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8 Day Southern California Road Trip

Meticulous Journeys

The Details:

  • Trip Length: 8 days + travel
  • Main Stops: Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave National Preserve, Death Valley National Park, Channel Island National Park, Santa Monica
  • Home Base: RV
  • # of People: 2 adults and 2 kids
  • Dates: March 24 – April 1, 2022
  • Transportation:  RV
  • Miles Driven: ~1,165 miles
  • Airport: Los Angeles International Airport
  • Activities: Hiking, Bike Riding, Horseback Riding, Kayaking, Star Gazing
  • Cost of Trip: $3,800 + flights, gas, & food

What influenced this trip?

As our boys have gotten older, we have transitioned into giving experiences as Christmas gifts instead of things. This trip was the first big experience gift we gave and they loved it. Our boys love scavenger hunts, so we used that as our method of telling them where were going. We did give some items that they would need for the trip (like hiking shoes) as gifts so that they had some presents to open as well.

I picked Southern California as our location because the weather would be pleasant during our trip dates (Spring Break) and we could mark off 3 National Parks. This was our first RV trip and needless to say, we are hooked.

Day 1: Los Angeles to Joshua Tree National Park

We flew in the day before and stayed at the Holiday Inn – LAX. I chose this hotel because of the price, quality, and most importantly the free airport shuttle. We also had our dinners from Home Chef sent to the hotel and picked them up when we checked in. For this trip, we rented an RV from Outdoorsy. The RV was delivered to us at the hotel the morning of Day 1 and after a short orientation, we were on the road.

Learn more about Home Chef for vacations and road trips

We use Home Chef during the school year when our schedules get crazy, but I also love it for RV trips and vacation stays. Home Chef is a meal delivery service that sends you the recipe and everything you need to make the meal. The only ingredients you must have on hand for the meals are water, oil, salt, and pepper. I love Home Chef for trips and vacations because I don’t have a bunch of leftover ingredients taking up room in the fridge and don’t feel like I am wasting money when I throw them out. 

When using HomeChef for a vacation, I just change the shipping address for that week to our hotel or campground. Call ahead to make sure having a package delivered is ok. I have not been told “no” yet. The boxes are insulated and have ice packs, so they do not need to be refrigerated when they arrive as long as you pick up the package that day.

HomeChef only delivers Tuesday-Friday, so make sure you take that into consideration when planning.

HomeChef offers a discount for heroes and you can also get $35 off your first box with the referral code: emilyg801

Cabazon Dinosaur

Our first stop was to Aldi to pick up the groceries that we would need for breakfast, lunches, and snacks. After stocking up, we headed towards Joshua Tree National Park. About 2 hours from Los Angeles, we stopped at Cabazon Dinosaurs. We didn’t actually go into the exhibit, but it was a nice place to stretch our legs, eat lunch, and enjoy the large roadside dinosaurs. From there, we headed to Black Rock Canyon Campground at Joshua Tree National Park.

There are no hookups for RVs at any campground in Joshua Tree National Park. But, Black Rock and Cottonwood Campgrounds have RV-accessible potable water and dump stations. Not having a hook-up for power and water was not a problem for us. The weather was pleasant at night and we cracked the windows for a nice breeze. When we need power to cook or use water, we just turned the generator on for that brief time. When it came to showers and bathrooms, Black Rock does have restrooms with flush toilets, and potable water to fill up your water tank. Sites at Black Rock are $25 per night

At check-in, we were able to go ahead and get the Joshua Tree Junior Ranger Books for our boys. There are several trails at the campground, so we hiked one of these after getting settled before dinner. We started at the West Side Loop Trailhead but then hopped onto High View Trail where they intersected. The total hike took about 45 minutes.

Other options:

  • Depending on what time you arrive in Joshua Tree, you can go further into the park and hike or star gaze.
  • Check out these other recommendations from a friend who lives in the area

Day 2: Joshua Tree National Park

  • Joshua Tree National Park
    Joshua Tree National Park
  • Cap Rock Trail – Ranger Program
  • Hidden Valley Trail
  • Hidden Valley Trail
  • Hidden Valley Trail
  • Skull Rock
  • Around Skull Rock
  • Passages Around Skull Rock

After a quick breakfast, we headed to Joshua Tree National Park. Entrance into Joshua Tree is $30 and the pass is valid for 7 days. If you are going to more than 1 park in a year, I highly recommend the America the Beautiful Pass for $80. Before getting started with your activities, make sure you are prepared for your day in the desert.

