Campland on the Bay, San Diego

[Alex AVI]

Campland on the Bay, San Diego

Just arrived few hrs. ago. Not the greatest, but everywhere in SoCal especially the beach cities is crowded. But not a bad camp, private gated & lots of security to keep the rif-raf out of the private beaches. Plenty to do for our grandkids and many choices of campsites, depending on whether you want beachfront, waterview, near the performers stage/park, cantina, market, arcade, kids playground, or even totally paved to minimize dirt & beach sand incursion. It's Halloween weekend so lots of stuff for little kids to do. Grandson having a blast.

[TX-Newbie]

Looks like a great time Alex - enjoy

[rowiebowie]

Great pictures! Looks like a nice spot for "elite campers" like yourself (no riff-raff).

[OTRA15]

Great location and surrounding communities. Plenty to do for everyone!

We stayed there in the mid-90's and watched a Northeastern blizzard on the neighbor's TV. [ ] Great hardware store located a bit west of you in downtown Pacific Beach.

https://www.acesandiego.com/

We needed plumbing parts and a large tap, to fix a freeze-up due to a hasty winterization coming west, and that store had everything, plus opened early on a Sunday morning. Tore apart the bed to get to the water heater, bought parts and fixed everything my noon. Phew!

There used to be an Orange Julius near I-5 just east of you, but it may be gone.

Have a great time.

Peter

[Slimpockets]

If you go into town to do the tourist thing one of my favorite breakfast places is Grand Central Cafe. It’s close to the Midway. So many great places in that town.

[Alex AVI]

TXNEWBIE - Was not long enough, kiddos enjoyed our stay, we plan to come back soon.

ROWIEBOWIE - You must have me confused with someone else, I am still Wannabe RV'er. It will be a few more years before I graduate from that level to Elite status

OTRA15 - We walked by that ACE. Of course, I can not just walk by an ACE, I went in and browsed around, despite wife's protest but I am training grandson to like hardware stores instead of outlet stores that wife & daughter always want to visit

SLIMPOCKETS - did not have time to venture too far from camp, will try to do so on next visit. There was lots to do in camp, we didn't even get to do everything with limited time. Next visit will be longer.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Alex AVI

. . .
OTRA15 - We walked by that ACE. Of course, I can not just walk by an ACE, I went in and browsed around, despite wife's protest but I am training grandson to like hardware stores . . .
. . .

If you did not buy anything, the HSSA may have to revise your status back down to Probationary . . .

[ HSAA -- Hardware Store Shoppers Anonymous ]

To maintain your status as an Active Shopper, you must go beyond browsing and buy something ASAP. Paper towels, TP, coffee filters, etc. will suffice, as long as the purchase occurs in a bona fide hardware store.



Have a great trip!

Peter


PS -- Oh, and the purchase must involve higher unit costs than would be available at Costco or Amazon!

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

If you did not buy anything, the HSSA may have to revise your status back down to Probationary . . .

[ HSAA -- Hardware Store Shoppers Anonymous ]

To maintain your status as an Active Shopper, you must go beyond browsing and buy something ASAP. Paper towels, TP, coffee filters, etc. will suffice, as long as the purchase occurs in a bona fide hardware store.



Have a great trip!

Peter


PS -- Oh, and the purchase must involve higher unit costs than would be available at Costco or Amazon!

OTRA15 - Actually, I did end up purchasing a couple of items, so hopefully my HSSA stats stays current. I would've looked longer if it weren't for the wife getting impatient. But grandson was having a blast in ACE. I did not mention purchasing coz the items were not rv related. One was a Rubbermaid sink dish strainer for the house (which is my favorite but no longer exists in big box depth stores) and a 2nd Raiders floor mat (the 1st one I also found in ACE in Boulder City, NV). Ironically, the Raiders floor mats were cheaper in ACE than the NFL store. Go figure.

[OTRA15]

Your HSSA Active Shopper status has been restored!



How about a new thread about great hardware stores around the country? This Favorite Old Country Store thread is close:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...es-115134.html

Happy trails,

Peter

[rmkrum]

Are you guys telling me that my DW and I are not the only ones that browse through hardware stores, country stores, and big box home improvement stores just for the fun of it? She calls it a "typical cheap date"...

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

Are you guys telling me that my DW and I are not the only ones that browse through hardware stores, country stores, and big box home improvement stores just for the fun of it? She calls it a "typical cheap date"...

RMKRUM - Any village, town, or city that we visit for at least 2 days means a trip to local ACE or family hardware store and/or country store. Beware . . . you are not alone
,

[OTRA15]

Rich, you should see the great "Christmas presents" I find for her at the hardware store -- one year it was a brand new high-quality rubber hose!

