California Coast trip
 

I'm taking the munchkin on a road trip up the coast from San Diego and looking for any suggestions on fun places to stop along the way. She studied California history last year in school so I thought it might be fun to see some of it.

Current plan is-

Day one - up the coast from San Diego, hit Santa Barbara and stop in Solvang. I have reservations to stay in San Simeon night one.

Day two-
Hearst Castle tour in the morning. Then meander up the coast to Monterey. I have aquarium tickets. Staying the night in Monterey.

Day three-
Santa Cruz. Marianne's ice cream and the Mystery spot. Then we head to my cousins in Livermore to stay the next four nights.

Day four-
We have Alcatraz tickets and munchkin wants to ride a cable car.

Day five-
My cousin wants to take her to Columbia in the gold country.

Day six -
running through the sprinklers. Since we live in an apartment this was the only thing munchkin wanted to do on our trip.

Day seven -
Straight down the 5 home.

So any suggestions on fun places to stop and or see along the way would be appreciated. My traveling companion thinks gourmet means the chicken nuggets come in shapes so nothing to fancy. Any fun wacky places a 10 year old might find fun.

Napa Valley wine country. :D


Sounds like a way fun trip- I'm envious!

I'll need a week at a Napa spa when I'm done. 7 days on the road with a ten year old and no air conditioning. Oh yea. Good times.

I grew up in Napa. Great place.

Hearst Castle and the Aquarium in the same day? Is that even possible?

I wouldn't make it past day 2!


Oh yeah--and Napa's awesome.

Santa Cruz - Beach Boardwalk!!! Absolutely fun place, great selection of rides (including a couple of goofy old traditional dark rides) - other than Disneyland, my favorite amusement park in California.

I know it sounds dorky and kinda early...but take her to a college. My parents took me to UCLA when I was like 8 to show me the "big people's school" and I really think the awe and inspiration stuck with me. The west coast has a lot of beautiful schools around.

Its pretty tight. The San Simeon tours run around 2 hours. The drive from there up to Monterey is about 2.5 hours (a bit faster if you get really lucky and never get stuck behind someone going godawful slow).

But if it isn't vital to take your time on everything at either location it is doable if a hectic and tiring day.

You could stop at the Madonna Inn in SLO and sneak her into the men's room. She'll probably like the waterfall. One thing she might like if chicken nuggets are high cuisine is a stop at Old West Cinammon Rolls in Pismo Beach. They're pretty good and it could be a quick beach stop. Also, I once swam at Pismo Beach at two in the morning while wearing street clothes. You're daughter will probably appreciate you having some tenuous connection to crazy people.

Make sure your daughter understands that the Mystery Spot is fun with optical illusions and doesn't believe the ramblings of the tour guides. I was exposed to Oregon's version, "The Vortex," at a young age and it caused me no end of confusion.

I'm trying to think of things of interest in the Dublin/Pleasanton/Livermore area that might make for a day with less driving but am drawing a blank. Unless you're daughter is fascinated by business parks. I can tell you where to see a large flock of wild turkeys (and, at the moment, young turkeys) though.

You'll be on the coast, you will have nature's AC.

Day 4, if it is on a weekend, I'll be glad to meet up with you, have dinner, lunch or ride the cable car with you! PM me if this is a possibility.

A nice old wooden coaster, too and a gorgeous carousel!