Are you wondering where you can travel safely and also stay on a budget? We recently took a family road trip through California with that same plan in mind. We travel with young kids, on a budget, and prefer less popular and outdoor activities to stay safe. These places are definitely worth mentioning and should be added as stops along the way.
Joshua Tree National Park
It’s on our family bucket list to take the children to visit all the National Parks. Joshua Tree is right on your way from Phoenix to just about anywhere in California. Try a day hike on the Lost Palms Oasis Trail like we did or pack food for an outdoor picnic. Either way you’ll enjoy the peacefulness of the desert and the feeling that you’re on another planet with the big boulders and spiky trees. We used our America the Beautiful pass to get in. I’ve mentioned in previous posts it’s definitely worth investing in if you love visiting National Parks. Hikers beware there is no shade. So avoid hiking or camping during hot summer months.
Carlsbad
This charming beach town was our main destination and it won over our hearts. We would love to visit Legoland but it was closed during our visit. No fear, we found plenty of safe and free outdoor activities. Enjoy a free beach day at Carlsbad State Beach. The beaches were so clean and beautiful with green space and paths for walking too. Do you have an animal lover in the family? Visit the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center. This was our children’s favorite activity on the entire trip. The discovery center is free to visit but they accept donations to support their programming. Our oldest son is an animal lover and will hold just about a creature. Our educator Andy was incredible! He interacted with our children and helped them to be safe with all the animals during their hands on learning experiences. He was so knowledgeable about the animals and extremely patient with our youngest son who is still learning about gentle touch. You can’t miss a visit to The Flower Fields in the spring. In fact, the blooming of the beautiful ranunculus signal Spring has arrived in the area. New this year you can also pick your own blueberries in the patches for $5 a pint. Unfortunately, this was such a popular activity that the patch was completely picked within the first week. There is an entrance fee for adults and children and you must reserve tickets online in advance due to Covid protocols. Being photographed in a flower field was on my bucket list so for me it was worth the cost. The children loved the adorable playground with tiny houses and mushrooms. They also offer tours of the farm by tractor but we preferred to walk it and not pay the additional fee. In the mood for a beach picnic lunch? Pack Board and Brew’s huge sub sandwiches and don’t forget to stop by The Goods for the best doughnuts you’ll ever have. After all the eating, try a free hike around the Lagoon on the Batiquitos Lagoon Trail. Or if you’re into water sports head to the Agua Hedionda Lagoon to rent paddle boats, paddle boards, and other water crafts. We loved Carlsbad and will definitely be returning as California continues to safely reopen.
San Diego
Downtown San Diego is still mainly shut down during the time of this post so we enjoyed taking the kids to the Seaport Village waterfront to shop and watch the boats go by. We spent the whole morning outside in the grassy parks and visited a few toy shops. Our youngest son loved watching the trains and the boats go by. The boys were exhausted from running around and all the fresh air. Soon after they were sleeping on the long car ride home.
