our first California vacation

[photomama]

we leave Tuesday for 4 days in SF, 2 days in Monterey, 1 day in LA and 3 days in San Diego pls share any must do's or see's or EATS for any of these cities.

thank Ü

 

[drag n' fly]

In n' Out in SD is our fav place to go. We all love the food and they have really good chocolate shakes

 

[endy]

Have a great trip. We leave next Fri for SD.
No real hints about places to eat (we do the cheap eats).
In N Out burger is so good. They only serve bugers, fries, milkshakes & pop. And very good prices.
My son's favorite is IHOP.
We love going to baseball games as we don't have MLB here, guite affordable tickets. Very different than a hockey game.

 

[photomama]

thanks I've heard about In & Out can't wait to try it.. yummmmmm

We are doing the American Idol concert in LA my 9 yr old is so excited. Her grandmother bought her tickets for her birthday.

 

[Nahanni]

If you go to a SF Giants baseball game, I'd get the Gilroy garlic fries - pungent but very tasty.

If you are driving to Napa Valley to visit wineries, you should make a trip to Muir Woods (I think its a National Park) that gives you an opportunity to see some giant redwood trees.

In SD, we chartered a small boat for 4 people (slightly more expensive than a large tour boat) to go dolphin watching. It was awesome as we had 2 dolphins swim alongside, under, and jump around us for 20 minutes.

 

[CanadianPaco]

We did the Trolley Tour in SD and it was fantastic. One of the stops was the Zoo and the day was a fabulous exoerience!!!

 

[snickerboo]

You will love San Diego. It is beautiful the way the bay slopes down from the hills. We stayed on Shelter Island and loved it-marina on one side, bay on the other. I highly recommend the zoo & surrounding park. We went to SW but it's the same as any SW. LaJolla is beautiful. If you have a car, stop on the way to SD. THere's a spot there (Children's Pool) where seals and sea lions come ashore to subathe.

For eats, we did authentic Mexican near our hotel (can't remember the name of it!). It actually looked kind of scary but the food was great. People were recommending the 'fish taco' when we were there but we thought they were kind fo gross (it's fried fish in a taco).

Have a great trip. We went to Cali last fall & we loved it.

 

[c&m]

We go to San Diego every year to visit friends in Carlsbad. When in SD, we have some must-dos:

FOOD
- Eat fish tacos at Rubios. This is a chain, so you'll find it most anywhere. They are really yummy and if you're not into fish, you can get meat tacos, burritos and taquitos as well. Good prices on Tuesdays - fish tacos for $1.25.

- Eat fish sandwiches or fish tacos at El Pescador in La Jolla. Fresh, fresh, fresh. Read the reviews on www.yelp.com to get an idea of this place.

- Fantastic meals at Love Boat Sushi in San Marcos (and another location in Oceanside that we haven't been to yet). You don't have to have sushi. They have these amazing platter dinners (i.e. sea bass, filet mignon, etc.) for only $13.95.

- Go to Mimi's Cafe, a really good family restaurant. They are all over SoCal - check their website for locations. Also sign up on their website for a coupon for a free breakfast. Also, now thru end of Aug, they have kids eat free with purchase of adult meal.

SHOPPING
- Go to the Carlsbad Premium Outlets (on the I-5, take the Legoland exit). This is a good one; it even has a Crate & Barrel. I've found excellent deals (including Coach purses) at this place.

- Go to Fashion Valley Mall in Mission Valley. This is one amazing mall - has everything from high-end to mid-end affordable.

BEACHES
- Moonlight Beach in Encinitas: This is a great family beach we go to for boogie boarding and surfing. It has nice washroom facilities. We just bring a picnic lunch and beach gear and spend a day out here.

- Coronado Beach: Lovely beach next to the Hotel Del Coronado. White sand and hunky navy men jogging along the beach (naval base there). What's not to like???

OTHER TOURISTY THINGS in SD
- Scripps Birch Aquarium
- Old Town
- Balboa Park
- Torrey Pines State Park
- New waterpark at Legoland (haven't done this yet but have heard it's fun)

Hope that helps! We're going back to SD a week from today too. Can't wait!

