California Coast trip with 14 and 8 year old

connorlevismom

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 31, 2005
Thinking about taking a California road trip for spring break this year. We would have 8 nights to be able to do things. We have done Disneyland 3 times before so that is not of interest to us during this trip.

The kids like being outdoors, especially when it is freezing back home! Can anyone give me some ideas of places to visit or where to fly into? I think we will end up in San Diego at the end and fly home from there.

Thanks!
 
It's kind of tricky with the highway closure around Big Sur, but Big Sur and Monterey would be pretty good. There's really good hiking surrounded by redwoods, but of course the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Maybe a trip to Channel Islands National Park?
 
Yeah could start in Monterey, drive down, cool hikes around there, check out Hearst Castle, maybe through Pismo Beach ,Santa Barbara, Solvang, Malibu, check out some Hollywood sights, end up in SD and fly home.
 
I highly recommend the Monterey Aquarium. In addition to what has been named above, Santa Cruz beach boardwalk might be fun. If you flew into SFO there's the Disney Museum in the SF Presidio and several nice museums in golden gate park plus pier 39. Alcatraz is cool too. Further south is the Winchester mystery house. There's also the Santa Cruz mystery spot.
 


You could fly into San Jose and visit Winchester Mystery House (I love that place) and hit Henry Cowell Redwoods. After that, head down to Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel. Lots of state parks that are very nice throughout the whole region.

The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obisbo is a good place to stop for a meal on the drive south. They have a men's bathroom that everyone (including women) go into and take pictures, lol. Your kids may get a kick out of that.

I don't recommend Solvang. We stopped there on our way and it was a big let down of tourist type shops after seeing so much beautiful nature. I'd stick to the coast when going through Santa Barbara.

Los Angeles has lots to offer depending on what you want to do. La Brea Tar Pits are cool and visiting the Santa Monica pier can be a little stop. Muscle beach - if you want to see people with big muscles working out on the beach.

In Orange County, I recommend Crystal Cove State Beach. Dana Point also has a state beach, not anywhere as clean as Crystal Cove, though.

Once you get into San Diego County, La Jolla has beaches with lots of seals and sea lions and a cave that you walk down in. Coronado Island is beautiful and has the historic Hotel del Coronado which can be fun to walk around in. Old Town San Diego has historic buildings and the Whaley House (most haunted house in the U.S.). Point Loma has the lighthouse and tide pools. A really nice place to hike is Torrey Pines. You can also take a ride out to our mountain town, Julian. It's very busy and active on weekends, basically dead during the week.
 
Yeah could start in Monterey, drive down, cool hikes around there, check out Hearst Castle, maybe through Pismo Beach ,Santa Barbara, Solvang, Malibu, check out some Hollywood sights, end up in SD and fly home.
Although they finally re-opened Hwy 1 @ the rebuilt Pfeiffer Canyon bridge 2 weeks ago (just in time for my niece's wedding @ Big Sur last weekend :) ) you cannot get to Hearst Castle, Pismo etc. via Hwy 1 as it's still shut down from the massive mud slide @ Mud Creek and not scheduled to re open until next summer.
You can add a day trip down the coast to the Big Sur area from Monterey or even overnight or more there as its' dramatic ocean vistas and redwood groves are worth a visit. You can, of course, head towards Southern CA via Hwys 101 or 5, neither is as dramatic as Hwy 1, tho'.
 
Although they finally re-opened Hwy 1 @ the rebuilt Pfeiffer Canyon bridge 2 weeks ago (just in time for my niece's wedding @ Big Sur last weekend :) ) you cannot get to Hearst Castle, Pismo etc. via Hwy 1 as it's still shut down from the massive mud slide @ Mud Creek and not scheduled to re open until next summer.
You can add a day trip down the coast to the Big Sur area from Monterey or even overnight or more there as its' dramatic ocean vistas and redwood groves are worth a visit. You can, of course, head towards Southern CA via Hwys 101 or 5, neither is as dramatic as Hwy 1, tho'.

Yeah I don't usually go that way anyways even when it was open just cause it takes so dang long. And there are just certain parts where you drive it once and thats all you need to do.
 



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