Happy Easter, Passover, and Spring to all our listeners! This week Kim is giving us the low down on her massive road trip from Seattle to Disneyland, including stops along the California Coast. If you have ever thought of taking an epic California coast road trip, don't miss this episode!
ON THE PODCAST
00:30 - Thank you Listeners!!
01:18 - Talking with Kim about her road trip
01:50 - Itinerary
07:15 - Redwoods
08:45 - Fort Bragg
14:52 - San Francisco
22:37 - Unplanned stops
26:30 - Cambria
33:06 - Ventura
37:37 - Disney
40:19 - LA
41:58 - Going home
43:05 - Final tips
50:15 - Where to take a family photo
52:30 - Kim's Favorite Travel Gear
56:28 - Coming next week
TIPS FOR PLANNING A CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP
- If you rent a car and drive one direction and fly back, you can drive from Seattle to Southern California in a week. Even if you are not a Seattle or California resident you could still have a great road trip if you plan to make your road trip one way and take flights.
- It is highly recommended that you take your California road trip from north to south. Since you will be on the right side of the road, it makes it easier to get off and back onto the highway at scenic overlooks. Though you should know that if you are not a fan of heights, driving on the Pacific Coast Highway from north to south can have quite a few spots where there will be a drop off on that side of the road that may make you nervous.
- If you plan on visiting the Redwoods on your road trip. You may be tempted to stop as soon as you start seeing them, to start you exploring but you should really wait until you get to Crescent City, then get on the 101.
- Fort Bragg (not a military base) in California makes a great overnight stop. This is where you will also find a glass beach. The glass there is actually from a dump that years ago pushed the glass to the shore where it got washed up after storms. Keep in mind that this cove that will have the glass is somewhat hard to get to, go make sure you have good shoes if you are adventurous enough to find and explore the beach. And remember to leave the glass on the beach and leave no trace!
- If you are planning on visiting San Francisco on your trip you should definitely think about renting bikes and riding across the Golden Gate Bridge. You can also walk the bridge but that will take quite a while. There is a lookout on the other side of the bridge that has a great view of the bridge and city.
- Don't be afraid of making any unplanned stops. They could out to be a highlight of your trip!
- You may want to think about staying in Monterey, California. There is so much to do in Monterey and nearby Carmel, plus starting from this area instead of San Francisco will give you more time to stop along the coast.
- Make sure to fill up on gas, bring snacks, and use the bathroom before you leave the Monterey/Carmel area, as there are not many places to stop until you get to Big Sur.
- Piedras Blancas is a great place to stop and see the Elephant Seals. If you or your child have any interest in animals you may want to think about making this one of your planned stops. Springtime is a great time to see them otherwise they may not be there.
- Universal Studios LA is very different than Orlando. There are less rides and it is more about the movie sets. If you do plan on going, it is highly recommended that you do the studio backlot tour. This is an absolute must if you plan on going to Universal on this or any trip you make to California. Make sure to ask to ask to be in the third car of the tram!
- Make sure to have a mapped plan of the route you want to take. If you just rely on GPS to get to each point on your trip. The GPS may want to keep taking you on the shortest or quickest route rather that the one you want to take. If it does you could miss out on some coastal views or additional stops you want to make.
- Plan accordingly for gas prices they tend to be pretty high in California. Also make sure to be aware of rush hours when you are driving to or from cities on your route. This could get you caught in some slow traffic if you don't try to plan around them.
- If you are renting a car and you have any issues with the car try to get the car to the nearest rental company, depending on which you used, and they may be able to help you quicker that waiting on hold if you call them to find out what to do.
BEST PLACE TO TAKE FAMILY PHOTO
If you are going to San Francisco you should definitely get a shot on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge where you can have the bridge on one side and the city on the other.
FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR
Kim loved wearing her leggings for driving around since they are so comfortable and perfect for the long times in the car. One huge time saver would be to make sure everyone has slip on shoes, which will make taking stops that much quicker when getting out of the car.
MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST
Things to do in Fort Bragg
North Coast Brewing Co.
The Beachcomber Motel
Best Place to see the Redwoods on the California Coast
The Lodge at the Presidio
Tips for Driving the California Coast
Oceanpoint Ranch
Pelican Inn & Suites in Cambria
Robin's Restaurant
Linn's Restaurant
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Alamo Car Rental
Visiting Los Angeles with Kids
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