Big Sur · With kids

Redwood loops, a gorge to paddle in summer and a short falls trail, all inside one park with a café and toilets. The easiest full day with young children.

A flat, stroller-friendly half-mile from the roadside car park to a waterfall dropping onto a beach nobody can reach. Ten minutes, and worth the parking fee.

At the north end, with sea otters, harbour seals and a level cypress loop above the water. Entry is capped, so arrive early or walk in from the highway.

Forty minutes north, built into an old cannery, with a kelp forest tank and touch pools. Book timed tickets; it absorbs a whole coastal fog day.

Mobile coverage disappears for most of the coast and the nearest full supermarket is in Monterey or Cambria. The road's constant curves defeat car-sick children.