We headed to Cap Rock for a Ranger Led Program. This .4-mile loop is full of informational plaques along the trail. Even if there is not a Ranger Program going on, I highly recommend this trail. The Ranger program takes about an hour, just walking the loop takes about 10 minutes, and walking and stopping to read the plaques takes 30-45 minutes. After Cap Rock Trail, we backtracked just a little bit and headed to Hidden Vally Trail. This one-mile loop takes about 30 minutes to complete. From there we ate lunch and headed to Skull Rock. Skull Rock is a 1.7-mile loop. This was easily our boys’ favorite area of Joshua Tree. We spent well over an hour and a half scrambling over rocks and crawling between rocks in passageways. From there we were headed back to Hall of Horrors and Barker Dam Trail but were stopped by a road closure for a search and rescue attempt. A rock climber had fallen and a helicopter was required for the rescue. We could have turned around and headed to a different area of the park, but it was becoming apparent that our boys needed a nap. So we pulled off onto a pullout, the boys took a nap and as a person in the medical field, I found the search and rescue attempt interesting and watched and talked to some of the SAR personnel on scene.

After the road re-opened and the boys had woken up from their nap, we headed to Cholla Cactus Garden. Cholla Cactus Garden is about 20 minutes away from Skull Rock. I had picked the Cholla Cactus area for stargazing. The Pinto Basin Road between Cholla Cactus Garden and Cottonwood has the least traffic and the darkest skies. We explored the gardens during daylight, then headed back to our RV for dinner. This is one of the perks of having an RV, you can fix dinner anywhere if you have a generator. We watched the sunset together as a family and then got the boys ready for bed. Again, another perk of the RV is that we were able to get the boys ready for bed and asleep while we waited for it to get darker. My husband and I were then able to enjoy the night sky as long as we wanted. After we were done, we buckled the boys in their seats and headed back to the campground, which was about an hour away from where we were in the park.

Tips for Desert Safety
  • Download offline google maps. There is limited to no cell service in the park.
  • Expect high temperatures, intense sunlight, and low humidity during the summer. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration in the arid desert environment. Drink at least one gallon (4 liters) of water per day to replace loss from sweat.
  • Bring the water you will need to the park with you. Potable water is available at only a few locations near the edges of the park:
    • the Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center in Twentynine Palms
    • Park Headquarters
    • the West Entrance station
    • Black Rock Campground
    • Cottonwood Campground
    • Indian Cove Ranger Station
  • Don’t forget to eat! You need to take in calories to fuel your outdoor activities. On a hot day, eating salty snacks can help your body replace electrolytes that are lost through sweating.
  • For sun protection, wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin. Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses.
  • Winter temperatures can drop well below freezing. Hypothermia can be a hazard even at temperatures above freezing. Always carry extra layers of clothing during the cooler months.
  • The short days of winter lead some hikers to miscalculate how much time they need to complete a hike. Around the winter solstice, plan to be back at the trailhead by 4 pm.
  • More safety information from the NPS here

Other Options:

Day 3: Mojave National Preserve

  • Total Drive Time: ~ 7 Hours (~380 miles including Mojave detour) (4.5 hours if driving straight from Joshua Tree to Death Valley with no detours in Mojave) 
    • Must Know: Top off your tank with gas before heading to Mojave or Death Valley.
  • Activities:
  • Campground: The Oasis at Death Valley 
    • Must Know: Reservations release 12 months in advance
  • Food: Breakfast in the RV, Lunch: Sandwiches and sides, Dinner: Home Chef

The next morning we started out on the 4.5-hour drive to Death Valley National Park. On the way, we took the route that would take us through the Mojave National Preserve, which only added 15 minutes to the drive. Mojave National Preserve is about 2.5 hours into the trip which is a good halfway stopping point.

