I think the OP specically mentioned PCH, which is CALIFORNIA route 1. On GoogleMaps, it looks like it ends in Leggett CA. However, I suspect we are all talking about the part between SF and LA (which is spectacularly gorgeous but so twisty/turny I would not want to drive it in a MH), and I wonder whether it is as twisty north of SF. Has anyone driven that section?
There are lots of reasons to not spend money on a CG. For years, when the kids were little and the grandparents were still alive, we drove from Wyoming to Texas and back every year. DH had limited time off so we wanted to spend as much time as possible with family rather than travelling, so we just stopped for a few hours to sleep and then hit the road again. We wouldn't have hooked up anyway - time rather than money was the primary issue - so a truck stop or rest area or WM was perfectly fine. Once, we were stuck in Amarillo TX in a snowstorm and were utterly relieved to find a WM to spend the night at! The next night, after hours of stop-and-go traffic on I-40, when I saw the telltale signs of dozens of brake lights coming on ahead of me, I quickly pulled off at a convenient exit and drove by a CG that had space available. We happily pulled in and paid the overnight fee. I think we did hook up to power but didn't bother with water and sewer. In both places, we were out of traffic and safe for the night, which was the bottom line for me.
For day parking, 2 ideas:
1 - Google is your friend. As long as you have a data connection, you can simply look around for anything with a large parking area.
2 - RV.Net is your friend too. ;) If you have a route planned, you can ask in advance about specific locations and get recommendations from people who are familiar with the areas.
I totally understand not wanting to maneuver a MH in tight, unfamiliar locations. I love Cheyenne but the downtown streets are painfully narrow. Just driving through them in my MH (when unavoidable) is a challenge, I can't imagine trying to park on one!
