This summer we had the opportunity to take a road trip down the west coast from Seattle to Los Angeles.
It has been a busy summer for my husband so we weren’t able to do the annual camps or go to the lake often. And since we bought an RV in the early springtime, we figured we should take it out at least once before baby number 2 comes. So a West Coast road trip it was!
It was my first time driving down the coast and we didn’t do much planning beforehand. We decided to be spontaneous and make as many stops as we could! It took us a full 3 weeks with a full week in Los Angeles.
To be honest, I was a bit nervous to go being in my third trimester and traveling with an energetic toddler. I was worried it would be too stressful and tiring since our toddler doesn’t do too well in car rides. He had his moments on the trip but for the most part, he ended up doing so well (for a toddler)!
Traveling with a toddler, we wanted to make sure he was able to stretch his feet and use up some of his energy every 1-2 hours. So we were able to visit many towns and beaches along the coast. Below are just some of our personal favorites! These are the places I would definitely want to come back to!
I’ll also be sharing some of the things I’m glad I brought, and other tips that helped us have a more enjoyable experience traveling with a toddler.
**DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links as I am a partner of the Amazon Associate Program. However, I only share products I personally use and love.
Must-See Places Along Highway 101
Cape Kiwanda
Cape Kiwanda is located along the northern coast of Oregon (a couple of hours west of Portland). It is famous for its very high sand dune (well over 200 ft!) that we loved climbing. Plus, the views from up there can’t be beaten!
Our toddler loves the sand so stayed occupied while we relaxed on the beach. Afterward, we enjoyed some fish and chips at one of the restaurants near the beach.
Bandon
Old Town Bandon is a charming little town on the southern coast of Oregon. You can walk around the quaint shops, enjoy a delicious seafood meal, visit the farmers market, and even go to a festival (they have them often!)
Mendocino
This adorable town is straight out of a storybook with its charming buildings and scenery! There are many different shops, markets, and cafes to explore as well as the Mendocino Highlands Park along the water. We stopped here only briefly during the day but there are many different Inn options for lodging.
Capitola
The next stop that we really enjoyed was just a little south of Santa Cruz – the Capitola Village. It is a very picturesque and colorful town with plenty of shops, restaurants, and a small (but not too small) beach. We enjoyed pizza here at Pizza My Heart, and loved it!
Monterey
Monterey is another town I would make sure to come back to! It is next to Seaside, Del Ray Oaks, Pacific Grove, and Carmel-By-The-Sea so there is definitely plenty to see and do here! We enjoyed walking along the beautiful Monterey Coastal Trail, took the 17-mile drive (which was $10 but worth it in my opinion!), and made a note to come back to the Monterey Bay Aquarium when Caleb is a bit older to enjoy it too.
Carmel-By-The-Sea
Also part of Monterey County is another gem called Carmel-By-The-Sea. Everything in this small town looks like it is out of a fairytale. We loved walking through the shops on Ocean Ave, it was a bit of a struggle getting around with our stroller since the village is uphill, and the sidewalks are uneven with lots of tourists, but we made it work.
The beaches here are also a must-see! Some areas are rocky while other parts have beautiful white.
Big Sur
If you are afraid of heights (like me) driving along the coast of Big Sur might make you a bit queasy. The road is narrow, windy, and right next to cliffs in some areas. The views are unbeatable though!
We made the mistake of starting the drive in the evening and what we did not know is that you are not allowed to pull over and sleep in a camper or RV anywhere in the entire Big Sur County. So we ended up driving it at night until we reached the next county line and came back in the morning to drive part of it again for the views. We also got to see quite a few whales in the distance which was really exciting!
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is a Mediterranean-style city with BEAUTIFUL white stucco buildings and red roofs. We enjoyed spending some time on the beach here and exploring the city. Some other places that we have made a note to visit next time we are here are the Old Spanish Mission, the Santa Barbara Zoo, and the MOXI Museum.
Balboa Peninsula
Our last stop on the trip was the Balboa Peninsula and it is probably my favorite stop that we made! There are plenty of things to do here for everyone (adults and kids). We started our day here by visiting a local market and then headed to Newport Beach. The waves here weren’t too big so Caleb had fun getting his feet wet and playing in the sand. After his nap, we went to the Marina Park Playground which has a family-friendly beach right behind it too. Then, later in the afternoon, we explored the beautiful Lido Marina Village.
