If you've been following along (and doing the math), we left Anaheim on Day 7 of our road trip up the west coast. We had been having a blast, but we were really looking forward to this next part of our trip because we were passing by areas that we had never been before!
This next leg of driving ended in San Francisco where we would play a little bit of tourist again, but we made a few stops in between that were really fun! 1st stop: Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA
Our first stop was impromptu - for potty breaks really - but we're so glad we did stop here. We get a kick out of historical places and this pier has quite the history. Stearns Wharf is one of California's oldest piers, the oldest working wooden wharf, constructed in 1872. At the time, it was the longest deep-water pier between LA and San Francisco.
The pier made Santa Barbara accessible to the outside world by sea as it was long enough that ships could tie up at low tide. It was pretty amazing to wander around the pier and realize the impact that it had back in the day. There are restaurants, shops and even a marine museum located on the pier. But one of the coolest parts about this stop was actually driving on a historical wooden pier and hearing the wood creak under our tires.
2nd Stop: Avila Beach, San Luis Obispo, CA
This stop ended up with surprises as well. It was a planned stop on our itinerary, but once we arrived, we realized some sort of street fair was going on! Food trucks galore, live music and dancing....it was all much needed excitement after being in the car for a little bit. But even without all of that, this was the first time this trip of putting our toes in the ocean and it was THE BEST hearing those little giggles and screams as the waves came in. We had so much fun here that it was a little hard to drag ourselves back to the car.
Destination: San Francisco
We checked into our hotel that evening, did much needed laundry in the morning and then set out to explore the city that afternoon. We tried to see as much as we could in the little time we had and I think we did pretty good!
Just driving around town was our first thrill. As we drove up and down the steep hills, the girls giggled that it felt like we were on a roller coaster while Dad was a tiny bit white-knuckled in our over-burdened van. He was pretty relieved once we got to Fisherman’s Wharf ;) We explored Museè Mèchanique, Pier 39, and had dinner at Boudin Bakery.
After dinner we walked (hiked!) up and down the streets of San Francisco to see Lombard street and the sites along the way. If only I had a decent picture from that famous street. The flowers were gorgeous and walking up the street was a feat in and of itself :D
We then walked to Ghirardelli Square, feeling we had earned a little bit of dessert. And when you find yourself at the center of origin for Ghirardelli...can you really deny yourself a scoop of ice cream? Or three...;)
On our way back to our hotel, we of course had to do a drive-by of the Painted Ladies. The girls may never know our excitement but we had all the Full House vibes going on at the end of our trip. Even blasting the theme song on our way out the next morning as we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge.
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AuthorWe're just a military family enjoying where we live, one PCS at a time. Follow us as we explore our current home, South Carolina, and beyond. The world is our backyard. Archives
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