los angeles,san fran and san diego
 

Hi there,now you probably have seen this question a hundred times.I am travelling to the above three places early January,(leaving xmas day with 2 adults and a 14 year old and a 12 year old.....We will be in each place 3 nights 4 days.What are the hi lites in each place that we MUST see....also kid friendly. <BR>thanks for your help.

Regarding San Fran., I think the cable car museum is very interesting. You can see the huge cable wheels pulling the cables that travel under the streets, I think the kids would like it esp. Lombard street is kind of neat too - a very windy street lined with hydrangea bushes. If you get the chance try to drive south down to Carmel/Monterey (if I remember right - easy 1-1 1/2 hr. drive from SF) - beautiful coastal scenery and the Monterey Aquarium is supposed to be great - haven't seen myself but would love to. Hope you have a wonderful trip.

Recommended for families (in no particular order or grouping): <BR> <BR>Disneyland (well, duhhhhhh!) <BR>Hiway 1 from Monterey to San Luis Obispo <BR>Pfeiffer Big Sur Beach <BR>Cable Cars <BR>Sequoia trees (Muir Woods Nat Mon, or Henry Cowell State Park) <BR>Golden Gate Park <BR>Monterey Aquarium <BR>Graumann's Chinese Theatre <BR>Wild Animal Park <BR>San Diego Zoo/Balboa Park <BR>Miniature Museum (downtown LA) <BR>Any beach in southern California <BR>Whale watching from Cabrillo Nat Mon <BR> <BR>

Recommended for families (in no particular order or grouping): <BR> <BR>Disneyland (well, duhhhhhh!) <BR>Hiway 1 from Monterey to San Luis Obispo <BR>Pfeiffer Big Sur Beach <BR>Cable Cars <BR>Sequoia trees (Muir Woods Nat Mon, or Henry Cowell State Park) <BR>Golden Gate Park <BR>Monterey Aquarium <BR>Graumann's Chinese Theatre <BR>Wild Animal Park <BR>San Diego Zoo/Balboa Park <BR>Miniature Museum (downtown LA) <BR>Any beach in southern California <BR>Whale watching from Cabrillo Nat Mon <BR> <BR>

Recommended for families (in no particular order or grouping): <BR> <BR>Disneyland (well, duhhhhhh!) <BR>Hiway 1 from Monterey to San Luis Obispo <BR>Pfeiffer Big Sur Beach <BR>Cable Cars <BR>Sequoia trees (Muir Woods Nat Mon, or Henry Cowell State Park) <BR>Golden Gate Park <BR>Monterey Aquarium <BR>Graumann's Chinese Theatre <BR>Wild Animal Park <BR>San Diego Zoo/Balboa Park <BR>Miniature Museum (downtown LA) <BR>Any beach in southern California <BR>Whale watching from Cabrillo Nat Mon <BR> <BR>

The new J. Paul Getty Museum in L.A. is supposed to be super but you had better look into in before you come as I've heard its always booked. I live near San Diego if you have any specific questions about the weather, etc., just e mail me <BR>

Weather will be a deciding factor on what you can do. The weahter is very iffy at that time of the year. It could be very nice or rainy and cool. I live in San Diego and also the SF Bay area. You can have clear 90+ weather in Southern California, rain or something in between. <BR> <BR>You definitely do NOT want to drive Hwy 1 if it is raining. I would add Sea World in San Diego to the above list. Napa Valley north of San Francisco is very nice. Eat at the Cheese Factory in Sonoma. Great sandwiches and you can sample all the cheese that you want.

Get on to the water in San Francisco, either with a harbor tour or on one of the ferry boats to, among other places, Sausalito. Wander through Chinatown in SF. Santa Monica Pier in LA. <BR> <BR>For the kids, try to go toplaces that they will see in movies and on television for the next twenty years of their lives. Check out whether there are still tours to Alcatraz in SF. WAtch Nash Bridges on TV a couple of times, to see what there is to see in SF. Venice Beach in LA. Probably too cold to swim, but there will still be lots for the kids to see. <BR>

Check out the Hotel Del Coronado -- San Diego. Stopped there briefly when I was 20 and first visiting CA, many moons ago. It was a gorgeous place and definitely something to see. I believe some movie scenes were filmed there (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof? and others). Always wanted to return and actually stay there. Check it out!

Two cautions here, first, a sister and niece of a friend (15 y.o.) planned an entire SF trip looking for "Bay Watch"--were very disappointed. Then, they did the same thing in L.A. looking for "Hollywood". Again, disappointed. They did, however, love Venice Beach boardwalk!! Please come to see the real California, not what you can see at home on the tube. Secondly, agree strongly with not driving Hwy 1 through Big Sur in bad weather. And, I think Hwy 1 from SF to Santa Cruz is pretty boring. If you plan to go out on the bay (to Alcatraz or just on a ferry) know that you need to be very warmly dressed! Have fun. <BR>

Pray for good weather. November through February is the rainy season out here. It can rain for a week solid or you can have beautiful weather as somebody said. However, it will be chilly until you get towards Santa Barbara. If the weather is fine you will have no problems as you have lots of good suggestions already. However, I have been trying to think of what to do in the rain with two teens. Unless they are unusual, art museums would be a bore for them. A real winner would be the Monterey Aquarium. In San Diego at Balboa Park, the Museum of Natural History, The Museum of Man and the Space Museum might be of interest to them. Downtown San Diego the Horton Plaza Shopping center might be a place to get out of the rain. <BR>The Bazaar del Mundo in Old Town San Diego is mostly out of the rain. It still might be worth putting on rain gear and visit Sea World or the San Diego Zoo and the same with Disney Land. <BR>In San Francisco take the cable car down to Fishermans Wharf area. There are several places out of the rain full of shops. I am having a hard time thinking of things. Perhaps others could help out.

Hello all <BR>I want to thank you all for replying. <BR>Thanks for all the suggestions...we have our notes ready to go!!! <BR>Lets hope for good weather. <BR>Cheers!