Favorite experience/activity in California

[OffToDWD]

I'm planning on doing a 2 week road trip around CA with my kids (9 and 14)... around July. What are your most memorable place/activities/must-dos in CA? Can be anywhere in CA! Thanks in advance!

 

[ktlm]

So many!!! Of course, Disneyland/California Adventure. LOL. Last summer we went to the Redwood National Forest area. DD asked if we would take her there because she is a Star Wars fanatic and she wanted to see "Endor". I would never have chosen to go there on my own, but it is one of my favorite places I have ever been. It is absolutely gorgeous and there are so many little silly fun tourist places along the drive, and we stopped at a bunch of those-- (Confusion Hill- the "real life Gravity falls" was our favorite (did the train and the gravity house etc.; other fun ones were driving through a tree and going into a treehouse that was inside a tree). The hikes through the areas can range from a very flat-actually saw a couple senior citizens with walkers on them- to strenuous. You can basically tailor what you want to do to your physical abilities- and take in some amazingly beautiful nature even on the less strenuous walks. The Owen R. Cheatham Grove, where some Star Wars scenes were filmed is mostly flat and easy to walk through. The Avenue of the Giants where scenes were filmed, you drive through and it also has stops with easy mostly flat walks, as well as harder hikes if you wanted to do more. We are not outdoorsy or hikers, but we did the Tall Trees Grove Hike which requires a special permit as they only allow 50 groups a day-- Star Wars scenes were not actually filmed there, but it resembles the private land on which they were filmed. It was absolutely amazing and gorgeous- but it is categorized as moderate because you basically hike about 1.3 miles down to the grove (which is easy), BUT when you are done you have to hike that 1.3 miles back UP (which is not so easy!). I would absolutely do it again though. I didn't expect to love the Redwoods area-- went there solely for DD, and I want to go back!!!


If you have movie buffs the Warner Brothers Studio Tour is one of our other favorite things we have done in California.

Yosemite is also an amazing place. Incredibly beautiful. Very isolated though- it is a long drive there and back.

We love the whole San Diego area--- the San Diego Safari Park is great--- as is just relaxing on one of the many beaches up and down the coast in San Diego County or Orange County.

Typically we spend a week in California and start at DL/CA and go south for the last half of the week to the San Diego area as we have friends there. We have also gone north to universal, Warner Brothers, Hollywood, etc., for the last half of the week.

Last summer we skipped DL/CA entirely and flew into San Jose, and spent time in Yosemite (DH had always wanted to go there), Santa Cruz, Carmel, Monterrey Bay, San Francisco (being Disney people- we loved the Walt Disney Family Museum), and the Redwoods National Forest (DD's vacation choice) area. It was also a great trip.

California is beautiful with so many places to see and things to do. I would start by figuring out what is most important to you to see and then go from there.

 

[OffToDWD]

This is extremely helpful - THANK YOU!!! I'm going to start by looking into Redwood National Forest area and work my way down the list!! We enjoy hiking (but not intense!) and it'll be good to have stops to work off some of the kids' energy after sitting a car for awhile... haha

Much appreciated!

 

[sjmac42]