 

[photomama]

thanks everyone.. C&M is there a really nice restaurant in SD my husband's birthday is the 15th.. I would love to go somewhere special.

 

[GrtWtNorth]

Between San Francisco and Monterey:
I highly recommend visiting the Santa Cruz boardwalk. Depending on the weather, it might be busy. But it's worth it to see an classic / authentic boardwalk amusement park in action. (The clam chowder is tasty too.) You have to pay for parking, but admission is free. You need tickets or day-passes for the rides.

Not-your-typical-tourist-attraction near Monterey:
While I've never been myself, I've heard a lot of good things about the quaint amusement park in Gilroy, the garlic capital of the world. Gilroy Gardens is a horticultural-based theme park. The attractions are definitely geared towards a younger kids (like Calaway Park).

Depending on how much time you want to spend in Monterey and LA, you may want to check out Hearst Castle on the day you drive through. It is palatial and opulent. IMO, it's comparable to visiting Neuschwanstein. Great eye-candy for adults, it may be a bit boring for younger children. You can only see the grounds and buildings on guided tours -- reservations are required. (Without tour reservations, you can only visit the information center at the bottom of the hill.)

Also, if you want to escape the bustle of Monterey, and don't appreciate the "you don't belong here" attitude of Pebble Beach, we found Carmel-by-the-Sea to be very welcoming and comfortable.

 

[c&m]

thanks everyone.. C&M is there a really nice restaurant in SD my husband's birthday is the 15th.. I would love to go somewhere special.

Sorry...we don't really do any restaurant that is particularly "special" when we're in SD. We just go to family-friendly places.

However, an area for restaurants you may want to look into is Mission Bay. It's a beautiful area with the beach.
Also, to find good restaurants and get reviews, go to www.yelp.com. I get some good advice there all the time. You can also go to www.tripadvisor.com for reviews but I find Yelp better for restaurants.

 

[glendalais]

For eats, we did authentic Mexican near our hotel (can't remember the name of it!). It actually looked kind of scary but the food was great. People were recommending the 'fish taco' when we were there but we thought they were kind fo gross (it's fried fish in a taco).

It's actually quite good once you get used to it. I was also icked out the first time I saw one, but it grew on me. Think of it as a giant fishstick wrapped in a tortilla. It's very good with lime.

Other things to eat in California:

San Francisco has wonderful seafood, given it's geographical situation. You can also try the old favourites of the Boudin Bakery (fresh-baked bread, also served at Disney California Adventure Park) and Ghiradelli Chocolate Company (which also maintains a store in the Downtown Disney Area in Florida).

In-N-Out Burger, with locations throughout the state. Google their "secret" menu. They'll make practically anything if you ask them.

Carne Asada Fries. Served in some Mexican restaurants in Southern California. It's sorta like poutine, but with meat instead of cheese curds, lol.

For ethnic cuisine, San Francisco is very well known for it's Chinese Restaurants, while Los Angeles and San Diego have excellent Mexican and other Latin American eateries.

 

[BELLEDOZER]

If you are going to Monterey, then a must see is the Monterey Bay Aquarium. IMHO it's better than our Vancouver Aquarium, and there are alot more touch pools and interactive things for the kids to do and see. They have a 2 story cold saltwater tank that is massive, and makes you feel small. Parking is off site, but easily accessible, and you can go and eat locally within walking distance, then go back to the Aquarium and do more exploring. In SD there's a place that we intend to make a 3 hr detour to try called Hodad's. We saw the dive on Diner's Driveins and Dives, and have been dying to try in ever since. The burgers and shakes look to kill for, and might be worth a look. I also second IN-N-OUT burgers, they are a must visit when we are in California.

 

[c&m]

BELLEDOZER, thanks for the tip/reminder about Hodads. I saw it on the same show and was drooling all over my TV remote. We're in San Diego tomorrow - will be making a pit stop there!