NORTHERN

Monterey/Big Sur

Santa Cruz

Fresno

SOUTHERN

Los Angeles

CALIFORNIA

Sacramento

San Diego

Bay Area

Disneyland

NATIONAL PARKS

KINGS CANYON/SEQUOIA

REDWOODS

  • Boardwalk:The historic boardwalk has had a facelift in the past decade with many new rides and some renovations on classics. Along with that came an increased price tag which had us a bit sticker-shocked to start.  It’s about $50/person for unlimited rides at the low end and even babies are required to have a ticket.  That said, there are ample rides for kids (a whole section now) with lots of fun things to do.  Link: https://beachboardwalk.com/

    • Bathrooms were a little tricky, they don’t have many changing areas, and the area that is for it felt a bit dingy.  The stalls are tiny, so to get the kids changed in privacy, you have to take one of the handicap stalls, or change them in the main area.  If they can come wearing their suits, it may make it easier.

    • There is a huge parking lot right near the beach where you can pay to park, or many hotel options within walking distance. The downtown area has lots of places to eat, but not all are kid-friendly and there can be an eclectic assortment of characters posted up along the main drag which made for some interesting conversations with our 3-year-old as she observed them.

  • Beach: is right next to the Boardwalk and is pretty large so even on busy days, there are plenty of places to find a spot.  There are also lots of vendors selling umbrellas and chairs, so if you don’t want to haul one, just bring $15 and buy one when you get there.

YOSEMITE

SANTA CRUZ

JOSHUA TREE

  • Often a drive-through to other regional destinations (Yosemite is just 45 minutes north; Sequoia is 90 minutes East), there are a few great gems in and around Fresno if you’re cutting through the state of California with kiddos on a vacation.

  • Fresno Chaffee Zoo: For the size of the area, this zoo overdelivers and is really wonderful.  They have amazing habitats (Savannah, Seal Cove, Kingdoms of Asia) that take kids through the different continents and show animals coexisting.  They are focused on conservation and population growth (they had 2 baby elephants in October 2024-two weeks apart) and have great educational and also play spaces for kids.  They have a splash park in the summer and a playground/dinosaur dig area all year round.  The Sea Lion demo is every day at 10 am and our girls love going and taking part in this interactive session where the zookeepers do a talk and have the kids act out Sea Lion behaviors. There are bathrooms throughout the park, easy access to changing tables and lots of “Keep Your Paws Clean” hand sanitizer stations.  Exiting the park is the only tricky part as it requires you to go through a turnstile, which is nearly impossible with a stroller.  The entrance says no exit, but they actually let you go out that way if you have a stroller/wagon. Link: https://fresnochaffeezoo.org/

  • Storyland: A bit dated, this is a quiet park-like place that has about a dozen storybook experiences (Mother Goose, Little Red Riding Hood, 3-Bears) and has never had more than 15-20 people there any time I’ve visited (weekend or weekday). On the weekends they have the characters running around interacting with kids and telling the stories.  We’ve met Tinkerbell, Red Riding Hood and others over our visits. Buying the $5 Magic Key is a must, that’s how you turn on the stories.  The key doesn’t come with the admission, so plan to save it if you’re going to return. Link: https://storylandfresno.com/

  • Imagine U Museum (Visalia Children’s Museum): Far exceeding my expectations this place was wonderful.  It had huge inside and outside exhibits for kids and did a great job creating unique spaces that reflect the local community (farming, fire trucks, fruit markets, fishing).  Our kids spent hours exploring and running around.  The one challenge was they don’t really have food or snacks outside of one food truck, so plan ahead and bring snacks.  Restrooms were clean and had little stools. They also have special story time guests and animal visits most days, so check their schedule. It’s on the way North from LA if you’re driving to Yosemite or Kings Canyon and well-worth the stop. Link: https://www.imagineumuseum.org/admission

FRESNO

  • Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP (Three Rivers, CA)

    • General Sherman Tree: An incredibly beautiful drive along the main road through the park takes you to the largest tree in the world.  It is colossal and requires a bit of a hike to get there (not far but does include stairs).  The trail is very well-maintained and easy to navigate though.  In the winter the road leading here can close, so best to go in summer or spring.

    • General Grant Tree: One of our favorite destinations with littles and the grandparents.  It’s only about 90 minutes from Fresno (straight out 180) and is absolutely stunning.  General Grant’s tree is massive and on a very easy 1-mile loop that includes a log cabin nestled among the Redwoods as well.  There are little interactive signs to teach your kids about nature as well.  We call it our “baby hike” and our girls love it.  There is also a picnic area that is a great snow play area in the winter.

    • Waterfalls: Several easy hikes exist in both parks, but if you take 180 all the way down to Kings Canyon, you come out of the Redwood Forest into a stunning canyon landscape that will literally take your breath away.  It’s a gem tucked in Central California that very few visitors take advantage of each year. At the very end of the road are several waterfall hikes (one very short, another longer) that make for fun adventures. Parking can be limited so if it’s a weekend in the spring, prepare to get there early if possible.

  • Yosemite National Park: One of our favorite parks, though living close allows us to visit in off-season when it is exponentially less crowded and makes for a more enjoyable experience in nature.  The landscape is stunning and there are several areas of the park beyond the Valley Floor that are worth a visit.

    • Valley Floor: There are two trails that we love doing with littles:

      o The Mirror Lake trail which starts right outside of the Ahwahnee Hotel and is mostly flat but winds through the boulders.  The full hike is about 2 miles to the lake, but we will often do a small walk until the girls get tired then turn around.  After, make a stop at the Ahwahnee Hotel for lunch or just to grab a sweet treat and enjoy the historic architecture.  In the winter, they have the huge walk-in fireplaces going and plenty of cozy chairs to sit and enjoy.  In the summer, the outside patios offer beautiful views after a hike.

      o Valley Floor trail winds along the interior of the ring road, past the river, near campsites, across little bridges.  You can park anywhere along that road and hop on, going as far as you’d like.  There are several sandy beaches, we’ll bring a picnic basket and enjoy the views with fewer crowds than the mainstream trails.

