We are traveling to California in June with two boys, 13 & 9. We try to combine fun with learning experiences whenever we travel. My kids LOVE sports, but also ASK to go to science centers. In addition, we add some art, theater, history, and nature along the way.
Is this trip doable?
Day 1- arrive San Diego by noon. Check into hotel and walk around Old Town area and drive around Coronado. Maybe stop at the Mission de Alcala.
Day 2 - San Diego Zoo; maybe stop at Children's Beach for a while; evening baseball game.
Day 3 - walk around Balboa Park, take in a few museums and go to Cabrillo National Monument
Day 4 - enroute to Los Angeles, stop at San Juan Capistrano Mission.
Drive around a neighborhood in LA (i.e., Hollywood area to see the touristy Mann's Theater or Wilshire Blvd down to Hancock Park & stop at the La Brea discoveries museum. Check into Anaheim hotel. (??Is the Observatory in Griffith Park worthwhile or has anyone been to Chabot Science Center & Observatory in Oakland)
Day 5 - Disneyland
Day 6 - Knotts Berry Farm, afternoon maybe a Studio tour like NBC or Paramount.
Maybe tickets to a Dodgers baseball game on day 5 or 6 or we'll pass.
(I'd love to get into the Getty Museum. Would it be more doable than a studio tour? We arrive in LA on a Monday and the Getty is closed Mondays.)
Day 7 - Drive to San Simeon/Hearst Castle tour. Stop along the way in Solvang for lunch, Cambria for a beach walk.
Day 8 - Drive up Hwy 1 to Monterey's 17 mile drive. Stop at the Aquarium. Drive around SF and check out the Fisherman's Wharf area. Check into hotel (we're staying in Berkeley).
Day 9 - SF. Alcatraz, Exploratorium, walk around Union Sq./Nob Hill
Are there any plays we can see? Musicals and mysteries seem best at this age. Option: Oakland A's baseball game (Giants seem sold out).
Day 10 -- Drive to Muir Woods and head over to Napa Valley for a winery tour.
Day 11 - SF. See other sites as Presidio, Chinatown, etc.
Or drive to Sacramento. Enroute stop at Jelly Belly for factory tour, Sutter's Fort Park, Gold Bug Mine in Placerville. We could move the hotel on the last day to Sacramento instead of Berkeley.
Day 12 return home.

Is this too ambitious? I don't know the driving distances in terms of time or miles. We usually let the kids chill out in the evening at the hotel pool before bed.
We're leaving soon. Any comments would be welcome. Thanks!

I would spend less time in L.A. and more time up north. San Franscisco is full of entertainment for the children; also there is a very interesting tour of Alcatraz Island.

The Napa Valley, if done properly, takes at least 3 days. Don't miss the towns of St. Helena and Calastoga, especially for dining. There are hot air balloon rides thru the valley, wine tours - just so much to do!!!

You may email me for further information. But there are many wonderful B&B's in the Napa Area that take children.

Enjoy your trip!

Having made similar trips in the past, I'd say, in general, you've done a darn good job of planning. Oh, I'd could suggest some minor changes, but that would be picky. The one change I would make: Forego the trip to Gold Country (as good as it is) and spend more time in San Francisco instead. After all, it is one of our great cities and there is lots to see and do.

Thanks for your quick replies. Do you think we should try for the Getty Museum or a studio tour? I'd love to see the Getty, although I'm sure at least one will be bored. But we figure sometimes kids have to do what adults like too. What other SF highlights would you recommend?

Just off the top of my head these SF sites and things to do:
*Ride the cable cars
*Visit Lombard Street ("the world's most crooked street")
*Go to Golden Gate Park
*And just walk, walk, walk....In spite of the hills, SF is a great walking city.
A couple other comments on your itinerary:
*Keep in mind that you won't be able to see everything at the San Diego Zoo in one day!
*You might want to spend a little more time in Solvang and skip the beach walk. That's a pretty crowded day on your schedule. Just make sure you get to San Simeon in time for the last tour!

Thanks for your input, Howard. Do you know where I can find information about plays (theater) in SF? Or, rather, IS there theater in SF? I've never looked into it. Are they first rate productions like NYC or London?

