Road trip tomorrow! Where should we go for 5 days????

[essnce629]

DBF was just given the ok that he can take off Thursday and Friday so we have 5 days to go somewhere. DS1 just left today to go spend 6 days down in San Diego with my mom, so it will just be DBF, DS2, and me. DBF was thinking Vegas, but I'm not sure if that's the best with a just turned 3 year old! Any other ideas? He had mentioned Santa Barbara or Palm Springs before. We've been to San Francisco, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Solvang (near Santa Barbara), and Palm Springs in the last 2 years. We need somewhere that is 6 hours or less of a drive away (from Los Angeles).

[ellies mom]

Have you done all the stuff offered on San Francisco's City Pass (http://www.citypass.com/san-francisco?mv_source=rkg&creative=10958315309&adpos=1t1&gclid=CNOk8Zz__rACFSUbQgodaSSaSw)? We just did the Seattle City Pass and had a great time. I know you said you've been to SF but it can be kind of fun to do all the tourist stuff. We are going to visit family in Sacramento in August and if we go to SF like planned we are going the City Pass route even though the husband and I have been a billion times.

[amldaley]

It is a stretch, but Sedona is less than 8 hours away...there are a couple of nice resorts there.

I was just looking at a Vegas family friendly vacation site earlier tonight...
http://www.vegas.com/traveltips/guide/familyvacation.html

What's up the coast a few hours?

[speo]

Mammoth! There are so many rentals that you should be able to find somehting good. You can hike, hang out at a lake, go to Mono Lake or Tuolumne Meadows, go the pool, etc... We love Mammoth!

There is also Cambria and/or Big Sur.

ETA: And also ride the Gondola to the top of Mammoth Mtn.

[Tenasparkl]

Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead?

[plusbellelavie]

San Luis Obispo/Morro Bay area including Avila

Cambria

[crl]

Maybe some ideas here?

http://www.sunset.com/travel/california/los-angeles-day-trips-00418000071130/

Have fun!
Catherine

[StantonHyde]

I would head for the mountains and cool weather!!!! (if the heat doesn't bother you so much, you could get to Zion National Park--which is about 2 hours from Vegas I think)

[3isEnough]

My votes are Santa Barbara (love the zoo there, the quad bikes, the little aquarium, Brophies for dinner, I could go on and on!), Monterey (the not-so-little aquarium, seafood, bikes) or Mammoth. Have fun! I'm not a Vegas person nor a 115'-in-the-summer Palm Springs kind of person, so for me those would be out.

[California]

We've gone to Vegas to stay at a relative's vacation home twice in the summer, and it's so darn hot! Santa Barbara on the other hand is wonderful, as is San Luis Obispo. If it's hard to find a room this last minute, Carpinteria is just south of Santa Barbara and a very pretty little beach town.

[TwinFoxes]

Vegas and Palm Springs will be boiling hot. What about Monterey? You can go the the aquarium, drive to Carmel.

I love Vegas, but it's just so hot, I think your DS would be miserable. And some of the more family friendly things, like hiking, are out of the question.

I think my first choice would be the Santa Ynez valley, aka the other wine country, but since you've been to Solvang recently you might not be into it.

Have fun!

ETA: How was San Francisco?

[Tondi G]

my thoughts were

Palm Springs and stay here for their FUN lazy river pool area! http://www.rancholaspalmas.com/Summer-Sale

Or maybe go to Big Bear enjoy the lake and do some hiking etc.

This place in Big Bear looks like fun ... go carts, bobsled, water slide, mini golf
http://www.alpineslidebigbear.com/index.html

[roseyw]

Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead?

Both of these places are amazing. Would recommend anyone to go. The scenery is absolutely amazing. Top class.