Just over three weeks ago, we packed up the trusty Subaru and headed south to California for a road trip. For the past few summers, Scott has had a week long work summit in San Jose and we've tagged along to take advantage of the hotel and pool. Because there is nothing the Mongrain girls like more than a nice free hotel and a pool. This year we decided to add on a few stops and extend our fun.
We started out by heading to Portland for a quick stopover on our way to Crater Lake. Crater Lake is about an 8 hour drive from Seattle so we decided to break up the drive and also because Portland has some amazing food choices. Scott has been talking about this one sushi restaurant for years with HUGE rolls. We decided this was the trip to try this spot out, especially since the girls eat sushi about twice a week.
The rolls were giant and we ordered way too much food. The kids took a fall for the team and ate until their bellies hurt. Then they asked for fro-yo for dessert. I'm pretty sure they have hollow legs.
The next morning, we got up early and hit the road to Crater Lake! Scott and I went a long time ago on another road trip. We really wanted to show the girls how beautiful the lake is. The girls wanted to show us what our poor parents must have experienced when we were kids. Molly refused to get out of the car to view the lake and screamed that she was NOT GOING TO HIKE! Maggie asked how long until we'd be at the crappy hotel we were staying in Medford, Ore. Scott and I, however, saw the lake and all its beauty even if said lake was a wee bit hazy due to nearby forest fires. I also wrote about Crater Lake for Seattle Refined.
After spending the night in Medford, Ore. at seriously not a great hotel, we got in the car for the longest day of our trip. We headed down to Hearst Castle which was a planned 9 hour journey but turned into a 14 hour extravaganza due to a big rig fire on Hwy 101. We were beat by the time we arrived.
We did stop in Vacaville and discovered an awesome carousel and mini train ride at Nut Tree Plaza which gave the kids a chance to get some wiggles out. We also loaded up on Jelly Belly candies at the Jelly Belly store.
The next morning after sleeping in a bit, we headed to the Hearst Castle. You arrive at the visitor's center and take a bus to the actual house. I had been once before when I was 16 but this was Scott and the girls first visit. Scott loved the architecture and design.
After touring Hearst Castle, we headed down to check out the Elephant Seals. There were so many of them and they are so loud! It was really fun to check them out and learning more about these creatures. San Simeon doesn't have much in the way of other sights and restaurants but we made do. Our hotel had a great pool which the girls swam in for over 4 hours while I read and knitted.
Our next stop was Yosemite where we explored the Pioneer Village, gazed at the Sequoias in Mariposa Grove and checked out Half Dome. There were so many amazing sights. The girls were getting tired at this point in the trip though so there were also some temper tantrums and tears.
We were lucky to visit before the forest fires closed the park. They started a few days after we left.
After Yosemite, we headed to San Francisco! Scott had never really explored the city so we decided to have a tourist weekend in the city. It was a grand adventure with a visit to Coit Tower, The Palace of Fine Arts, Dim Sum, Cable Car rides and my favorite, a trip to the Museum of Ice Cream. The museum might have been our favorite part of the trip! We were also able to have brunch with some friends which was nice.
After an exhausting weekend in San Francisco, it was time to head to Palo Alto where the girls and I relaxed and Scott headed to work. We did also make time for visits to the Monterey Aquarium and Santa Cruz.
After a long 18 days away from home, we headed back to Seattle. We were tired of each other, had spent way too many hours on our devices and longed for home. It was an amazing trip and we can't wait for our next adventure!
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