Anonymous wrote:Hearst Castle, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Channel Islands national park, etc.

+1 to all of this. I love the central coast area, specifically Santa Barbara County and points north. Santa Barbara is a great town with lots of activities.
Avila Beach is a pretty little community with a nice beach area for kids. That’s just north of Pismo Beach, and also near San Luis Obispo.
If you drive up the Pacific Coast Highway, stop off and see the large colony of elephant seals on the beach at San Simeon, near Hearst Castle. Verify that you can get all the way up via PCH, though. I know there was a bad washout that had shut down the part near Big Sur, and you want to verify that has reopened, because there’s no easy detour from that point.

Anonymous wrote:Santa Cruz for mexican food....hard to go wrong, but like taqueria vallarta best.

Santa Cruz is groovy, but it's not btween LA and Monterey.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drive up the coast and check out state parks, Nature, hiking

This -- I'm a native Californian from the Bay Area and even after nearly 30 years on the east coast I'm always amazed that people here don't appreciate how much of what makes California special is the abundant and varied natural beauty. I mean, I'm a fan of many cities, including LA (cue Randy Newman here), but you miss so much if you're just going to the tourist attractions -- especially if you're doing that drive up to Monterey with a 7 y.o., you're gonna need to get out of the car and run around a little bit. Going north from LA check out Will Rogers SP and Mandeville Canyon. Santa Barbara has a beautiful botanical garden and several great parks, including one with a mega climbing structure for kids (maybe somebody here can remember the details on this or just google). Carpinteria is one of my favorite little beach towns along the SoCal coast. Continuing north Morro Bay is a great spot for kayaking. Near Big Sur, there are two beautiful state parks, Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP (do the waterfall trail) and Andrew Molera SP.

I don't under stand comments like these. You don't understand that other people are not as privileged as you to have travelled extensively in California? I grew up in DC and would never say that "I don't understand that how people don't appreciate how pretty Shendoah Park is." I don't get what phrasing things in this way adds to the conversation- trying to convince people how pretty CA by calling them dumb and uneducated and unapreicate of nature? Does that work for you to connive people to think like you?

Wow -- you're a grouch. Is that what growing up in DC will do to our kids? Yikes!

OP is driving from LA to Monterey. The highlights of that drive are, IMHO, all about the natural beauty and outdoor activities -- especially if you're driving with a 7 y.o. And to set the record straight, I never called anyone "dumb". I wouldn't do that. But, then again, I was privileged to grow up in a place where people are not as crabby as they are here. Maybe that's because we can get out in nature more easily.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drive up the coast and check out state parks, Nature, hiking

This -- I'm a native Californian from the Bay Area and even after nearly 30 years on the east coast I'm always amazed that people here don't appreciate how much of what makes California special is the abundant and varied natural beauty. I mean, I'm a fan of many cities, including LA (cue Randy Newman here), but you miss so much if you're just going to the tourist attractions -- especially if you're doing that drive up to Monterey with a 7 y.o., you're gonna need to get out of the car and run around a little bit. Going north from LA check out Will Rogers SP and Mandeville Canyon. Santa Barbara has a beautiful botanical garden and several great parks, including one with a mega climbing structure for kids (maybe somebody here can remember the details on this or just google). Carpinteria is one of my favorite little beach towns along the SoCal coast. Continuing north Morro Bay is a great spot for kayaking. Near Big Sur, there are two beautiful state parks, Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP (do the waterfall trail) and Andrew Molera SP.

I don't under stand comments like these. You don't understand that other people are not as privileged as you to have travelled extensively in California? I grew up in DC and would never say that "I don't understand that how people don't appreciate how pretty Shendoah Park is." I don't get what phrasing things in this way adds to the conversation- trying to convince people how pretty CA by calling them dumb and uneducated and unapreicate of nature? Does that work for you to connive people to think like you?

Just north of San Simeon is an elephant seal reserve.

https://visitsansimeonca.com/what-to-do/elephant-seals-san-simeon/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, don’t recommend this plan. It’s a long drive with a kid and there’s not much for kids, unless you think she’d like Hearst Castle. The drive is romantic/scenic but places to stop are few and far between.

I really like the Monterey Aquarium and grew up going there, but unless you guys are aquarium super fans, I wouldn’t go that far out of my way to go. It is a really cool place but around that age my kids lasted about an hour before they wanted to leave. It was a very expensive hour.

Don’t listen to this person. We did the drive several times when my kids were 7. There is lots to do and see.

Agree. This advice wasn't my experience at all. We did this and my kids were probably 5, 7, and 9 at the time. They loved the Aquarium and I wouldn't say we are "super fans" it's big and it takes a long time to walk around even if you don't get to see all of it. Kids lasting less than an hour sound they have less than average attention span. My kids enjoyed the drive as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drive up the coast and check out state parks, Nature, hiking

This -- I'm a native Californian from the Bay Area and even after nearly 30 years on the east coast I'm always amazed that people here don't appreciate how much of what makes California special is the abundant and varied natural beauty. I mean, I'm a fan of many cities, including LA (cue Randy Newman here), but you miss so much if you're just going to the tourist attractions -- especially if you're doing that drive up to Monterey with a 7 y.o., you're gonna need to get out of the car and run around a little bit. Going north from LA check out Will Rogers SP and Mandeville Canyon. Santa Barbara has a beautiful botanical garden and several great parks, including one with a mega climbing structure for kids (maybe somebody here can remember the details on this or just google). Carpinteria is one of my favorite little beach towns along the SoCal coast. Continuing north Morro Bay is a great spot for kayaking. Near Big Sur, there are two beautiful state parks, Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP (do the waterfall trail) and Andrew Molera SP.

