When I was 14 years old my family took a trip to San Francisco for a few days and it wound up being one of those “I remember everything” types of vacations. 30 years later, I am still grateful for those experiences that truly piqued my interest in travel – seeing sea lions basking on the docks, being surrounded by taffy at a candy store on the ocean, touring one of the world’s most notorious prisons, riding a trolley car, eating sourdough fresh out of the oven…as a kid, this all felt so next level.
My husband and I wanted to do a similar San Francisco trip for our kids as soon as school let out – warm sourdough included – but we didn’t want to stop there. We added on some days in June to experience pieces of California that have been on our bucket list, which included Muir Woods, Sausalito, Monterey, Big Sur, Santa Rosa, and Carmel.
It appears to be a beastly undertaking, but planning a trip like this isn’t as complicated as it sounds and can be a very family-friendly option. This particular trip included quite a bit of car time and had some high cost elements (duh, California) but – just like me 30 years ago – I know for a fact they’ll remember it forever.
Where We Stopped
Days 1-3
San Francisco
Days 4-6
Monterey/PCH
Day 7-8
Novato/Sonoma
Where We Stayed
No Longer Listed but SIMILAR TO THIS
San Francisco, California (next to Golden Gate Park)
4 guests, 2 beds, 1 bed/1 bath
Hideaway in the Hills Guest Suite and Spa
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
6 guests, 5 beds, 1 bed/1 bath
Sunny House
Novato, California
6 guests, 3 beds, 3 bed/1.5 bath
Day 1: Fly into SFO and explore the City of San Francisco
MSP to SFO is a nice 3-4 hour flight if you get nonstop, and car rental is a breeze once you arrive. We used our Costco membership to find the best deal and did the expedited car pickup so you just go straight to your car. Not renting a car for San Francisco? You can make that work because their BART System is fantastic and relatively simple to navigate, but you’d want to be staying in the action and will do a lot of walking (which is fine, but our kids were not at the age where this was a smart option). Also, if you want to cruise down the coast or do Muir Woods, I highly recommend getting a car for the full duration of your vacation.
Getting into it – first stop when in California? Always ALWAYS In-N-Out Burger (YOU try telling my husband otherwise). It’s a staple, it’s cheap, the menu is small, and if you search “In-N-Out Secret Menu” on Google, your kids might have a fun time ordering their sandwiches “animal style” or their fries as “roadkill.”
What’s more exciting when visiting an oceanside state than seeing the ocean? That had to be our first stop. Ocean Beach was a mere 20 minute drive from the airport and yes, the water was cold in June, but that didn’t stop us from cartwheeling on the beach and dipping our feet in the water.
After seeing the ocean firsthand, we headed over to Golden Gate Park to get the best view of the San Francisco icon – the Golden Gate Bridge. This park is 1,000+ acres of green built into botanical gardens, a conservatory, Japanese Tea Garden, kids play areas, a carousel, sports fields, even the California Academy of Sciences.
Surrounding Golden Gate Park are your quintessential San Francisco neighborhoods. Find yourself the Full House home, figure out how to drive the ups and downs of the intense hills (including Lombard Street), stop for ice cream, and get a feel for the city’s layout as you drive down the narrow streets.
Right on the outskirts of Golden Gate Park was Haight-Ashbury. This was on my list of want-to-sees, so my family kindly obliged. While the kids were not impressed by the area (I wouldn’t label it as “kid-friendly by any means), I enjoyed the 1960s throwback hippie vibe that still lives a this corner today. Lots of vintage shops, record stores, bookstores, and dive bars make up the neighborhood, but if you squint your eyes hard enough you can see the ghost of Janis Joplin strumming her guitar on the sidewalk.
Nothing specific stood out as far as stops go, other than Powder Ice Cream and Slice House with some seriously cool inside decor. And if you’re a super fan of Ms. Joplin, you can pop over to her home and get a photo of the outside the pink building, just for funzies.
Our tired crew called it a day after pizza and, after one last stop to get a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, we hit up the Airbnb and crashed hard.
Day 2: Sutro Baths, Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf, Musée Mécanique, Chinatown, Little Italy
Wake up bright and early to catch the worm. Or better yet, to see the sunrise over the Sutro Baths. On the edge of a cliff, these baths have quite a history but are now just a collection of salt water pools, some ruins, and crumbling walls. It’s very cool to see, and if you need a way to sell it, tell the kids it’s a haunted spot (especially the tunnel) with the ghosts of shipwrecks past.
