The Ultimate Family Road Trip
Explore the US from the golden state of California to nearby Las Vegas, Utah, Arizona and Texas . Five states in one go.
Immerse yourself in the spirit of the city of San Francisco and get over your jet lag on the first two days after arriving in the USA You can’t visit San Francisco without seeing the famous Golden Gate Bridge. Otherwise, you might end up singing I Left My Heart in San Francisco with rolling tears. It’s a huge bridge and you won’t miss it. If you have little ones, a cruise might be an option. If your children are active, then walking around is going to be fun. You can take a ride on the famous cable car for good sightseeing too.
Here are the few places planned for the two week road trip.
- San Francisco – Golden Gate Bridge / Fisherman’s Wharf
- Yosemite National Park
- Las Vegas Strip
- Zion National Park
- Grand Canyon National Park
- San Antonio Texas
- Los Angeles – Hollywood / Universal Studio
Right after getting out of the airport, we didn’t waste time. We picked up the rental car and went to pay a visit to the Old Fisherman’s Wharf where we had dinner, the San Francisco way – tacos, clam chowder, fish and chips. It was so breezy that everyone was feeling cold. Glad our luggage was in the back of the trunk! After dinner, we stroll along the wharf with excitement. By the way, It was super cold during the spring season as the wind was strong and it was getting late by then. It was fun to do some sightseeing at the wharf. Did you know that we got into the tourist trap parking area and ended up with expensive parking? Oh well, it was just crazy! And the parking area is full so we decide to just enjoy the moment..
Not far from the fisherman’s wharf, you can board a boat to Alcatraz, the legendary prison island. It is an extremely popular activity by the Fisherman’s Wharf so be sure to book your tickets in advance to save. This boat ride is suitable for families, relaxing while exploring the fascinating Alcatraz. However, we decided not to do it as it was getting dark and really cold..
The next day we want to check out the Golden Gate bridge. Well, to take some pictures with the San Francisco Bridge as background and we did!
For stunning backgrounds of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, head to Crissy Field, Fort Point, or Battery Spencer. Crissy Field offers a mix of beach and urban views, while Fort Point provides a dramatic backdrop beneath the bridge, and Battery Spencer boasts iconic views of the bridge and city skyline.
From Langdon Court Parking Lot off Merchant Road, the Golden Gate Overlook is directly north of the lot. Take one of the short paths off the parking lot to access. To frame the shot, while looking north from Golden Gate Overlook, you’ll see a small flight of stairs parallel to the trees.
The best overlooks to see Golden Gate Bridge views are Battery East Vista, Golden Gate Overlook, and Pacific Overlook. From Crissy Field Overlook, you’ll see the beaches and wetlands of the Presidio’s northern shore against the backdrop of San Francisco Bay and the city skyline.
If going by Car, the closest parking lots are at Langdon Court Parking Lot or Battery Cranston Rd. Parking Lot.
Golden Gate Overlook trees
From Langdon Court Parking Lot off Merchant Road, the Golden Gate Overlook is directly north of the lot. Take one of the short paths off the parking lot to access. To frame the shot, while looking north from Golden Gate Overlook, you’ll see a small flight of stairs parallel to the trees. Place yourself and your camera at the top or bottom of those stairs to perfectly frame the bridge between those looming trees.
Battery Godfrey trees
From the Langdon Court Parking Lot off Merchant Road, the trees you’re looking for are on the western side of the large concrete battery parallel to the lot. Take the closest trail from the parking lot and head toward the Pacific Ocean. You’ll see a concrete structure with stairs to access the bluffs above the batteries. Walk to the top of Battery Godfrey via those stairs to find a pair of Cypress trees.
If you have time, check out the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center for souvenir clothes, accessories, household items and more.
Yosemite National Park
Today is the start of our USA road trip. It’s time to set out along the beautiful scenic roads of California, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. Yosemite is quite popular for tourists and to locals. It’s a shrine to climbers and hikers from the Half Dome, the El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite Falls and hiking paths for outdoorsy families. If you pay a visit to Tunnel and turn right in the valley, this is a scenic viewpoint where you can see the Bridalveil Falls, Half Dome and El Capitan for pictures.
