6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Completed!

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Topic Author
SuperSaver
Posts: 248
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:27 pm

6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Completed!

Post by SuperSaver »

I have a summer conference in Disneyland, and am looking for a great SoCal with wife and kids (will be 8 and 11).
We want a mix of amusement parks, beaches, shopping... and just being outside.
We will be flying from East coast, so want to maximize our time out there.

SOME CAVEATS
  • Driving 1hr between destinations no big deal
  • Home base will be Anaheim for a conference (3-4 nights)
  • I am an AFOD (Adult Fan of Disney), and would like 2 days in the park with Genie+/Paid FP
  • Love to spend time outdoors, seeing birds, seals, walking, outdoor shopping, cafe's
  • I'd like to avoid Hollywood, Venice Beach, and Santa Monica, and tourist trap places where large homeless population congregate

Here are my thoughts:

DAY 1
- Land in LAX by 11am
- Lunch ? Westwood Village? Walkable, stretch our legs.
- ? What to do on arrival?
-
- Drive to Anaheim
Spend night in Disney Conference Hotel

Day 2
- Disneyland All Day
- Spend the night in Disney Conference Hotel

Day 3
- Conference
- Spend the day in Newport Beach and/or Corona del Mar Beach
- Spend night in Disney Conference Hotel

Day 4
- Disneyland All Day
- Spend night in Disney Conference Hotel

Day 5
- Drive to Burbank
- WB Studio Tour
- Griffith Observatory
- ? Beverly Hills
- Where to spend the night?
- Hotel in Marina del Rey or Manhattan Beach

Day 6
- Fly home early AM to East coast
Last edited by SuperSaver on Fri Jul 14, 2023 4:41 pm, edited 11 times in total.
stoptothink
Posts: 15368
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:53 am

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by stoptothink »

That's quite the packed week. If your kids are at all into rides and not "ambience", Knotts and Six Flags are WAY better than Disney and Legoland. Yes, I understand that there was a recent shooting in the parking lot of Knotts, but we've been there half a dozen times and at no point did it ever cross my mind that it wasn't a safe place. We visit SoCal at least once a year (I'm from LA) and my kids (10 and 7) have zero interest in Disneyland at this point (they've been 3x and once to DisneyWorld), they just want the rides at Knotts and Six Flags. It will also save you some money and the headache of spending all day waiting in lines.
hbdad
Posts: 237
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 2:29 pm

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by hbdad »

Skip the Anaheim packing district. It's just a food hall building. Nothing to do or see and food isn't that great. Better to go to downtown Disney with your kids. As far as beaches go, I would probably do Crystal Cove or Huntington Beach. Parking is difficult for Newport and Laguna. If you do Huntington, I would recommend Huntington State Beach around the area of PCH and Brookhurst. The waves are smaller and water a little warmer than closer to the Pier. The Hyatt in Mission Bay is ok. When I visited it smelled musty. Gaslamp is just restaurants and bars. Not for kids. Legoland is about 45 mins North of downtown San Diego. I would just spend the day at Mission Beach. Go to Phil's BBQ for lunch or dinner. Also check out JV's Mexican restaurant not too far from Mission Beach. Great hole in the wall. Carne Asada fries are the best.
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by quantAndHold »

In general, it seems like a pretty packed itinerary, especially with all the driving between places. I would assume you’ll do like half of that stuff.

Whale watching is January-March only.

Legoland is way up in north San Diego county, almost closer to Orange County than it is to the city of San Diego. It would make more sense to go there on the way from Orange County to San Diego than to go all the way to San Diego and backtrack.

Gaslamp district is more of a eating/drinking/nightlife place. Unless you’re going there for lunch, I don’t really see the point of going during the daytime.

Orange County beach towns, Crystal Cove, La Jolla, etc, are all similar enough that it would probably be better to just pick one, and not try to do them all.

Enjoy your trip!
User avatar
MJS
Posts: 1309
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 10:55 pm

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by MJS »

Day 6. Point Loma / Ft Roscrans / Cabrillo Natl Monument + Sunset Cliffs. 2 lighthouses, good tidepools, "where the effluent meets the affluent." Kayaking in bay, very protected -- may see Navy guys doing dolphin training. 15 minutes to airport.
Ipsa scientia potestas est. Bacon F.
index245
Posts: 239
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:28 pm

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by index245 »

Your itinerary includes a bunch of driving, just to keep in mind.

Estimates:

LAX to Rodeo Drive - est. 45 min. to 1 hour
Central LA to Burbank - 30 min to 1 hour
Burbank to Anaheim - 1.5 hours
OC Beaches - plenty of traffic and toll roads
OC to San Diego - 2+ hours depending

Disneyland (if you include CA adventure) and San Diego Zoo are large and take awhile (1 to 2 days)
Balboa Park is great, but also can be a full day. Depends how many museums you want to check out.
Legoland is a day activity and is about 45 min. north of San Diego.

