Beach/sightseeing/Lodging recommendations north of LA

[HHMcG]

My family is doing a 2 week CA trip ending with Disneyland. We have the two days/one night free before we arrive in Disneyland. We will be driving down the coast from Cambia/Marro Bay south. (Highlighted portion of map.) I am looking for recommendations on beaches to visit and places to sightsee. Also looking for a recommendation on where to spend our one night. Would love a nice, cute town with things to do but looking to spend <$400.

Trip is my husband, myself and our three teens. Will spend the rest of the trip in National Parks and one day/night in San Francisco.

TIA for all your help!

 

[China Expat]

I recommend San Clemente or Laguna Beach for a cute, walkable town vibe, especially Laguna Beach.

 

[LKing]

Have you calculated how much time it is going to take you to drive from Cambria to Disneyland - not just the milage, but the winding roads coming down the coast and the traffic once you hit the outskirts of LA?

Suggestions:
Check out the elephant seals in Piedras Blancas.
Depending on the time of day you are driving through, you might want to check out Nepenthe/Cafe Kevah for food. Reservations highly recommended.
Would your kids be interested in Solvang?
Do you want to stay on the beach or are you looking for beaches to visit? If you are visiting, I would do Santa Barbara and the wharf. Not sure if you will have time for State Street. Hotels are pricey in SB so you probably don't want to stay there.
I would avoid the Mailbu/Pacific Palisades area.
In LA, you might want to look at Manhattan Beach.

 

[DeeBee3]

We drove from San Francisco to the Newport Beach area years ago. We loved Santa Barbara but also enjoyed Solvang.

 

[felice]

Have you calculated how much time it is going to take you to drive from Cambria to Disneyland - not just the milage, but the winding roads coming down the coast and the traffic once you hit the outskirts of LA?

Suggestions:
Check out the elephant seals in Piedras Blancas.
Depending on the time of day you are driving through, you might want to check out Nepenthe/Cafe Kevah for food. Reservations highly recommended.
Would your kids be interested in Solvang?
Do you want to stay on the beach or are you looking for beaches to visit? If you are visiting, I would do Santa Barbara and the wharf. Not sure if you will have time for State Street. Hotels are pricey in SB so you probably don't want to stay there.
I would avoid the Mailbu/Pacific Palisades area.
In LA, you might want to look at Manhattan Beach.

I guess it depends on what class of hotel in Santa Barbara you are looking for. True, some of them are expensive ...

... but not all. My wife and I stayed there recently and were at the Orange Tree Inn, a short walk away from downtown. Car parking is plentiful and there's a 7-Eleven around the corner for supplies. It's close-ish to a Marriott hotel, which, yes, is pricey. The Orange Tree Inn is 2-star and is clean & tidy. Good value.