California
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Aguanga
RV Parks:
Outdoor Resorts Rancho California RV Resort
This is one of the nicest parks we have ever visited. Lovely setting and a
very fancy resort. The only reason I gave it "only" a five rating is that
there isn't much to do around the area. Golf, lakes, pools, full hook-up
sites in a luxurious setting. RV restrictions: Class-A
motorhomes only - no vans, pop-ups, Class B, truck campers or toy haulers
permitted. Read our
postcard
In the area:
Mt. Palomar
Observatory
Anaheim
RV Parks:
Anaheim RV Village
333 W Ball Road
Anaheim, CA 92805
1-866-991-0103
GPS: Latitude N33°49.141'/Longitude
W117°54.742'
Altitude: 165'
Anaheim RV Village is the closest RV park to
Disneyland. The sites are completely crammed-in next
to each other - but this is true of all the
campgrounds in this area. They have a nice pool,
bathhouse and laundry. They also have a self-service
RV wash! Kiddie play ground, grass dog park, video
arcade, shop. Shuttle to the theme parks, walk to
fast food restaurants. Free wifi. Sites are of every
configuration - back-ins and pull-throughs with 30 &
50 amp service, full hook-ups with patios and picnic
tables, security. No cable television, but many
stations available over the antenna. They also allow
tent camping. Expensive.
Anaheim RV Resort
This park has it all, is very expensive, and a good
choice for a visit to the Disney Resort parks. That
said, it is just a basic RV Park - with a great
location. The sites are pull-though, back-in and who
knows what else as they have created sites anywhere
and everywhere to accommodate campers. Great water
pressure, sewer, cable, paved with lawn, patio,
picnic table, good cell service, wifi, dog-friendly,
pool, hot tub and very close to Disneyland. Lots of
live-ins. One great reason to stay here: they
provide a very nice (and very often) free shuttle
back and forth to Disneyland. (NOTE: Even though the
neighborhood is improving, I did not feel safe
walking my dog after dark. We much prefer Anaheim RV
Village, above.)
In the area:
Disneyland, of course, and
Disney's California Adventure. There is no
admission charge to enter Downtown Disney - fun for shopping and has many dining
and bar options.
Downtown Disney also has a nice movie theatre
complex.
Arcata
RV Parks:
Mad
River Rapids RV Park
GPS: N40° 54.126'/W124° 05.381'
Altitude: 88'
Forget what they say in the Trailer Life guide. This
should not be a highly-rated park. Though Mad River
Rapids RV Park has all the amenities, it is just a
basic campground with a lot of live-ins. Some 50 amp
sites, pull-throughs and back-in paved sites with a
little slice of lawn and picnic tables. Free wifi,
but the signal was too weak for us to log on; modem
in office. Pool and hot tub in season. Close enough
to Highway 101 to be a convenient stop-over and far
enough away from Highway 101 so it is quiet. No
tents allowed and they seem to be picky about
home-made type bus conversions and were not too
friendly in general at check-in.
In the area:
Read our postcard from Arcata
Restaurants & Food:
For a great
breakfast (or lunch) try dining in the 1876
Victorian home on the corner of 10th and I Street.
The Crosswinds Restaurant offers traditional and
vegetarian meals and daily low-priced specials.
Service is good and meals are served in the former
living areas of the home.
Review
Arcata is also home to the famous
Cypress Grove Cheese Company. Though they are
not open to the public, be sure to pick up a package
of their famous
Humboldt Fog cheese while you are in the area.
Atwater/Merced
RV Parks:
Castle Air Museum Family Camp
GPS: N37°22.224'N/120°34.654'W
Elevation: 150 feet
5050 Santa Fe Drive
Atwater, California 95301
209-723-2178
Of all the RV parks in California - we stay here
very often, as it is the closest campsite to family
in Merced. Very simple - just eight sites a parking
lot - but all the basic hook-ups. Well-behaved pets
are permitted to walk off-leash. Water, sewer and 50
amp only (bring a piggy-back adapter if you have a
30 amp rig). Back-in only, picnic table on lawn
behind site, good cell service, quiet, safe. Also, a
dump station. The manager, Sandra, is very helpful.
(Be sure to pet her rambunctious cockers.) Site
rental includes admission to the Air Museum. No
bathhouse, showers or laundry - self-contained RVs
only. If they are full, there is a small over-flow
dry-camping area.
In the area:
Castle Air Museum
Merced Multi-Cultural Arts Center
Bakersfield
RV Parks:
Orange Grove RV Park
GPS: 118.8803W/35.34078N
We pulled in early one evening without reservations
and were greeted like long-lost friends - and have
returned several times since. The Orange Grove isn't
fancy, but it is in an orange grove and you are
welcome to help yourself to the fruit - seems
January is a good time for the ripest oranges. They
have laundry, an exercise room, pool, and lots of
gravel pull-through 30 & 50 amp sites. Popular with
groups, this park is far enough off the freeway to
assure a quiet sleep. Around the corner is a small
nut stand/fruit stand where you can buy almonds,
nuts and dried fruits.
Bakersfield RV
Resort
5025 Wible Road
Bakersfield, CA 93313
(661) 833-9998
An excellent RV Resort, just a few block off Highway 99 in Bakersfield.
Full-service sites, pull-through and back-in available. Very well maintained.
Laundry and luxurious bath house, fitness center, swimming pool, hot tub,
on-site restaurant and lounge. A Camping World store is across the street.
Bishop
RV Parks:
Highlands RV Park
(760-873-7616)
Small full-service RV park about one mile north of
town. Friendly, helpful staff. Paved 30 and 50 amp
sites. Pull-throughs and back-in sites available.
Many live-ins. Dog friendly.
