California West Coast Road Trip
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Summer is the most popular time of the year for family vacations. If you’re looking for a fun family vacation this summer, consider taking a west coast road trip. It’s easy to get from one spectacular destination to the next with minimal time in between and with the right plan, you’ll be sure not to miss out on anything! Plus, it will give the kids something amazing to look forward to and you will create memories of a lifetime.
Tips for the best West Coast road trip
West Coast is more than just California, Oregon and Washington states both have tons to offer, yet this article will focus on California’s coastline alone. Each of the states are so vast that they deserve their own individual blog posts.
To start your California West Coast trip calculate how much time you think you need for your trip, and then add a few days if you can! This is one road trip you don’t want to rush through. There are so many things to do and see, and Highway 1 is all you expect it to be and more! Take your time and enjoy the spectacular views our beautiful West Coast has to offer.
Trip budget
If you’re from the West Coast already, you know it can get expensive. If you’re from anywhere else, plan out your budget ahead of time as much as possible. Unexpected expenses are sure to pop up, so having an emergency fund on hand is important as well.
When calculating your budget, factor in gas, food, lodging, attractions, and extras. Food and gas are much more expensive in California than throughout most of the country, so don’t underestimate how much you’ll spend. Although, getting fresh fruits and veggies at local farmer’s markets can be quite a bargain and cheaper than most of the country.
I like to book extended stay hotels or booking.com home stays because they’re affordable, but also because they have either a full kitchen or a kitchenette. This allows us to have breakfast and snacks in the hotel, maybe to even pack a lunch for the day. The West Coast has plenty of opportunities for picnics with a view, so a pre-packed sandwich lunch can come in handy. Eating out one meal a day saves us tons of money and allows us to spend our cash on attractions.
In addition to eating your breakfast in the hotel room or AirBnB, consider packing a cooler stocked with cold drinks, waters, yogurts, fruit cups and other easy snacks. Eating lunch out instead of dinner is another great tip, it’s at least ⅓ less than paying for dinner. You will get to try all the amazing food options the West Coast has to offer without putting a huge dent in your wallet. Always save a few bucks for dessert, though. The West Coast has some crazy cool dessert spots!
The Pacific Coast Highway
The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is more than 650 miles long, and extends from Southern California up to the northern portion of the state. Driving north to south, the driver will have the best views. Driving south to north, the passengers will. The PCH is one of the most famous road trips in the U.S. for good reason, so either way you go is going to be spectacular.
San Diego Area
San Diego is a famous tourist destination, and a wonderful place to live. You could make a weeklong trip just to see the city itself and all it has to offer. I will cover some of the top attractions, not to be missed in the area.
The Balboa Park
The 1200 acre park is a cultural hub, located in downtown San Diego. It offers endless opportunities for nature lovers and adventures. You can bike, stroll and picnic in this beautifully lush, Spanish inspired oasis. The park consists of Botanical Gardens, Rose garden, the Japanese garden, as well as Old Globe Theater, Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater, along with platfora of other museums such as San Diego Museum of Art and the San Diego Air and Space Museum. The absolute highlight of the Balboa Park is San Diego Zoo. It stretches over 100 acres, being one of the largest zoos in the country and a home to many endangered species. There are so many things to see and do, you could spend an entire week in the Balboa Area alone.
Mission Beach
One of the most famous beaches in San Diego is Mission Beach. The beach boasts a two mile boardwalk as well as Belmont Park, an amusement park with thrill rides with spectacular views. The beach is also famous with beginner surfers, as there are numerous surf schools along the coast. If you packed a lunch head over to Bonita Cove for a picnic and a playground.
Coronado Island
If you’ve been to San Diego but haven’t made the short drive over to Coronado Island, now’s your chance! Beautiful stretch of the sandy beach, with mild waves is a perfect way to spend a day with the family. The sand here has small shiny specks that resemble gold sparkles. I don’t recommend lodging at the island as it can be quite expensive, but it’s definitely worth a day trip.
La Jolla
One of my favorite places to visit is La Jolla, California, it is an absolute gem. The area is deemed an ecologically protected area thanks to the abundant wildlife. You can see the sea lions and seals year round, and even during the busy season, La Jolla Cove isn’t unbearable. Take a tour of the Sea Cave, enjoy a kayaking adventure, pack a lunch and have a picnic at The Cove.
Lodging here is a bit more expensive than surrounding areas. If you’re going to stay for the night, it’s worth getting a hotel right on the beach. Go for a sunrise or sunset walk and get tons of Instagram-worthy photos.
Old Town San Diego
Don’t miss this stop! It has a rich historic value and lessons to be taught to your children. The area marks the original preserved and reconstructed structures from the first European settlement in California. The area serves as a live, interactive museum, offering walks of life from the early Spanish settlers to the California Gold Rush. There are many old buildings, including the 1820 Casa de Estudillo, oldest surviving buildings of its kind, as well as shops, cafes and restaurants.