Obviously setting aside DLR, for me Yosemite NP is number 1 by a fairly wide margin. Approaching from the south you come around the ridge at Valley View and it just takes your breathe away. Get’s me every time. Worth at least 3 nights, particularly in late June/July when the waterfalls are going full force. Stay IN the Valley.
Next would be Death Valley, an amazing and fascinating National Park. 200ft below sea level in places with snow capped mountains in the background, stark and beautiful at the same time. 2-3 nights here is always worthwhile but when it’s the best time for Yosemite (and my next recommendation) it is very hot in DV.
My next favourite is between the 2, Hwy 395. There are several wonderful places along this scenic Highway from the exit of Yosemite NP at Lee Vining (via Tioga Pass, Hwy 120 which is closed in the winter until late May to mid/late June) and Lone Pine on the way to Death Valley. Go slightly north of Lee Vining to see Bodie Ghost town then head south and visit June Lakes, Mammoth Lakes, Mono Lake, Lone Pine with its Movie History and the nearby Alabama Hills (where many films were shot) and Mt Whitney, the highest mountain in the continental USA. You could spend a week exploring this Hwy but a couple of nights between Yosemite and Death Valley makes for a great road trip.
Then I love LA. It’s so close to DLR but many never go apart for maybe a visit to Universal. There are so many things to see and do from Griffith Park and it’s many attractions (Observatory, Old LA Zoo, Hollywood Sign, Greek Theatre etc) to the La Brea Tarpits, Santa Monica, Original Farmers Markets, Koreatown, Olvera Street, California Science Centre, Petersen Automotive Museum, Getty Villa and Getty Center, Grand Central Market and Malibu to name a few.
From LA, a drive to San Francisco along Hwy 1 and 101 takes in the magnificent Big Sur, an amazing stretch of coastline between Ragged Point and Monterey. That short section will take you all day there is so much to stop and see. On the way there, Santa Barbara makes a great stop for 2-3 nights then there’s Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, Avila Beach, Cambria and Ragged Point. I’d recommend at least 2 stops, 1 before big Sur between Pismo Beach and Cambria and the other in Monterey, Carmel or Pacific Grove. If you do stop in Santa Barbara, make it 3 stops.
I also really like San Diego. It’s a great coastal city with the lovely Balboa Park, a massive recreation area incorporating the San Diego Zoo. Coronado, Old Town, Gaslamp District, Safari Park (just outside SD) and the Midway Museum are other Highlights.
A great loop roadtrip is LA (3-4n) to Santa Barbara (2n), Cambria/Ragged Point (1n), through Big Sur to Monterey (2-3n), Yosemite (absolute minimum of 3n), Mammoth Lakes (1-2n), Death Valley (1-2n), San Diego (2-3n) and back to LA or fly home from SD.
If that’s too long then LA (3-4n), somewhere between Pismo and Cambria (1n), Monterey (2n), Yosemite (3n), Mammoth Lakes (1n), DV (1-2n) and back to LA or on to Vegas and fly home from there.
There’s plenty more but those would be my top 5 favourite cities and areas in California and I’ve gone on long enough

 

[OffToDWD]

Obviously setting aside DLR, for me Yosemite NP is number 1 by a fairly wide margin. Approaching from the south you come around the ridge at Valley View and it just takes your breathe away. Get’s me every time. Worth at least 3 nights, particularly in late June/July when the waterfalls are going full force. Stay IN the Valley.
Next would be Death Valley, an amazing and fascinating National Park. 200ft below sea level in places with snow capped mountains in the background, stark and beautiful at the same time. 2-3 nights here is always worthwhile but when it’s the best time for Yosemite (and my next recommendation) it is very hot in DV.
My next favourite is between the 2, Hwy 395. There are several wonderful places along this scenic Highway from the exit of Yosemite NP at Lee Vining (via Tioga Pass, Hwy 120 which is closed in the winter until late May to mid/late June) and Lone Pine on the way to Death Valley. Go slightly north of Lee Vining to see Bodie Ghost town then head south and visit June Lakes, Mammoth Lakes, Mono Lake, Lone Pine with its Movie History and the nearby Alabama Hills (where many films were shot) and Mt Whitney, the highest mountain in the continental USA. You could spend a week exploring this Hwy but a couple of nights between Yosemite and Death Valley makes for a great road trip.
Then I love LA. It’s so close to DLR but many never go apart for maybe a visit to Universal. There are so many things to see and do from Griffith Park and it’s many attractions (Observatory, Old LA Zoo, Hollywood Sign, Greek Theatre etc) to the La Brea Tarpits, Santa Monica, Original Farmers Markets, Koreatown, Olvera Street, California Science Centre, Petersen Automotive Museum, Getty Villa and Getty Center, Grand Central Market and Malibu to name a few.
From LA, a drive to San Francisco along Hwy 1 and 101 takes in the magnificent Big Sur, an amazing stretch of coastline between Ragged Point and Monterey. That short section will take you all day there is so much to stop and see. On the way there, Santa Barbara makes a great stop for 2-3 nights then there’s Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, Avila Beach, Cambria and Ragged Point. I’d recommend at least 2 stops, 1 before big Sur between Pismo Beach and Cambria and the other in Monterey, Carmel or Pacific Grove. If you do stop in Santa Barbara, make it 3 stops.
I also really like San Diego. It’s a great coastal city with the lovely Balboa Park, a massive recreation area incorporating the San Diego Zoo. Coronado, Old Town, Gaslamp District, Safari Park (just outside SD) and the Midway Museum are other Highlights.
A great loop roadtrip is LA (3-4n) to Santa Barbara (2n), Cambria/Ragged Point (1n), through Big Sur to Monterey (2-3n), Yosemite (absolute minimum of 3n), Mammoth Lakes (1-2n), Death Valley (1-2n), San Diego (2-3n) and back to LA or fly home from SD.
If that’s too long then LA (3-4n), somewhere between Pismo and Cambria (1n), Monterey (2n), Yosemite (3n), Mammoth Lakes (1n), DV (1-2n) and back to LA or on to Vegas and fly home from there.
There’s plenty more but those would be my top 5 favourite cities and areas in California and I’ve gone on long enough