The schedule seems pretty intense, although your kids should have plenty of energy. I'd cut out a few things, but it depends on personal preference, of course. Enjoy your trip! Love my hometown, LA native here.
momvesting
Posts: 513
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:18 pm

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by momvesting »

Instead of the Marriott, check out The Bahia in Mission Bay. Their 1BR Suites are very nice, especially if the whole family is not on the same sleep schedule. It’s an easy walk to Mission Beach as well as several restaurants in the area. I recommend Luigi’s pizza and The Mission for breakfast.

Also another vote for the tide pools at Cabrillo, make sure to look up when low tide is and if possible, go about 2 hours before to avoid some of the crowd and get a decent parking space. We like to make an afternoon (if the tide cooperates) of the tide pools, Hodad’s burgers in Ocean Beach, and Sunset Cliffs.
Oakdale19
Posts: 58
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2015 3:12 am

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by Oakdale19 »

Day 1
Land in LAX
Go to Venice Beach, Abbot Kinney, Venice Canals, or Santa Monica (beach, pier, 3rd street promenade). Getty Villa is an option if you get tickets and like art. Biden stopped here during Conf of the Americas
Then keep heading up to Rodeo Drive
Griffith Park for Griffith Observatory and Hollywood sign (you can see Hollywood sign from Griffith Observatory)
This will be close to Burbank. This trip also doesn’t fight traffic. These should all be going in the right direction. I work in DTLA. Have lived in West LA, Northeast LA, and Irvine. Thus I am familiar with everywhere on your current itinerary. Grand central market isn’t worth the drive from lax when the above are options. I personally think DTLA is prob less safe than Venice Beach and Santa Monica. Farmers market/The Grove is nice but just a mall. Tar Pits are close to The Grove but prob not worth the drive (unless you decide to go to the Grove/Farmers Market). If you really wants Dino’s/history the natural history museum of LA county near USC makes more sense.

Day 2
Warner Bros Tour or Universal Studios. Maybe also see if there are any tapings/shows you can attend. May not be a lot with kids.

Day 3
Disneyland over Knotts or Six Flags for their ages. Maybe More time in California Adventure. If they’ve been to Disneyworld maybe less exciting.

Day 4
OC Beaches
Favorites are Crystal Cove and Corona Del Mar (Newport Beach). If you do those and want shopping can check out Fashion Island.
You could probably do all 3. Crystal cove, Corona Del Mar, and Laguna Beach. Crystal Cove there is just the beach. It’s a state park. So less directly accessible.

If want more walkable, shops, and beach do Laguna Beach.

Day 5 and 6 seem good
La Jolla And La Jolla beaches are probably a good call. La Jolla is much nicer than Gaslamp and DOwntown San Diego.
Balboa Park natural history museum and explore the rest of the park.
Oakdale19
Posts: 58
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2015 3:12 am

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by Oakdale19 »

Day 2 or 3 Huntington Library and Gardens is pretty cool also. It’s in Pasadena/San Marino. You could possibly do it after the studio tour, but time might be tight. The Japanese Gardens are amazing.
hbdad
Posts: 237
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 2:29 pm

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by hbdad »

Oakdale19 wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:19 pm Day 2 or 3 Huntington Library and Gardens is pretty cool also. It’s in Pasadena/San Marino. You could possibly do it after the studio tour, but time might be tight. The Japanese Gardens are amazing.
Huntington Library is nice, but probably beyond boring for just about every 8 and 11 year old I know. “Hey kid, do you want to see a library and garden or do you want to go to the beach?” I would also not recommend doing all 3 of Crystal Cove, Corona Del Mar, and Laguna Beach. If the plan is to go to a beach, then go to 1 beach. If you are trying to go to 3 beaches in 1 day, you are not going to have any time to enjoy the beach. You’ll face lots of traffic, difficult parking, perhaps paying to park multiple times, all while walking to and from the beach while carrying any gear you may have. Just go to one beach, bring a towel, sunscreen and some snacks and let the kids play in the sand and water. You will have a 2 hour drive to San Diego as is that day so just go to 1 beach.

As someone else said, if you are already spending a day at Mission Beach, maybe you skip the OC beaches and go to Legoland that day. The nice thing about that is you won’t need to spend all day there and there is an outlet mall right next to it if you want to do shopping. Legoland also has a water park. You can buy a ticket that lets you into both legoland and the water park on the same day.

As for Disneyland, I would not split your day between Disneyland and California Adventure. Crowds are large and lines are long. If you’ve never been to either, just do Disneyland. DCA is mediocre in my opinion. Go to the original park that started them all. You can do most everything at Disneyland in a 10 hour day. Since you’re going for just 1 day, invest in the genie+ so you can get the lightning lane for many of the rides. It lets you skip the lines.
boogiehead
Posts: 537
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 11:45 pm

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by boogiehead »

A few things I would change based on my experience:

1) I would skip Grand Central Market and Anaheim Packing District. They are basically just large food halls with a lot of variety of food, drinks, desserts. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit them unless there was a few specific vendors you really wanted to try.

2) I would add a trip to Griffith Park (Day 1/Day 2) especially during sunset hours. It has a spectacular view of LA and check out the observatory as well and best of all its free for the most part (depending where you park).

