California road trip is booked - anyone like to share their hints/tips best places to visit/eat or cook things to do?

[Sarahlouboo]

Going to San Francisco, Yosemite, Monterey, Big Sur, Santa Barbara and LA. Looking for all your recommendations of free and not so free stuff to do/cool or fun places to eat (our DS will be 12 years). Lots of good LA threads but haven’t seen so much about the other places on itinerary. We will be going late August/early Sep. Also is there such thing as a one day Disney ticket?! Can’t find one if so. DH only wants to go for Stars Wars world. Thank you in advance!

Do the Love tour of San Francisco in a hippy bus - painted VW camper van, they play great 60's/70'smusic and you get to drive down Lombard Street.

Go up the viewing tower in the De Young museum (you dont have to pay the entry fee to do this) - fantastic 360 degree views over the city as it is all glass at the top. Also go up Coit tower for a different 360 degree view point.

Ride on the old street cars along Fishermans Wharf - the F line. Farmers Market on a Sat is fabulous - lots of free samples, and cooking demos where you get to try a plateful of food.

Ride the cable car - go first thing in the morning so you dont have to queue and get on at Powell turntable and take the Powell- Hyde line over to Fishermans Wharf. The Grip Men who operate the cable cars are great characters!

Ocean Beach is fabulous - miles of sand, surfers, and BBQ foodtrucks, pelicans etc

Glacier Point at Yosemite is a must, also the Mariposa Grove to see the giant sequoias, plus lots of wildlife - chipmunks, deer etc

Whilst waiting for the whale watching boat at Monterey watch out for the sea otters swimming around in the harbour

Venice Beach - go behind the main street to find all the quirky houses built along the canals

Hearst Castle was a disappointment for us. It’s ok but not worth seeking out. We have such fantastic stately homes in the uk.

Do a Segway somewhere if you can. Your 12 year old will love it. We did it in Beverley Hills and included Rodeo Drive.

Alcatraz was absolutely superb, my stand out memory.

Thanks for the reassurance about Yosemite View Lodge

Whoops, posted too soon @Stripyhoglets1! Travel agent said it was basic but I think it looks like a fab location. Slightly worried about the food bill so I'll take an ice bag, thats a great idea for picnics etc.!

@rabbitsandrhubarb - some great ideas thanks. Love the idea of the summer of love tour!

@BubblesBuddy and @ThroughThickAndThin01 - the jury is still out re Hearst Castle! I guess if we are at a loss for something to do we can head there (or maybe you have to book ahead?)

Like the Segway tour idea! DS would love that.

I tend to think American publishing magnate homes are different from stately piles here! It’s all about context. Why do people go to theme parks in the USA when we have them here? Or restaurants? Or beaches? Because they are different and they reflect the nation they are in.

We also liked the Huntington Gallery, Library and Gardens in Pasadena. We have all those things here but not the same pictures, cactus gardens or books!

Ice-cream made to order in front of you will be a hit with your DS. www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g60713-d2316867-r619725425-Smitten_Ice_Cream-San_Francisco_California.html

Am envious would be impossible not to have a fabulous time no matter what.
We stayed in Monterey for too long three nights is enough aquarium is OK but best thing as some coconut shrimp in bubba humps with actual seals and otters cavorting about in the ocean our kids still remember that years later.

Oh by the way, if you do end up in San Luis Obispo you have to stay at the Madonna Inn. Its fantastically laugh out loud kitcshy.

@Bouledeneige I was just about to suggest that. We stayed in the Crazy Daisy room. Soooo pink! Super kitsch!

Fair point @BubblesBuddy! My friend recommended the swimming pool tour and it does look amazing.

@Bouledeneige and @Babysharkdoodoodood - omg the colours 😂! Looks fabulous but we already have accommodation at Pismo Beach on that stretch of the journey.

@pinksockbodyrock coconut shrimp at Bubba Gumps is now on the list! We are staying two nights in Monterey .

@EwwSprouts That icecream place looks amazing and we will try and search it out, thank you.

Sounds amazing! Can I be cheeky and ask about costs/ budgeting/duration? I'd love to do that with my teens!

SF If you want to do the Alcatraz tour book now or as soon as you can.
The Cheesecake Factory in union square does great food, not just cheesecakes, fantastic brunch, and has a brilliant view if you ge5 a terrace table. If you get there early you’ll get one no trouble.

Cycling over the sF bridge and getting the ferry back was a highlight of our trip.

Yosemite gets really busy on the valley floor,but you don’t have to walk up very far before you lose sight of people. Make time to walk up one of the trails.

I road tripped San Francisco to LA with my two friends when we graduated (a while back😁). Best tip I got from our first hotel in SF. Take a sweater. It can get misty and foggy and believe me I needed my cardigan and it was July!
Yosemite was wonderful. We also visited an old ghost town turned into an attraction, very cheesy but great fun called Calico I think. Palm.Springs was cool we went up this massive peak in a cable car. Disney obvs and the Queen Mary was nice, I wanted to do the ghost tour but we missed it ☹️. Still nice chap on the door let us peak around the deck area and see the little museum type thing they have 😁. Enjoy your trip

We did this exact tour last summer. Loved it. Loved Monterey Bay. Whale watching tour was great but we also did a kayaking tour which was even better
Yosemite is so amazing I can’t describe it. Fabulous
Griffiths observatory for the Hollywood sign is good. We also did a tour of the famous houses which our teenagers loved. We did universal too the new Star Wars there was a big hit

When we go to Monteray aquarium we alsways stay in Pacific grove. We used to stop in a really old fashioned motel across the road from the beach at lover point in a place called Borgs Motel.
www.borgsoceanfrontmotel.com/
It isn't on booking.com or any other booking sites, well it didn't used to be, so is cheaper and full by word of mouth. We've been going for over 20 years. They have family rooms that we stayed in. It's two bedrooms with one bathroom with only one front doot to get in if that makes sense.

Thirding the Madonna Inn. Bonkers (nice pool too).

I think staying in Carmel is really nice. It’s classy!

@Babysharkdoodoodood I stayed in the Crazy Daisy room too! I laughed out loud when I walked in the room. And loved the pink banquettes and baby sized gold cherubs hanging from the ceiling.

The Winchester Mystery House is fascinating winchestermysteryhouse.com

Also the Red Wood forest across San Francisco Bay (Muir Woods I think?) is really lovely.

@RobertSmithdoesmyhair - I'll say it quickly so I don't feel faint...aroundthe£7kmark...that's including flights, car hire, hotels (all 3/4 star) & Universal. Still dithering over Disney. Could have done it slightly cheaper if I had booked independently and chosen a more basic hotel in LA but wanted the security of booking with an agent and a fun hotel to end on. Most of the room are twin queens if you/ your teens don't mind sharing...

@Barsh - I have a vague memory of going to Cheesecake Factory and being unable to eat any actual cheesecake as the main meals were so huge! My DS will love it there, good advice about seating thank you. Me and DH have been to SF before so we are skipping Alcatraz this time around but we are definitely going to hire some bikes and go across the bridge. Sounds like I will need a good cardi for that @joCmummy! Ghost town sounds fun, will look it up.

Kattya - how did you find the driving/distances? I would love to do a kayak trip - any tips regarding that?

Thanks for all the cool recommendations re accommodation but we already have it booked! I should've come on here first!

Oh and thanks for the idea about the Mystery House @APurpleSquirrel, I'll check it out.

@Bouledeneige and @Babysharkdoodoodood I stayed at the Madonna Inn on my first trip and we were the Caveman room which was epic! However the best bit was that when we ate in the restaurant that night Dolly Parton was eating there too!