Expert: Steve Summers - 8/11/2008

Question
Hi -
We are traveling to CA on October 12 - 17.  We will be in Disneyland for 4 days (we are traveling with a 6 year old and a 21 month old - thus we need lots of time!)
We are planing to see my brother in Davis after Disney - I would LOVE to drive up the coast - we live in the Rockies - thus don't have a chance to see the ocean.  This is our first trip out to CA coast (we have been to Davis before).  My question is - how much longer will it take to get to Davis taking a SCENIC route? and where would you recommend us staying along the way - I would definitely take 2 days to get to Davis if you think there is
a good spot for the kids to play somewhere along the way.

Thank you in advance

Alicia

Answer
Hi Alicia,

Funny you should ask this. As you typed it, I was driving the "scenic route" along the coast. I've done this many times, and here's my recommendations.

The trip via I-5 is 423 miles, which would be 6.5 hours of driving with whiny kids. However, if you do it right, you can take 101 (513 miles) , and make an adventure out of it. Drive time is 8.5 hours plus.

In order to get the most out of this, you need to do a little "pre-driving": Let's call it "Day 0". At the end of your Disney day, you feed the kids, put them in their jammies, and hit the road. We did this all the time with great success, until our youngest learned to handle road trips better. Drive about 130 miles to a little town called Carpinteria, home of "The World's Safest Beach". The Motel 6 (south) on Carpinteria Avenue is OK, but the Holiday Inn Express is much better. You get a nice little continental breakfast with your room, or you can go to IHOP on Casitas Pass Road.

Day 1: In either case, take the kids to the BEACH in the morning after breakfast. Just follow Carpinteria Ave to the west, turn left at Linden, and it ends at the beach. Free parking. If it's full, you'll have to pay the day use fee at the State Beach next door. Let them run around and play in the sand for a couple hours. They'll have a blast. You can shower them off right there on the beach. If they behave, then take them to Robataille's (row-bah-TIES) Old Fashioned Candy Store... just past Von's. They'll be like, well, a kid in a candy store.

Hopefully, the kids will have spent enough energy to get them settled in for awhile. If you need lunch, you can get it at the Spot, right there where Linden Avenue meets the RR tracks. If you don't need lunch right away, see if you can make it to Pismo Beach, 2 hours up the road. Exit Price St, go straight until Pomeroy, then left on Pomeroy. Splash Cafe is famous for it's clam chowder, and Moe's BBQ has excellent BBQ. And you're right up the street from the Pismo pier. The kids can explore the pier, play in the swings on the beach, or go a mile or so north/west on Price, and play at Dinosaur Caves park. Pismo is another fun town. We'll be there all next week with our 7YO.

By now it should be late afternoon or early evening. This is when you feed the kids dinner, pack them up like the previous night, and drive some more. Go north on 101 to Salinas, then west to Monterey. Monterey is really expensive. You don't get much bang for your buck in terms of hotel rooms, so you might want to book in Salinas. However, to save some time, it might be better just to book in Monterey anyway. The Best Western Monterey Inn is pretty good. If you can find something around there or close to Cannery Row, that would be ideal.

Day 2: Monterey Bay Aquarium and Dennis the Menace Park. http://www.cityitinerary.com/activities/index.php?s=30 There is a reason I diverted you from Salinas. It's the same reason we're taking a side trip to Monterey in the first place next week. Monterey Bay Aquarium is not to be missed. It is amazing for both kids and adults. Be sure not to miss the feedings, which is when the fish, otters, and deep sea fish are most active. You can easily spend the entire morning there. There are lots of kid-friendly touchy-feely exhibits there as well. Don't waste time standing in line for tickets. Go to the member's entrance and get a family membership. You will get everyone in for a little more than you would pay for regular admission, but you don't have to wait in line. Plus, you get a discount at the souvenir shop. With 4 kids, this has saved us a bundle when we go. The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company is a fun restaurant, and kid-friendly, right there on Cannery Row. It's a bit pricier than McDonald's, but you adults should enjoy it a lot, especially if you liked the movie Forrest Gump. The mac and cheese is good there for the kids. After the aquarium, go to Dennis the Menace Playground at Estero Park. This park is SO fun, my OLDEST couldn't help herself and played on the equipment (she was 22 when we went in 2006... she's not married yet, but we're 100% positive our future grandkids will spend some time here). It's really that fun. Don't EVEN think about forgetting the camera for these two activities. The pics are priceless.

Between these activities, you should have a very full day. If you need a quick meal, there's a McDonald's close to DTM park on Del Monte. If your 6YO has adventurous tastebuds, the Sea Harvest fish market has some tables where you can have some of the freshest fish you'll have in your life. By now, you know the drill. Pack up the kids, and hit the road. It's another 180 miles to Davis, about 3 hours. Take 1 north to Castroville, then 156 east to 101. Take 101 north to Fremont, then 680 north until you get to 80 east. That will take you right to Davis.

Have fun!