A Grand California Family Road Trip Itinerary

California offers a nearly infinite variety of fun for traveling families, from beaches and mountains to amusements parks and national parks. It’s the picking and choosing what to do and what not to do that gets hard. If you’re looking for your family’s best shot at doing it all, buckle up and think about hitting the highway for a Grand California Family Road Trip. We’ve outlined a family-friendly route that covers the highlights from San Francisco to San Diego. If you’re short on time, condense your trip to focus on Los Angeles and San Francisco only. Whatever you manage to see and do, one thing is certain: California with kids is sure to please!

Guide to a Grand California Family Road Trip

The phrase “family road trip” evokes a variety of reactions, ranging from freewheeling fun to outright fear. Loading the kids in the car and taking off is certainly easier and cheaper than schlepping from one airport to the next in the wee hours of the morning, all the while hoping the flight remains on time. But loading the kids in the car also means, well, the kids are in the car. Truth be told, family togetherness bliss only lasts so long. So when its time to plan a trip to California, be sure to do your research.

A successful road trip is a road trip that’s fun! The memories make you smile when it comes up in conversation, and the trip you’d do all over again if you could. But the best thing is that it’s really easily done. Good destinations are the foundation of the trip, with a balance of set activities and free time to do whatever you may or may not stumble upon along the way. Get one successful family road trip under your belt and more will follow — it doesn’t matter if the kids are five or 15.

Adventure Behind the Wheel: Guide to 9 Nights on the Road

If you’ve never planned a family road trip, pulling together your first adventure behind the wheel can feel a little overwhelming; this is especially true in California with kids, where there’s often a good reason to stop the car every few miles and take in the view from the side of the road. We’ve put together the Grand California Family Road Trip. Short enough to fit into the school calendar’s definition of spring break, yet long enough to see what makes California such a great family destination.

Our itinerary plans for nine nights on the road. You could just print it out and go, but the best part about this road trip is the flexibility it offers for families to make it their own. It doesn’t matter whether you head up or down the coast, you won’t miss a memory. Family trips in California are flexible because there are so many options depending on ages and interests.

In each of these destinations, we’ve highlighted must-see and do activities, plus tried and tested gems with kids that are more off-path.

San Francisco: 2 Nights

What to do: You could spend two months in San Francisco with kids and do something new every day, but since you only have two nights to call it home, you need to use your time wisely. There is no denying Fisherman’s Wharf is touristy, but it’s something almost all first-time visitors to San Francisco want to see. Using it as a starting location, you can also cross off many of the city’s other must-dos, like Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge along with a cable car ride. Celebrate a perfect road trip day with ice cream at the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop.

Golden Gate Park sees 13 million visitors each year. It’s the third-most-visited park in the United States, and it’s easy to understand why. With options like the California Academy of Sciences, the de Young Museum, the Conservatory of Flowers and the Koret Children’s Quarter and Golden Gate Park Carousel, you can’t go wrong.

If you have the luxury of a few extra days in your road trip itinerary, San Francisco is a great launching point for exploring Yosemite or Lake Tahoe.

Must See and Do

• Golden Gate Bridge
• Fisherman’s Wharf
• Alcatraz
• Golden Gate Park
• Cable Car Ride

Gems to Add

• California Academy of Sciences
• de Young Museum
• Conservatory of Flowers
• Koret Children’s Quarter and Golden Gate Park Carousel
• Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop

Monterey Peninsula: 1 Night

California’s Highway 1 offers some of the most stunning stretches of coastline you’ll ever see. While there are a number of vistas where you can look but not touch, the Monterey Peninsula offers plenty of beaches where families can get out of the car and play in the sand. Lovers Point Park and Beach is only about a mile from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

If your kids are wiggly and just need to be outside, the Dennis the Menace Playground may be a good fit. Created in 1956 with the help of the comic strip creator Hank Ketcham, it has slides, climbing walls, tunnels and even a real locomotive for kids to climb on. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve nearby may be one of the best state parks you’ll ever visit. There are numerous trails offering views of the coast; the stroller-friendly Carmelo Meadow Trail can be done in less than 10 minutes.

