How many songs have been written about California? Wikipedia lists about 1,500, and I doubt that’s a comprehensive list. California is one of the United States’ most alluring destinations. It has something for everyone: interesting people, endless food potions, natural attractions, top tourist destinations, and, of course, dozens of sports teams. A road trip though California is one of the quintessential American experiences. Recently, our family took a trip through California and experienced the state’s most incredible attractions! Here is the story of our trip… and ideas for your own adventure.
San Diego
San Diego is the classic SoCal getaway! It features some of the best beaches in California, awesome weather, and plenty of fun family attractions. If you want the ultimate experience, get a Go San Diego card and save on the top San Diego attractions!
The San Diego Zoo is incredible! This is a massive wildlife sanctuary with a huge variety of species from all around the world! There are a lot of cool experiences you can do here, from balloon tours to animal encounters.
The San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park is like a regular zoo in some ways, but it feels a lot more like the wild! You can try a safari experience here. You might forget you’re in California rather than Africa.
La Jolla Beach
This beautiful beach has a stunning view! It’s also the perfect place to take kids. Overlooking the beach is a sprawling grassy area with room to run and play. Climb a flight of stairs down to Shell Beach to enjoy the sand and sun or watch the sea lions sunbathe.
This dessert shop has the best, most beautiful edible delicacies you’ve ever seen in your life. It was hard to pick just a few desserts to try! If you visit, you’ll want one of everything.
Accommodations:
During our time in La Jolla, we enjoyed a stay at the Hilton La Jolla. This is a high-rated hotel near all the top local attractions.
Pro Tip(s):
- San Diego City Pass is the best way to visit major attractions in San Diego. This pass will get you access to San Diego zoo, Safari Park and Lego Land. Plan Ahead.
- Disneyland California is only 4 hours away from San Diego. You can plan your San Diego trip and still include a detour to Disneyland California.
Los Angeles
Who doesn’t love L.A.? Aside from the traffic, L.A. is a dream vacation spot. There are endless exciting adventures to be had in the city! Besides, Disneyland is in the L.A. area, and what could be better than that? Be sure to visit our Road Tripping California Highway 1 to learn more ways to explore Los Angeles.
Disneyland! The happiest place on earth! You can’t help but be happy all day when you’re at Disneyland. We visited the Disney California Adventure Park which has a different feel to all the Disney parks and properties we have visited. Just make sure you wear comfortable shoes, and plan to stay for the parade and the fireworks show at the end of the night.
The Getty Center is an awesome museum featuring history and art. It also happens to be on a hill overlooking the city, and you can enjoy awesome views here even if you decide to skip the museum.
The Los Angeles Original Farmer’s Market is a wonderful place to experience local culture. Not only can you find international food and fresh produce, but if you’re lucky, you might happen to visit during a fun event!
Museums
There are tons of museums in Los Angeles! Be sure to hit one or two while you’re in the area. Try visiting the Los Angeles County Museum and its iconic lamp art, the Natural History Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
San Francisco
San Francisco is as culturally rich city with endless new experiences to try. Visit any of the ethnic neighborhoods, and you’ll find yourself transported to a totally new continent! Be sure to check out the many San Fran icons and visit our Road Tripping California Highway 1 to learn more ways to ways California.
Even if you don’t need to drive out of San Francisco, you need to take a drive across the Golden Gate Bridge. Or, ride a bike across. You could even walk! Take some time to sit and look at it, too. Sunset is a stunning time to photograph the bridge.
This is an awesome museum for the whole family! Visit this place, and you’ll have the chance to experience a planetarium, an aquarium and a natural history museum. You’ll want to spend a whole day here.
Visit China Town for the food, stay for the culture. This is perhaps the most famous China Town in the world, and it’s a necessary part of any San Francisco experience.
For a relaxing afternoon, head to Golden Gate Park. You can spend half a day here, enjoying the Botanical Garden and wandering through the delightful Japanese Tea Garden.
Travel back in time to historic San Francisco at Fisherman’s Wharf. There are tons of things to do here! You can just stop by for dinner, or opt to spend days trying the tours and adventures offered at the Wharf.
If you love chocolate (and who doesn’t), then Ghirardelli Square needs to be on your itinerary. Book a tour at the chocolate factory! And don’t forget a box of freshly made treats.
Yosemite National Park
Beautiful Yosemite is one of the best national parks for families to visit! There are enough hikes here to last a lifetime, and many of them end at cascading waterfalls. If you’re up for it, camping in Yosemite is an amazing way to experience California wilderness. Visit our Road Tripping California Highway 1 for more details.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carmel-by-the-Sea is one of the most beloved seaside cities in California. This quaint little town is worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities. If you need a little rest and relaxation, don’t miss the chance to stop here. Check out the historic mission, try scuba diving, or just wander around the town.
Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge
Want a stunning view? Drive through Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge in Bug Sur, California. This is perhaps the state’s most glorious scenic view! Don’t miss it.
Our trip through California was an unforgettable family vacation! In just a few days, we were able to experience the best that the West Coast has to offer. If you want a family trip filled with culture, fun, and learning, put California down as your next road trip destination.