Last Updated on July 22, 2026 by Themigonikitchen

The Ultimate 7-Day California Highway 1 Road Trip Itinerary with a Toddler

**This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you shop through them. We only recommend products or stays/tours we actually use and love—thanks for supporting our family and this blog!

We planned our wedding right around Marcelo’s spring break, knowing that every year, he’d have a week off and we could plan a nice vacation to celebrate another year of marriage. Genius. We weren’t sure where or if we wanted to travel this year. Between our infertility struggles and a 3 year old toddler, this year has been hectic to say the least.  We’re trying to keep our expenses down to budget for fertility treatments, but also know how much travel is worth to us and decided it was time to have a family trip.

Last year, we found an incredible deal at an all-inclusive in Cozumel, which was great. But alas, there were no great deals to be found this year. Nothing to any other beach accessible within a direct 3-4 flight from Dallas was reasonable.

That’s when I started looking into California. We have been to San Diego in the past and absolutely loved it, but we have been wanting to do a road trip on the famous Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) for years. Early-to-mid March (when Texas has Spring Break) is typically the low season for the PCH because the weather can be finicky. However, we often prefer traveling during the off-season for fewer crowds and cheaper prices.

Smart Hacks for a Budget-Friendly California Road Trip

Trying to figure out a cost-effective itinerary for a point-to-point road trip can be challenging, but this is where airline points came in clutch. We have found that booking one-way flights is typically very expensive if you are paying cash. However, if you use miles/points, you can find great deals this way. We’ve done this in Europe too—frequently flying into one airport and out of another to maximize our itinerary and see as many cities as possible.

We used Southwest and American Airlines points to book a flight into San Diego and out of San Francisco completely with points—a massive win! Full disclosure: we also used hotel points to book a majority of our stays.

Why We Rented an EV for the Pacific Coast Highway

We opted to rent an electric car for this trip. Charging stations are incredibly easy to come by across California, and gas prices along Highway 1 are notoriously expensive! Opting for an EV helped us cut down on travel costs significantly, making this a highly budget-friendly trip.

How to Rent a Car for a California Coast Road Trip

If you are planning your own Pacific Coast Highway adventure, finding the right rental car is key to a smooth journey. Because we did a point-to-point trip (flying into San Diego and out of San Francisco), we needed a provider that offered flexible one-way rental options without exorbitant drop-off fees.

To find the absolute best rates across top rental companies like Hertz, Enterprise, and Avis, we recommend using a comparison tool. You can search live availability, filter by electric vehicles (like we used!), and secure the best price for your specific dates right below:

Travel Tip: If you are traveling with a toddler like us, make sure to check the airline rules for checking your car seat for free, or look into adding a car seat to your rental package!

The Itinerary:

This trip was completed over a full 7 days. If you are taking the full San Diego to San Francisco route, I highly recommend dedicating at least 7 days to complete it. Anything less would have been far too much moving and driving in a short timeframe with a young child.

5 stops in 7 days!

San Diego ➔ Malibu ➔ Pismo Beach ➔ Monterey ➔ San Francisco

• Day 1: San Diego
• Day 2: San Diego/Malibu
• Day 3: Pismo Beach
• Day 4: Monterey
• Day 5: Monterey
• Day 6: San Francisco
• Day 7: San Francisco

Day 1 & 2: Exploring San Diego & La Jolla

First Stop: The World-Famous San Diego Zoo

We booked an early morning flight and literally headed directly from the airport to the zoo. The San Diego Zoo is world-famous for a reason, and what toddler isn’t completely obsessed with animals? We knew this would be the perfect way to kick off the trip.

We pre-booked our tickets online (fair warning: it’s pricey, but we felt it was well worth it) and arrived right at opening time at 9:00 AM. Plan to spend a full day here because there is SO much to see.

Pro-Tip: Download the San Diego Zoo app before you arrive. You can star your “must-see” exhibits, and the app will automatically map out the most efficient walking itinerary for you.

Check out our full blog post dedicated just to the San Diego Zoo.

Our San Diego Zoo Highlights:

• Polar bear exhibit
• Koalas
• Giraffes
• Grizzly Bear
• Parker Aviary
• Wildlife Explorers Basecamp

We were pleasantly surprised by the many dining options inside and enjoyed a decent lunch. Mila took a great nap in the stroller after eating while we grabbed a much-earned coffee. We finished our visit at the Wildlife Explorers Basecamp, which features a massive play area for kids, including a fun water play section.

