California – anytime is the right time. From mild winters to moderate summers the golden state is a vacation paradise. The forests and mountains in the North to the desserts in the South it offers you snow and sand to play with. The state is infamous for it’s high priced themed parks and tourist destinations but with a little planning you can beat the costs for an “off beat’ family vacation sure to envy the friends. Over the years as a family we have re-learned the art of enjoying solo family vacations. Yes it’s a lot of fun to go with friends and family but sometimes it is important to just go on your own and connect with each other. (Note to self, take more pics for the blog)
This list of off “Off Beat” destinations are both family friendly and cost effective.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
ROARING CAMP RAILROAD
In the 1880’s the steam engines were used to haul the redwood logs across the country. Today the well-oiled steam engines take you on a 75 minute round trip ride through the majestic redwoods and up the Bear Mountain. The tour includes a guided history by the conductor and also a stop for the perfect picture opportunities. After the tour, you can step out and take a small hike in the Henry Cowell State Park right behind Roaring Camp railroads. Take a picnic basket or buy from their cafe and make it an adventure to remember. Approximately an hour drive from San Francisco International Airport, Roaring Camp Railroads is a good alternative to the crowded Muir woods.
If you LOVE the beach more than Redwoods, they have a train that takes you to the Santa Cruz Board Walk. Check their website for train schedules.
Price: $$
Parking: Extra
Timing: Open Weekdays and Weekends. Weekends offer more value for money with additional kid friendly activities. See online Roaring Camp schedule for specific events and train timings.
Website: www.roaringcamp.com
Address: 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton, CA
Phone: 831-335-4484
Roaring camp gave you a taste of CA history and now its time to see the wonders of nature in the state. If you are a science enthusiast then you will love this anomaly. Mystery Spot was discovered in 1939 by a group of surveyor’s and opened to the public in 1940 to experience the perplexing phenomenon. It’s where the laws of gravity are disobeyed or is an illusion? The docents take you on a 45-minute tour and boggle your mind. It is an alternative fun inexpensive family friendly place. After this, head over to our next destination only minutes away – the Roaring Camp Railroads.
Price: $ (bookings can be made online)
Parking: Extra
Timings: Monday and Friday: 10:00AM-4:00PM (last tour at 4:05PM)
Saturday-Sunday: 10:00AM-5:00PM (last tour at 5:05PM)
Website: www.mysteryspot.com
Address: 465 Mystery Spot Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95065.
Phone: 831-423-8897
It’s in the mountains, and GPS signal can get lost, it is recommended to see the directions before you leave the city.
TWIN LAKES STATE BEACH: It’s now time to play in the sand. Beat the crowds of Santa Cruz board walk and head on over to Twin Lakes Beach. It provides great views of the Walton Lighthouse and the nearby Schwan Lake is a great for bird watching. It is a super family friendly beach with restrooms and restaurants within walking distance.
Keep your eyes on the water, every so often you will see a pod of dolphins passing by. Grab a picnic lunch and bask in the sun or get a carry out from one of the restaurants near by – either way it’s the perfect way to end a fun day in Santa Cruz.
Parking: $
The street parking requires a permit. So read the signs carefully and park accordingly. Daily permits can be bought too.
Timing: 6.00am to Dusk
Address: East Cliff Drive at 7th Avenue, Near Santa Cruz Harbor, Santa Cruz County
Phone: (831) 427-4868
MARIN COUNTY
Point Reyes Seashore National Preserve is centuries of stories embedded in the headlands, miles of beaches and the calming ocean. We rented a cottage amongst the forests at Cottages at Point Reyes (formerly called Inverness Inn) . It was just the right mix of rugged and modern luxuries. It’s nestled in the forests, so Wifi is on and off, but do you really need Wifi on a family vacation?
The cottages also have a private 8 acre preserve that is perfect for a little stroll with the family or to find a solo corner and connect with nature.
