Ultimate Family Friendly California National Parks Road Trip – All 9 California National Parks

If you’re been here for any amount of time, you know our family doesn’t keep it simple. Not even realistic. We’re more of a go hard, do it all, tack on nine more hours just because something is that close sort of travel family.

Road tripping across country to California has always been on our bucket list. All nine California National Parks were obviously there, too. Any why fly when you can drive 11,000 miles in one summer….

If that at all actually sounds fun to you, you’re in the right place. We’re sharing our California National Parks road trip itinerary that took us through all of California’s National Parks on one long, epic, and memorable summer trip.

And I know what you’re thinking… Death Valley and Joshua Tree in the summer?! Yeah, we’d like to get back there in a more reasonable season. But other places, like Redwoods, Lassen, and Yosemite during summer are gorgeous, even ideal. Plus, if you travel with kids, nothing is off the table when you have two months to explore the country.

So let’s jump right into the vacation that took us to the lowest point in the country, to some of the tallest trees in the world, to places that felt other worldly, to waterfalls, meadows, mountains, and islands. By the time you’re done reading, I promise you’ll be packing the car for your drive out west, too!

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Visiting All 9 California National Parks

There is no other state in the US that has more National Parks than California.

In total, California boasts 28 National Park Sites, which include additional sites such as Alcatraz Island, Devil’s Postpile National Monument, Muir Woods National Monument, and Mojave National Preserve. Within that, California is home to 9 National Parks:

• Sequoia (1890)
• Yosemite (1890)
• Lassen Volcanic (1916)
• King’s Canyon (1940)
• Redwood (1968)
• Channel Islands (1980)
• Death Valley (1994)
• Joshua Tree (1994)
• Pinnacles (2013)

The dates signify the time at which the park was designated with National Park status; many were given other designations prior and upgraded later on.

The California National Parks represent a vast variety of geology, landscapes, plant life, animal species, culture, and history. A California National Parks Road Trip Itinerary will quite literally take you through decades of history, up mountains, into valleys, and across landscapes so beautiful you’ll have to catch your breath over and over again.

We consider California the ultimate playground, too: plenty of rocky terrain for our kids to enjoy, fun coastal beaches, and family friendly hikes that are easy for littles and still epic enough for the adults.

While each park offers something new, different, and exciting, a trip to all 9 California National Parks should be on your bucket list. Nowhere else in the world will you get to experience so much in one area!

Facts About All 9 California National Parks

• Sequoia National Park, established in September 1890 by President Harrison, was America’s second National Park. It is operated alongside King’s Canyon National Park today, and is home to the largest tree in the world (by volume), The General Sherman, and the highest point in the Continental US, Mount Whitney.
• Yosemite was first signed into protection by President Lincoln in 1964, and was later designated as a National Park in October 1890, following a movement led by John Muir. Yosemite boasts one of the largest habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevadas; it is known for it’s biological and geological diversity; within the boundaries of Yosemite, you’ll find waterfalls, rivers, streams, granite walls, giant sequoias, lakes, mountains, meadows, and glaciers.
• Lassen National Park is home to the largest plug dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak, and is one of the few places in the world where all four types of volcanoes can be found. Lassen is also home to geothermal activity, with active mudpots, fumaroles, and hot springs. The area was previously separated into two protected monuments: Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen Peak National Monument. Between 1914 and 1917, minor and major eruptions occurred at Lassen, leading to the establishment of Lassen National Park in 1916, to protect the volcanic beauty and surrounding areas. A large portion of the park was devastated by the Dixie Fire in 2021.
• King’s Canyon National Park was originally established in 1890 as General Grant National Park. It was expanded and renamed in 1940, after it’s namesake: King’s Canyon, a mile deep glacially carved valley. With limited lodging and access, is it one of the lesser visited California National Parks and the least visited park in the Sierras.
• The Redwoods are a collectively managed system of National and State Parks, encompassing Redwoods National Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and Prairie cree Redwoods State Park, with a collective mission to restore and protect coastal Redwood Trees.
• Channel Islands National Park is comprised of five islands: Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara. Known as the Galapagos of North America, Channel Islands is home to over 100 endemic species, some of American’s oldest remains, an underwater kelp forest, and some of the world’s largest sea caves.
• Death Valley is the hottest, driest, and lowest National Park; it is also the largest National Park in the lower 48 states. It is home to salt flats, sand dunes, badlands, canyons, and mountains. The lowest point in the western hemisphere, Badwater Basin, is located in Death Valley, and the park’s Furnace Creek marks the sight of the hottest temperature – 134 degrees Fahrenheit – ever recorded.
• Joshua Tree National Park sits where the “high desert”, the Mojave, and the “low desert”, the Colorado, meet. This unique positioning and slightly higher desert elevation allows for certain species, like the famous Joshua Trees to thrive. Joshua Tree was declared a National Monument in 1936 and redesignated as a National Park in 1994 through the California Desert Protection Act.
• Pinnacles National Park is California’s newest National Park, but the pinnacle towers the park is named after are leftover from a volcano that erupted and shifted over 200 million years ago. The movement of the volcano along the fault line also formed the unique talus caves visitors can find and explore in the park.

