Posted this on Trip Advisor and thought I'd share it here.
Recently completed a fantastic 13 day trip to CA with stops in San Francisco, Monterey, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and San Diego. I will post this trip report to each of the appropriate travel forums. Hopefully, this trip report will be of some use to other travelers, especially families with children. We are a NJ family of six, with kids aged 13, 11, 9 and 3, and geared most of our activities towards the kids. Heres a snapshot of what we did, where we stayed and what we ate:
Day 1: Arrival in SF. We used Lorries shuttle to take us from the airport to our hotel. With the kids and all the luggage this was an expense I didnt mind incurring. This was our first time visiting SF and each of our smiles were a mile wide as we entered the city and experienced the hills that the locals call streets. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Fishermans Wharf and really liked it. While I know that many advise against staying in the Fishermans Wharf area, the location really suited our purposes and daily activities. While the room could have used some updating, it was huge and clean, and the staff friendly and helpful. We ventured into Fishermans Wharf to find a late lunch at the crab stands, but didnt find them particularly appetizing. So, we did what all good tourists do and ate at Boudins (in the restaurant upstairs). Starved, we must have devoured a half dozen sour dough loaves. The food was okay (as we expected), but the view of the bay made up for it. Tired from our travels, but wanting to see some of the city we ventured over to the Powell and Market cable car where, after a 40 minute wait, we finally boarded. For a first timer, this was a fun experience. We rode to the end of the line in Union Square, walked around a bit and unwilling to bear another 40 minute wait, took taxis back to the hotel. With our late lunch and long day of travel, we skipped dinner and went directly for dessert at Ghirardellis. Sundaes all around made for some very happy kids.
Day 2: Had the first tour out to Alcatraz and experienced the bush man for the first, but not last time as we walked to Pier 33. Alcatraz was one of the best tour experiences weve ever had. Hungry upon our return, we crossed the street to Hillstone directly across from Alcatraz. It was a bit upscale for our needs, but very good. I would have preferred a casual walk to the Ferry Building for lunch (never made it over there), but we had a 1 pm Fire Engine Tour time to meet. The Fire Engine Tour was a trip highlight and I highly recommend to all, with or without kids (there were three adults who also toured with us and they seemed to have an equally great time). The ride over the Golden Gate Bridge in an open 1955 Mack Fire Engine is not to be missed (they provide ski masks and we used them it was cold). The Fire Engine attracts a lot of attention and we undoubtedly are featured in the photos of dozens of tourists who were snapping pictures. Wish we had more time to have explored Sausalito. The kids each picked out a house or two they intend to buy one day. Met up with a friend for dinner at a place of his choosing in North Beach, Tomassos. Chalk it up to our East Coast bias, but we thought the pizza was just okay. The immediate area of Tomassos was quite an eye opener to our 13 and 11 year old boys. After dinner, walked to Pier 39 and enjoyed the sea lions and festive atmosphere.
Day 3: We did as the locals do and commuted via two busses (during rush hour) to the CA Academy of Sciences. What a great museum. We lunched at the museum cafeteria that was just okay and very crowded. I would have liked to have explored Golden Gate Park, but we were all tired and had a late night ahead. We had a pre-dinner at In N Out Burger at Fishermans Wharf first time for us. Burgers were really good and became the favorite restaurant of the trip for our 11 year old. Back to the busses and our first of three baseball games. Loved, loved, loved AT&T Park. More food at the ballpark included garlic fries, Cha Cha bowl and more Ghirardellis. Didnt spend a fortune on seats; sat in the View section and indeed had a great view. Finding two cabs after the game was a challenge. Giants lost.
Day 4: Back to the busses and a day at the Exploratorium. This hands-on museum was perfect for all the kids from the oldest to youngest. Our older boys did the tactile dome (completely dark obstacle course of sorts) and highly recommended it. Wanting to avoid another museum lunch, we decided on a late dim sum lunch in Chinatown at Great Eastern. Although I prefer rolling carts, Great Easterns menu system with photos worked out well. The dim sum was good (on par with what we get in Suburban NJ). From Chinatown, we walked to Union Square where we picked up our rental minivan and returned to Fishermans Wharf to load our stuff. We said goodbye to San Francisco and began our drive to Monterey. Of course, we got stuck in rush hour traffic (felt just like home). Ate at Bubba Gumps (so-so, but about what we expected) and walked the streets a bit. Spent the night at another Holiday Inn Express in Monterey which was just okay, but we only used it for a nights rest and to get a jump on the long drive down the coast.