A hike to Yosemite Falls was short, sweet and wet.
Thou a reservation is not currently required to enter Yosemite, but it will be during weekends and the holiday in February 2025. It’s still best to plan ahead – make a reservation for lodging, camping, and backpacking especially during the high season. In our case, we did not make any reservations. We checked out some campgrounds and found one that we like and is close to the planned hike tomorrow. It was perfect. Some fellow hikers offered their s’mores and it was a perfect evening for the kids! Stories and s’mores evening.
A few things to remember when visiting Yosemite National Park:
- Pack your patience: millions of people visit Yosemite from April through October. Yosemite Valley is the main destination for most visitors but there are many places to go in the park.
- Early birds avoid traffic! From spring through fall, arrive in the park before or after peak hours (before 9 am and after 5 pm) to avoid delays and traffic congestion.
- Keep wildlife wild: do not approach or feed animals.
- Drive responsibly: observe posted speed limits and use pullouts to take pictures and let other cars pass.
- Protect Yosemite’s bears: always practice proper food storage and follow speed limits.
- Staying connected: cellular service is limited. Don’t be surprised if you can’t receive calls or texts in the park.
- Learn how to visit Yosemite in a way that is fun, memorable, and safe.
Being an outdoorsy family, camping and hiking was definitely in the itinerary. In Yosemite it’s a good place to see the Sequoia trees the largest Sequoia trees have given the time and also to be able to time and hike as well so this will take time however given the short time it’s still possible just enjoy the best you can when doing a short trip like we did.
Time for another hike. This time Bridalveil Falls. Here, you’ll get to see the giant sequoia trees!
The plan was to hit the road again first thing next morning to Death Valley (what a morbid name) but we changed plans. Death Valley is one of the must see for first timers with its charming mountains, canyons, dunes and salt pans. If you take route 190 and pay a visit to Furnace creek, it’s like a real oasis in the middle of the desert! We decided to skip Death Valley.
Today’s direction heads to Las Vegas! Sin City is known for casinos and entertainment shows. A visit to Las Vegas is not complete without a picture by the Las Vegas sign where people queue to take some photos. Many casinos have arcades for kids to enjoy a wide range of games. In fact, Circus Circus has an indoor theme park for all ages to enjoy.
We walked along the strip, waited for the fountain show at the Bellagio Hotel which was spectacular as always and called it a night.
After an eccentric stop at Las Vegas, the adventure continues to Zion National Park. This place was named by the Mormon pioneers who discovered it. Zion refers to the Mt Zion in ancient Israel or means paradise, a kingdom of heaven and you will understand when you get to visit this place. I was in paradise when we set foot here. I must have said so may ohhhs and ahhhs just being here. If you take the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, it’s one of the most scenic routes to have on a road trip. It’s so majestic whether it’s named Mukuntuweap or Zion.
You can take the free park shuttle for a 13 Kilometer Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to embrace the paradise even for just a day.
Next stop is the Grand Canyon! The most popular is the South Rim. Take advantage of the park’s free shuttle service at the grand canyon to enjoy overlooking the whole canyon as if you are floating above it. Be careful not to fall when peeking the bottom! There is also the skywalk for a fee to experience a feel of hanging on a glass bottom sphere away from the cliff. There is an extra fee for get in there and you will have to put shoes with a cover before going in to protect the glass from scratch and dirt.
After the Grand Canyon, we flew to Texas for a family visit for a few days and came back straight to Los Angeles, the city of Angels, our final destination for this roadtrip. One must not miss the Hollywood walk of fame when in Hollywood. Take a walk and check out those stars. Your name might be in one of them or you can take a photo of the stars and put your name on it. Don’t forget Beverly Hills or stop on Hollywood Boulevard to take a picture next to the star of your favorite celebrity. Drive along Santa Monica beach. A popular photo every tourist want is a Hollywood sign background and so we drove to the nearest Hollywood sign for a picture. Sorry to the neighborhood near the Hollywood sign, will you share the Hollywood sign?
Last day in LA was a full day in Universal Studios Hollywood and for luck, it rained that day!.
It’s already time to fly home. I’m sure you heads and hearts are filled with memories from the land of Uncle Sam! Come back again, can’t wait for the next adventure in the USA.