Fees for California National Parks

Individual fees for all 9 California National Parks are as follows:

• Sequoia and King’s Canyon (operated as one): $30 per vehicle, $20 per person, or $70 annually ($100 non resident fee)
• Yosemite: $30 per vehicle, $20 per person, or $70 annually ($100 non resident fee)
• Lassen Volcanic: $30 per vehicle, $15 per person, or $55 annually
• Redwood: no fee
• Channel Islands: no fee (this does not include the ferry)
• Death Valley: $30 per vehicle, $15 per person, or $55 annually
• Joshua Tree: $30 per vehicle, $15 per person, or $55 annually
• Pinnacles: $30 per vehicle, or $55 annually

An annual NPS pass is $80 (without a non resident fee is applicable). It is likely worth the fee for a California National Parks road trip, especially if you plan to tackle all of most of the parks.

Best Time to Visit All 9 California National Parks

Because California is so large, vast, and diverse, it is tough to plan a single California National Parks road trip itinerary that encompasses an “ideal” time for all 9 California National Parks.

The summer in Death Valley and Joshua Tree is truthfully brutal; however, as a family traveling around school breaks, we get it. This may be your best option.

The summer is a gorgeous time to visit some of the more Northern parks (Redwoods and Lassen) and the water was warm for kayaking in Channel Islands. Shoulder season in Pinnacles, Yosemite, King’s Canyon, and Sequoia are ideal, while the winter in Death Valley and Joshua Tree would be most preferable. Though summer in Joshua Tree does offer absolutely stunning views of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Ultimately, this largely depends on the amount of time you have for a California National Parks road trip and how far you are traveling from. We opted to visit all 9 California National Parks in one summer, knowing we’d suffer a bit in Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and even Pinnacles.

This is exactly why I’m a fan of visiting places more than once.

How Long Do You Need to Explore All 9 California National Parks

If you are planning a California National Parks road trip that hits all nine parks, I recommend a minimum of four weeks, ideally six.

This is the minimum and ideal amount of time I’d budget for each park when planning your California National Parks road trip itinerary:

• Joshua Tree: 2 days, ideally 3
• Channel Islands: 1 day, ideally 2
• Pinnacles: 1 day, ideally 2-3
• Redwoods: 2 days, ideally 3-4
• Lassen Volcanic: 2 days, ideally 3
• Yosemite: 3 days, ideally 4-5
• King’s Canyon: 2 days, ideally 3
• Sequoia: 2 days, ideally 3
• Death Valley: 2 days, ideally 3

Of course budget your time accordingly, especially if you’re plan is to tackle all 9 California National Parks in one trip. We only had one day in Channel Islands, Pinnacles, and Death Valley, and two full days to explore King’s Canyon and Sequoia because we budgeted time to see other sites across California. Yes, a return trip is in the cards!!

Our Exact California National Parks Road Trip Itinerary

As a type A traveller, I’ll admit I spent a very, very long time planning the “perfect” California National Parks road trip itinerary.

