Post: #1

Post: #2

Hearst Castle I highly recommend. It's near San Simeon, about the halfway point between SF and LA. They run several different tours through castle. Any of them are quite interesting.

Just a very beautiful place. The castle, the landscape, the sweeping ocean views.

Post: #3

(05-16-2014 05:24 PM)Lothario Wrote:  

Asking RVF brothers from the west coast for suggestions for a family trip to California. (Purely Non Gaming Trip)

We will start from SF and work our way south to LA taking the Pacific Coast Highway and to San Diego, I have 2 kids aged 10 and we will stay 3 nights in each city, may stop in Santa Cruz, Monterey or San Luis Obisbo ( Which one though ?)

Asking for suggestions for Sight Seeing etc that the whole family will enjoy or must see things.

I will start and you guys can add on

San Francisco:

Golden Gate Bridge
Fisherman's Wharf
Union Square/Cable car etc
Redwoods
Museum ?

LA:

Santa Monica Pier/Venice Beach
Hollywood etc
not interested in Disney, done Orlando many times.

San Diego:

San Diego Zoo.

You guys can add on to the list and also give lodging recommendations and for sure do tell me about the hole in the wall places that you guys like to eat at. Bundle of thanks in anticipation.

In SF I'd skip Fisherman's Wharf. I know you're with fam but even still it's super touristy, I'd do the Ferry building instead.

For 3 nights in L.A. I'd suggest any of the following. Give yourself a full day for each one so you're not exhausted and can plan for driving:
1) Getty Museum.
2) La Brea Tar Pits/LACMA
3) Santa Monica Pier is a good recommendation.
4) California Science Center. I'd highly recommend this since they have an IMAX theater playing really cool shit (movies on our oceans, hubble space telescope, etc)
5) Griffith Observatory. Very family friendly and some great exhibits for kids.

Edit: I would avoid Hollywood like the plague. The Hollywood sign is small, Hollywood+Highland is just a shopping mall shitshow packed with fat fannypack tourists from flyover states, the wax museum isn't that cool, all those shops along Hollywood blvd are just ripoffs with nothing unique. Also it's the highest target of crime and pickpocketing against tourists. Do yourself a favor and stay far away.

Post: #4

Doc call me on this I used to live there. Get your pen and paper ready.

Post: #5

Monterey Bay Aquarium.

+1 for Hearst Castle, Alcatraz, and Muir Woods.

Post: #6

I left some here bro..

/thread-8921-p...#pid131338

Got way more tho

Post: #7

There is also Coit Tower in SF. Interesting for a brief visit.

Why not stop at a winery along the way back?

Post: #8

Just saw that you're driving the whole way. That's a hell of a trip.

PCH is beautiful, but it can also get grueling after a while. Just a heads up.

You can cross San Luis Obispo off your list, nothing there but gaming college girls at Cal Poly.

Santa Cruz and Monterrey are great. You can spend the whole day on the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, and downtown is nice too. I second the Monterrey Aquarium rec.

Going down PCH, you'll see so many photo ops it'll blow your mind. Bring a camera and hopefully your family is the patient type. Big Sur is cool, funky, but IMO more a place to do shrooms on the beach than a family outing.

If you do decide to hit any wineries I highly recommend Santa Ynez over Paso Robles. Beautiful wineries and some great wines too, if you can find it I recommend Rideau http://www.sbcountywines.com/rideau.html Nice grounds for a picnic.

Post: #9

(05-16-2014 06:54 PM)thedude3737 Wrote:  For 3 nights in L.A. I'd suggest any of the following. Give yourself a full day for each one so you're not exhausted and can plan for driving:
1) Getty Museum.
2) La Brea Tar Pits/LACMA
3) Santa Monica Pier is a good recommendation.
4) California Science Center. I'd highly recommend this since they have an IMAX theater playing really cool shit (movies on our oceans, hubble space telescope, etc)
5) Griffith Observatory. Very family friendly and some great exhibits for kids.

Edit: I would avoid Hollywood like the plague. The Hollywood sign is small, Hollywood+Highland is just a shopping mall shitshow packed with fat fannypack tourists from flyover states, the wax museum isn't that cool, all those shops along Hollywood blvd are just ripoffs with nothing unique. Also it's the highest target of crime and pickpocketing against tourists. Do yourself a favor and stay far away.

Agree with skipping Hollywood. It's a complete waste of time. I'd probably skip the Getty as 10 year olds would probably get bored there.

