Monterey and Carmel

[OpenHigher]

Hi every one! We will be heading up to Morro Bay in early August departing on the 5th to go to New Brighton. Leaving New Brighton on the 10th, and want to stay in Carmel or Monterrey for two or three days, which unfortunately falls on a weekend. For those of you in the area, where can we stay???? Carmel River Campground is full with a car show that weekend. There are no state campgrounds to speak of, and even if there were, they would be full. We will be looking into Monterrey Dunes today, which I am sure is very expensive, but for a few days, that is ok.

Anyway, I just can't make a drive from New Brighton all the way to Rincon Highway hoping to get a spot on a first come, first serve basis.

So....... to those of you who know the area...thanks so much in advance.

Robert and Sherry

[myoung]

Ask Coastalview about the city park right in Monterey itself. How long is your Safari? I might matter.

Have you checked the County Park at Laguna Seca?

[uwe]

I have had to stay here before, when everything close to town was filled up in summer:
http://www.mosslandingrvpark.com/
It is a few miles north of Monterey, but has restaurants and a harbor near by.
It's about a 20min drive to Monterey from there. The owners are very nice and kind people. It isa new park, and the sites and hookups are extra clean
There is another RV park by the beach close to Monterey, it's called Marina Dunes RV park. I have never stayed there.

[jordandvm]

Robert & Sherry,

We stayed in Moss Landing at a private RV park for 3 days in January. It was nice, but not a state park. Reservations are required. We were only a short walk from the beach.
After our trip, we saw here on the forums that Coastalview offered courtesy parking in Carmel (we've never tried courtesy parking and we offer it ourselves here in Oregon)!

[robandzoe]

Any chance you are retired or former military? If so, the Monterey Pines Camp ground is very nice right in Monterey behind the fiar grounds on the Naval Postgraduate School's golf course, on hole 12.

[OpenHigher]

Thank you everyone for the input. It is only 7:30 am right now, but will be contacting Marina Dunes, which appears to be on the water, and a few miles from the aquariam etc. Not retired military robandzoe, but thanks for the thought. Will certainly contact Coastalview, if things don't pan out. Thanks everyone.

Robert and Sherry

[toddster]

Just a thought, but have you checked Laguna Seca Raceway? They have some nice campgrounds there.... I'll be there this August for the annual Monterey Historic Races!

Happy travels

[Coastalview]

Originally Posted by OpenHigher

Hi every one! We will be heading up to Morro Bay in early August departing on the 5th to go to New Brighton. Leaving New Brighton on the 10th, and want to stay in Carmel or Monterrey for two or three days, which unfortunately falls on a weekend. For those of you in the area, where can we stay???? Carmel River Campground is full with a car show that weekend. There are no state campgrounds to speak of, and even if there were, they would be full. We will be looking into Monterrey Dunes today, which I am sure is very expensive, but for a few days, that is ok.

Anyway, I just can't make a drive from New Brighton all the way to Rincon Highway hoping to get a spot on a first come, first serve basis.

So....... to those of you who know the area...thanks so much in advance.

Robert and Sherry

Good Morning! This thread caught my eye, as the Monterey Peninsula is great place to visit, but not with an RV. The city of Monterey has a nice campground nested in the pines above the downtown area. Rv sites are limited to size and there are no reservations taken. If you give me ample time, I work for this great city. I could be helpful in both these respects to getting you in. Here is a link to the campground info: http://www.monterey.org/rec/vetspark.html
Keep me posted, August is busy month for our area. Jeff

[robandzoe]

Oh yeah, Laguna Seca is very nice. While at grad school there in Monterey at NPS, I used to go out to LS all the time mountain biking out back on the old Fort Ord, now BLM grounds. Wish I was going out there now too! Good luck. Take your bikes (the best way to get around downtown Monterey) because there is a bike path from Seaside to Pacific Grove with the Aquarium along the way.

Rob

[myoung]

To use the Monterey Pines Campground one must be retired or former military. Okay, I'm ex-Army officer but was discarged in 1971 after my tour in Vietnam. How could I get more infor about this campground and how could I prove that I'm ex-Army? I suppose I could ask my mother for my commission or discharge orders.

[robandzoe]

I know Retirees can use it. I'm still not retired, and not a former Marine, as I am still a REservist, which rate using the campgrounds on Military bases. I'd try calling them first. http://www.mwr.nps.navy.mil/aboutfac/pines.htm

I recall my comment about former, after reading the web site. But, give them a call, it is worth it.