Roy’s Motel and Cafe on Route 66

Before we reached Mojave National Preserve, part of our drive took us along the iconic Route 66. When we passed Roy’s Motel and Cafe, there happened to be a gathering of private airplanes at the cafe. We made an impromptu stop to check out the planes, take a few pictures, and grab a snack. Always keep your eyes open for those unplanned adventures.

Our first stop was the Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Center. There we picked up Junior Ranger books and badges for the boys. We also took the time to sit at their shaded picnic tables and eat our lunch. Once we finished lunch, we started the Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail. The trailhead for the Hole-in-the-Wall Trail starts in the visitor center parking lot. The trail is a 1.7-mile moderately rated loop and takes about 40 minutes to complete. The only “moderate” part for us was the rings. Our 6 and 8 year olds were able to handle the rings with minimal help.

The recommended course for the trail is by going clockwise which puts the rings at the end of the hike. We decided to go counterclockwise and start with the rings. Our boys enjoyed the rings so much that we didn’t finish the loop. We turned around about halfway and finished the hike by going back up the rings.

From there, we headed to Lave Tube Trail. Lava Tube is a short .5-mile out-and-back trail. There is a steep set of stairs that are taken down into the Lave Tube. When we turned off the main road and onto Akien Mine Road towards the trailhead, I didn’t think we were going to make it. Lava Tube is located about 5 miles down Akien Mine Road.

Akien Mine Road is a narrow, unpaved, rough, sandy, washboard road with occasional larger rocks. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended. Low-clearance vehicles are not advised. If we went over 10-15mph the RV shook so badly I was afraid we were going to break something. You will need at least 30 minutes or more to reach the Lava Tube. There are no bathrooms, no pit toilets, and no trash cans.

In the end, I am glad we took our time and visited the Lava Tube. It was a neat experience and our boys loved it.

Tips for Mojave Preserve
  • Make sure you fill up on gas. There is no gas within Mojave National Preserve. The Preserve is filled with hills and mountains that will drain your tank. Learn more about where to get gas here.
  • There is minimal to no cell phone service in the Preserve, even on the paved roads. Be prepared for unplanned stops, survival, and rescue.
  • Visitors should travel with food, water, a light source, and proper clothes for the weather just in case your scenic detour includes a breakdown that continues after dark.
  • Check your vehicle or rental for a spare tire, jack, and emergency equipment prior to making this scenic detour.
  • Bring a tire pressure gauge or other tools to release air pressure to 20 PSI if you get stuck in the sand. Soft sand is sometimes just feet away from the pavement.

Once we were done in Mojave National Preserve, we finished our drive to Death Valley National Park. Prior to going to our campground for the night, we stopped at Dante’s View. Dante’s View is located on the east side of a mountain range. Since we were coming in from the east side and everything else we wanted to do was on the west side of the range, it made sense to stop on our way in.

  • Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail
  • Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail
  • Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail
  • Hole-in-the-Wall Rings Trail
  • Lava Tube Trail
  • Lava Tube Trail
  • Lava Tube Trail

Our campground for the next two nights was located at the Oasis at Death Valley. A site is $29-$34 per night, and you get access to the rest of the resort amenities. With your nightly rental, guests enjoy Wi-Fi, the Ranch’s natural spring-fed swimming pool, coin-operated laundry, and sports courts. The Campground is located close to the Ranch’s restaurants, as well as the General Store for camping supplies, groceries, and mementos to remember your journey. Furnace Creek Golf Course is directly adjacent to the Campground for those who want to golf on the lowest elevation course in the world. (These sites do not have water, sewer, or electrical hookups and are back-in only)

Death Vally National Park also has several campgrounds, but only 1 takes reservations (Furnace Creek Campground). Reservations release 6 months in advance and typically fill up quickly. Sites are $36 for RV hook-up and $22 for non-hookup. I elected to go with The Oasis for access to the amenities, but most importantly, the laundry access. I washed clothes on the 2nd day in Death Valley since this was the halfway point of our trip.