3) The WB tour is a great if you are really into TV shows (i.e. Friends, DC Marvel) and the whole entire entertainment experience, otherwise I would skip it to be honest. Universal Studios offers much more just for a bit more cost. However, it'll probably require an entire day.

4) One day park hopper in Disney seems a bit ambitious. You could easily spend a whole day in each park only going on about 50% of the rides.

5) In SD I would opt for the Safari first because its probably as close you can get to a "safari experience" in the US. Don't get me wrong the SD zoo is great, but the Safari is just a different experience than any other Zoos, assuming you've been to other zoos before.
User avatar
Beensabu
Posts: 5618
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2016 3:22 pm

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by Beensabu »

That's too much stuff.

You need:

- shopping
- Disneyland
- beach
- beach
- Raging Waters
- beach
- zoo
- beach
- fly home
"The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next." ~Ursula LeGuin
gblack
Posts: 146
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2019 12:39 am

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by gblack »

boogiehead wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 10:09 pm A few things I would change based on my experience:

1) I would skip Grand Central Market and Anaheim Packing District. They are basically just large food halls with a lot of variety of food, drinks, desserts. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit them unless there was a few specific vendors you really wanted to try.

2) I would add a trip to Griffith Park (Day 1/Day 2) especially during sunset hours. It has a spectacular view of LA and check out the observatory as well and best of all its free for the most part (depending where you park).

3) The WB tour is a great if you are really into TV shows (i.e. Friends, DC Marvel) and the whole entire entertainment experience, otherwise I would skip it to be honest. Universal Studios offers much more just for a bit more cost. However, it'll probably require an entire day.

4) One day park hopper in Disney seems a bit ambitious. You could easily spend a whole day in each park only going on about 50% of the rides.

5) In SD I would opt for the Safari first because its probably as close you can get to a "safari experience" in the US. Don't get me wrong the SD zoo is great, but the Safari is just a different experience than any other Zoos, assuming you've been to other zoos before.
Day 1) Agree, skip Grand Central Market. Some good food options, but in crummy, out of the way area. Farmer's Market/The Grove/Tar Pits are all right close to each other so that works well as several places to knock off together.

Day 2) no opinion on WB vs Universal Studios, but pick one

Day 3) good

Day 4) no opinion, La Jolla Cave mildly interesting

Days 5/6 - Agree with others that tidepools are cool. Kids might like Legoland, but are getting on the old side for it. It is out of the way.

Check out LA Times 101 restaurants for good spots to eat in the areas you will be.
Batguano
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:49 pm
Location: Coronado, California

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by Batguano »

When in San Diego recommend the San Diego Trolley Tour as one stop shopping. It stops at the Zoo and the USS Midway aircraft carrier as well as Old Town and Coronado.
Recommend any first timer to San Diego hit Sea World for a unique aquatic experience.SKIP Legoland as I’ve only heard negative stories about that place. Finally, I recommend an afternoon/early evening spent on Coronado Island which is accessible by the San Diego Trolly Tour. Lots to see and do in a city with so much small town charm to include fabulous beaches.
Topic Author
SuperSaver
Posts: 248
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:27 pm

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by SuperSaver »

ORIGINAL POSTER here:
Great suggestions. I've edited my plans for further review. Will skip Downtown LA, and maybe even studio tour.
User avatar
Fat-Tailed Contagion
Posts: 1251
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:49 am

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip

Post by Fat-Tailed Contagion »

Be careful around Venice Beach and Santa Monica.

The crime has increased exponentially in recent times.

Santa Monica has moved into the #2 spot for crime behind Compton.
“The intelligent investor is a realist who sells to optimists and buys from pessimists.” | ― Benjamin Graham, The Intelligent Investor (75/25 - 50/50 - 25/75)
otinkyad
Posts: 486
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2016 5:35 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip

Post by otinkyad »

I love Griffith Observatory, especially at sunset or during a stargazing evening. The Getty Center isn’t very kid friendly but the Getty Villa is, though it’s in beautiful Santa Monica, which you wanted to avoid.

The La Brea Tar Pits are fascinating, but they are 10-100,000 years old, so there are no dinosaurs and most of the fossils are small animals. The California Science Center somewhat nearby has the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Our favorite place in San Diego is the USS Midway, and the nearby Maritime Museum is quite good. We enjoy lunch at the Prado in Balboa Park. The Fleet Science Center and the Air and Space Museum were the most friendly for our kids. They’re on opposite ends of the museum area.
sailaway
Posts: 8188
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 1:11 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip

Post by sailaway »

SuperSaver wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:54 pm
  • I'd like to avoid Hollywood and Santa Monica, and tourist trap places where large homeless population congregate
Mission Bay seems like an odd choice in that case. The homeless go where they can be safe, comfortable and have access to bathrooms, which tend to be the tourist places, including Mission Bay.
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip

Post by quantAndHold »

