We take our young kids on road trips ALL the time with a full load of movies and CD’s on tape (try jiggerbug.com…like netflix for books on CD). Be prepared with TONS of snacks.
Some of our favorites (from San Francisco) include:
- San Diego (yes it’s 9 hours). We stopped at Harris Ranch Hotel for less than $150 a night we all slept in one room. Smelled like cows but the kids didn’t care because of the large pool where we ate room service and had ice cream.
- The Trinity Alps – awesome, 6 hours away from San Francisco. A dude ranch there called Coffee Creek makes for a fun place for a week or weekend (don’t expect glamorous, but it has all the fun stuff for the kids).
- Lake Tahoe – we make weekly visits there during ski season, but it makes for a fun spot for summer activities also. We prefer North Lake Tahoe (Serene Lakes is cheap and pretty with a nice spot called Ice Lakes Lodge right on the water). Break up the trip with a stop at Ikeda’s for smoothies/a meal/groceries while there.
- Henry Coe State Park – Morgan Hill, CA. This is hands down the best place to camp with kids. Fishing/swimming/car camping.
- Santa Barbara, California: Stay at the Doubletree Hotel, across from the beach. For $250 a night all the family can stay in one room. We got a stuffed animal when we arrived. It’s VERY kid friendly and features a carousel and playground down the street from the hotel.
We are taking the kids on a long weekend this Thursday to visit friends in LA…anyone have a good spot to stop to break up the trip (from the San Francisco Bay Area)…I like your ideas but we want cheap! Also, any web sites for cheap gas along the way?
I have been looking for a good hotel to stay in Santa Barbara for a weekend trip, but they all either looked too expensive or not worth the price. I like your suggestion about the Doubletree.