Advice Please Re San Francisco and LA

[Paleo_Ron]

Hi everyone - I just wanted to try for some further advice following my request in July for info on California. I'd like to visit San Francisco this December and would appreciate any suggestions for campsites etc. I know it will be chilly but that's the only window I have.

Also, I'm getting the impression that, what with traffic and everything, LA might not be worth the effort. I'd appreciate any comments on this.

You guys are always quick to help and your input is most welcome.

[time2roll]

We stay here:

http://www.sanfranciscorvresort.com/our-resort/

Short drive to the BART station to get downtown.

[OutdoorPhotogra]

For LA, you have to ask yourself what you would want to see to determine if it's worth it. I agree that staying in Santa Barbara is a good place. La Brea Tar Pits is a nice museum and they are still doing active excavations. Ronald Reagan Library is amazing even if weren't a Reagan fan. Driving through Malibu is nice. All of those can be done from Santa Barbara. Other than that, L.A. was just a traffic nightmare that I had to navigate to get to San Diego from Central CA.

Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most amazing drives you will ever take. Your rig is short enough but I'm still not sure I would tow on the PCH. Stop at Monterey, Big Sur, Hearst Castle, scenic cliffs, arch bridges, and on and on.

[greg0rn]

For San Francisco I'd stay in Marin RV Park in Larkspur. It is about 25 mins by car to SF, but the best way to travel there is by ferry, or transit. About 10 mins walk to either one that will take you to downtown. Easy and relaxing way to visit SF with RV. Check details on internet.

LA is another story. It is a nightmare to drive around and, God forbid, you do not want to take wrong exit there. I'd recommend San Diego instead, where you will find a few nice RV parks.

Good luck.

[legolas]

Paleo Ron wrote:
Hi everyone - I just wanted to try for some further advice following my request in July for info on California. I'd like to visit San Francisco this December and would appreciate any suggestions for campsites etc. I know it will be chilly but that's the only window I have.

Also, I'm getting the impression that, what with traffic and everything, LA might not be worth the effort. I'd appreciate any comments on this.

You guys are always quick to help and your input is most welcome.

My suggestion....don't go

[Tequila]

Limited camping options. I used Trailer haven in San Leandro then took BART in.

[Paleo_Ron]

Thanks everyone. For those who asked, I have a small (17ft) fiberglass trailer. The sites visited would be the usual tourist favorites. Costs are not a big factor for a few days.

[MarkTwain]

Paleo Ron wrote:
Hi everyone - I just wanted to try for some further advice following my request in July for info on California. I'd like to visit San Francisco this December and would appreciate any suggestions for campsites etc. I know it will be chilly but that's the only window I have.

Also, I'm getting the impression that, what with traffic and everything, LA might not be worth the effort. I'd appreciate any comments on this.

You guys are always quick to help and your input is most welcome.

X1 for skipping L.A. or look at alternatives like flying down to L.A. and renting a car, or stay in a RV park in the Santa Barbara area.

[Jay_Pat]

End of December? Consider the Rose Parade with the wonderful seats. Fantasy RV Tours.
Pat

[2oldman]

LA is fine as long as you check the traffic flow maps before embarking.

[russkerri]

We stayed at the San Francisco RV Resort in Pacifica in June. It's a short, easy drive out of the city. While the resort is really just a parking lot, it's a parking lot that is right on the ocean. Just walk to the end of the lot, and you have fantastic views. We enjoyed watching a beautiful sunset over the Pacific. You don't have beach access from the park since it's high on a cliff. Even though the spots didn't offer much in the way of scenery, the park is very clean and had nice showers. We enjoyed exploring the little town the park is in and visited the ocean there and had a couple of good meals in town. As far as we could tell, this was the closet park to SF that had good reviews.

We have a 21-foot travel trailer and didn't have trouble in the traffic. We paid good attention to our Google Maps directions and made sure to try to get over to the right lane at the right now. We found San Francisco to be a very charming city! I have just posted a few blog posts about SF on my website travelswithbirdy.com.

[MarkTwain]

Paleo Ron wrote:
Hi everyone - I just wanted to try for some further advice following my request in July for info on California. I'd like to visit San Francisco this December and would appreciate any suggestions for campsites etc. I know it will be chilly but that's the only window I have.

Also, I'm getting the impression that, what with traffic and everything, LA might not be worth the effort. I'd appreciate any comments on this.

You guys are always quick to help and your input is most welcome.

L.A. is a cluster zoo of freeways and traffic but if you go to the Santa Barbara area to use as a home base for your RV then you can use your tow vehicle to explore LA. I avoid L.A. like the plague but then I lived there for about 10 yrs. The coast is always good to visit.
S.F.
Look for an RV park in a city near S.F. or go north into the Santa Rosa area. Trying to go into S.F. with an RV would not be my first choice especially if you are unfamilar with city and directions.

[BarbaraOK]

Could you give us some specifics are your rig. MH, 5th Wheel, etc. length of rig, route you are taking getting to California, what do you want to see in SF and LA, how much time do you have. How much are you willing to pay for a site.

Barb

[Gonzo42]

PCH (Pacific Coast Highway)( CA 1) is incredibly scenic. However it is very curvy, so depending on your rig and driving skills, you can decide about driving it. California spends more money on that road than any other just because of the beauty and the popularity.

LA is dense traffic just about everywhere. Make reservations somewhere rather than search for parking after arrival. Plan for what you want to see.

[korbe]

In December, Hwy 101 would be my route of choice to stay clear of mountain summits that may get hit with snow.