With 8 and 11 year olds, I would do…
  • Warner Brothers Tour
  • California Science Center
  • Disney (if they haven’t already been to Disney properties a bunch, otherwise Universal Studios, or just skip it)
  • One of the Orange County beaches
  • Legoland (8 and 11 are the perfect age for that place)
  • San Diego Zoo
  • La Jolla. Kids can swim at either the Cove or the Shores, and there are tide pools just south of the Children’s pool. Also, sea lions at the cove, and harbor seals at the Children’s Pool.
  • Maritime museum. Tall ships and paddle wheelers.
gblack
Posts: 146
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2019 12:39 am

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip

Post by gblack »

One other thing to note: it's very hot in SoCal/LA right now. You'll want to be close to shade/inside/driving with AC from like 11-4pm. On the flipside, evening is very nice to be outside.
clutchied
Posts: 862
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 11:11 am

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip

Post by clutchied »

you're going to have a great time!

since leaving socal we appreciate the sites even more when we visit.


The beach is magical.
hightechburrito
Posts: 64
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:15 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip

Post by hightechburrito »

You mentioned being an adult fan of Disney, and wanting 2 days in the park/parks, but I only see 1 day for sure (with the half day in DCA as a maybe).

Have you ever been to Disneyland before? Have your kids? How important is it to you that you do 'everything' there? Will you be coming back anytime, or is this a one-in-a-lifetime type trip to California?

If no one has ever been, and you want to do everything, then one day in Disneyland and a half day in DCA probably isn't enough. When I go, we usually do a 2-3 day park-hopper ticket. This allows us to get nearly everything we want done, but we also live in northern CA so we go every few years (so not a big deal if we miss something). With the new genie system, and paying for extra fast passes, you may get everything done in a single day, but you'll be wiped out. We prefer a more leisurely trip, with a break around lunchtime back at the hotel pool, and even then we're wiped out at the end of the trip. This all changes if you've been there before, might be back later, or don't really care about getting everything done.

A half-day at DCA is probably enough to see what can't be seen at other Disney parks in Disneyworld (you said you already did Florida). Most of the attractions in DCA exist as either an exact copy or a very similar ride at one of the parks in Disneyworld, so there's not much that can't be ridden elsewhere. Off the top of my head, it's just the Cars themed area, and the new Marvel themed area that don't exist in Florida. The rest of the rides are also in Florida, so the only other DCA specific stuff is the overall theming of that park (which you can experience without lines). Getting there in the evening may mean that there are no more fast passes for the bigger rides, so you'd have to wait in the regular line and use up time.
Topic Author
SuperSaver
Posts: 248
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:27 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by SuperSaver »

Southern California over Xmas Break….. to be avoided at all costs?
DoubleComma
Posts: 2035
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2020 2:23 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by DoubleComma »

SuperSaver wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:11 pm Southern California over Xmas Break….. to be avoided at all costs?
No - it would be very similar to Summer from a crowd perspective. We've done Christmas Vacation at Mission Beach & Newport and it was fine. I've also been to DL during this break, busy but manageable.
Doctor Rhythm
Posts: 3035
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 2:55 am

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by Doctor Rhythm »

SuperSaver wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:11 pm Southern California over Xmas Break….. to be avoided at all costs?
If you plan to do Disneyland, the Christmas break window is a non-starter. Expect to stand in line for 2-3 hours for a ride that usually has a 30’ wait.
Carefreeap
Posts: 3881
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 6:36 pm
Location: SF Bay Area

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by Carefreeap »

MJS wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 5:13 pm Day 6. Point Loma / Ft Roscrans / Cabrillo Natl Monument + Sunset Cliffs. 2 lighthouses, good tidepools, "where the effluent meets the affluent." Kayaking in bay, very protected -- may see Navy guys doing dolphin training. 15 minutes to airport.
Lol, I grew up in San Diego. I know what that means! Of course I also feel that way about Mission Bay. :wink:

I agree with the Pt. Loma suggestion. Very unique to San Diego.
Every day I can hike is a good day.
Carefreeap
Posts: 3881
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 6:36 pm
Location: SF Bay Area

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by Carefreeap »

SuperSaver wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:11 pm Southern California over Xmas Break….. to be avoided at all costs?
It actually can be quite nice as all the Zonies (Arizonans) are back home. But while the weather can be quite nice, very common to have a 70 degree week the first week of January, the beach and the water will be waaaaay too cold. Beautiful for beach walking/combing but don't expect to lie on the beach or swim.

Instead of multiple beach visits I'd devote a day in the Anza Borrego area. The desert is truly a magically place!
Every day I can hike is a good day.
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by quantAndHold »

SuperSaver wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:11 pm Southern California over Xmas Break….. to be avoided at all costs?
Not at all, it’s a great time to come, with the following caveats…

Disney will be crazy. Think the busiest week of summer, times a bajillion.

The ocean temp is in the low 50’s. Which means a trip to the beach will probably not involve taking off your coat, much less getting into the water. Things like biking or skating on the boardwalk, though, are probably better than in the summer, since it’s less crowded.

It might warm up enough in the daytime to take off your coat, but you will probably need to bring a jacket, especially at night.

There is a chance of rain or clouds. Not a huge chance, but it’s there.