Then grab a cup of local coffee, some pastries at one of the many neighborhood bakeries, stop at an overlook or ten, and make your way to the wharf area to enjoy a day in true San Francisco style.
Head towards the water and the wharfs and get ready for a full day of fun and adventure. The hardest part of your whole day might be finding parking, but there is a parking ramp near Pier 39 as well as street parking (metered). The ramps cost around $10/hour but can be less if you’re lucky or more if you’re normal. But once you get parked, it’s easy breezy and – as long as you are willing to walk – it’s all walkable. Other transportation options include renting bikes or taking the cable cars (a must!).
If you’re looking for more than straight-up wharf stuff, some cool family options right in this area would be the Ghiradelli Chocolate Experience, the Cartoon Art Museum (for animation lovers), Alcatraz Island (my biggest regret of this trip was not doing a tour here), or the Hyde Street Pier to see old-timey ships. Our family headed straight to Fishermans Wharf to check it out. It’s definitely touristy and the price tag comes with it (but so do the free public restrooms). They try to sell you on mirror mazes, sightseeing tours, souvenir shops galore, wax museums, fudge, and funky street vendors. We were in the market for good seafood, sourdough, and sea lions, but definitely hit up some souvenirs.
The whole Fishermans’ Wharf area is made up of a multitude of piers, with the most famous being Pier 39. This pier has salt water taffy, restaurants galore, a great view of Alcatraz, a working carousel, magic shops, street performers, a sea aquarium, and of course the famous sea lions. Our kids settled in on the benches with an ice cream cone and listened to the sea lions talk to each other, push each other off the docks, and slither into the water with grace, easy, and humor. They are such fun animals to watch and they are so close to you – it’s a blast to just sit and take it all in.
Walking along the water is touristy but fun. We popped into Boudin Bakery for some fresh sourdough and ate it by the water before heading to an antique video arcade. We found Musée Mécanique at Pier 45, a nearly-100-year-old video arcade filled with coin-operated, turn-of-the-century entertainment. The place is huge with over 300 machines in their original working condition, including some “XXX peep shows”, music boxes, fortune tellers, and some freaky ass dancing dolls. It was one of the wackiest places I’ve ever been and I’m so glad we went! Talk about a unique memory! For obvious reasons, no food or drink is allowed inside and there is no admission price – you simply pay for the games you want to play and enjoy the walk through history.
If you’ve got your walking shoes on, you should able to make the trek to Little Italy and Chinatown. Assuming you’re hungry by now (and if you’re not, get hungry because you WILL want to eat in Little Italy), there are plenty of stops for authentic tasty Italian food in Little Italy – our choice was Capo’s for deep dish pizza, but other classics worth a visit include The Stinking Rose, Golden Boy Pizza, and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana – all family friendly.
On a full belly, keep walking to Chinatown and take in the atmosphere. Our kids were in awe of the cultural elements, the decor, the fish being sold on the sidewalk, the murals and architecture. But their favorite part was seeing how fortune cookies were made at Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. Tucked into a small alley, the smell and potential line will give away its location. We didn’t wait long, eventually making our way to viewing how the lady handmade fortune cookies, going from flat to folded in under one second. I’m not the biggest fan of fortune cookies, but I’ve never been so tempted to buy an entire bags’ worth of them. Plus, it’s free to view!
We ended the day with the long walk back and crashed hard, gearing up for another day of awesomeness!
Day 3: Picnic breakfast, Muir Woods, Muir Woods Beach, Sausalito, Palace of Fine Arts
On our third day we woke up at sunrise, looked up local donuts and drove down to the Golden Gate Postcard Viewpoint for juice and pastries. Our kids still talk about this morning, eating at a picnic table with the bridge behind us without a care in the world. It was magic.
After breakfast we hit up the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, read up on some history, did some souvenir shopping, and took some pics in front of the bridge. Finally, we headed to the grand adventure – crossing the famous bridge – and made our way to Muir Woods.