Other Options:

  • If you want to make Mojave an overnight stop, there is first come / first serve primitive (no hookups and pit toilets) camping available in the preserve. 
  • Kelso Sand Dunes
  • The Kelso Visitor Center is currently closed for repairs (as of this post), but if it is open, it is a great place to stop
  • While we cooked, there are several restaurants at The Oasis

Day 4: Death Valley National Park

  • Total Drive Time: ~1 Hour (~45 miles)
    • Must Knows: On the following roads, travel is closed to vehicles in excess of 9 feet wide or 25 feet in total length (combined length including towed vehicles or trailers)
      • Emigrant Canyon Road, from California State Route 190 to Mahogany Flat Campground
      • Lower Wildrose Road, from the park boundary to the intersection of Emigrant Canyon Road
      • Dantes View Road
      • Artists Drive
      • Twenty Mule Team Canyon (Recommended)
  • Activities:
  • Food:  Breakfast in the RV, Lunch: Sandwiches and sides, Dinner: Home Chef
  • Campground: The Oasis at Death Valley
    • Must Know: Reservations release 12 months in advance

We started out the morning at Furnace Creek Stables for a horseback ride tour. I had initially signed up for a 2-hour tour to get the most bang for our buck. When we arrived at the stables and they inquired about how much riding we had done, which was very limited, they recommended we switch to the 1-hour tour because of the wind that day so we would not be too saddle sore. The 1-hour ride was perfect, and since we were the only ones signed up for the 2-hour ride, we were able to go at our 8 am time instead of waiting til the 10:30 tour. After being paired with a horse and basic horseback riding 101, we were on our way.

Our tour guide was fantastic and taught us a lot about the area. She also kept our 6- and 8 year old engaged and interested the whole time. Did you know horses poop about 12 times per day? After one of our horses took a bathroom break, that became a very big topic of conversation for our boys. (facepalm!) Jeans or long pants are definitely recommended for riding. While you can’t take bags or backpacks on the horse, they do provide horn bags for small items like a water bottle (recommend) or a camera/phone. When we went, the minimum age for our ride was 6. It has now changed to 7 years old and 48 inches. So make sure you check the age restrictions for the rides in which you are interested.

After the ride, we headed further into Death Valley National Park. After stopping at the visitor center for a Junior Ranger activity book, Badwater Basin was our first stop. Badwater Basin is home to the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. While you do not have to walk across the basin, you can. The best views of the salt polygons require an easy 1.5-2 mile (2.4-3.2 km) roundtrip walk out onto the salt flats. Be sure to look up on the cliffs of the Black Mountains to the east; here you will see a sign high above, indicating sea level. Also, take a moment to pick out Telescope Peak in the Panamint Range to the west; at 11,049 ft (3, 368 m), this peak is over two miles (3.2 km) above you. Nowhere else in America can you see such a dramatic vertical relief over such a close distance.

From there, we headed to Artists Pallete, which was easily my favorite area of the park. Artists Pallete is a surprising landscape of red, orange, yellow, blue, pink, and green hidden in the sometimes drab desert. The colors are created by different mineral deposits from volcanic activity. Take the time to explore the area. The colors change as you make your way into the area and with the change in the sun’s positioning.

*Pro tip: You will pass the turn-off to Artist Pallate on your way to Badwater Basin. However, getting to Artist Pallete involves approximately 30 minutes to detour from Badwater Road along the one-way Artists Drive Scenic Loop. The start of the one-way road is on the south-end loop. If you visit Artist Pallete on your way back from Badwater Basin, you avoid driving a giant circle since Badwater Basin is south of Artist Pallet. The drive begins 8.5 miles (13.7 km) south of Hwy 190/Badwater Rd. junction and has a length restriction of 25 ft. (7.6 m) due to sharp bends and large dips

Our last stop of the day was at Zabriskie Point. Zabriskie Point gives you a great view of the valley below and the mountains surrounding it. Once we left Zabriskie, we headed back to the Oasis at Death Valley and enjoyed ice cream at the Ice Cream Parlor before going for a swim at the pool.