If it were me, I would rather come in the winter, but I don’t want to go to Disneyland, and I don’t have kids that will want to swim.
User avatar
LilyFleur
Posts: 3497
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2018 9:36 pm

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by LilyFleur »

hbdad wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 1:06 pm Skip the Anaheim packing district. It's just a food hall building. Nothing to do or see and food isn't that great. Better to go to downtown Disney with your kids. As far as beaches go, I would probably do Crystal Cove or Huntington Beach. Parking is difficult for Newport and Laguna. If you do Huntington, I would recommend Huntington State Beach around the area of PCH and Brookhurst. The waves are smaller and water a little warmer than closer to the Pier. The Hyatt in Mission Bay is ok. When I visited it smelled musty. Gaslamp is just restaurants and bars. Not for kids. Legoland is about 45 mins North of downtown San Diego. I would just spend the day at Mission Beach. Go to Phil's BBQ for lunch or dinner. Also check out JV's Mexican restaurant not too far from Mission Beach. Great hole in the wall. Carne Asada fries are the best.
If you end up in Huntington Beach, have a meal at Las Barcas. It's on Beach Boulevard just a mile or so from the beach. Wonderful Mexican food, and only locals eat there. (Other than that, stay off Beach Boulevard. It's a tourist mess in the summer.)
stoptothink
Posts: 15368
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:53 am

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by stoptothink »

Doctor Rhythm wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:43 pm
SuperSaver wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:11 pm Southern California over Xmas Break….. to be avoided at all costs?
If you plan to do Disneyland, the Christmas break window is a non-starter. Expect to stand in line for 2-3 hours for a ride that usually has a 30’ wait.
I'm not sure it matters all that much. The last time we went (February '20) it was supposed to be "green" (lowest crowds, based on MagicGuide's crowd calendar): IT WAS INSANE. No matter when you go, the lines are outrageous.
harrychan
Posts: 2046
Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 8:37 pm
Location: Pasadena

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by harrychan »

SuperSaver wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:54 pm Day 2
- Do the Warner Bros Tour (I heard this is most authentic) early AM
- Drive to Anaheim
- See Anaheim Packing District
- Register for conference
- Spend night in Disney Conference Hotel
Looks solid. As someone else said, Anaheim Packing District isn't too impressive. I may skip that and do a quick lunch at a ramen joint along the way. I can recommend some. If you love nature, I would recommend whale boat tour at Newport beach. You can get them for cheap on groupon. They last for 2 hours. Dolphins and seals are a given and it is a different feeling seeing tens and possibly hundreds of them swimming in the open ocean in pods vs a controlled environment. If you get lucky, you may see humpback or blue whale but they are rare.
This is not legal or certified financial advice but you know that already.
Topic Author
SuperSaver
Posts: 248
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:27 pm

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by SuperSaver »

Oakdale19 wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 6:49 pm Day 1
Land in LAX
Go to Venice Beach, Abbot Kinney, Venice Canals, or Santa Monica (beach, pier, 3rd street promenade). Getty Villa is an option if you get tickets and like art. Biden stopped here during Conf of the Americas
Then keep heading up to Rodeo Drive
Griffith Park for Griffith Observatory and Hollywood sign (you can see Hollywood sign from Griffith Observatory)
This will be close to Burbank. This trip also doesn’t fight traffic. These should all be going in the right direction. I work in DTLA. Have lived in West LA, Northeast LA, and Irvine. Thus I am familiar with everywhere on your current itinerary. Grand central market isn’t worth the drive from lax when the above are options. I personally think DTLA is prob less safe than Venice Beach and Santa Monica. Farmers market/The Grove is nice but just a mall. Tar Pits are close to The Grove but prob not worth the drive (unless you decide to go to the Grove/Farmers Market). If you really wants Dino’s/history the natural history museum of LA county near USC makes more sense.

Day 2
Warner Bros Tour or Universal Studios. Maybe also see if there are any tapings/shows you can attend. May not be a lot with kids.

Day 3
Disneyland over Knotts or Six Flags for their ages. Maybe More time in California Adventure. If they’ve been to Disneyworld maybe less exciting.

Day 4
OC Beaches
Favorites are Crystal Cove and Corona Del Mar (Newport Beach). If you do those and want shopping can check out Fashion Island.
You could probably do all 3. Crystal cove, Corona Del Mar, and Laguna Beach. Crystal Cove there is just the beach. It’s a state park. So less directly accessible.

If want more walkable, shops, and beach do Laguna Beach.

Day 5 and 6 seem good
La Jolla And La Jolla beaches are probably a good call. La Jolla is much nicer than Gaslamp and DOwntown San Diego.
Balboa Park natural history museum and explore the rest of the park.
Thinking of skipping San Diego altogether. Only reason we would be going is really for Beach and SD zoo. I know LA zoo isn’t at all the same, but may be enough to keep kids interested.

