🇺🇸 California family trip: San Francisco-Los Angeles (7 days itinerary)

hummblylife
Oct 4
6 min read

California: a bit of history

California was originally inhabited by diverse Native American peoples. In the 16th century, the first Spanish explorers arrived, and later, in the 18th century, Franciscan missions were established. That’s why so many places in California start with “San” or “Santa.”

After passing from being under Spanish to Mexican rule, California became part of the United States in 1850, driven by the Gold Rush of 1848, which attracted thousands of people from all over the world. Since then, it has grown into one of the country’s main economic, cultural, and technological engines, known worldwide for Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and its northern wine country.

It’s a large state: both in territory and population (with around 39.4 million residents in 2024).

Practical tips for traveling families

🌞 Weather: It varies a lot! Bring layers for sure.

🚗 Getting around: Distances are long — especially for those of us coming from smaller countries! Renting a car is pretty much necessary if you’re traveling with kids and want flexibility.

🍎 Food: California is incredibly diverse — you’ll find everything from street tacos to organic and vegan food. Many restaurants are kid-friendly, but eating out isn’t cheap, so we recommend mixing it up with grocery store runs for snacks, fruit, and simple meals.

⛱️ Nature: This was one of the highlights for us — the scenery is stunning, and there’s so much to explore and appreciate!

💳 Costs: It’s a pricey destination. Plan a budget for tickets, meals, and transportation, and check for city passes or family bundles at attractions.

🏨 Accommodation: Consider places with a kitchen (Airbnb or aparthotels) to save money. We stayed with family part of the time and also rented an Airbnb — both worked great.

📶 eSIM or SIM Cards: You can buy digital eSIMs through Airalo, Nomad, or Holafly, or get a physical SIM at the airport, official stores, or supermarkets like Walmart, Target, or Best Buy.

🩺 Travel Insurance: We actually caught influenza A on this trip! Definitely get travel insurance — you never know, especially if you’re planning to do outdoor or sports activities.

🔌 Plugs: Type A and B, 120V, 60Hz.

Family-friendly highlights in California

San Francisco

San Francisco is one of the most iconic cities in the U.S., famous for the Golden Gate Bridge, its historic cable cars, and its rolling hills overlooking the bay.

Kids might recognize San Francisco from animated movies like Inside Out and Big Hero 6, which were inspired by this city.

Day One: San Francisco Icons

We started the day at Alamo Square, admiring "The Painted Ladies" and the skyline views.

Then we walked downtown and had lunch near Union Square, one of the city’s main landmarks.

Chinatown🏮

We strolled through China town, one of the oldest and largest in the U.S.

Later, we passed the Transamerica Pyramid, and ended our day with views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Day 2: Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Park is huge, filled with fun things to do in one place. There’s a Conservatory of Flowers, and if you enjoy art, you can visit the De Young Museum

We spent most of our time at the California Academy of Sciences a planetarium, aquarium, and indoor rainforest all under one roof!

Day 3: The Embarcadero & Fisherman’s Wharf

📍Pier 39 – Sea lions lounging on the docks, street performers, a carousel, and plenty of family restaurants.

Walk along Jefferson Street toward the San Francisco Marítime National Park you’ll pass by lots of cute shops.

📍Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience

If you have time, stop by the Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience 🍫 a store and mini-museum with chocolate demonstrations, souvenirs, and delicious hot fudge sundaes.

After that, you can drive down the iconic calle "Lombard" , then head to Presidio for a visit to the:

Walt Disney Family Museum a must! It’s small but fascinating, full of sketches, models, and stories from Walt Disney’s life. We’d say it was our favorite spot in San Francisco, inspiring for both kids and adults.

Around sunset, stroll through Crissy Field, a picnic area with open spaces and beautiful Golden Gate views.

Day 4: Cupertino, Santa José and Santa Cruz

We started the day at Apple Park, a quick but fun stop for tech enthusiasts.

Then we went hiking at Rancho San Antonio in San José — perfect for a family walk.

About 40 minutes away lies:

Mystery Spot, Santa Cruz

The📍Mystery Spot hidden among redwood forests near Santa Cruz. Discovered in 1939, this quirky “gravitational anomaly” has puzzled visitors for decades.

The guided tour (about 45 minutes) includes visual illusions and gravity-defying effects — a fun and educational experience for families.

Our guide mentioned that banana slugs live in the area — bright yellow creatures the kids immediately went looking for… and yes, we finally found some outside the park!

We made a quick stop at Los Gatos Creek County Park to stretch our legs and take in the views before heading back to Cupertino — greeted by a double rainbow 🌈.

Even though this itinerary sounds packed, in reality, we also had many moments of rest and quiet family time at home. If you’re planning something similar, take into account distances, your kids’ ages, or any unexpected things like jetlag, getting the flu (like we did), or (really bad) weather, like we had and adapt it to your family’s rhythm. 🧡

From San Francisco ⇢ Los Angeles

✈️ 1. By plane (fastest)

Flight time is about 1h 15min, plus airport time (total around 3–4h).
Main airports: SFO, OAK, or SJC → LAX, Burbank, or Long Beach.
Best for families who want to save time.

🚗 2. Road trip by car

I-5 route (fastest): ~6 hours.
Highway 1 (scenic coastal route): 8–10 hours or more with stops.
Recommend doing it in 2–3 days.
Big Sur, Monterey, and Santa Barbara are good stops.

Day 5: Los Angeles - Coast & Hills

Santa Monica Pier

Our first stop, full of colors, beach vibes, and lots of people walking, biking, or skating. We had lunch overlooking the ocean and enjoyed the sunny weather.

After the coast, we explored some of Hollywood’s “iconic” spots, but honestly, this was our least favorite part. The area isn’t very family-oriented, interesting to see once, but not essential.

📍Walk of Fame

📍 TCL Chinese Theatre (movie premieres)

📍Pantages Theatre (Broadway shows)

We had the most fun at the souvenir shops, full of movie-themed props and accessories!

If you visit on a Sunday, check out the Hollywood Farmers’ Market for local food and crafts.

📍 Hollywoord Farmers' Market

Griffith Observatory Hike

Our favorite moments are always in nature, and this hike to the Griffith Observatory didn’t disappoint! The trail is family-friendly (okay even for grandparents). Bring water and snacks since there aren’t many vendors, even at the top.

Griffith Observatory

📍 Griffith observatory

Located on the south slope of Mount Hollywood, it offers stunning panoramic views of Los Angeles, the Hollywood sign, Downtown, and the Pacific Ocean on clear days.

Inside, there are astronomy exhibits, the historic Zeiss telescope, and interactive galleries.

🎟️ Entrance: Free.

🕓 Hours:

Tue–Fri: 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sat–Sun: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Closed Mondays (but the park remains open from 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.)

We ended the day, of course, with the classic 🍔🍟

📍 In-N-Out Burger

Day 6: Downtown Los Angeles

We started with breakfast at 📍 Grand Central Market a lively spot full of flavors, spices, and local vendors.

📍Angels Flight

Next stop: Angels Flight, a funicular built in 1901 that climbs a 91-meter incline.

📍 The Broad

Modern art museum with a honeycomb-like façade, rotating exhibits, and a gift shop. Ask at the front desk about family-friendly activities — when we visited, they had a fun scavenger hunt for kids!