Day 5: Avoided 17 mile drive and headed directly for Pacific Coast Hwy. What. A. Drive. We had quite a bit of heavy fog in the early going that made for some fun driving. But when the fog lifted or when we hit the lower elevations, the views were intoxicating (kids even lifted their heads from their iPhones and iPad, which says a lot). We made only two detours before arriving in LA. First, we made a brief excursion to see the elephant seals. Second, at our 9 year old daughters urging, we visited Hearst Castle and were thankful for her insistence. Amazing place, amazing views, and got some amazing photos. We all decided that we need an indoor pool just like Mr. Hearsts. Arrived in LA for a late dinner and decided on Canters Deli. It was just okay; we have better Jewish delis back home. No celebrity sightings, although our waitress told us Britney Spears had visited the bakery not long before. Stayed in our third consecutive Holiday Inn Express by the Walk of Fame. Also thought this hotel was just okay.
Day 6: Found a Laundromat with fluff and fold service about 10 minute walk from hotel. Loaded up 30 pounds of laundry and the kids and off we went. Found that the area around the Walk of Fame turned a bit seedier and had wished we had driven, but all was okay. At $1/pound, this was an expense well worth it. Returned to explore the area around the Walk of Fame which didnt occupy the kids for very long. We then ventured in the car to Beverly Hills which also didnt interest the kids much. So we took off a bit early for our 1 pm Dodgers game. Everyone but my wife felt Dodgers Stadium was a dump (she thought it had character). Our seats were in the sun, it was in the mid 90s, the Dodgers gave up 5 early runs, and we departed the game in the fourth inning (Dodgers lost the game). With more of the day left than we had anticipated, we set out for Santa Monica. Loved it and decided that next time we visit we will stay there. Had dinner nearby at Kay and Daves which was my favorite meal of the trip. Totally kid friendly, very relaxed, and very tasty Mexican food.
Day 7: Universal Studios Hollywood. Weve been to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure in Orlando and didnt know how this would compare. We thought it was great. Once we got the Studio Tour out of the way first thing, the waits for attractions were relatively minor. I had contemplated purchasing in advance the front of the line passes and was glad I did not do so. We got to experience everything we wanted to see and do. Lunch was in the park at Flintstones BBQ (pretty good) and dinner was just outside the park in City Walk at Saddle Ranch Chop House. The food was just okay, but the attraction lies in the desserts. 3 foot bowl of cotton candy and two trays of make your own SMores at the outdoor fire pits. While I preferred Ghirardellis, the kids pronounced this the best dessert of the trip. Following dinner, we drove to Anaheim and stayed at the Howard Johnsons outside Disneyland. This was the least expensive hotel we stayed in, but it was perfect for us and liked it quite a lot.
Day 8: Fact that we could walk to Disneyland was a treat. We are Walt Disney World veterans and spent the first half of our day comparing Anaheim to Orlando. We generally found that we liked the attractions better at Disneyland, but that the magic of Disney was more tangible in Florida hard to explain. In any event, I came to really love Disneyland in the short time we were there. We grabbed a counter service lunch in the park and also had dinner in the park at Big Thunder Ranch BBQ (all you can eat) which was pretty good. After dinner, we hopped over to California Adventure for a couple of hours.
Day 9: Our first real breakfast of the trip at Millies next to HoJo (every breakfast before was at Holiday Inn Express). We thought breakfast was terrific, but it could have been because we were eating something other than toast and cereal. Spent the entire day at California Adventure and did just about everything there (Aladdin show is not to be missed). Had a great counter service lunch in the park at a Mediterranean restaurant by Paradise Pier. We splurged for dinner at Ariels Grotto in order to get the preferred seating for World of Color. The meal was good, but not worth the high price. With that said, it was worth it (to us) for the preferred seating as we had an unobstructed view of this amazing show and didnt have to worry about the kids not being able to see.