Some of the must-do’s in the neighborhood are:
Built in 1870, the lighthouse warned the mariners for over a decade before it was retired from service in 1975. The U.S. Coast guard has since mounted a permanent light there. Point Reyes is the second foggiest place in the North American coastline. To visit Point Reyes Lighthouse, your first stop is the Bear Valley Visitor center. An hour drive from the San Francisco Airport, the visitor center is a good stop to understand the history of the area, talk to the docents and get an understanding of the weather near the light house. It is closed on extremely windy days. The Point Reyes Lighthouse is a 45-minute drive from the Bear Valley Visitor Center. Parking is a little distance from the lighthouse – it’s a 10-15 minute walk. The lighthouse itself can be viewed from the viewing deck but for the breath taking view take the 308 steps down. Beware of the wind as you descend and ascend the steps.
Price: Free
Parking: 10-15 minute walk from the lighthouse
Timings: Friday – Monday: 10.00am to 4.30pm
Closed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Address: 27000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Inverness, CA + 415-669-1534
Tour the St. Andreas Fault and more.
From in and around the Bear Valley Visitor Center you will find self guided trails to the tectonic mammoth The St. Andreas Fault. The Earthquake trail is a short 0.6mi (1km) paved loop explores St. Andreas fault.
Another fun kid friendly trail is the Kule Loko Trail: A short walk (0.8m/1.3 km) from the visitor center takes you to the recreation of a Coast Miwok Indian Village. Self-interpretative signs allows you to explore at your own pace.
For more challenging trails, visit the National Park Services Page at
Trails and Hikes of Point Reyes National Seashore
There is ample space to have a picnic or you can take a short drive to the tiny town of Point Reyes and explore the quaint little town.
Parking: Free in the Bear Valley Visitor Center parking log
Address: 1 Bear Valley Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
n
m
Phone:(415) 464-5100
Call ahead to schedule any guided tours.
If you decide to skip the walks and trails around the visitor center, drive over to Tomales Point Tule Elk Reserve. “It’s not the destination but the journey” could not be truer for this destination. It’s approximately a 40-minute drive from the Bear Valley visitor center through the beautiful untamed beauty of Point Reyes.
The reserve is a great place to enjoy the wildflowers and see wildlife. It is also the quietest trail in the Point Reyes area. The single trail goes north and is moderate difficulty with mild rolling hills. The trail is well kept in the beginning and as it moves further north, the bushes get a little taller so full sleeves shirts and long pants are a good idea. The views at the end of the trail are worth the hike, and it is also the end of continental US. It’s all ocean after that. Wind and fog can make the hike more challenging, so dress in layers, and take plenty of water. Remember to check with some one at the visitor center or at the entrance of the trail head, so they know you are out there. Wifi and connectivity is not the strongest in wilderness so take all the necessary precautions. The total hike is about 9.5mi (15km)
Total time: 4 to 5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Weather: Windy, dress in layers (Not recommended in the rainy season)
Access: Trail is a rolling hill parallel to the ocean so you have spectacular views
Many adventurous families start their day early and see it all in a day and head back home at night. It’s a beautiful area, if you can, I highly recommend spending a night in Point Reyes area, it’s beautiful. The ocean is raw and untamed, yet the headlands are grounding and keep it all together.
SACRAMENTO
Old Town Sacramento: 28 acres on the waterfront are a delight for both the adult and kids in the family. From the history of the American railroad to the first Wells Fargo to cotton candy and gems galore, the old town Sacramento offers a little something for everyone.
Some favorites are:
California State Railroad Museum
The museum is Sacramento’s largest and one of the most popular attractions. Opened in 1976, it is today a 225,000 square feet of exhibit space with beautifully restored locomotives and railroad cars that walk you through the history of American railroads.
There is something about trains and locomotives, it brings back the child in all of us. Walk through the exhibits and transport yourself to the many wonders in this world.
Address: 125 I St, Sacramento, CA (It is located at the corner of 2nd and I street in Old Town Sacramento)
Phone: 916.323.9280
Website: www.csrmf.org
Parking: Public parking is available at the I street for a nominal fee
Museum fees: $
Go back to the future and see how a Wells Fargo bank looked like. This is a historical recreation of a Wells Fargo Agent.
Address: 1000 2nd St, Sacramento, CA
Phone: 916.440.4263
Website: www.wellsfargohistory.com/museums/sacramento/
Parking: Short term street parking is available or Public parking is available at the I street for a nominal fee.