Tips and Must-Haves for Traveling with a Toddler
Plenty of Snacks
If you’re a parent of a toddler, then you know bringing snacks with you anywhere you go is a good idea, but ESPECIALLY if you are going on a road trip. I made sure to bring more snacks than I thought he would eat, and a variety. Maybe this is just my toddler but he gets tired of the same thing pretty quickly so I made sure to have a variety of different toddler-friendly snacks so that I could mix things up.
Being on the road, there were times when we were far from any restaurants or grocery stores which delayed our meal times. And while we were willing to be flexible, our toddler was not. Luckily, he loves fruits and vegetables so I made sure to have plenty to be able to offer him something healthy when lunch or dinner was delayed.
Snack Cup and Drinking Cup
Having a snack cup like this is game-changing. Before, Caleb would grab a handful of whatever I would give him and stuff his mouth until he couldn’t fit anymore. With this cup, he doesn’t do that anymore (thankfully!!). It also helps minimize messes which was important for me since being in a small messy space for an extended period of time would drive me crazy! And things can get dirty VERY QUICKLY with a toddler!
I have also really loved having the toddler drinking cup which mimics the experience of drinking from a real cup but without any spills.
New Books and Toys
When preparing for the trip, I made sure to pack a few new toys and books to keep him entertained a bit longer than the ones he’s used to. Instead of giving them to him all at once, I would pull them out one by one throughout the trip. This really helped keep him entertained when he would want to get out of his car seat but we had to keep driving.
Ipad
Although we don’t do screen time on a daily basis, when traveling I do make sure to bring an Ipad so that I could turn something on when all else fails and I just need him to sit quietly for a little. This was especially helpful when I was cooking in the RV and didn’t want him trying to go outside or opening every drawer.
Make sure to prepare the iPad by downloading movies beforehand so that you are able to turn something on when there is no service, which is often on this kind of trip!
Sound Machine
Caleb sleeps with a sound machine at home so bringing it along with us on the trip made the transition to sleeping in the RV a smooth one. It is a small space and the sound machine helped drown out the noise if we were making tea after his bedtime or talking.
LOTS of Water Wipes
Since the water in the RV is limited, we went through quite a bit of water wipes in order to keep my toddler and the RV clean. It was especially helpful having these on hand after snacks and meal times!
Lightweight Stroller
Bringing a lightweight stroller is a must when traveling with a toddler. We made the mistake a few times when making stops by not taking the stroller with us and ended up having to chase our toddler around the entire time since he wanted to pet every dog he saw.
It’s also nice to be able to pack extra water, snacks, clothing, etc., into the stroller when exploring a town or going to the beach.
Favorite Stuffed Animal and/or Blanket
Caleb sleeps with his favorite stuffed puppy and we were so glad we brought it along! When he was cranky in his car seat, we would give him his stuffed puppy and he would usually end up falling asleep.
It also made sleeping in the RV an easier transition for him since he had his sound machine and stuffed animal that he was used to having at home. It’s the comfort thing that’s really nice to have when their usual routine is messed up.
Other tips:
Plan Stops Around Naptime
Keeping a routine as much as possible when traveling helps prevent meltdowns and is just better for everyone’s sanity!
Caleb takes his naps at 1 pm and we made the mistake of exploring one of the towns we were passing through around that time. Let’s just say it was not a very enjoyable experience! After that, we decided to make sure he got his naps in every day around the same time if we could help it, and plan our stops around naptime.
What we found to work best was driving a bit after breakfast and then making a stop where Caleb could run around safely to use up his energy. Then when we got back on the road he would be tired and wouldn’t mind sitting in his car seat, looking at the scenery until he eventually fell asleep. During his nap, we would cover some ground and plan another stop for when he woke up.
Find Community Parks and Pools Along the Way
When traveling with a toddler, you want to make sure that you make stops where they can use up their energy. Exploring the different towns was fun but sometimes there was a safe area for Caleb to run around. That is why we made sure to look up different community parks and pools. This way, our toddler was able to have an enjoyable experience as well. And he slept so much better after using some of his energy!
Pack Enough Warm Clothes (the coast of Washington & Oregon can be cold!)
Even when traveling in the summer, the weather could change quickly, especially if traveling through multiple states. Because it was so hot at home, I made the mistake of only packing 1 warm outfit for each of us and regretted it since the coast of Oregon was so COLD!
Packing a pair of warm pants and a coat can end up being very useful!
