Cal Poly Humboldt — Arcata, CA

🌳 Arcata Community Forest — Arcata (easy family hikes & redwoods)

🎨 Morris Graves Museum of Art — Eureka (interactive exhibits)

🦋 Sequoia Park Zoo — Eureka (small but wonderful)

🎢 Humboldt Bay Trail — Arcata (bike or walk by the water)

☀️ Arcata Plaza — weekend farmers market & local vendors

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 The Alibi — Arcata (classic diner vibe)

🍕 Smug’s Pizza — Arcata

🥞 Renata’s Creperie — Arcata

🌮 Carmela’s Mexican Restaurant — Arcata

🍗 The Lost Coast Brewery — Eureka

🍦 Bon Boniere Ice Cream — Eureka

☕️ Jitterbean Coffee Co. — Arcata

🥗 Wildflower Café & Bakery — Arcata

Cal Poly Pomona — Pomona, CA

🌳 Fairplex Park — Pomona (L.A. County Fairgrounds — family events year-round)

🎨 American Museum of Ceramic Art — Pomona

🦋 Claremont Hills Wilderness Park — 15 min (hiking & playground)

🎢 Boomers! Upland — arcade, go-karts & mini golf

🎳 Bowlero Rancho Cucamonga — 25 min

☀️ Downtown Claremont Village — shops, cafés & music

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 The Brick Market & Deli — Pomona

🍕 Eddie’s Italian Eatery — Claremont

🥞 Kickback Jack’s Diner — Pomona

🌮 Casa Jimenez — Pomona

🍗 The Pomona Valley Mining Co. — Pomona (mountain views)

🍦 Bert & Rocky’s Cream Co. — Claremont

☕️ Some Crust Bakery — Claremont

🥗 The Press Restaurant — Claremont

Cal State Dominguez Hills — Carson, CA

🌳 Wilson Park — Torrance (playground & splash pad)

🎨 Western Museum of Flight — Torrance Airport

🦋 Aquarium of the Pacific — Long Beach (30 min)

🎢 K1 Speed Go-Karts — Torrance (indoor racing)

🛝 Victoria Community Regional Park — Carson

🎳 Gable House Bowl — Torrance

☀️ Redondo Beach Pier — 25 min

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 The Pan — Gardena (brunch & burgers)

🍕 Lucille’s Smokehouse BBQ — Torrance

🥞 Eat at Rudy’s — Torrance

🌮 El Pescador Mexican Grill — Carson

🍗 Backyard BBQ Shack — Carson

🍦 Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream — Redondo Beach

☕️ Philosophers Café — Carson

🥗 The Standing Room — Hermosa Beach

Cal State East Bay — Hayward, CA

🌳 Garin Regional Park — Hayward (hiking, horses & picnic)

🎨 Hayward Area Historical Society Museum — Hayward

🦋 Sulphur Creek Nature Center — Hayward (wildlife & trails)

🎢 Aqua Adventure Waterpark — Fremont (25 min)

🎳 Round 1 Bowling & Arcade — Hayward

☀️ Downtown Hayward Farmers Market — every weekend

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Buffalo Bill’s Brewery — Hayward (family-friendly dining)

🍕 Bronco Billy’s Pizza Palace — Hayward

🥞 Doug’s Place — Castro Valley

🌮 La Piñata Mexican Restaurant — Hayward

🍗 Texas Roadhouse — Union City

🍦 Loard’s Ice Cream — Castro Valley

☕️ Eon Coffee — Hayward

🥗 Ricky’s Sports Theatre & Grill — San Leandro

Cal State Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA

🌳 Ascot Hills Park — East LA (great city views)

🎨 The Broad Museum — Downtown LA (free admission)

🦋 Natural History Museum — Exposition Park (25 min)

🎢 California Science Center — LA (hands-on fun)

🎭 El Sereno Community Playhouse — East LA

☀️ Olvera Street — Mexican heritage market

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 HomeState — Highland Park (Tex-Mex breakfast tacos)