The Muir Woods Visitor Center is about 30 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge and it’s a pretty curvy drive. If you don’t know much about Muir Woods – just like any National Monument – I suggest doing your research before heading out. For example, with Muir Woods reservations are ALWAYS required. To make your reservations, visit gomuirwoods.com and select your date of visit. Dates go out as far as three months. You will be prompted to pay for either a shuttle or parking pass ($10) and also be charged a park entrance fee ($15 for 16+, free for under 16).
Walking around Muir Woods is like cruising through an oil-painted fairytale. With some of the oldest redwood trees in the world, birds, reptiles, streams, boardwalks, and photo-worthy moments everywhere you look, this was one of our stops that I was kind of “meh” about before we went, and wound up being one of the greatest adventures of our trip! There is a small cafe and a large gift shop with some unique buys.
We spent a good few hours roaming these woods, and it was mosquito-free which is a Minnesotan’s dream. We packed a lunch and stopped at a beautiful spot (there’s no shortage of those) to eat together and rest. The Redwood Creek trail is their most popular trail, utilizing the boardwalk a lot of the way, with a nice view of the creek beside you. It is 2 miles in length and completely doable for little legs since there are so many amazing redwoods and bridges to see. You can also cut it shorter by using one of the earlier bridges in case you have really little littles or need the whole path to be a hard surface. Again, research before entering and you’ll be just fine. Oh, and pee before you start the hike. You’re welcome.
What do you do when your kids complete an “exhaustive” hike? We hit up the beach, of course! It wasn’t warm enough to swim but they had a blast playing in the sand and climbing rocks (my daughter and I even took a nap)!
Muir Beach is only a 10 minute drive from Muir Woods Visitor Center so it’s convenient with a large parking lot and a tiny walk to the sand. It’s a quieter lagoon but has no lifeguards, and – I forgot to mention – the northernmost part of the beach is clothing optional. While we only saw clothed sunbathers, I figured it was worth mentioning.
There is a gorgeous viewpoint called the Muir Beach Overlook that offers views of whales on occasion so if you weren’t sick of walking yet (it’s about a 30 minute hike from the beach), this one is worth seeking out.
Next up – Sausalito! A 20-minute drive back towards the Golden Gate Bridge you will find the adorable town of Sausalito, which sits waterfront with a touristy main street of unique shops, cafes, and a marine mammal center. It’s an artsy stop and you can tell it has (lots of) money, but we could not resist the Sausalito Taco Shop. Was probably our most expensive meal of the trip, but dang do they make a good fish taco! And before you leave town, pick up some ice cream and check out the stairs by the ocean. They are exactly what they sound like.
After our tummies were full and our feet were wet, we headed back over the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco and decided to stop at the giant park across the bridge to take in some scenery. We parked by the Palace of Fine Arts, a Greco-Roman-looking structure that hosts festivals, art exhibits, weddings, and more. We just wanted to run around the greenery and see how cool it looked underneath the big rotunda. And that’s exactly what we did. A sunset at the Palace of Fine Arts was one of my favorite moments. Yay for unplanned pitstops!
Bedtime came quickly after this busy day of movement and we welcomed it with open arms. Day 3 – done!
Day 4: Drive to Monterey, Taco Bell (Yes, Taco Bell), Grey Whale Cove, Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz Boardwalk
Having crushed three solid days in the San Francisco area, it was time to move on. So we big adieu to the hills and spent day 4 making our way down the coast towards Monterey. But not before we made a stop at Tartine Bakery. Suggested by my foodie friend, it was something on my “must-do” list and I’m so glad we did. No better way to start a day than cinnamon rolls and fresh bread. And coffee.
The drive time from San Francisco to Monterey in total is about 3 hours if you take the oceanside route – the Pacific Coast Highway. This drive is absolutely legendary in its beauty, sightseeing, and awesome stops (of which we did many). Nothing screams California like windows down smelling the ocean salt.
Our first stop once we left San Fran was in the Pacifica area. It was the stop of the century for our kids (and my husband). It was awesome and hilarious and memorable. It was… Taco Bell. Now, wait a minute before you start laughing. This Taco Bell sits ON the ocean, overlooks the beach, and serves beer. It’s built like a beach house but serves all the TB favorites. We ordered everything on the menu (beer included) and enjoy a Taco Bell like we’ve never experienced. Are we simple people? Yes, yes we are.
A short bit down the highway you can visit Gray Whale Cove State Beach. This was another spot on my husband’s list because of the wooden tree swing and the potential to see grey whales near the shoreline. We didn’t see whales but we did swing above the cove.
