8 day California roadtrip out of LA (with a 2-day San Diego add-on option)
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8 day California roadtrip out of LA (with a 2-day San Diego add-on option)
Aly Enwright
Looking to take an epic California road-trip? This guide will take you through 7 California cities in 8 days, with the option to add on 2 days to your trip in San Diego.
Cities in the guide include:
- San Luis Obispo (day trip)
- Big Sur (3 nights & day trip to Monterey Bay)
- *hidden location* (day trip)
- Pismo Beach or Morro Bay (1 night)
- *hidden location* (1 night)
- Santa Barbara & Montecito (2 nights)
- San Diego (2 nights)
This guide includes a mapped out itinerary that shares where to stay, places to eat, and things to do. It's mapped out so you won't feel rushed at each location, with carefully selected activities.
Whether you are camping or staying at hotels, there will be recommendations to fit everyone's needs.
This guide is family friendly & pet friendly accommodations are also included.
Have questions regarding your itinerary?
Email me at aly@alyandco.co !
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Day 1: San Luis Obispo (day trip)
Get a head start on your road trip out of Los Angeles to beat traffic on your way to San Luis Obispo. The drive is around 3.5 hours without traffic and the earlier you arrive, the more time you will have to enjoy your day.
San Luis Obispo will be a pass-through city on your trip. Plan to spend 3-4 hours here in the downtown area. Grab lunch, do some light shopping, and explore nearby hot spots.
Our recommendations on things to do
Firestone Grill
@alyandco
Firestone Grill is located in the heart of downtown San Luis Obispo. Make your first stop here to grab a trip-tip sandwich for lunch.
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Woodstock's Pizza SLO
@alyandco
If pizza is more your thing, then stop here. Don't skip out on the garlic bread!
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After lunch, spend some time walking around downtown San Luis Obispo. There are local shops, artisan bakeries and coffee spots, and a super cool candy store.
Buy to unlock full guide
Access all the local insights and recommendations from @alyandco when you purchase this guide.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aly Enwright
Hi, I’m Aly 👋🏼! I’m a mom of 2👨👩👧👧 with a passion for traveling and exploring new destinations with my kids . I’m here to share attainable tips to make family travel fun. Traveling with kids does not need to be complicated, and what better gift can we give our kids than showing them the 🌎 ?
There is no wrong way to travel. Whether you are taking a staycation in your hometown 🌆, or traveling across the world, these are the memories that will stick with your family for a lifetime. We like to value the smaller trips just as much as the big ones and share how we can make travel attainable for every budget 💸.
Some fun facts about us:
- We are part time van lifers & venture off to local destinations on the weekends 🚐
- We are native San Diegans who like to vacation in our own city
🍹
- Most of our travels involve a beach destination
🏝️
- We are 🇺🇸/ 🇲🇽 & Bilingual
- We teach our kids the value of travel over material things
✈️
🚐 💨 Follow us on Instagram to keep up with our travel adventures. @aly.andco
Subscribe to my Thatch profile for our latest travel tips & itineraries!
📧 & I’m always available to talk at aly@alyandco.com
What's included
Digital Map
Fully interactive, digital map for finding places nearby
104 places
104 hand-picked places with notes from the creator
DESTINATION(S) COVERED
Big Sur, CA, USA
Morro Bay, CA, USA
Solvang, CA, USA
Santa Ynez Valley, California, USA
Pismo Beach, CA, USA
San Diego, CA, USA
Montecito, CA, USA
Monterey, CA, USA
California, USA
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA, USA
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Santa Barbara, CA, USA
FOCUSES AND THEMES
Families
Adventure
Foodie
RV
Road Trip
Van Life
Camping
Beach
Budget
Luxury
Format
Itinerary
Itineraries typically include day-by-day plans, with food, lodging and activity recommendations for each day.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What is Thatch?
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For travel creators (tastemakers, travel advisors, influencers and local experts) Thatch makes it easy to curate, publish, and sell digital travel guides, itineraries and personalized planning services.
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