With summer approaching I’d like to share one of our favorite family summer trips! Santa Cruz, CA is about 7hr drive up the Pacific Coast Highway, and about 2 hours less on the 5 Freeway from Santa Clarita, CA. You save time, but it doesn’t beat the stunning views you get driving along the coast.

We chose to stay at the Chaminade Resort & Spa. It’s a peaceful location just a few miles from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It was beautiful, clean, and the customer service was great. This resort is perfect for both families and couples. There is a gym onsite, bar, heated pool, restaurant, and of course a spa. The resort even has it’s own hiking trails. After our complimentary breakfast, we took the most relaxing walks every morning we were there.

One of the girl’s favorite parts of the trip was visiting the boardwalk. They have great rides for children big and small! My girls, who were 5 & 3 years old at the time, had a blast! Plus we were lucky to go during their Retro Nights, which meant rides and more at super low prices. Last year there was $1.00 rides and 50 cent Cokes! I linked it just in case you guys would like info on this years.

We also visited some beaches and coves and they were beautiful. One thing we loved was that the beaches we visited were not nearly as crowded as the one’s we visit near our home. The girls had a blast getting in the water and building castles. I wish I had more photos for you, but I think my phone was dead most of the trip.

We closed off our trip to Santa Cruz by visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This was my absolute favorite part of the trip. All the exhibits were beautiful and the views from the aquarium and nearby restaurants were stunning and not at all crowded. Plus, before we even made it to the aquarium our day was made. We met a wonderful woman in the parking structure thanks to my super talkative daughter, Olivia. We introduced ourselves and proceeded to walk together to the aquarium. As we get closer she invited us to be her guests since her annual pass allows her two guests per visit. She has no idea how much that gesture meant to us. It was a beautiful way to end our trip.

I wish I would have saved my dining experiences, but next time we go I’ll make sure to save and share those details with you! Thank you for following along!