Family Road Trip from Portland OR down the California Coast to San Diego
A California Coast road trip has been on our list since we moved to San Diego. We made it happen this March over Spring Break.
We flew from San Diego to Portland, rented a car, and then started South. All of our favorite, don’t miss stops along the way are below.
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West Coast Road Trip
Beforehand: Getting the Kids Excited about California’s Coast
Before we go on a trip I like to give our kids a little context and get them excited about where we’re going. Below were their favorite books about California.
Booklist:
Our California
by Pam Munoz Ryan
This is a good place to start. It goes from San Diego, up the coast, and then inland hitting the major stops in California. It serves as a pleasant introduction to the state and what it has to offer. Bonus – it’s well written and vibrantly illustrated. FIND ONLINE
How to Draw California’s Sights and Symbols
by Jennifer Quasha
This won’t be for everyone, but my kids love step-by-step drawing direction videos right now so this was a hit in our house. Our favorites were learning to draw poppies (the state flower) and the Golden Gate Bridge. FIND ONLINE
California’s Redwood Forest
by Christy Mihaly
This is part of the Natural Wonders of the World series. It has beautiful photos and good information. I like this as an overview and it’s one that elementary school kids can read on their own. FIND ONLINE
Starting Location: Portland, Oregon
We started our trip by flying from San Diego to Portland. I’m a fan of road trips but the way back often bums me out. Plus, there is so much to see along the coast of California that we didn’t have enough time to do it all if we had to go up and back.
So we flew to Portland and spent two nights and full day exploring.
1. Portland, Oregon
There are plenty of things to do in Portland OR with kids. We really only scratched the surface. You can read more about our experience in Portland in this post: 24 Hours in Portland OR with Kids
But here are the highlights. In our brief stay we had time to:
- Visit Powell Bookstore (My favorite part of the trip)
- Eat Donuts from Voodoo Donut
- Wander and Eat at Portland’s Saturday Market
- Visit Washington Park and Hike
- Explore the Forestry Discovery Center
Also Read: 24 Hours in Portland with Kids
Then we headed south.
Activities for Car:
- New books from Powell’s Bookstore – Zita the Spacegirl for her, Plants Vs. Zombies for him.
- Harry Potter on Audiobook
- Games on their Kindles Kids Fire HD Edition
- The Big Sticker Book of the Blue activity book
2. Redwood National Forest
The Redwoods are incredible. I really wasn’t convinced they’d live up to the hype but for me they exceeded expectations. Go hike. Take photos. Be amazed.
For kids, I highly recommend stopping the ranger stations and getting the Junior Ranger guides and advice on the best hikes for your time frame.
Read More: A Visit to the Redwoods with Kids
Activities for Car:
We did a fair amount of driving between the various parts of the forest and then down the Avenue of Giants while we were at the Redwoods National & State Parks. I didn’t want my kids to miss everything with their noses pointed at a screen so we listened to Harry Potter on audio book and stared out the windows.
3. San Francisco
San Francisco was one of the highlights of our trip. We spent three nights and two full days in San Francisco. It was enough to get a good taste of the city but we’d love to go back and do more.
Here were our favorite things to do:
- See the Golden Gate Bridge
- Ride a Cable Car
- Visit the Exploratorium
- Drink Green Tea in the Japanese Tea Garden
- Enjoy the pretty parks
Also Read: 48 Hours in San Francisco with Kids
Activities for Car:
- Kids Travel Guide: San Francisco – great way to learn more about the city before or during your visit.
- Continued listening to Harry Potter on Audio
4. Monterey
In a word “stunning.” Monterey sits on a gorgeous piece of ocean front. The bluest of blues.
The highlight for kids however will probably be the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Make sure you check the schedule of feedings when you arrive and get there early for tank front views.
Other things for families to do in Monterey:
- 17 mile drive
- Lunch at Sticks
- Carmel beach
5. Big Sur
The Big Sur is stunning. Kind of like my reaction to the Redwoods – I don’t have words. All I can really say is that it truly is as incredible as everyone says. I can’t wait to get back.
Activities for Car:
- One note about driving in the Big Sur – it is windy! My daughter and I get pretty car sick so I would encourage you to take some Dramamine. My daughter likes the chewable kids version. On the bright side, if you do have to pull over and take a tummy twisting break there is no more lovely of a place to stop and rest for a bit.
6. Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara was a treat. Pretty beach. Darling streets with shops. Lots of restaurants. Don’t miss ice cream at McConnell’s Ice Cream shop. They even have incredible dairy free ice cream! So good.
and Oxnard
We spent the remainder of our weekend at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Mandalay Beach Resort. It was relaxing and fun and a wonderful way to end our vacation.
Final Destination!
from there we drove home. If home isn’t San Diego for you, then I’d recommend adding a couple of days to spend some time in Los Angeles and San Diego. Here are our favorites for both:
