The city of San Francisco, California is one of the most transit-friendly in the United States, if you know how to use the variety of transportation options available to navigate the famous hills. I’ve lived in the Bay Area for 15 years, so it’s fair to say I’ve taken pretty much every option, from cable …
San Francisco is certainly a destination worthy of a week or more. As a local in the Bay Area, I always recommend that visitors come and stay awhile, taking a few day trips around Northern California on a longer vacation. But sometimes you just don’t have the time. Luckily, there is so much than can …
A very popular day trip from San Francisco for many travelers is an excursion to Muir Woods National Monument. Located in Marin County near the town of Mill Valley, Muir Woods protects a forest filled with old growth coast redwoods. Because of its proximity to San Francisco, it is an extremely popular national park site …
Whether you are a local or a tourist, the city of San Francisco has dozens of family-friendly activities and events to keep you busy. But sometimes it’s great to get out of the city and explore more of the greater Bay Area and Northern California. If you have young kids like I do, day trips …
One of the best parts of traveling with kids as a parent is taking them to destinations that had meaning in your own childhood. For my family, Northstar California Resort in North Lake Tahoe is one such meaningful place. The resort is where my husband grew up skiing with his brothers (in their 1980s and early …
The scene is familiar every Friday afternoon in winter in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento Valley. Thousands of cars take to the roads with skis and snowboards up top, bound for the many mountain ski resorts of Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe is my family’s favorite ski destination, so we’ve made the drive along …
We are a family that flies much more than we drive in our travels. My kids can do a cross-country flight like champs, but they aren’t used to long road trips. When my husband and I started planning a summer road trip from our home in the San Francisco Bay Area through Northern California and …
A little over an hour away from San Francisco and about 20 miles south of San Jose is the town of Gilroy, California. It is probably best known for its agriculture – in particular, its garlic. Gilroy plays host to an annual summer garlic festival that draws serious crowds. But Gilroy has another attraction that is …
This post was written in partnership with the National Park Trust and sponsor Northside USA for Kids to Parks Day. My home state of California has an important designation when it comes to national parks – California has more national parks than any other state. Five of California’s nine national parks are within a few …
Far too many visitors to Northern California halt their travels somewhere in the middle of Napa or Sonoma County wine country. After living in Northern California for more than a decade, I highly recommend venturing farther north. There are so many amazing NorCal destinations for more adventurous travelers willing to drive just a little farther. …
Welcome! I’m Leslie, a mom of two (ages 11 and 7) who loves to travel. Trips With Tykes is a family travel blog devoted to simplifying the logistics of traveling with young kids. With a little knowledge of airline rules & good planning, family travel can be really fun, even if it still involves the occasional in-flight tantrum or battle with TSA over your toddler’s juice box.