Day 10: Back to Disneyland to cover what we missed and for the kids to re-ride some of their favorites. Another really good counter service lunch at the Mexican restaurant in Frontier Land (we were generally pleased with the quality of the park food). Of course, I had to get a Dole Whip for dessert yum. Left the park for an early dinner at Naples in Downtown Disney. Found the pizza here really good. Also found a fantastic candy shop, Marcelines. Amazing what they do with candy apples. We found Downtown Disney a bit lacking, especially in comparison to its counterpart in Orlando and City Walk at Universal Studios. We said good bye to Anaheim and drove that night to San Diego where we stayed at Homewood Suites by the airport. We had a huge two room suite which was far and away our favorite accommodations of the trip.
Day 11: Sea World. Our older boys werent feeling well and we took the park at a slow and rather enjoyable pace. Saw all the major shows (got plenty wet in all the soak zones) and rode the few rides. A good day, but probably my least favorite of the amusement type parks. We took a drive to check out the ocean and my wifes iPhone led us to a Mexican restaurant in Normal Heights (I think). Dont recall the name and it wasnt particularly memorable. Got back to the hotel on the early side and rented movies for the kids.
Day 12: San Diego Zoo. I knew we were in for a special day when I didnt have to pay for parking. Its been said before, but the Zoo is great. I wasnt in charge of the Zoo map and we probably only saw a fraction of the place, but everything we saw was terrific. We hope to definitely return. After the Zoo, we went to a Padres game. I loved Petco Park and was glad to have experienced it (even though the Padres lost). We had thoughts of stopping by Ghirardellis in the Gas Lamp Quarter after the game, but the streets were so crowded and traffic so heavy we bailed and bought snacks at Trader Joes by our hotel instead.
Day 13: Had thoughts of waking early and checking out Hotel del Coronado, but just didnt find the time. Returned the rental car and arrived at the airport plenty early.
All in all, a very memorable trip. Next time around, we intend to do separate dedicated Northern California and Southern California vacations, but were glad to have tackled as much as we did in just under two weeks.
Recently completed a fantastic 13 day trip to CA with stops in San Francisco, Monterey, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and San Diego. I will post this trip report to each of the appropriate travel forums. Hopefully, this trip report will be of some use to other travelers, especially families with children. We are a NJ family of six, with kids aged 13, 11, 9 and 3, and geared most of our activities towards the kids. Heres a snapshot of what we did, where we stayed and what we ate:
Day 1: Arrival in SF. We used Lorries shuttle to take us from the airport to our hotel. With the kids and all the luggage this was an expense I didnt mind incurring. This was our first time visiting SF and each of our smiles were a mile wide as we entered the city and experienced the hills that the locals call streets. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Fishermans Wharf and really liked it. While I know that many advise against staying in the Fishermans Wharf area, the location really suited our purposes and daily activities. While the room could have used some updating, it was huge and clean, and the staff friendly and helpful. We ventured into Fishermans Wharf to find a late lunch at the crab stands, but didnt find them particularly appetizing. So, we did what all good tourists do and ate at Boudins (in the restaurant upstairs). Starved, we must have devoured a half dozen sour dough loaves. The food was okay (as we expected), but the view of the bay made up for it. Tired from our travels, but wanting to see some of the city we ventured over to the Powell and Market cable car where, after a 40 minute wait, we finally boarded. For a first timer, this was a fun experience. We rode to the end of the line in Union Square, walked around a bit and unwilling to bear another 40 minute wait, took taxis back to the hotel. With our late lunch and long day of travel, we skipped dinner and went directly for dessert at Ghirardellis. Sundaes all around made for some very happy kids.
