We have a great summer trip planned. We are starting off from Northern Arizona, heading to Tahoe (Tahoma, CA area) for a few days and staying at Meek's Bay. We have four days in Tahoe to enjoy the sights.
From Tahoe we are heading to a campground in the Leggett area, for a few days in the Redwoods. We plan on seeing the Avenue of the Giants and just playing and relaxing. If anyone has any favorite spots, we would enjoy any information you might have.
From there, we are heading to the San Francisco area. Has anyone ever done the Alcatraz tour? We have four girls, ranging in age from 11 years to 1 year. I don't exactly know if that tour would be appropriate. We wanted to do the hearst castle, but with all the steps, I can't imagine my 1 year old would tolerate that very well.
From San Francisco we are going to take two days to drive down the coast and ultimately end up at Campland by the Lake in the San Diego area for three nights. Has anyone ever stayed here before?
Any do's or dont's would be appreciated. Also, does anyone know what Highway 1 is like with a motorhome? Specifically we are towing a 26ft TT with a Ford Excursion.
Alcatraz is a good tour for kids but you need to make reservations or buy your tickets in advance. Very popular tour year round.
Hearst Castle is gorgeous but to see it all you have to pay for and take four different tours. Again, a very popular place in summer.
Going south on SR 1 can be a thrill for the passengers. Very sheer cliffs on that side of the road and no guardrails in many places. Also, not a good place for kids to play push and shove when you pull over to see the sights. Several hundred feet straight down in lots of places. That being said, it is a wonderful drive with unsurpassed views, it just isn't a road you can travel terribly fast on.
Gas up in Monterey as once you get past Big Sur there are very few, if any gas stations until Cambria.
South of Hearst Castle is San Simeon State Park. No hookups, but if you can get in there a good spot for overnight.
You've got a full two days going from SF to SD, especially going down SR 1 without stopping at Hearst Castle, which is 1/2 day at least.
Read the reviews for Camperland by the Bay. Very roudy with lots and lots of kids running wild and very crowded. There's a much nicer place down in Chula Vista by the marina. I stayed there (Camperland) one time and they gave me the equivalent of two grocery store parking spaces on the water so I paid top dollar. Trouble was, when the tide went out it was a muddy mess with old tires and trash in it and it smelled awful.
You have a wonderful trip planned and I'm sure you will wish you had seveeral months to take it all in.
TAKE SOME WARM CLOTHES. THE CA COAST GETS VERY CHILLY AT NIGHT, EVEN IN THE SUMMER.
I'd suggest parking the TT some where and taking the tow vehicle into SF. Parking is at a premium for everything and a trailer would be impossible, plus the hills. Be prepared to pay at least $20 every time you park; it is a VERY EXPENSIVE CITY but I would live there in a minute if I could afford it.
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Stay at KOA Petaluma, take their Gray line bus tour of San Francisco.
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AVoid Campland by the bay!!! OVerpriced and it's a pit! The koa (if it still exists) in Chula Vista is a MUCH nicer option w/a pool for the kids. A wee bit off the beaten path but worth it imho. There is also Santa Fe RV park. Right next to the freeway but I'd choose it over Campland any day. SFRV has a pool too and is a bit closer to everything (sea world, zoo downtown) than Koa.
We LOVE the Avenue of the giants but don't know if you will be that far up. Trying to make resv. at Meeks right now myself!
If you can extend your trip at all, I'd take more time to get down CA-especially with a 1 year old. Our favorite midstate cg is Cotillion Gardens in FElton near Santa Cruz. It is right in the redwoods, has a pool, close to the historic steam and diesel train depot, a river runs real close by. WE have been there 3 times in 4 years. Kids LOVE it!!
Enjoy your trip!
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Hopefully you have reservations for Tahoe???? It's starts to book up in November - and I barely got a spot for August when I book several months ago. There might be a few spots in the dry camping/no hookup areas (we don't have a generator yet so at least need electric) but you might want to call to see what's available and reserve if possible.
Re: Hearst Castle. Don't remember many stairs. I say "backpack" the 1 year old and at least do one tour. They have one main tour that's a good overview of the place and would be a good one to take. Don't forget the elephant seal colony that's North of Hearst Castle.
Alcatraz is a self guided tour. Everyone wears their own set of headphones and you are told where to go, where to stop and are told all about the place. Don't think the 1 year old will enjoy that...don't know the ages of the other kids. My son loved Alcatraz, my daughter hated it. Just depends on the kids but you won't know till you get them there. It also not an amazingly long tour so it's do-able with the kids. Definitely make reservations though as it also books up - especially in the summer time. And take warm clothes - San Francisco can be cold in the summertime. There's a reason someone said "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco". I have pics of us in July in sweatshirts in the middle of the day and the Golden Gate was shrouded in thick fog.
We drove the #1 with almost exactly the same set up as you last year. We went from Santa Cruz all the way to San Diego. You won't have any problems...just take it slow and easy. The only unfortunate thing is that as the driver you will miss most of the sites as the highway can be very twisty. That was one of the most amazing trips we have ever taken...I can't wait to get back!
One thing to watch- there is about a 90 mile stretch south of Big Sur where there is absolutely nothing in the way of gas. Fill up before you get to Big Sur as they are the last stop and they know it. I was forced to fill up for $4.50/gallon last year! I would hate to see what it is now.
I just read someone's comment about the Avenue of Giants...I too think you won't be that far north. That is by Eureka if I am not mistaken. We stayed at the Petaluma KOA which was very nice and we took a nice long day trip north of the city to Armstrong Redwood Park (I don't know if that is the exact name) and found it incredible. On the same day trip you can travel through a bit of wine country and other farms where they have various little markets where you can buy fresh produce. On the way back to Petaluma you will run along the ocean and there are lots of beaches to stop at.
We took the tour from the Petalumn KOA of San Fran...it was well worth it (maybe a little pricey). At least we didn't have to park and try to navigate a city we didn't know.
We stayed at the KOA in San Diego...it was a typical KOA so pretty decent.
The one place we loved but paid a fortune for was Malibou RV Resort. We sat up on a cliff facing the ocean and could watch the dolphins every day. It was a 15 minute drive to Santa Monica which we loved! You can bike or walk along the ocean, go to Venice Beach (which was very cool!) or just relax in the sand. That was the best part of our trip.
Malibu Rv Park is good but about $75 a night or more. Also, you have to cross Pacific Coast Highway to get to the ocean.
There's a place north of there on the east side of the road kinda all by itself that has great seafood and cheap. Kinda rustic and not fancy at all.
On the left going south you will see the county court building and on the right a supermarket. Stroll thru that supermarket and see who you might run into. the Malibu stars shop there. At the little mall on the left just past the court house my wife saw Fabio in Starbucks just waiting in line like everybody else.
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I heard you can take the ferry over as well, have you done this? Thanks for the info!!
The koa (if it still exists) in Chula Vista is a MUCH nicer option w/a pool for the kids. A wee bit off the beaten path but worth it imho. There is also Santa Fe RV park. Right next to the freeway but I'd choose it over Campland any day. SFRV has a pool too and is a bit closer to everything (sea world, zoo downtown) than Koa.
