Southern Californian's - I need your help!

[Penney H. & Mike E.]

OK, we are planning a trip to southern CA in early November and so far taking the trailer is part of the plan, so we can visit Kings Canyon before heading to LA to go to a retreat center for 4 days near Pacific Palisades. We leave there on a Sunday afternoon, hoping to find a place nearby to stay with our trailer AND a place to have a great b-day dinner with nieces who live in the LA area. We will be heading up Pacific Coast highway the next day, homeward bound.

This trip is a BIG deal for us to take, but I'm frustrated looking for, and reading mixed reviews of, the limited places one can stay - looked at info on Malibu Creek State Park & a parking lot style RV park.

I am so out of my element in southern CA, but this is a BIG (as in one of those decade ones) birthday trip for me and I am obsessing about it already!

Any trip tips are appreciated.

Thanks

Penney

[Adrian W]

I am not a Southern Californian, but my wife is a native of SoCal, therefore we are out there often. I have not camped there much however. Here is what I have found on the subject: RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Help! Need RV park in greater LA area

[Jane P.]

Originally Posted by Penney H. & Mike E.

OK, we are planning a trip to southern CA in early November and so far taking the trailer is part of the plan, so we can visit Kings Canyon before heading to LA to go to a retreat center for 4 days near Pacific Palisades. We leave there on a Sunday afternoon, hoping to find a place nearby to stay with our trailer AND a place to have a great b-day dinner with nieces who live in the LA area. We will be heading up Pacific Coast highway the next day, homeward bound.

This trip is a BIG deal for us to take, but I'm frustrated looking for, and reading mixed reviews of, the limited places one can stay - looked at info on Malibu Creek State Park & a parking lot style RV park.

I am so out of my element in southern CA, but this is a BIG (as in one of those decade ones) birthday trip for me and I am obsessing about it already!

Any trip tips are appreciated.

Thanks

Penney

Adrian's suggestion regarding Leo Carrillo State Beach is a good one! I am a native Southern Californian, and Leo Carrillo is one of my favorite beaches. I use to scuba dive at that beach and sun bath and collect sea shells, -- and go hiking inland. If you look at a map, you'll see that Pacific Palisades is a few miles inland of the border between Santa Monica and Malibu. Leo Carrillo State Beach is several miles up the cost from that intersection, so once you drop your trailer off, you'll have to backtrack 20 - 30 miles to find a restaurant. It is summer, and you may run into major beach traffic (Welcome to California!)

Here is a link to a goole search page on restaurants in the Malibu area:

Malibu Restaurents - Google Search

It has been years since I've been to this area, but I did like Moonshadows and Gladstones. You may even find something closer to Leo Corrillo.

Good luck and happy birthday!

[Adrian W]

Someone on another forum also mentioned: Walnut RV Park - Northridge. But expensive. Ooops, it was on my list already.

[Penney H. & Mike E.]

Thank you both, very helpful information! Don't know how I overlooked Leo Carrillo State Park when looking at all the parks in that area. The reviews and description of it sounds great. I don't think we'll have a problem getting a site, it will be early November, and even in CA I suspect since it is not vacation season sites will be available, but we will make a reservation once we get our plans set.

We will be heading up the Pacific Coast Highway from there. We'll just see what comes along, but any more 'favorites' along that route are appreciated!

Thanks again.

Penney

[CarolnJim]

Hi Penney

You helped Jim and I with our trip planning when we came to Sequim. Maybe we can help you.

Los Angeles is a very spread out area with many different names, and if we knew your nieces area, it would help.

I sent you a private message regarding Puddingstone Reservoir.. This would be a good campground if it's close enough for you.

There really aren't campgrounds right in the Los Angeles area.

Carol

[Adrian W]

Maybe you can find something in one of these to help on the trip up the PCH.

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Suggestions for Santa Barbera to San Francisco. .

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Parks near San Francisco

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Family Camping: Where to go? Oregon "Wife Says"

[Penney H. & Mike E.]

