San Francisco, Yosemite and Hawaii family holiday

Itinerary in brief:

• 3 nights San Francisco
• 3 nights Yosemite National Park
• 2 nights Oahu
• 4 nights Maui

Day 1: London to San Francisco

Depart the UK from your chosen airport. On arrival in San Francisco, you’ll make your own way into the city, where you’ll check into your hotel for 3 nights.

Included: International flight, 4* hotel  

Days 2 & 3: San Francisco

San Francisco is an exciting city to explore with a family – the immigrant heritage of the city means you can be introducing your kids to dim sum in Chinatown at lunchtime and enjoying some Mexican food in the Mission District in the evening. We’ve included a trip to Alcatraz where your family will hear exciting tales of escape and learn about the history of the island prison. You’ll also be able to use the hop on hop off bus service to get around the city, allowing you to discover the restaurants and aquarium at Pier 39 in Fisherman’s Wharf before heading over to Union Square to fit in some shopping or even hiring bikes and cycling over the Golden Gate Bridge to explore the Marin Headlands with views back over towards the city. Your time here will go in a flash!

Included: 3* hotel, Alcatraz day tour     

Day 4: Drive from San Francisco to Yosemite

Today, you’ll collect your rental car and drive east towards the Sierra Nevada mountains, where Yosemite National Park lies. On arrival in El Portal, a small village just outside the park, you’ll check into your hotel for 3 nights.

Included: 3* hotel, car hire         

Days 5 & 6: Yosemite National Park

You have 2 full days to explore the national park. You’ll start, as everyone does, in the Yosemite Valley, a gorge in the endless granite that shows off the famous Yosemite Falls as you drive towards El Capitan. At the end of the valley, you can take a steep but beautiful hike up to Vernal Falls, or if you’re feeling fit you can keep going until you reach Nevada Falls, each stunning waterfall cascading down the cliffs before you. For the best views, drive to Glacier Point where you can take a wonderful photo of the whole family with Half Dome in the background – the drive along here will take you past small, lush meadows where chipmunks scurry amongst the wildflowers.

On your second day, venture further away from the valley towards Tuolumne Meadows, where you can (carefully!) lookout for black bears in the surrounding hills. If you want to embark on a hike you could try a section of the Cloud’s Rest Trail – it’s a hard one if you’re attempting the full walk but a small section with kids is just right. If you just want to relax, why not take a picnic and spend the day at Tenaya Lake, one of the most scenic in the valley where you can swim in the clear water and wander along the rocky shoreline.

Included: 3* hotel, car hire                         

Day 7: Fly to Honolulu

Today is your last day in California – you’ll drive back to San Francisco through the Sierra Nevada mountains, dropping your rental car at the airport in time to catch your flight to Hawaii. On arrival, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel, where you’ll check-in for two nights.

Included: Flights, 3* hotel, car hire, transfers     

Day 8: Oahu

The day is yours to explore Honolulu so why not start at Pearl Harbour, which is a good way to introduce your kids to the history of WWII outside of Europe. Pay your respects at the Arizona Memorial and learn about the tragedy at the visitor centre which will give you lots of insight into the events leading up to the attack. For the rest of the day you can just relax and play on the golden sands of Waikiki or, if you want something more adventurous, try a hike along the Diamond Head Trail. It is a massively rewarding hike and your whole family will love the 365-degree views when you reach the summit. From down on Waikiki Beach it can look like a challenging climb, but it actually only takes around an hour to reach the 760-foot summit.

Included: 3* hotel           

Day 9: Fly to Maui

This morning, you’ll be driven back to the airport in time for your short flight to Maui. On arrival, you’ll pick up your hire car and drive to your hotel, where you’ll check in for four nights.

Included: 3* hotel, car hire, transfers     

Days 10 - 12: Maui  

You have three days to enjoy Maui – you might not even want to venture far from the beach but with so many to choose from its worth visiting a few! Makena Beach has beautiful golden sand with beautiful green water that laps at the beach while Mokapu Beach is perfect for children learning to snorkel, with calm waters and a relaxed vibe. Up on the north-west coast, Napili Bay has white sand and swaying palm trees – a quintessentially Hawaiian experience!

If you do want to get out and explore – driving the Hana Highway will give you fabulous views of the ocean and take you down to the Haleakala National Park, perfect for a day of adventure. The moonlike landscape of Haleakala is made from the lava flows and ash from the crater of the volcano and the varied scenery will expose you to barren cinder cones and lush cloud forest higher up the trailheads. It’s well worth a full day of hiking before exploring the Seven Sacred Pools in the corner of the park, where waterfalls trickle slowly into the sea.

Included: 3* hotel, car hire                         

Day 13: Depart Hawaii

Your family holiday to Yosemite National Park and Hawaii has come to an end! Today, you’ll return your car to the airport before catching your flight back to the UK. Aloha!              

Included: International flights, car hire                

Day 14: Arrive UK