California summer road trip itinerary with kids: your recommendations

Hi there, We’re heading to California at the end of July for a road trip with our two kids, aged 7 and 9. Here’s our planned two-week itinerary: Los Angeles - San Diego - Palm Springs - Yosemite - Carmel and Big Sur - Santa Barbara - Los Angeles. We don’t want to go to San Francisco. Does this itinerary sound good to you? Any recommendations for accommodations, especially in Yosemite and Carmel?

Thanks in advance for your help.

In principle, the itinerary makes sense. It still seems a bit ambitious for 15 days though, since just the driving time alone is 21 hours according to Maps—more like 26 hours (I always add 20% to Google’s estimate, and from experience, that’s generally realistic). That’s almost 3 days already spent just on the road.

Be aware that the CA-1 is closed due to landslides. From Carmel, you can go as far as Lime Creek Bridge, but then you’ll have to turn around and take the I-101 to reach Santa Barbara. More info on this recent forum thread: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=10656124#10656124

You mention Carmel. Does that include the Monterey Aquarium too? I think it’s a must-see, especially with kids.

I don’t have the best memories of San Diego (though I didn’t visit the zoo, which is supposed to be one of the best in the world). Maybe you could cut it to free up time for the rest of the trip?

To see if your itinerary is realistic, try breaking it down day by day like this: Morning stop – Time for visits – Driving time – Evening stop. Use realistic times that account for breaks, meals, grocery stops, etc.

Thanks so much for your reply! So, if San Diego isn’t a must-see, it’d probably be the stop to cut. I’ll look into it more. Have a great day

San Diego isn’t necessarily a must. But do include two things in your road trip:

Joshua Tree National Park

https://maps.app.goo.gl/znuGJEqTejhZLgw69

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (especially Fonts Point, which is amazing, but a 4x4 is recommended). If you rent a big SUV like a Suburban, you’ll be fine.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6q8aaze9XaJQQ7HQ6

Just a heads-up, the road through Big Sur is still closed, so you’ll need to take the detour via Monterey to get down to Santa Barbara...

Anything in particular worth seeing in Santa Barbara?... I went once and didn’t find it all that interesting...

If I were you, I’d do: - Los Angeles (3 days) - Anza Borrego State Park (via the south) (2 days: First afternoon, visit Fonts Point and Anza Borrego. Next morning, Salton Sea (Bombay Beach - Salvation Mountain) – it’s like another world... Then head to Palm Springs in the afternoon). - Joshua Tree / Palm Springs (1 day Joshua Tree - 1 day Palm Springs) - Yosemite (plan for 1 day of driving—it’s a long haul—plus stops along the way, and 2 days there) - Monterey (1 day: Morning toward Monterey, afternoon at Point Lobos State Park and the 17-Mile Drive) Then from Monterey, you can visit Carmel and Big Sur (1 day) - Morro Bay - Santa Barbara (1 day) - And back to Los Angeles (1 day)

You can tweak it to fit into 15 days. I think it’s doable.

Thanks so much. I’ll go ahead and remove San Diego from the itinerary

Hi, I also think Usafan is right to skip San Diego, but in Monterey I really like the aquarium that opens onto the bay. The visit is interesting if you have the time.

Looks like I won’t be the only one visiting the Salton Sea! May 8: Lyon to SF May 9: SF – James Dean Junction and memorial – Bakersfield May 10: Bakersfield – L.A. – Indio May 11: Indio – Bombay Beach – Salvation Mountain – East Jesus – Anza Borrego Statues – Indio – Barstow For me, this is THE day of the trip! !

Hi Ducono, I loved Salton Sea. It's a weird and eerie place. If you're staying in Bombay Beach, a good spot: at the café, that's where you book (I think it's the only one near the sign with the 4 ladies water-skiing). You'll be surprised—we paid $80 for two in June 2022 (2 x $40). I couldn't send the video—MVI isn't supported.

Have a good evening. Jacques.

Video follow-up https://youtu.be/nisiRB2JkFs

I’d recommend catching the sunset at Fonts Point. It’s magical! Just make sure you have at least an SUV to get there—the road is pretty rough.

Hi there, Thanks everyone for your replies. I’m now having second thoughts about Palm Springs. We’ll be there in August, and it looks like it’ll be too hot to really enjoy it. We’re thinking of heading to Sequoia Park instead, which apparently is worth the detour. Thanks

Anyway, in August you're going to be *very* hot for 90% of your route... The least hot spots will probably be Yosemite and Sequoia... though even there. Nights will be cooler, but days will still be hot.

Hello.

If you have the time, there’s a spot you can reach on foot (16 km round trip) or by mountain bike. Near Ocotillo, close to the Mexican border. The video isn’t mine. The Goat Canyon Trestle - The World's Largest Wooden Railroad Trestle - YouTube

Have a great day. Jacques.

You also have: Pumpkin Spot in Anza-Borrego - Google Search

Amazing!!! Thanks.

I’m now having doubts about Palm Springs. We’ll be there in August and it seems like it’ll be too hot to fully enjoy it.

I don’t recall suffering particularly from the heat in Palm Springs. The aviation museum should interest the kids—part of the collection is indoors, so no problem there. And if you take the tram, it’ll be almost cool at the top!

The activities are pretty limited, so you’ll often be in the air-conditioned car between spots or in your hotel room. The rest of the time, you’ll be in the pool (the kids will love it—it can be a relaxing moment for them, worth including), because you’ll definitely have sunshine! Joshua Tree NP is easy to visit—it’s mostly flat. In conclusion, I wasn’t bothered *that* much by the high temperatures, even though I was expecting hell!

That said, I went when it was my tenth or fifteenth trip to the U.S., and even though I enjoyed it, I never thought, "Darn, I should’ve come sooner." It’s interesting, but not necessarily a must-see unless you’re a die-hard parks lover—Joshua Tree is still really nice, though.

Hi there, I really liked San Diego.. Otherwise, don’t forget to make the reservation for Yosemite—it’s mandatory!