Where to Stay in San Diego

We checked into the Hotel Indigo located in the vibrant Gaslamp District. The location is highly walkable to numerous restaurants and local coffee shops. There was easy-access street parking available as well.

For dinner, we headed to Buona Forchetta (South Park location) for outstanding authentic Italian pasta and wood-fired pizza. I highly recommend making a reservation here, as it gets incredibly busy. It was the perfect introduction to San Diego food! Afterward, we were all pooped from the travel day and the time change, so we headed straight to bed.

Morning in La Jolla Cove

The next morning, we all woke up quite early due to the time difference. We took advantage of the early start, packed our bags into our rental car, and drove toward La Jolla for breakfast.

We popped into Dodo Bird Donuts for gourmet donuts, coffee, and matcha. We walked down to the end of the street to enjoy our breakfast on a bench overlooking the breathtaking cove.

Next, we drove over to La Jolla Cove proper and strolled along the scenic coastal path to view the wild sea lions resting on the rocks. After a gorgeous walk, we said goodbye to San Diego and officially started our trek north toward Malibu.

Day 2 & 3: Cruising to Malibu & Laguna Beach

Navigating the LA Traffic

Fair warning: This is the longest driving leg of the trip, mostly due to notorious Los Angeles traffic. We kept checking maps to find an optimal time to pass through, but there really isn’t one.

We left around 10:30 AM and decided to stop in Laguna Beach for lunch, successfully skipping the core LA city traffic entirely. Because we’ve been to LA before and only had one day to spare, we decided battling for city parking wouldn’t be worth it on this itinerary.

Lunch and Play in Laguna Beach

In Laguna Beach, we picked up delicious takeout burritos and tacos from La Sirena Grill and headed straight for the sand. We chose Aliso Beach because it was pleasantly empty and featured an awesome beachside playground. We stayed and played here for over an hour to let Mila stretch her legs.

Afterward, we finished our drive to our hotel. We used points to stay at the Hyatt Regency Westlake, which is located about 20–30 minutes away from Malibu’s main beaches. If your budget allows, I’d recommend staying closer to the actual beach area, as there isn’t much to see or do directly in Westlake.

We needed to charge our electric vehicle at this point, so we found a fast-charging station in a nearby shopping center and grabbed a quick, delicious dinner at The Kebab Shop before heading to bed early.

Exploring Malibu’s Iconic Beaches

The next morning, we ate breakfast at the hotel and headed out to explore iconic Malibu. We stopped at Point Dume, did a very short trail, and enjoyed looking at all the stunning cliffside homes in the area.

Next, we drove down to El Matador Beach, descended the famous wooden steps down to the shore, and set up a little station for building sandcastles and searching for unique seashells.

For lunch, we went to the nearby legendary Neptune’s Net for fresh seafood. The fried shrimp platter was fantastic! Note: They are cash-only but do have an ATM on-site.

Day 3 & 4: Falling in Love with Pismo Beach

Our next stop was Pismo Beach—and it turned out to be the stop we researched the least but actually ended up loving the most! I highly recommend including this charming beach town in your PCH itinerary. The ocean views are outstanding, and the downtown area near the pier is packed with cute shops and local eateries.

We stayed at the Cottage Inn, and the staff were incredibly sweet—upgrading us to their best oceanfront room on the ground floor. It offered direct access to the outdoor fire pits right outside our private patio!

After checking in, we headed straight to their heated pool for some family splash time. Later, we walked downtown for juicy burgers at the Cool Cat Café and did some quick souvenir shopping before heading back to the hotel to catch the sunset.

The hotel staff even gifted us a complimentary s’mores kit! We all cuddled up by the outdoor fire pit, roasted marshmallows, and watched one of the most vibrant, impressive sunsets I have ever seen. Once we put Mila down for the night, Marcelo and I snuck back out onto our patio for a glass of wine by the fire and some fabulous stargazing.

Note: The bathrooms at the inn are a bit dated, but the hospitality and location were phenomenal. We would absolutely stay here again.

Day 4 & 5: Magical Monterey & Whale Watching

The next morning, we grabbed biscuits and coffee from Beachin’ Biscuits for the road. We wanted to head out early to reach the Monterey Bay Aquarium shortly after opening.

