The Road Map
Wright Flight Day
The Wrights fly to San Francisco, arriving in the late evening to the historic Westin St. Francis hotel, famous for its architecture and celebrity guests.
San Francisco Postcard Day
The Wrights begin our journey at the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, capturing the morning fog as we drive towards the coastal charm of San Francisco. We view the Golden Gate from a wider angle on foot through local parks, then enjoy lunch in the touristy wharf and ride a cable car back to our hotel for an early night of jet lag recovery. Dinner will be a game-time decision based on energy level and food availability in the St. Francis or surrounding Union Square area.
San Francisco Weird Fun Day / GrayGray Arrives
While GrayGray is on a plane, the Wrights ferry to Alcatraz, followed by Italian lunch in North Beach and an afternoon of strolling and shopping our way through the Beat Generation and Chinatown. GrayGray joins the Wrights at the hotel around 4, and we head to the Mission District for street art and an early dinner of giant burritos before another early bed time.
San Francisco Shopping + Farm Morning / Yosemite Valley Evening
We get the rental car and have breakfast at the Ferry Building, where we shop for farm-fresh picnic food, pack it in the rental car and head east toward the majestic Yosemite Valley, stopping for lunch at a farm and arriving by late afternoon to explore the granite peaks and waterfalls from the valley floor. Dinner overlooks Yosemite Falls and we fall asleep in America's flagship national park hotel The Ahwahnee.
Yosemite's Glacier Point Day
After a scenic drive to the tops of the mountains, we stop for a long hike and midday picnic at Glacier Point. We head back down to the hotel and freshen up for a fancy feast in the Ahwahnee Dining Room as the sun sets over the valley.
Yosemite's Mist Trail Day
We rise early for another epic hike, this time along the Mist Trail next to Vernal Fall. Upon returning, we make a game-time decision to enjoy pizza from the nearby Curry Village, snack at the hotel lounge, or order room service.
a family dinner at a local farm-to-table restaurant before a night of stargazing.We drive to Big Sur, where we stop at the famous Pfeiffer Beach for a swim before continuing towards the rugged coastline.Our final day includes a drive to the historic Monterey Bay, followed by a relaxing evening at our coastal destination.
Travel Info
SKY
We have secured our round-trip tickets to San Francisco via Alameda. Please ensure all family members have their boarding passes ready for our departure at 10:00 AM on Friday, June 14th.
LAND
Our rental vehicle is a 2024 Toyota Camry, equipped with a full tank of gas and a spare tire. The car is parked at the airport garage until we arrive at the hotel at 4:00 PM.
Hotel & Contact
We have reserved our suite at the Monterey Inn. In case of any issues with the reservation or car rental, please contact us at family@californiatrip.com or call (415) 555-0123.