Disneyland to San Francisco

[mhingher]

My family and I will be visiting California the last week of August. We're flying into LAX and spending 3 days in Disneyland, and then driving up to San Francisco for a few days, and flying home out of San Francisco. The drive up is 6-7 hours from what I've read. My daughters will be 4 and 7 then, and I think it will be too much for one day. Can anyone suggest a place to stop and spend the night to break up the drive? Maybe somewhere about 3-4 hours from San Francisco?

 

[tiffjoy]

Are you planning for highway 1, the scenic route? Or I5, the faster and definitely less scenic bordering on mind-numbing my boring route?

If Hwy 1, there are a number of possible stopping points depending on when you think you can leave Anaheim. Cambria is a popular stopping point and has a few pretty things to see, like Hearst Castle. It's about 3 1/2 hours from San Francisco, but times really depend greatly upon when you are on the road as rush hour will change the normal travel time. You might be able to make it as far as Monterey, which is also a really pretty stopping point. The aquarium is really great there.

If you take I5, it's a lot more reliable in terms of traffic and timing. There will be traffic heading out of LA and traffic once you hit the Bay Area, but pretty much none otherwise. Kettleman City is the halfway point there. It's absolutely not fancy, but there are a couple hotels that are good enough for a night stay.

If you have the time, I recommend Hwy 1. It's so pretty and such a classic California scenery. But budget the time so you aren't stressed by the inevitable traffic along that route.

 

[tinkermell]

Just wanted to add, that if you stop at Kettleman City, there is a huge family orientated complex opening this week.
It's almost like a small Knotts Berry Farm. Lots of things for kids, gold mining, shooting gallery, animatronics, and more, ice cream, wine tasting, restaurant, gifts and so forth. It's called Bravo Farms. My son has been helping with some of the inside design, and generally anything that needs to be done to help out.
It's pretty amazing, and is even going to get featured on the Discovery Channel.

You can't miss it. Located behind Taco Bell, and Starbucks.

Have fun!

 

[bcla]

Just wanted to add, that if you stop at Kettleman City, there is a huge family orientated complex opening this week.
It's almost like a small Knotts Berry Farm. Lots of things for kids, gold mining, shooting gallery, animatronics, and more, ice cream, wine tasting, restaurant, gifts and so forth. It's called Bravo Farms. My son has been helping with some of the inside design, and generally anything that needs to be done to help out.
It's pretty amazing, and is even going to get featured on the Discovery Channel.

You can't miss it. Located behind Taco Bell, and Starbucks.

Have fun!

We stopped at Kettleman City last year when coming home from DL. It was at the America's Best Value Inn there. It wasn't a bad place to stay, but the parking lot had lots of potholes and they still had the Super 8 signage up from the previous franchise. We also checked AAA rates online, but walked in. The walk in rate was cheaper, strangely enough.

Kettleman City (ironically not a city) has some interesting issues, especially with the local well water, that's supposedly high in naturally-occuring arsenic. I'm pretty sure that the local businesses all soften and filter their water to make it safe to drink. Still - the water smelled somewhat funny. The county is supposedly working to tap into the California Aqueduct for local water to supply the area.

We also stopped at Pea Soup Andersen's in Santa Nella. Made the mistake of leaving our kid's Mickey balloon in the car. It was in the mid 80s F and it was gone when we got back. The outside (seemed like polyurethane) split at the seam and the rubber balloon inside blew up into a few pieces. If we could have gotten it home, I understand they can last for months since the clear plastic material doesn't slowly leak like latex.

As for a good place to stop..... If you're going coastal, maybe Monterey or Santa Cruz. I-5 is the most convenient way to get to SF from Southern California, but it's boring as heck. It's almost all industrial farmland.

 

[kitayama]

My mother-in-law lives up north and we live in Southern California. In other words, we do this drive often. We do it without stopping by leaving when the kids are usually asleep. They sleep the whole way, and the freeway is quite empty late at night. I suggest if you are going to stop, just find a Motel 6 to get some rest and continue the trek to your final destination.

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

My mother-in-law lives up north and we live in Southern California. In other words, we do this drive often. We do it without stopping by leaving when the kids are usually asleep. They sleep the whole way, and the freeway is quite empty late at night. I suggest if you are going to stop, just find a Motel 6 to get some rest and continue the trek to your final destination.

We're in the same boat. My FIL lives in the bay area and we live close to Disneyland. It's just under a 6 hour drive with no traffic. We've never stopped overnight. We actually do the opposite as you, though. We leave about 5 AM and get in about 11. We take the 5.

We have a 5 year old and 3 year old and have done this trip at least a dozen times with them. We're always sure to bring their DS, Innotab, tablet and movies to keep them occupied and we don't usually have any problems.

 

[Mkrop]

We stopped for lunch in Morro Bay and looked at the Morro Rock. Then we drove to the Hearst Castle, toured there. We then stayed overnight in Monterey, toured there, did a whale watch, and the aquarium and walked along Cannery Row. Then we drove onto SF.

 

[dnsv14]

We drive a lot from SF to LA so I know I5 like it was my home away from home. I usually feel the last stretch is Gilroy and that is usually when I start feeling tired from the drive. There is a really cute theme park called Gilroy Gardens which would be great from your children ages if you end up staying there. Also there is a lot of shopping and food places that are all around the same area. Have a fun trip

 

[Tommy_B]

Assuming you are going I-5 and you are leaving at a good time (like before 7AM) it is less than 6 hours and I wouldn't stop other than for a meal or two.

Leaving at 6:30AM to miss the LA traffic, even a breakfast stop on the Grapevine, you would be in SF before 1PM.

If you leave later than that, a stop is probably needed because if you get caught in LA commuter traffic it is more like 7 1/2 hours.

The new family hotel in Kettleman City is Bravo Farms.

http://www.bravofarmstraver.com/kettleman.html

If we stop we usually stop at Harris Ranch.

http://www.harrisranch.com/index2.php

If you are thinking of Highway 1, do NOT believe Google maps, it is a 10-12 hour drive with Cambria as the halfway point.

 

[rms123]

We do the drive with a 5 and 2 yr old and never stop for more than one meal. Kids usually sleep a lot of the way.

 

[diznygirl]

We used to do the I5 drive, but 101 was so much more direct for us from LA. We always stopped at SLO at the Apple Farm Inn. Nice restaurant, gift shop and hotel all rolled into one.

 

[Jedi Mouse]

Coming up 5 through the valley is the fastest route, but there isn't much to do, especially along the I-5 corridor. Going up the coast is a lot slower, but more scenic and with lots more to do.