2012 Top RV Parks & Campgrounds Of The Year

Having finally entered 2013 it’s time to do my annual round-up of the best campgrounds we stayed at last year. As you already know if you read my last post this was the year we slowed waaaay down, so much so that we only stayed at 18 spots (!) all year including 3 private parks, 3 boondocking spots and the rest public campgrounds of some kind. Doesn’t leave much to review, huh? But we were particularly picky this year going to places we reaaaaly love. Given our low total number I’m going to shorten the post to my top 5…the best of the best if you will. So here goes:

1/ Borrego Springs Boondocking, CA (rating 4.75/5)

Early morning hike by Rockhouse Canyon Road

This remains one of our absolute favorite boondocking sites and it scores top marks in every category including 360 degree views, spectacular nature, good access, a cute local town and tons to do in the area. Best of all it’s FREE. I mean, what more could you want? It’s our highest-rated spot of the year and one we plan to return to again and again. Located in the SW CA desert. CHECK IT OUT!

2/ Cape Blanco State Park, OR (rating 4.5/5)

Hiking north beach at Cape Blanco..all alone too!

We were completely blown away by wild and remote Cape Blanco. Huge (enormous) sites surrounded by the stunning beauty of the cape, miles of isolated beach and the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the OR coast. Plus you’re only ~10 miles from a cute coastal town. If you’re looking to get away and bask in the glory of coastal nature this is the spot. Located on the Southern OR Coast. CHECK IT OUT!

3/ Emigrant Lake County Park, OR (rating 4.5/5)

Sunset at Emigrant Lake

We stumbled across this county park almost by accident and lucked into our most perfect RV site ever. Want full-lake views? Your own swim beach? Your own little peninsular? Then site #21B at Emigrant Lake is your choice! And the rest of ‘em sites ain’t too bad either. Plus you’re right next the funky town of Ashland for culture & theatre (do not miss the Annual Shakespeare Festival). Located in S.Central OR. CHECK IT OUT!

4/ Alabama Hills Boondocking, CA (rating 4.4/5)

Yours truly in the Alabama Hills

Located in the shadow of majestic Mt.Whitney snuggled between cool & wacky rocks with some old Western Movie History thrown in, this is just a fabulous and totally unique boondocking spot. You’ve got 360-degree views, miles of nature to explore and it’s all gloriously FREE. There is no doubt we’ll be back here again. Located in SE CA. CHECK IT OUT!

5/ Bullards Beach State Park, OR (rating 4.4/5)

The cutest little lighthouse in OR

It’s official…we LOVE the Oregon coast and Bullards Beach is just another great State Park in the area. You’ve got a lovely beach, the cutest little lighthouse on the coast and you’re only 5 mins from an awesome coastal town (our FAV on the entire coast). We’re going to spend another 2 months here next year. Located on S.Central OR coast. CHECK IT OUT!

And a few special mentions…

I can’t deny that almost every spot we stayed at this year was special. My top 5 could easily have been top 18! But there are a few extra notables I’ve got to mention. I can’t forget our fabulous trip down the Eastern Side of the Sierra Nevada mountains (Hwy 395) where we had a full lake-view at Oh Ridge! National Forest Campground and discovered stunning 360-degree views at $5/night Horton Creek BLM Campground. And I have to mention our staples that we’ve come to love (and stayed at multiple times) the always-lovely Armitage County Park in Eugene, OR, the quirky but oh-so-relaxing Sam’s Family Spa in Desert Hot Springs, CA (our only private park in the line-up) and the ever-gorgeous  & spacious Washoe Lake State Park, NV.

To link to our previous years round-ups see here:

• 2011 Top RV Parks & Campgrounds Of The Year
• 2010 Best RV Parks & Campgrounds of the Year

That’s it for our 2012 round-up. Next post I’ll bring you up to date on what we’ve been getting up to in 2013. All I can say at this point is there is more than one Dane involved, waves have been ridden, places have been visited (even, shall-we-say, not quite legally)….and yes, a special Danish alcoholic concoction has been consumed

The Red Beacon Of The River – Umpqua Lighthouse, Winchester Bay, OR

The lovely Umpqua Lighthouse

I do love lighthouses, which is a good thing considering we’re about to become bona fide tour hosts in a few weeks. There’s something about the bare isolation of the locations and the all-encompassing life of those who tended them that give lighthouses a wild and rather romantic aura, at least from a story-telling point of view. When we RV’d the North Coast last year we managed to visit majestic Yaquina Head and the stunningly pretty Haceta Head (our trifecta of perfectness day!). Our current spot is only a few miles from Umpqua Lighthouse which was actually a sister-build to Haceta (used the same plans no less), so I was mucho eager to go see it.

