A Family Road Trip · California 2026

THE GREAT
CALIFORNIA
ADVENTURE

Granite peaks. Pacific shores. Open road in between.

May 31 – June 6 · 2026
May 31 · Sun
Travel Day
STL → SFO → Yosemite
Jun 1–2 · Mon–Tue
2 Full Days
Yosemite National Park
June 3 · Wed
Drive Day
Leave Yosemite → South
June 4–5 · Thu–Fri
Big Sur + Pajaro Dunes
Highway 1 · The Coast
June 6 · Sat
Fly Home
SFO → STL · WN3858

Flight Intel · Southwest Airlines

Your Trip at a Glance

✈ Outbound · WN 1469
Boeing 737-800 · 4h 25m · WiFi Available
STL St. Louis, MO 9:45 AM
———→
SFO San Francisco, CA 12:10 PM
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Michael Menne — Seat 19C, Aisle Olivia Menne — Seat 17F, Window
🚗
Then Drive
~4 hrs
SFO → Yosemite
187 mi via Hwy 120
Arrive ~5 PM
✈ Return · WN 3858
Boeing 737-800 · 3h 50m · WiFi Available
SFO San Francisco, CA 10:25 AM
———→
STL St. Louis, MO 4:15 PM
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Michael Menne — Seat 24C, Aisle Olivia Menne — Seat 23F, Window
⚠ Pajaro Dunes → SFO ~1.5 hrs — depart by 8:00 AM
Road Trip Route · SFO → Manteca → Oakhurst → Yosemite Forks → Valley → Big Sur → Pajaro Dunes → SFO
May 31Sunday
Travel Day → Yosemite Forks
WN1469 departs STL 9:45 AM · Lands SFO 12:10 PM · Rental car · Drive CA-99 S → Hwy 41 N · Grocery stop Oakhurst ~3:30 PM · Arrive Yosemite Forks ~5 PM
✈ WN1469 🛒 Manteca: Costco + Walmart 🛒 Oakhurst: Fresh top-up 🚗 Arrive ~5 PM
June 1Monday
Full Day 1 — Waterfalls + Golden Hour
Lower Yosemite Fall · Vernal Fall footbridge · Mirror Lake loop (stroller-friendly) · Happy Isles · ★ Panorama Point at golden hour
June 2Tuesday
Full Day 2 — Giants & Big Views (All Ages)
Mariposa Grove (15 min from base) · Grizzly Giant · California Tunnel Tree · Glacier Point drive-up · Valley bike loop · Cook's Meadow stroll
June 3Wednesday
Drive Day · Leave Yosemite
Pack up early · Tunnel View on the way out · Coffee in Groveland · Drive south to Big Sur via Hwy 120 → 99 → 1
🚗 Head to Big Sur
June 4Thursday
Big Sur — Highway 1
Bixby Bridge · McWay Falls · Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park · Arrive Pajaro Dunes
🌊 Coastal Highway 1
June 5Friday
Pajaro Dunes — Full Day
Monterey Bay Aquarium · Cannery Row · Carmel-by-the-Sea · Point Lobos · 17-Mile Drive
June 6Saturday
Fly Home — SFO → STL
Depart Pajaro Dunes by 8:00 AM · Drive ~1.5 hrs to SFO · WN3858 departs 10:25 AM · Land STL 4:15 PM
✈ WN3858 ⚠ Depart Pajaro Dunes 8:00 AM

Logistics · Grocery Plan

Stock Up Smart

Flying in = no cooler. Here's the plan — buy one on the way.

~12:30 PM · Depart SFO
SFO
  • ✈Pick up rental car. Head east on I-580 → I-205 → CA-99 S. Manteca is your first stop — right at the junction.
Route: SFO → I-580 → CA-99 S → Manteca → CA-99 S → Madera → Hwy 41 N → Oakhurst → Yosemite Forks
→
~2:30 PM · Big Chain Stop
Manteca, CA
  • 🏬Costco — 629 E Yosemite Ave (Hwy 120 junction, Exit 3 off CA-99). Large dedicated gluten-free section. Bulk GF snacks, pasta, bread, bars.
  • 🛒Walmart Supercenter — 1205 S Main St. Buy the cooler + ice here. Wide GF product range at the best prices.
💡 Best spot for gluten-free needs — chain store scale means reliable GF labeling and dedicated sections. Pre-order Walmart pickup for 2:30 PM the night before your flight.
→
~3:45 PM · Fresh Top-Up
Oakhurst, CA
  • 🛒Vons — 40044 Hwy 49 (at Hwy 41). Open 5 AM–midnight. Good for fresh produce, deli, and any GF items Manteca didn't have.
  • 🥦Raley's — Directly across the intersection. Strong natural/organic selection with GF options.
Your local store for the whole stay — only 15 min from Yosemite Forks. Easy to pop back any morning.
→
~5:00 PM · Arrive
Yosemite Forks
  • 🏠Check in, unpack, stock the fridge. 10 miles from the South Entrance.
  • 🦌Bass Lake is minutes away for a quick sunset walk.
No in-park delivery (bears + park rules). Oakhurst is your resupply point throughout the stay.
🌾
Gluten-Free Strategy
Do your main GF haul at Manteca Costco or Walmart — both have large, clearly labeled gluten-free sections with the best selection and prices. Restock specifics at Oakhurst Raley's (strong natural foods) during your stay. Avoid relying on in-park stores — limited and expensive.
🧊
The Cooler Plan
Buy a $25–35 hard cooler at Walmart Manteca on arrival day — best price on the route. Grab 2 bags of ice. Since you're at a house/rental you'll have a fridge too, so the cooler is mainly for packed lunches on park days.
🍽️
Oakhurst Eats
Oakhurst has real restaurants at non-park prices — great for arrival night dinner and morning coffee before early park days. When eating out, call ahead about GF options; Oakhurst restaurants are generally accustomed to dietary requests.