Kids World at Alice Keck Park.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, don’t recommend this plan. It’s a long drive with a kid and there’s not much for kids, unless you think she’d like Hearst Castle. The drive is romantic/scenic but places to stop are few and far between.

I really like the Monterey Aquarium and grew up going there, but unless you guys are aquarium super fans, I wouldn’t go that far out of my way to go. It is a really cool place but around that age my kids lasted about an hour before they wanted to leave. It was a very expensive hour.

Don’t listen to this person. We did the drive several times when my kids were 7. There is lots to do and see.

Anonymous wrote:Drive up the coast and check out state parks, Nature, hiking

This -- I'm a native Californian from the Bay Area and even after nearly 30 years on the east coast I'm always amazed that people here don't appreciate how much of what makes California special is the abundant and varied natural beauty. I mean, I'm a fan of many cities, including LA (cue Randy Newman here), but you miss so much if you're just going to the tourist attractions -- especially if you're doing that drive up to Monterey with a 7 y.o., you're gonna need to get out of the car and run around a little bit. Going north from LA check out Will Rogers SP and Mandeville Canyon. Santa Barbara has a beautiful botanical garden and several great parks, including one with a mega climbing structure for kids (maybe somebody here can remember the details on this or just google). Carpinteria is one of my favorite little beach towns along the SoCal coast. Continuing north Morro Bay is a great spot for kayaking. Near Big Sur, there are two beautiful state parks, Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP (do the waterfall trail) and Andrew Molera SP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hope she’s good in the car for that 5 1/2 hour drive…why not Aquarium of the Pacific, Carrillo or Scripps? Those are excellent options and so much closer
Hate hassle of toting luggage all over with flying in/out different airports, too vagabond-y for my taste.

It’s 5.5 hours spaced out over 2-3 days depending how OP breaks it up. Can your 7 year old really not hand 2-3 hours driving? That doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.

It’s one of those drives that sounds a lot shorter than it feels. I think it’s the winding roads / carsickness factor and being in a relatively remote area.

I agree it seems this way in parts, but there are some nice stops suggested and it's an iconic drive worth doing. Did it with a 7-year old and a 10 year old. The aquarium was my least favorite part, but I'm not a huge aquarium fan. Alternatively, you could see more of LA (Universal, Beverly Hills; tar pits; studio tours) and go south to San Diego and see the zoo and animal park and Coronado Island.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hope she’s good in the car for that 5 1/2 hour drive…why not Aquarium of the Pacific, Carrillo or Scripps? Those are excellent options and so much closer
Hate hassle of toting luggage all over with flying in/out different airports, too vagabond-y for my taste.

It’s 5.5 hours spaced out over 2-3 days depending how OP breaks it up. Can your 7 year old really not hand 2-3 hours driving? That doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.

It’s one of those drives that sounds a lot shorter than it feels. I think it’s the winding roads / carsickness factor and being in a relatively remote area.

I grew up in Santa Barbara and have driven down to San Diego and up to San Fransisco dozens of times throughout childhood. It’s really not bad. I’d do it 100 times before sitting on 95 for 5.5 hours on a Friday!

I have done this drive with my kids *countless tines* - both the fast route and the meandering highway 1 route. There is tons to do, OP. Just take it slow and explore.

I also can’t believe there are enough locals on DCUM to have a debate about Santa Cruz taquerias.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Santa Cruz for mexican food....hard to go wrong, but like taqueria vallarta best.

No way. Morenos 4 life.

Mony's Mexican Food in Santa Barbara.

You're welcome.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hope she’s good in the car for that 5 1/2 hour drive…why not Aquarium of the Pacific, Carrillo or Scripps? Those are excellent options and so much closer
Hate hassle of toting luggage all over with flying in/out different airports, too vagabond-y for my taste.

It’s 5.5 hours spaced out over 2-3 days depending how OP breaks it up. Can your 7 year old really not hand 2-3 hours driving? That doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.

It’s one of those drives that sounds a lot shorter than it feels. I think it’s the winding roads / carsickness factor and being in a relatively remote area.

Hearst castle is cool, but I don’t know that a 7 year old would find it so neat. As an adult it was cool though!

If trying to stick to fun, do a couple nights in Santa Barbara and do the zoo, the moxie (kids museum), do a whale watching boat, and ride bikes along the beach. Great time for hiking the foothills too—should still be slightly green from winter rain.

If wanting to squeeze in “education” la purisima mission in Lompoc is set up to show daily life in the 1800s with animals and demonstrations and how the missionaries lived.

I don’t think PCPAs summer season will have started yet, but there is an outdoor theater in solving that is adorable and perfect for families. Pretty sure the first show is May though.