Help with first family trip to California! suggestions please!

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

So we have now been blessed to go to WDW five times with a sixth trip coming up. We can only afford one trip per year, and with my boys getting older and becoming Disney adults, the trip is getting more and more expensive each year. I went to California when I was 11 with my family and still have memories from that trip. I sang in a children's choir while there, and we stayed in the San Fransisco area...did Alcatraz, Sausalito, Redwoods, etc. I have always dreamed of going back and taking the family, and I'm wondering if we could do it for the same price as WDW, and skip it for one year?? I'm thinking in maybe a couple years, so I'd like to start researching and planning now. My kids are currently 10,10,10,4. A few questions and all suggestions welcomed as I know NOTHING about Cali!!

- which part (central/SoCall/SF/etc.)is best? Which airport should we fly into?
- what are average prices to rent a minivan for a week?ihave no idea as we've never rented before...only vacationed in WDW
-Do affordable accommodations exist in popular areas for a family of six? Like Windsor Hills? We can't fit in a standard hotel room. I did see some affordable homes for rent on vrob in Sausalito...is that a good home base to stay?
- what are must dos/sees?

Thanks in advance for any and all help!! I realize we can't do it all in a week and it would take multiple trips to doit all, so I'd like suggestions on where is a good first trip.

** I should mention we actually do not want to go to DL when there...and plan on about 7 days.

 

[bcla]

Yosemite.

 

[usnuzuloose]

If visiting San Francisco I would fly into that airport. You would need to look online for the mini van rental. I don't know about rental homes in the area. If going to Alcatraz I would get your tickets online way in advance as they sell out fast. Wear comfy shoes and bring some light jacket with you. A lot of up hill walking on Alcatraz. You could drive to Santa Cruz, Monterey for a visit.

I would look on Groupon, Living Socials, Gotdailydeals.com , for the areas you visit. You can find great deals for stuff.

 

[Purrkins]

Well, avoid central CA - it's mostly dry and arid farmland unless you hug the coast or stick to the mountains

Southern CA and Northern CA are VERY different and are almost like two different states when you consider the geography (and state of mind). Both have their pros/cons.

What do your boys want to do? Let them pick the region and then fill in the plans. Plenty of great places on VRBO and Air BnB for you to stay at.

 

[NLD]

Can you do seven nights?

Two nights Monterey/Carmel

Three nights Yosemite

Two nights San Francisco

There is so much to love about California, but IMHO Yosemite is the best of the best. I would go in June, when the road to Glacier Point should be open, the Tioga Road will probably be open, and there will be water in the waterfalls.

You'll have a better trip (get to see more) if you change hotel locations instead of trying to stay in one house for the whole week.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

If you have seven days, I would spend 1/2 the time in Yosemite and the other 1/2 in San Francisco OR the entire week in southern California. In SoCal, you could spend time in both San Diego and in LA. I would look intoVRBO to rent a home.

 

[gatorfreud]

We live in San Francisco and there is tons to do here. We just had my friends' families for a visit and they really loved it! We also went to Yosemite which was beautiful! They were here about a week and here is what we did:

Sat - Mon - they went to the north bay (one just to sausalito/muir woods, the other to napa
Tues - Alcatraz, wharf
wed-fri - yosemite (one set came back to do city stuff fri)
sat-sun - we did hoho bus, exploratorium, giants game, chinatown....

they had a blast! so i think 1/2 yosemite, 1/2 SF (and day trip to muir woods...)

Kim