10 Best Family Vacations in California (Plan Your California Trip)
Are searching for the best family vacations in California? Want to plan an amazing California family trip?
Awesome, you are in the right place! We have made many family trips to California, so many we have lost count. It is our go-to family vacation.
I am excited to share some of our California family vacation ideas that we have loved.
In this post, we will give you the most popular California family vacation spots. We will also give the best quick family weekend getaways in California if you are planning a short trip! These are my top 10 California destinations for families.
I know you will enjoy these California vacation ideas for families and plan the perfect California kids vacation ever!
Let’s plan the best California family trip!
If you want to save this information for later be sure to pin this to Pinterest.
This post may contain affiliate links (Including Amazon) that will give me a commission at no additional charge to you.
1. Disneyland
Disneyland is one of our favorite family California trips.
Spontaneous trips to Disneyland were quite common when our kids were little. We would just jump in the car and drive.
Disneyland California Family Trip
If this will be your first time to Disneyland, no need to fear. Disneyland is so much easier to plan compared to Disney World.
There are two parks Disneyland and California Adventure. I recommend getting a 2-day Disneyland Ticket so that you can go to 1 park each day. However, the longer you stay you will save on tickets.
I would use this 2-Day Disneyland itinerary.
If you are serious about going to Disneyland and wondering what the best age for Disneyland is, or when the best time to go is, join my Families who Love Disney Group. You can ask any question you would like.
My family loves the food at California Adventure and Disneyland. We love using mobile ordering! It is so easy! We also enjoy the rides, especially the new Star Wars rides!
Accommodations
If you would like to stay in a Luxury Disney property I highly recommend booking through Davids Vacation Rentals. You can get a much better deal than booking directly through Disney.
There are lots of fantastic Disneyland hotels within walking distance and some of the best Disneyland hotels are even closer to the park than the Disney hotels owned by Disney!
We have stayed off-site many times and loved it!
Hot Tip for Disneyland
Downtown Disney is a great place to buy your Disneyland souvenirs!
Disneyland is one of the best family California trips to take!
2. Legoland California
Legoland is one of the best family weekend getaways in California for those who have young kids.
Legoland California is located near San Diego. It is designed for Lego lovers and primarily kids under the age of 10.
I would suggest booking a ticket for 1-2 days.
The rides at Legoland are great for younger kids. The Lego creations throughout the park are so fun to look at. There is also a water park located at Legoland.
Accommodations
One of the best parts of Legoland is the Legoland Hotel and the Castle Hotel. These hotels are so themed and fun for the whole family.
Booking a package is the best way to go! It offers a hotel room, tickets, and breakfast. Plus, there are activities for families such as treasure hunts, dance parties, and so much more at the hotel.
There is even a character dining experience at dinner you can add on to your trip.
Legoland is one of the best California destinations for families!
3. Los Angeles California Weekend Getaways
LA is known for its Hollywood sign, great beaches, and fun amusement parks.
A family trip in LA is easy to plan. If seeing the Hollywood sign is something that excites your family book a hike up to the sign.
A hop-on hop-off bus tour will get you close to Santa Monica Pier where you can enjoy some time on Venice Beach. (Which I heard has been cleaned up.) We typically go to Huntington Beach when we visit.
You could also go on a Hollywood, Celebrity Homes, and Beverly Hills tour which might be more fun for your family.
Personally, when I have taken my kids to LA, we head straight to either Knotts Berry Farm or Universal Hollywood Studios. We are big Harry Potter fans so it makes sense.
Hollywood is a fun California family trip.
4. San Diego California Trip
San Diego is one of the best California family vacation spots. It is laid back and has a lot to offer.
You can use this 3 – day San Diego itinerary for your California weekend getaway.
The beaches near San Diego are perfect for swimming and learning to surf. You can also go on a whale-watching tour! We love Carlsbad and Coronado Island.
My family loved visiting the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, Balboa Park, and Old Town San Diego. The Mormon Battalion Museum is so fun for kids.
The USS Midway and the Maritime Museum are also some of our favorites! There is a cute Trolley Tour that will take you to all of the major tourist attractions in San Diego.
We also made sure to visit SeaWorld San Diego. It was a lot of fun for the kids!
Accommodations
Coronado has some of the nicest accommodations. The Coronado Island Marriott Resort and Spa has a nice pool and is right on the ocean. We have stayed at many Marriott Hotels in Carlsbad.
I honestly think San Diego is one of the top California family vacations because there is so much to do! A city pass is also a great option if you plan to do a lot of the activities.
Hot Tip
In October Kids are Free for lots of the San Diego attractions!
5. San Francisco California Family Vacations
You might not think San Francisco is one of the best family getaways in California. I am here to tell you we have done this California trip twice with kids and they loved it!
San Francisco has its share of problems, but we felt very safe!
I would use this San Francisco with kids itinerary.
My kids loved going to Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39, Golden Gate Bridge, and riding the cable cars. We also loved eating in San Francisco. Our favorite restaurant was Mama’s.
We did visit Alcatraz and the kids really enjoyed it. We also went to Sausalito and visited Muir Woods. I highly recommend these activities with kids.