Santa Monica
One of the coolest Los Angeles neighborhoods, settled along the Pacific coast is Santa Monica. It is the picture of the iconic Ferris wheel we see in the movies and all the fun in the sun California has to offer. Santa Monica is worth a short trip to explore the pier, play a few carnival games, check out the handmade crafter stands and see the street performers. Make this your lunch stop and head over to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. for a fresh seafood lunch, and fun bits of entertainment from the Forrest Gump movie.
Santa Barbara
Santa Barabra is arguably one of the most beautiful cities in California. Pristine beaches and Spanish architecture make this a beautiful serene stop. Santa Barabra has numerous hiking trails as well as the Channel Islands just off shore. Santa Barabra is a host to many festivals including the Old Spanish Days Fiesta each August. Mission of Santa Barabra is an iconic city landmark founded in 1786 and is the only California mission under Franciscans, some of whom still live there today.
Solvang
Less than an hour drive from Santa Barbara is a Danish inspired town of Solvang. Danish architecture, culture, folk dance, music and cuisine are all native to this cute and cozy town. The main street is lined with farm style buildings and windmills that house Scandinavian bakeries and restaurants, as well as craft shops. A few hours in Solvang will warm your heart and transport you into a historic European adventure.
Morro Bay
Morro Bay is known for Morro Rock, a true fishing town. Morro Rock is a sight to see and certainly not a typical Southern California beach town. It’s foggy, can get cold and popular with surfers. As you stroll this quirky beach town, keep an eye out for otters, sea lions, whales and various birds. If you happen to be passing through in September, make sure to enjoy the Avocado Margarita Festival!
Hearst Castle
Hearst Castle is a historic castle in San Simeon that serves as a museum. The castle was built between 1919 and 1947 for William Randolph Hearst. The Mediterranean style castle has 115 rooms and huge statues of knights and even Mary with baby Jesus. The castle’s courtyard has a Neptune pool and even once had a large zoo with excotic animals such as giraffes, camels, zebras and kangaroos. The castle was a home to expansive lavish parties hosted by Heart himself. Once he passed away, the castle became a historic site turned into a museum.
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is another classic Californian beach town with plenty to offer. The Boardwalk offers tons of amusement park entertainment, along with carnival type food and snacks. It is free to access the amusement park and you can decide how many rides and attractions you want to spend your money on, or opt in for an unlimited ride wristband. Right below the boardwalk is the Main Santa Cruz beach, where you can spend hours, playing in the sand and sun. An absolute must see in Santa Cruz is the Mystery Spot. Located in the redwood forest, this 46 meter diameter area is a gravitational anomaly. As strange and unbelievable as it seems, you have to experience this to believe it. This was one of the highlights of our California West Coast road trip.
San Francisco
San Francisco is on everyone’s bucket list! It is one of the most spectacular cities in the world and attracts tourists from all over. There is so much to see and do in San Francisco, it would be worth covering in a completely separate article. When visiting San Francisco, you have to decide if you want to experience it as a tourist – or as a local.
As a tourist, I recommend the usual, touristy spots like: The Golden Gate Bridge to learn the history of this engineering phenomena, Fisherman’s Wharf and taste Clam Chowder bread bowl at the Boudin Bakery, the historic island prison Alcatraz, 16th Avenue tiled steps for some cool pictures, and ride the infamous San Fran trolly.
As a local, I recommend off the beaten path spots like Andy Goldsworthy’s Wood Line for a stroll down the Lover’s lane, hike the Bay Area Ridge Trail and view Goldsworthy’s artistic works such as the Spire. Another gem in San Francisco and a place my kids absolutely loved spending a day, is the Japanese Tea Garden, the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States. A super cool site of the beaten path, is Land’s End Labyrinth. It is a labyrinth designed and built by a local artist Eduardo Aguilera.
Napa Valley
About 50 miles to the north of San Francisco, you’ll find wine country and Napa Valley. This is more of a treat for the grown ups on your trip, but surely after a long road trip, parents deserve to have some R&R. Napa offers some of the best wines in the world including the top vineries like Caymus, Cakebread Cellars, Robert Mondavi and Silver Oaks . Even if you aren’t a wine drinker, the drive offers some pretty awesome views and the vineraries themselves are homes to some beautiful architectural buildings. Many offer children’s programs, so the little ones stay entertained while the parents enjoy some fine wine.
While the above is not an inclusive list of things to do and see in California, and only focuses on the west coast of California, it is a great start for your California West Coast road trip. There are numerous other places to visit in inland California. With so many attractions and sightseeing stops on the coast, your family road trip, when planned in advance, will be the one to remember for years to come.