Chapter One · May 31 – June 3

YOSEMITE

2 Full Days in the Park · Based in Yosemite Forks · 10 mi from South Entrance · Depart June 3

May 31 · Sunday · Travel Day
Yosemite Valley arrival

Arrival Day · Land 12:10 PM · Two Grocery Stops En Route

Settle In, Rest Up

From SFO, head east on I-580 → CA-99 south. First stop: Manteca for the big haul — Costco or Walmart for gluten-free supplies and your cooler. Then continue south on CA-99 to Hwy 41 north through Oakhurst for any fresh items before landing at Yosemite Forks around 5 PM.

  • Stop 1: Manteca (~2:30 PM) — Costco or Walmart, GF haul + buy cooler
  • Stop 2: Oakhurst (~3:45 PM) — Vons or Raley's for fresh produce
  • Arrive Yosemite Forks ~5 PM — check in, unpack, stock fridge
  • Sunset walk at Bass Lake — just minutes away
  • Early to bed — heading into the park by 8 AM tomorrow
June 1 · Monday · Full Park Day
Yosemite Falls

Full Day 1 · Waterfalls · Early Valley Exit · Golden Hour

The Waterfall Tour

Morning and afternoon on the valley floor — then exit the main valley by 5 PM. Glacier Point Road is on your way back toward Yosemite Forks, and Panorama Point is waiting at the top. The light over Half Dome and the valley at golden hour (~7:30 PM) is something you won't find words for.

  • Depart Yosemite Forks 8 AM · Enter via South Entrance
  • Lower Yosemite Fall trail — easy, flat, all ages
  • Vernal Fall footbridge — go as far as the group wants AllTrails ↗
  • Mirror Lake loop — stroller-friendly, Half Dome reflection
  • Happy Isles Nature Center for the little ones
  • ⚡ Exit valley by 5 PM — take Glacier Point Rd up
  • ★ Panorama Point golden hour (~7:30 PM) — the day's finale
June 2 · Tuesday · Full Park Day
Giant Sequoias Mariposa Grove

Full Day 2 · Giants, Views & Easy Wins · All Ages

Big Trees, Big Views

The perfect family day — no big hikes required. Mariposa Grove is just 15 minutes from your door and completely blows kids' minds (and adults'). Glacier Point is a short drive for the most dramatic view in the park. Valley floor biking rounds out the afternoon for whoever has energy left.

  • Mariposa Grove — 15 min from base, go early before crowds
  • Grizzly Giant + California Tunnel Tree — kids walk through a tree
  • Glacier Point — drive up, 5 min walk, jaw-dropping panorama
  • Valley floor loop by bike — rentals available, great for ages 4+
  • Cook's Meadow stroll — flat, paved, stroller-friendly, deer everywhere
  • Curry Village pool (seasonal) — best reward for tired little legs
June 3 · Wednesday · Drive Day
Yosemite departure morning

Departure Day · Yosemite Forks → Big Sur

Goodbye Mountains

Check out of Yosemite Forks and head south on Hwy 41 — you're already pointed the right direction. A quick stop at Tunnel View on the way through the park is the greatest goodbye in the national park system. Then it's Fresno → the 99 → and eventually the Pacific.

  • Check out, pack the car — early morning
  • Optional: Tunnel View on the way through the valley
  • Drive south via Hwy 41 → Fresno → CA-99 → coast
  • Lunch stop in Fresno or along the way
  • Arrive Big Sur area by evening
"The mountains are calling and I must go."
— John Muir

June 3 · The Road Between

HIGHWAY 1

The world's most spectacular coastal road connects your mountains to the sea. Big Sur cliffs plunge into the Pacific. Pull over constantly. You'll want to.

Yosemite → Merced → Carmel → Big Sur → Pajaro Dunes

Chapter Two · June 4–5

MONTEREY

The Pacific · Cannery Row · Carmel-by-the-Sea

June 4 · Thursday
Big Sur coast

Arrive · Big Sur → Pajaro Dunes

Hello, Pacific

Trade your trail dust for sea salt. Drive the legendary Highway 1 through Big Sur before rolling into Pajaro Dunes — a quiet beach community right on the Monterey Bay. Drop the bags, hear the waves, and start exploring.

  • Bixby Bridge overlook on Highway 1
  • McWay Falls — waterfall straight into the ocean
  • Arrive Pajaro Dunes · walk to the beach at sunset
  • Fisherman's Wharf — clam chowder bread bowl
June 5 · Friday
Carmel-by-the-Sea

Full Day · Carmel & Beyond

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Your one full day on the Pacific. Start at the Aquarium, then lose yourselves in Carmel's storybook streets. End with the golden light along 17-Mile Drive. It's the kind of day you talk about for years.

  • Monterey Bay Aquarium — world class, don't skip it
  • Carmel Beach — stunning white sand
  • Point Lobos State Reserve — seals & sea otters
  • 17-Mile Drive through Pebble Beach at golden hour

Activities · Brainstorm

What Will You Remember?

Whale watching

Whale Watching

Monterey Bay · Best in June

Sea kayaking

Sea Kayaking

Kelp Forests · Sea Otters

Campfire

Campfire Nights

S'mores · Stories · Stars

Wildlife

Sea Otter Watch

Moss Landing · Elkhorn Slough

Sunset photography

Sunset Cliffs

17-Mile Drive · Golden Hour

Aquarium

Monterey Aquarium

World's Best · Open Ocean Exhibit

"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."
— Jacques Cousteau

May 31 – June 6 · 2026

Let's Make it Real

The family's excited. Now it's time to lock in the itinerary.

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