Top California Cities for a Family Vacation

Lake tahoe, California cities

Finding the perfect destination for your next family vacation isn’t always easy. On top of having literally thousands of places to choose from, you must find a spot that encompasses a little of something for everyone to enjoy. Whether that’s relaxing by the pool, building sand castles at the beach, experiencing the thrill of theme-park rides, or exploring museums, malls, and local shops, finding it all in one place isn’t always easy. That is unless you head to sunny California. With family-friendly destinations like San Diego, Carlsbad, San Francisco, and more, the opportunities for family fun are endless. Take a look at some of the most popular cities in California for your next getaway with the kids.

Long Beach, CA

Long beach California cities
Image credit-by George Miquilena

If you’re looking for a quiet and more tranquil place to travel to, then Long Beach, CA is a great place to visit. A lot less crowded than nearby Los Angeles, the beach town is the ideal place to relax and explore. There is a 5-acre Aquarium where children can view more than 10,000 ocean creatures with the otters being the most popular attraction. There’s also the Long Beach Museum of Art, Museum of Latin Art, Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden, and more. Positioned just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Disneyland, there’s a lot to see and do.

Carlsbad, CA

Carlsbad, California cities
Carlsbad Flower Fields

If there’s any city you need to travel to in California, it’s Carlsbad. Though most families visit Carlsbad for its closeness to Legoland (an awesome theme park and museum worth checking out by the way), there are a ton of other exciting things for you to get into. There are beaches to explore, a seaside village filled with mini shops and eateries, an interactive music museum, and a breathtaking field of flowers worth gazing at.

San Diego, CA

San Diego, California cities
Image credit- pixabay

If it’s adventure you’re after than San Diego is exactly where you want to be. As the second largest city in California, there is no shortage of things to do there. The city has more than 75 miles of beaches. Black beach is great for surfing, while Mission beach always has a ton of family-friendly activities and laid back restaurants for your dining pleasure. Obviously, you can’t talk about this city without bringing up the awesome San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld. The whole family will have fun viewing exhibits of animals from all over the world on land and sea.

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, California cities
Image credit -pixabay

Another popular California city worth taking the family to is San Francisco. Packed with playgrounds, recreational centres, coffee shops, and more, there’s something for kids (and their parents) to enjoy. You can take a walk down memory lane by visiting The Walt Disney Museum, catch of glimpse of sea lions and public performers at Pier 39, explore the world of science at the Exploratorium, or simply explore the natural wonders and sites at the Golden Gate Park.

Lake Tahoe, CA

Lake tahoe, California cities
Image credit-pixabay

Last, but certainly not least on the list of family-friendly destinations to travel in California is Lake Tahoe. If you’re a family who enjoys the great outdoors, camping, and wildlife, you’ll love this scene. In the winter, the kids can have fun learning cool winter sports like skiing on Heavenly Mountain, one of the area’s tallest mountaintops. There’s also zip lining, tubing, a gondola, and rope courses for the perfect outdoor experience. The area also has more than 75 miles of shorelines so there’s no shortage of beaches for those awesome summer getaways.

As you can see, there are a lot of places you can take your family to the great state of California. From winter sports and campgrounds with scenic views to miles of shorelines and amazing beaches and outdoor theme parks and zoos packed with wildlife, there’s something for everyone. Hopefully, the above ideas have helped you to narrow down your options. Whether you plan on taking the trip next summer or you’re reserving a mini getaway for the winter break and holiday season, there’s a lot of fun to be had in Sunny California.

Are you planning to move to areas near Californian beaches?

Californian beaches

In my earlier post on California, USA, we discussed Tips to settle down in Malibu.  Below is a most of how you can successfully move to areas near Californian beaches.

Looking for reliable Californian movers? Having a reputable Californian moving company overlooking all the moving tasks and handling your possessions is something everybody is looking for before the moving day.

California is the most renowned state in the United States. There are several reasons to move to California, from its lively entertainment sights and mesmerizing beaches to the assorted industries spread out over the vast state to lure a large number of people to move towards California. The state’s beach towns are well-known for their tranquil, appealing spirit, beauty, and endless ways to play. The most popular areas near Californian beaches that are perfect for moving include Santa Cruz, Encinitas, Beaufort, Hilton Head Island, Santa Monica, and Bodega Bay.

Californian beaches -Santacruz
Rock archway at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, California (U.S.A.).
By Dvortygirl (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

When you’re moving to California, there are a lot of things you should know about this wonderful state:

  • Climate: California is the third largest state in the US with different climate zones. It has a mixture of everything, starting from snow-white mountains in the Sierra Nevada range in the western portion of the state to the dry deserts of the Mojave in the southwest portion, to the cool, blustery oceanfront climate that comprises much of the coastal region.
  • Cost of Living: Moving to California might seem like a smart financial move; however, it is vital to take into consideration the high cost of living in California before taking the decision to move.
  • Education facilities: If you’re moving to California with your children, you probably look for the quality of schools in the particular area.
  • Other facilities: Apart from education, there are many other vital facilities that you must look for such as hospitals, transportation, employment, etc.
Californian beaches
California, Promenade, Stand, Sun
Image credit- Pixabay

Due to the ever-growing population and car culture, you are likely to encounter huge traffic during your move to California. It is advisable to make your move during non-holiday weekends so that you’ll get the least amount of traffic, resulting in a hassle-free move. It is further advisable to choose a reputed moving company to make your move as smooth as possible.

Though, finding affordable and reliable California residential movers can be a difficult process that might put added stress on your moving. There are some well-known companies like ABCMovers.com that have the capability to plan the move to make sure that the client safely receives all of their belongings on time. They also make sure that the moving items are insured in the event of damage or loss.

Happy Moving!

 

*/This is a guest post by Maria Simpson. /*