Ok, here's the deal. My family (me, wife, kids 13F, 10M, 6M) are doing a three week road trip out west in June. Please offer suggestions for the following: Santa Fe for a day (what to do); Grand Canyon for a day (what not to miss); Disneyland for 3 days (too long?); San Diego for 3 days (what not to miss, is the Pacific warm enough in June?); Tijuana or no Tijuana; Carlsbad Caverns for a day. Interested in any suggestions for not-to-miss sites, events, restaurants, scenic routes, etc. and general advice on long road trips. We are traveling by van from Kentucky. Thanks in advance and please don't call me stupid for planning this.

I wouldn't go to TJ (Tijuana). I haven't been in a long time and if it is the same it may (in all honesty) scare your youngest. I love Disneyland, but I am ready for a change after 2 days. I think the only reason you may need a 3rd day is because in June the lines may be long and you might need that extra day to hit some stuff you coudn't sqeeze in. While at Disney, make sure you watch the firework show, it is great. San Diego is GREAT!! Visit the zoo and/or Sea World they are both terrific!! June is a great time to go. We go every May around the 14th and it is always hot sitting in those stands at Sea World. We always go to the beach as well, so yes June is great to go to the beach. Balboa island is a fun place, the kids will love this area of the beach.
Lastly you are not "stupid", this sounds like a wonderful family vacation!!!

Do not take your children to Tijuana. In Santa Fe, the plaza is fun, tho it might be hot for kids (and galleries etc. might bore them, but maybe not). 2 days for disney would be my limit (and you could probably do everything they wanted to see in that time), Pacific for swimming? (probably not), Carlsbad they will love. a day for the Grand Canyon (without hiking) is fine, just follow the other vehicles around until you find a spot to park and look over whatever outlook you're at. I assume you are already planning on Death Valley, etc., on the way? If you are going to N.AZ via Santa Fe, there are Indian ruins, national landmarks and parks, and things like Meteor Crater (private and overprice, but...). Have fun, there's lots to see and do--just make sure they get out of the van enough!

hi mo, i think you are going to make memories that your family will cherish for a lifetime. overall the west is huge. driving takes a long time. so my first suggestion is to select a short list of places to go and stay longer in a given spot. second is to skip disneyland. you live so close to fla and it seems like you might miss some uniquely western things in order to spend time there.
santa fe is a major pueblo indian/arts community. try to visit a pueblo (the structures, not a person). taos might be fun for your family as they have an open air crafts market with natives selling their wares. there is a georgia o'keefe museum in sf. check out www.sfaol.com for a cool general info site on the area. i might plan 2 nights here.
sedona, az is a cool place to spend the night between sf and the canyon.
i would think about spending 3 days at the grand canyon. take a mull, jeep or train ride down. there are helicopter tours in and over if that interests you. great hiking, camping, raft trips, etc. go to www.thecanyon.com and if you type grand canyon into your search you will get a pile of other sites. you could let the kids do some of your research on line. they are so fast on the puter and they will feel more involved in the trip that way.
i too would skip tijuana, it might scare you to say nothing of the kids. san diego would seem to offer plenty to do. the zoo and sea world are world class fun places. and the pacific. try to spend a day in or at the ocean!
re: the actual trip thing. look for motels with pools obviously. stop for lunch. do not eat in car. it helps break up the long days. play the license plate game. take individual cd players. make a list/game of things each of you is to look for on the journey. ask kids to collect and then send postcards home to friends or cousins.

Mozilla,

Welcome to Fodor's. I'm kind of confused as to where Carlsbad Caverns, NM falls into your route, as it is 300 miles south of Santa Fe, a huge detour from your route to the Grand Canyon. Maybe you will hit it on your way back to Kentucky from San Diego?

That aside, here are my 2 cents:

1. While in the Santa Fe Area, I recommend the Bandelier National Monument www.nps.gov/band/

2. On the way from Santa Fe to GC, I recommend the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Parks. www.nps.gov/pefo/

3. The Pacific will be cold in June. Additionally, be prepared for our "June Gloom", a thick cloud cover that hangs over the immediate coastal region, sometimes for the entire month of June. The farther inland you are, the less you will be affected by it.

4. I also recommend against Tijuana. However, if you really want to see some of the Baja Peninsula, you can cross over at the Otay Mesa border crossing (NOT San Ysidro) and continue about 1/2 hour south to Rosarito Beach. It is not as sleazy as TJ. Don't forget the Mexican insurance before crossing the border.

5. Death Valley is not "on the way" from New Mexico to Southern California.

6. In San Diego, I recommend Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Check out the "3 for 1 pass" offered by the San Diego Zoo. www.sandiegozoo.org/tickets/

7. Legoland (in Carlsbad, CA - just north of San Diego) would probably be fun for your 6M, and even your 10M, but your 13F would probably be bored silly.

That's all I have for now. Have a great trip!

I don't know why sylvia would say "probably not" to the Pacific. I would suggest visiting. If you are looking for some serious swimming then, yes, stick to your hotel pool. But if you want to spend the day at the beach, there are so many nice beaches in So. Cal. and well worth a day or half day. Water might be chilly, but it usually always is no matter what time of year it is. Kids will love the beach!!!

I said "probably not" to the query "is the Pacific warm enough in June" so the answer is still--brrrrr, probably not. (But kids? They'll stay in freezing water until they turn blue and their teeth crack from the chattering.)

Santa Fe has a nice children's museum, though I think Albuquerque's is better. Your two younger kids, especially, will have a good time there.

At Carlsbad Caverns, you all might like taking one of the guided tours. We did King's Palace in November and everyone enjoyed it. You'll need to reserve any tour ahead of time, especially in June.

Try driving into the Grand Canyon from the eastern entrance - tons of scenic overlooks.

Make sure everyone has stuff to do in the car, take frequent breaks, bring a cooler with snacks and drinks...books on tape are great...maybe find a book of travel games to play?

Lee Ann

Your kids will LOVE swimming in the Pacific as long as you rent them some wetsuits (available anywhere along the beach in San Diego). I did this with my daughter in March and she and her friend played with their boogie boards for the entire day without getting cold.

Sounds like a wonderful trip!