Route Alert: We were hoping to drive the entire scenic route along Highway 1 through Big Sur. However, be aware that large portions of the highway can experience seasonal closures due to landslides. We had to take a detour inland to route around the closure before cutting back to Monterey.

Day 1 in Monterey: Aquariums and Seafood

We dropped off our stuff and the car at the Intercontinental The Clement Hotel just after 10 AM and walked right over to aquarium. We pre-booked tickets online, which is recommended. Children 4 and under are free. I would allow for at least 2-3 hours minimum to explore everything here, but know they do allow re-entry, so if you need to leave for a nap or lunch, you can and you can return after. Here were the highlights for us:

• Watching live feeding sessions in the “Deep Sea” exhibit
• The mesmerizing, glowing Jellyfish rooms
• The interactive, hands-on discovery play areas for kids
• Hammerhead Sharks & the Giant Pacific Octopus

After we finished up at the aquarium, we grabbed some lunch at the Coniglio Brother’s Italian Deli next to our hotel. Then we took some time to rest and relax at the hotel for a couple hours.

Mila loved splashing around in the hotel’s outdoor heated pool, and the property also features a great gym and hot tub.

For dinner, we walked to Vivolo’s Chowder House. The kids’ menu was great, the fresh local fish options were delicious, and their clam chowder was absolutely outstanding. Best of all, it was just a short walk from our hotel room. We finished the night with ice cream from Cannery Row’s Ghirardelli shop and watched the sunset on the sand.

Day 2 in Monterey: Whale Watching & The 17-Mile Drive

We woke up early and headed to First Awakenings for a massive breakfast—a super cute, budget-friendly diner spot.

We booked a 10:00 AM whale watching tour departing from historic Fisherman’s Wharf. While the wharf is about a 30-minute walk from the hotel, walking that distance isn’t ideal with a toddler, and we didn’t want to bring our stroller onto the boat. Luckily, the wharf has ample, affordable parking, so we drove our rental car down.

We booked our excursion through Discovery Whale Watch and had an incredible experience! We saw dozens of playful dolphins, massive humpback whales, sea otters, and sea lions. They have drinks and snacks available for purchase, alongside free hot chocolate and coffee. Warning: The ocean can get quite bumpy, so skip this excursion if you are prone to motion sickness!

After a quick lunch on the pier, we set out for a scenic coastal drive. Since we missed out on driving north through Big Sur due to the highway closure, we wanted to explore the accessible surrounding coastal stretches.

First, we did the famous 17 mile drive in Pebble Beach. Entry is $12 per vehicle, which is well worth it for the spectacular vistas. You can take your time stopping at every viewpoint. It wasn’t warm enough for sunbathing, but we thoroughly enjoyed the views—especially the famous Lone Cypress. We stopped at the visitor center for a bathroom break and to check out the golf memorabilia.

Next, we continued down towards Big Sur just far enough to view the iconic Bixby Creek Bridge. The drive is absolutely breathtaking. Parking gets tight as you approach the bridge, but we managed to pull off and grab stunning family photos with the bridge stretching across the canyon in the background.

We headed into Carmel-by-the-Sea for dinner. Heads up: Parking is a massive challenge in Carmel, especially on Saturday nights. Be prepared to circle the blocks for a while to secure a spot.

We reserved a table at Dametra Cafe right on the main street. They serve incredible Middle Eastern cuisine, feature lively music, and are incredibly welcoming to families with kids. After dinner, we walked down to Carmel Sunset Beach to watch the sun dip below the horizon before driving back to Monterey.

Day 6 & 7: Redwoods & San Francisco Highlights

A Picnic Under the Giants at Big Basin Redwoods State Park

On Day 3 in the Monterey area, we opted for a light breakfast at Happy Girl Kitchen Café (delicious homemade yogurts, fresh sourdough, and jams) and picked up some jars for gifts. We made a quick stop back at Coniglio Deli to pack up picnic sandwiches for our drive into San Francisco.

On the way north, we detoured to Big Basin Redwoods State Park.

Crucial Travel Tip: You MUST pre-book your parking permit for Big Basin Redwoods State Park at least 24 hours in advance online to guarantee entry. It costs $6 per vehicle plus a $2 reservation fee online ($10 if you try to pay without a reservation).

