Planning CA coast road trip---need help--thank you!

[jeffryorange]

My husband and I are planning a road trip in February 2018 up along the CA coast after being in Palm Desert for a week.

We are planning to be in Mission Bay RV Resort (near San Diego), Malibu Beach RV park, boondock near Rincon Parkway Campground (between Carpinteria and Santa Barbara), Solvang, highway 1 or 101 to Carmel.

Could you please comment on the trip plan given the current weather conditions in CA?

We would appreciate any help you have to plan this trip.

(We are open to diverting our trip to Tucson or Scottsdale or Phoenix instead of CA too)

Thank you!

[AnnArborBob]

Southern California weather along the coast is fine all winter long. Can be rainy and foggy but that's part of the experience.

You've undoubtedly heard of the recent mudslides in the Carpinteria/Santa Barbara area. At the moment these are impeding travel in this area and I don't know how long it will take to clear up. Also, the conditions which caused these mudslides are still in place and will be through the winter/spring rainy season so there is every reason to expect new mudslides for the foreseeable future. I would keep up with the news and check the CalTrans website for current road conditions. Given the topography in this part of the country, there is often only one narrow corridor through an area and a detour can involve traveling hundreds of miles out of your way. Best to know what's going on.

[PKI]

Originally Posted by jeffryorange

-- snip -- highway 1 or 101 to Carmel.

Take 101 after HW46. The 1 is not open to Carmel. You can go up and backtrack if you want to see part of that area. Hurst Castle and Cambria might be worth that trouble.

Suggest the North Coast above San Francisco as a possibility if the South has not sent you inland. And the redwoods are fantastic.

Weather is a significant issue. The forecast changes, as fast as the High moves.

Best advice is to keep an eye on the news and, as recommended, stay informed. I5 gets you out of the area quickly, after you are above LA. Note, it's not just the coast that can get hit in a storm. Death Valley is recovering from excessive flooding from last year.

Good Luck, Pat

[Julie-Bob]

Just across the Golden Gate is Muir Woods. Is a must if you want to see giant Red Wood Tree’s. The Monterey area lots of things to do see and eat. Solvang is great to visit.

[McDave]

Around February is my favorite time of the year to visit the north coast around Mendocino. Many days this time of the year will be clear and sunny, generally less fog than in the summer.

[weirdstuff]

How long will you be at Mission Bay RV Resort? I live 15 minutes away from there. PM me if you want or need advice or ideas on things to do, etc..!

Are you going to PD/PS for Modernism Week? We'll be at Catalina RV Resort from the 13th to the 25th to attend Modernism Week.

Regarding Carpinteria/Santa Barbara area....if you were going now, I'd tell you to stay away from that area. The mudslides have been devastating. Besides the property destruction and closed down roads and highway, almost all of us knew someone who lost their lives (I used to live there). In a month's time or so, hopefully most will be cleaned up and opened up, but, best to check before you go. And no telling what more rains might bring.

EDIT: I've heard from several people that Avenue of the Flags RV Resort in Buellton is super nice. Also, Cachuma Lake is a nice campground off the 154. Up in the Bay Area, Anthony Chabot Regional Park is wonderful.

[Acheron2010]

Usually booked, try to get reservations in Avila Beach KOA or Pismo Coast Village. Attend the vaudeville show in Oceano at The Great American Melodrama. Visit Old West Cinnamon Rolls in Pismo for breakfast. Dinner at McClintocks or Rosas.

[coveredwagon]

Morro Dunes campground in Morro Bay is right on the beach. Nice. You can drive up Highway 1 to rocky point but that is as far as you can go north in Big Sur.

[ellenbelle]

The farthest you can go above Morro Bay is called Ragged Point. It has a beautiful view and a restaurant. North of Morro Bay but south of Ragged Point is San Simeon campground... a state owned campground with no hookups. But its right across from the beach and has a dump station.

San Simeon, Cambria and Cayucos are all great little coastal towns to visit. You can go inland just south of Cambria by taking Hiway 46 east to Paso Robles. Paso Robles is the new Napa, with over 300 wineries... don't pass up the chance to do some wine tasting. There are three rather large campgrounds in Paso Robles as well: Vines, Wine Country and Paso Robles RV Ranch.

Morro Bay has a few RV parks, and if you don't mind no hookups, there is also a campground at Montana de Oro... a beautiful state park with beaches and trails into the mountains.

