Alex Madonna opened a wonderful hotel called The Madonna Inn. Check it ou!

Lots of good ideas! That little hike to see the waterfall that falls into a beach in Big Sur is a fun one. Lunch at Sierra Mar at the Post Ranch Inn.

Anonymous wrote:How soon are you traveling here? PCH in Big Sur just north of San Luis Obispo is closed indefinitely due to a landslide that happened due to the rain. We are expecting way more this weekend so I do expect more landslides.

Agree that you have to be flexible in that area because the access if sort of limited, so if anything goes wrong, your trip may also be limited. We were around Big Sur three days on a PCH road trip last summer, and most everything was closed around there because of the fires, so we weren't able to do several of the things people are recommending. But I do still hope to try to go back and see it again later!

Boardwalk in Santa Cruz was a little gritty but fun
Skip Hearst Castle if bringing kids- boring
Elephant Seals at Cambria were fun for a short stop

Anonymous wrote:San Luis Obispo --
Downtown San Luis Obispo, especially if you can hit it Thursday night for Farmers' Market
My kids like Woodstock's Pizza in town and Bubble Gum Alley is funny/gross
If you have a bit more time, hike Poly Canyon at the back of the university to the Architecture Graveyard

Short hike to tidepools at Montana de Oro State Park

Do a wildlife cruise tour of the Channel Islands

WOW! this is perfect. I lived in Shell Beach (central coast) for some time and the tide pools at Montana De Oro and Thursday night farmers market with a walk through Gum Alley is perfect. I also enjoy a tri-tip sandwich (with two sides of sauce) from Firestone Grill. Finally, breakfast (lox or eggs Benedict) from Seaside Cafe in Shell Beach followed by a stroll down to the water. This is such a wonderful area of California!

How soon are you traveling here? PCH in Big Sur just north of San Luis Obispo is closed indefinitely due to a landslide that happened due to the rain. We are expecting way more this weekend so I do expect more landslides.

Anonymous wrote:Breakfast at First Awakenings in Pacific Grove/ Monterrey
Cracked Crab in Pismo Beach

Both kid friendly and delicious

If your kids like being outdoors, Muir Woods near San Francisco is amazing and easy.

Pismo is touristy but the Crab is a good eat. I'd suggest going up the road to Shell Beach and eating at Alex's BBQ - it's where the locals eat!

Solvang is a cute town for a stop. Cambria is a quiet coastal city to overnight and check out tide pools and have an entire beach to yourself. See the elephant seals in San Simeon just past Hearst Castle. Kids may be bored with the castle

We just did this with our kids. If you are flexible, I'd recommend driving north from San Diego to San Francisco. My kids didn't like being right next to the dropoffs, and it felt safer being on the other side of the road, in the windy ares near Big Sur.

My recommendations are mostly for Big Sur: Big Sur bakery (definitely make a reservation if you can); skip Nepenthe (food is truly awful); Pfeiffer beach; Andrew Molera state park (the Creamery trail is nice and easy for younger kids).

Also -- elephant seals in San Simeon.

Have fun!