Also, should we stop anywhere along the ride up to Monterey? Big Sur? Point Lobos?

GBelle:

This is an incredibly well-thought-out schedule. And I think the boys are at the perfect age to enjoy what you will see (coincidentally, my boys are the same age).

I do have a couple of answers to your (questions):

RE: Day 5.
Yes the Griffith Observatory is worth seeing. It's a beautiful almost-art-deco building hanging onto the side of the Hollywood Hills. There are multiple-level platforms with coin-operated binoculars to look at the city. The drive up to the facility is pretty, and the observatory grounds are well-maintained. Some of the displays inside are dated, but it's a nice visit. The main part of Griffith Park lies along Zoo Drive (at the bottom of the hill). The observatory itself won't take that long; maybe you can pack a lunch. The park has wonderful picnic grounds (if you feel like a walk, look for a sign pointing towards the "Old Zoo"). By the way, if you're going to L.A. from Orange County, you might want to wait until 9 am or later to venture out. There's really no good way to get there during rush hour. Same for the return--avoid 3 pm through 6 pm.

Re: Day 6.
I took relatives and my children on the NBC studio tour and what a bore it was for all. The highlight is the trip to the employee parking lot to see Leno's car. I've heard the Warner Brothers Studio tour is great; I think you need reservations. If you decide to substitute the Getty for the studio tour, call ahead. One needs reservations to park. Tougher on weekends.

OPINION ONLY! If you're considering passing on the Dodger game, don't. The view from the parking lot is spectacular, and the architecture and layout of the stadium is unique. It is unlike any other ballpark I've been to. If it's a weeknight, you can get pretty decent seats in the Loge or Reserved levels. Or you can sit in the "Top Deck", where the nine-year-old gets in for half price. Ask for seats on the first-base side so the kids can better see the Diamond Vision.

RE: Day 9.
You might want to check a web site for baseball schedules. I doubt the Giants and A's would be home at the same time. If it's the Giants in town: yes, I've heard that they are sold out for the season, but, if you're bold, I'm sure you can get good seats from the men holding signs reading "Need Tickets." On the other hand, most people might consider that desperattion time.

Have a great trip.

Well I'm tired out just reading this schedule!! Seriously, I suppose it is do-able, but you are leaving no time for unexpected things and I don't just mean traffic! Sometimes it is nice not to overplan, the off-the-wall things/places turn out to be more fun and a better memory. I understand you wan to see as much as possible but slow down a bit and enjoy what you do see. I cdon't understand your driving from San Diego into LA to look at a neighborhood and then going back out to Anaheim - you are backtracking in horrible traffic. Coming up from SD stay on Interstate 5 and go straight to Anaheim (and I imagine your hotel). LA traffic is really bad, try and plan your routes through it more carefully. As for the Getty, it's marvelous. You need a parking reservation however. You can park at a nearby mall and take the bus up (sorry I cannot remembe the name of the mall because we've taken our car). Your kids might enjoy some time at the beach - Santa Monica area a nice (also Malibu, etc.) but if you are staying in Anaheim it's going to be alot of driving. LA is a very big area which you will soon find out - if I were you I'd centralize my activities a little more. If you stay in Anaheim (Orange Cty) you can go to the beach at Huntington Beach or Seal Beach for a bit of relaxation, otherwise I'd stay closer in to LA (perhaps Santa Monica area) if you want to do LA sights. The rest of the trip sounds exhausting to me (my opinion only), but good luck with it. CA is beautiful, don't rush through it.

In answer to your latest questions about San Francisco, the city will get touring companies of Broadway-quality shows. I suggest you contact the SF Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.sfvisitor.org), which I'm sure can help you. Also, ask them for the latest copy of its "The San Francisco Book."