Any recommendations for great OC Beach resorts? I saw Hyatt Regency has a ice property
cs55_53
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 4:28 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by cs55_53 »

Surf and turf taco at Puestos in San Diego. Their guacamole is also top notch.
dstac
Posts: 187
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 5:12 pm

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by dstac »

SuperSaver wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 8:43 pm
Oakdale19 wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 6:49 pm Day 1
Land in LAX
Go to Venice Beach, Abbot Kinney, Venice Canals, or Santa Monica (beach, pier, 3rd street promenade). Getty Villa is an option if you get tickets and like art. Biden stopped here during Conf of the Americas
Then keep heading up to Rodeo Drive
Griffith Park for Griffith Observatory and Hollywood sign (you can see Hollywood sign from Griffith Observatory)
This will be close to Burbank. This trip also doesn’t fight traffic. These should all be going in the right direction. I work in DTLA. Have lived in West LA, Northeast LA, and Irvine. Thus I am familiar with everywhere on your current itinerary. Grand central market isn’t worth the drive from lax when the above are options. I personally think DTLA is prob less safe than Venice Beach and Santa Monica. Farmers market/The Grove is nice but just a mall. Tar Pits are close to The Grove but prob not worth the drive (unless you decide to go to the Grove/Farmers Market). If you really wants Dino’s/history the natural history museum of LA county near USC makes more sense.

Day 2
Warner Bros Tour or Universal Studios. Maybe also see if there are any tapings/shows you can attend. May not be a lot with kids.

Day 3
Disneyland over Knotts or Six Flags for their ages. Maybe More time in California Adventure. If they’ve been to Disneyworld maybe less exciting.

Day 4
OC Beaches
Favorites are Crystal Cove and Corona Del Mar (Newport Beach). If you do those and want shopping can check out Fashion Island.
You could probably do all 3. Crystal cove, Corona Del Mar, and Laguna Beach. Crystal Cove there is just the beach. It’s a state park. So less directly accessible.

If want more walkable, shops, and beach do Laguna Beach.

Day 5 and 6 seem good
La Jolla And La Jolla beaches are probably a good call. La Jolla is much nicer than Gaslamp and DOwntown San Diego.
Balboa Park natural history museum and explore the rest of the park.
Thinking of skipping San Diego altogether. Only reason we would be going is really for Beach and SD zoo. I know LA zoo isn’t at all the same, but may be enough to keep kids interested.

Any recommendations for great OC Beach resorts? I saw Hyatt Regency has a ice property
Can’t speak to OC Beach resorts, but Hyatt does have a big one in Huntington Beach a short walk from the main drag. (We stayed at a great Kimpton last year for the 4th of July and it was a little too in the middle of things for kids about your’s ages, but they do a big 4th.)

Regarding San Diego, we stayed at the Hyatt Mission Bay maybe 5yrs ago. It was getting older, but we really appreciated the pools and location. Rented a kayak from right outside and paddled around the bay. Another day we rented bikes and did the boardwalk. More recently we stayed at Coronado which has its own feel entirely.

Kids activities beyond the outdoors included the USS Midway (yes, kids were fascinated), historical sites (Cabrillo & missions), and Balboa Park (yes the zoo, but much more). If you’re thinking about the zoo, the safari park could be another good option. My older is really fascinated by how other people live(d). My younger needs some help imagining, but can relate.

(We’ve also enjoyed Disney a bit so it’s not all history lessons. 🙂)

We’ve also spent time in Long Beach and the Santa Monica Mountains (national park in LA’s back yard).
dandinsac
Posts: 282
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2016 8:34 am

Re: 6 Day SoCal Family Trip

Post by dandinsac »

SuperSaver wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 8:43 pm Any recommendations for great OC Beach resorts? I saw Hyatt Regency has a ice property
Huntington Beach Hyatt is awesome. Their restaurant is excellent and Bear Flag is a short walk for seafood. The Hyatt has a bridge to the beach over Hwy 1. Treehouse Lounge and The Bungalow are walking distance for a beverage.
User avatar
22twain
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu May 10, 2012 5:42 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by 22twain »

SuperSaver wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:54 pm I have a summer conference in Disneyland, and am looking for a great SoCal with wife and kids (will be 8 and 11).
SuperSaver wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:11 pm Southern California over Xmas Break….. to be avoided at all costs?
So did the summer conference trip idea die, or was it going to be next summer?
Meet my pet, Peeve, who loves to convert non-acronyms into acronyms: FED, ROTH, CASH, IVY, ...
SR II
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2014 7:37 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by SR II »

SuperSaver wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:54 pm <CLIP>
- Either Corona del Mar Beach or Laguna (Heisler Park), 1 hour
<CLIP>
I'm a So Cal native; actually lived in Burbank, worked for Disney, Warner Bros. and Universal for over 30 years, also got married in Laguna Beach.

I think your plan to go on the WB tour is great and much more "up close and personal" than the "just built for the tour" Universal. But, that's not what I want to talk about. If you go to Laguna Beach, I don't think you are giving yourself enough time. Laguna Beach is off the beaten path from Interstate 5 and will take up nearly half your scheduled hour to get there. It is a beautiful quaint California beach town and you might want to spend a couple of hours there. I find it much more interesting than Corona del Mar Beach, but that may just be me.

