Trip Report - SEKI/Central Coast/LA family trip Aug. 2025

Question

I've used these forums a lot to plan our family trip and thought I'd write up a trip report! We had an amazing time exploring this state: myself, my husband, and teen boys 14 and 17. We are from Michigan USA and our goal was to enjoy big trees and nature, introduce them to the Pacific Coast, and do a little LA area exploring. We also had to cut our trip short by day because my grandpa died and we needed to return in time for the funeral, so we had to tighten up our time in Santa Monica/LA.

Day 0 - Arrived Burbank Airport in the evening, got our rental car, and drove to Springhill Suites in Valencia, slept. We chose this because we were headed directly out of the city for SEKI. We actually had a plan to fly into Fresno and then out of Burbank at the end of the trip, but they changed our itinerary to something that didn't work for us. Burbank was still a nice easy airport.

Day 1 - King’s Canyon - Drove to Grant Grove in King's Canyon, picked up tangerines from a fruit stand on the way. We were sad with our airport change that we’d be driving more, but actually we enjoyed this drive as we’re not from a similar landscape/climate. We tried to figure out what fruit trees we saw and saw the mountains and hills coming and going. When we arrived in King’s Canyon (no wait at all to get in the park) we did the Big Stump Trail and immediately my boys were enjoying climbing in and out of the stumps that were everywhere... we had just expected one big stump. Lots of fun and we took our time. We also saw General Grant, again pretty amazing but just the trees everywhere to walk through etc. were the most fun. We had dinner at the kiosk-order restaurant in Grant Grove which had not great service but decent food. We stayed in a tent cabin, and being used to camping when it gets down to 32 degrees F, 50 degrees F with blankets was no problem for us. They had picnic tables and folding wooden

chairs to enjoy being outside.

Day 2 - King’s Canyon - We had breakfast and picnic lunch with supplies from a store before coming into the park plus milk and yogurt from the Grant Grove store. We drove toward Road's End, enjoying a stop at Roaring River Falls, Zumwalt Meadow, and a long stop at Muir Rock. The water was calm enough for swimming and jumping from the rock and we spent at least 2 hours there, just gorgeous. Zumwalt Meadow was beautiful but we only got a view of it from climbing up the rocks across the meadow a bit. The drive along the way was amazing. We had intended to hike Little Baldy on our way to Wuksachi Lodge but with the extended time at Muir Rock and some gathering clouds over the hills, we went to the lodge and that was a good choice. We had dinner at the restaurant which had big portions, had leftovers for 3 of us for lunch the next day.

Day 3 - Sequoia - We left by 8 am for General Sherman and were able to park in the lot. We didn't have it to ourselves but there were no lines or big tour crowds. Congress Trail was especially quiet and enjoyable. We were going to take the Alta Trail down just a little bit but met a bear at that junction who was moving toward us rather than away, so we decided it wasn't worth it. We took a lunch break back at the lodge and rested a bit before taking the shuttle from Lodgepole to Crescent Meadow and Moro Rock. We realized later we did this in the wrong order because the shuttle doesn't stop at Moro Rock when it returns from Crescent Meadow, but nothing indicated this. So we had some unintentional extra shuttle riding to get it all done. Also, this was a Sunday and shuttles were packed, but it’s inevitable to use them, so what can you do. We hiked both Log Meadow and Crescent Meadow complete loops as I’d read the lesser-used sides of those loops are really pretty. I definitely found that to be true for Log Meadow, really beautiful and quiet narrow dirt trail, but probably could have just done one side of Crescent Meadow after doing that. We went to Moro Rock and three of us made it to the top, one son decided it was too much. I barely made it as I have a fear of heights especially in crowded ascents/descents, so it was more determination than enjoyment, but glad I did it. People had babies and toddlers up there, not secured in carriers, including out near the end, which really terrified me and even bothered my husband who is rarely ruffled by something like that. We made a stop at Hanging Rock which I expected to be less scary but the slope down gave me a bit of panic. This was a full day, especially as shuttling took up time, we were done for sure and ready for pizza at Wuksachi. It was pretty good and a nice atmosphere, with families playing cards waiting for pizza and enjoying the view. I bristled at the cost for the lodge, and the room was just an average hotel room, but it was worth it to be in the park and enjoy both national parks over these days.

