Need P.C.H. recommendations and advice.

New user to the site. Looking for any helpful tips and recommendations for a trip up the coast. We are traveling from Tucson, az. Thinking of heading past Joshue tree and into L.A. to start our coast adventure. Would like to add Big sur and Solvang to our stops. We are renting an R.V, any. Rv park recommendations near the beach would be helpful. We would like we sleep as close to a beach as possible at least one night. Our trip will last from May 15th till May 26th. We're trying to go as far up as Seattle if possible. Also traveling with out furry companions. A 35 pound terrier mix and a 65 pound pit bull (very calm old man). Both are very well behaved and trained. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

Welcome to RTA!

At the present time, the PCH is closed by a landslide in the Big Sur area. Hopefully it will be open by the time you take your trip but there's no guarantee.

Hello and welcome !

Is your trip a one way or return trip ? A one way trip could be expensive with one way drop off fees on an RV and you wouldn't have time to get near Seattle if it's a round trip, the coast is slow going and you want time to get out and enjoy it. Another consideration if it's a round trip, would be to head north first and follow the coast south putting the coast and many viewpoints on your side of the road which also saves having to cross traffic each time. Let us know some more info and we can be of more help.

You can’t get any closer to the beach than this 127 site rustic RV campground located on a closed section of oceanfront highway. In Ventura county.

https://www.ventura.org/parks-depart...incon-parkway/

Other than the section that is closed, the other thing I can add is that campsites and RV parks along the beach are EXPENSIVE.

This post lists camping along the PCH, aka CA-1.

This post lists campgrounds along US-101, which happens to run parallel, and even concurrent at times, with the PCH.

These are listings of public campgrounds, which are generally a little less expensive than commercial sites. Bear in mind that you could call for reservations and find that they are already booked. RV'ing is pretty popular these days, and with so many kids still on Distance Learning, parents are just picking up the kids and getting away to the local beach.


Donna

Oh no! That's pretty scary. Is it just the Big Sur area?

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Thanks so much for all the info. We are doing a round trip. Do you think Portland would be a possibility to squeeze in?

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This is perfect, Thank you!!

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Thats great advice, Thank you! I'll definitely get a jump start on those calls!

I might be wrong, but I believe that some campgrounds prohibit certain dogs including pit bulls because of liability.

I also believe that some campgrounds limit dogs by weight, regardless of the breed.

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Originally Posted by DonnaR57

Other than the section that is closed, the other thing I can add is that campsites and RV parks along the beach are EXPENSIVE.

This post lists camping along the PCH, aka CA-1.

This post lists campgrounds along US-101, which happens to run parallel, and even concurrent at times, with the PCH.

These are listings of public campgrounds, which are generally a little less expensive than commercial sites. Bear in mind that you could call for reservations and find that they are already booked. RV'ing is pretty popular these days, and with so many kids still on Distance Learning, parents are just picking up the kids and getting away to the local beach.


Donna

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Several years ago, I had a very difficult time making reservations for September along the PCH. The public campgrounds were over $100 per night, and there weren’t that many of them.

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Thanks so much for all the info. We are doing a round trip. Do you think Portland would be a possibility to squeeze in?

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Have you travelled by RV before ? I only ask as if it's a new experience and your not sure, this really would be a squeeze and everyone's limit of what's enough and what's too much is different. If your dates include collection and drop off of the RV, you won't get far on the first day by the time you have collected, gone through the handover and done the paperwork, packed up your stuff and adjust yourselves to the (possibly new) feel of the vehicle. Drop off is usually early morning so you will need to be camped up only a few miles away on your last full day, that leaves you 10 full days to cover over 3100 miles if you went up to Portland inland, across to the coast and down to LA, before returning to Tucson. When you account for the slow coast road and it's many scenic viewpoints you will find that 300 miles plus per day is a long day in an RV and could get tiresome day after day. If you spent just 2 days of your trip camped up in one spot (or 2) relaxing and enjoying the surroundings, suddenly you will then have to average close to 400 miles per day to play 'catch up'. To make that work you would have to skip large portions of the coast and get on Interstate. Hopefully that's a step to help you understand the logistics of it and help you come to a decision based on what your goals are for the trip. Once you have got there and lay out some basic plan we can certainly look over it and help fill in blanks and make alternative suggestions. With regards to campgrounds there are usually plenty of options but with the dogs and the ongoing pandemic it would be best to contact possible sites or check t&c's online. You can search the Internet by simply putting in a town or area you may be staying in and then 'campgrounds' and go through the results options.

Update on Big Sur (and a side comment): It is being reported that Route 1 (see note below) will be re-opened this week (on Friday). So that is now again an option.

The side comment; I was going to let this slide, but as a native of San Francisco/Northern California a couple common words/phrases, even though uttered innocently, grate upon the ears of us overly-sensitive natives (the first ones below are just for background, nobody has used these on THIS thread):

Don't call it Frisco or even San Fran (which is marginally better); it's San Francisco.

