From Yosemite to San Francisco: The Perfect End to Our Northern California Adventure
📸 by Alina Wilford
Last year in August, our family flew from North Carolina to California for a week filled with exploring Northern California. At the time, our daughter Liv was just 8 months old, making every new experience feel even more special.
This trip was particularly meaningful because Zach's parents and my mom flew in from their respective homes to join us. Sharing a week of adventures with three generations together created memories I'll treasure for years to come. Between the breathtaking scenery, quality family time, and countless firsts for Liv, it quickly became one of those trips we'll always look back on fondly.
Leaving Yosemite Behind
Yosemite National Park completely exceeded our expectations. Between scenic train rides, guided bus tours, and unforgettable hikes, every day felt packed with adventure and awe-inspiring views.
Knowing we faced a four-hour drive back to the coast before our flight home, I intentionally built a slower day into our itinerary. As much as I love filling a trip with activities, I've learned that downtime is just as important—especially when traveling with a baby and extended family. Tired travelers are cranky travelers and that is just not fun for anyone.
A Relaxing Stay in Pacifica
After leaving Yosemite, we made our way back to Pacifica and checked into a stunning Spanish-style home overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The house had plenty of space for our entire group, a gorgeous deck with sweeping ocean views, and the kind of design that looked straight out of a magazine. If I could change one thing about our itinerary, it would be spending an extra night there. We barely scratched the surface of everything the property had to offer.
An outdoor kitchen overlooked the water and practically begged for a family dinner under the California sunset.
You may be thinking to yourself, that sounds expensive. Surprisingly, the cost was roughly the same as booking three separate hotel rooms for our group in the area. Instead, we had an entire home to ourselves, plenty of room to spread out, shared spaces where we could spend time together, and a full kitchen for preparing meals. For a multigenerational family trip, our two Airbnb stays ended up being one of the best values of our entire vacation.
One of the reasons we chose to end our trip in Pacifica was convenience. With early morning flights scheduled the next day, staying just 15 minutes from San Francisco International Airport made logistics much easier. As an added bonus, we were only about 30 minutes from downtown San Francisco, giving us one last opportunity to explore the city without committing to another long drive.
Taking in the Beauty of San Francisco
We thoroughly enjoyed driving through San Francisco. As a Florida girl, I'll never get tired of hills, elevation changes, and dramatic city views.
Every neighborhood seemed to have its own personality. Colorful homes lined the streets, murals appeared around unexpected corners, and nearly every turn revealed another breathtaking view of the Bay. Even simply driving around became part of the adventure.
📸 by Alina Wilford
Sailing the San Francisco Bay
Our final excursion ended up being one of the highlights of the entire trip.
We reserved tickets for a catamaran tour on the San Francisco Bay, where we sailed around Alcatraz Island and beneath the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.
Growing up watching Full House (fellow 90s kids, you understand), I spent years seeing the bridge on television and imagining what it would look like in person. Seeing it emerge through the California wispy clouds and sunshine was every bit as impressive as I'd hoped.
One thing worth noting for anyone considering this excursion: even in August, the breeze on the Bay was surprisingly chilly. We were a little concerned about being cold once we got out on the water, especially because we wanted to spend most of the ride outside enjoying the views. Fortunately, the crew had thought of everything. They offered insulated rain gear that guests could borrow, making it comfortable to sit out in the fresh air and take in the scenery throughout the trip.
We were fortunate to have incredible weather, which made the views even more spectacular. Experiencing San Francisco from the water gave us a completely different perspective of the city and was a lovely way to soak in our final day.
Exploring Pier 39
After our sailing adventure, we headed to Pier 39 for lunch at Pier Market Seafood Restaurant.
The crab cakes were easily my favorite thing on the menu.
After lunch, we spent a few hours wandering through the shops, taking in the waterfront atmosphere, and enjoying a slower pace before our travel day. One of my favorite memories from the afternoon was helping Liv create her very first Build-A-Bear teddy—a sweet souvenir that we'll keep for years to come.
Exploring the city by both land and sea felt like the perfect finale to an unforgettable California adventure.
Favorite Highlights from Our California Trip
✨ Staying at AutoCamp Yosemite
✨ Riding the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad
✨ Exploring Yosemite on a guided bus tour
✨ Dinner at The Ahwahnee
✨ Sailing San Francisco Bay with Adventure Cat
Lessons Learned from Traveling California with a Baby
The UPPAbaby Aria infant car seat was incredibly easy to travel with, even without the base. Using a standard seatbelt installation made rental car transfers simple and stress-free.
We brought our UPPAbaby stroller and loved having it at our destination, especially because the infant seat clicked in and out so easily. However, this trip ultimately convinced me to purchase a cheaper dedicated travel stroller after seeing how roughly TSA handled it.
Many accommodations and attractions offered Pack 'n Plays and high chairs when we called ahead. We found family-friendly amenities in several unexpected places, which significantly reduced what we needed to pack.
I'll never regret scheduling downtime into a family vacation. Giving everyone a chance to rest and recharge made our activities more enjoyable and helped keep the trip feeling relaxed rather than rushed.
California gave us stunning scenery, unforgettable experiences, and precious time together as a family. Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing—except maybe adding a few extra days.
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Our final view of the Pacific Ocean 🌙