Restaurants & Food:
Yamatani |
Review
Schat's Bakkery | Sorry, no photos allowed
Borrego Springs
RV Parks:
The Springs at Borrego RV Resort & Golf Course
2255 DiGiorgio Road
(PO Box 70)
Borrego Springs, Ca 92004
760-767-0004/toll free: 1-866-330-0003
GPS: N33°16.040'/W116°
21.723'
Altitude: 545'
The Springs ranks right up there in the top ten RV
Parks we have visited, and just like it says in
their brochure, it is a Grand Desert RV Oasis. The
campground sits about a mile outside of town. They
offer full-service, long pull-through paved sites,
with 50 amp, cable, wifi. The sites are landscaped
with coarse sand and desert plants. The sites are
spacious and well-planned. There is a great
recreation center with a big heated pool, tennis
court, horseshoes and a basketball hoop. Around the
pool are four hot tubs - filled with natural mineral
water from their on-site deep well. Indoor at the
recreation center you will find several meeting/card
rooms, a full kitchen for rallies, a fitness center,
large laundry and private shower rooms. Around the
lake are several group BBQ areas with shaded tables
(left) and communal fire pits for cozy evenings with
fellow campers. The Springs at Borrego has the
nicest and largest off-leash dog park we have ever
found at an RV Park -
simply massive. No messing around with an executive
golf course here - the golf course is a championship
nine-hole course - gorgeous and green in the desert,
lined with the requisite palm trees. Designed by
Thomas Fredericks, the course features an island
green on the ninth hole, a pro shop, putting green
and driving range.
Golf course photos |
Read our 2008 postcard from Borrego Springs
Palm Canyon Resort
Palm Canyon RV Park is a large traditional
campground close to town and at the entrance to
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Sites are a bit
close together, in sandy-dirt. Most sites are 30
amp, but they do have a few 50 amp sites. Cable TV
and exercise room. The RV park is behind their
motel, so RVers can take full advantage of the motel
pool and hot tub, along with the restaurant, bar and
meeting facilities.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park - Borrego Palm Canyon
Campground
What a great find! Camping in the desert - but with
full hook-ups! The Borrego Palm Canyon Campground is
near the trail head to the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail
(see below). They offer 51 30-amp, full-hookup
pull-through some-what-paved sites and two bath
houses. There is wifi access at the park
headquarters. Pay showers, pay phones, picnic tables
and a dump station. There is an amphitheater and
group campfire center with ranger programs. There
are also over 50 primitive tent sites.
Other camping options: There are a
few more basic RV parks in town which we did not
inspect. Also, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park allows
dry camping at no charge anywhere in the State Park where
there is a known road. Rules including parking less
than one car-length from the road, camp more than
100' feet from a water source, and no open fires.
There are several popular areas for dry-camping east
of town on S22. Some were filled with ATVers, a few
were for a quieter crowd. There is a dump station at
the Borrego Palm Canyon Campground (fee). Contact
the ranger station for detailed information.
In the area:
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park |
Visitor Center
Anza-Borrego National History Association
Read our Palm Canyon Trail hike postcard
Day Trips:
Read our 2007 postcard from Julian, California
(see Julian, below)
Read our 2009 postcard from Julian, California
Restaurants:
Pablitos Mexican Restaurant |
Review
The Krazy Coyote Restaurant |
Review
Carlee's Place: casual dining. Very popular with
locals. Full bar.
Assaggio: at the airstrip. Basic Italian fare. Huge
menu and popular with the snowbirds... we didn't
have a bad meal, we didn't have a great meal.
The French Corner: The only French
restaurant in Borrego Springs (that is a joke, Dear
Reader, Borrego Springs has about ten restaurants). Run
by two very personable Frenchmen, The French Corner
is a restaurant set in the middle of a shop selling
French kitchen antiques, which makes for an
interesting dining experience. The menu is classic
(steak frites, escargot, etc.) and they serve French
wines. We had one fabulous meal here and one
terrible meal here. Guess we will have to go back
for a third time before I give it a thumbs-up or
thumbs-down.
Burney Falls
Near Burney, California,
McArthur-Burney Falls is a nice stop on Highway
89 to stretch your legs. There is a large parking
area for RVs. Burney Falls is 129 feet high and the
plunge pool at the bottom is about 24 feet deep. The
falls are named for an early settler in the area,
Samuel Burney. Spring fed, an unbelievable 100
million gallons of water flow over the falls every
24 hours!
Read our postcard
Calistoga
(also see Healdsburg, Napa, St. Helena, Sonoma,
Petaluma & Vacaville)
RV Parks:
Calistoga - Napa County Fairgrounds RV Park
1435 North Oak Street
P.O. Box 344, Calistoga, CA 94515
707.942.5111
The fairgrounds is a very basic campground, but will
do the trick for a visit to wine country. After
trying campgrounds and RV parks all over the area we
have learned this is the most convenient of the
choices. Full hook-up and partial hook-up sites,
wifi, bathhouse, nine-hole golf course. Be aware
this campground closes the first week in July for
the county fair. About a ten minute walk to the very
cute town of Calistoga - many shops and restaurants.
NOTE: do not get this park confused (as I did) with
the Napa County Fairgrounds RV Park in Napa - see
Napa below.
In the area:
Old Faithful Geyser | Yep, they have one in
California too |
Read our postcard
Castello di Amoroso | Architecturally-correct
medieval Italian Castle/Winery. Really.
Read our postcard
Restaurants & Food:
Flatiron Grill |
Review
Calistoga Cal-Mart - great grocer with an
outstanding
local cheese selection
Carmel
RV Parks:
Carmel-by-the-River Campground
Once we squeezed into our site, we liked the
campground - but I would not advise this option for
a Big Rig. The road to the campground is terrible.
Very old, very secluded (read that 5 miles from
town) and "homey" (read that as some people LIVE
here). It has a "frog" theme, and we are staying in
the "Lily" site (the sites are not numbered, they
are "named".) We had to cross over a one-way bridge
on a road not built for large motor homes to reach
our lily pad. Just as you near the campground, there
is a sign reading: "Well, you made it. Just hop
around the corner to the campground." Where is
Kermit when you need him? Never mind... it is on a
river, quiet and clean.