Day 2: Had the first tour out to Alcatraz and experienced the bush man for the first, but not last time as we walked to Pier 33. Alcatraz was one of the best tour experiences weve ever had. Hungry upon our return, we crossed the street to Hillstone directly across from Alcatraz. It was a bit upscale for our needs, but very good. I would have preferred a casual walk to the Ferry Building for lunch (never made it over there), but we had a 1 pm Fire Engine Tour time to meet. The Fire Engine Tour was a trip highlight and I highly recommend to all, with or without kids (there were three adults who also toured with us and they seemed to have an equally great time). The ride over the Golden Gate Bridge in an open 1955 Mack Fire Engine is not to be missed (they provide ski masks and we used them it was cold). The Fire Engine attracts a lot of attention and we undoubtedly are featured in the photos of dozens of tourists who were snapping pictures. Wish we had more time to have explored Sausalito. The kids each picked out a house or two they intend to buy one day. Met up with a friend for dinner at a place of his choosing in North Beach, Tomassos. Chalk it up to our East Coast bias, but we thought the pizza was just okay. The immediate area of Tomassos was quite an eye opener to our 13 and 11 year old boys. After dinner, walked to Pier 39 and enjoyed the sea lions and festive atmosphere.
Day 3: We did as the locals do and commuted via two busses (during rush hour) to the CA Academy of Sciences. What a great museum. We lunched at the museum cafeteria that was just okay and very crowded. I would have liked to have explored Golden Gate Park, but we were all tired and had a late night ahead. We had a pre-dinner at In N Out Burger at Fishermans Wharf first time for us. Burgers were really good and became the favorite restaurant of the trip for our 11 year old. Back to the busses and our first of three baseball games. Loved, loved, loved AT&T Park. More food at the ballpark included garlic fries, Cha Cha bowl and more Ghirardellis. Didnt spend a fortune on seats; sat in the View section and indeed had a great view. Finding two cabs after the game was a challenge. Giants lost.
Day 4: Back to the busses and a day at the Exploratorium. This hands-on museum was perfect for all the kids from the oldest to youngest. Our older boys did the tactile dome (completely dark obstacle course of sorts) and highly recommended it. Wanting to avoid another museum lunch, we decided on a late dim sum lunch in Chinatown at Great Eastern. Although I prefer rolling carts, Great Easterns menu system with photos worked out well. The dim sum was good (on par with what we get in Suburban NJ). From Chinatown, we walked to Union Square where we picked up our rental minivan and returned to Fishermans Wharf to load our stuff. We said goodbye to San Francisco and began our drive to Monterey. Of course, we got stuck in rush hour traffic (felt just like home). Ate at Bubba Gumps (so-so, but about what we expected) and walked the streets a bit. Spent the night at another Holiday Inn Express in Monterey which was just okay, but we only used it for a nights rest and to get a jump on the long drive down the coast.
Day 5: Avoided 17 mile drive and headed directly for Pacific Coast Hwy. What. A. Drive. We had quite a bit of heavy fog in the early going that made for some fun driving. But when the fog lifted or when we hit the lower elevations, the views were intoxicating (kids even lifted their heads from their iPhones and iPad, which says a lot). We made only two detours before arriving in LA. First, we made a brief excursion to see the elephant seals. Second, at our 9 year old daughters urging, we visited Hearst Castle and were thankful for her insistence. Amazing place, amazing views, and got some amazing photos. We all decided that we need an indoor pool just like Mr. Hearsts. Arrived in LA for a late dinner and decided on Canters Deli. It was just okay; we have better Jewish delis back home. No celebrity sightings, although our waitress told us Britney Spears had visited the bakery not long before. Stayed in our third consecutive Holiday Inn Express by the Walk of Fame. Also thought this hotel was just okay.
Day 6: Found a Laundromat with fluff and fold service about 10 minute walk from hotel. Loaded up 30 pounds of laundry and the kids and off we went. Found that the area around the Walk of Fame turned a bit seedier and had wished we had driven, but all was okay. At $1/pound, this was an expense well worth it. Returned to explore the area around the Walk of Fame which didnt occupy the kids for very long. We then ventured in the car to Beverly Hills which also didnt interest the kids much. So we took off a bit early for our 1 pm Dodgers game. Everyone but my wife felt Dodgers Stadium was a dump (she thought it had character). Our seats were in the sun, it was in the mid 90s, the Dodgers gave up 5 early runs, and we departed the game in the fourth inning (Dodgers lost the game). With more of the day left than we had anticipated, we set out for Santa Monica. Loved it and decided that next time we visit we will stay there. Had dinner nearby at Kay and Daves which was my favorite meal of the trip. Totally kid friendly, very relaxed, and very tasty Mexican food.