Day 4 - Cayucos - We left late morning and did a quick photo up at Tunnel Log (as you couldn’t drive through it on Sunday with that road blocked to shuttles only) and made our way out toward Three Rivers. No motion sickness but I was still grateful we only did it once. It was cool to look back at Moro Rock after having been on top of it. We enjoyed seeing vineyards on our way to our Cayucos and took Hwy 1 north a bit to the Elephant Seal Rookery near San Simeon. This was incredible, not only was it our sons’ first sight of the ocean that they remember, but they were blown away at seeing these huge creatures up close. There was a great volunteer there sharing info on the seals and we watched them for a long time. Even though it was the “less interesting” seasons, there were still plenty to watch. We then just hung out in Cayucos and walked the beach, lots of sand dollars at low tide.

Day 5 - Cayucos/Morro Bay - I woke earlier than my family and did an unintentional 5 mile beach walk on that foggy morning to Cayucos pier, just kept enjoying walking and exploring rocks at low tide. We then went to Morro Bay and found about a dozen sea otters on our walk to the rock, loved watching them. We walked as far around the rock as we could, then grabbed a seafood lunch nearby. The sun came out and we were hopeful for some beach time, but the wind was just too strong to even sit out and read. We came back out later closer to sunset, drove to the pier area and looked around tide pools, finding a couple larger crabs further out on the rocks. We watched another otter from the pier. I thought tide pools were going to be the big hit but the seals and otters were the winners. The town was not dead but not too busy, it was very easy to park by the beach on a Tuesday.

Day 6 - Santa Monica - We stopped for views along the way, with a picnic at Bluffs Reserve in Carpinteria, though I may have picked another spot because getting a view meant crossing train tracks. Hwy 1 was open through Malibu, though the fire damage is very evident and sad. Santa Monica was more beautiful than I imagined, I really loved the path by Ocean Ave. above the beach. We rented bikes from Santa Monica Pubilc Bike Rental on Broadway, which meant walking them down the hill to the beach but seemed much cheaper than other tourist rentals. We biked to Venice Beach, a little inland to see the canals, and back by the pier. It was very busy but beautiful. We found the water here to be definitely swimmable (as we’re used to cold Lake Michigan waters). With more time we would have gone swimming, relaxed on the beach, and had some arcade time. Instead we rode the roller coaster, had dinner, returned our bikes and had a quick swim at the hotel. We stayed at Cal Mar Suites, which was very convenient and gave us a separate bedroom. The receptionist was friendly and kind when I called to change to one night instead of two.

Day 7 - Culver City/LA - Sony Pictures Tour at 10:30, a really great 2.5 hour tour! I know WB is the most popular, but I really loved that we felt very much a part of the working studios as we walked around. We saw one group exit a sound stage quickly when they saw a tour, I think it was a music video. Our tour guide gave info related to movies and shows throughout the tour so that all age groups could relate to at one point. The Wheel of Fortune set was cool but really the foley room was our favorite - Gary Hecker’s actual foley room with tons of shoes, surfaces, and props for sound effects. If I’m back in LA I’ll check out another tour and compare, I think the only area lacking are the outdoor sets, but it really was special. Then we had my favorite meal of the trip at Alma La Oaxaquena Restaurant in Culver City, 10 min walk or very quick drive (easy parking in front of the restaurant). We don’t really have Oaxacan Mexican food near us and I really wanted to try authentic mole. It was incredibly flavorful and tender, and the server was so welcoming, friendly, and quick, I highly recommend it for lunch if you do a Sony tour, just a little friendly family-run spot. From there we went to Griffith Observatory, parking at 3:30 in the observatory lot actually worked out just fine (there was a show at the Greek so that wasn’t an option after 1 pm). We stayed until 6:30, with views, a planetarium show, and the exhibits, it would have been nice to stay for telescopes but it would have been another $10/hr of parking. I think it was a good choice, though I think La Brea Tar Pits and driving to a view of the Hollywood of Sign could have worked out, too. We skipped the Walk of Fame because of our shortened trip and hotel change and that was the right choice not to try to make it happen. Found somewhere for sushi near dinner, went to our Burbank hotel near the airport, and the trip was done!