This is great! My boyfriend and I did a similar trip last July 4 over 10 days, from LA to Monterey and then the Gold Country (you can find a trip report if you do a search using the words "California coast" and restrict the search to the state of California). We had a great time.
1. Definitely do Griffith Park and Observatory. It's worth it for the view alone. Lots of nice hiking trails here too if you're into that.
2. If you have time to stop for lunch in Santa Barbara, there is a fantastic little taco stand there called La Super-Rica Taqueria, which was recommended in Frommers California guidebook -- very inexpensive, authentic, and delicious! We enjoyed the Santa Barbara Mission a great deal also, but maybe it wouldn't be so interesting for kids.
3. Definitely stop on Moonstone Beach Drive in Cambria -- there are great tidepools there and we saw seals all over the rocks which was memorable -- the kids there with their parents were having a ball finding sea anemones, starfish, etc. There are some nice places to stay directly across the street from the beach there too, and the town of Cambria is lovely with good dining options.
4. Am so glad you're doing Hearst Castle -- make sure you get tickets in advance to save time -- it's really something to see. Afterwards, a few miles (maybe 3) north along the coastline there is a "wildlife viewing" sign and we stopped and saw a huge colony of elephant seals on the beach!
5. Definitely stop in Big Sur if you have time -- allow lots of time for the drive through this area -- very curvy winding roads and slow traffic -- gorgeous views and lots of hiking trails.
6. Definitely also stop at Pt. Lobos State Park if you have time -- absolutely worth the approx. $7 per car entrance fee -- lots of wildlife here and good trails along the rocky coastline -- spectacularly pretty.
7. The Monterey Aquarium is wonderful -- make sure you check out the jellyfish exhibit upstairs which is incredible!
8. We loved the Gold Country -- particularly Nevada City and Grass Valley. There is a wonderful old gold mine in that area which we toured and got a great sense of what it must have been like to work in the mine (some of the photographs of the era before child labor laws were enacted showed young boys working in the mines, covered in dirt). Both towns are adorable with some good restaurants and shopping, and there are some nice hiking trails along the Yuba River (which I believe recently received a "wild and scenic" designation) plus nice cool swimming holes. I highly recommend this area.

GBelle-

The one day that looks hard to me is Day 8, that looks like a REALLY LONG DAY.

Highway 1 takes a lot longer to drive than normal highways. Also, I find the Monterey Aquarium usually takes about 3 hours to really explore. Then you're going to go into SF and THEN you're going to go into Berkeley? Sounds like lots of driving. I think I would recommend that you skip going to SF that evening, and advise that you check out Fisherman's Wharf the following morning when you show up for your Alcatraz boat. The area isn't much more than T-Shirt shops anyhow, so it won't take too long.

Day 8 is quite impossible unless you leave at dawn. I'd suggest skipping the aquarium as the 17 mile drive begs for frequent stops to admire the views. If you must go to the aquarium (which is fabulous, BTW) then skip SF that day as you can check the area out on your Alcatrez day. Get tickets in advance. If you can't get tickets, consider the boat ride to Angel Island. They have tram tours of historical interest.

As far as the Giants game, 500 bleacher seats are available each day and the bleaches are great; have you checked their website? Pacific Bell Park also give daily tours on non-game days, but you must make reservations ASAP. They also have a walk-up area that allows you to watch the game for several innings free, if you can't get tickets. Good Luck!

I will add a few suggestions--but first a question: Have you traveled this way before with your kids, with every day packed with driving and actiivities, and relaxation restricted to the evenings? If so, you know what your family can handle. If not, you may find it an unpleasant experience! I can absolutely understand wanting to see it all, but you are being very ambitious, and you may end up feeling rushed. So I'd say, stick with the basic plan, but be prepared to drop one thing on any given day. That way, if you decide you want to spend a few more hours at, say, the zoo, you can just do it. You'll probably find you want to devote more time to some things than you've allowed for, and allowing yourself that leeway is important.

