And between LA and SF, 2 nights. Thinking one around Santa Barbara and the other at Pfeiffer State Park or Half Moon Bay (stop anyway at Pfeiffer).
Any advices?
Santa Barbara is a delightful place to stay. As an alternative, if you want to see
Hearst Castle, you could consider San Simeon or Cambria. Otherwise, yes, Santa Barbara is a good choice.
For further up the coast, may I suggest my area, Monterey? Lots to see and do here. Your kids would love the
Monterey Bay Aquarium! You could easily spend a half day, or even a full day there. (Disclaimer - I work for the sister organization,
MBARI, so I may be biased.) There's also
Cannery Row, the
17 Mile Drive, tidepooling around Asilomar Beach, etc. And for a break, your kids are the right age to enjoy
Dennis the Menace Park -- it's my DGD's favorite place.
As far as Pfeiffer State Park, it's a lovely place. If you have camping equipment, you can camp there. Otherwise, look for lodging in the Big Sur area
here. Warning -- Highway 1 is closed around Big Sur right now because a big chunk of the highway fell into the sea. They were predicting a re-opening of April 16, but now they're implying that it may be closer to May 1. Check for road closures before you head that way.
Oh, and if you're in the area, besides Pfeiffer State Park, be sure to check out
Pfeiffer Beach. It's one of the prettiest beaches anywhere, though a little off the beaten track (you have to go down a one-lane road for a couple of miles).
Have a great time!
Bob