I-5 drive to DL

[DVC Mater]

Hey my first post outside of the DVC area, woohoo. Anyways my pregnant wife, DS2, and I are driving down to DL from the SF bay area. Since my wife will be 8 months pregnant and my DS will probably get antsy in the car, does anyone have any cool suggestions/areas to stop and see on the way down?

 

[EmEyeSeeKayEeWhy]

Hey my first post outside of the DVC area, woohoo. Anyways my pregnant wife, DS2, and I are driving down to DL from the SF bay area. Since my wife will be 8 months pregnant and my DS will probably get antsy in the car, does anyone have any cool suggestions/areas to stop and see on the way down?

We always drive I5 and as far as spots that are must see's, I'm not sure there are too many. As far as 'pit stops' as we call them, those are plentiful. Either a rest area or restaurant every 20-30 miles or so. At least it seems that close I've always heard 101 was more picturesque, but we always liked I5 just because it was quicker. We put the van in 'D' for Disneyland, and it knows the way! BTW, you'll definitely know when you pass the cows....

 

[Tink208]

We live in the SF Bay Area and we do our driving at night and hope that the kids will fall asleep because honestly, there is not much to see on I5. Obviously, there are places to stop to use the restroom and stretch your legs, but nothing fun or interesting that I have ever noticed.

 

[Albort]

We live in the SF Bay Area and we do our driving at night and hope that the kids will fall asleep because honestly, there is not much to see on I5. Obviously, there are places to stop to use the restroom and stretch your legs, but nothing fun or interesting that I have ever noticed.

i agree, there is a nice steakhouse on the way down the 5 Freeway...

If you like to detour, you can take the 1 down and check out Hertz Castle. Really pretty place... then head east to the 5 and down...

or you can just take the 1 down to the 101 and check out Santa Barbara as well...

 

[pixiewings71]

Wait, there are places to stop on the way to DL?? LOL I always thought that you just stopped for gas and to use the bathroom! LOL Just kidding......we drive from closer to Sac and we don't stop. As mentioned we put the van in D for Disney and off we go stopping to use the bathroom, grab food and gas and that's it. The steakhouse is someplace I've always wanted to stop and eat, maybe this trip we will do that. Anyway it's Harris Ranch, they have amazing meat, I love their Tri Tip. We get it at Safeway and it's so good!!!!

 

[Tink208]

Oh, yes, Harris Ranch. We stopped there for dinner on our drive home (we are like the other poster in terms of just wanting to get to Disneyland on our way there and try not to stop any more than necessary), and it was awesome. (We had eaten there years ago, before kids.) But, without a reservation (and since we had no actual idea when we were going to be getting there, we didn't think to make a reservation), we had to wait almost an hour to be seated. Of course, this was during Thanksgiving week and we were only one little family in a morass of vacationing families.

We drove down 1 from San Francisco to southern CA on our honeymoon (almost 20 years ago), and I have to say that drive would make me even more restless than just zipping down 5 if I was on my way to Disneyland. (We actually went to Disneyland on our honeymoon but it was the destination for the end of the trip.)

 

[DVC Mater]

Thanks for replies, I have done the drive many times and I didn't think there was much between here and there either. Too bad there's no crazy "world's giant ball of glue" or those huge tourist souveinr shops you see on I-10 going across country (with the 100 signs along the freeway to tell you its coming) something to that effect on the way down. Thanks again for the replies, looks like well just have to tough it out and bear it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, on 101 you can stop and eat at Andersen's. Though that will depend on your wife's ability to deal with the thought of split pea soup.

When I was 8 months, though, I would have REFUSED to drive that drive, and would have insisted on the train instead. No stopping for breaks, food car right there, bathrooms without having to undo a seat belt...ahhhhh.

 

[slruud]

If you like to detour, you can take the 1 down and check out Hertz Castle.

Would that be the same as the Hearst Castle???....or is Hertz the corporate sponsor for the Hearst Castle???

 

[DirkLogan]

The 5 is a boring drive. Just make the best time you can on that leg of the trip.

Harris Ranch is a good steakhouse. It is worth checking out if you time it right.