Museum fee: Free
Explore Old Town Sacramento: With ample dining and shopping options, one can easily spend a complete day here exploring the quaint shopping stores and dining in the local restaurants. The town also offers buggy rides for the romantic in you or for the more adventures, you can take the train rides too.
If you want to make a reservation ahead of time, you can call one of the companies listed here to guide you: Tours in Old Town Sacramento Or you can wrap up your day in Old Town Sacramento by 1.00pm and then head to the sweetest factory – The Jelly Belly Factory.
The Jelly Belly Factory
About an hour drive West from Sacramento is the Jelly Belly Factory. Talk about a kid in the candy store. This is a whole factory of candies that taste from yummy apple flavored candy to gross vomit flavor and the ever inquisitive pizza flavored candies.
The factory offers free factory tours both on weekdays and weekends. The difference, weekdays you can actually see the machines in motion. Yes, tons and tons of Jelly Belly’s being made. On the weekends, the machines are resting. On the weekends, the process is shown via a video monitor. Not as much fun as the real thing, guaranteed.
Their tours are offered from 9.00am to 4.00pm with the exception of Thanksgiving day, Christmas day, New Year day and Easter. The tours depart every 20 minutes and last for 40 minutes. While the wait is never too long, but on popular holidays and especially spring break, the wait can be up to an hour long, so plan on reaching there either super early in the morning or around 2.00pm when the crowd is fading out.
Address: 1 Jelly Belly Lane, Fairfield, CA
Phone: 1-800-9JELLY BELLY
Parking: Free
Tour fee: Free
Café: $$
Candy Shop: $$ (give your kids a budget or you will go from $$ to $$$ very quickly)
NAPA VALLEY
Typically families with little kids avoid Napa because most of the wineries don’t allow kids and that’s sad because what could be better do calm the exhausted parents than a glass of wine. Fair warning, the only thing I know about wines is that they are made; from grapes. So yes, it’s a fancy grape juice, that is aged and preserved till its ready to tingle our taste buds. But that’s no reason to not take a wine tour and understand how a grape evolves into a delicate glass of wine.
My favorite winery to go with kids is The Mumm Napa Winery. The winery has a good balance of informal formalism. They have a free tour and kids are allowed. Their wine tasting ambience is also semi-formal so making it adequate for families with kids. My kids have broken a wine glass or two there and thankfully we were not kicked out.
If you enjoy wines, it might be worth it to ask a friend or family member to baby sit your kids while you make a getaway and sample the different wineries. Most of the better upscale wineries do not allow kids into their wineries.
Our next favorite at Napa is The Petrified Forest. The trees here are a sight to behold. Metaphorically speaking, years have turned these trees into stone, and so the name. Again a super cool fun place for both, the kids and adults alike.
There are two options here: Docent led tour is a 1.5 hour walk around the trail at 11.00am, 1.00pm or 3.00pm. Alternatively you can do the self-guided tour on your own. Oh don’t forget, their gift shop has some interesting gems and treasures too.
Address: 4100 Petrified Forest Road, Calistoga Ca 94515
Phone: 707.942.6667
Parking: Free
Admission: $
Drive around Napa and if you see an interesting local store, stop and take a peak, you might find treasures galore.
If you want to go more elaborate, you can always take the gandola ride at the Sterling Vineyards We have never taken this ride, but I have heard it’s a good one, though a little pricey I think.
I want to say, Calistoga Geyser is another destination, but can’t. It’s didn’t impress anyone of us. So save the money and skip it. Instead when you can go see the Old Faithful at Yellowstone, its alive.
Well, there you go, these were some of our favorite getaways for a quick short vacation that doesn’t break the bank either. There are many others such as Point Arena Light House , Berkeley, CA , Emerald Bay State Park, Lake Tahoe, CA and more.
Making a travel journey – long or short has many benefits. For starters you get to see a new place, break out of the daily rut, additionally it is probably the most fun way to truly broaden one’s perspective, understanding of another viewpoint, be empathetic and expand your horizons. So travel as much as you can.
Travel with kids does not have to be expensive, it just needs to be well planned. Give your kids the opportunity to explore this amazing world they live in and see them evolve into beings that love the world.
So next vacation, take the path less travelled on, and you will be surprised to find a treasure cove of stories you want to read again and again.