    • Glacier Point: This vista point is a bit of a drive but it takes you to the very top to see all the sites of the valley.  There is a gift shop with snacks at the top (open during the summer).  The road is closed in the winter due to snow.  Bathrooms were very limited as of Summer 2024 with several closed for repair, making for very long lines.  They are pit toilets which our daughters refuse to use so travel potties may be needed to make this easier.  There is a small 1-mile hike out to the rim that is not stroller friendly, but manageable wearing baby or with toddlers who have sturdy legs.  It does have some steep spots so keep a close eye near the ledges.

    • Mariposa Trail/Wawona

      o   This area is on the South end of the park, closest to Fresno.  Once you enter, it’s about 4 miles to the Wawona Hotel (being renovated in 2025) which has a nice restaurant, is next to the river and old wagon “museum” and across from the golf course.  Hidden behind the golf course is the only dog-friendly trail in the park and a wonderful loop route that is super kid friendly, very flat with small inclines, plenty of logs to sit on and great nature viewing.  Not many people use this trail so it’s pretty empty and flanks the golf course (which is also largely unused).  After, we’ll either do a picnic by the river or go to the Wawona for a special ice cream Sunday treat.

      o   The area has a few bathroom options: flush toilets by the river/general store (which has snacks, sandwiches and drinks) and full bathrooms inside the Wawona hotel.  Just walk past the front desk, out the door to the back veranda and go to the right.  You don’t need to be staying there to use those restrooms, and they even have a baby changing table which is very useful. Link: https://www.nationalparkreservations.com/lodge/yosemite-wawona-hotel/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7se8BhCAARIsAKnF3rxtO4ILECfVBYvpnYVwqmj5Ir5w_r3W8vMLHZFV2m1nOzXniM1p_LQaAqGrEALw_wcB

NATIONAL PARKS

  • Disneyland: There are so many blogs about Disney that I won’t say mine is overly unique, however we had a wonderful visit, going for a day just a few months after visiting Disney World (both first-time visits with kids) and learned a few things in the process.

    • Hotels: There are so many blogs about Disney that I won’t say mine is overly unique, however we found staying at the Springhill Suites/Residence Inn down the street was very easy.  They have free breakfast, rooms with bunk beds (which our girls found nearly as entertaining as the park) and rooms with fireworks views (great if your kids go to bed early). Parking was included and they are right next to CVS if you forget anything.

    • Park:

      • Entry:We went through security 30 minutes before the gates officially opened and there was no line, which was nice because it can back up badly, and they search things very thoroughly-especially strollers. We went the Sunday after Thanksgiving 2024 because we were in town for my husband’s work.  I thought it would be a madhouse but it was very manageable. 

      • Rope Drop: We did Small World at rope drop and were able to ride it 2x with no line, then came out to Jasmine taking photos.  From there we went to the kids area and had only a 5-10 minute wait on all the rides until about 11:30 when it started to fill up. 

      • Dining: Dining was far less available (many of the vendor stalls were closed or had such small signs it was hard to tell what they sold). We walked around as the kids napped (many people go back to the hotel but we knew that would be harder for our kids to rally again) and booked a reservation at Tiana’s restaurant for 3 pm. When we arrived we couldn’t find signage for the entrance and went to the wrong side. Tiana herself happened to be there greeting guests, which was fun. The staff walked us through the back area to check in. The restaurant had very cool outdoor spaces, however the food was very expensive, not very good quality and very small portions (the kids plates were literally 2 small cuts of chicken and a small pile of pasta).  The lines for walk-up food purchases were insane, so we just ate what we brought to supplement.  Planning your dining experiences ahead is a must. They forgot to bring my Gumbo, when I asked our waitress was very nice and apologized and took it off the bill, but it felt underwhelming considering all of the other first-rate experiences we had. We did enjoy a gigantic scoop of ice cream on Main Street USA. I almost got a double scoop, that would have been completely unnecessary, they do not skimp. I also ordered the cold brew peppermint milkshake and it was worth every calorie-completely delicious treat if you’re into that sort of dessert/coffee combo.

      • Characters: We saw so many characters walking around, all of which were happy to take photos with the girls.  This was our first visit so we learned as we went. At the end, we took the train around the park to enjoy the Christmas lights and walked back to our hotel-a very Magical Day.

  • Los Angeles:

    • Santa Monica Pier: The iconic beachfront city has a good set-up for kids if you come prepared. All food/drinks on the pier are tourist-priced, but you can bring your own, so if cost/quality is a concern, load up the wagon. The pier has a few activities for older kids, but our girls love watching the sealions/surfers off the edge more than the activities at a young age. The beach is fairly large and there are plenty of spots. Bringing your own umbrella/sand toys is a must as the water can be pretty cold unless its the heat of summer, so you may find you spend more time in the sand than the surf. Just up the road is Cha Cha Chicken, a Caribbean Jerk eatery with cool outside seating and delicious ropa vieja, tostones and aqua frescas.

    • Pasadena: This posh town is a little high end for kids to run and tumble, but we went to Copa Vida for breakfast which has a wonderful kids menu (literally the portion sizes were as big as an adults for half the price!) before heading to the Rose Bowl for the UCLA football game. Parking in Pasadena cost $1, it was very reasonable. The Rose Bowl is older, has limited concessions options but bathrooms are fairly easy to get to. Several others brought in strollers, so if you don’t mind parking it that is a good option.

LOS ANGELES/DISNEYLAND