Yahoo Named America’s Best Family Road Trip — and It’s All Coastline

Some of the best childhood memories are of summer road trips with the family. While there might be some bickering in the back, unplugging from the usual routine and exploring scenic routes brings the joy of discovery. The freedom of the road lets you travel at your own pace, perhaps stopping at beaches and viewpoints along the way, catching a glimpse of the spout of a migrating whale before stumbling upon a classic local diner.

It may be cliché, but there’s nothing like rolling the windows down, turning up the tunes, and maybe even singing together while watching the passing landscapes. The only question for those who want to explore more than their own backyard is, where to go for that road trip? When Yahoo recently revealed the top six road trips across the country, it just so happened that California’s Pacific Coast Highway was at the top of the list.

It’s the very same journey I enjoyed with my own family while growing up in Northern California. Even after traveling it dozens of times, it never gets old. In fact, cofounder of Outdoorsy Jen Young called the stretch from San Francisco to San Diego the “ultimate family road trip” with many potential stops along the way. 

Plan to spend a couple of days in San Francisco before heading south. You can explore Golden Gate Park, home to the Japanese Tea Garden, the de Young Museum, and the California Academy of Sciences, which hosts an aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum. You might take the ferry to Alcatraz Island from Pier 33 to tour the infamous prison, and then find the perfect spot for fresh Dungeness crab or a clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl at Fisherman’s Wharf. Don’t forget to look for the sea lions on K-Dock.

As Young recommended, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a key stop. It’s the perfect place for the kids to burn off energy while having fun. Nearly all ages can have fun here with rides for the little ones and thrilling rides for the rest of the family, including the Giant Dipper, a wooden roller coaster and national historic landmark dating to 1924. Plus, it’s fronted by a long stretch of sand perfect for building sandcastles and much more. 

Monterey is home to the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, historic Cannery Row, and the Dennis the Menace Playground. One of the country’s best and most unique playgrounds, it was designed by comic strip creator Hank Ketcham and includes a climbing wall, a vintage steam engine, a maze, lots of slides, and more.

Thousands of wild elephant seals can be seen lounging along the beach year-round from the safety of a boardwalk at this elephant seal rookery.

Located along one of the most breathtaking stretches of the drive, Pfeiffer Beach is renowned for its purple-tinted sand and dramatic rock formations. Nearby are trails that wind through towering redwood trees. 

Families with older kids can visit Hearst Castle, one of the country’s few castles for a fairytale-like experience. Tour the opulent rooms, beautiful pools, and stunning gardens before taking a bus ride up the mountain, looking for the resident zebras as you go.

When Disneyland is on the itinerary, you’ll have the perfect tool in your toolbox for ensuring good behavior. There are few kids (and even adults) who would be willing to risk missing time at the “World’s Happiest Place on Earth.”

Finally, conclude in San Diego by enjoying one or more of its many attractions. You might even stop in Carlsbad first to play at Legoland with over 60 rides, a water park, and an aquarium. You’ll be just north of the highly awarded San Diego Zoo and within easy reach of countless powdery sands.