In the area:
Monterey Bay Aquarium |
Read our postcard
17-Mile Drive |
Read our postcard
Pebble Beach Golf Club
Restaurants:
Favaloro's Restaurant in Pacific Grove |
Review
Hog's Breath Inn
Chester/Lake Almanor
RV Parks:
North Shore Campground
This old-fashioned campground is right on Lake
Almanor. They do have limited services - not many
full-hook-up sites. Wifi, fire rings, fishing and
boat rentals. Campground is under huge evergreen
trees and quite peaceful.
Cloverdale
RV Parks:
Cloverdale KOA
GPS: N38° 46.601'/W122°57.759'
Altitude: 568'
"Where the vineyards meet the Redwoods" is the
slogan at his old-fashioned family-friendly
campground. The friendly owners really made us feel
welcome and it is a very nice park - but it is
nearly six miles off Highway 101 and then up a very
steep narrow one-mile road. Do not let this
discourage you from a visit, but it isn't the best
choice for a base-camp for touring the wine country
or for an over-night stop. If you have a big rig,
call ahead as there are not many sites that can
handle a larger motorhome or 5th wheel. Great place
for a weekend away with the kids. Cabins for rent,
fishing pond, hiking trails, full hook-up sites -
most are back-ins. Pool and spa in season, modem in
office. Very quiet, pretty and peaceful.
Chula Vista
RV Parks:
Chula Vista RV and Marina
This park is very nice! Miles of bike paths and it
is on the bay, next to a pretty marina. You can walk
to several restaurants. All the hook-ups, low water
pressure, patio, picnic tables, really large sites,
good cell service, pool, hot tub, quiet and safe.
In the area:
Chula Vista
Farmer's Market. It is small, but famous for two
vendors - a local olive oil guy and an Argentinean
Empanada guy. Enough free samples at the market, you
won't need lunch. Every Thursday, rain or shine, on
Center Street off Third Avenue, from 3-7 pm.
Corning
RV Parks:
Rolling Hills Casino RV Park
2657 Barham Avenue
Corning, California 96021
(I-5, exit 628, Liberal Avenue)
GPS: N39°52.353' W122°12.339'
Elevation: 280'
The RV park behind the Rolling Hills Casino is not
affiliated with the casino or tribe, but is
advertised on the casino's sign. The entrance is
along the long-term truck parking driveway. This is
a self-service RV park - or as it is referred to on
the informational sign - an "automated attendant"!
You can put cash or a credit card into the machine -
similar to a machine at a parking garage - and out
pops a receipt. Instructions are simple: pay for a
ticket, place it in your window or pay a $100
fine. Choose any site - they aren't even
numbered. A routine security patrol checks your
windshield, and they now have a live-in camp host
who patrols the campground in a golf cart with his
trusty side-kick - a teeny Chihuahua named Lily.
Check-out time is noon. Every site is a long gravel
pull-through with full hook-ups and the roads are
paved. There is a bath house 150 feet away, which
also serves the truckers... so maybe this RV park is
best for self-contained campers. The RV park is far
enough away from the interstate that there is little
freeway noise. Perfect for an overnight stay. It is
a short walk to the casino. The casino has
restaurants and they also provide doggie-day care. A
golf course is directly behind the RV park. The
casino also allows overnight RV parking in a special
area of their (not very level) parking lot, at no
charge.
In the area:
The Olive Pit -
Read about our visit
Crescent City
In the area:
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. They have a
nice visitor center. If you have a big rig, park
along the main road. We have been through here about
a dozen times and only once did we not see hundreds
of elk. Elk Prairie/Prairie Creek Redwoods
have a nice campground for smaller RVs and beautiful
hiking trails under the massive trees.
Read our May 2000 postcard from Elk Prairie
Read our March 2007 postcard from Elk Prairie
Read our June 2007 postcard from Elk Prairie
Death Valley National Park
RV Parks:
Furnace Creek Campground
Dry camping only. Huge sites. They have fresh water
available to fill your tanks
and a dump station. Generator hours. Usually quite
windy here. Showers, flush toilets. Walk to Visitor
Center, restaurants, golf course, post office, some
groceries.
Death Valley National Park
Read our April 2000 postcard
Read our Oct 2000 postcard
Read our Oct 2004 postcard
Read our April 2005 wildflower postcard
|
Badwater & Golden Canyon
The Furnace Creek Golf Club |
Read our 2000 postcard
|
Read our 2004 postcard
Scotty's Castle |
Read our postcard
23 Skiddo |
Read our postcard
Wild Rose Charcoal Kilns |
Read our postcard
El Centro
Cardenas Mexican Grocer
1620 N. Imperial Ave.
El Centro, CA 92243
760.482.0139
GPS: Latitude 32°48.581'N/Longitude
115°34.250'W
Elevation: 5 feet below sea level
Cardenas, a California chain, is famous for their
Mexican-style butcher, bakery, fresh produce and
prepared foods, while specializing in the best
imported Mexican groceries. Cardenas Markets
bottle/package many of their own products.
Read more
Ferndale
The entire village of
Ferndale has been designated a State Historical
Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic
Places. Ferndale is host to the strangest
annual race - The
Kinetic Sculpture Race: people-powered
sculptures must cross-land, sand and water to travel
from Arcata to the finish line in Ferndale.
Read our postcard from Ferndale
Restaurants:
Restaurant Matias |
Review
Garberville
RV Parks:
Benbow Valley RV Resort & Golf Course
GPS: 40.06912N/123.7874W
Close to Avenue of the Giants. RV park has a par-3
golf course and a driving range. Full hook-up
pull-through sites. Great water pressure, cable TV
and wireless internet. Poor cell service. We have
stayed here several times - good for an over-night
or for a visit to the Redwoods.
Restaurants:
The Benbow Inn|
Review
|
Yet another delicious meal and photos of the Inn
In the area:
Avenue of the Giants in the
Humboldt Redwood State Park. This road parallels
Highway 101 and passes through ancient forests with
gigantic trees. If you are in your tow car (and you
have kids along) don't miss the chance to drive
through a tree! It is hokey, but what a great photo!
