Author Topic: Anyone RV'd in California?  (Read 1278 times)

gibbo

  • Riding for fun, cake and beer.
    • Boxford Bike Club
Anyone RV'd in California?
« on: 16 August, 2019, 07:36:12 pm »
Looking into next year's holiday where we're thinking of renting an RV and travelling between San Francisco and LA. We used to live in California and travelled quite extensively so have a good idea of where to go but have never RV'd before. Unlike arriving at any given place and parking one's car almost anywhere I have no idea if you can reasonably expect the same for a 25 foot vehicle. Shopping for groceries will be fine but stopping at places in say Yosemite et al might be different?

Does anyone have any experience/ advice they can offer please? Anything else RV travel related is also welcomed.

TIA,
Gibbo.

Re: Anyone RV'd in California?
« Reply #1 on: 16 August, 2019, 07:57:25 pm »
I have a friend who lives in America. They hired a RV planning to buy one after the journey. They hated it. We'll he did I've not heard from his wife. He said you drove through places rather then seeing them, the RV handled terribly and half the stuff needed an electrical hook up or a generator

Re: Anyone RV'd in California?
« Reply #2 on: 16 August, 2019, 10:58:01 pm »
Having lived, driven, cycled and walked in California (but never RV'ed), Johnny Faro's post confirms quite a few of my suspicions and observations. A 25 foot/7.5 m vehicle (where do you find an RV that small in the US?) is no problem on main roads, but in cities and on the sort of roads that lead to the more interesting places, you will in fact be driving through places rather than seeing them, and it won't be the enjoyable type of driving. Fuel in California is distinctly more expensive than the rest of the US, although not up to UK levels, and big RVs guzzle a fair bit of the stuff.

Regarding Yosemite and other national parks: An RV would limit your camping options to campsites that you can reserve 6 months in advance (and reserving those campsites is no easy task). The roads into and through some of the more interesting campgrounds (like Tuolumne Meadows in the Yosemite high country) were not built with age vehicles in mind, to put it mildly. Many national parks set aside a certain number of non-reservable campsites for walk-up customers, and many of these are tent only.

Rent a car, buy a pile of camping gear and do your trip that way. At the end of the trip, take the camping gear you want back home with you, and give the rest to Goodwill or a similar charity store. You'll probably save enough money for the occasional motel when it's pissing rain (yes, it's been known to happen in California), and/or the occasional restaurant meal.

If you want ideas on where to go, I've got them.

gibbo

  • Riding for fun, cake and beer.
    • Boxford Bike Club
Re: Anyone RV'd in California?
« Reply #3 on: 20 August, 2019, 11:08:32 am »
Thanks for the responses. Both confirm my suspicions and we've made the decision not to RV but rather get a bigger car (probably a SUV) and hotel/ motel it. Not going to camp as Mrs. Gibbo will not even entertain it.


Re: Anyone RV'd in California?
« Reply #4 on: 21 August, 2019, 01:48:12 pm »
good call.  Tried it once, never again! You can see loads more in an SUV.

(surprisingly expensive too - SUV hire then motels & diners was cheaper than RV hire, camp costs and subsequent counselling)

gibbo

  • Riding for fun, cake and beer.
    • Boxford Bike Club
Re: Anyone RV'd in California?
« Reply #5 on: 21 August, 2019, 01:50:18 pm »
good call.  Tried it once, never again! You can see loads more in an SUV.

(surprisingly expensive too - SUV hire then motels & diners was cheaper than RV hire, camp costs and subsequent counselling)

 :thumbsup:

Mr Larrington

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Re: Anyone RV'd in California?
« Reply #6 on: 22 August, 2019, 10:03:23 am »
IIRC they don't come with unlimited mileage either.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
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gibbo

  • Riding for fun, cake and beer.
    • Boxford Bike Club
Re: Anyone RV'd in California?
« Reply #7 on: 22 August, 2019, 01:20:41 pm »
That’s correct. Quite expensive too per mile once over the limit.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Anyone RV'd in California?
« Reply #8 on: 22 August, 2019, 03:34:23 pm »
We liked at renting one for the Total Eclipse of the Sun.

Rental - ouch
Fuel - ouch
Stopping areas charges - ouch

So we didn't.
It is simpler than it looks.