The beach sand down in the cove was too tempting so we walked down the (many) wooden stairs into the cove. The waves were the perfect height for outrunning and the sand was soft and warm. It was a perfect pitstop for some out-of-car R&R. If you go to the beach, scoop up some sand immediately after the water comes up the shore and you’ll see slews of sand crabs. We caught about 50 of them and the kids used my shoe as their storage space. Happy I wore my waterproof Toms. If you have a bucket in your car, bring it with. And remember, those stairs you had to climb down to get IN to the cove, you’ll also have to climb to get OUT.
Another 10 minutes down the road, we stopped in the town of Half Moon Bay for ice cream (and because we had to go to the bathroom). Also happened to find a taco truck and some harbor seals playing near the shore while we ate our nachos. If you have extra time on your hands, look into HMB Kayak Co. and rent a kayak or a bike to check out the harbor area.
Part of road tripping fun is the random stops (even if they are just because someone has to go to the bathroom). 45 minutes after Harbor Moon, we saw a roadside berry farm. Highly recommend stopping for strawberries if you’re in California in May or June! We still talk about the jam we bought at Swanton Berry Farm. Plus, strawberry pie, smoothies,
While strawberries make for a lovely roadside stop, the kids would agree that our next stop wiped the floor with the berries! 20 minutes south of the berry farm we pulled into a huge parking lot and turned the kids around and their jaws hit the floor – the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. A nice surprise for their little legs that were sick of being in the car. The Boardwalk is nothing extraordinary –it’s exactly what you’d expect as far as fair foods, rides, crowds, bright colors, and carnival games. But there were a LOT of rides for a boardwalk along the ocean. Like, a LOT. But that’s where the cost comes in. For unlimited rides, it’s around $70/person. Seemed steep to us for the amount of time we wanted to kill here so we stuck to playing a few carnival games, winning some stuffed animals, and drinking lemonade.
Be sure to check their online hours before you promise your kiddos anything. Rides aren’t always open (other than summer months) and sometimes there are special events happening. Just like anything, do your research to prevent a Wally World moment. If your family is made up of ride and fair people, you could legitimately spend a full day on the Boardwalk. There’s no admission cost so it’s also a great option if you simply want to stretch your legs and snarf some mini donuts.
After the Boardwalk, we piled back in the car, grabbed dinner at a taco truck and ate it at a brewery in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz had plenty to offer for food and entertainment. I wish we could’ve stayed longer.
But alas, off we went to finish the last hour of our driving adventure that day. We landed at our Airbnb in Carmel-by-the-Sea, an adorable house with unique features and a hot tub (bonus!). We unwound from the day, watched some TV, and crashed. Hard.
Day 5: Monterey Cannery Row, The Great Tide Pool, Old Fisherman’s Wharf
When rising early in Carmel-by-the-Sea, it’s almost mandatory to hit up the Ocean Avenue area and grab a pastry from one of their delicious bakeries. We were walking distance from there, so our day started at Carmel Bakery (known for their giant pretzels, but all of their sweets are to out of this world). But what we REALLY wanted was to pop into the Cottage of Sweets which didn’t open until later. But if you’re in the area longer, it is a unique (albeit pricier) area that offers a wide variety of restaurants, upscale boutique shops, and sweet treats.
The city of Monterey is a quick 15-minute drive from Carmel-by-the-Sea so we headed out bright and early (post-pastry) and parked on Cannery Row. This is a tourist-centric street that literally sits alongside the Pacific Ocean and is a great space for families to roam safely in a space of sea air and souvenirs. You’ll find cute breweries, popcorn and pizza shops, kitschy gift shops, art, and plenty of tourist attractions. But if you dig into it, Cannery Row actually holds quite an extensive history, from Native American, Asian, and European settlements, industry booms for sardines and whaling, and actually inspired John Steinbeck’s famous novel “Cannery Row.”
We shopped around (yes, we are guilty of buying matching Lifeguard sweatshirts for our three kids), played in the water a bit, grabbed some lunch, and then drove 10 minutes west to one of the highlights of the trip – the Great Tide Pool. Parking here was a breeze and the walk was short. Our kids wore their waterproof, close-toed Keens and I was very grateful for that. The rocks can get slippery and it’s not hard for your feet to slip into the water (which is very shallow, so don’t worry).