Day 7: Universal Studios Hollywood. Weve been to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure in Orlando and didnt know how this would compare. We thought it was great. Once we got the Studio Tour out of the way first thing, the waits for attractions were relatively minor. I had contemplated purchasing in advance the front of the line passes and was glad I did not do so. We got to experience everything we wanted to see and do. Lunch was in the park at Flintstones BBQ (pretty good) and dinner was just outside the park in City Walk at Saddle Ranch Chop House. The food was just okay, but the attraction lies in the desserts. 3 foot bowl of cotton candy and two trays of make your own SMores at the outdoor fire pits. While I preferred Ghirardellis, the kids pronounced this the best dessert of the trip. Following dinner, we drove to Anaheim and stayed at the Howard Johnsons outside Disneyland. This was the least expensive hotel we stayed in, but it was perfect for us and liked it quite a lot.
Day 8: Fact that we could walk to Disneyland was a treat. We are Walt Disney World veterans and spent the first half of our day comparing Anaheim to Orlando. We generally found that we liked the attractions better at Disneyland, but that the magic of Disney was more tangible in Florida hard to explain. In any event, I came to really love Disneyland in the short time we were there. We grabbed a counter service lunch in the park and also had dinner in the park at Big Thunder Ranch BBQ (all you can eat) which was pretty good. After dinner, we hopped over to California Adventure for a couple of hours.
Day 9: Our first real breakfast of the trip at Millies next to HoJo (every breakfast before was at Holiday Inn Express). We thought breakfast was terrific, but it could have been because we were eating something other than toast and cereal. Spent the entire day at California Adventure and did just about everything there (Aladdin show is not to be missed). Had a great counter service lunch in the park at a Mediterranean restaurant by Paradise Pier. We splurged for dinner at Ariels Grotto in order to get the preferred seating for World of Color. The meal was good, but not worth the high price. With that said, it was worth it (to us) for the preferred seating as we had an unobstructed view of this amazing show and didnt have to worry about the kids not being able to see.
Day 10: Back to Disneyland to cover what we missed and for the kids to re-ride some of their favorites. Another really good counter service lunch at the Mexican restaurant in Frontier Land (we were generally pleased with the quality of the park food). Of course, I had to get a Dole Whip for dessert yum. Left the park for an early dinner at Naples in Downtown Disney. Found the pizza here really good. Also found a fantastic candy shop, Marcelines. Amazing what they do with candy apples. We found Downtown Disney a bit lacking, especially in comparison to its counterpart in Orlando and City Walk at Universal Studios. We said good bye to Anaheim and drove that night to San Diego where we stayed at Homewood Suites by the airport. We had a huge two room suite which was far and away our favorite accommodations of the trip.
Day 11: Sea World. Our older boys werent feeling well and we took the park at a slow and rather enjoyable pace. Saw all the major shows (got plenty wet in all the soak zones) and rode the few rides. A good day, but probably my least favorite of the amusement type parks. We took a drive to check out the ocean and my wifes iPhone led us to a Mexican restaurant in Normal Heights (I think). Dont recall the name and it wasnt particularly memorable. Got back to the hotel on the early side and rented movies for the kids.
Day 12: San Diego Zoo. I knew we were in for a special day when I didnt have to pay for parking. Its been said before, but the Zoo is great. I wasnt in charge of the Zoo map and we probably only saw a fraction of the place, but everything we saw was terrific. We hope to definitely return. After the Zoo, we went to a Padres game. I loved Petco Park and was glad to have experienced it (even though the Padres lost). We had thoughts of stopping by Ghirardellis in the Gas Lamp Quarter after the game, but the streets were so crowded and traffic so heavy we bailed and bought snacks at Trader Joes by our hotel instead.
Day 13: Had thoughts of waking early and checking out Hotel del Coronado, but just didnt find the time. Returned the rental car and arrived at the airport plenty early.
All in all, a very memorable trip. Next time around, we intend to do separate dedicated Northern California and Southern California vacations, but were glad to have tackled as much as we did in just under two weeks.
