30ft RV trip down West Coast - feasible?

Printable View

02-14-2019, 08:30 AM
hallogp

30ft RV trip down West Coast - feasible?

Good day

We want to do 30ft RV road trip late spring 2019.

Proposed route:
Olympic national park
Down to Cannon Beach
Turn away to Willamette Valley and Crater Lake
Return to coast around Jenner to see Redwoods etc.
Drive down over Golden Gate Bridge (not going into SF)
Then do Carmel & Monterey, Big Sur etc.
Final stop Santa Barbara before we end in LA.

My biggest concern is whether the RV is a limiting factor, and by how much. We really are keen to do the RV-thing, just for the experience. But also do not want to "paint ourselves in a corner" when doing so. And if doing so, is there major difference between booking a 30ft vs 25ft version?
I have the following specific questions:
* Are all the above accessible by Class C 30ft RV?
* What about stops along the way? Can we e.g. stop at Cannon Beach, go for a walk, drive further? SAme for e.g. Crater Lake?
* If not, is it because of size of RV or will it be true for any RVs?
* Can we access 17 Mile drive around Carmel?
* Can we do Big Sur?
* How easy is PCH/Highway 1, other smaller roads to drive on?

Thank you
02-14-2019, 09:19 AM
Southwest Dave

It's doable if you are comfortable with it.

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

How many of you are travelling and for how long ? The main difference between a 30ft and a 25ft RV (other than 5ft) is that the larger RV comes with a full bedroom at the rear and offers more privacy than a 25ft where everything accept the shower and toilet is basically in one room. The larger unit needs more room for everything, campsites, parking and turning where you have to watch out for the huge swing beyond the back wheels. I'm not sure about the 17 mile drive but most places are accessible in the larger RV but you obviously have to check your routes carefully and plan accordingly. How easy any road is to navigate really comes down to the experience and confidence in the driver but one thing you should consider is that doing a one way trip in an RV often ends up with costly one way drop fees and a round trip is more cost effective. We actually done a round trip in and out of LA up through Crater Lake to Olympic NP and back down the coast, here's the trip report.

Just remember when looking at RV's that they are not budget friendly options. By the time you add mileage charges, campground fees, kitchen and bedroom kits and high fuel usage, costs do start to mount up, but it's a great Lifestyle choice if it's your 'thing'. Another thing is you just have to allow more time for everything than you would in a car, it's going to be slower going. Also, if you have a stream of cars behind you when driving on single lane twisty roads it's worth being polite and pull over when convenient and safe to do so and let them by.
02-14-2019, 10:49 AM
glc

Yes, you can drive the 17 mile drive in a RV. Buses use it for tours. Just be careful of tight curves and low hanging tree branches.

Note that the Golden Gate Bridge is a cashless toll bridge. You should familiarize yourself with the toll payment options here:

http://goldengate.org/tolls/index.php

Quote:

Drive down over Golden Gate Bridge (not going into SF)

The bridge puts you right into the city. The best way through is CA-1 but that even involves city streets.
02-15-2019, 02:38 PM
travelingman

I’ve rented several class C motor homes and can say that driving a 25 foot one is much easier overall than a 30 footer.

Much of that extra 5 feet is overhang which is a concern in tight spaces. It makes passing more of a challenge too. Yes, you will find it necessary to pass others.

The 25 has a better ride. You feel like you’re in a minivan. A 30 footer definitely feels like a rough riding truck.

The 30 footer “wanders” in the lane. You have to pay more attention when driving in traffic.

The 25 is much easier to back up and turn around in parking lots.

For a first timer, get the 25 as long as it’s smaller interior is not a deal breaker.

The first RV I ever rented was a 25 class C. I was surprised at how quickly I got used to it. Every RV afterwards has been a 30 or longer class C. None of them rode as well but they were much roomier inside.

I drove the PCH southbound, cliffs on the right, with a 32 footer. There were times I wished it was a 25. I don’t know how people do it in a 40 foot class A.

Yes, you can do Big Sur. The famous bridges are a bit scary from your high driving position and the low barriers. Drive slowly and pull off when traffic backs up behind you.
02-17-2019, 11:35 AM
hallogp

Hallo all

Thank for the input.
@Southwestdave, thank you for the great reference to your trip. It pretty much mirrors the route we have in mind, albeit just South to North.

Apologies if I missed it in the detail but couldn't pick up the size of your RV? How many feet?
Any time you felt you "lost out" because of driving the RV e.g. not allowed to stop, not allowed to access a particular lookout point etc? And the driving itself over long distances? we pland to do ~300miles/day at least. Lastly, a few comments I've seen mentioned the fact that the passengers don't have good sightseeing from the RVs because of seating configurations. What has been your experience?

In light of above, I'm now looking at campervans. The 17-19ft range. They seem to be Ford T-350 or E-150 models. Are these regarded as normal vehicles? One can thus drive and park as you wish?

One other thought now that it will be more "camping"-style accommodation - do we risk hypothermia if we do this late April in Washington or should we be ok? I do realise it will still be cold, but hopefully "survivable" :)

Lastly, also because of continuous feedback that we're too ambitious with what we're trying to see, should we "can" Olympic National Park, head down to Portland first thing, try and do Columbia Gorge etc and from there rather spend our time driving south? Or is Olympic a must see?

Thanks
03-11-2019, 02:09 AM
Southwest Dave

Quote:

Apologies if I missed it in the detail but couldn't pick up the size of your RV? How many feet?

It was a 30ft class 'C' RV.

Quote:

Any time you felt you "lost out" because of driving the RV e.g. not allowed to stop, not allowed to access a particular lookout point etc?

No not at all although we never travel during peak season.

Quote:

And the driving itself over long distances? we pland to do ~300miles/day at least.

Everyone is different but driving long distances is not really a problem. The going is slower, generally a little noisier on poor roads due to rattles etc. 300 miles is OK but if you plan to do that every day you need to expect that your trip is going to feel a bit rushed. Doing 300 miles along the coast is going to be a full days driving with only quick stops at viewpoints and would likely be too much down the PCH.

Quote:

Lastly, a few comments I've seen mentioned the fact that the passengers don't have good sightseeing from the RVs because of seating configurations. What has been your experience?

They can enjoy the views but not the same as looking out the windshield. I've had no complaints but not experienced being a passenger, ever !!

Quote:

In light of above, I'm now looking at campervans. The 17-19ft range. They seem to be Ford T-350 or E-150 models. Are these regarded as normal vehicles? One can thus drive and park as you wish?

They are more 'car like' but not as well equipped as an RV.

Quote:

One other thought now that it will be more "camping"-style accommodation - do we risk hypothermia if we do this late April in Washington or should we be ok?

Depends on what you mean, you can rent cabins that are pretty cosy but it might be pretty brisk in a tent.

Quote:

Lastly, also because of continuous feedback that we're too ambitious with what we're trying to see, should we "can" Olympic National Park, head down to Portland first thing, try and do Columbia Gorge etc and from there rather spend our time driving south? Or is Olympic a must see?

We all have to make sacrifices when trip planning if you have time and/or budget constraints. To really answer trip questions accurately you will need to answer my original question. How many are travelling and how much time do you have ? I would move away from what vehicle questions for the time being and post up some more detailed info about your actual trip.