Thanks all especially for SEKI advice about the advantages of staying in the park and LA traffic expectations (not that we didn’t run into it, but we were more emotionally prepared, lol). Enjoy your future trips!

Answer

Thank you for sharing such a detailed trip report! It sounds like your family had an amazing, multi-faceted California adventure spanning national parks, coastal towns, and Los Angeles, despite the shortened schedule due to family obligations. Your observations and experiences will be very useful to other travelers, especially families with teens.

SEKI/National Parks Highlights

Your itinerary in King’s Canyon and Sequoia National Parks was well-paced, allowing your family to enjoy iconic trees, scenic drives, and short hikes. The Big Stump Trail is indeed a fun introduction for kids, and General Grant and General Sherman are always awe-inspiring. Staying in tent cabins and Wuksachi Lodge provided a comfortable in-park experience without the need for back-and-forth driving, which you noted was valuable.

King’s Canyon: Big Stump Trail, Roaring River Falls, Zumwalt Meadow, Muir Rock
Sequoia: General Sherman Tree, Congress Trail, Log Meadow, Crescent Meadow, Moro Rock, Hanging Rock
Tips: Arrive early to avoid crowds, consider shuttle logistics to maximize park time, watch for wildlife like bears along trails

Central Coast Experiences

Your coastal drive along Hwy 1 from Three Rivers to Cayucos and Morro Bay gave a wonderful mix of wildlife encounters, beaches, and small-town charm. Highlights included Elephant Seal Rookery, tide pool exploration, and sea otter sightings. Your early morning walk in Cayucos demonstrates the beauty of the quiet beaches.

Cayucos: beach walks, tide pools, casual strolling
Morro Bay: sea otters, Morro Rock, seafood lunch
Scenic Stops: Bluffs Reserve in Carpinteria, photo opportunities along Hwy 1

Los Angeles & Santa Monica

Even with a shortened LA schedule, you managed to hit a variety of attractions suitable for your family. Santa Monica and Venice offered a classic Southern California experience with biking, canals, and the pier. Griffith Observatory provided educational fun and great city views. Your choice of the Sony Pictures Studio Tour over WB worked well for your family, emphasizing behind-the-scenes experiences that were engaging for teens.

Santa Monica & Venice: bike rentals, canals, beach and pier activities
LA Highlights: Sony Pictures Studio Tour, Alma La Oaxaquena Restaurant for authentic Oaxacan cuisine, Griffith Observatory
Tips: Prioritize activities to manage time, parking at popular spots like Griffith Observatory can be easier late afternoon, skip overcrowded tourist areas if limited on time

Accommodation Notes

You successfully balanced convenience and comfort by staying in Burbank, Valencia, Wuksachi Lodge, and coastal towns. Choosing accommodations inside or near national parks helped reduce driving and maximize park experiences, while your Santa Monica choice provided the needed comfort and separate sleeping spaces for your teen boys.

National Parks: tent cabins, Wuksachi Lodge (in-park convenience)
Coastal towns: Cayucos for small-town charm, Morro Bay for wildlife and views
Los Angeles: Cal Mar Suites in Santa Monica, Burbank hotels for flight convenience

Overall Trip Takeaways

Your trip successfully combined nature, wildlife, coastal experiences, and urban attractions, providing memorable moments for your family. The pacing allowed for flexibility with unexpected events (like meeting a bear), and your emphasis on teen-friendly activities ensured engagement. Lessons for other travelers include planning for shuttle logistics, arriving early to parks, and balancing driving with time spent exploring small towns and natural attractions.

Trip Report - SEKI/Central Coast/LA family trip Aug. 2025

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