🍕 Masa of Echo Park — Chicago-style pizza

🥞 Nick’s Café — LA (classic diner near Union Station)

🌮 Guisados — Boyle Heights (LA taco institution)

🍗 Philippe the Original — Downtown LA (famous French dip)

🍦 Salt & Straw — LA

☕️ Maru Coffee — Los Feliz

🥗 Kitchen Mouse — Highland Park

Cal State Monterey Bay — Seaside, CA

🌳 Monterey Bay Coastal Trail — Seaside (bike/walk the oceanfront)

🎨 Monterey Bay Aquarium — Monterey (20 min – world famous!)

🦋 Dennis the Menace Park — Monterey (huge playground)

🎢 Del Monte Beach — Monterey

🎳 Monterey Lanes — Monterey

☀️ Cannery Row — Monterey (shops & waterfront dining)

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Papa Chano’s Mexican Grill — Seaside

🍕 Gianni’s Pizza — Monterey

🥞 First Awakenings — Monterey (beloved brunch spot)

🌮 El Torito — Monterey (bayfront views)

🍗 Turn 12 Bar & Grill — Monterey

🍦 Revival Ice Cream — Monterey

☕️ Captain + Stoker Coffee — Monterey

🥗 Julia’s Vegetarian Restaurant — Pacific Grove

Cal State San Bernardino — San Bernardino, CA

🌳 Glen Helen Regional Park — San Bernardino (lake, slides & trails)

🎨 San Bernardino County Museum — Redlands

🦋 Fiesta Village Family Fun Park — Colton (arcade & mini golf)

🎢 Splash Kingdom Waterpark — Redlands

🎳 Arrowhead Lanes Bowling — San Bernardino

☀️ Downtown Redlands Market Night — family fun

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Burger Rush — San Bernardino

🍕 BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse — Redlands

🥞 Molly’s Café — San Bernardino

🌮 Mexico Café — San Bernardino (local institution)

🍗 Claim Jumper Restaurant — Rancho Cucamonga (30 min)

🍦 Rite Aid Thrifty Ice Cream — Redlands

☕️ Augie’s Coffee House — Redlands

🥗 Olive Avenue Market Café — Redlands

Cal State San Marcos — San Marcos, CA

🌳 Discovery Lake Park — San Marcos (walk, fish, paddle)

🎨 San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum — Escondido (15 min)

🦋 Double Peak Park — San Marcos (panoramic views)

🎢 Boomers! Vista — arcade & mini golf

🎳 Bowlero San Marcos — San Marcos

☀️ Old California Restaurant Row — family dining strip

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Urge Gastropub — San Marcos

🍕 Best Pizza & Brew — San Marcos

🥞 Mama Kat’s Restaurant — San Marcos (famous for pancakes)

🌮 Cocina del Charro — San Marcos

🍗 Phil’s BBQ — San Marcos

🍦 Cold Stone Creamery — San Marcos

☕️ Better Buzz Coffee — San Marcos

🥗 Prep Kitchen — Carlsbad

Family-Friendly Eats:

Chico State (California State University, Chico) — Chico, CA

🌳 Bidwell Park — Chico (massive park with creeks & trails)

🎨 Chico Children’s Museum — Chico

🦋 Gateway Science Museum — Chico (hands-on for kids)

🎢 FunLand / Cal Skate Chico — Chico (mini golf & skating)

🎳 Orchard Lanes — Chico

☀️ Downtown Chico Plaza — local shops & ice cream

Family-Friendly Eats:

🍔 Burger Hut — Chico (local staple)

🍕 Celestino’s Pizza — Chico

🥞 Morning Thunder Café — Chico

🌮 Tres Hombres Long Bar & Grill — Chico

🍗 Woodstock’s Pizza — Chico (college classic)

🍦 Shubert’s Ice Cream & Candy — Chico

☕️ Naked Lounge Coffeehouse — Chico

🥗 Sierra Nevada Taproom & Restaurant — Chico