Pacific Northwest Family Summer Vacation - Day 8 - San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, Treasure Island Hot Dogs and Views, Flight Home & Final Thoughts

Day 8: San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge and Treasure Island

We woke up in Ukiah and enjoyed our last Hampton Inn breakfast buffet. It's these kind of little things that the kids love! We packed up and drove through wine country including the Russian River Valley and headed towards the Golden Gate Bridge. It was impromptu stops in San Francisco but worked out perfectly since our direct flight home that day out of Oakland didn't leave until 4:30PM.

After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and driving in downtown San Francisco, along Lombard Street, we went half way across the Bay Bridge and stopped at Treasure Island, which was a man made island years ago when they were building the Bay Bridge. We heard Mateo was there with his famous hot dogs and churros, so we had to stop and say hello and see the views of the city all around.

Everyone was in great moods at the end of Day 8 and we were sad to be ending our Pacific  Northwest Trip but so grateful for everything we had seen and experienced in this part of our country.

Final Thoughts & Memories: 

This was our specific Oregon itinerary that we followed and how we fell in love with the Oregon Coast.

Road Tripping for 7 nights/ 8 days along 877 miles, with 3 kids is a good amout of work but totally worth it, for our family. I absolutely love this chapter in life of adventure and seeing new places. This trip was so fun to plan, starting 10 months ago, and the anticipation and excitement  definitely lived up to the expectations.

There are multiple reasons why I am such a strong believer in road trips during this chapter in life and one of my reasons, is that we learn to work together and become closer. 

• There is absolutely no other way to fully see America, than in a car, piling in and out of it during the planned and random stops.
• So many life long memories being made - no doubt, we made so many. 
• 99% if it is amazing, but at least once or twice a day, usually in the late afternoons, we had moments. We set high expectations for the kids on behavior and they mostly live up to it with minor moments. But those were great occasional moments for all of us to recognize that we are on vacation, have been going and going and have to give each other grace and we always fairly quickly snapped out of it. We learn that no one can be selfish or whiny or it ruins the experience for everyone around them. A great life lesson in general!
• Delaney was truly the rock star on this road trip vacation. We were so impressed with her maturity and stamina through out the entire week. It was on the last day, that we realized that we had hardly ever carried her over the last 8 days and her behavior was the best out of all 3 kids.
• The couple of mornings in the smaller hotel room, where we didn't have a sliding door to let them go run on the beach or outside was the other tension moments. They would start rough housing and jumping from bed to bed. So we adjusted and got all packed up before we woke them up and it was a clear difference.
• Honestly, I feel like it got better as each day went on, almost like the patience level with each other increased. The kids had to learn patience and expectations of behaving like nice human beings, even when they were tired.
• After Carter had been away at soccer camp, we had been seeing a pretty dramatic change in this attitude so what better than a 8 days road trip together it get rid of that attitude. It totally worked.
• I want them to see and experience things like disgusting bathroom at state parks and gas stations and be okay with it. I want them to walk in Hampton Inns and old beach inn’s and family “suites” at old motels and think they are amazing.
• I want them to be able to sit side by side for  nearly 1000 miles and learn to respect one another not to kill each other.
• They learn to work together to pack up, carry luggage, fill water bottles, share snacks in the car.
• On road trips, you make memorable traditions like stopping at Dollar tree's for bathrooms and wafer cookies.

TRIP FAVORITES:

1. Delaney - Beaches, hot tubs at hotels, petting dogs and Jerry's Jet Boats.
2. Addison- Jerry's Jet Boats, climbing and playing in the Redwoods, Cape Kiwanda sand dune beach and Face Rock, her very favorite beach of all times.
3. Carter- Bandon Dunes golf, jet boats and Cape Kiwanda.