Read our May 2000 postcard
|
Read our June 2006 postcard
The Travel Log |
Read our postcard
A nice drive: (in your car - not
recommended for RVs) is out to Shelter Cove
Read our postcard from 2000
|
Read our 2009 postcard
Groveland
RV Parks:
Yosemite Pines RV Resort
This park is about 20 miles from the Oak Flat
entrance to Yosemite National Park (see below). Not
the greatest location, but a good option for a Big
Rig. (Their website claims they were rated the "8th
best RV park in the World by The Travel Channel". I
don't know about that... but it is a nice campground
for a few days.) We had a long pull-through,
full-hook-up gravel site with a picnic table. They
have very good water pressure, free WiFi, a petting
zoo, a small grocery, pool, and trailers and yurts
for rent. They are very friendly and accommodating.
Restaurants:
Iron Door Saloon |
Read our postcard
Healdsburg
In the area:
Healdsburg is a very pretty town. There are fun
shops and good restaurants surrounding the shady
central city square. Healdsburg also offers two
fancy dog boutiques, if you need a souvenir for your
pooch.
Restaurants:
Cena Luna
|
Review
Other culinary highlights in the
valley included stops to
Olivier,
Dean & Deluca,
Oakville Grocery and the Bouchon Bakery
next-door to
Thomas Keller's
Bouchon restaurant (and just down the street
from his
French Laundry).
Hesperia
RV Parks:
Desert Willow RV Park
12624 Main Street West
Hesperia, CA 92345
760-949-0377/1-800-900-8114
GPS: Latitude N34°25.718'/Latitude
W117°23.213'
Altitude: 3512'
Desert Willow RV Resort in Hesperia, California has
about 175 sites. Most are back-in, but they have 24
long pull-throughs. Gravel sites, some trees, pool
(in season), cable, clubhouse, hot tub, laundry.
Great water pressure. Cell service, newspaper boxes,
patios. Okay for an over-night stop; many long-term
live-ins.
Idyllwild
Idyllwild |
Read our postcard
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park
Read our 2000 postcard,
Read our 2004 postcard,
Read our 2005 postcard,
Read our 2009 postcard
Read our postcard from Julian
Restaurants & Food:
Romano’s Dodge House |
Review
Jeremy's on the Hill
(in nearby Wynola) |
Review
Julian Pie Company |
Review
Klamath
In the area:
Trees of Mystery
Kings Canyon National Park
(also see
Three Rivers, below)
Kings Canyon National Park |
Read our postcard
Lakehead
(on Lake Shasta)
RV Parks:
Lakehead Campground
Lakehead Campground is an old-fashioned campground,
built long-before such things as slide-rooms and
luxury motor coaches and they have not updated in a
while.
Restaurants:
The Bass Hole |
Review
Lee Vining
RV Parks:
Mono Vista RV Park
37.95866N/119.1225W
This is the only show in town and it will work for a
base camp if you wish to enter Yosemite National
Park via Tioga Pass. There is one restaurant in town
and limited groceries. No cell service. Good water
pressure, cable TV, quiet, 30 amp gravel sites.
Nearby:
Mono Lake |
Read our April 2000 postcard
|
Read our May 2007 postcard
Loleta
In the area:
Loleta Cheese Factory |
Read our postcard
Lone Pine
RV Parks:
Boulder Creek RV Resort
GPS: 36.54278N/118.04100W
Boulder Creek RV Resort is just a few miles south of
town on Hwy. 395 and is your best bet if you want
hook-ups. Campsites are in sandy-dirt, and though
surrounded on both sides by trees, are
satellite-friendly. Full-hookups, 50 amps, pool, hot
tub, laundry, store, petting zoo and activities. The
staff are very friendly. The campground is on the
highway, so ask for a site on the east side of the
park, if possible, for a quiet sleep.
Other camping options: We also
toured through Diaz Lake Campground (three miles
south of Lone Pine on Hwy. 395). This campground has
200 sites - all dry camping. If you have a larger
RV, drive through the first camping area, over the
bridge and camp in the grass along the lake. This
park is operated by
Inyo County and information about camping can be
found at
www.395.com. Just before the Whitney Portal Road
starts the big climb you will find
Lone Pine Campground (US Forest Service) on the
left of the road. If your rig is over 25-30 feet, I
think you would have a difficult time staying here
as sites are narrow, some are not very level and
there are many over-hanging trees. If you have a
smaller rig, or are tent camping - this is the place
as it is so close to Whitney Portal. Be careful
during bad weather, this campground is, for some
strange reason, in a wash along a creek.
In the area:
Manzanar National Historical Site
Malibu
RV Parks:
Malibu Beach RV Park
GPS: N34°02.047'/W118°44.297'
Altitude: 110'
Malibu Beach RV Park is an old-fashioned style
campground sitting on a bluff up above the beach
just north of Malibu. The RV park is less than two
miles from the campus of Pepperdine University. The
driveway up to the campground is a bit steep, but
don't worry - there is a large, flat, parking area
at the top for registration. The sites are in every
size and configuration - and the sites are very
close together. All are on sand. 30 amp, cable TV,
picnic tables, showers, laundry, a small store, free
wifi and one of the best dog-walking areas we have
ever encountered. There are restaurants nearby, and
good hiking trails leading from the park. Just a few
miles south you will find a nice Ralph's Supermarket
and a post office one block south of the
supermarket. There is quite a bit of noise from the
Pacific Coast Highway below. As cramped as we were
here, we really enjoyed our stay at his very
expensive campground. Malibu Beach RV Park faces
directly south, so you can watch the sun rise and
set over the ocean - very unusual. We often saw
porpoise in the sea below.
See more photos of Malibu Beach RV Park
Restaurants:
Paradise Cove Cafe & Mobile Home Park (not a
typo) |
Review
Mammoth
RV Parks:
Mammoth Mountain RV Park
I can't give this park a rating, as we stayed here
when it was off-season (the help was off, the owner
was off...) and barely operating. Convenient
location though. We still managed to enjoy our time
here.
