Frustrated over the lack of travel writing about trips that are actually affordable? Traveling even close to home can really add up! However, traveling as a family need not be fancy. After all, kids just want to have fun! But these affordable ideas can also be some of the best family vacations in Northern California! I asked some of my favorite Northern California bloggers to share their ideas for affordable family vacations in Northern California and included mine, too.
Read more:
Secret California: Lesser-Known Travel in N. CA
Affordable Family Vacations in Northern California
Table of Contents
Half Dome Village at Yosemite National Park
From Ashley, lifestyle/travel/design blogger at Hither & Thither
Half Dome Village (formerly Camp Curry) is a great option for families who aren’t equipped to—or don’t want to prep to—go camping, and it’s a good way to experience Yosemite and stay in the valley for much less than at a hotel. It’s also really fun—our kids love it.
Rows upon rows of little white tent cabins sit right under Half Dome, with easy access to one of my favorite trails in the valley—the mist trail to Vernal Falls. Each tent comes with bed linens and heavy camp blankets, fresh towels for the communal bathhouses, water cups, and a safe—all you need, really, to have a camp-like experience without actually camping. (Though we do like bringing sleeping bags.)
There’s a pizza restaurant and a giant dining hall for breakfast, swimming and bike rentals in the summer, and evening ranger-led programs.
Cost: About $150/night depending on the season and type of tent cabin
Santa Cruz KOA
From Cassie, food and travel blogger at Ever in Transit
Affordable family travel means camping, of course, at any of our state or county park campgrounds. The KOA in Watsonville is nice for travel with kids — it’s close to Santa Cruz southern beach towns (my favorites!), and there’s play gear like a massive bouncy mattress, a rock climbing wall, an arcade, bike rentals, dog park, heated swimming pool, hot tub, and train ride through the park for the really little ones.
There are different accommodation levels and pricing (tent, RV spaces, rustic cabins, and the fancy cabins). Plus the cabin kitchen means you can save on meals.
Cost: About $150-250 per night depending on the season and size of cabin. This is a deal compared to most accommodations in the Santa Cruz area.
Glamping in Nevada City
From Garrick, freelance travel writer and blogger at Weekend del Sol
To afford frequent travel throughout the year, my small family trades passports for road maps. We love the California coast, but when hotel prices run high, we head inland to Gold Country, the series of atmospheric Old West towns that dot the spectacular Sierra Nevada foothills.
A favorite stop is Nevada City, roughly one hour northeast of Sacramento, and yep, still in California. Founded during the Gold Rush boom of 1849, its charming downtown brims with enchanting old architecture and tree-lined streets that wind over hilly terrain.
Recently, we staked our claim in a spiffy glamping tent at the new Inntown Campground. It’s owned by two parents who get what makes for a happy family: tons of outdoor games for kids, local beer and wine for adults, and family-friendly movies screened under the stars (think Goonies and Despicable Me 2).
Next door, the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum offers free train rides through the woods passing old mine shafts along the way.
In warm months, you can plunge into the emerald pools that collect along the nearby South Yuba River. You’ll also appreciate the toil of fortune-seeking miners via hands-on gold panning demonstrations at the South Yuba River State Park.
Even kids will appreciate the flat, easy Independence Trail (currently closed), a fascinating pathway of old wooden flumes once used to transport water for mining. Back in town, swap stories from the day over creative pizzas and house-brewed beers at the industrial-cool Three Forks Bakery & Brewing Co.
Cost: Inntown Campground glamping tents cost $85-160 per night depending on the date and size of tent.
Steep Ravine Cabins, near San Francisco
From Audrey, family travel blogger at The Thrifty Traveler
Aside from the amazing views and wildlife sightings, this is one of the best family vacations in Northern California! One of my favorite parts of this trip is the disconnect you feel from the rest of the world. It’s a reminder of how little you really need to create amazing memories as a family.
Other than one or two basic items, like a deck of cards and flashlights, we don’t bring any toys or entertainment along and we just enjoy exploring nature together, telling stories once the sun goes down and acting goofy in the dark.
Find out how you can rent one of these cabins here.
Cost: You can stay at this beautiful location for about $100/night.
and now my recommendations for affordable family vacations in Northern California:
Columbia State Historic Park
Like Garrick (above), we often trade the beauty of the coast for the history and laid-back vibe of the foothills. One particularly fun visit was to Columbia State Historic Park, where we settled into a campground cabin for two nights with our two kids and two dogs. A clean, comfortable two-bedroom cabin with full bathrooms and a small kitchen costs about $100/night.
The campground with cabins and RV/tent sites is conveniently located down a walking path from the town, so we were able to truly disconnect from our car and walk to and from town whenever we pleased. Huge boulders, left over from the gold mining days, dot the path, making a fun excursion for kids (who can rarely resist some rocks to climb).
If you want to do more exploring, take a half-day trip to Calaveras Big Trees State Park, yet another one of the best California state parks, where you can walk among the giant sequoias.
