Rent an RV in December in California

[kyky85]

Hello!
I write from Italy (sorry for my english)
I would like to rent an RV from December 15 to January 6, from Los Angeles and visit parks and canyons (Grand Canyon, Monument Vally, Arches, Death Valley) and the west coast of California.
What do you think about RV holiday in winter? so it will be really difficult to drive and sleep to canyons and parks?

[2gypsies1]

I would recommend you stay south along the California coast or Death Valley National Park. Anza Borrego State Park in Borrego Springs, in southern California is huge and beautiful and will have pleasant weather.

The Utah parks will be too cold without power. If you leave the furnace running all night you will not have battery power in the morning. Your pipes could freeze depending how cold it gets. However, you could stay in a private RV park outside of the national parks so that you could have power. The roads could be dangerous for RVs if they have snow or ice.

From California you could drive to southern Arizona via I-10 to Yuma and over as far as the Phoenix area which is huge and then down to the Tucson area. These will all be nice in December.

You could also stay in Sedona, Arizona which will be cool and possibly some light snow but would be beautiful on the red mountains. If the weather looks o.k. for the Grand Canyon you could drive up there.

[Naio]

Three weeks is a short time. I think you will have more fun if you don't try to go everywhere :). Just go to the warm places -- the coast, Death Valley, etc. You can take another trip in some other year.

Having frozen water pipes and not enough heat would not be fun!

[kyky85]

thank you all!
when the temperature is very cold , can I use the bathroom and water system or not ?
areas of Moab , Page , Monument Valley and Bryce campsites are almost all closed .
without power connection , how do I use the heating at night ?
this would be the first holiday in the winter , I have many doubts

[MarkTwain]

dicknellen wrote:
Most of CA and Southern NV should not be problems, depends on the weather for other locations you have listed. digarcia said to get a road side service plan, I don't think it would be needed with a rental RV. D1ck

I would want to see the Emergency Road policy the rental company provides and then make a decision??

[mikim]

Welcome to the forum!! you have great plans and we will be happy to help you. The ocean that time of year is pretty cold for swimming and you may run into snow at the Grand Canyon. The other thing to be aware of.....El Nino is expected to bring a lot of rain to the region!!

[bikendan]

just a warning, California coastal campsites, especially south of San Francisco, can already be reserved during the winter.

Californians camp year-round and many from colder areas stay there during the winter. so coastal campsites are often booked up.
you need to check availability during the times you plan on being there.

private campgrounds will probably have more availability.

[dicknellen]

Most of CA and Southern NV should not be problems, depends on the weather for other locations you have listed. digarcia said to get a road side service plan, I don't think it would be needed with a rental RV. D1ck

[MarkTwain]

Death Valley and the west coast should be ok. Probably snow at the Grand Canyon:(.
1. buy a good Sam RV Directory to help you select RV Parks.
2. Go on line to Good Sam RV parks.
3. Buy the Good Sam Emergency Road Side Service plan in the event you have a break down and/or need a tow.
4. I like RVing from Santa Barbara north up to but not in San Francisco. Or From North of San Francisco to the Oregon border. Send me a private email if you want more detalis.

[Trackrig]

I think the Grand Canyon and Arches will be too cold and might not even be open for MHs. The west coast of Calif is nice then. The temps are reasonable, but too cold for the locals so therefore the beaches won't be crowed. Death Valley should be fine.

Bill