Suggestions on a family trip to Disneyland?

[zannyscott]

We're a family of 4 from Alabama. Hubby, DS17, DD14, and me. We've been to WDW many times, but would like to try DL. Thinking of flying to CA 12/8/17 and leaving on 12/16/17. Hoping to spend 3 days at DL. What else would you recommend for the area? We'd rent a car and would enjoy a driving tour. (We don't drink wine, so touring vineyards isn't overly appealling.) I've thought about flying into SFO and spending 3 days there. Then spending a couple of days making it down to Anaheim. I've also thought about flying into LAX and heading to San Diego. We haven't been to any of the national parks/preserves/ forests in CA, so that's appealing too. Any suggestions for a 9-day family trip?

 

[bcla]

Exploratorium
Monterey Bay Aquarium
An old-growth redwood forest.
Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad (right in an old-growth redwood forest)
Yosemite Valley.

Even if it's just a few hours, I think Yosemite Valley is well worth it.

 

[zannyscott]

Exploratorium
Monterey Bay Aquarium
An old-growth redwood forest.
Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad (right in an old-growth redwood forest)
Yosemite Valley.

Even if it's just a few hours, I think Yosemite Valley is well worth it.

THANK YOU!

 

[melk]

Last summer we flew into LAX, did the Warner Brothers tour (I notice your kids are roughly the same ages mine were and they loved this tour) and Disneyland (3 days). Then we drove to Sequoia/King's Canyon. They are beautiful national parks, enjoyed them immensely (2 nights). From there we drove up to Yosemite and that is seriously one of the most beautiful places on earth. We spent two nights there then headed to San Francisco for the remainder of the trip to see family, took a day to drive the coast down to Big Sur and back, and then flew home from SF. It was a lot of driving but we all agree our best vacation ever where we made memories for a lifetime.

 

[shelemm]

I would consider taking the cable car up to the top of Mt San Jacinto overlooking Palm Springs. Some great hiking on the top, some of the best in the US, rated a '10' by some hiking guides. Different climate on top, and probably snow in December, but a short path around the top is doable with thrilling vistas. Also near Palm Springs is Joshua Tree National Park, which is where two different deserts meet, so somewhat different ecosystems from one to the other. Then there is a desert botanical garden/zoo in Palm Springs as well.


My favorite area of the US is the Eastern Sierra Nevadas, where the granite peaks of the tallest mountains in the US drop down dramatically to a high deert plateau. Visit the Alabama (!) Hills, where many movies have been filmed, especially old westerns, go to Brodie ghost town, Lone Pine, Convict Lake, Hot Spring (lots of geothermal activity here), hilltop tub, bristlecone pine forest (oldest trees in the US), and the tufa spires at Mono Lake (not to be missed).

 

[oakleycat]

If you don't mind driving I would definitely do half Northern, half Southern CA. Start in San Francisco as PP suggested, hit up Yosemite if you want, and drive down the coast to do DL. Maybe a day in San Diego afterward if that's something you're interested in, but there are plenty of beautiful beaches between SF and DL.