Small flashlight stocking-stuffers for the entire family, with batteries pre-loaded!



PS -- That FOCS thread linked recently is active again. Let the good times roll.

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Rich, you should see the great "Christmas presents" I find for her at the hardware store -- one year it was a brand new high-quality rubber hose!

Small flashlight stocking-stuffers for the entire family, with batteries pre-loaded!



PS -- That FOCS thread linked recently is active again. Let the good times roll.

OTRA15 - I even found toys for grandson, some small & cheap and some big, nice, & expensive.Thanks for the FOCS thread info. I am digging up many old pics to post in that thread. There are many we have visited mostly in UT, AZ, NV.

[weirdstuff]

Welcome to the 'hood. If you need anything, let me know! Need recommendations for anything...eating out, cycling, surf spots, etc.....??

[Lotus54]

Best general (and hardware) store?
Swain’s in Port Angeles, Washington.

Nothing like it. It originally was Army Surplus store, but changed by the early 60’s to similar to now. It is also an ACE hardware affiliate, but nothing like most I’ve seen.
their motto?
Swain’s has everything.


I can’t go in without seeing at least one person I know.

mark

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

Welcome to the 'hood. If you need anything, let me know! Need recommendations for anything...eating out, cycling, surf spots, etc.....??

WEIRDSTUFF - Thank you for this. Anywhere in CA, especially SoCal, we are good. I lived all over CA for many years (SF Bay Area, LA Area, OC, Sacto, etc). Ironically, we never lived in San Diego but wife has so many relatives there, we are visiting all the time (even before buying this rv). I still road cycle all over down there, even though it is so crowded & busy as heck. That's what happens to places with year round nice weather. Will definitely be back in Campland soon. Are there other good campgrounds worth trying that are similar (i.e. in beach cities with beach front access or beach view spots)? I am checking out if any spots in Coronado.

[OTRA15]

From Campland a nice ride would be up through La Jolla to Encinitas on the coast road, going by Torrey Pines Golf Course, where there is a long up/downhill stretch. Great ocean views and breezes. Hangliding near UCSD, built on an old military base, complete with Quonset hut classrooms for the early classes in the 1960’s.



The entire area east of I-5 used to be desert chapperel !!!

No mas . . .

[OTRA15]

PS — Going north from the CG over Mount Soledad to La Jolla would afford great views from the top, and avoid bad local traffic. North of La Jolla the traffic should be friendlier.

Correction — S/B “chaparral” in last post.

[Alex AVI]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

From Campland a nice ride would be up through La Jolla to Encinitas on the coast road, going by Torrey Pines Golf Course, where there is a long up/downhill stretch. Great ocean views and breezes. Hangliding near UCSD, built on an old military base, complete with Quonset hut classrooms for the early classes in the 1960’s.



The entire area east of I-5 used to be desert chapperel !!!

No mas . . .

OTRA15 - Yep, know the area you talk of. Every so often, we do a road bike ride from Irvine to downtown SD piers - part of the route is through Camp Pendelton, then entire PCH southbound, then via Torrey Pines, in through the old road but now strictly trails for hikers, pedestrians, and cyclist (no more car traffic). There was major redo of that entire Torrey Pines going southbound starting at the climb to UCSD few years ago. But haven't seen it since. Time to re-visit Thanks for reminding me how nice it still is.

[Alex AVI]

Back home now - some more pics from our last day here. I am not yet a well travelled rv'er. Only camped in 4 states CA, NV, UT, CO. This is not the greatest by any stretch, it is old, and could benefit from some upgrades. But nevertheless, it is well maintained, well run, well secured, the office even announces on PA system of overnight heavy fog and reminding patrons to have lights on them or their bikes if biking that night and to cover their outdoor stuff if concerned about heavy moisture. Good thing or our chair pillows wouldve been soakin wet in morning.

I have yet to see one that has all these amenities in 1 place for $80-$150/night dependent on waterviews and/or beachfront sites - private uncrowded beaches, nice views & sunset, huge grassed parks, nightly live band entertainment, an entire arcade building dedicated to kids, a separate enclosed huge dog run/walk, many toilet/shower buildings every 2 dozen sites, full service market, full service bar/restaurant, rv storage, ice cream parlor, boat & watersport rentals, shuttles to SD attractions & farmers market, sites cleanly groomed prior to new occupants arrival, 30A outlets that grip tight to cord/plug, propane, dump station for the really cheap non-hookup sites, many organized activities for young & old (reminded me of Dirty Dancing) AND long term stays allowed (90days continuous). For any crowded, tourist-choked CAL beach city, this is truly a unique place