Gas Stations in Death Valley

Gas in Death Valley is some of, if not the most, expensive gas in the country. It is best to fill your tank prior to arriving. If you need gas, you have 2 options: Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek

Stovepipe Wells Gas Station

51880 CA-190, Death Valley, CA 92328

  • Stovepipe Wells Gas Station is owned by the Park Service and will be your cheapest option for gas inside the national park. It is located near Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, so if you need gas, it could be a good idea to fill up here to save some money. They have a general store with some snacks, souvenirs, and public restrooms.
  • You can only get regular gas at Stovepipe. They do not offer premium, plus, or diesel.

Furnace Creek Gas Station

 CA-190, Death Valley, CA 92328

  • The gas at Furnace Creek could be the most expensive in the entire country with prices in 2022 reaching an unbelievable $9.00 per gallon for diesel and premium. The Furnace Creek Gas Station is privately owned and will be at least $1.00 or more than the gas at Stovepipe Wells.
  • It is important to know, that unlike Stovepipe, Furnace Creek carries plus, premium, and diesel.
  • The gas station is centrally located and closeby to Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin, Artist Drive, and Devil’s Golf Course. However, if you can hold off, save your money and go 25 miles to Stovepipe Wells.
  • Death Valley National Park
  • Badwater Basin
  • Badwater Basin
  • Badwater Basin
  • Artist Pallete
  • Artist Pallete
  • Zabriskie Point

Other Options:

  • See some of the other popular sites in Death Valley National Park
  • The Oasis at Death Valley offers a wide range of tours and activities including bike rentals, golf, a spa, jeep rentals and tours, and shopping.

Day 5: Death Valley to Ventura, CA

Day 5 was pretty much a road trip day and a restock day. We headed out in the morning and stopped by Stovepipe Wells General Store located at the northern end of Death Valley. We picked up some snacks and souvenirs. From there, we headed out of Death Valley towards Ventura. Right before exiting Death Valley, we stopped at Father Crowley Overlook for some amazing views. 

Since I knew we would be on the road for around 6 hours, I looked for a place for us to stop and stretch our legs and eat lunch. I decided on Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. From mid-Feburary through May, the reserve is filled with different wildflowers. It cost $10 to enter the preserve. They have several picnic shelters and trails to explore. It can get quite windy in this area in the spring, so be prepared for that. Their website offers a live view of the area to help you decide if you want to stop. Red Rock Canyon State Park was also on my list of potential stopping places.

After leaving the reserve, we headed towards the Aldi in Oxnard to restock our groceries and then headed towards Foster Red Mountain Campground for the night. I looked at several campgrounds in the Oxnard/Ventura area, as my main goal was to get us close to the ferry launch for our trip to Channel Island National Park. The other campgrounds in the area either filled up extremely fast, required more than a 1-night stay, or were no reservation or reservations opened up 30 days prior. Foster Red Mountain has no water or power hookups but does have bathrooms. Again this didn’t bother us as we basically needed a place to stay for the night and had the generator if needed.

Other Options:

Day 6: Channel Island National Park

Channel Islands National Park

Channel Island National Park was easily the park I was most excited about. I love water activities and aquatic wildlife. However, visiting Channel Islands National Park does take a bit of planning since you can not just drive up to the park. 

Steps to  Plan Your Day at Channel Island National Park

  1. Pick Your Island(s)
    • The first step to visiting Channel Islands National Park is deciding which island(s) you want to visit. The Channel Islands is comprised of 5 islands, each offering different things to see and do. We selected Santa Cruz as it is the largest Island with the most to do.
  2. Transportation to the Island
    • The second step is to figure out your transportation to the island. While the mainland visitor centers in Ventura and Santa Barbara are readily accessible by car or public transport, the islands are only accessible by park concessionaire boats (Island Packers) or private boats. Advanced planning is highly recommended.  We selected the earliest ferry time so that we would have the most time on the island. The crew was great and pointed out marine life along the way. The ferry fee also includes your admission to the park. America the Beautiful Pass does not work for admission at this park since you have to take a boat to get there

*Pro tip: If you or someone you are traveling with gets car sick or sea sick, I highly recommend sea sickness medication or sea sickness bands. Island Packers also recommends those prone to sea sickness sit on the lower back deck, not on the top or inside. We were in the back of the boarding line and ended up on top. My husband and one of our kids had to go to the lower deck halfway through the trip and my husband ended up feeding the fish (yuck!)