Read our postcard from Mammoth
Morro Bay
RV Parks:
Morro Dunes RV Campground
Paved campground on the beach - easily the nicest
campground in town. Good location. Full hook-ups,
some pull-throughs, cable TV.
Read our postcard from Morro Bay
Restaurants:
Pizza Port |
Our review
Harada Japanese Restaurant |
Our review
Moss Landing
RV Parks:
Moss Landing RV Park
Sites are close together, all back-ins, but very
nice! Basic cable. Close to everything too. Quiet.
Friendly owner. 50 amp, paved sites, picnic tables,
full-hook-ups, laundry, newspaper box. You can walk
to the docks, the beach and many restaurants from
Moss Landing RV Park.
Read our postcard from Moss Landing
Restaurants:
Phil's Fish Market & Eatery |
Review
Napa
RV Parks:
Napa Valley Expo RV Park
575 Third Street
Napa, CA 94599
707-253-4900
GPS: N38°17.721'.W122°16.601
Altitude: near sea level
Newly renovated, with extra-long pull-through
concrete pads and a few back-ins. Bathhouse and
laundry, all sites have full hook-ups. Nothing fancy - no pool or hot tub or
cable television. Antenna TV reception and good cell service. Fairly quiet with
just a little street noise. Recycling. Big Rig Friendly. Napa Valley
Expo RV Park is the most convenient RV park to Napa, Yountville, and the St.
Helena areas.
(NOTE: Do not confuse this park with the
similarly-named RV park at the Calistoga Fairgrounds
- see Calistoga,
above.)
Skyline Wilderness Park - RV Park
2201 Imola Ave.
Napa, CA 94559
707-252-0481
GPS: Latitude N38°16.645'/Longitude
W122°14.930'
Altitude: 50 feet
This campground is at a huge county park on the
outskirts of Napa, but is only two miles from
downtown... country camping in the city. Miles of
hiking/horse trails, and plenty of deer and turkeys
wandering around. Free wifi, ancient bathhouse with
cement stalls - but plenty of hot water and great
water pressure, security gate, pull-through and
back-ins. 39 RV sites - half with full hook-ups,
half with water and electric only. During our visit
every full hook-up site was occupied by long-term
live-ins. The place is a little run-down in general,
but would be a good choice if you are traveling with
kids who need room to run around. Dump station. Very
quiet here.
See photos of our hike at Skyline Wilderness Park.
Restaurants & Food:
Taylor's Automatic
Refresher
- The popular hipster drive-in on the highway in St.
Helena now has a location in Napa and another in the
Ferry Market Terminal in San Francisco. Great
burgers. Great shakes. Bring your wallet.
Bistro Don Giovanni
- French/Italian restaurant, very busy and lively.
Great food, interesting crowd.
We
visited in 2008.
Uva Trattoria & Bar - Italian restaurant featuring local and organic
products. Live music.
Model Bakery - one
of the best bakeries in America is located just
behind Taylor's Automatic in downtown Napa.
Pacifica
(see San Francisco, below)
Palm Springs Area
RV Parks:
Emerald Desert (Palm Desert)
GPS: 33.77492N/116.3398W
Truly one of the best parks we have visited, but we
didn't stay long because (at the time we stayed)
they had no cellular service! They also had lousy
water pressure. They have a little golf course and
lots of activities. 50 amp, sewer, cable, paved,
lawn, patio, dog friendly, pool, hot tub, newspaper
box, noisy - next to rail tracks.
Outdoor Resort (Cathedral City)
Love this park! Everyone is very friendly and the
trees and landscaping are all mature and quite lush.
50 amp, good water pressure, sewer, cable, paved
with lawn, patio, picnic table, great cell service,
dog friendly (but you have to take your dog to a
yucky, sandy area to do his business), fabulous
pools, hot tubs, quiet, safe. Par 3 golf course.
Close-by shopping & restaurants.
Indian Wells RV Resort (Indio)
Good location, but not our favorite campground in
the area. Very friendly people, many live-ins and
long-timers. Fabulous donuts on Saturday morning.
Pet-friendly, great cell service, cable, great pool
and hot tub.
Signature (was Outdoor) Resorts Motorcoach Country
Club (Indio)
80-501 Avenue 48th
Indio, California 92201
760-863-0789/Toll-free: 1-888-277-0789
GPS: N33°41.936'/W116°15.406
Altitude: 105'
The nicest RV park in America. This is a
park for owners, but they have plenty of rentals
also. However, it is for motor coaches only.
Check-out their website, because I can't describe
how a several-mile long canal system is situated so
you can go from your coach to your electric boat to
enjoy your cocktails on the water each evening. They
also have an executive golf course, several pools,
hot tubs, tennis courts, exercise gym, pro-shop,
restaurant, bar, laundry, putting green, 24-hour
gated security and very nice landscaping and
fountains everywhere.
Click
here for a photo tour of the resort.
Services:
We highly recommend Dynamic Mobile
Detailing. Paul's crew will do a fabulous job of washing/waxing your
motorhome. (760-250-5815). Throughout the Palm
Springs area.
In the area:
National Date Festival and County Fair |
Read our postcard
Living Desert Zoo & Gardens |
More photos
Thousand Palm Oasis
Tahquitz Canyon |
Read our postcard
La Quinta Farmer's Market |
See more photos
Oasis Date Gardens |
Photos
Indio International Tamale Festival |
Read our postcard
College of the Desert Street Fair |
Read our postcard
Trilogy Golf Club |
Our round
Desert Dunes Golf Club |
Read our postcard
|
See more photos
Palm Springs Village Fest |
Read our postcard
Annual Golf Cart Parade |
Read our postcard
Day Trips:
Read our postcard from the Salton Sea, The Slabs and
Salvation Mountain
Joshua Tree National Park (see our
Joshua Tree links above)
Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace - |
See more photos
Restaurants we recommend:
Bellini (Palm Desert) - Bellini is my favorite
restaurant in the Palm Springs area. A bit upscale and expensive, but...
worth every cent. The Italian owners close during the summer, return to
Italy to discover new ingredients and recipes.