We picked Big Basin because it was perfectly en route to San Francisco and we really wanted to see the famous California Redwoods. Keep in mind these aren’t the tallest old-growth redwoods in the state, and a large portion of the park was heavily impacted by the 2020 wildfires. Nonetheless, it remains a gorgeous place to hike and enjoy a quiet picnic.

We hiked the short Redwood Loop Trail, which takes about 20 minutes. It is flat, easy, and completely perfect for a toddler. Make sure to stop by the visitor center to snap a picture of the trail maps, as there is absolutely zero cell service inside the park. The park ranger was incredibly sweet and handed Mila a kid’s scavenger hunt card to check off during our hike. Clean port-a-potty restrooms are located right by the visitor center.

Arriving in San Francisco

San Francisco is a huge city with so much to explore, so I actually did a dedicated post on our stay there, but will still do a summary here.

After our hike, we completed the drive into San Francisco and checked into The Argonaut Hotel, beautifully located right near the waterfront.

Traveling Tip: Exploring large cities can sometimes feel overwhelming for toddlers due to the massive amounts of walking. To keep Mila engaged, we started creating custom travel bingo and scavenger hunt cards for her to hold. She absolutely loves them! We actually sell these printable travel cards on our Etsy shop for various destinations, so be sure to check them out if you are planning a family trip!

After dropping our luggage, we walked out to the nearby Maritime Garden park right by our hotel to catch our first view of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.

We strolled along Jefferson Street toward Fisherman’s Wharf. Honestly, this area felt overly touristy and was our least favorite stop of the whole week, so you could easily skip it. We grabbed a quick hot dog snack for Mila and walked over to Ghirardelli Square for an incredible dim sum dinner at Palette Tea House. We wrapped up our evening buying souvenir chocolates at The Ghirardelli Experience.

Final Day: Bridges, Tea Gardens, and Cable Cars

The next morning, we drove out early to the Battery Spencer Overlook to get the quintessential, breathtaking view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Driving across the bridge to get there was an unforgettable experience! Getting there early is key to avoiding crowds—when we arrived at 8:30 AM, there was only one other car in the parking lot.

We took in the breathtaking view of the bridge and got some great family photos before packing back up and heading to our next stop: Golden Gate Park.

Next, we spent the morning exploring the massive Golden Gate Park (which is actually bigger than Central Park!). The Japanese Tea Garden offers free admission before 10:00 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, so we went straight there. Parking was open and free at that hour. The manicured gardens are stunning, and we enjoyed sipping traditional green tea and eating fortune cookies at their small outdoor café.

We spent the rest of the afternoon letting Mila burn off energy at the Koret Children’s Quarter—historic for being the nation’s very first public playground! We checked out the park’s famous Dutch windmills and the vibrant Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden before driving to a wonderful Peruvian spot called Mixto Latin Cuisine for Lomo Saltado and fresh ceviche.

We spent our final evening exploring the hills of the North Beach neighborhood, grabbing pastries at Stella Pastry & Café, browsing books at the historic City Lights Booksellers, and enjoying one last playground stop at Washington Square. We enjoyed an amazing Roman-style pizza dinner at Barbara before packing up our bags.

On our final morning, we grabbed breakfast at a Brazilian coffee shop called Cafe de Casa and headed straight to the Hyde and Beach St turntable to board a historic San Francisco cable car along the famous Hyde-Powell route.

Cable Car Logistics: Kids under 4 ride completely free! For adults, single rides are $9. If you plan to ride more than once or hop on the buses, grabbing a 1-Day Visitor Passport gives you unlimited rides on all Muni vehicles, including the cable cars. While you can currently use the MuniMobile App, the city is transitioning all mobile fares to the Clipper App starting August 1st. An even easier option? You can now simply tap your contactless credit card or phone wallet directly on the card reader when you board!

We rode the cable car down to Union Square, did some light walking, and hopped back on—stopping at Lombard Street to see the famously crooked, winding road. Afterward, we caught a final cable car back to our hotel, loaded up our rental car, and headed straight to the airport.

And there you have it! A action-packed, incredibly fulfilling 7-day California Highway 1 road trip itinerary with a toddler. It was worth every ounce of effort and truly a once-in-a-lifetime family vacation. We loved it so much we’re already talking about making a California coast trip an annual family tradition.

Hopefully, this guide helps you plan your own budget-friendly Pacific Coast Highway adventure! Let us know if you have any questions about the routing or traveling with a toddler in the comments below!