Hi Carol. I answered you PM. We aren't looking for a place to stay in LA per se, but a place close to Pacific Palisades area, along the Pacific Coast Highway, as when we leave the retreat center we will be heading north. I think the Leo Carrillo SP that others have recommended will do.

With all your weeks of trailer living in the spring, you might have some 'favorites' up the coast - did you head north that way? We're coming down I-5, back highway 1.

Hope you are enjoying your 'new' home and didn't get burned out on trailer living!

Penney

P.S. thanks Adrian - that forum is a great resource!

[CarolnJim]

Hi Penney

Can't help on your way back. We didn't travel the coast either way.

We had a great trip up to Washington and the month long stay in our Casita worked out fantastic. Our home is really nice .. all work was done when we arrived back ..all furniture back into place too.. It's the way to do what we did. No mess.. for us.

We're sorry you will just miss the Lake Casitas rally which starts Oct 28 and goes to Nov I .. We have 41 trailers signed up - if plans change come and join us - Egret campground has spaces.

Have a fantastic, and safe, trip to Southern California.

Carol

[Jane P.]

Originally Posted by Penney H. & Mike E.

Thank you both, very helpful information! Don't know how I overlooked Leo Carrillo State Park when looking at all the parks in that area. The reviews and description of it sounds great. I don't think we'll have a problem getting a site, it will be early November, and even in CA I suspect since it is not vacation season sites will be available, but we will make a reservation once we get our plans set.

We will be heading up the Pacific Coast Highway from there. We'll just see what comes along, but any more 'favorites' along that route are appreciated!

Thanks again.

Penney

This info will dribble in as I have limited amount of time to do "research".

Regarding restaurants: I'd plan to eat lunch at the Santa Barbara Pier. This is our favorite "lunch" fish restaurant!

Brophy Bros. Seafood Restaurant

Brophy's has great atmosphere and the food is wonderful!

The parking lot for the pier has truck/boat-trailer spaces for your Escape. If you have time, enjoy a walk on the beach after lunch.

I need to do some more research to ID our favorite stops, but as you go up the coast, there are some fabulous wineries.

We often travel up the coast to Morrow Bay, Cambria, Paso Robles and Carmel (AKA the golden coast). We have easily made it to Paso Morrow Bay/Paso Robles in one day, stopping at Santa Barbara for lunch and doing some wine tasting on route. But we have not towed a trailer on any of these trips.

You should take your time traveling between Santa Barbara and Paso Robles. You may need to find a place to stay en route to Paso Robles.

You should plan to stay in the Morrow Bay/Cambria/Paso Robles area where you'll find more wineries and great shopping areas -- not to mention beaches to explore. Paso Robles, located about 20 minutes inland from Cambria, is a tourist destination, and has a lot of festivals during the year. You may want to see if there is anything scheduled when you will be passing through that area.

While in this area, you MUST VISIT Hearst Castle:

http://www.hearstcastle.org/

There are several tours available, and each will take several hours. But you will love the experience! It would be wise to get a ticket via the internet.

I have not stayed at a trailer park in that area, but I understand that they are relatively expensive. Even so, it would be worth your time to explore this beautiful part of California.

There are several restaurants & shops in that area that we can recommend and I will get that info to you.

Jane

[Adrian W]

If you need to you should be able to park your egg at the visitor center in Santa Barbara:

In Santa Barbara, we had good seafood at the "FisHouse", close to the visitor information place near the wharf. Situated on Cabrillo Blvd across from East Beach and Stearns Wharf, the Santa Barbara FisHouse is a perfect destination for ocean-side dining, offering patio seating by an open fire pit. There is parking at the visitor center. The Wharf is in walking distance. SeaFood There are also places to eat on the wharf with higher prices.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey is really great. Aqua
North of Monterey at Moss Landing is a great sea food place over by the docks, called Phil's Fish Market & Eatery. Phil's

On the Monterey Peninsula there is a very good scenic drive but I could not find a lint for it. Info can be gotten at a nice visitor center in Monterey. Monterey
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park would be a nice campgound to see the area. Big Sur
We looked at a private campground in Marina, but we were tent camping at the time and tent area not very good. RV Park
Moss Landing for sea food. Moss Landing

[Penney H. & Mike E.]

