Summer trip to California
 

We are planning a California 10 day July trip with our children (ages 13, 10 and 8). We plan to fly into San Francisco and out of Los Angeles. I would appreciate if you could give us advice as to how to spend those 10 days, cities to visit, where to stay and family friendly activities.

Thanks,

Clau

Please give us an idea of your interests - cities vs. small towns vs. nature, museums (art? hands on?) or hiking or eating, or wine-tasting or theme parks? California is very large and you could occupy yourselves for months, let alone 10 days, so it will help us help you if you give us some more information. Also, does the 10 days include your travel days, or will you have 10 days of sightseeing?

It would actually be 9 sightseeing days. We like big cities, but would also like to explore the small towns between San Fco and LAX. We are not interested in theme parks, since we live 3 hrs away from Orlando.

I would spend sometime in the San Francicso area. If you have the time and interest, maybe go to wine country north of SF or a slight detour over to Yosemite.

I would then drive down the coast from the Bay Area to Monterey & Carmel, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and L.A.

You might want to spend a few days in San Diego (you will obviously have time to add this to your itinerary).

Just to give you an idea of distance - you can drive straight thru from SF to San Diego in about 8 hours.

Just to avoid confussion, the 8 hour estimate from SF to SD would be inland on Hwy 5 timed to avoid rush hour in the cities. You difently want to take the coast route.

I know you said you aren't interested in theme parks, but I would suggest a day in Santa Cruz - there is an amusement park there right off the beach (the Boardwalk) with fun rides and games. The Boardwalk is a lot different than what you've got in Orlando, so I think it would be fun for the kids (and adults :) ). Santa Cruz (and the nearby towns) have fun beaches, laid back atmosphere, some decent casual restuarants, etc.

If I wanted to show off Calfornia to someone with kids for 10 nights/9 days - this is what I would do:

- arrive in SF & spend 4 nights there. Get some ideas of what to "do & see" from one of my prior posts
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35129049

- Rent a car & drive down the beautiful coast between SF and San Luis Obispo
--- If the weather is nice & you are so inclined, visit the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz along the way - like November-moon mentioned
--- stay 2 nights in Carmel & visit the sites there - including Pt Lobos state park, Monterey aquarium, Pacific Grove/Spanish Bay
--- head down the Big Sur coast. Stop at Nepenthe in the village of Big Sur for lunch. Visit Julia Pfeiffer Burns state park at the south end of Big Sur
--- stay 1 night in San Simeon & visit Hearst Castle
--- head to LA as fast as possible

- stay somewhere in north LA & visit the Hollywood stuff, Venice/Manhatten beach, etc. Stay for 3 nights.

- fly home

I would not add the Napa Valley because it really does not seem like a place most kids would enjoy - and it would consume at least 1 full day & add to the driving time.

I would not add San Diego because it will force you to drive through the horrible LA & San Diego traffic, and would also consume at least 2 days. And then you have to drive BACK to LA through the horrible commute traffic & stay near the airport your last night. Too much horrible driving (I've said that 3 times) and not enough time "being there".

Stu Dudley

I think Stu's recommendation is perfect, except you might have to cut out one night (didn't you say you only have 9 days "on the ground" so to speak?). If so, I hate to say it, but you'll probably have to cut it out of San Francisco.

I definitely would not try to fit in anything north or east of San Francisco, nor San Diego, on this trip -- too much to do just staying in a straight line!

Rather than Carmel, I would suggest staying in Monterey, since there's more for kids to do, and more family friendly hotels/motels. Riding bikes along the waterfront (or renting one of those surreys), which you can take past the aquarium to the little cove right past the Stanford marine center, where there are harbor seals. Continuing past that, there's a beach. Aside from visiting the aquarium, which is a given, the pier, Dennis the Menace park (good to let off steam and climb the locamotive), whale watching boat rides, or simply boat tours of the Monterey bay are all fun things to do.

Visting at least one California mission also provides a little bit of California history.

I don't know that I'd visit Hearst Castle with a group of kids, but having never visited it, I can't say one way or the otehr whether it's more of an adult thing to do.

My kids have enjoyed Hearst Castle. I think yours are probably a good age for it.