I researched how long we needed in all 9 California National Parks, where to stay, what camp sites would be best for families, where else we can/should stop between parks, and pinned over 250 spots onto my California map. When I say I left no stone unturned, I’m not kidding…

Here is a rough outline of our trip, including the other California cities/spots we built into the our trip…like Mario Land because 6 year old boys and a week in Monterey so my husband could catch up on work.

Joshua Tree National Park | 29 Palms (3 days)

Accommodations: mid century modern style AirBnB in 29 Palms linked here

• Drive the Main Park Loop (Park Blvd): stop at Split Rock, Skull Rock, Jumbo Rocks, Hall of Horrors, Cap Rock, Hidden Valley Nature Trail
• Drive down to Key’s View (Key’s View Road)
• Take Pinto Basin Road to Arch Rock & Heart Rock area and Cholla Cactus Garden
• Spend time in 29 Palms and the town of Joshua Tree: Kitchen in the Desert (one of the best meals we’ve ever had), Grnd Sqrl Restaurant, Joshua Tree Coffee, snacks from The Dez, Transmission Sculpture, Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum.

Los Angeles | Universal Studios (2 days)

Accommodations: Hollywood Grande (formerly Thompson Hollywood), LA

• 2 day passes to Universal Studios to visit Super Nintendo World
• Ate almost all meals at Universal, except for a phenomenal breakfast at the hotel rooftop.

Channel Islands National Park | Santa Barbara | Solvang (3 days)

Accommodations: Wine Valley Inn, Solvang, CA

• Head straight from LA to Ventura for a day trip to Channel Islands National Park – take the first ferry over and last ferry back for a full day. We hiked Cavern Point Loop and went sea cave kayaking through Santa Barbara Adventure Company.
• Spend a full day in Santa Barbara, including the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and the Sea Center.
• Enjoy a day in Solvang, a Danish City with fabulous restaurants and bakeries, European shops, and wineries.

Monterey | Big Sur | Pinnacles (5 days)

Accommodations: AirBnB in Pebble Beach (we didn’t love or hate our accommodations so I’m not linking them: they were fine, but I do recommend booking something in Pebble Beach and you won’t have to pay to drive through, especially 17 Mile Drive.

• Take your time driving up California Highway 1
• Visit Garrapata State Park and Point Lobos State Park, especially Sea Lion Point and Cypress Grove
• Spend some time in Big Sur: don’t miss McWay Falls, Partington Cove, Napenthe Restaurant, Hurricane Point, and Bixby Bridge Vista Point.
• Take the famous 17 Mile Drive through Pebble Beach with stops at the Lone Cypress, Spanish Bay, and other dramatic cliffs and vistas.
• Pinnacles National Park Day Trip. In retrospect, I wish we spend one day on each side of the park, since they are connected via road. We loved Balconies Cave on the west side of the park – it was one of our favorite hikes during our entire California National Parks road trip.
• Snag tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is continually rated the best in the country.

Napa Valley (1 day)

Accommodations: AirBnB in Glen Ellen

• V. Sattui Winery was one of the few kid friendly wineries we found in the Napa area. It was casual and we enjoyed the outdoor patio with a wine tasting and grape juice for the kiddos.

Redwoods National Park (4 Days)

Accommodations: camping at Prairie Creek Campground (check out Jedidiah Smith Campground, too)

• Marvel at the giant redwoods from Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail and/or Ferm Canyon (if you can snag a permit!)
• Head to the Jedidiah Smith Area to hike Grove of Titans, Stout Grove and take a dip in the Smith River. Stop at the corkscrew tree along the way!
• Redwoods is more than trees so enjoy some time along the coast, visit the sea lions, and have a picnic near the crashing waves! It was one of the most surprisingly underrated thing we did in all 9 California National Parks.
• If time permits, take a drive up to the Oregon coast for a quick hike and huckleberry ice cream!