Okay, my suggestions:
1. Reserve/buy tickets in advance for the Getty, Hearst castle, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Alcatraz. As noted above, parking is the issue at the Getty. For the others, ordering in advance will save you precious hours waiting in line.
2. Skip the A's game. You're not spending enough time in N. CA to even begin to do all there is to do, so don't waste any at a game. If you want to go to a second game, try for the Dodgers.
3. Search this forum for opinions on 17 Mile Drive (which is in Carmel, not Monterey); there have been a few posts, and some love it while many others don't think it's worth the time or money. Another option for a couple of hours of fun (if you have time) en route from Monterey-SF is a stop at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. This is a boardwalk amusement park with the typical rides, but it also includes the Big Dipper, one of the few wood roller coasters left in the country, and a favorite of mine. It won't throw you upside down like the Knotts rides, but it's a neat experieince.
4. Skip Sacramento. As much as I think the Gold Country would be fun (and there's a railroad museum in Sacramento that your sons would like), a) you will be sorely disappointed if you only spend one day in SF, as there is so much to see and do, and b) your proposed Sacramento trip is too much to do in one day given the driving distance plus the time for activities. Save it for another time when you can do Nevada City, Grass Valley, and Route 50, for the full Gold Country experience. You'll want that second day in SF.
4. No to Chabot Observatory, yes to Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley. It's in the Berkeley Hills. It is not anywhere near the size of the Exploratorium, but it has a lot of hands-on stuff that yous kids would enjoy, and from the courtyard there is a beautiful view across the bay of SF and the Golden Gate. If you go, drive over to Tilden Park (adjacent), and ride the miniature steam train; your sons will love it. (It was a favorite thing of mine when I was growing up in Berkeley.)
5. A few more SF possibilities: Walk over the GG Bridge (or go halfway and turn around); you will be right near it when you go to the Exploratorium. Take a guided neighborhood walk that deals with some aspect of SF history. The public library does free walking tours; look at www.walking-tours.com/cityguides for schedules and descriptions. Chinatown and a Dim Sum meal. There's no way you can go with your kids and not ride the cable cars. I agree with last post, you can see Fisherman's Wharf when you go get the ferry to Alcatraz. Consider taking BART from Berkeley to SF and then using public transit in the city. It might take a bit longer to get around, but you'll more than make up the time by not having to find parking. www.transitinfo.org/counties will give you exhaustive info about public transit in and around SF.
6. For theater and other listings, check out www.sfgate.com.

Approximate driving times (assuming moderate traffic, which you can't): SD-LA, 2 hrs.; LA-Anaheim, 1 hr.; LA-San Simeon, 4 hrs.; San Simeon-Monterey, 3 hrs.; Monterey-SF (Rte. 1), 2.5 hrs.; Montery-SF or Berkeley (Rte 1/Hwy 17/280[sf] or 880 [Berkeley], 2 hrs.; SF-Napa (via Marin Co.), 3 hrs. Figure extra time for traffic in and around LA and on Rte. 1 (along the coast). You're covering a lot of miles. Good luck!

Just a couple suggestions--agree with leaving out one day in LA, but do try to go to the Getty. The views are wonderful and the kids will probably like the bookstore, if nothing else. You can see most of the highlights in 2-3 hours and the best way to reach it is by taxi from Santa Monica. That way you don't have to worry about parking at all. There are also buses, I believe. Would definitely skip a studio tour--not much to see. Your Day 3 is quite light--would you want to go to Legoland? You might add the Wild Animal Park, north and east of San Diego as you leave town. There's a recent post about it on this forum. In LA, also consider the Automobile Museum--on Wilshire close to La Brea Tar Pits. I would skip Knotts Berry Farm--think your kids are too old. Instead Universal Studios or save a day and move on north. Solvang is a bit touristy, to my way of thinking. But, lunch at Pea Soup Anderson's is an old must do. Moonstone Beach in Cambria or Morro Bay is also nice and interesting. A pretty view and nice lunch after or before Hearst Castle is at Ragged Point (the beginning of Big Sur). I've been to Hearst Castle on numerous trips and I think most of the kids on the tours are very bored, hope yours will be the exceptions. Make sure to explain to them what they are seeing is one very wealthy man's fantasy and needs to be viewed with a sense of humor. Your day 8 is crazy---sorry, but I really don't want you to be exhausted! You need 3 hours minimum for the aquarium and it's very worth seeing (call ahead and charge tickets to pick up at will call, thus avoid the first line). Very first stop should be the otters before they get too crowded. Kids would enjoy a lunch on Fisherman's Wharf and then, could you overnight in Santa Cruz instead of the whole drive to SF and Berkeley? It's Surf City, USA, and has a great old boardwalk. Took a 9 year old there last year and he wanted to stay. Also great for the kids would be to rent kayaks and go out with the otters in Monterey Bay for a couple hours. There's too much to do here to drive right through to get to SF. Why are you staying in Berkeley? Do you have friends there? If not, would you reconsider staying in the city? Lots of kid oriented hotels near Fisherman's Wharf. The Alcatraz tour is great--get the audio tour--rent "THe Rock" beforehand--not for you, but for the kids. You can take a trolley over to the new PacBell park if the Giants are in town and as someone said there's a walkup area where you can stay for 3 innings or so. The park is really nice and just opened this summer. Do visit the Cable Car Museum and ride on the cars. A game in Oakland is quite a production and if you go in SD and LA, you might skip going all the way to Oakland. I would skip Napa (kids will be bored) and go instead after Muir Woods to Point Reyes National Seashore--great educational things there. You can return via 101 and stop off in Healdburg if you'd like to taste some Sonoma wineries. Kids might like the old town of Sonoma. I'm undecided what to say about the Gold Country--it's usually combined with Yosemite and you really don't have the time to do both. I think I would use that as my extra day in SF and skip it. For theatre in SF check sfgate.com. And, the crazy Beach Blanket Babylon will allow kids at the Sunday matinee, if you're there on Sunday. Good luck and have a great trip.

