I want to start taking my almost 4y/o on some overnights that are close to home so we can bail if we need to. But since I live here, I'm used to just doing day trips. I'd love some recommendations for multi-day trips, and good (and cheap!) places to stay.
Our current favorite trip is an overnight in Monterey, with a stop at Gilroy gardens (we have a membership)on the way down and one day at the aquarium/cannery row. We've done it a couple of times and I'm looking for something new.
Thanks!
The Flamingo hotel in Santa Rosa has an awesome pool and very good food. Maybe not that cheap, but mid week there can be deals.
Kinda cold for an outdoor pool for the kids though, no?
It’s heated and extremely comfortable. Was there last December and the pool was packed. I was surprised by that.
Ah cool, never knew!
My parents used to take us for staycations at The Flamingo Hotel when I was a kid 30 years ago, I’m so happy to hear it’s still great! We have a four year old, might just have to make this our next trip.
Guerneville has cute airbnbs/real B&Bs and has a lot of outdoorsy stuff in the area. Mendocino / Fort Bragg is a cool area to visit, Agate beach has lots of cool rocks. The Mt Lassen area is great in late spring with wildflowers and has easy car camping. Joshua Tree has lots of cheap places to stay outside of the park and is pretty epic for a kid who likes to climb on things.
One of my ultimate favorite stays is one of the tiny old cabins in Guerneville, roaring fire in a stove at night with games or books, toddler-exploration hikes right from the front door.
I think Winters is a really underrated town. Cute as heck, good restaurants and a nice newly renovated hotel right by everything.
My sister also recommended winters! What activities do you like to do up there?
There is a park in Winters called Lake Solano that you can rent kayaks and canoes and paddle up Putah Creek. The water is very cold (comes from the bottom of Berryessa), so I don’t recommend getting into it at all. There’s also a lot of lovely trails along Putah Creek that are an easy hike for kids. The last time I was there with my kids (camping at Lake Solano( we saw a family of otters playing around in the creek.
Skunk Train
Train Town
Camp and stargaze at the observatory at Sugarloaf Ridge Park They also have a waterfall.
Great Wolf Lodge in Manteca.
I forgot about skunk train! I had a trip planned in 2020 and then the world closed. My son is train-obsessed right now too
There is also Roaring Camp in Felton
https://roaringcamp.com/
Someone else suggested Fort Bragg.
I’d say for an overnight, the train with a nice walk to the Crow’s Nest marine interpretive center. Princess seafood and/or Mexican. Drop In Donut for breakfast.
Take highway 128 instead of 20 and you’ll be able to stop at Gowan’s Oak Tree for apples for kiddo plus the cider house next door for you. Download some music or kid friendly podcasts beforehand because you don’t want kiddo staring at his iPad on the windy parts of the road.
What a great itinerary! He has a yoto player, so no tablets in the car.
Adding that glass beach is near by and used to be fun when I was a kid!
It’s sadly been so picked over. Still fun but not impressive like it was back in the day :(
That’s so disappointing to hear! I’ve been waiting for my kid to be old enough to take her…. Bummer but good to know
People have been taking handfuls (or buckets) for years and it’s fairly depleted
That’s ridiculous, when I was a kid I was only allowed to take two, one for each pocket in order to leave some for others….
I have heard many horror stories about GWL and viral/bacterial things heck it’s a little kid pool park! But also the price is a bit steep for what OP seems to be seeking and the rooms seem to be rough but these reviews are not specific to the Manteca location!
They have day passes, so we might give it a try. The rooms are bigger than I need since they sleep 6+, but the water park looks fun. Anything kid related is a germ factory. If he doesn't pick up illness at a play place, he brings it home from daycare soooo...it is what it is.
Sonoma. Visit Traintown. Have a good meal out.
West Marin: Eat at The Marshall Store, check out the cemetery in Olema (see if you can find Mr. and Mrs. Strauss). Walk around the historic Marconi Conference Center overlooking Tomales Bay. Make a stop at Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. Walk the trail with the Tule Elk - https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/tomales_point.htm
We really liked Fort Bragg.
As a Fort Bragg native, I like it, but believe Mendocino to be cuter. More hotels in Fort Bragg so more likely you’ll find one in your budget. Plan on some scenic walks or hikes since there’s not a whole lot to do indoors.
If you want a change of pace from the coast, Sacramento is actually a goldmine for that age and usually way cheaper for hotels than Monterey or Santa Cruz. Fairytale Town is perfect for a 4yearold (it’s a low-key storybook park with animals and play structures), and it's right across from the Zoo. Then you have the Railroad Museum in Old Sac if they’re into trains. Since it’s not a beach destination, you can find standard hotels (like an Embassy Suites or Holiday Inn) for a lot less, and it's an easy drive back if you need to bail.
Sac is the best! We take Amtrak to the railroad museum frequently enough that I'm considering getting a membership 😆. The kids science museum is also within walking distance from the Amtrak station.
Do you think it would be interesting for a tween too? I have a tween, but she is young for her age.
I took my 4 year old backpacking on Angel Island. She loved it, lots of beaches and bunkers to see. We should have brought her bike too. Stay on the east / lee side of the island so you aren't getting directly hit by weather from the golden gate.
I've been wanting to take him backpacking, I didnt even think of angel island! Where do you leave your car? Or did you take bart to the city?
We took Caltrain to Muni and caught the ferry from the ferry building. I like the longer ferry ride (saw a humpback whale breach) and it's kind of unique to be able to take public transportation to backpack.
It's easy enough to park in Tiburon and take the short ferry though.
We did the tent cabins at Costanoa in Pescadero for two nights over the summer with our kid who’s the same age and had a great time. They have a playground and he loved just traipsing around the property and riding his scooter on the paved parts. We’re seasoned campers but haven’t camped since having a kid and it felt much more low stakes to test the waters in a “glamping” type environment.
Safari West in Santa Rosa is super cool and great for kids. You can do a Safari excursions for a couple hours or even do glamping in their cabins overnight.