California or Bust?

[Jerry Winchester]

Okay, I need some help from the California brain trust. Looks like we will be making the 4500 mile Houston-San Diego-Anaheim-San Francisco-Lake Tahoe-Yosemite-Sequoia-Tucson-Houston loop this summer in the vintage Prevost and I am trying to figure out where to park / camp during the trip.

From all the info I can glean, this is where were're at.

San Diego - Best park seems to be in Chula Vista. The RV reviews were not nice to most of the others. Is there a don't miss site for being near the ocean that is close to the zoo and taco shops?

Anaheim - Again, the best rated park close to Disneyland is the Anahiem Resort RV Park. Shuttle bus to Disney and close enough to Universal, etal. Anyone know about this place?

San Francisco - No clue. Looks like a few places at Half Moon Bay, but I don't know anything about the surrounding areas, so I need some help with this one for sure.

Lake Tahoe - Looking for a good place with a view of the lake, but again no clear choice.

Yosemite - No clue

Sequoia - No clue #2

Tucson - No problem, we'll stay at Harry's place.

Tombstone - Looks like Wells Fargo is the only game in town.

We are going to attempt this trip the last week of May / first week of June to hit the good weather window and hopefully get in and out before the rush.

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[garyde]

Hi Jerry We would love to have you stop here in Santa Barbara. I will check out San Francisco. I believe there is Parking by Moscone Center but I do not know about overnight. Yosemite and Sequoia have sites within the Park. I will see what I can find out. Gary

[garyde]

Here is some info. Good Luck .
San Francisco;' www.sanfranciscorvresort.com'

South Lake Tahoe; www. Zephyrcove.com/pr-park-campground.php

Yosemite; www.yosemitepinesrv.com
http://jrabold.net/yosemite/campn.shtl

Sequoia; www.sequoia.national-park.com/camping.htm

[BUSTER]

Jerry,

Jean and I will be returning from the East Coast in late May/ early June.
Maybe we can run with you on the way out and then you can layover a day or 2 at our home in Laguna Hills....close to everything in OC...but will not have power in the street...hot set up in Newoprt Beach is the Dunes...keep me posted...we even have a great rib joint not to far away...Tulsa Ribs...best ( ?) you have ever had!!!!

[merle&louise]

Jerry,

Stay away from Candlestick RV Resort; it is operated by the city of San Fransico and is located in a rough neighborhood. I had to move 3 times before I found good 50 amp service. Sites are narrow. It is an asphalt parking lot across from Candlestick Park. However it is close to the sites.
I think your best bet would be San Fransico RV Resort in Pacifica. Any park will have narrow sites because of the land costs. In the Napa area, we stayed in Valleigo, CA (can't remember the name of the CG). It too was crowded, but nice gravel sites. You can drive into SF daily and also be close to the wineries in Napa.

Zephyrcove RV Resort is the clear winner in Lake Tahoe.

Yosemite: If you can't stay inside the park, I would stay at Mono Vista RV Resort on Hwy 395 in Lee Vining, CA. Coming from Lake Tahoe on Hwy 395, it is close to the east entrance to Yosemite. It is located on Mono Lake and I've heard that the views are breathtaking. It is Big Rig friendly, however the sites are grass. Reservations are suggested.

You are right about San Diego, Chula Vista is the best bet. It is a fabulous park, 5 stars. The Valencia Hotel in La Jolla is a great place to eat. LaJolla is really neat. Expensive!!!!

Have fun!

[BrianE]

JDUB,

Sounds like a great trip. In the SF area the choices are very limited. Marin Park in Larkspur is not bad (narrow sites) but is close to SF. Novato RV Park is a little further and marginally nicer. Both are north of the Golden Gate Bridge and are listed in Woodalls. In Napa our choice is the Napa Expo RV Park, very nice and very reasonable. Would think you may be a little early for the Sierras and would definitely be too early for the beautiful drive from US395 to Yosemite via Hwy 120 over Tioga Pass. (Sorry Tuga but Northern Cal is my old stompin' grounds.)

BrianE
94Liberty XL

[Petervs]

What Brian is trying to say about being a little early might need some clarification for folks from Houston.

Some of the roads that cross the passes in the Sierra Nevada are completely closed each winter due to snow. I mean like 10 feet of snow. They open them sometime in May or June depending on the weather, and how much snow they have to remove. It is weeks and weeks of work to clear 100 miles of road for each pass.

Interstate 80 and US Hwy 50 near Lake Tahoe are kept open all winter, and way south near Bakersfield Hwy 58 remains open. In betweeen, all the roads close.

Tioga Pass in Yosemite is absolutely stellar and not to be missed, but you have to go when it is open. You will cross the pass at 9990 feet above sea level or so. Besides, in May at 8000 feet it gets really cold at night.

Compare that to Houston weather in June!

Peter vS
94 Marathon XLV

[garyde]

Jerry, your gona wanta stay on the west side of the Sierras coming down from Tahoe.

[gmcbuffalo]

I stayed in Candlestick RV this year it was not bad. They have a shuttle to downtown. I was told it was run and owned by a Korean company.

Two years ago I stayed at Half Moon Bay. Went to check in and was told owner would not accept bus conversions. As I was pulling thru to turn around the manager saw my RIVA sticker on my bus and the clerk ran out and told me I was ok. As it turns out they would not accept private bus conversions. We spend most of our time in the bus the wind was so strong my 100# bride could hardly walk outside.

GregM

[win42]

Jerry: Glad to hear your coming to the promise land. Don't sweat the details. We'll get you started on the right track when we see you in Kerrville. There will be a special meeting of the CA POGers with you to get you on the right roads, or as POGers do, throughly confuse you. You and your family will love the trip. Think about the FMCA August Rally in Oregon as a turn around point. The Oregon coast is a summer must see. See you in Tehas.