insideKENT Magazine Issue 82 - January 2019 | Page 101

TRAVEL
CALIFORNIA
DREAMIN’
IN THE FIRST OF A SPECIAL THREE-PART WEST COAST USA TRAVEL FEATURE,
SAMANTHA READY EXPLORES HOW SCENIC DRIVES, MAGNIFICENT BEACHES,
GLORIOUS NATIONAL PARKS, SOME SERIOUSLY GOOD FOOD AND MORE MUSEUMS,
THEME PARKS AND ATTRACTIONS THAN YOU CAN EVEN IMAGINE MAKE
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA THE ULTIMATE FAMILY HOLIDAY DESTINATION.
CORONADO BRIDGE SKYINE AT DUSK
As an intrepid traveller with a fairly substantial
destination bucket list, I have to confess that tales of
coastal highway drives, thrill-seeking roller coasters,
some rather large portions of delicious food and
of course the not-to-be-missed Pacific sunsets
placed the West Coast of America to the top of my
must-see list.
But now I had to plan the long-standing dream trip,
factoring in an eleven-hour transatlantic flight with
a toddler, a preschooler, a pre-teen, and long-suffering
better half in tow, governed by school holidays,
different ages and interests, the need to see as much
as possible in a relatively short time but still in the
height of luxury, where do you even begin? Well as
it happens, San Diego!
Taking advantage of the last half term of the year,
which coincidentally ties in with great Californian
weather, less queues at attractions, Halloween
mischief, glorious pacific sunsets, and some amazing
kids-eat-stay-and-play-free offers, California’s beach
city with its near-perfect weather, 70 miles of
spectacular coastline, world-class attractions and laid
back yet thriving urban vibe offers it all.
As San Diego was the start of our mini West Coast
road-trip, we flew direct to Los Angeles, picked up
our Ford Explorer with ease from Hertz, and jumped
straight onto Highway 5, which took us straight to
San Diego with some impressive scenic views in just
under two and a half hours.
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