So what’s so cool about some shallow water and a bunch of rocks? The life that lives among those rocks.
Take your time here. Skip rock to rock. Bend down and search for anemones, starfish, snaily things, crabs of all sizes, even the occasional seal with show his face close to the shore. The beach was a lovely spot to chill and hang out (speaking of “chill”, it was very cold this day on the ocean – note: almost always pack a sweatshirt.
We spent a memorably long time at the Tide Pool, but once we had found our bazillionth crab, the kids were ready to move on. Our last stop of the day was Old Fisherman’s Wharf. This was back towards Cannery Row and has similar vibes to the piers in San Francisco. The narrow peninsula hosts shops and food and offers boat tours, sailing, and fishing opportunities. We came for the chowder. I had a bread bowl of clam chowder that was TO DIE FOR. The kids weren’t into the seafood scene so we bought them some ice cream to tie them over until dinner. Vacation mode, baby!
Everything felt extremely busy here the day we went (it was Father’s Day), and probably all the time. Seating was hard to find so we wound up grabbing a spot in the sun and ate our food on the concrete near the end of the peninsula. Prices were also quite high here, per usual for touristy areas like this. But it’s worth seeing.
We didn’t go anywhere on this trip without our swimsuits in the car, so after the wharf, we left the busyness and hit up Del Monte Beach right next door. Del Monte is the start of a long stretch of beaches including Monterey State Beach and Sand City Beach. We built sand castles, played in the cold water, burned some energy, and then hit up Pizza My Heart – a surf-themed pizza chain with funky flavors – for dinner before turning in for the night back at the Airbnb. It was a sea-themed day and we loved every minute!
Day 6: Point Lobos (Whales!), Bixby Bridge, Partington Cove, Monterey Lovers Point Beach
I feel like every vacation we take, we squeeze in a “dad’s hiking day.” It’s the day we let him find amazing trails with incredible sights, we hike and hike (and sometimes we whine and whine), but we are never ever disappointed at the end of the day. That was our Day 6. From our Carmel-by-the-Sea lodging, we headed south this time. Driving Highway 1 along the Pacific coast was definitely on the trip bucket list and it was not nearly as scary as some of the coast highways we’ve experienced (the Italian Amalfi Coast will literally make you poop your pants).
My husband had read about Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Partington Cove, and the famously frightening Bixby Bridge – so that’s what we did. Our road trip day was spent cruising south down the PCH, stopping at spots that looked eye-catching, seeing whales (bonus!), and taking in the ocean before heading back to our Airbnb in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Overall, this road trip from Monterey to Big Sur was only one hour there and one hour back and 100% worth it!
Our first stop was located right in Carmel and started the day off with a bang! Point Lobos Natural Reserve was pure magic. The cars lining the road were aplenty, but once we found a spot to park, the trails led to magnificent rocks along the coastline that were a delight to climb on. The trails kept going (and it progressively got windier) but up and up we went and once we hit the top, we looked out in the distance and saw whale spouts! It was far in the distance, but they were definitely whales!
You can make this trek as long or short as you like, but I’m so happy we did what we did and toughed out the cold. Scrambling the rocks was very Badlands-esque and the roped trails make it feel far safer along the cliffs than they would otherwise. I was grateful for that. Between the hike and the chilly air, I wound up carrying a napping preschooler on the hike back down, but let me tell you – it was worth it.
The drive down the coast continued after we piled back in the car. It was a short 15 minute drive before we encountered Bixby Bridge, the bridge that offers one of the most stunning and dramatic views in the country. Plus it’s a little creepy looking all up on its wooden stilts. Due to traffic and children, I was unable to snap a photo of the bridge but it’s worth a Google search for sure!
From Point Lobos, we made the straight shot to Partington Cove, but if we had all the time in the world on this one-day road trip, we would’ve looked at stopping at some of these:
- Bird Island Trail
- California Sea Otter Game Refuge
- Garrapata State Park Bluff Trail
- Brazil Ranch
- Big Sur Bakery / Big Sur Taphouse
- Pfeiffer Falls Trail
- E Molera Trail
We were happy with our few selections and picking so few means we got to spend significant time at each stop – so onward we went, the full 40 minute drive down to Partington.