Adrian you are a wealth of info! And thank you Jane - we aren't big shoppers, but would definitely like to find time to see the Hearst Castle so thanks for the encouragement. You are right, RV parks are very expensive anywhere along the coast, north, south and central, we hope our schedule puts us near state parks each night, though we'd like electrical, it is more affordable to stay in state parks.

So as anyone actually driven the Big Sur highway pulling a trailer? I know this sounds naive, but I've been reading how tight the hairpin turns are and steep the bluffs are, AND the heavy fog, storms and landslides, especially the time of year we plan to go, November, and beginning to wonder if the whole idea is crazy! But still planning it, now thinking we should try to cut over, start at Monterey Bay and do the central/south coast on way down, not way back, maybe both.

I've done so much research, even bought a few books now, we better make this trip!

Penney

[Adrian W]

So [h]as anyone actually driven the Big Sur highway pulling a trailer?
No, not with a trailer, but we have driven it in a C-class MotorHome towing a Geo Metro with a 17' canoe strapped on top of the Geo. But not in November, but there are a lot of turns, some maybe close to haippin, and it is steep at times and there are plenty of cliffs and bluffs. But with an egg, I do not believe it would be too hard of a drive. Can not commit on fog and storms. With landslides, it would not matter what you were driving. If it is storming, do not go, I would believe would be the safe thing to do.

As for now thinking we should try to cut over, start at Monterey Bay and do the central/south coast on way down, not way back, maybe both.
It would be somewhat easier for pulling over to view the vistas at turn outs if southbound on the hwy.

[Lizbeth]

State park camping in California is not cheap. I have heard sites run from 35.00 a night for dry camping to almost 100.00 for beach front hook up sites since the price increases due to "budget issues".

[Jane P.]

Originally Posted by Adrian W

So [h]as anyone actually driven the Big Sur highway pulling a trailer?
No, not with a trailer, but we have driven it in a C-class MotorHome towing a Geo Metro with a 17' canoe strapped on top of the Geo. But not in November, but there are a lot of turns, some maybe close to haippin, and it is steep at times and there are plenty of cliffs and bluffs. But with an egg, I do not believe it would be too hard of a drive. Can not commit on fog and storms. With landslides, it would not matter what you were driving. If it is storming, do not go, I would believe would be the safe thing to do.

As for now thinking we should try to cut over, start at Monterey Bay and do the central/south coast on way down, not way back, maybe both.
It would be somewhat easier for pulling over to view the vistas at turn outs if southbound on the hwy.

Another possibility is on route down: cut over to Monterey Bay and Carmel, drive south to Big Sur. Then cut back over to Interstate 5.

On route back take the coast as far north as Cambria. Cut back to 5 and continue on home.

We have explored the coastline from Monterey Bay to Oregon. But you can decide if you have a specific area you may want to cut back over to see (i.e. Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Eureka, etc.). After a time, curves a head of you, Ocean beside you, and cliffs on the other side become tedious.)

I'm sure you will have a terrific time.

[Carol H]

Once you hit Oregon on your way back make sure you stop at Nehalem Bay State Park its one of my favs. Its beside the funky little surf town of Manzanita - yup you can shop. :-) At the park if you take a spot on the back ocean side its just a very short walk over the dune to the beach. There is also a 9 hole golf couse beside it that is cheap and fun to play.

If your serious about shopping then stop in for a night or two at Champoeg State park in Oregon (another of my favs) and you can hit the Woodburn outlet shopping before leaving tax free Oregon. Woodburn (which is very much like the Seattle outlet center) is only about a 15 min drive from Champoeg.