Trip Planning help needed - LA, San Fran, Yosemite

[julifish]

We are taking a family vacation to California this summer at both of my daughters' request. We will be in LA for 3 days (staying in an apartment in Hollywood), Yosemite for 3 days (1 day Mammoth Mtn and 2 days staying in Motel outside park near Mariposa Grove) and San Fran for 3 days (over 4th of July weekend- staying in a hotel outside the city on a bus line that goes in to the city) and then will be driving back from San Fran to LA and want to stay on the coast 1 night.

I'm looking for suggestions on must see or do attractions, restaurants, just cool stuff to see/do for a 12 yo girl and a 16 yo girl. They have never been to California. My husband and I have been to LA for 3 days previously without them, but it was for a wedding so didn't get to do a whole lot.

My kids are pretty well traveled and they like museums, off the beat track type stuff, farmer's markets, parks, neat restaurants (we have a vegetarian so I'm looking for a good vegetarian place in LA and SF), not really looking to do theme parks as we live 1.5 hours from Walt Disney Word and Universal Orlando.

So lay it on me - what are the must do's in these locations and what tips, hints do you have for traveling in California?

[kim517]

OK, so I'm not a California girl and maybe you'll see the redwoods in one of the other places you're stopping... but I do recommend Muir Woods to hike through the redwoods. Went on our honeymoon to San Fran and also with the kids when we were there in January for a wedding. Have enjoyed it both times even though it's not right in San Fran. You'd have to drive or take one of the tour buses (on the plus side, it's an excuse to cross the Golden Gate bridge and stop at the park to see it up close). I also hear good things about Sausalito, which is over there too, but I haven't been there myself. Lots of fun things in San Fran, but I probably only know the obvious ones

[MamaBee]

I second Muri Woods - we also went to SF on our honeymoon... haha

JellyBean Factory tour (in Fairfield, I think?) - what I think is the most memorable experience, is do the private tour - it costs (you can do the free tour, but that just takes you on a cat walk above the factory), the private tour, you go on the floor (remember to have a pair of pants and closed shoes on the tour)... you go through the whole process and get to eat jelly beans right off the production line, during different parts - it was awesome! Jake still talk a lot about that one! haha

I highly recommend the city bus tour around the sites where you can jump on and off... plus if you want to go over the Golden Gate bridge... there is a toll coming back over the bridge.

Picnic at Alamo park.... great view of the skyline and you see the houses that were on Full House.

Of course, DH is a computer geek, so a trip to Infinite Loop was a must! I was a bit let down in the gift shop, though... haha...

Oh - Winchester House... we have been through that twice... I think it's a crazy built house and the story very interesting...

[eranslow]

I think Alcatraz is pretty cool - so getting tickets to spend a day out there would be fun. I've been to the Winchester Mystery Mansion and it is pretty cool. It is out of San Fran though - I think it's in San Jose? If you are going to drive to the jelly belly factory there is a Budweiser factory right there that you can do yours at. But Fairfield is also a drive out of San Fran. Golden Gate park is really pretty - there's a gorgeous arboretum there. We would totally do a Giants game too - we love baseball though so many different things you can do!

[Nettio]

My number one tip would be to pack your winter clothes. Summer in SF often means 60s and damp fog which coming from Florida may be a bit of a shock.

As far as things to do, Alcatraz is creepy but neat and you can pretty easily pair it with a Giants game in the evening. Even if you're not into baseball the views from the park are gorgeous. I think riding the cable cars is fun especially if you hang off the outside, haha. If you pick it up at the pier you will have to wait but about partway there's a cable car museum where you can stop and see how the cars work and then head back without having to wait again at the other end. I think there may also be a stop for Lombard street which is an SF classic. You can also drive down it but it's not for the faint of heart, haha.

Museums: I like both the Exploritorium & the California Academy of Sciences. The Exploritorium is a hands-on science museum and Cal Academy is also science but it has a living roof and a rainforest exhibit where you can walk up through the different layers of the canopy. It also as an earthquake exhibit where you can experience what a major earthquake would feel like in case you ever wondered.

If you're looking for a good view of the Golden Gate Bridge, I recommend the Marin Headlands. You'd need a car but it's just across the Golden Gate Bridge and then you turn left to head up into the hills which gives you a view of the bridge back toward the city. It does get crowded but I think it's worth the drive.

If you have the time when driving from SF to LA, I'd recommended driving down Highway 1 along the coast toward Big Sur. It's a really pretty drive and the CA coastline is so different from Florida your girls would probably enjoy it.

[semantje]

Ohhh we would love to do and US roadtrip once in our life so I am keeping an eye on this thread. You know what I really miss is like a software or online system where you can plan a trip. Put in a map with the route, all the stops with hotels. If somebody else found it please let me know. I searched for hours and did not find any that I was looking for.