Don Diego's - Casual Mexican food; reasonable prices on Hwy 111 & Cook.
Fisherman's Market & Grill - One of our
most-frequented restaurants in the area. Several locations. The daily
menu is written on a giant chalk board wall. You order at the counter
and your meals are delivered to your table. Beer & wine, cocktails
"in-season" on the patio. It truly is a market also - fresh seafood
delivered daily for you to take home and prepare in your own kitchen.
The Beer Hunter
- Always packed with groups of golfing buddies, this casual sports bar
has a massive menu of burger, sandwiches, steaks, salads and Mexican
favorites. Hundreds of beers. Full bar.
Jakes Pizza
- Minnesota-style pizza? Don't laugh until you have tried hamburger
pizza. Casual pizza joint, beer & wine. Jake hisownself will make your
pizza. TV's on the wall if you want to catch the game.
Sherman's Deli and Bakery | Review
- two locations
in the Palm Springs area to satisfy your New York Jewish deli cravings.
All the old standby's and the quality is very good - especially the
corned beef and pastrami. Massive desserts. The lines get a bit long
around the lunch hour. Table service. (Note: this restaurant is not
kosher.)
Louise's Pantry
- popular breakfast place for years in downtown Palm Springs, Louise
moved to La Quinta a few years ago to a new building. Same waitresses
and same menu. Omelets, pancakes, etc.
Blue Coyote Bar & Grill
- long established Mexican restaurant, the patio is always hopping. Good
margaritas and the best black beans in the world.
Taqueria Guerrero
- Just a little taco shop in a strip mall (several locations), but
Taqueria Guerrero serves a very delicious taco.
Cafe des Beaux
Arts - on El Paseo in Palm Desert. Popular little French bistro
Daily Grill - this pretty
restaurant in Palm Desert has a clubby feel and people flock in for
their meatloaf. Friendly service, lots of locals and a huge menu.
Jackalope Ranch
- Jackalope Ranch is absolutely massive and the building is filled with
incredible art (look for the life-sized motorcycle carved from wood) and
the grounds are lusciously landscaped, complete with waterfalls and
ponds. Jackalope Ranch features baby back ribs, which are smoked right
before your eyes. We had one great meal and one lousy meal here... but
at least go in for a cocktail to see it for yourself. Jackalope is a
"destination" restaurant. Great outside bar. Valet.
Chapelli's -
Very small restaurant in a strip mall in La Quinta. Reservations
important on weekends. Nice decor and good service. Traditional, classic
Italian menu and good wine list. If you get there early enough, order the
eggplant parmesan - they prepare just a few portions.
Castelli's - another of
my favorite restaurants in Palm Desert. (Notice how I always chose the
Italian restaurants as my favorite? Hmmm.) The waiters at Castelli's are
highly skilled, classically trained and, well, good servers! Rare, these
days. Pretty restaurant, always busy. I am especially fond of their veal
cutlet. Superb wine list, full bar, valet.
Mario's Italian Cafe - There is a
Mario's near you, as there are many locations throughout the Palm
Springs area. Mario's is a spaghetti & meatball kind of place -
old-school Italian. Very reasonable prices.
Elephant Bar - This place
is very popular. A little up-scale, Elephant Bar has something for
everyone. Their Asian-inspired appetizers are my favorite. Burgers and
fresh fish. Lively cocktail hour and a good spot for late-night snacks.
Las Casuela's |
See photos - Mexican. Many
locations throughout the Coachella Valley, I still feel the original
restaurant downtown Palm Springs is the best. Always crowded with happy
people (probably because they are on vacation in Palm Springs). The food
is consistently good.
In Old Town La Quinta we enjoy
Stuft
Pizza and
Devane's.
Roy's |
See our photos
- Upscale Hawaiian-influenced chain. Delicious foods and fish so fresh,
I swear it was going to swim off my plate. Quiet and subdued, Roy's is
the perfect place for a romantic dinner. Highly recommended
Petaluma
RV Parks:
Petaluma/North San Francisco KOA
+
GPS: 38.27146N/122.6786W
Honestly, we don't like this campground very much,
but we keep staying here, so there you go. It really
is too far from San Francisco and too far from the
wine country, but there are few options in this
area. (WARNING: the park is on a working farm and in
the fall manure is spread on the fields. The smell
is over-whelming and the flies are everywhere... and
I'm a country girl.) Few sites are good for a
DataStorm or satellite reception. Old-fashioned
campground with a pool and many planned family
activities. 30 minutes to the city, 30 minutes to
the wine country. They arrange for all-day San
Francisco city tours which depart daily from the
campground. Full hook-ups/cable at some sites,
security gate, pet friendly, good cell service.
Pismo Beach
RV Parks:
Pismo Coast Village
We stayed here for three nights and thought it was a
very nice park with friendly employees and many
happy campers. 30 amp, good water pressure, sewer,
cable, lawn, picnic table, good cell service, pool,
newspaper box, quiet, great location and
pet-friendly. Right on the beach.
In the area: Solvang, a little of
Scandinavia in California, is a short drive from
Pismo Beach. Many theme restaurants, wine tasting
rooms and a Wednesday Farmers Market. Many
great bakeries in town too.
Restaurants:
Giuseppe's Cucina
Italiana - it didn't look like much from the
outside, but inside we found a charming restaurant
with a great menu, good service and delicious foods.
Lively bar - a great place for a fun meal with
friends.
Pomona
RV Parks:
LA/Pomona/Fairplex KOA
GPS: 34.08896N/117.7628W
If you need to be in LA, the pickings are pretty
slim for campgrounds. Our site was so close to our
neighbor that we couldn't totally extend our awning
and I asked him to pass the salt during dinner. The
joint is also teeming with trees and they have signs
posted stating "We are not a Satellite-Friendly RV
Park". So, do they offer cable TV? No, they do not.
They do, however, offer high-speed wireless
internet. Pool, hot tub, laundry, city tours, short
pull-through paved sites - big rigs could have
trouble. Pet and people friendly.
