Help me plan my CA summer itinerary with older teens
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Anonymous
This is highly unusual as California has very few Trump supporters. |
Anonymous
Trump got 1/3 of the vote in CA. That about equals the entire population of Maryland. Could maybe try Ojai or Temecula, or if you are ok driving a bit farther, Sequoia NP. |
Anonymous
I think there are crazy Trump supporters near the mountain towns in CO, WY, and even MD (Deep Creek Lake has lots of Trump signs). I wouldn’t let that stop me from visiting Big Bear but I’ve only been in winter. Upthread I said my teens can get bored with Ojai, but given that you are already staying near the beach and in LA, I agree with a PP that Ojai could be a good third stop - it’s very nature oriented. |
Anonymous
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Check out Lake Arrowhead. It's 25 miles from Big Bear and part of the mountain town communities up there. I think heading in to the San Bernardino Mountains is a good idea - they are beautiful and have fun hikes. The Heart Rock trail is one you could check out (moderate, not easy; you need good shoes with grip as it's scrambly in parts). Also the Heaps Peak Arboretum. Other nice towns around there are Crestline and Running Springs. You can't walk around the perimeter unless you live in Lake Arrowhead or are renting an Air BNB with a pass, but you can walk through the cute alpine town on the lake and take a lake cruise. https://lakearrowheadqueen.com They point out famous people's homes along the water as you go.
If you would like to head into the mountains on the San Diego trip, go to Palomar Mountain and Julian - famous for its apple pies and a nice Old West town. Also Santa Isabel (artsy). We love the Southern California mountains. Have a great trip! |
Anonymous
The drive to Big Bear is long, windy and crowded with tailgaters. It's not that great once you're there. It's in San Bernardino County and not that convenient. I would stick to the coast. It is a very crowded place. I stayed at a friend's cabin in 2019. |
Anonymous
PP who asked about BBL. Thank you - it sounds like BBL isn't worth it. We could stay in L.A. longer. My kids haven't done the La Brea Tar Pits, and it's hard to get enough of LACMA, the Getty, Petersen Automotive Museum, Griffith Park, etc. We always have fun in L.A. (We'll be a week north of San Diego and the kids will be in surfing camp for five days - so we don't need more beach time.) But if anyone has any more easy suggestions from San Diego or L.A., I'd appreciate it. Kids are 6 and 11. THANKS. |
Anonymous
You clearly aren’t from California! We have a lot of Trump supporters. We just have more liberals. During the 2020 election, it was non stop Trump madness with fan boys and girls waving their flag and reviving their pick ups. That said, it’s 4 years later and it has calmed down. I absolutely hate Big Bear, and would not recommend it for an out of towner. It’s boring, to boot. There are so many better places to visit. |
Anonymous
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There are still a fair amount of Trump flags around Ojai and Ventura fwiw.
Just got back from a few days at Big Bear. It was fine for our “first postpartum hike and see how the baby does on the trails” trip but not a lot to do overall. We won’t go back. |
Anonymous
My kids have been visiting San Diego for years and love it every time. I lived there for my 20s so it's near and dear to my heart. My favorite beach is La Jolla Shores. You can kayak to the caves off La Jolla, see the sea lions at the Children's pool, go tide pooling near the pier. Other kid favorites are the world famous zoo, sea world, safari park, Birch aquarium, Legoland, Belmont Park. |
Anonymous
PP again looking for options. We've spent months in the San Diego area, staying north of the city near the beach. We've stayed for 2-4 weeks several times. We'll stay with family for a week, then need to skedaddle. If we're paying for lodging, we're looking to go elsewhere, somewhere we haven't been. We've also spent time in L.A. as a family, just less time than the San Diego area. Thus, I'm looking for other suggestions. I've now struck Big Bear from the list and am concerned Ojai would be too boring. I'd love to go to Joshua Tree and Palm Springs - just not in August! If it helps, I'd ideally like something for 3-4 days within a 3-4 hour drive of either San Diego or John Wayne Airport (where we'll be returning from). Thanks again! An aside to assist others: John Wayne Airport (SNA) is awesome. It's small compared to SAN and LAX, so easy in and out. And the car rental is across the street from the airport, so no shuttle needed. While SNA is a longer drive than SAN to much of the area north of San Diego, with how quick it is to get from your gate to your rental car, it often takes less time. And surprisingly, it's often cheaper to fly there than SAN. |
Anonymous
| Sequoia/Kings Canyon is about 4 hours from SNA. |
Anonymous
It's pushing it on distance, more like 4-5 hours, but consider going farther north into the central Coast. Avila and Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, Hearst Castle. Or go with Ojai and use it as a base for day trips to Santa Barbara and Channel Islands National Park ( my kids enjoyed that when they were in middle school -- boat cruise to one of the islands where we got off and hiked, then back on the boat to finish the cruise). As long as your kids are happy with outdoorsy activities - hiking, beaches, bike riding, horseback riding - I think there's plenty to do in the Ojai area for a few days |
Anonymous
My kids do love outdoor activities, though the little guy (at six) is not yet strong on his bicycle. He did walk 12 miles one day over spring break, so he's already a tough cookie despite being 45" tall. I'll look into all of these suggestions, thank you! |