Just wondering if your day 6 for Knott's Berry Farm in the morning is just for a meal or are you planning to go into the amusement park? If you pay to go into the Park, there is a full day's worth of activities to do there. We (our boys are 12 & 8) are going to this area in mid-July(have been here a number of times), & we are planning a full day at Knott's & 2 for Disneyland(although you can do Disney in 1 day & we have done it in 1 day in the past). When we go to the parks, we usually go from opening until about 10pm or so. There is plenty to do at both parks during that time. But if you have the energy to do the parks in consecutive days, more power to you. Only you can determine your energy level. 2 amusement parks & a studio tour, in 2 days may be alittle too much. If you go to Universal Studioes, that is almost like an amusement park itself, & would take a full day with the tram tour, & to see all the shows & displays, & go on the Jurrasic park, Back to the Future, & E.T. rides.Your chill out for a few hours is a good idea. & it also looks like you have left youself some re-generation time(walks on the beach). Have fun & good luck.

Hi, GBelle,
I think your kids are pretty lucky lads. That's a lot of planning - well done!

A couple of opinions:
In June Disneyland can be very crowded and you may find a second day is needed to satisfy the kids. That's OK, because IMO Knotts is good for a chicken dinner but not a full day. Along those lines, I think you'd find it unrewarding to try to include a Hollywood/Valley/downtown LA activity on the same day as an Anaheim one. You'd be pretty pooped (and hot and aggravated) by traffic and parking grief. Instead could I recommend an afternoon on the beach at Huntington or a visit to Balboa Island? There may be a chance of June Gloom, but it often lifts by the late afternoon, and you might welcome the breeze and the kids might enjoy watching the surfers do their thing. There isn't much beach in your itinerary, but LA's are the best. (BTW, the kids would probably also enjoy Venice, too.)

Griffith Park Observatory is cool. Rent "Rebel Without a Cause" before you travel.

Dodger Stadium (not a long drive from Griffith Park, BTW) has the best hot dogs in Baseball.

Skip the 17 mile drive unless your kids can tell you who Ben Hogan is. Substitute Point Lobos State Reserve instead. The boys will thank you later. http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us/

Don't miss Fort Point under the SF footings of the Golden Gate Bridge. Old Civil War area fort with lots of stairs and tunnels and places for kids to roar around, plus great views, surf, passing ships.

I agree that SF and the Bay area are too attractive to leave for Sacramento, even though the Gold Country etc. is awfully nice. If you want out of the city for a day, try the Muir Redwoods or the coast road (SR1) north of SF. Look for Occidental on a map and stop for a memorable family-style Italian feast at one of the restaurant/hotels in this cute town.

Have a ball.

Me again, Just need to let you know about my boys'(again they are 12 & 8) feelings about Knott's Berry farm. I told them we could do 2 parks from among Knott's, Disneyland, & Universal. The boys have been to all of these a few times before. There number 1 pick is Knott's Berry Farm (even before Disney) & the chose Disney over Universal.Knott's has gotten some new rides in the past couple of years, including a couple of better roller coasters, & a giant drop type ride. If you do go to Knott's & you have the chance, ro to the restaurant for chicken dinners, they are fantastic there.