***Just saw your update. Nice resort right in the middle of Laguna Beach and directly ON the beach is Surf & Sand Resort. It is my favorite, but a bit pricy. Nice thing is there is lots of restaurants around there and shopping in town.

Back up in the Burbank area at Griffith Park is Travel Town Museum with big trains that kids like. It is near the LA Zoo. It is a world class zoo, but not as big as the San Diego Zoo. It is well worth a visit.

BTW, where are you thinking of staying in the Burbank area? I know the ins and outs of where to stay and not stay. I'd be happy to give you advice.
Topic Author
SuperSaver
Posts: 248
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:27 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by SuperSaver »

22twain wrote: Thu Nov 10, 2022 12:17 am
SuperSaver wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:54 pm I have a summer conference in Disneyland, and am looking for a great SoCal with wife and kids (will be 8 and 11).
SuperSaver wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:11 pm Southern California over Xmas Break….. to be avoided at all costs?
So did the summer conference trip idea die, or was it going to be next summer?
This is for Summer 2023.
Want to do a little bit of everything:
- Disney
- Beach
- outdoor Nature
- traditional sightseeing (studio, iconic sites for kids)
Topic Author
SuperSaver
Posts: 248
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:27 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by SuperSaver »

SR II wrote: Thu Nov 10, 2022 1:02 am
SuperSaver wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 12:54 pm <CLIP>
- Either Corona del Mar Beach or Laguna (Heisler Park), 1 hour
<CLIP>
I'm a So Cal native; actually lived in Burbank, worked for Disney, Warner Bros. and Universal for over 30 years, also got married in Laguna Beach.

I think your plan to go on the WB tour is great and much more "up close and personal" than the "just built for the tour" Universal. But, that's not what I want to talk about. If you go to Laguna Beach, I don't think you are giving yourself enough time. Laguna Beach is off the beaten path from Interstate 5 and will take up nearly half your scheduled hour to get there. It is a beautiful quaint California beach town and you might want to spend a couple of hours there. I find it much more interesting than Corona del Mar Beach, but that may just be me.

***Just saw your update. Nice resort right in the middle of Laguna Beach and directly ON the beach is Surf & Sand Resort. It is my favorite, but a bit pricy. Nice thing is there is lots of restaurants around there and shopping in town.

Back up in the Burbank area at Griffith Park is Travel Town Museum with big trains that kids like. It is near the LA Zoo. It is a world class zoo, but not as big as the San Diego Zoo. It is well worth a visit.

BTW, where are you thinking of staying in the Burbank area? I know the ins and outs of where to stay and not stay. I'd be happy to give you advice.
Any suggestions would be helpful. I have a ton of Marriott points I’m hoping to cash in, so I’m that would be helpful.

Is it worth it to see 2 studio tours? (paramount and WB?)

Is Pasadena a worthwhile side trip? My wife likes outdoor shopping. Mostly window shopping. Someplace LIKE LaJolla or Palm Springs or Sausalito. Outdoor cafes , parks.

Much help, thanks!
stan1
Posts: 14235
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 4:35 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by stan1 »

SuperSaver wrote: Thu Nov 10, 2022 4:47 am Is Pasadena a worthwhile side trip? My wife likes outdoor shopping. Mostly window shopping. Someplace LIKE LaJolla or Palm Springs or Sausalito. Outdoor cafes , parks.
With 6 days I would not recommend too much driving all over the greater southern CA metro area and like your idea of spending more time in Southern Orange County.

In Southern OC I think she'd like Fashion Island (outdoors), Laguna Beach (galleries, not a mall), and maybe South Coast Plaza (not outdoors but very large).

The Hyatt in Newport Harbor should be fine, also look at Marriott Newport Coast Villas for a few days. Kids may prefer a heated pool over the ocean so consider a place that has a heated kid friendly pool. If you really want to use Marriott points you'll find other properties ranging from Fairfield up to full Marriotts in the Newport/Costa Mesa/Irvine area.

Further south between Laguna and San Juan Capistrano are the Montage and Ritz Carlton resorts on the ocean, which are on bluffs above the beach and have nice pool areas but I'm sensing that's not what you are looking for (especially around Christmas time).
User avatar
22twain
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu May 10, 2012 5:42 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by 22twain »

stan1 wrote: Thu Nov 10, 2022 6:31 pm I'm sensing that's not what you are looking for (especially around Christmas time).
According to the OP,
SuperSaver wrote: Thu Nov 10, 2022 4:41 am This is for Summer 2023.
Meet my pet, Peeve, who loves to convert non-acronyms into acronyms: FED, ROTH, CASH, IVY, ...
eosin
Posts: 99
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2020 12:33 am

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by eosin »

San Diego is an awesome City and is worth a trip of its own. I think with the other things you want to do/see (WB Studio, Disney, etc.), it might be a bit much to cram in San Diego, as well.

Keep in mind that although the distance from LA metro to SD is not that far, the time it takes to do the drive varies TREMENDOUSLY based on time and day. If you leave LA metro/Anaheim early in the morning, it *can be* a 2 hour drive. If you are coming back from SD on a Sunday at 11AM, it can turn into a miserable 5.5 hour drive in stop and go traffic.

