Did you know that 4th graders get free National Park passes? Once I heard about the program, it was the perfect excuse for us to plan our first family vacation that wasn’t Disney World. We took this trip in July/August 2025.
We asked our oldest a few questions to see what he might want to do for his 4th grade trip. He had always been interested in Alcatraz and that was the perfect way to kick off our plan. We could aim for a couple days in San Francisco but layer it with nature in Northern California.
Originally, my mind went to Yosemite National Park but, given we were traveling at the busiest time of the year, with two amateur travelers, we wanted something a little more chill. So we landed on Lassen Volcanic National Park instead. We came up with an itinerary that ended up being the perfect experience for our 7 and 10 year old boys who had only ever before seen Illinois, Wisconsin, and Orlando.
Day 1: Travel
We left early on a Sunday from Chicago and flew direct into Sacramento. We grabbed a rental car and started the drive up to our first airbnb in Mineral, California – a prime base for Lassen Volcanic National Park.
We stopped quickly for food at a random spot that actually would have been super fun to enjoy more had we planned for it as there was fun swim options for the kids. Instead we just enjoyed an easy beachy lunch at Edgewater Coastal Bar & Grill before really getting on the road. The drive was very easy, though boring and about three hours long. It was just endless orchards which I enjoyed looking at but the kids found interesting for approximately 30 seconds.
Getting to Mineral was a welcome relief and charming – we really liked our airbnb there. Easy, fun, in a tiny little group of houses. It has a small playground directly across the street which was clutch for the age of our boys. It also ended up being a great spot for Lassen so definitely a recommended location. It’s remote in all the right ways.
Day 2: Exploring Lassen Volcanic National Park
How is this not a better known/popular park? I am a very big fan of Lassen. Even in the height of summer travel (late July), the park was exceptionally easy to enjoy. We needed no reservations for parking or for preparing entry. We did get there early to enjoy the Bumpass Hell Trail.
Highly recommend this path for anyone but very doable with kids as it’s overall length is just over 3 miles. Really beautiful with great vistas and a well marked and maintained path. It ends with the exceptionally cool sulfur pits which, even as an experience traveler, was a very unique sight. Super fun with little boys as it’s also smelly (but not oppressively so).
It was still early when we were done and we wanted to make the most of the experience so we continued on to to the Manzanita Lake Loop (another 2 miles). Totally different vibes and a very easy walk around the lake. While not as unique of a landscape, there were a couple spots where you can get some exceptional views of the mountains.
We stopped by the visitor center for some quick snacks before heading back to our airbnb for the rest of the night. Literally a “block” away from our airbnb was a general store and the Mineral Restaurant. The food is absolutely nothing to write home about but an easy little spot.
Day 3: Road Trip toward San Francisco
We got on the road early and starting making our way down to San Francisco. We intentionally made it a bit of a road trip and took the windy way with a path to the ocean. It was perhaps a bit too windy and for the first time ever we learned our children actually are capable of getting car sick. This prompted an unscheduled stop at the Petrified Forest. Though very hot it ended up being a fun little detour.
Back on the road we drove west to Bodega Bay so we could give the boys their first glimpse of an ocean. First we grabbed food at Fisherman’s Cove which had a mean fish and chips among other delicacies. We took some time to do a ~2 mile circuit around Bodega Bay. A set of wooden stairs goes down to a small beach and the boys spent almost a half hour frolicking in the frigid waves. First steps in the ocean – check.
The rest of the drive to our airbnb in Mill Valley was uneventful. The house was lovely with plenty of space and a hot tub (yessss). After we got settled we walked down some ridiculous steep stairs that were totally worth it for some tasty food at Joe’s Taco Lounge.
Day 4: San Francisco and Alcatraz
We opted for the earliest ticket to Alcatraz (don’t forget to book this way in advance) which, in hindsight, was perhaps too early. It seems the culture in this area isn’t quite as early to rise as we could find literally no open restaurants in Mill Valley (we arrived 10 minutes after “opening” to the only restaurant option, only to find to a completely dark and locked building) and even getting into San Francisco proper we were met with 8am and later options. Chicago would never.