Last summer I took my 13yo daughter and 11yo niece to Morro Bay, where we rented kayaks and kayaked around the bay. It was a highlight of our trip up the California coast. Just north of Hearst Castle there is a beach where you can stop and see elephant seals. You'll be up on a bluff overlooking them so it's perfectly safe, and they are wonderful to watch.

I absolutely agree with Stu about skipping San Diego. It's a nice town, but you will waste waaaay too much time getting there and back.

I wish posters would stop making it seem as though you spend days driving from LA to San Diego. Yes there's a lot of traffic, but I've driven it often both during the week and on weekends, and only once in thirty years has it taken over two hours. Heck, we go to LA for the day, both for business and pleasure.

San Diego is a great place for families. We have history, including the first of the California Missions, we have beaches, and we have an outstanding Zoo (which is the model for so many other zoos which are now pretty good too). Check out the San Diego destination page here on Fodor's

As an afterthought, of all the places in California, you should not miss Yosemite.

Barbara - how long do you estimate it would take to get from downtown San Diego to LAX (airport - not the outskirts of LA) during a work day??? I lived in Laguna Beach & worked in Carlsbad for 5 years in the early 70s, and it took me 45 mins to get to work. Is there less traffic now???

Why spend any time at all on an LA freeway ????? I just finished watching a John Denver DVD concert - "livin on an LA freeway - ain't my kind of havin fun". I loved the LA freeways when I was 16 & got my drivers license - but I would not want to spend 1/5 of my "too short" LA/SD vacation on the freeways.

Stu Dudley

Stu Dudley, I live in north San Diego city. It takes me less than two hours to get to LAX during the week. From downtown, add twenty minutes or so. You continually overstate the time it takes to drive between the two cities.

>>You continually overstate the time it takes to drive between the two cities.<<

Continually ??? Not sure I've ever stated how long it takes to get from San Diego to LA - except that it is a long drive & there is lots of messy traffic on work days. I may have provided a number once (don't remember), but hardly continually. I consider 2 1/4 hrs to be a long drive, unless there are scenic things to see along the way.

If I was spending 4 days in San Francisco without a car, then a leisurely 3 day stay/drive down Hwy 1 to San Simeon - a LA to SD freeway adventure would not be something I would welcome.

Stu Dudley

<<<Stu Dudley, I live in north San Diego city. It takes me less than two hours to get to LAX during the week. From downtown, add twenty minutes or so. You continually overstate the time it takes to drive between the two cities.>>>

You have to add time at the other end, too. Googlemaps says 2 hours from downtown San Diego to Hollywood, but up to 3 hours and 20 minutes in traffic. Heck, I've spent two hours on the freeway just between Torrance and Hollywood on a Saturday at 5 p.m.

Just a reminder. The OP said nothing about San Diego.

<<<Just a reminder. The OP said nothing about San Diego.>>>

True -- we're just reminding her why skipping it this trip is such a good idea :-)

Six years ago we took 4 hours plus to drive from Newport Beach (south of LA)to Old Town in San Diego on a Friday afternoon in the summer. Traffic was brutal!

With kids those age, I would cluster my activities so that you can be flexible, see a lot, and keep everybody more or less happy.

One area would be Golden Gate Park. The new science museum, the tower up in the De Young museum, the Japanese Tea Garden, The Conservatory of Flowers, Stowe Lake for paddle boats, driving around looking for the bison, the windmill and tulip garden near the ocean, and perhaps ending up at the Beach Chalet for lunch and a lesson in WPA art, or the Cliff House.

Another area would be North Beach for City Lights Bookstore and exposure to the bohemian culture of coffee houses, delicious Italian pastries or family style Italian food. Venture into Chinatown and do the same thing. Strolling, shopping, snacking.

Another area is the bay/wharf area(s). The Ferry Building, Giant's stadium, the cool sculptures, watching the boats and seals.

And, the Yerba Buena museum area. There's a lot of grass to run around and relax, several museums, shops, the Metreon for a 3D movie.

The Exploratorium is at the Palace of Fine Arts which is a great picture taking spot, and near the California Legion of Honor Museum, which has beautiful views.

You might like Pier 39, although it's very touristy, it is sometimes appealing to families and there may be free entertainment.

Alcatraz is pretty impressive, and you'll get a great view of the city on the boat ride over.

Driving down the coast you'll find lots of cute little towns. Half Moon Bay would make a nice break to stroll and have a meal.