California travel ideas and itineraries designed for families with babies, children and teenagers.
Huntington Beach is easiest to understand with children when you stop treating it as a sightseeing city and use it as a place to be outdoors. The beach and pier are the obvious center, but a successful family stay often depends on the non-beach pieces: playground time, a park, a wetlands walk, an early meal … Read more
Coronado is one of the best places in San Diego to give a family an easy day. The island-like peninsula has a broad beach, a walkable town center, bay views, parks and a ferry connection that can turn transportation into part of the outing. The key is to keep the plan simple. Coronado does not … Read more
La Jolla looks like an easy family stop because so many attractions sit along a small stretch of coast: seals, sea lions, coves, tide pools, beaches, viewpoints and an aquarium nearby. The difficulty is that the coastline is not a playground with predictable conditions. Waves, slippery rocks, wildlife closures and parking can change what is … Read more
Big Bear Lake is one of Southern California’s most useful family mountain escapes because it can feel completely different from the coast without requiring a flight. The same trip can be about snow play and skiing in winter, or lake time, forest walks and cooler air in summer. That flexibility is the attraction, but it … Read more