[OrianaVianey]

When in LA, you have to go to the Santa Monica Pier. Specially at sunset. Is so pretty.
I just made a 10 days roadtrip at LA, Anaheim and San Diego, but mostly was all about the theme parks.
I´ll be in San Francisco in May, so I´m looking forward for all the recomendations

[DawnMarch]

In San Fran, I second Alcatraz as a must-see. Plus Chinatown (maybe combined with lunch at a dim sum place or other Chinese restaurant) would be great. Also, exploring around Fishermans' Wharf is fun.

In LA, the Getty Villa (museum) is gorgeous and right along the coast in Malibu. We had lunch at a well-known nearby place, Gladstones, which was terrific.

My kids (and I) also really liked the La Brea tarpits. Aside from the skeletons of the amazing prehistoric animals (like sabre toothed tigers) they found in the pits (RIGHT THERE in the middle of LA!), there was at least one dig still underway when we visited.

The Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade are both fun places in the evening. The pier has restaurants and rides, and extends out over the ocean so it's beautiful. The promenade is a lovely pedestrian street of shops, restaurants, etc with live performers here & there along the way.

[julifish]

Originally Posted by semantje

Ohhh we would love to do and US roadtrip once in our life so I am keeping an eye on this thread. You know what I really miss is like a software or online system where you can plan a trip. Put in a map with the route, all the stops with hotels. If somebody else found it please let me know. I searched for hours and did not find any that I was looking for.

We use TripIt (which is a phone ap) to track all our reservations, etc. Then I make a Google Map with all our stops on it. It's accessible by phone at any time as long as we have service. It works great for us!

Thank you all for the great ideas! Jelly Belly factory sounds like something I would have totally missed - will have to see if I can get it in to the driving route for something different to do. I wanted to see Alcatraz and it's good to hear that others have liked that too! Chinatown in SF is on my list as well. Will have to map out some of the other suggestions - I'm so excited now!!!

Lynnette - I appreciate you pointing out what the weather will be like. I will plan accordingly. We are planning to go to a baseball game in one of the cities as we are big baseball fans. We have a family curse that we always bring a heatwave with us. When we went to Seattle a few summers ago the average high was low 80's. It was in the 90's the whole time we were there and of course we didn't have AC in the apartment we rented.

For LA - La Brea Tar Pits and Santa Monica Pier are on my list. Will check out a few of the others. Looking for some neat, off the beaten path places too that are just kind of cool and things not everyone would go see.

Keep the ideas coming! This is shaping up to be another awesome vacation!!!

[eranslow]

I would definitely do a game in San Fran over any of the LA area teams. It's such a cool stadium and the views are just gorgeous! I miss going to Giant games!! (I would do Giants over the A's too - unless they built a new stadium for the A's - there's not much going on there!)

[Neverland Scraps]

Oh my goodness, we did a road trip to CA a while I was pregnant with my youngest! We went to the ocean as none of us had ever seen the Pacific, visiting Santa Monica Pier. We drove up to San Francisco, drove over the bridge and drove down Lombard Street several times, did Alcatraz, even visiting Santa Rosa to the Snoopy Museum. We drove to Yosemite and enjoyed the nature and the park. Basically while we did our road trip, we hit 8 National Parks in 10 days. It was amazing!! To me, our family enjoyed the beauty of the scenery. We didn't even do Disney while we were out there :O I know, right?!

As far as must have's, Rodeo Drive was a lot of fun for my kids. They also liked REALLY liked seeing the Pacific Ocean, even to the point after they were told NOT to go in the ocean, they "fell" in the ocean anyways and as a result flew home in sandy, wet clothes!

Just enjoy the beauty and try not to get frustrated with the craziness of the drivers and the huge 8-lane freeways! Oh I'm so jealous you are going, I wish we could go back--maybe when the little man is a little bit older we'll make another trip out west again!

Take PLENTY of photos!
Oh...take a power strip with you (or buy one out there), so you can charge all your electronics in one location instead of using every available outlet in the hotel/house. Just a little something we learned along the way with all our cameras, cell phones and tablets!

[rach3975]

Originally Posted by Nettio

My number one tip would be to pack your winter clothes. Summer in SF often means 60s and damp fog which coming from Florida may be a bit of a shock.

Originally Posted by MamaBee

I second Muri Woods - we also went to SF on our honeymoon... haha

We also went to San Francisco on our honeymoon. We were there in late June and early July, and we were freezing! I think we lived in the few pairs of jeans we'd brought, and DH had to go buy a sweatshirt since he hadn't packed anything warm.

San Francisco and LA are the only 2 places I've been in CA. We went to San. Fran on our honeymoon and to LA for a wedding a year later, so we didn't get to do too many touristy things there.