Don't call it Cali.

Don't refer to the University of California at Berkeley as "Berkeley".... it is Cal, or University of California (being the first campus it is allowed to claim supremacy over use of the un-differentiated name), or the full name. Nobody refers to the University of California at Los Angles (UCLA) as 'Los Angeles'. 'UC Berkeley', while sub-optimal, is an acceptable shorthand... but never ever ever refer to the school using only the name of the town. Cal is not Berkeley, and Berkeley is not Cal (and both sides are in violent agreement over that fact).

The phrase that triggered this mini-rant is "PCH".

California State Route 1 runs for hundreds of miles from south of LA almost to the Oregon border. Over that stretch is has many names applied to different sections : Pacific Coast Highway, Cabrillo Highway, Shoreline Highway, Coast Highway. Only the section down south is correctly called Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).

Eschew use of that term in the presence of a native of northern sections, even Big Sur, unless you're referring to the southern stretches.

"Route 1" works for a reasonable shorthand for all sections.

Exit grump; stage left... and hope you have a great trip!

If there's one thing I've learned in my (way too many) years of travel, it is that if you act like a tourist, you'll be treated like one. Pay attention to the local dress, pace of life, patois, etc. Eat at local restaurants rather than the big fast food chains. Blend in rather than stand out. You'll be treated better and have a more pleasant experience.

AZBuck

We finally decided to go straight to San Francisco from Tucson, Az. We will stay there for 4 nights. We plan to rent a car while we are in town. Any Recommendations on routes? Or where we can legally park the R.V overnights?

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we are definitely going to take your recommendation and stay here!

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We finally decided to go straight to San Francisco from Tucson, Az.

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As you say "go straight to " I'm just checking you realise that this will require at least one overnight stop ?

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We will stay there for 4 nights. We plan to rent a car while we are in town.

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Parking in SF is problematic and expensive and the transport system is very good, I would not rent a car for the City.

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Or where we can legally park the R.V overnights?

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A campground/RV park is the best option for safety and enjoyment. In the past people have gained permission to park in a Walmart parking lot overnight in return for custom but (especially ) in the current climate you would need to research if its an option. You must ask permission first.

I'm not sure if it's still an option for you but given your current plan, have you considered a car and hotels might be a better option ? It would be cheaper than an RV, quicker and easier to get around, and given the fact you will be spending the best part of 4 days travelling to and from SF and 4 days there, it really doesn't leave time to enjoy what an RV is designed for, enjoying nature in quiet surroundings.

I don't think that overnight parking at Walmart is an option now - with Covid I don't think that they are 24 hour any more, the ones here are not. Truck stops (with permission) may still be one of the only viable options.

Tucson to San Francisco is well over 800 miles and you need to go around one of the biggest metropolitan areas. Here's what I'd do:

Take I-10 west to I-15 north. Take US-395 up to Kramer Junction, and turn west on CA-58 to Bakersfield. Take CA-99 north to CA-46 west. That will take you to I-5 north. This will take you around the majority of the Riverside/San Bernardino/Los Angeles traffic, though it can still be very soupy. You could stay overnight in Tehachapi - a good opportunity to take in the many train tunnels and the loops that the trains do in the area! - it's about 558 miles from Tucson. The next day would be about 330 miles, but you'd have LA area behind you.


Donna

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Take I-10 west to I-15 north.

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I would take I-10 to CA-210 to I-215 to I-15. This is 15 miles and 15 minutes shorter.

That's a good alternative, GLC. I would just be careful when on the 215. So many crazy exits!


Donna

Taking the 210 bypasses downtown San Bernardino and all those 215 issues.

We did consider the hotel and rental car route but with our dogs the rv was the better option. We were going to drive the straight shot to san fran but had issues on the way and had to stay at a rest area in Lebec, ca for the 1st night.

By mileage, Lebec CA would of been right around the distance we would recommend for a decent, yet safe day on the road.

Thanks for checking in.

On our trips up the 5, when we've gone that route instead of our "new favorite" through Tehachapi, we stop at that particular rest area. A lot of folks stay overnight there.


Donna

Does anyone know a place where we can see redwoods and park the rv overnight??

California has something like 30-40 parks that contain redwoods; many with RV facilities. Suggest you peruse the link below and associated pages of the CA State Park website to see which ones look like a fit for your route and timing. Where possible, you may want to reserve a spot beforehand. https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24723

Click here to be taken to the US-101 listing for campgrounds. Scroll down some. The last 4 parks have camping facilities AND redwoods: Redwoods National Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. My husband and I tent-camped in Jedediah Smith Redwoods SP some years ago and just loved it.


Donna

Only problem with those 4 parks is they are all considerably north of San Francisco.

Anyone know of beaches south of San simeon where we can park overnight?

Pismo Beach and Morro Bay both have several RV campgrounds, some private and some state-run.

Also, Washground campground at Hearst San Simeon SP and Cayucos beach has the Bella Vista by the sea RV park. I haven't stayed at either so can't comment on them.