The town of Columbia was settled during the Gold Rush of the late 1840s and is now perfectly preserved. Its plank sidewalks, old saloons and shops, and historic Wells Fargo bank next to the gold mine combine to make a unique atmosphere. But beware — this place can get crowded with school trips, especially on weekends and in the summer, and when it does, it can feel too touristy.
One thing not to miss is the stagecoach ride that takes you through the woods where you’ll be unexpectedly stopped by a bandit demanding gold coins from the passengers. My kids still talk about that stagecoach ride!
Read more: why we loved our family visit to Columbia State Park & what to do in Gold Country
Cost: $50-150 per night for a cabin depending on the size, day of the week, and season. We paid about $100/night for a 2-bedroom cabin.
Camping at Fallen Leaf Lake
If you love Lake Tahoe but not the prices and crowds, try staying at the Fallen Leaf Lake campground. If camping isn’t your thing, you can stay in a yurt with real beds and a heater. Plus, there are private bathrooms not far from the yurts. This is one of our favorite affordable family vacations in Northern California.
We love Fallen Leaf Lake Campground because 1) the campground is beautiful and peaceful and 2) there’s so much to do nearby. We can ride our bikes or walk to Lake Tahoe, kayak or go SUPing in both of the lakes, hike around Fallen Leaf Lake, or drive to the nearby Desolation Wilderness trail and hike in the remote forest.
An affordable option for food is the Sunflower Cafe, about 10 minutes away by car from the campground.
Find out more about here: why we think this is the best RV campground near Tahoe.
Cost: $35-85 per night depending on the type of campsite you reserve.
Napa Valley on a budget
Napa Valley is not what most people would consider one of the affordable family vacations in Northern California. However, with careful planning and a bit of flexibility, Napa Valley can be relatively affordable and even fun for families.
First, the most expensive part of staying in Napa Valley is the accommodations, so if you’re planning to stay overnight (and you should), try the cottages at RiverPointe near Downtown Napa. With a walking trail behind the cottages and the walkable downtown nearby, this makes a nice base for a family vacation.
Second, look for affordable, family-friendly places to eat, like Gott’s (burgers and shakes!), Tra Vigne (bocce ball and pizza!) and Oxbow Public Market (tacos and cupcakes!).
Finally, skip the expensive wine tasting and look for places where the whole family will be welcome. Castello di Amorosa is probably the best choice for winery visits with kids — the castle will impress the kids, the animals outside are fun to watch, and while you try wine, the kids are treated to grape juice.
Long Meadow Ranch and Beringer are two more choices for family-friendly wine tasting. Seek out free kid-friendly activities like the art walk in Downtown Napa and the Oat Hill Mine Trail hike in Calistoga, and visit Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park.
Find more tips for a family visit to Napa Valley here:
Family-friendly Napa Valley on a budget, 17 budget travel tips for Napa Valley, and what to do in Napa Valley/Sonoma with kids
Cost: about $250 per night for a 1-bedroom mini-cottage with a pull out sofa bed
Cabins at Lassen National Park
Perhaps the most exciting of the affordable family vacations in Northern California! Lassen National Park is a wonder for both kids and their parents. From learning about geology to climbing Cinder Cone and seeing the most amazing night skies, the park makes a great place to spend 3-5 days in the summer or very early fall.
The cabins at Manzanita Lake Campground are rustic but quiet with Manzanita Lake, hiking trails, and the campground shop/cafe nearby. They’re shaded with a fire pit and picnic table for gathering outside. Inside the cabins are furnished (beds, table, chairs), but you must bring your own linens and there’s no water or electricity. Bathrooms with flush toilets and showers are nearby. More info here.
If you prefer to camp, there are a few loops of campsites just behind the cabins. We’ve stayed here in our trailer and loved it!
Cost: $100 per night
More ideas for affordable family vacations in Northern California:
Our Favorite Northern California Campground
Camping in Pinnacles National Park (in Central CA)
Thank you to all these bloggers for their ideas! What tips do you have for affordable family vacations in Northern California?
Nevada City photo credit: Garrick Ramirez of Weekend del Sol
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A great article!! Also want to add Coloma, CA. There are affordable campgrounds that back up to the South Fork American River. The Marshall Gold Discovery Park (where gold was first discovered) is within walking distance for some and about $10 for parking. There are also some great AirBnb’s for under $100/night also right on the river! Rafting trips for kids ages 4+ on that river ($75+ per person), and our company Tributary Whitewater Tours has family rafting specials on overnight trips where kids are 50% off with every full paying adult (typically on Mon/Tues trips) but some offer discounts for off-season and weekdays! More for the summer on that but a beautiful area year round. There are many wineries in the area as well;)
Thank you for that detailed suggestion, Jenny! That sounds like a perfect way to spend a weekend with kids in Northern CA. I’m embarrassed to admit that I haven’t been to Marshall Gold Discovery Park (although I have been meaning to go).
Or they could just come to the South where everything is affordable, ha!
Seriously, though, bookmarking this as I want to take my in-laws’ trailer out again in Northern California/PNW sometime next year now that Scott is also location independent like me =)
How fun would that be?! My mom has an Airstream and always stays at beautiful places in CA & the PNW.