The one thing I'd highly recommend in LA is the Warner Brothers VIP studio tour. We were there in the late '90's, and it was pretty cool to take a tour that included sets from ER and Gilmore Girls and hear all the tour guide's stories. I also remember seeing props from Friends and famous cars that had been used in movies and tv shows.

[Nettio]

Originally Posted by rach3975

We also went to San Francisco on our honeymoon. We were there in late June and early July, and we were freezing! I think we lived in the few pairs of jeans we'd brought, and DH had to go buy a sweatshirt since he hadn't packed anything warm.

Yes exactly! My sister works at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and she says they see it all the time. Tourists show up in shorts and are totally shocked and unprepared for how cold it is. Well and the abundance of microclimates doesn't help since you can easily drive 20-30 minutes and have the temperature change 10-20 degrees or more. I never go anywhere without a coat when I'm home.

[MamaBee]

Oh - if doing Chinatown - you have to go to Golden Gate Fortune Cookie company... you have to walk down this little ally and it's a hole in the wall joint. For 50 cents, you can take a photo of them making the cookies by hand... you can also buy cookies and rejects.

http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com...unecookie.html

When we went last summer/fall... Alcatraz was booked - you had to buy tickets ahead of time - like 2 weeks ahead of time... just something to plan.

Also if you do the Japanese Gardens... we had tea there and little snacks... that was one of my highlights. haha

I love, love SF... if you can't tell... haha

I've been to LA area many, many times, but always for work... so didn't see much outside of Fullerton/Brea area.

[lingovise]

some of our faves in the SF area :

Japanese Gardens and Ghirardelli Square are both very cool and offer some fab photo ops. it's been a few years, but Ghirardelli used to offer some really great chocolate tasting tours.

Chinatown is ahhhmazing!

Ike's Place - for off the wall tasty sandwiches. they offer some terrific vegetarian/vegan options and a slew of crazy never to be seen again variety of chips and sodas [Voodoo chips!]. and if you go, be sure to check out their [not so] "secret menu" of sandwiches that are only available by request [& not listed on their menu].

if you're eager to do the cable cars, I'd also second the idea to walk up to the cable car museum and take advantage of investigating all of the very cool shops and street vendors. we've picked up some really terrific finds from local artisans along that route. then take the cars back down, we've always found them to be far less crowded going in that direction.

Lombardi Street is also a must see, simply for the classic photo ops!

if you make it across the bridge and into Napa, I highly recommend eating at Mustard's Grill. Amazing food and service every time we've been.

and def dress in layers for SF. pants/capris with sweatshirts or light jackets handy... I'm always cold there, no matter the time of year.

also seconding the drive down HWY 1. it'll take you longer, but it is sooooo worth it! beautiful coastal views all the way.

if you like historical homes/museums... Hearst Castle is very cool. stunning views with loads of history and artwork to explore. also in the San Simeon area is the Elephant Seal Boardwalk. not to be missed if you're in those parts, we absolutely loved it!

LA area :

strolling down the Hollywood Walk of Fame and driving through Beverly Hills / Rodeo Drive are cool pop culture experiences to enjoy while you're on your way to other sites.

Santa Monica Pier is amazing [the carousel!!]. it's fun to just walk around and sight see, but if anyone in the family is a history buff, I'd recommend taking one of the historical walking tours. most of them are free and they're usually chalk full of interesting information and hidden treasures. my cousin is a Pier Historian and wrote a great book about the pier and its local folklore.

and if you're in that neck of the woods, Venice Beach is seriously not to be missed!! never a dull moment on the boardwalk!

those are just a few that come to mind. I'm totally jealous, I do so love coastal California. you'll have such an amazing time!

[kristijoy]

The 'Disney Family Museum' in San Francisco is wonderful too. It tells the story of Walt's life. Lots of cartoons and goodies to see!

We also rented bikes and rode across golden gate bridge and then down into Sausalito (then you ride the ferry back). I wasn't so sure about being up on that bridge, but that bike ride is one of my favorite travel experiences!

I think your kids are old enough to appreciate Alcatraz. My 8 year old would've freaked out.

And the cable car museum is awesome too. Its a small free place but you can see the cable and gearing that actually run the cable cars. If your kids like 'history' this would be a great place to visit. It's not too far from Chinatown so you could definitely combine activities.

Also if you want some interesting literature tie-ins: Laurence Yep is a Chinese American children's author. He writes books of various levels about the Chinese American experience. He has a number of books set in San Francisco. Here's a few: Goblin Pearls or The Earth Dragon Awakes which is about the San Francisco earthquake. Although...I would probably NOT recommend that you read about earthquakes just before you go to San Francisco!