Red Bluff
RV Parks:
Red Bluff RV Park
We have stayed here several times, as an over-night
stop. Large pull-through sites and a great
dog-walk area. Great water pressure, paved sites
with lawn, patio and picnic tables. Some cellular
service, pool, hot tub. It is just a short drive off
I-5, so it is quiet. Good for overnight.
Durango RV Resort
100 Lake Avenue
Red Bluff, CA 96080
530.527.5300, or toll-free: 866.770.7001
Durango RV Resort is a very nice, full-service, RV park with excellent rally
facilities. Paved pull-through and back-in sites. All sites have full-hookups.
On-site garbage and recycling pick-up daily. Durango RV Resort offers 11
river-front sites. Pool, spa, fitness center, free wifi, Great Room with leather
lounge chairs and fireplace. Two modern laundry and bath houses. Outdoor
firepits, dog wash and dog walk area. Miles of private walking paths. Basketball
hoop, sport court, putting green. Rally facilities include huge gathering room,
outdoor kitchen, and a professional indoor kitchen. A guide escorts you to your
site and the park is protected by a coded security gate. This is a very, very
nice campground and we highly recommend Durango RV Resort.
Redding
RV Parks:
Premier RV Resort
This park has recently been totally upgraded (new
owners) and is part of a group of Pacific Northwest parks. This park has
very long pull-throughs, 50-amp service and a pool.
On a nice creek. Cable TV and free high-speed wifi.
Friendly owners and coffee and pastries in the
morning - plus a newspaper delivered to your RV each
morning!
Sacramento
RV Parks:
Cal-Expo RV Park
GPS: Latitude N38°35.246'/Longitude
W121°25.481
Altitude: 75'
1600 Exposition Boulevard
(mailing address is PO BOX 15649)
Sacramento, CA 95852
(916) 263-3187
Toll-free: 1-877-CAL-EXPO
(The street address above is for Cal-Expo, the
California State Fairgrounds. Just follow the signs
to the RV park in the back of the fairgrounds.) We
stay here often - another park close to family. This
park is on the American River, with extensive paths
for walking, running, biking and dog walking.
Cal-Expo RV Park is associated with the State
Fairgrounds. If you are a Big Rig, ask for the
gravel or "slabs" section in the back where they
have 70 amp service available, and the sites are
level. The main section of the campground (a big
paved parking lot) is not level and sometimes it can
be tricky to level your RV. Private
bathroom/showers, laundry. Recycling station near
site #213. Some live-ins. Very friendly staff and
tons of restaurants and shops nearby, including the
Arden Fair Mall.
In the area:
California State Capitol |
Read our postcard
Restaurants:
Biba - my favorite restaurant. In the world.
The Salton Sea | Slab
City | Salvation Mountain
Read our postcard from the Salton Sea, The Slabs and
Salvation Mountain
St. Helena
Restaurants:
A cult-classic,
Taylor's Automatic Refresher in St. Helena,
takes you back in time. Huge burgers and famous
shakes. Order at the counter and dine at a picnic
table on the shady back lawn. (They have a
restaurant in San Francisco and Napa now too.)
June 2004 Review
|
June 2007 Review
Tra Vigne |
Review
|
Another time
San Diego
RV Parks:
San Diego RV Resort
GPS: 117.0384W/32.77217N
Right on the freeway, so noisy - but very convenient
for visiting San Diego. This is a very modern park
with full hookups and wifi, pool, spa and every
other amenity. Friendly staff. Easy to hop on the
freeway to reach San Diego attractions. The park is
next to the 70th Street Station for the
San Diego Trolley, which is even more
convenient. The fare for seniors is only $1, and it
is only a 12-minute ride to QualComm stadium and
about 45 minutes to downtown, where you can switch
to another trolley or bus and get anywhere you need
to go. If you take a right out of the RV park and
cross over I-8, you will find a Costco, restaurants
and other shopping.
Campland by the Bay RV Resort
Choose this location if you are camping with kids or
want a quick drive to the beach. Near SeaWorld Too.
Lots of activities and they have lagoon-type beach
at the park (though sometimes the water is "closed"
due to bacteria). Pool, store, shuttles to area
attractions, entertainment, wifi - well, they have
everything. A little worn, but still a happening
place.
In the area:
Gaslamp Quarter
Balboa Park
Hotel Del Coronado
Cabrillo National Monument |
Our 2000 postcard
|
Our 2001 postcard
San Diego Zoo |
Read our 2000 postcard
|
Read our 2001 postcard
Wild Animal Park |
Read our 2000 postcard
|
Read our 2001 postcard
San Francisco
RV Parks:
San Francisco Candlestick RV Park
GPS: 122.3837W/37.71609N
If you are going to spend time visiting San
Francisco, this park will be more convenient than
the KOA in Petaluma. Friendly owner
caters to many European travelers in rental RVs and
provides shuttle bus service into the city if you
don't want to drive. This park is at Candlestick
Park (or whatever it is called these days), so don't
expect to drive-in on a game day without a
reservation. Full hook-ups, wi-fi, good TV antenna
reception. It's a parking lot, and expensive.
San Francisco RV Resort (in Pacifica)
Just off Route 1, this RV park is about 15 minutes
south of The City and is also close to a
BART
station. It is a paved parking lot on a cliff above
the sea. We had a front-in site over-looking the
ocean, which was very nice... but it was very much
like having an assigned parking spot! The owners are
extremely friendly and the place has everything:
nice pool & hot tub, 50 amp sites, great water
pressure, cable TV, Laundry, a small shop and a
newspaper box. You can walk a few blocks north to a
market and several restaurants.
Read our postcard from San Francisco
San Simeon
In the area:
Hearst Castle |
Read our postcard from the Hearst Castle
Santa Barbara
(area)
RV Parks:
Ocean Mesa at El Capitan
GPS: N34°27.912"/W120°01.484 -
Highway 101, exit 117
Ocean Mesa provides a great camping experience about
twenty miles north of Santa Barbara. 80 paved
full-facility sites (pull-through and back-in),
twenty tent sites and fabulous wheel-chair access.