I meant to mention in my earlier response and forgot, but see someone else here has now mentioned Ragged Point -- it's a great place for a leg-stretch & a bite to eat if you need one, a bit up the coast from Hearst Castle -- make sure you take the short walk (it takes less than 5 minutes) behind the restaurant for the view up & down the coast -- spectacular.
I do agree with others here that I would cut one day from the So. Cal part and add one to the upper end -- you are covering an awful lot of ground on days 7 & 8 and there is a lot to see there, and the driving is slow. My boyfriend and I stayed 3 nights in between LA & San Fran (1 night Cambria, 1 night Big Sur, 1 night Pacific Grove just west of Monterey) and wished we could have spent even more time.
But you're going to have a wonderful trip!

GBelle,

I see you have received a lot of very good advice, so I won't duplicate it (or even attempt to reconcile it). My main concern is that I see no time here to take care of basics, like eating, showering, having a cup of coffee, or reading the paper, but I see lots of time on freeways, sitting in horrid traffic. Way, way too much scheduled, in my opinion.

I would try to do one major activity each day, taking in a minor thing only if it is small and right on the way. So Days 4, 8, 9, and 11 are the biggest problem. I would skip all theatre at night; you'll be too pooped from running around in the heat, standing in lines and looking for parking. Baseball? I don't know. I guess it depends on whether this is your only chance to see a live game, but consider a relaxing afternoon game in the warm sun. Might be easier to get tickets, too. At night, have a nice dinner and chill.

I know I might ruffle some feathers here, but I would ditch San Diego altogether. You are really covering a huge amount of ground here in only 10.5 days. If you must go to San Diego, I would do the San Diego Wild Animal Park instead of the Zoo. I think the San Diego Zoo is a little overrated, as too many animals were still in small, concrete-and-wire enclosures to suit my tastes when I went a few years ago. Also, you are missing some cool stuff in LA and San Francisco. What about Venice Beach in LA? I would think your boys would love that. Also, you could spend a whole week in San Francisco and not even scratch the surface. I say slow it way, way down and have a really relaxing time.

Sounds like a great itinerary but I think your timing for getting up the coast is a little too ambitious. Driving up the Pacific Coast hwy is a single lane, very, very curvy road - this is not 65 mph. There is so much to stop and do with kids. I agree about the tidepools - the kids will love them. Day 6 Knotts Berry is a full day thing, they have much better roller coasters than Disneyland and kids your age will love it. I don't think you'll get out of there in-time to do anything in the afternoon. I must admit my first trip to Knotts we got there at 1pm thinking we'd spend a few hours and leave, whoops - this is a huge theme park. Day 7 I don't think you've got a chance, plus I wouldn't skip Santa Barbara, Stearns wharf, zoo, beautiful mission, beach, state street, etc.... Solvang is a quaint little village, mostly shopping and wineries the men and kids will think it's cute but.... Cambria too, these are artsy little communities, very pretty but not too much for kids. In solvang you can rent a Surrey bicycle to bike around town which is fun. I'd plan on making my way up to San Simeon by night-time and going to Hearst Castle (not to be missed) first thing in the morning. It is a long drive from LA to San Simeon. After Hearst Castle as you head towards Monterrey I'd at least stop at Julia Pfieffer state park. There is a little trail which goes under the pacific Coast Hwy and leaves you on a ledge over looking the Pacific Ocean - really pretty and not too timely. The Aquarium will take a few hours, You can also try point Lobos state park where you can see the otters. Carmel is so pretty but another artsy town, great spot for lunch/dinner. I'd probably scale back Southern CA by a day as other people have suggested and don't rush your drive up the coast, it's the most scenic part of the trip. You can skip a theme park day too, if that'll work. On a note regarding LA, seeing Manns Chinese theatre, hollywood attractions, LA Brea Tar Pits only will take a few hours. I wouldn't miss the La Brea Tar pits but it's small, you won't be there for too long. Any more questions please ask.