Thank you!!! I think I'm going to have to do more than 1 road trip in CA! So much to do/see!

 

[sjmac42]

Thank you!!! I think I'm going to have to do more than 1 road trip in CA! So much to do/see!

Yes I’ve done a few and still haven’t seen everything

 

[ktlm]

If you decide on Yosemite, be aware that you have to have a reservation to enter the park again this summer:

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/reservations.htm
Looks like those open up on March 23, and they book up really fast. I had to stalk the website to get ours last year-- people will book to get one and then cancel. Also, Glacier point road will be closed this summer, so sadly there will be no way to get to Glacier Point this summer which was my favorite place there unless you are up for a very strenuous hike by taking the four mile trial. (9.6 mile hike round trip), Panorma Trial (8.5 mile hike round trip), or the Pohono Trial (26 mile hike round trip). There is still plenty to see without Glacier Point, but if you are going to do more than one road trip, you might save Yosemite for next year when you can drive up to Glacier Point.

If you want to really splurge, it is really expensive, but the Ahwanee hotel is amazing. It typically books up a year in advance, but if you watch the website, you can pick up cancellations-- that is what I did last summer and we got to spend a night there. It was a bucket place list for DH so that is what he got for Father's Day last year.

Also, don't let the fact that reservations are required make you think the attractions won't be crowded. I was surprised at how many people were there last year with the reservation system in place. We found that in the late afternoon and evening (before dark- you won't want to be out and about after dark), things had few people and it was really nice to explore. If you are out then, have a dinner plan though because at least last year everyplace closed really early. In the late mornings and early afternoons things were packed. It was still fun even though it was crowded and gorgeous. One of the things I liked about the Redwoods is it seems like more of a local vacation spot for Californians since it was out of the way than a place full of a lot of tourists from all over and it was a lot less crowded. It is a stay at a Holiday Inn Express and explore nature all around kind of place. So we went from the VERY expensive Ahwanee, to a very reasonable Holiday Inn. LOL.

sjmac42's list has a ton of great places. We have been to some of them. We've never been to Death Valley. I may have to put that on our list.

 

[Gladys Belcher]

In the summer, it is incredibly hot 'inland' , 100 degree + so you may want to take that into account if you are hiking.

Reservations are needed in so many parks now, so you do have to book months ahead.