Accommodations
We stayed at the Marriott Vacation Club The Pulse and really liked it. It was within walking distance of Ghirardelli Square and Pier 39.
San Francisco is a California family vacation worth taking!
6. Monterey Bay California Weekend Getaway
Before going to San Francisco, I always thought the Monterey Bay Aquarium was located there. Monterey is actually 2 hours South!!!
So needless to say we wanted to plan a separate trip to Monterey so that we could go to the famous aquarium!
Monterey is a cute town with tons of fun stores and shops. Obviously, the aquarium is what makes this one of the top California destinations for families but there are lots of other fun things to do in Monterey with kids.
This could be a family weekend getaway in California because a few days is plenty of time to do everything in Monterey.
On the main street, there are some family attractions. We stopped at a mirror maze and the kids did not want to leave! Near the Wharf, you can rent sea cars or even go on a whale-watching tour.
Accommodations
We stayed at the Springhill Suites on the Dunes. This was nice because it was big enough to fit our family.
Monterey is a fantastic place for a family California vacation!
7. Big Sur/ Carmel By-the-Sea/17-Mile Drive
Just south of Monterey is another California family vacation spot you do not want to miss. This area includes the Big Sur/ Carmel by the Sea/ and the 17-mile drive.
17-Mile Drive
The 17-mile drive is one of the most beautiful drives in California. I know, I know…when I tell my kids we are going on a scenic drive they start to complain, but this area has some kid-friendly spots to help with that.
I think the most popular family attraction is renting electric bikes and biking along the path. There are beaches and picnic areas all along the coast.
Carmel By the Sea
17 mile drive is very close to Carmel. Carmel is a beach town with fancy shops and fun food. It has a European vibe with Fairy tale houses. That makes it pretty exciting. My kids loved eating at the bakeries and sweet shops in town.
Big Sur
The Big Sur is another beautiful drive. You will cross over the Bixby Bridge, which is incredible. Make sure to get out of your car and take some pictures.
There is a purple sand beach in the Big Sur area!!! This was a must for our family we had to see the purple sand. We loved visiting.
Accommodations
If you want to stay in Carmel there are lots of expensive fancy hotels. The Big Sur has glamping and camping options.
8. Redwood National Park
The Redwood National Forest was at the top of my bucket list for years! We finally planned a California family trip to the Redwoods and loved it!
Fun Fact…you can drive from the top of the state down for 5 hours and still be in the Redwood National Forest.
We started in Cresent City. This area has some amazing groves of Redwoods nearby. We loved walking around and seeing the giant trees. I think the kids favorite part was driving our car through a tree!
I bet you didn’t know that there are actual beaches in Redwood National Park, you can go whale watching and explore tidepools!
Accommodations
We stayed at one of the coolest places we have ever stayed at! It was 45 minutes from the Redwoods in Cave Junction, Oregon. It was a treehouse! Yes, a treehouse. It was so awesome! This was glamping at its best!
9. Lake Tahoe California
Lake Tahoe is a fun family California vacation spot. If you like skiing winter is a great time to visit but I much prefer summer!
You can use this Lake Tahoe Summer Itinerary!
Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful lakes we have ever seen! It is so blue! There are lots of Lake Tahoe Tours, like kayaking and hiking. My kids loved hiking to see Monkey Rock and Eagle Falls
We loved the Sand Harbor area. There is a great beach and the water is incredible! This area is so beautiful people get married here!
Accommodations
We booked the Marriott Vacation Club Timber Lodge. We loved our 2-bedroom villa. Marriott Vacation Clubs have kids clubs and fun activities throughout the day. We spent lots of time doing crafts and swimming in the awesome pool.
10. Santa Barbara California Family Vacation
Santa Barbara is a fun area just an hour an a half north of Los Angeles. If you are looking for quick family weekend getaways in California, this is the perfect place!
We loved going to the beach. There are all sorts of fun activities like surfing, kayaking, paddleboarding, parasailing,
If your kids are old enough there are e-bike rentals all along the beach. This is so fun! You can stop and look at the outdoor Farmers Market along your ride.
Accommodations
We just made a day trip to Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara is a really nice area so they have some very classy hotels.
Best Family California Vacations
These are my top 10 family California vacations we have been on. I still plan on going to see Yosmite and Death Valley. I will add them when we go!
Hopefully, this list will get you in the right direction. I have additional detailed posts about each area, so if you do find a family California trip that interests you be sure to dig a little deeper on my site!
Where ever you decide to go I know you will have a wonderful time. There are so many fantastic California destinations for families!
Facebook Community
If you need advice about your upcoming trip join our Facebook Travel Community. This group is full of amazing people that will answer any questions you might have. Join us and we can help! Also, I try to post special deals that companies send me.
We will be traveling through California later this summer. We look forward to visiting the Redwoods in California. Thank you for the added tips for each location.
That is a fun vacation!
We love visiting California and have visited many times. Your post sure shows how it is great for a whole family visit too. Love all the outdoor spots for the family. And definitely would add Yosemite to family plans!
It is on my list for next year!
I love visiting California! You have some really great tips. I’m hoping to go to Big Sur the next time we go. Oh and Disneyland again. Always Disney!
California is our go-to!