  1. Plan Your Activities
    • Third, pre-plan your activities and make sure you have all the necessary gear/clothes. There are several options for activities around the island including fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, diving, tidepooling, whale/seal/sea lion watching, hiking, and camping. Also, check the NPS calendar for planned activities on the islands. What you take with you to the islands will depend on the activities you chose.
Recommended Items to bring with you:
  • Clothing for Boat Ride and Time Ashore- Synthetic sweatshirt or layers as well as a windbreaker for the boat ride. Please dress in layers, wearing synthetic clothing (avoid cotton if possible).
  • Clothing for Kayak Tour – Swimsuit or swim trunks or other synthetic layers (workout clothes are ok). No cotton, please. We provide wetsuits and splash jackets and all safety gear.
  • Shoes for Kayak Tour – You’ll need shoes for launching and landing as the beach is rocky. Please no flip-flops. Sanitized loaner water shoes are available on-site.
  • Lunch, a refillable water bottle or Camel-bak bladder, and snacks
  • Sunscreen and sunglasses
  • Sun hat or ball cap
  • Towel
  • Day Pack
  • Hiking shoes
  • Watch (you do not want to miss tour times, or the boat back to the mainland)
  • Seasickness medication (optional)
  • Waterproof camera (optional) 
  • The Channel Islands National Park is a remote location and there are no medical services on the islands. Please bring any medications you may need and plan accordingly
Kayaking at Channel Islands National Park
Kayaking at Channel Islands National Park
What we chose to do:

We elected for kayaking and hiking. Channel Islands Adventure Company is the authorized kayak guide and outfitting concession in the Scorpion Anchorage area on Santa Cruz Island. They operate guided sea kayak tours (there are NO kayak rentals on the island), snorkel equipment rentals, and guided snorkel tours at Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island. This tour was amazing and I highly recommend it.

Cavern Point Loop Trail - Channel Islands National Park
Cavern Point Loop Trail

We opted for the Discovery Sea Cave Kayak Tour. This tour is 1.5 hours on the water after orientation. This amount of time was perfect for our kids at ages 6 and 8 and also for the adults since we would be doing almost all of the paddling for each of our double kayaks. Had it just been the two adults, I may have opted for the Adventure Cave Tour which is 2.5-3 hours on the water. On the tour, we were able to see wildlife and explore kelp beds and sea caves. Our guide was very knowledgeable and kept it fun while we were on the water. 

After kayaking, we ate our packed lunch. The island foxes tried to sneak some of our food, despite their seemingly friendliness, they are wild animals and should not be touched or fed. 

*Pro Tip: There is no food sold on the island and single-use plastic bags are banned within the Channel Islands National Park.

From there, we picked up Junior Ranger books at the Interpretive Exhibit next to the bathrooms. (Junior Ranger books and badges are available at the visitor center or boat concessionaire offices or on the islands from park staff. Since the mainland visitor center was closed before we left and after we came back, the boys got their badges from a park ranger.) We then headed out on the Cavern Point Loop Trail to explore some of the islands. The trail is a 1.7-mile loop and takes about 50 minutes to complete. This loop offered amazing views of the island and surrounding waters. To avoid a steep climb you can hike this route clockwise, beginning from Scorpion Cove campground (near site #22). We went counterclockwise and the climb was not too bad.

After getting back from the Channel Islands, which went much better since we rode on the lower back of the boat, we headed to our campground for the night, Point Mugu State Park – Thornhill Broome Campground. This campground is right on the beach and there is a gated entrance that does not allow entrance from 10 pm – 8 am. 

Day 7: Santa Monica

Biking The Strand in Santa Monica

We spent this day exploring The Strand from Santa Monica Pier to Venice Beach by bike. The Strand, officially named the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, is a 22-mile fully paved trail along Los Angeles’s most popular beaches. The section we did from Santa Monica Pier to Venice Beach and back was about a 6-mile round trip.