Driving 101 is great. HWY 1 above Ragged point into Big Sur is gorgeous, but can be a white knuckle driving experience and plan an extra 1-2 hours navigating those curves, especially if you are in an RV.

Hub and I are 805, Tri-County area and do stay near the coast because of the heat. We like Morro Bay, San Simeon, Elephant Seals , Monterey Bay Area (acquarium is a must). Go around San Francisco and get into the Redwoods.

Have a great trip....

 

[OffToDWD]

Thanks!!

 

[OffToDWD]

Any thoughts on Mammoth Lakes area during the summer?

 

[sjmac42]

Any thoughts on Mammoth Lakes area during the summer?

Brilliant place any time of year, easily worth 3 nights. So much to see on that side of the Sierras from June Lakes down to Lone Pine you could easily spend a week in the area. That was #3 on my list above.

 

[OffToDWD]

Brilliant place any time of year, easily worth 3 nights. So much to see on that side of the Sierras from June Lakes down to Lone Pine you could easily spend a week in the area. That was #3 on my list above.

Thanks! Yes, that's why I'm checking it out ... looks like an awesome place. I am actually now thinking of making it a longer stop because of so many fun things there - hiking, lakes, rock climbing, horseback riding, etc! I meant for in terms of the weather. I've read from other sites that it could get very hot but when I checked the average temperature there, it's saying high 70s for July (which I personally don't think is super hot!).

 

[sjmac42]

I wouldn’t say it gets really hot there in the Mountains, I’d probably have a light jacket on in the evenings tbh. It’s down in the deserts that it gets really hot (100+) in summer and probably in the 90’s at times along Hwy 395.

 

[OffToDWD]

I wouldn’t say it gets really hot there in the Mountains, I’d probably have a light jacket on in the evenings tbh. It’s down in the deserts that it gets really hot (100+) in summer and probably in the 90’s at times along Hwy 395.

Thanks!!

 

[Gladys Belcher]

Don't ski, so know nothing about Mammoth or June Lake except a drive-by hello. We car-tent camp.

Lone Pine is a great starting point. Movie Road is fun if they are still allowing folks to climb up and down.

So hope you have a great time , plus half the fun is preparing for a great trip!

 

[China Expat]

Any thoughts on Mammoth Lakes area during the summer?

Don;t forget Bristle ConeAncient Pine Forest, Mt WHitney Fish Hatchery, Mono Lake-exceptional!

 

[oakleycat]

Mammoth Lakes in the summer is amazing! I like it better than in the winter (though the snowboarders in my family would probably disagree). The weather is beautiful. We do a lot of hiking and paddleboarding and my sons love the mountain biking trails at Mammoth Mountain.

 

[OffToDWD]

Mammoth Lakes in the summer is amazing! I like it better than in the winter (though the snowboarders in my family would probably disagree). The weather is beautiful. We do a lot of hiking and paddleboarding and my sons love the mountain biking trails at Mammoth Mountain.

Thanks! Did you bring your own boards or rent them there? We have inflatable boards and debating if we should bring them!

 

[felice]

There are great suggestions in this thread, certainly giving us some new ideas for visits to places we'd not considered before.

One town which appears to have been overlooked so far though, is the wonderful town of Solvang, not too far from Santa Barbara. It is a Danish themed town and worth exploring.

 

[NVDISFamily]

If some time in the Pacific is what you desire check out this beach (my favorite growing up in So Cal).

https://goo.gl/maps/e9coYt9YT5vkfjfB7

Address info if Google Maps links aren't allowed -

Calafia Beach Park

243 Avenida Lobeiro, San Clemente, CA 92672

It's a quiet beach away from any major piers or tourist spots that has never been all too crowed. Growing up it didn't have the walking path it does now and you had to scale over the big rocks near the train tracks to get down so it used to be much more quiet and secluded but now it's a bit more popular with the official and much safer path. Another bonus is that the beach is sandy with almost no rocks unlike the more popular Oceanside beach south of this area.