South and a little West of Morro Bay is the city of San Luis Obispo, where the 1 and the 101 divide. Lots to see there as well.

If you take the 101 north to Monterey, you can go back to Hiway 1 and go south into Big Sur, where there are campgrounds like Big Sur Campground and Fernwood and others. Most have no hookups, but you are camping by a river under the redwoods.

Have fun but do avoid the Carpinteria/Santa Barbara areas unless you know everything is okay again. Right now, you can't go through there anyway.

To avoid Santa Barbara, you'll want to go north from LA on the 5 and cut over towards the coast at the 41 around Fresno probably.

Sorry this is all out of order :-)

[Luman]

If you go to Morro Bay there is a state camp ground in the Los Padres National forest on HWY 46 between Morro Bay and Atascadero. That area also has a ton of Winery's if you are into that sort of thing. Someone mentioned the Great American Melodrama in Oceano. That is indeed a fantastic venue. Not far from Solvang there is an emu/ostrich ranch that my family found entertaining. You can feed them(for a small fee), and they sell eggs, meat, & etc. It was kind of fun cooking 1 egg for the whole family. Also, around Avala Beach there is the Sycamore Mineral Springs(hot springs). Hearst Castle someone mentioned as well, and that is a lot of fun if you are into historical stuff.

[Riverdrifter]

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

How long will you be at Mission Bay RV Resort? I live 15 minutes away from there. PM me if you want or need advice or ideas on things to do, etc..!

Are you going to PD/PS for Modernism Week? We'll be at Catalina RV Resort from the 13th to the 25th to attend Modernism Week.

Regarding Carpinteria/Santa Barbara area....if you were going now, I'd tell you to stay away from that area. The mudslides have been devastating. Besides the property destruction and closed down roads and highway, almost all of us knew someone who lost their lives (I used to live there). In a month's time or so, hopefully most will be cleaned up and opened up, but, best to check before you go. And no telling what more rains might bring.

EDIT: I've heard from several people that Avenue of the Flags RV Resort in Buellton is super nice. Also, Cachuma Lake is a nice campground off the 154. Up in the Bay Area, Anthony Chabot Regional Park is wonderful.

My wife and I are flying down on the 19th for modernism week in PS. We really enjoy that and have tickets for several events. Not in the Airstream for this trip, staying at Westin Desert Willows where we have a time share. Looking forward to it!

[weirdstuff]

Originally Posted by Riverdrifter

My wife and I are flying down on the 19th for modernism week in PS. We really enjoy that and have tickets for several events. Not in the Airstream for this trip, staying at Westin Desert Willows where we have a time share. Looking forward to it!

Have fun! This is our 2nd time at Modernism Week. Can’t wait!

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by jeffryorange

My husband and I are planning a road trip in February 2018 up along the CA coast after being in Palm Desert for a week.

We are planning to be in Mission Bay RV Resort (near San Diego), Malibu Beach RV park, boondock near Rincon Parkway Campground (between Carpinteria and Santa Barbara), Solvang, highway 1 or 101 to Carmel.

Could you please comment on the trip plan given the current weather conditions in CA?

We would appreciate any help you have to plan this trip.

(We are open to diverting our trip to Tucson or Scottsdale or Phoenix instead of CA too)

Thank you!

Just a few adds to the many great posts.
I've heard the county fair grounds in monterrey are a nice base to explore. Further N, the santa cruz yacht harbor harbor has some rv sites. Very scenic. S of SC is very scenic..pleasure pt/capitola. The drive N to SF via half moon bay is great. Ditto the muir woods post!!!!! A real sleeper that most folks miss.

N of santa barbara, a little off the main path is jalama
Beach. A little harry getting there, but you'll find many class a's there. Spend a couple of days and feast on the jalama burgers. Tucked in next to Vandenburg AFB.

Lastly, the paso zin fest is march 18 - 20. From a sonoma co ex pat...paso holds it's own to any dry creek zin.

Other threads focus on hw1 N of Petaluma, and that is best saved for another vacation.

Happy trails

Bob

P.s. Maybe see ya at the zin fest (wine Country Rv Resort~paso Or Morro dunes rv afterwards

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

How long will you be at Mission Bay RV Resort? I live 15 minutes away from there. PM me if you want or need advice or ideas on things to do, etc..!

