The Golden State is big, like really, really big. From Death Valley National Park, the hottest, lowest and driest place on Earth to McWay Falls one of the most photographed waterfalls in the world, California has so many adventures that are perfect for traveling with your kiddos. Try to hug a giant Sequoia in Sequoia National Park, learn to SUP around seals in Redondo Beach, go on a taco tour in San Diego, watch the sunset over Yosemite Falls in Yosemite, sip your way around Sonoma’s wine country, road trip to Joshua Tree and go vintage shopping in Palm Springs. And we didn’t even mention all the fun things in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and dozens of other incredible cities in California. Let’s explore!
At 30,000 Feet: 840 Miles of Coastline. 17 Million gallons of wine each year. 1 billion pounds of strawberries produced a year. 9 National Parks.
Best Advice. California is best explored over multiple days and many trips. While you can visit Disneyland, Joshua Tree National Park, Yosemite National Park and San Francisco all on the same trip, don’t. Each area is so rich with adventures that you need to travel slowly to truly enjoy each stop.
Fly into smaller airports near bigger cities (like Burbank for LAX) for easier check-ins and fewer crowds.
May Haze and June Gloom are very real in Southern California- if you want a beach vacation, come in September or October.
Explore Los Angeles by neighborhood rather than trying to criss-cross the city multiple times a day.
Always take the scenic route – The PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) is a longer but much more beautiful drive than taking I-5.
Everything is popular, so book camp sites or popular hotels in advance.
Visit traditional ski destinations in the summer, like Lake Tahoe or Mammoth Mountain, for awesome family friendly adventures like mountain biking, paddle boarding, and hiking.