Each site also has a fire ring - something rare in
RV parks these days. Though technically all sites
are ocean view, the campground is set on a mesa
above the sea and on the east side of Highway 101 -
and yes, you can just see the ocean and Santa Cruz
Island. There is some highway noise. Ocean Mesa
offers free high-speed wireless internet (and it
actually worked, actually was free and was actually
high-speed at our visit), cable television, very
nice bathrooms, laundry, a small store for
necessities, gifts and ice, a newspaper box and an
ATM. They also offer massage. Owners are
friendly and the park is also very pet friendly.
State beach across the highway and miles of hiking
trails behind the campground. Ask for a premium site
- above the pool - for the best vistas.
See more photos
Santa Clarita
(Valencia, Castaic)
RV Parks:
Valencia Travel Village
The name says it all. Not my first choice, but the
only choice in the area. This park caters to
live-in's, but has a few 30 amp pull-through gravel
sites for short-timers or over-nighters. They were
very much behind in maintenance and upkeep during
our stay. It is next to
Six Flags Magic Mountain though. (PS: they
charged us an unbelievable $48 to stay here in
December 2005.)
Sequoia National Park
(also see
Three Rivers, below)
Sequoia National Park
Read our 16 May 2005 postcard
|
Read our 18 May 2005 postcard
Sonoma
Restaurants:
Once the Depot Hotel, the
Depot Hotel-Cucina Rustica is situated across
the street from the Sonoma train station and was
used for years by train travelers. The building is
gorgeous and the patio is jungle-like with vines
growing up over the fences, making a quiet and
fragrant scene. Delicious Italian cuisine.
Review
Sonora
Restaurants:
Garcia's Taqueria, on the second floor
above the main street has delicious Mexican food and
has many vegetarian options.
South Lake Tahoe/Lake Tahoe
RV Parks:
Tahoe Valley Campground
This campground is very popular and more like a
state park than a RV park. It is pretty dusty, but a
good location for a stay in the Lake Tahoe area.
There are many tall trees, but it is possible to get
satellite reception in some sites.
In the area:
Boat trips on the lake |
Read our postcard
Pope Beach |
Read our postcard
Restaurants:
Tahoe Pizza Company |
Review
The Brewery at Lake Tahoe |
Review
Three Rivers
RV Parks:
Kaweah Park Resort
Very nice, old-fashioned campground with very
friendly and fastidious owners. Most sites are
in the trees, and a few face right into the river -
request one of these sites when you make your
reservation. There is nice river "noise". Small dogs
only. We had a pull-through site on gravel, 50 amp,
water, sewer, lawn, trees and a picnic table. There
is a nice grassy area on the river bank for
picnicking or lounging in the sun. Pool, good
cellular service.
In the area:
Kaweah Post Office |
Read our postcard & see more photos
Restaurants & Food:
Don't leave town without trying the wild
blackberry ice cream at the famed,
Reimer's Candies. I can't tell you how
delicious was this ice cream.
Vacaville
RV Parks:
Vineyard RV Park
This park was highly rated, but it was just another
gravel parking lot. Our site was so narrow, we
couldn't even use our awning or we would hit the RV
next to us - I mean the RV next to us was less than
6 feet away. (There are some larger sites however.
Some one has previously removed the stone table at
our site too. I think we were given the worst
campsite they had to offer.) We had a gravel, level,
pull-through site with 30 amp (they have some 50 amp
sites) with full hookups, pool, laundry, etc., good
cell service. They give Good Sam or AAA discounts.
In the area: You can find every chain store in the
world in Vacaville, plus a huge outlet mall (that
seems to have seen better days). Also, in nearby
Fairfield you can enjoy free tours at the
Jelly Belly jelly bean factory and the
Anheuser-Busch brewery.
Ventura
RV Parks:
Ventura Beach Resort
Nice little campground. A group was having a rally
and they were having so much fun. 50 amp, good water
pressure, sewer, paved site with lawn, picnic table,
good cell service, dog friendly, good pool, quiet
and a great location.
Ventura beach-front camping
Just north of Ventura (exit 78 off Highway
101) you can park/camp along a wide spot in the road
along the beach. It is a very casual-type setting -
you parallel park along the shore - no reservations
- pay at a kiosk and the spot is yours for 24 hours.
See more photos here
and
here, including a few of our cute little Grand
Dawg, Reese.
In the area:
We drove out to Avila Beach and dined at the Olde
Port Inn at the end of the pier. Delicious fish &
chips. You can actually drive to the end of the pier
(but I wouldn't try it in a motor home.) Many sea
lions too.
Weed
Friendly RV Park
True to their name, this RV park is very friendly.
Unfortunately, it is also next to a noisy truck
stop! It is also next to many (you can walk)
restaurants and right off the freeway, so it it a
good choice for an overnight stop. Full service,
wi-fi, level sites.
Winterhaven
RV Parks:
Pilot Knob RV Park
This park is okay for a few nights. Just west of
Yuma. Pretty far from anything interesting and it is
all gravel. They have a nice pool and a bad hot tub.
Yermo
RV Parks:
Calico Ghost Town-San Bernardino County Park
GPS: 34.90634N/116.8929W
We had planned to drive into Death Valley, but the
roads were flooded. It was a holiday weekend,
so we were happy to find a spot here (or anywhere). We had
to dry camp in dusty dirt, but generators were okay.
We had cell service and after all the generators
were turned-off and the ATVers went to bed, it was
actually quiet. They do have a full-hook-up section.
Barstow/Calico KOA
Not the best option, but they do offer
full-hookups in dusty sand right on the noisy
Interstate! Pull-throughs and friendly staff, pool
and hot tub.
In the area:
Calico Ghost Town is fun - and they allow dogs
on leash!
Read our postcard
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park |
Read our April 2000 postcard
|
Read our May 2005 postcard
Hetch Hetchy |
Read our postcard
Glacier Point |
Read our postcard