There is basically only one road/one route from LA to SD. On Sundays it is clogged with Angelenos returning from SD weekend trips. Avoid this time of the week. It is not a fun drive.
DVMResident
Posts: 1812
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:15 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by DVMResident »

On Day 1 or 5 when you’re near LAX, Old Town Music Theater plays classic movies and occasionally has their Mighty Wurlitzer organ. El Segundo around the feather has a nice walkable downtown which is good for lunch or dinner.
User avatar
wabbott
Posts: 430
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2017 4:55 pm
Location: Ruston, LA

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by wabbott »

Someone upthread mentioned Griffith Observatory, and I heartily agree. The nighttime view from there is world class. As for beach, I'm partial to Paradise Cove, where The Rockford Files was filmed. The restaurant there is good.
ExTx
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:40 am

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by ExTx »

Under NO circumstances take your family to Venice Beach. Anybody recommending that or Hollywood is totally irresponsible.
freeform0
Posts: 33
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:58 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by freeform0 »

SuperSaver wrote: Thu Nov 10, 2022 4:47 am
Is it worth it to see 2 studio tours? (paramount and WB?)

Is Pasadena a worthwhile side trip? My wife likes outdoor shopping. Mostly window shopping. Someplace LIKE LaJolla or Palm Springs or Sausalito. Outdoor cafes , parks.
Re: studio tours, I think 2 would be excessive. Each of the studio lots is really different and all of them have interesting history. If you are hardcore movie fans, 2 tours might be worth it, but otherwise I'd say just do one tour. Paramount has the most old timey "Hollywood" feel to it and is cool for the mini New York City (exterior set with building facades that look just like NYC, including subway stops, etc). I did the WB tour several years ago and enjoyed it for the history and recognizing certain sets from my favorite movies. Another good option close to LAX is Sony Pictures. Sony's tour is also fun and gives you a good picture of how a real movie studio operates day-to-day. The other nice thing about Sony is that it is right next to downtown Culver City, which is very walkable and has lots of great dining options and a beautiful plaza for hanging out with a coffee or ice cream. Paramount and WB are not in walkable areas or close to LAX. In downtown Culver City walking distance from Sony, there are two nice hotels--the Culver Hotel (lots of history and lore about the Wizard of Oz) and the Palihotel is nice too.

On Pasadena, my two cents is it's a wonderful place to live, but only worth visiting as a tourist if you go to Huntington Library & Gardens, which other posters have mentioned. I agree with another poster that Huntington is absolutely beautiful, but might not be exciting for kids. If your family likes walking around and exploring, it is fun to explore. I especially like the succulents and cactus gardens (huge and impressive) and the Japanese garden, as others have mentioned.
Topic Author
SuperSaver
Posts: 248
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:27 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by SuperSaver »

OP Here... We leave in 2 weeks!
I have updated our itinerary


Day 1
Land in LAX at 11:15am
Get Rental car
Grab In-and-out Burger
Spend night in Newport Beach

Day 2
Walk around Balboa Peninsula
Whale Watching Tour - Davey Jones at 12p
Drive to Anaheim
Eat at Tacos Los Cholos (or Downtown Disney)
Check in at Grand Californian

Day 3
Use Early Entry (730am) and Genie + with Park Hopper (it's a splurge trip) at DCA

Day 4
Use Early Entry and Genie + with Park Hopper (it's a splurge trip) at Disneyland

Day 5
Check out around 9am
Drive to Griffith (closed on Mondays, but see the grounds of Observatory)
Get Lunch at Sotta (Burbank)
WB Studio Tour at 1pm, ~ 2 hours
Drive to The Grove for dinner
Return rental car at LAX
Sleep at LAX hOtel

Day 6
Depart LAX for 9am flight

So excited!!!
jayjayc
Posts: 637
Joined: Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:38 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by jayjayc »

SuperSaver wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 4:39 pm OP Here... We leave in 2 weeks!
I have updated our itinerary


Day 1
Land in LAX at 11:15am
Get Rental car
Grab In-and-out Burger
Standard In-n-Out fries are awful. Make sure to order them "Fries Light-Well." They'll come out golden brown and crispy.
sailaway
Posts: 8188
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 1:11 pm

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by sailaway »

jayjayc wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 4:43 pm
SuperSaver wrote: Wed Jun 21, 2023 4:39 pm OP Here... We leave in 2 weeks!
I have updated our itinerary


Day 1
Land in LAX at 11:15am
Get Rental car
Grab In-and-out Burger
Standard In-n-Out fries are awful. Make sure to order them "Fries Light-Well." They'll come out golden brown and crispy.
What is the trick for the floppy buns? What is the actual attraction? My friends say it is sooooo fresh, but in my experience it is an OK burger on a sad bun with underdone fries...oh well, if everyone is there the lines are shorter at Rubio's.
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: 6 Day Southern California Family Trip - Updated

Post by quantAndHold »

Going on a family summer trip to Orange County and not including the Pageant of the Masters is a glaring error.
Post Reply