Lassen Volcanic National Park (3 days)

Accommodations: Summit Lake South Campground (this was one of the absolute best campgrounds we’ve ever stayed at! It was so spacious, had facilities close by, and was super comfortable)

• Drive Lassen National Park Highway and stop at the Kohm Yah-Mah-Nee Visitor’s Center, Sulpher Works, Lake Helen, Devastated Area, Chaos Crags, and the Loomis Museum. Before getting to the park, we recommend downloading the NPS app and downloading the free audio guide that accompanies this scenic drive!
• Hike Bumpass Hell, a moderate out and back to a geothermal hot spring. This hike is only open a few months of the year when all of the year’s snowfall is melted!
• If time and other factors permit, hike Lassen Peak. We ended up fleeing Lassen National Park during the park fire and left right before our campsite was formally evacuated. We missed out on a couple days we really were looking forward to in Lassen and hiking Lassen Peak is high on our list for a second California National Parks road trip!

Yosemite National Park (4 days)

Accommodations: one night in Yosemite Evergreen Lodge, followed by Hodgdon Meadow Campground

• Hike and scramble Lower Yosemite Falls and Bridal Veil Falls (both are super kid friendly and belong on any family friendly California National Parks road trip itinerary).
• Picnic in Yosemite Valley, visit the museums in Yosemite Village, take a Ranger led class, and spend some time along the Merced River.
• Visit Tuolumne Grove and see the Giant Sequoias or Mariposa Grove.
• Drive through Tunnel View and stop at Artist’s Point.
• Drive up to Glacier Point and take in the epic views of Half Dome, El Capitan, and the Valley.

King’s Canyon National Park | Sequoia National Park (3 days)

Accommodations: Buckeye Tree Lodge, Tree Rivers, CA

• Hike to General Sherman, the largest tree in the world in Sequoia National Park, then head to Congress Trail to see more epic Giant Sequoias.
• Scale Morro rock for amazing views, especially during sunrise or sunset.
• Visit King’s Canyon’s General Grant, the second largest tree in the world, and visit the fallen monarch and centennial stump along the trail.
• Drive down to Zumwalt Meadows in King’s Canyon. We almost didn’t add this to our California National Parks road trip itinerary because the drive was long, but it was absolutely worth it and landed in our top 3 California hikes.

Death Valley (1 Day)

Accommodations: AirBNB in Ridgecrest. Our townhouse was beautiful, but the location was a bit far from Death Valley so I’d actually recommend staying inside the park at The Ranch at Death Valley.

• While one day in Death Valley is certainly not enough to see the lower 48’s largest National Park, it gave us a summer’s taste of a place that felt otherworldly.
• Take a scenic drive through the park, stopping at Father Crowley Overlook, Stovepipe Wells, Zabriskie Point, Devil’s Golfcourse, Baswater Basin, and Artist’s Palette. None of these stops require hiking and will give a brief look into the beauty of Death Valley.
• For a summer trip, stop by the famous thermometer outside the Furnace Creek Vistor’s Center and snap a photo of the insane temps!

Favorite Things To Do: What Not to Skip on Your California National Parks Road Trip Itinerary:

If we had to add just one thing from all 9 California National Parks to any road trip itinerary, it would be this:

• Joshua Tree: driving into the basin at night to see the Milky Way
• Channel Islands: sea cave kayaking tour
• Pinnacles: Balconies Cave Trail
• Redwoods: Grove of Titans
• Lassen Volcanic: Bumpass Hell
• Yosemite: Glacier Point
• King’s Canyon: Zumwalt Meadows
• Sequoia: General Shreman Tree
• Death Valley: Badwater Basin

Of course these points alone don’t make for a complete or even near complete California National Parks road trip itinerary. But we often find it helpful when people highlight just one or two top sights when we’re limited on time. These are the places we cannot let you skip, while keeping in mind that all 9 California National Parks are full of diversity and you could spend a week to a month in each and still barely scratch the surface!

Helpful, I know…

But planning a trip to visit all 9 California National Parks is truly daunting. It took me months and months of planning and I still know I left so much of California untouched. Our next California National Parks road trip itinerary could look incredibly different – depending on the seasons, time of year, how much time we have – but I think a couple staples would remain.

For every new place I want to visit, there’s always a dozen I want to return to.

Have you been to California’s National Parks? What about all 9 of them? If you’re planning on visiting soon, let me know what questions you might have!

You Might Also Enjoy…

• Joshua Tree National Park Itinerary with Kids
• Channel Islands National Park Itinerary with Kids
• Pinnacles National Park Itinerary with Kids

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