Last year my wife and I took a week off work to go to Sequoia National park with our 2 boys and camped there for 3 days. The other 6 days we had left, we just came back home and did nothing but stay home. This year I want to do the same 3 day camp but want to fill the 6 or maybe 4 days and relax the last 2 days before we go back to work. I was thinking before we go to Sequoia we can do a road trip on PCH. Drive north then go to Sequoia. Everyone in this site loves the outdoors and know the spots I can check out with the kids. I have two boys 3 year old and a 7. I need pit stops sto play at the beach, go hiking, and some good hotels. Any suggestions please. Literally you guys will plan my road trip because I don't want to wing it.
I went camping near Lake Cachuma last year, (Same day as the Cool Breeze Century, oddly enough.) On the way back we drove out to the Coast and checked out the Santa Barbara Beaches. I was very pleasantly surprised with Goleta Beach just north of Santa Barbara. Might not be what you are looking for, but the parking was free, and we all had a good time. It's not a high class beach, (Some might call it ghetto,) but I liked it, and we all felt safe. 14 miles north of that is El Capitan Beach which has camping and RV facilities on a bluff over looking the Ocean. Beautiful view.
I always do big sur on the way to San fran. I've surfed willow beach hard to find but great lil cove.u can also camp Julian phiefer state beach and surf or hike. Heart castle is interesting . At the beginning of big sur there is ragged point inn nice hotel on the cliffs. to me some of the best coast on the west coast is thru san Simon and big sur
Best time to visit central coast is now while the hills are green. Wait a few more weeks, the grass field turns yellow again.
I suggest Morro Bay. Its got a lot of reasonable hotels and you can get in a lot of fun close by. Suggestions: Rent a Duffy & cruise the bay for an hour (or Kayak) Go to Montana De Oro and get in a MTB ride then play with the kids at the beach (spooners cove) & hike around the bluffs Thursday night street fair in San Luis Obisbo - fun for the family Drive North from town & check out the coast (elephant seals, hearst castle, lunch in Cambria) When your ready to head for the Sierras, you can take Highway 41 east & stop in Paso Robles for breakfast Have fun!
Ya Jalama burgers are the best. Jalama is tricky with no reservations and being a private owned camp ground not state. One of my favorites though. U can walk south to teranchulas and feel like ur in another world
All those activities sound like that is one pit-stop for us for sure! I told my idea to my wife about camping different sites for different days and she did not like that. She will only do the 3 day camp at the mountains. So I will look into some hotels or lodges. So Morro Bay is a must. Big Sur is a maybe just because it is pretty up north. Thanks for the ideas gentlemen.