An 18-day West Coast trip for the Magesh and Bashy families. From sun to sequoias to the Pacific Northwest.
Magesh drives the 8-seater van down the I-5 (~6 hrs) to collect Bashy at LAX as evening light slants over the Pacific. Press on south another 2.5 hrs to San Diego — kids sleep in the van. Wake up at the beach instead of LAX. Settle into a Mission Bay area Airbnb for two nights.
Slow recovery day. Costco run for the week's groceries. Beach in the afternoon — sand, naps, sea air, and the slow recalibration of body clocks. Cook dinner together at the Airbnb.
Gates at opening, koalas before the heat, polar bears before the crowds. Out by early afternoon. Pool back at the Airbnb. Cook dinner together — first proper home-cooked meal of the trip.
Short morning hop (~1.5 hrs) to the doorstep of the Mouse. 4BR Airbnb in Garden Grove, 10 minutes from Disneyland. Easy afternoon, light dinner. Big day tomorrow.
A loose plan, a strong breakfast, and the freedom to leave when the day has been good enough. The trick to Disneyland is knowing when to walk away.
Quick drive-by past Hollywood, then north up the Pacific Coast (~2.5 hrs total). Santa Barbara at sunset — Spanish-tile town, quiet dinner, the Channel Islands floating offshore.
The PCH unfurls north from Santa Barbara. Big Sur's cliffs and bridges. Lunch in Carmel. Monterey Bay Aquarium in the afternoon — sea otters, jellyfish, the kelp forest tank. Push on to Dublin for the night (~7 hrs total drive with stops).
Laundry. Naps. A neighborhood walk. The kids sprawl on the floor. The adults sprawl on the couch. Nothing more.
Golden Gate from the Marin side, then sea lions barking at Pier 39. Lunch at the Ferry Building — sourdough, oysters, anything sweet. Home by dinner.
Granite walls rise as the road climbs into the Sierra (~3.5 hrs). Lower Yosemite Falls — a paved walk, an easy gasp. The valley shuttle hums between meadows where deer ignore you. Glacier Point or Mariposa Grove in the late afternoon. Sleep in Mariposa just outside the park.
Drive back to Dublin in the morning (~3.5 hrs). Afternoon to unwind. Easy dinner at home.
A full rest day before the long drive north. Repack, pre-pack the van, charge everything. Tomorrow the trip changes shape again.
Pick up the second van rental, head north on the I-5. Long driving day (~6 hrs), but flat highway. Overnight in Medford, gateway to Oregon.
Big driving day (~7 hrs) but the Cascades unfurl alongside. Mt Shasta in the rear-view. Eugene for lunch. Portland slides past. Seattle by evening — downtown 4BR Airbnb near Pike Place for two nights.
Pike Place Market for fish-throwing, flower stalls, the original Starbucks if you must. Up the Space Needle in the afternoon. Ferry to Bainbridge Island as the day mellows — water on three sides, Mt Rainier silhouetted in the distance.
Easier driving day (~3 hrs). Portland by lunchtime. Powell's Books, food trucks, donuts at Voodoo. Cook dinner at the Airbnb — second-to-last cooked meal of the trip.
The detour worth taking. Crater Lake's impossible blue, a caldera 7,000 years dormant. Lunch at the rim. Then south through pine forest to Mt Shasta — a sacred mountain to many, beautiful to all. Overnight at the foot of the mountain.
Drive back to Dublin in the morning (~3.5 hrs). Bashy catches an afternoon flight OAK → LAX to overnight before their international flight home the next day. Magesh family back to their own beds for the first time in 18 days.
8-seater minivan, two split rentals — covers all road-trip days. Shared between the two families — Magesh $1,500, Bashy $1,000.
Shared 4BR Airbnbs at each stop, or budget hotels with breakfast (Holiday Inn Express, Best Western) where it works better. Five nights in Dublin at Magesh home. 10 nights across the trip.
Strategy: groceries for breakfast and packed lunches, cook dinner at Airbnbs most nights, eat out on transit days.
| Attraction | Per family · 4 pax |
|---|---|
| Disneyland · 1-day, 1-park (peak summer pricing) | ~$840 |
| San Diego Zoo | ~$300 |
| Monterey Bay Aquarium | ~$200 |
| Yosemite vehicle entry & San Francisco extras | ~$60 |
Buy tickets online ahead of time — saves $5–10 per ticket. 4-year-olds free at Monterey Aquarium.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| MEL ↔ LAX non-stop · 4 pax (Qantas / United / Delta) | $9,400 |
| MEL ↔ LAX 1-stop via Sydney · 4 pax (cheaper option) | $7,000 |
| Travel insurance · family of 4 · 18 days | $500 |
| ESTA visa waivers · $21 × 4 | $84 |
| OAK → LAX flight · Day 18 return for departure | $600 |
Two flight options — non-stop (~$10,600 total) is faster and easier on the kids; 1-stop via Sydney (~$8,200 total) saves ~$2,400 but adds 3+ hours. Best to book 10–12 months ahead.
Legoland skipped from the itinerary. Many rides aren't suitable for a 4-year-old, and the park leans young — not particularly fun for teenagers or adults. Disneyland is the main park day instead. If anyone still wants to go, it can be added: ~$700 per family for tickets and food.