Partington Cove is a small inlet with a steep narrow trail through forests and a cool 1800s tunnel. The trek is under a mile and brings you to either the cove or the beach (or both. We did both). Parking here was more open and included a lot as well as street parking. The hike down is steep and slick on the gravel paths. Heading to the cove was awesome with tons of rocks to scale, but do be careful near the edges. The water was peaceful, then aggressive, then peaceful again. It reminded me of my children 🙂
Once we were done scampering over rocks at the cove, we decided to venture over to Partington “Beach,” which is the other direction in which the trail goes. There was nothing beachy about it, but you wind up down at foot-in-water level and the rocks are much wetter to climb on. The ocean is still aggressive here as it’s a cove, but it was super cool to be sea level and be one with the ocean. If you packed snacks, this would be an ideal location to take a minute, have an apple, and listen to the water crash against the rocks.
For this hike, I was very grateful for my kids’ Keens waterproof shoes. Good grip, dry quickly, solid bottom. All the needed assets for the rocky terrain. I was also happy we wore layers and carried a backpack.
The hike back up is always harder (cuz, duh, it’s UP), but we made it and piled back into the car, absolutely exhausted and in awe of the power of the Pacific. We grabbed random goodies from a gas station around Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and ate outside, picnicking and relishing in a job well done.
Now it was time to drive back for one final night in our Carmel lodging (it treated us so well. And we definitely used the hot tub this night especially).
But before calling it a night, we stopped at Monterey Lovers Point Beach for a few more views. The kids found the perfect spot to outrun waves for a solid hour. Does that ever get old? Do kids ever outgrow this? I’m 43 and I STILL love outrunning waves! But they definitely stopped when we noticed a jellyfish-slash-stingray in the water (I don’t know my aquatica well enough to be able to decipher).
This beach is part of Lovers Point Park, a quaint rocky overlook that gives you more panoramic views of the ocean with a couple cute cafes, seagulls, and happy, hungry squirrels as a backdrop. We didn’t leave until we found a souvenir shop so everyone could get something to remember the day. A shark-tooth necklace, a visor, and one hat that looks like a squid head later, we headed to out to grab a bite to eat and crash back at the house. Hard.
Day 7: Monterey Aquarium, Magical Bridge Playground
One of the reasons we chose to stay in this area was to take our animal-loving daughter to the Monterey Aquarium. Since this was our last day in Monterey, we packed up our suitcases and loaded the car after saying goodbye to our very special Airbnb. We made a quick stop at Bagel Kitchen for breakfast (highly recommend) and headed to the aquarium.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is right on Cannery Row and tickets have to be purchased ahead of time (not available for walk-ins) and is only open until 5pm most days, so keep that in mind when planning your visit. Also, weekends and holidays (including summer break) are far busier than any weekday so if at all possible.
Tickets are $65/adult (ages 18-69); $50/youth (13-17); $45/child (5-12) and $50 for ages 70+. A family membership is good for 2 adults + all their kids and is $295. Maybe consider that if you have enough kids to make that math matter.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is the first aquarium to host a living kelp forest, and at 300,000+ square feet, this aquarium also holds 500+ species of (including an artistically-stunning jellyfish exhibit the only white shark in any aquarium in the United States) AND it sits along the ocean, which is a gorgeous backdrop to see from their giant windows. There is an auditorium that shows movies and hosts presentations throughout the day, you can watch underwater feedings, touch bat rays, play in the kids interactive play area, shop the gift store, and learn about conservation and how to care for the ocean and all that lives within it.
It’s a beautiful space, an educational wonder, an interactive experience that will leave your heart full and the memory on your phone camera even fuller. If you can fit this into your trip schedule and budget, it’s a very worthy adventure.
After the aquarium, it was finally time to get out of dodge. What we did not want to do for our last couple days was go back to San Francisco since we had already done that up right. So we booked an Airbnb in Novato, 2.5 hours north of Monterey (and 45 minutes north of the San Francisco Airport). But first, we made another stop at Inn-n-Out Burger. You guys, we have a hamburger problem.
To burn some energy along the route to Novato, we drove through Santa Clara (where we would return to the following day), Googled “playground,” and found Magical Bridge Playground. While it’s not worth going out of your way for, it was a great spot to let the kids run, hang, climb, play pretend, make music, and put on stage shows. A very unique and large-sized playground compared to the ones in my local Minnesota neighborhood.