We rented bikes for the day from Santa Monica Beach Rentals. There are tons of bike rentals around Santa Monica and The Strand. We chose Santa Monica Beach Rentals because their prices were very reasonable, but most importantly they were the only rental place at the time that had Tag Alongs we could rent. Tag Alongs connect to the adult bike and allow a child to ride and petal, but also get the assistance of a parent towing them. They are perfect for bike rides when a child is too old/big for a bike trailer, but not ready for the distance you will be biking.

I found a great Google Map that had the entire Strand mapped out with popular sites mapped out.

Santa Monica Pier

We took our time biking The Strand. We started near the Santa Monica Pier and headed south toward Venice Beach. Along the way, we stopped at Perry’s Cafe for lunch. They have several locations along The Strand and also offer beach rentals.  We stopped along the way and enjoyed iconic locations such as Muscle Beach, Venice Beach Skate Park, Lifeguard Towers, Venice Boardwalk, and much more. We also enjoyed stopping and playing on the playgrounds along the way. Once we returned to Santa Monica Pier, we walked along the pier, enjoying the sites, and eating ice cream from Scoops and coffee from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for the adults.

After returning our bikes, we headed to Moro Campground at Crystal Cove State Park. I insisted we take Hwy 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) to get there. To be honest, this part of the Pacific Coast Highway was not very scenic and we ended up in a lot of congestion and start-and-stop traffic. Taking Hwy 1 vs the recommended I-405 easily doubled the amount of time it took up to get to the campground and I don’t know that the trade-off was worth it.

Other Options:

There are a ton of activities in this area. Some of the others I considered instead of spending the last two days in Santa Monica and Laguna Beach were:

  • Disneyland (We had just been to Disney World the year before, or I would have made this a day of our trip)
  • Universal Studios (We live much closer to the Universal in Florida and they are nearly identical so this was not at the top of our list)
  • Los Angeles:
    • Hollywood Sign
    • LA Zoo
    • Griffith Park
    • Hollywood Walk of Fame
    • La Brea Tar Pits
    • If we had decided to tour LA, we would have done it by a hop-on/hop-off tour with either Big Bus Tours or Starline Tours
  • Seaside Lagoon (Only open Memorial Day to Labor Day)

Day 8: Laguna Beach Area

Pirate Tower - Laguna Beach

Our last day in Southern California had an unintentional pirate theme. After a nice leisurely morning and breakfast from the Shake Shack, we headed towards Laguna Beach. We wanted to make sure that we had a “beach day” as this was the first time any of us had visited the Pacific Ocean since we live on the East Coast. I had also planned to go to Treasure Island Beach, but the boys had so much fun around our first stop, Mermaid Beach & Pirate Tower, that we spent all of our time there before we had to head back towards Los Angeles to return our RV and check in to our hotel for the night.

When you visit Pirate Tower, aim for a time surrounding low tide if you want to walk up to the tower. We got there about 2 hours before low tide and had no issues getting right up to the tower. Also, make sure you have shoes that you can get wet. The rocks you have to walk across to get to the tower are very sharp.

Getting to Pirate Tower

Finding the entrance to Mermaid Beach and Pirate Tower proved a bit difficult. Our direction app lead us into the middle of a neighborhood and there was no public parking. I then tried to put Victoria Beach into our direction app, since they connect, and we were taken to a gated private community. Once we finally found our way there, it seemed easier than we made it out to be.

Our direction app originally took us to the right location to access the stairs to the beach, but there was only a small sign that indicated that those stairs were the beach access point. The address for the staircase is  2705-2711 Victoria Dr, Laguna Beach, CA 92651, but there is no public parking at this location. For the best parking options, look for on-street parking on South Coast Highway between Victoria Drive and Sunset Terrace. You can then walk down, Victoria, McAulay, or Sunset to access the staircase. If your parking spot is closer to Victoria Drive, the access to the street is by a staircase next to “Dizz’s As Is” restaurant that leads to an underpass.

Other Options:

 There are plenty of things to do in Laguna Beach from shopping to beaches to art to hiking.

Junior Ranger Badges: Joshua Tree, Mojave, Death Valley, Channel Islands
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