Our California Road Trip and Cruise Itinerary - suggestions, please!

[koima]

My family is planning a road trip and cruise for spring 2010, most likely end of Feb/beginning of March, and being a planner, I'm already doing research to make it the best trip possible!

Our group includes me and my husband, both in our 30s, and our two kids who will be 4.5 and 18 months, so all activities and locations are meant to be family/kid friendly. With little kids, we've got to be flexible and allow more time for afternoon naps, early bed times, extra potty breaks, and general slowness, so I'm trying not to overload each day.

We're from the SF Bay Area, so we're not going to do any touring in this area but are starting just south of San Francisco. The plan currently is:

Day 1: Drive down to Anaheim on I5; visit La Brea Tarpits
Day 2: Disneyland
Day 3: Disneyland
Day 4: Disney California Adventure
Day 5: Balboa Park (Natural History museum, Air and Space museum) in San Diego; Depart for cruise out of San Diego at 5:30 pm
Day 6: Catalina Island
Day 7: Ensenada, Mexico
Day 8: at sea
Day 9: Arrive in San Diego at 8 am; San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park; stay the night just north of San Diego
Day 10: Santa Barbara; Solvang; San Luis Obispo; stay in Morro Bay or Cambria
Day 11: Big Sur Redwoods, lighthouse; arrive home

Suggestions? Things to be sure not to miss?

 

[Quilter007]

Sounds fun, but I'd do the LA Natural History Museum over the Tar Pits. DSes went to both for the first time over spring break, definitely more to see at the Natural History Museum. They've got a life size baby dinosaur that wanders around & are working on a new T-Rex exhibit. Another great option would be the Griffith Observatory.

 

[koima]

We were planning on seeing the San Diego Natural History Museum. Would it be worthwhile to switch out to see the LA one instead? Similarly, we are planning a trip to the Air and Space Museum in SD, so we were going to pass on the observatory this time around. I wanted to go to the observatory, but I'm not sure it would be as interesting to the kids.

 

[Quilter007]

The Griffith has shows, exhibits & quite a bit to do. You can also get a photo w/ the Hollywood sign in the background from the cafe. We thought the LA Natural history museum was better than the one in San Diego. There is also a ginormous retired navy ship that you can go on in San Diego -- the name escapes me at the moment....there are also lots of other museums @ Balboa Park -- like the train museum. Really -- none of the options are bad!

Another thought -- you might want to do DL one day, then DCA & then decide which to do the third day. When our DSes were 5 and 1.5, we could have spent the entire day in the Redwood Creek area of DCA. Bugs land is also great for small kids. They loved the Monsters, Inc ride, talking to Crush in the Animation bldgs, etc. Also, they prefer the Fishy Carousel (King Triton's) over the Merry-Go-Round in FantasyLand.

 

[koima]

Well I think we'll make time for the LA Natural History Museum and Griffith Observatory on Day 1, leaving very very early from home and seeing them in the afternoon/early evening. That would give us time on the Balboa Park day to see some of their other museums. They have quite a few, and a "Passport" that gets you into all of them for a set price - perfect for the short attention span crew!

 

[perlster]

Day 9: Arrive in San Diego at 8 am; San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park; stay the night just north of San Diego
Day 10: Santa Barbara; Solvang; San Luis Obispo; stay in Morro Bay or Cambria

Hmmm .... is "Day 10" going to be on the weekend? As someone who has driven from L.A. to Santa Barbara or Solvang several times, I have to tell you that a trip to these 4 places in one day will be tough. I wouldn't even attempt it on a workday.

 

[Clared]

I've just read your post and you've got my wondering.....

How easy/long is the drive from SF to Anaheim? We were considering doing Moneterey to Anaheim around the same time next year, but weren't sure of it was possible in a single day.

Thanks for your help XXX

 

[koima]

Santa Barbara is on a Saturday. Our plan is to hit the mission in the morning, lunch in Solvang, pass through SLO (DH went to college there and we've visited before, so we may cut it out completely) and then on to Morro Bay in the afternoon/evening for dinner and spending the night.

San Francisco to Anaheim is definitely doable in one day, especially if you cut across to I5. Mapquest puts it at 6.5 hours away; it usually takes us closer to 8 with a little traffic factored in, and we're expecting a little longer this time with the kids. We're planning on leaving super early on Day 1 (like, 4 am, with kids still in pajamas) and cutting straight over to I5. Hopefully they'll sleep until 7 or 8, and we should arrive in the LA area at about 12-1 pm, giving plenty of time for a few potty breaks and eating a packed breakfast and getting the kids dressed at a rest stop. I'm usually up by 6 or so and go all day with the two little ones, so I'm hopeful that the extra early morning won't be too terrible. I'm just hoping the kids will stay asleep for the first chunk of the drive!

We're thinking we'll just do the Natural History Museum and a brief visit of Griffith Observatory on Day 1 in the afternoon, go out for dinner in the area, then hit the hotel for an early bedtime.

 

[Padrepride]

The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park is definitely worth your time if you're going to pass over the Natural History Museum. And I recommend the San Diego Zoo over the Wild Animal Park. There is so much more to do at the zoo. I believe the Navy ship talked about above is the U.S.S Midway, a retired aircraft carrier.

 

[calicat]

I would choose the Natural History Museum over the La Brea Tar Pits. The museum is huge and has great exhibits. The California Science Center is next to the Natural History Museum and it is pretty cool plus the permanent exhibits are free. They only charge for special limited time exhibits.

 

[Sherry E]

The Tar Pits themselves are not that exciting, but they are next door to LACMA, so you could make a good afternoon out of doing both (I live down the street from those). Screen Actors Guild is down the street from LACMA and the Tar Pits. Also, the famous Farmers Market and The Grove are nearby as well. Melrose, Sunset, Santa Monica Boulevard, Rodeo Drive and Sunset Blvd. are all close by too.

If you haven't already been to Catalina, you will love it when you get there. Make sure you have a game plan for what to do before you get there, because certain tours happen at certain times and you want to squeeze in as much as possible in your day. I highly suggest renting a golf cart. Here is an active thread about Catalina, and I posted pictures as well as information on certain activites and where to order the Free Visitors Guide: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2152282