Rob

[AYRSTRM2]

This is a bit of a drive but the State Parks down at Big Sur are real nice. It'll take you about 45 minutes to drive back in to town, but wow, the scenery can't be beat!

[OpenHigher]

Thanks again all for the comments. Thank you Coastalview for your offer. We have two rigs trying to get located. Our 28 foot Airstream, and a 25 foot Wildwood (be nice). Anyway, Marina RV Dunes just took our reservation so absent cancellation, we are set for three nights, starting on Aug 10.

Coastalview, your itinerary would be appreciated. It has been years since I have been to Cannery Row, and the Aquariam.

Thanks all again, Robert and Sherry.

PS: We have stayed at Big Sur several times, but want to stay close to Monterey this time, and probably do a whole day in Carmel at the galleries.

[Mookie]

Hi Robert and Sherry,

Sounds like you may be hitting the Monterey peninsula around the time of the annual Pebble Beach Concours and Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca. This year it's August 18-20. If that is the case, you will be challenged trying to find a place to park your rig. One place to check is the Monterey County Fairgrounds:

http://www.montereycountyfair.com/facilities.php

They have full hookups at $30/night. There are two areas to park your rig. The paved area is right next to a golf course and, with an Airstream, the prospect of flying golfballs is a scary thing. I suggest you request the grassy area - it's much farther away from the golf course.

We have not stayed at the Marina Dunes RV Park, but we have recently checked it out as a potential future place to stay. It appears to be very nice, but close to Highway 1 - there will be some highway noise. I would request a space on the dunes side rather than the highway side.

Another option, although much farther up the road and much more expensive, is Costanoa:

http://www.costanoa.com/site.php

Good luck!

-Mark

[AYRSTRM2]

Originally Posted by Mookie

Hi Robert and Sherry,

Sounds like you may be hitting the Monterey peninsula around the time of the annual Pebble Beach Concours and Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca. This year it's August 18-20. If that is the case, you will be challenged trying to find a place to park your rig. One place to check is the Monterey County Fairgrounds:

http://www.montereycountyfair.com/facilities.php

They have full hookups at $30/night. There are two areas to park your rig. The paved area is right next to a golf course and, with an Airstream, the prospect of flying golfballs is a scary thing. I suggest you request the grassy area - it's much farther away from the golf course.

We have not stayed at the Marina Dunes RV Park, but we have recently checked it out as a potential future place to stay. It appears to be very nice, but close to Highway 1 - there will be some highway noise. I would request a space on the dunes side rather than the highway side.

Another option, although much farther up the road and much more expensive, is Costanoa:

http://www.costanoa.com/site.php

Good luck!

-Mark

Heck, you stay at the Hyatt there in Monterey, get the rooms on the Highway side and you get highway noise for $200 a night!

[OpenHigher]

Hi everyone! Well, I have linked everyone's suggestions to a camping favorites/Big Sur area, so at least now the camping is covered. Coastalview graciously is going to offer suggestions on places to see, so we are getting excited.

For any of you ever traveling north of Monterey, the little town of Capitola just north of New Brighton State Park is a treat.

Anyway, thank you all, and I will post pics on this thread sometime in late August.

See you all soon. Robert and Sherry

[StingrayL82]

Robert & Sherry,

I was stationed in Monterey for five years, and I have stayed in both Marina Dunes, as well as Moss Landing RV park (we were invited to its Grand Opening). I'd like to tell you that we had a great time at Moss Landing, because to me it's hands down a newer place than Marina Dunes, but truth be told we had some crazy nut in the middle of the night come running through the RV park, banging on all the windows. He actually broke our bathroom window, he banged so hard (the cops did catch him...he was high on meth). Marina Dunes RV park might not be the newest place on the block, but you can't beat the view, and the staff there is also really really nice. They used to let us dump there, even if we hadn't stayed there.

Frederic

[OpenHigher]

Thank you Stingray. I have spoken with the staff twice now, and can tell they are very nice, and genuinely seem they want us to have a good time. They moved our sites from the 40 sections to the 50 sections, as someone cancelled, and told us the 50 sections were closer to the water.

We are looking forward to the stay, which has now been increased to three nights.

Robert and Sherry