With a walking labyrinth, an alphabet garden and a cut-your-own herb garden, organic grower Earthbound Farm runs a one-of-a-kind farm stand in Carmel Valley. The organic frozen yogurt is pretty darn tasty too!

Must See and Do

• Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Dennis the Menace Park
• Earthbound Farm

Gems to Add

• Lovers Point Park and Beach
• Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Santa Barbara: 2 Nights

As you travel from Monterey to Santa Barbara, consider quick stops at Big Sur, Hearst Castle or San Luis Obispo. Although you could easily fill an entire trip along this stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway, press on toward Santa Barbara this time around.

On paper, your time in Santa Barbara with kids looks deceptively long, but chances are you’ll arrive later in the evening and pull out of town in the morning, so you’ve really only got one full day to play here. Don’t underestimate the power of State Street. Shopping (especially if you’ve got tween and/or teenage girls) and tasty extras like ice cream take time.

Speed up your trip to California’s oldest working wharf by jumping on Santa Barbara’s Downtown Shuttle. The open-air, trolley-like electric vehicle runs every 15 to 30 minutes and drops you directly in front of Stearns Wharf. Walk the wharf and maybe check out the Ty Warner Sea Center or hit the beach and the water. A kayaking trip out of Santa Barbara Harbor to what’s affectionately known as Sea Lion Buoy is a great activity for school-age kids and up.

Must See and Do

• State Street
• Stearns Wharf

Gems to Add

• Santa Barbara’s Downtown Shuttle
• Ty Warner Sea Center
• Kayaking Santa Barbara Harbor

Los Angeles Area: 2 Nights

Time for a celebration: You’ve made it from San Francisco to Los Angeles!

If seeing Disney tops your list during your visit to the Los Angeles area with kids, dedicate your stay in town to just that. It takes time to do Disneyland right. Even if you sneak in and out of town without meeting the mouse known ’round the world, you can still get your amusement ride fix and snap photos of some California icons.

Get your feet sandy on Santa Monica Beach and walk to the food- and ride-loaded Santa Monica Pier. There are plenty of places to catch sight of the Hollywood Sign, including on the drive to Hollywood Boulevard. It’s a touristy spot, and different than most first-timers expect, but it’s one of those locations that is hard for folks to go home without seeing. But the newest star to call Hollywood home can claim real stars as former neighbors: Space Shuttle Endeavour is a must-visit at the California Science Center.

Must See and Do

• Disneyland & California Adventure
• Santa Monica Beach and Pier
• Hollywood Sign and Hollywood Boulevard

Gems to Add

• Amusement rides on Santa Monica Pier
• Space Shuttle Endeavour at the California Science Center

San Diego: 2 Nights

After traveling down the California coast, San Diego is your last stop, and relaxing on the shore may be just what your family needs. The beach at Coronado Island offers a great tidepool and there are lifeguards on duty. Take time to recharge, then head to Balboa Park. Along with being home to a whopping 15 museums, the nation’s largest urban cultural park is also home to the city’s wilder side, the San Diego Zoo. If you are in need of gifts to take home for family and friends, Seaport Village is a fun place to do some shopping and is a safe spot to give teens freedom to wander a bit.

TIP: If you have less than a week, consider combining the Los Angeles and San Diego portion of this itinerary and focus your time on southern California.

Must See and Do

• San Diego Zoo
• Balboa Park
• Coronado Island

Gems to Add

• Rent bikes
• Seaport Village
• Kids’ surf lessons at Menehune Surf School

Relevant Links:

Browse our best vacation ideas and accommodations for California with kids

5 best museums in San Francisco for kids

72 hours in Los Angeles with kids

10 fun things to do in San Diego with kids

A perfect Northern California road trip itinerary

Best kid-friendly wineries in Northern California Wine Country

Editor’s note: This post was accurate when published. We advise checking independently for the latest information and updates. Ciao Bambino does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in, or for any actions taken based on, the information presented.