Travel between Anaheim and SF

[year2late]

I will be taking my 10 year old son to DL this Summer and on the way back I would like to go up Highway 1 for the nice scenic route rather than I - 5.

We would like to stop midway and stay overnight --- on the beach or near Redwoods would be nice. Any suggestions?

We are looking for this to be "part of the vacation" rather than just a place for a pit stop.


Thanks.

 

[Tink33]

On the beach you might tryMorro Bay. You should be able to see sea otters, harbor seals and maybe even elephant seals. You can also take a hummer tour of the sand dunes. You are a short trip to Hearst Castle.

For Redwoods, I would choose Big Sur. The Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park has hiking trails and ranger programs. I think the coastal views are beautiful.

My cousins live in Santa Cruz and we travelled Highway 1 to visit them each year. These are two places I remember visiting when I was a child.

 

[JIMINOCCHIO]

Monterey is a great place to visit too. They have a wonderful aquarium and a great historical self guided walking tour of the town. It was actually California's first Capitol. Cannery Row is cool too, it's basically what the Imagineers modeled the Pacific Wharf area of DCA after.

 

[year2late]

Thanks for all your help.

Morrow Bay was exactly what I was looking for, but lodging for our dates was a nightmare.

We decided to tack ona few days and go to UNiversal Studios.

 

[almostGoofy]

You should also check out the town of Cambria along the central coast. It's a 5-10 mins. drive to San Simeon/Hearst Castle. There are quite a number of motels/inns along Moonstone drive that are directly across the road from the cliffs of the beach/ocean. Many of those rooms will offer a white water view. You can also find accomodations in town as well. It's a very quaint town.

At a beach just north of San Simeon, you can view elephant seals whom have come to shore to molt in the summer. We were there last January to view them when they come a shore to give birth. My kids thought that was the highlight of their trip (a 4 & 7 year olds). They usually have voluteer docents to tell you about them. Here's a link regarding the elephant seals: http://www.elephantseal.org/

BTW, the drive north of Cambira on highway 1 is beautiful but a very winding, two lane road. While it's a gorgeous view of the Pacific Coast, the driver tends not to get much a view of it because you have to pay attention to the road so as not to drive off the cliff. Also take note that if anyone in your car suffers from motion sickness; there are not a lot of places to pull over.