The Ultimate California Road Trip!

We started our trip in San Francisco, then Santa Barbara and Los Angeles and finally Palm Springs. It was amazing, jam-packed, memory making kind of Spring Break. The kids absolutely loved it…we saw the beaches, city and desert all in one week!

We started our trip by flying into San Francisco and heading to Muir Woods National Monument which is is a beautiful park located just north of San Francisco (about a 30 minute drive and it took you over the Golden Gate Bridge….which the kids loved!). Muir Woods is renowned for its impressive coast redwoods, some of which are over 1,000 years old and are reach over 250 feet in height! At Muir Woods there is an accessible, paved path that loops through the heart of the forest, offering views of the redwoods and the chance to see all the beauty the park has to offer. There are more extensive trails for hiking that connects with other trails, however, we didn’t venture out that way since we just arrived and wanted to spend only 1-2 hours at the park.

A few things to note:

• The weather can be cool and misty even in summer, so it’s a good idea to bring layers. The fog often adds a mystical quality to the forest.
• We always check out the Visitor Center at the state and national parks as it provides educational exhibits and the park’s history. My kids love to get a map also.
• Parking at Muir Woods requires a reservation and we advise to download the app Recreation.gov and book your time slot.

After Muir Woods, we headed to Half Moon Bay which is a coastal city located about 25 miles south of San Francisco. It’s known for its beautiful coastal scenery, including cliffs and sandy beaches known for its scenic walking trails. We visited Mavericks Beach, which is famous for it’s big waves and surfing! We ate at Sam’s Chowderhouse….the food was amazing and especially the chowder! The downtown area features shops, restaurants and cafes. It has a charming, small-town vibe that’s perfect for an afternoon stroll.

The next day we drove on the Pacific Coast Highway! We did the 17 mile drive and this will take about 2-3 hours to drive through. THIS WAS EPIC! The drive was full of beautiful stops along the way (there are 17). At the entrance you have to pay a small fee and each area is marked to stop and take great pictures. After the drive we spent time in Carmel by the Sea and stayed at a Hyatt hotel which was so beautiful! Carmel by the Sea has a downtown area that was very cute and quaint with tons of shops and restaurants.

Next up on our California trip is Santa Barbara! It took about 4 hours to drive there from Carmel by the Sea. Once we got there we checked into the hotel and headed out to explore. First on our stop is the Santa Barbara Trolley Tour and this took about 90 minutes to do. It was fun and educational! We headed to the Stern’s Wharf and this is one of Santa Barbara’s iconic spots. The views from the wharf at sunset are spectacular and you can find restaurants and shops over there. Take your time admiring the ice cream shops, candy stores and souvenir shops.

A few other notable things to do in Santa Barbara is:

• THE COURTHOUSE: This is an iconic landmark in Santa Barbara and the day we went we got to see a wedding happening outside! You can go to the top of the building and get a great view. This is a must see!
• THE HARBOR: Take a walk along the harbor and enjoy seeing docked sailboats and there are lots of things to do here – paddle boarding, kayaking and much more!
• STATE STREET: There’s plenty of shopping plazas located on State Street. There’s so much to check out and see here, including ice cream shops, restaurants and tons of shopping.
• OTHER MUST-DO’S: Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens, The Funk Zone, Santa Barbara Zoo, Santa Barbara Children’s Museum, walk the Coastal Vista Trail, rent bikes and cruise around town.
• VISIT MONTECITO: The town of Montecito is next door practically and it’s where celebrities such as Oprah, Harry & Meagan, Brad Pitt and many others have houses. Montecito’s most popular area is Coast Village Road and there are restaurants and shops here. We saw people on electric buggies cruising all around Montecito and while we didn’t have time to do that, I recommend it if you do!

Next up on our road trip was a quick stop to Los Angeles! On the way though we made a few little stops…first we went to the Santa Monica Pier and the kids rode a few rides and played games. This got the wiggles out from being in the car a long day! The pier was fun but then we moved on to Malibu and saw incredible views of the Pacific Ocean and had a late lunch at the Malibu Pier Farm Cafe (the views of the ocean were amazing and the food was so good).

When we got to LA we embarked on a journey to see the Hollywood Sign, which is huge and such a landmark. It’s an iconic spot to take pictures! Next up we visited the Chinese Theatre, Walk of Fame, Sunset Blvd, Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills (we took a picture with the Beverly Hills at the Garden Sign). We spent the night in LA and then left the next day to go to Palm Springs!

The drive from Los Angeles to Palm Springs was about 3.5 hours! Once here we checked into the hotel and began exploring. We started off on the Palm Springs Ariel Tramway and I use getyourguide.com to do most of my tour and ticketed bookings. It’s easy to get things booked! We went on the Tramway during the day and it was such a spectacular thing to do. The views are amazing from the cable car (you’ll get to see the entire Coachella Valley and San Jacinto State Park) and at the top of the mountain there is a restaurant and gift shop and an outdoor area to hike. The kids got to ride on a knee board and go down the mountain on snow! It was an absolute blast for them!

Indian Canyons and Palm Canyon was a favorite part of Palm Springs and being able to walk around with tall bushy palm trees, was such amazing and I loved the flowing river next to the palms. The hiking here was easy for the kids also. There are so many great picture spots to capture the moments here in nature.

We saw the iconic Marilyn Monroe statue and if you haven’t seen this I suggest you do! And get your photo op! The shopping in downtown Palm Springs is great and it’s a perfect area to walk around. The architecture in Palm Springs is so cool – it has a 70’s laid back vibe.

If you love national parks like we do, I suggested spending a day at Joshua Tree National Park and the drive is less than 2 hours. The Hidden Valley Trail is a great choice for a moderate hike surrounded by stunning rock formations and Joshua Trees. It’s about 1 mile loop and a great one to do with kids. There are iconic rock formations like Skull Rock and the Cholla Cactus Garden you can explore and get amazing photo ops. Another great trail is the Baker Dam trail which is 1.3 miles and again a great one kids can enjoy. The Joshua Tree Village is a place to get a snack, visit local shops and galleries and go to the Joshua Tree Coffee Company for a caffeine fix. Don’t forget the desert is hot, bring sunscreen and plenty of water on your explorations!

We flew out of Palm Springs airport to catch our flight! It is a smaller airport so we took a connection from Palm Springs back home. We really enjoyed ourselves during our week in California!