Santa Monica pier is ok, it has an amusement park and ferris wheel. Not really my thing, its over run by tourists, most locals really don't hang out there for good reason. Promenade is ok, but its just an outdoor shopping mall. The little park/walking area along the beach is really nice though.

I'd definitely do Venice Beach though. Its really eclectic, weird and kind of fun with lots to see in a short strand of stores and sidewalk vendors. You have muscle beach, lemonade stands, the Venice Freakshow, sidewalk vendors, the Sunday afternoon Drum circle, etc.

I would avoid the beach itself in Venice and Santa Monica, they aren't the best. I'd say go to Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach if you want to actually hang out in the sand and ocean, the crowd is a little more upscale and everything in general seems cleaner. I'd go park in Hermosa and rent bicycles and just bike up and down the strand. If you have all day and are adventurous enough, you can go all the way to Santa Monica taking the beach route. If you want to do Orange County beaches, Laguna Beach is pretty nice and clean.

Go to the Tar Pits and then hit up the Grove/Farmer's market for lunch or ice cream. The Farmer's market is probably my favorite place in LA just to hang. Its super old school with lots of cool little restaurants for every palate. Lots of little vendors, gourmet shops, pastries, ice cream shops, etc.

Take them to some Korean BBQ spot in Korean town, its a fun experience if you're not exposed to that in your area. I like Road to Seoul for all you can eat. They'd probably love it. Go to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles (the one on Pico and La Brea), DON'T go to Pink's Hot Dogs though. Oh yeah, Redondo Beach pier is pretty cool. They have this joint called Quality Seafood where you can pick and choose all the seafood they have (which is a ton) and they'll cook it all for you. All kinds of fish, bunch of different oysters, live sea urchin, etc. They serve it up and you can eat it all on the pier there, its really cool and the food is great, especially if the weather is nice.

Post: #10

(05-16-2014 09:22 PM)thedude3737 Wrote:  If you do decide to hit any wineries I highly recommend Santa Ynez over Paso Robles. Beautiful wineries and some great wines too, if you can find it I recommend Rideau http://www.sbcountywines.com/rideau.html Nice grounds for a picnic.

If you're out by Santa Ynez, make sure to hit up Solvang, which is a old school Danish town. Looks like you're in Europe, really cool spot. Also make sure you check out a few of the California Missions. Lots of great history, even if you're not all that religious. I recommend the Santa Barbara mission or the San Juan Capistrano which is on the way to San Diego.

Post: #11

Research Pismo Beach instead of SLO or Santa Barbara.

Post: #12

Also Moonlight beach in Encinitas. Both recommendations are very kid friendly.

Post: #13

(05-16-2014 08:16 PM)Fisto Wrote:  There is also Coit Tower in SF. Interesting for a brief visit.

Why not stop at a winery along the way back?

Howdy Fisto, Long time no hear. Wineries are out of question with kids, this trip is purely family vacation.

dude3737 yes I'm looking forward to the travel on Pacific Coast Highway, that probably will be the highlight of the trip. We will take 2 days to travel the PCH and probably will stay the night in monterey or santa cruz. Thanks for the recommendations , I will do a little more research on the places you mentioned.

Drazen: Thanks for taking the time , some of the places you mentioned for food will definitely go on the agenda.

No love from San Diego fellas ? The only place I have on agenda for San Diego is the Zoo. What about some of the beaches between LA and San diego. Huntington Beach, New port etc.

Post: #14

A few family friendly pit stops on Hwy 1 in Big Sur:

McWay Falls: short little trail with iconic views of waterfall going right on to the beach. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=25207

Sand Dollar Beach: largest (mostly) sand beach in Big Sur. web site says they're now charging $10 to park. http://campone.com/day-use/sand-dollar-beach/

Elephant Seals: when driving this stretch keep your eyes out for zebras on the left-hand side, Hearst used to have a zoo at his castle and occasionally you can see them roaming around the ranch land http://www.elephantseal.org/Rookery/where.html

Post: #15

The kids will like Alcatraz prison. You take a boat ride out there, and tour the prison and cells. Kids love it. There's also Twin Peaks which is he highest point of SF. You get to look down on the city scape. It's cool (and cold up there - bring jackets).



Near Monterrey is Carmel and Carmel-by-the Sea. Lovely little village. Clint Eastwood lives there and owns a restaurant. That area is in and around "Big Sur" and there are some great views.