Desperate to eat before getting on the boat, we grabbed sandwiches at Starbucks and then went to the port where there was quite a bit of waiting before we managed to get on the boat and across the water. You’ll hear how cold it is in summer and that was absolutely true especially for the early boat on the water.
But Alcatraz was really fun, especially for the kids. They were absolutely locked into the audio guide which they could easily do themselves. It’s a well done museum that, in my opinion, was the perfect length. We didn’t linger too long but it was still about midday when we came back across.
Since we were close, we took some time to check out Pier 37 and see the seals. There otherwise isn’t a whole lot to do other than kitschy shopping so we didn’t stay long, but it was a nice quick stop since we were in the area.
On a mission to get to Mission Bay (see what I did there) to pop into the Uber headquarters and meet a colleagues, we opted for lunch in Chinatown. We went to R & G Lounge. The food was excellent, though the ordering was a bit overwhelming (ie: authentic for us amateurs). The kids then hung out at the Mission Bay Kids Park where they had a blast before it was time to head back across the bridge for the night.
Day 5: Muir Woods
Seeing the Redwoods was another must and, while Yosemite has the really big ones, Muir Woods was an easy stop and did not disappoint. Mill Valley is the perfect spot to stay as Muir Woods, unlike Lassen, is a very busy park! Don’t forget to reserve your parking in advance. Normally you should do your tickets, too, but if you are using the 4th grade pass, you can just go to the ticket counter and they’ll get you all set it. It was very fun to see my 4th grader get his own pass card and usher the rest of us in as his guests.
We did the almost 4 mile hike that included Fern Creek, Lost, and Canopy Trail in a loop. It wasn’t too strenuous and was absolutely a must to get away from the crowds. Even with going early, the main wooden bridge path got busy and, worse, noisy. It was a special kind of magic to go deeper into Muir Woods. Even though the redwoods thinned in that area, it was hushed and the kids really enjoyed seeing the banana slugs.
Post hike we went back to enjoy the airbnb and eventually made our way to Hook Fish Co based off a recommendation and – let’s face it – I still dream about those tacos. This place is a whole vibe and I highly recommend going if you are ever in the area.
Day 6: Back to San Francisco
With Alcatraz sucking up most of the day, we knew we wanted to get back into SF and show the kids the iconic spots. We opted for a very touristy GoCars tour booked through Get Your Guide and holy cow, this was actually really fun. I was a bit nervous to drive them myself but clearly the San Francisco drivers are used to these zipping around because no one seemed to mind us. Yet again, I was shocked by the way this city is different behavior wise to Chicago. The density of Chicago’s downtown traffic would never allow for these little things to be zipping around and taking up space.
But we really enjoyed it – though even the short route got a little long for the kids. Still, it was the perfect way to get to all the best spots – photo ops for the Golden Gate bridge, Nob Hill, etc were super easy. We also got to drive down Lombard Street which was really fun. Highly recommend.
That afternoon, Eric met up with his own kind of “colleagues” and did an interview down at Free Gold Watch for pinball. The boys and I headed to the very close by Koret Children’s Playground where they had a blast before we grabbed the boys favorite food at Super Duper Burgers. Which, honestly? Can’t complain.
One final stop at the Tunnel Tops/Outpost Playground for a view of the bridge and then it was back to Mill Valley where we had actual sunshine (I was desperate) and enjoyed the last night in our airbnb.
Day 7: Travel Home
Uber to the airport and we were back!
All in all, it was a really solid first domestic trip for the kids. Being city kids already, we were cognizant that just going to another big city wasn’t going to mean much. But we were able to hit the things that we truly unique for them while also incorporating two national parks. I highly recommend our stops for a bit of everything without it being too jam packed.
The Roaming Reader 