California Family Road Trip

Take the ultimate family adventure following Highway 1 from San Francisco to Los Angeles

From tots to teens, California has something for every kid. There are theme parks like Universal Studios and Disneyland and world-class attractions like the Monterey Bay Aquarium to dazzle and entertain in equal measure, and the chance to head out on Pacific waves for whale watching, paddleboarding and kayaking. Brilliant museums, including San Francisco’s Exploratorium and California Academy of Sciences, are impressive and unmissable, but this trip also allows plenty of downtime on gorgeous beaches. Plus, with family-friendly hotels from start to finish (often with fantastic swimming pools, nightly s’mores toasting, and as much pizza as they can handle), this truly is a family trip of a lifetime.

Self-drive

Itinerary overview

San Francisco

Welcome to the neighbourhood

San Francisco is a fantastic city for kids. Watch the sea lions at Pier 39, then hire bikes and c...

Carmel & Monterey

Set off on the PCH

Pick up your hire car and head 120 miles south of San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway, per...

Pismo Beach

A handy stopover

Break up the road trip between Monterey and Los Angeles and stop at Pismo Beach. On the way, you’...

Los Angeles

Welcome to La La Land

The final leg of your road trip brings you to LA. Plan to break up the journey and stop in beauti...

San Francisco

Welcome to the neighbourhood

San Francisco is a fantastic city for kids. Watch the sea lions at Pier 39, then hire bikes and cycle over the Golden Gate Bridge. Make time for Golden Gate Park, where the excellent California Academy of Sciences houses an aquarium, planetarium, and rainforest. Visit The Walt Disney Family Museum (getting you in the mood for Disneyland later in your trip) or get hands-on at the impressive Exploratorium at Pier 15. Take a fully loaded guided tour to see all the highlights in double-quick time. Visit Lombard Street, the ‘crookedest street in the world’. Smell the sourdough at Boudin bakery, slurp soup from a bread bowl, and stop at Ghirardelli Square to sample some world-famous chocolate – or go full an ice cream with every possible topping. The tour wraps up with a cruise of San Francisco Bay.

Carmel & Monterey

Set off on the PCH

Pick up your hire car and head 120 miles south of San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway, perhaps stopping at Half Moon Bay for lunch and stretching your legs. The towns of Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Carmel are smushed together on a particularly gorgeous peninsula of California. It’s known for the sensational Monterey Bay Aquarium and the gazillionaire mansions on the 17-Mile Drive. This ruggedly beautiful yet utterly refined part of central California always succeeds in charming the socks off its visitors. While the headline attractions of the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium and whale-watching tours are unmissable, be sure to factor in some time for the rest of the area, perhaps kayaking on Monterey Bay or biking the Coastal Recreation Trail. Spend time on the vast sands of Carmel Beach and linger there for Golden Hour to get some beautiful family snaps.

Pismo Beach

A handy stopover

Break up the road trip between Monterey and Los Angeles and stop at Pismo Beach. On the way, you’ll drive through the incredible Big Sur area – stretching 90 miles south of Carmel - and stop at the Pfeiffer State Park to crane your necks at giant redwood groves or play on the purple sand at Pfeiffer Beach. Keep an eye out for zebras as you drive past Hearst Castle!

Los Angeles

Welcome to La La Land

The final leg of your road trip brings you to LA. Plan to break up the journey and stop in beautiful Santa Barbara for lunch and a runaround on one of the beaches.

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