Help plan our family vacation to California.
Need some advice on where to go and what to see. We’re flying into either LA or San Fran and our focus will be nature not the cities. We’ll be there at the end of May early June for about 8 days. I’ve got 3 teens and 1 preteen. Wife(no pic)is trying to convince me to waste a day at Universal Studios, I’m not feeling it, is that worth it? We’re definitely going to Big Sur and Sequoia NP. Any suggestions? Thanks.
1) If you can get to the Florida versions of Disney and Universal, there’s no need to visit the Cali versions as they are not nearly as big or good. If you want to add some roller coaster action in, then I recommend Six Flags Magic Mountain or Knott’s Berry Farm as they’re both pretty unique. Magic Mountain is like any of the Cedar Fair parks you’re probably used to ie terrible food, terrible theming, low rent meth loving crowds and sh+^+y customer service but a large collection of really good roller coasters (6FMM is my favorite “roller coaster park” even over the other Six Flags and Cedar Fairs). Knott’s Berry Farm on the other hand is like Dollywood and Silver Dollar City, great food, better theming than all but the Universal, Disney and to a lesser extent Busch Gardens theme parks, and good customer service but not as extensive or intense of a coaster selection.
2) In choosing between San Fran and LA as your starting and end point, it comes down to priorities. Food and scenery are FAR better in San Fran, but LA definitely has more to do. The beaches at both places blow #*%* Compared to Florida, Hawaii, and the OBX in looks plus the water is cold even in LA as the Pacific is at least ten degrees colder than the Atlantic on equivalent latitudes, so only if you are wowed by New Jersey and New York beaches should you waste anymore Time than a quick hour beach walk and photo shoot on any of the beaches. If you HAVE to do a beach, then I recommend Matador or one of the other more secluded beaches around Malibu. But yeah…only Midwesterners and Left Coast residents are amazed by the beaches out there. To a Floridian they’re all garbage.
3) So-called ”Central California” between Santa Cruz or Monterey and Santa Barbara is by far my favorite area in the West Coast. Not only do you get amazing wineries on par with but far more cheaper and more photogenic than Napa and Sonoma in the Santa Ynez mountains and the Santa Maria Valley but it’s also fun/tasty to the Lompoc “Wine Ghetto” in Santa Barbara itself as you can easily stumble from one to the next. And of course you can redo the Sideways movie and grab some Santa Maria style bbq at The Hitching Post 2 (or I prefer the Far Western Tavern for that style of BBQ). California Highway 1 is definitely the most photogenic Highway in mainland America so set aside a full day just to drive and do photos and short hikes at the many parks and “vista points” along the way in between Saint Babs and Monterey. Also, Pfeiffer State Park is one of the best state parks in the country along with Niagara in NY, Goblin Valley in Utah and Bahia Honda in Florida. So even though it’s not a National Park do not skip it. Also if you want to hang out where I proposed to my wife, it’s the famous Bixby Bridge.
I’ve got some chores to do now but I’ll come back with lots more tips. But I’ll leave you with this one, don’t just hit San Fran and go South or LA and go North. Sausalito with its amazing Muir Woods filled with giant redwoods is a must do north of the Golden Gate and I’d consider the San Diego Zoo a must do for any first time trip to southern California as it’s the best zoo in the world.