EDIT: I've heard from several people that Avenue of the Flags RV Resort in Buellton is super nice. Also, Cachuma Lake is a nice campground off the 154. Up in the Bay Area, Anthony Chabot Regional Park is wonderful.

Hey wierdstuff...have you bean to El Indio?😁😁😁

Ditto on the Chabot recommendation!


Bob

[weirdstuff]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

Hey wierdstuff...have you bean to El Indio?😁😁😁

Ditto on the Chabot recommendation!


Bob

I have not been to El Indio. Actually, I just had to look it up. Not sure I recognize it, and have never heard anything about it. Do you recommend it? If so, I'll be sure to go there this weekend!

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

I have not been to El Indio. Actually, I just had to look it up. Not sure I recognize it, and have never heard anything about it. Do you recommend it? If so, I'll be sure to go there this weekend!

The Bean to El Indio was a bumper sticker promo from years ago. My intro was when I lived a block up on Columbia St in the early 70's and ate there everyday. It used to do a land office business at lunch with the downtown lunch crowd. It has been a must stop on our return visits. Grab some takeout and eat it on the lawn at Presidio Park overlooking Mission Bay.

Like most eateries I remember from my college days in SD that we revisit, the memories often prove better the current realty. We like it and we still go when we're in town, but I've also since had a lot more exposure to Mexican food since leaving SD. I would still recommend it.

Bob

[CruizinDux]

My apologies as i'm off topic, but one thing i loved about el indio is that they made the tortillas on site. They would reach over to the mechanical production line for a fresh tortilla to make a new order. Can't get any fresher than that. I assume it is still operational.

Bob

[nickclifford]

the weather today is stunning, very warm in the sun, but very chilly at night.
Just did a mini Cali road trip over the holidays.
Rincon Parkways looks fun, we didn't stay there, bad timing for us, and now the mudslides, the 101 should be open soon I would imagine.
We stayed at Pismo Beach Village RV resort, a very nice spot close to the beach, full hookups. Next door though, is a real State-park like setting, no hook-ups but truly through massive drive-thru sites, my#1 choice for boondock type camping.
we also stayed at Camp-Comfort in Ojai, stunning little town, but again in the heart of the fire & now mudslide area, so if weather bad, avoid.

our favorite place was El Capitan State beach, we blundered in and found a site with a million dollar ocean view. If you pass the campgrounds and onto a large parking lot with signs for RV parking there are 5 full ocean view sites, the only problem you gotta parallel park, and tricky with a long trailer. We snagged an end site and left the trailer hitched for the night. It was a bloody AMAZING!!
If you want to see Santa Cruz, the oceanfront campgrounds are booked out months in advance, there are very few choices by the beach but #1 choice is New Brighton, sunny sites, no hook-ups but right on the Oceanfront. If you want to stay in the Redwoods, there are some nice RV parks in Felton, but kinda dark and damp at this time of the year as limited sunlight. Further up the coast is Costanoa, nice but pricey. Have fun!

[rjbrown99]

Originally Posted by jeffryorange

My husband and I are planning a road trip in February 2018 up along the CA coast after being in Palm Desert for a week.

We are planning to be in Mission Bay RV Resort (near San Diego), Malibu Beach RV park, boondock near Rincon Parkway Campground (between Carpinteria and Santa Barbara), Solvang, highway 1 or 101 to Carmel.

Could you please comment on the trip plan given the current weather conditions in CA?

We would appreciate any help you have to plan this trip.

(We are open to diverting our trip to Tucson or Scottsdale or Phoenix instead of CA too)

Thank you!

If you don't mind dry camping, a hidden RV site you won't find on any map is the Santa Monica Civic Center parking lot. RVs are permitted to stay overnight and it is about a block from the pier. Full sun so your solar would work well and water is available all over the place.

We live in Santa Monica and sometimes park there if we get home after our storage place closes. Reservations not required and you can show up after hours and still park.

Also very safe, it shares a parking lot with the main police station.

If you are passing through for a day or two and don't mind parking lot ambiance it's a great place.

[Banker]

The first 10 miles south of Carmel are magnificent. North of San Francisco Hwy 101 is a four lane spectacular drive with many interesting stops at redwood pulloffs. When reaching Oregon my dog loved running in the surf.