Our night ended with wrapping up the drive to Novato, unpacking the necessities, going out for Mexican food, playing Scrabble, and going to sleep in preparation for another mini-roadtrip day as our last hurrah!
Day 8: Charles Schultz Museum, Lazzini’s Market and Deli, Wine Country, Sonoma Plaza
We made it to the last day and it was a whole day to fill with whatever came up! Sometimes those wind up being the best days of travel, and this day was no exception.
This next adventure might not be for everybody, but for my Peanuts-loving family, it was one of the most enjoyable places I’ve ever been. Right in the middle of Santa Clara sits a tribute museum to the one and only Minnesota-made Charles Schultz, creator of Snoopy, Lucy, Charlie, Linus, Sally, and my all-time favorite – Peppermint Patty. When we saw this museum was under a 30-minute drive, we were IN! Plus, we discovered that’s pretty significant Sonoma Wine Country and what better way for parents to unwind for a long vacation than a little dabble into wine country? It all worked out nicely.
The Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center is in Santa Rosa right in Sonoma County, one hour north of San Francisco. The museum has seasonal hours so be sure to check into that before planning your visit. And the price is right ($12/adults; $5/kids). Tickets cannot be purchased ahead of time – simply walk up and pay if you decide to go. Parking is free with a big lot.
The whole museum is dedicated to the contributions, history, and legacy of Charles M. Schultz, creator of The Peanuts comic strip (and so much more). Inside the museum, you’ll experience a recreation of Schultz’s drawing studio, see a tile mural made up of tiny black-and-white comic strips, walk a maze garden, play in an interactive art room, eat a cafe, and pick up some souvenirs at the gift shop.
Our family spent almost 2 hours roaming the rooms, drawing our own cartoons, spinning a zeotrope (google it!), watching films, reading about the feminism of Lucy (my favorite part), reading quotes, and taking photos. Personally, I could’ve spent another few hours reading every last word, but kids get squirrely so off we went. But, MAN, am I glad we went!
The cafe was closed the day we went so our first stop after the museum was food. We drove into Santa Rose and found an Italian build-your-own sandwich shop called Lazzini’s Market. If there’s one thing in this life my husband is best at it’s finding incredible sandwich shops. And this fit the bill. the giant sandwiches were custom to our liking, came with chips, and filled us up and then some!
When you’re thisclose to Sonoma, you make the journey. A quick 30-minute jaunt brought us to Sonoma Plaza, the centerpiece of Sonoma with shops, restaurants, art, coffee, a vintage movie theater, and a whole lotta history. With narrow walkways, mossy brick buildings, sculptures and fountains, this was a lovely spot to get in some steps (and eat ice cream).
When in wine country, what’s a gal to do? As “parents choice” of the day, we found a few wineries nearby and sat outside having a glass or two as the kids played ball and tag in the field. Peaceful, to say the least. The wineries we visited were Three Fat Guys (owned by three ex-NFL linemen) and B.R. Cohn Winery and Olive Oil Company (felt a little fancy for our family, but the wine was fantastic). Other wineries we wish we would’ve hit up include:
- Little Vineyards Family Winery
- Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Vineyards
- Trestle Glen Vineyards
- Eric Ross Winery (visited this one on our 5 year anniversary trip and remember vividly loving their reds!)
We found a dinner spot on our drive back up to Novato before doing the dreaded “pack up everything, trip’s done” packing. The kids settled in for the night, the parents stayed up and reminisced about all the stuff we squeezed in to a week in California, and we all crashed in anticipation of being home and able to sleep in our own beds again.
The morning drive from Novato to the San Fran Airport took almost an hour (breakfast drive-through and car rental return included).
Thinking back on how much we saw and did along that large chunk of coastline is remarkable to me. My only regret is not taking the kids to tour Alcatraz, but we loved it so much we will be back – and then we WILL visit Alcatraz.
Never will I ever regret taking a trip of this length. While it takes my husband awhile to talk me into incorporating extensive drive times into our travels, I’m always so happy we do it. Once you’re there, ya may as well try it all, right? Kids or no kids, San Francisco and it’s surrounding areas is an INCREDIBLE place to visit. Beauty around every corner. Ocean always at your side. It’s hard to beat.
What do YOU love most about the California coast? Is this a family trip you would consider taking? (hint: you should)
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