La Jolla, Legoland and Laguna Beach are great spots to stop on a family road trip from San Diego to Los Angeles.
This is a guest post from Jennifer Miner who blogs at The Vacation Gals. Follow her on Twitter at @jenniferminer.
Family road trips are practically an American institution. Snacks in a cooler, kids in the back, calls of “are we there yet” and “she’s making faces at me” trying parents’ patience; many people have memories of this. I know I do. One particular road trip that my family has done several times is the San Diego – Los Angeles trip along the coast of Southern California. The Pacific Coast Highway makes for a lovely car ride. These are three of our favourite stops along the way.
La Jolla: This pretty little seaside town is just north of San Diego, making it more a sidetrack rather than pitstop, but it’s well worth an afternoon of a family’s vacation time. A vacation in San Diego is typically activity-filled, what with Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, and San Diego Wild Animal Park being popular family trips (not to mention Balboa Park).
La Jolla is definitely sleepier; it’s a nice place to decompress after a busy few days. The famous Ellen Browning Scripps house (circa 1916) is home to the Museum of Contemporary Art, which might be a tough sell for kids. Instead, check out the family days at Birch Aquarium and spend an afternoon at the beaches. La Jolla Shores has gentle waves, Torrey Pines State Beach is great for both swimming and appreciating natural beauty and the Children’s Pool in La Jolla holds a few surprises of its own. With restaurants ranging from beachy to high-end, La Jolla is a great way to relax and catch one’s breath before heading up Pacific Coast Highway for most of the road trip.
LEGOLAND California: If your kids still haven’t had enough of the Southern California theme park thing, this might be what it takes to get it out of their systems. LEGOLAND is in Carlsbad, itself a very nice town. It’s much, much more appropriate for younger children — but boy, do those young kids love it. Lots of scrambling around on oversize Lego structures, some water features for hot days, and lots of opportunities to get tired out (read: so kids will sleep in the car) … it’s a perfect day for families with younger children.
Laguna Beach: We absolutely love Laguna Beach for a Pacific Coast Highway pitstop from San Diego to Los Angeles. We never miss it! It’s got a great stretch of beach, of course, and fantastic, kid-friendly restaurants (we often stop at BJs for lunch). The Pacific Marine Mammal Center, a rescue/rehab center, is an interesting stop here. Kids love exploring tide pools (so does this adult) — check out Picnic Beach, Crystal Cove State Park, or Treasure Island Park for the best tide pools.
Anyone road tripping with kids from San Diego to Los Angeles will probably need to stop somewhere along the way. These three pitstops are my recommendations. Have a great road trip!
Roaming Tales is publishing a series of guest posts from fellow bloggers, while I look after my newborn twins.
I loved La Jolla – I had fun watching the sea lions on the rocks off the beach.
Laguna Beach is also great, esp if you like funky little art galleries and boutiques.
I also liked Dana Point for its surfer vibe and Solana Beach for the cliffs along the beach.
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We took a cross-country flight just to get to LEGOLAND, and we weren’t disappointed! My son, who was eight at the time, was just at the older end of the age range that this park is suited for.
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How wonderful that you get to explore such a beautiful part of the country!
As a Southern California native myself, I have to say that I absolutely love Laguna Beach and that it’s definitely a must-see for visitors and locals alike. I think I could do without Legoland, but maybe that’s because I’m a young adult with no kids! I would also recommend San Clemente as an alternative to Laguna Beach for a more laid-back beach town if the art scene isn’t your thing.
If you’re in the area, Belmont Park is a laid-back amusement park that I found enjoyable. And it’s right next to the Mission Bay beaches.
Those are all great places to visit. Plus, when you reach the LA area, you can also stop by Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, or Universal Studio. But I suppose these amusements parks are much more well-known, since they have been around longer. Another great thing about vacationing from San Diego to LA is that the beach is always within reach. Did someone say “Sunscreen?”