a day at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens and a day at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. The second day is redeemable up to a year later after you buy the pass.

Your kids can pet snakes, get up close and personal with gorillas (with the glass in between of course), and attend cool sessions where kids see how birds eat.

At the Aquarium, you and your kids can visit four areas of the Pacific Ocean. Your kids can see the otters and pet eels (who have their stingers trimmed so no one gets zinged). For an extra fee, you can go whale watching. You’ll get a lot of “Mom! Dad! Look at this!” at both places and oh yeah, your kids will learn a lot too.

Getting there: L.A. Zoo: 5 freeway south to Western Ave.; Aquarium of the Pacific: 405 south to the 710 south, follow the signs Info: www.lazoo.org www.aquariumofthepacific.org

2. Getty Museum — It’s almost worth sitting on the 405 in traffic just for the tram ride to the top. But if you did that, you’d miss out on some pretty incredible stuff. There’s interesting exhibits, beautiful gardens, great views of the city and videos to watch too. You could spend at least a day here, but you’d probably need more than that to take it all in. There’s even a “Family Room” where it’s actually acceptable for your kids to run around and touch stuff. Oh, and one more thing: outside of the $8 for parking, it’s free.

Getting there: 1200 Getty Center Drive Los Angeles; 405 south to Getty Center Dr. Info: www.getty.edu

3. Huntington Library — Depending on where you stand on this 120 acres of property in San Marino (near Pasadena), you could be in China, Japan, England, France, or in America.

There are stunning gardens and rare paintings to see. You can look around the Huntington’s house or check out their huge library. Right now there’s a display that includes a Gutenberg Bible and an impressive collection of some early editions of Shakespeare’s plays. If you have kids, there’s a Children’s Garden to run around in and the Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory of Botanical Science. In the Conservatory you can enter a Rain Forest area, a Cloud Forest, a Bog, and a Plant Lab, that is hands on for kids and adults alike. There are plenty of places to eat and relax in Pasadena after your day at the Huntington is done.

Getting there: 1151 Oxford Road San Marino Info: www.huntington.org