CA coast road trip with kids
 

Hello! My five year old and I are road tripping down to LEGOLAND in mid-August. We are taking 4 days to head back up the coast highway on our way home...so San Diego to Seattle. Can anybody recommend some great places to stay/visit along the coast? I think we will head past San Francisco in our second day and stay near the redwoods that night so we can explore those on the third day.. Then we'll hit up the Oregon coast on our last day. I know its not nearly enough time so we'd love to hit up the great spots this trip around!

>>We are taking 4 days to head back up the coast highway on our way home...so San Diego to Seattle.<<

That is terribly aggressive.

It will be more than 1500 miles and more than 30 hours of butts-in-seats time . . . and that is without ANY stops. So with a young child and the extra stops that requires it is a five day drive without much of any sightseeing.

In the redwood area there is a good Best Western in Garberville and a new Holiday Inn Express in Eureka.

Attractions that might interest a 5-year-old on the coast include the aquarium
in Newport and the tide pools at Hay Stack Rock in Cannon Beach (if the tide is out).

HTtY

What day of the week do you start northbound from LEGOLAND?

For mid-August you really need to book your accommodation pronto especially if there is a Fri & Sat night involved, Santa-Barbara, Pismo etc will either be sold out already or require a 2 night minimum.

too bad you will miss Monterey. There is a great Kids park Dennis the Menance Park that kids love. long drives with kids in the car San Diego to Seattle. good luck.

4 days from Carlsbad to Seattle? And wanting to drive the coast? Wow!

People take 2 nights from LA to San Francisco to make the coast trip.

I would say when you leave Carlsbad (where Legoland is) stay on the Freeway until at least Santa Barbara. Don't try to see any of the coast drive in San Diego County, Orange or LA counties. Just get on the road north then do the Hwy 1 no sooner than Santa Barbara.

Good luck getting hotel reservations on the coastal drive!