View of the ocean from right outside the lighthouse. It’s a ways back from the coast.

As luck would have it we awoke to yet another perfect sunshine day (man, are we having some good weather karma right now) and after a stiff espresso and hearty breakfast we loaded into the toad and took the pretty tree-lined drive to the park. The first surprise of the drive was that the lighthouse is so far inland from the beach.

Standing underneath the 65-foot tall lighthouse

Compared to other lighthouses on the coast, Umpqua Lighthouse was actually built to guide mariners through the entrance of the tumultuous Umpqua River rather than as a coastal beacon. The original structure (the first lighthouse ever built on the Oregon coast in 1857), was on a sandbank near the river, but was destroyed by the ever-eroding sand only 7 years later. The site went almost 30 years without a beacon (with quite a few shipwrecks along the way!) until the current lighthouse, built 165 feet above sea level on a hill further back from the river was opened in 1894.

The tour to stand inside the lens is WELL worth it!

The second surprising thing is the unusual red glow. Umpqua stands as the only colored signal on the Oregon Coast and it’s 2-ton 800-prism Fresnel lens (built in France in 1890) uses two white flashes followed by one red as its unique signature. And it’s still going too, one of only 5 remaining active lighthouses on the coast!  Since it’s a working lighthouse the grounds around the structure are fenced in, but there’s a neat local museum and the tour ($5) is well worth it to see the inner room and stand inside the dizzying rotating red lens (oh yeah, most coolest thing ever!).

Polly enjoys sand and wind at the beach

We roamed around the museum and lighthouse tour, admired the panoramic view (a good whale-watching spot too, no less) and then motored back to the RV to get Polly and head to the beach. Several days ago a local had given me the hot tip that you could beach-access just west of Umpqua Lighthouse off Salmon Harbour Drive, so we took the plunge and drove a mile down the dirt road to the water. Known as Ziolkouski Beach Park‎ it’s the perfect spot and definitely a local hidden hangout for dog-lovers and hardy surfers (full wetsuit required).

Waterfront dry-camping spots at Winchester Bay Marina

We wrapped up the afternoon by driving back through Winchester Bay, the cool fishing port guarded by the lighthouse that is famous for its locally grown oysters (grown right next to Ziolkouski beach in a protected triangle) with cute downtown restaurants and hosting no less than 6 different areas to park your RV. There’s the full gamut from upscale county-owned Winchester Bay RV Resort ($42/night for manicured, gorgeous full water views) to laid-back Windy Cove (FHU for $23/night just across the street from the resort) to water-front “parking” right on the harbour (dry-camping for $14/night or $252/month -> possibly the best deal on the coast?). Talk about RV friendly!

A gorgeous day at yet another gorgeous lighthouse. Life is good at “the beast” today!

P.S. For those interested I’ve added 4 more cool dune shots to yesterday’s post. Check ‘em out!

The Lighthouse on a clear blue day

The winding steps to the top of the lighthouse

My kinda view!

Paul finds the perfect seat on the beach

5 Reasons to RV Snowbird In San Diego

Playing with pooch at Fiesta Island

I have to admit that San Diego is a darn nice place to get stuck for a while. It’s the kinda spot where everyday is an “ooooh, it’s just sooooo nice today!” kinda day. It’s one of the many reasons we decided to slow it down for a few months here and in fact it’s so glorious that I think you ought to try it too. So in that light, let me give you 5 reasons why…

1/ The Weather, The Weather, The Weather

Just another perfect forecast

The near-pristine weather in San Diego would probably suffice 5 reasons alone for most folks to winter down here. And it really is true. As long as we’re not having an El Niño moment (which brings out the wet), your typical winter day will be just around the perfect 60-70°F (15-20°C), beautifully sunny, low humidity and clear skies. And, as long as you stay by the coast, you can enjoy similar weather almost year-around.

2/ Winter Is The Low Season

Half-empty for winter at Mission Bay RV Park

For some inexplicable reason (at least to me) winter is considered the low-season for RVing in San Diego. Every other SW location (AZ, CA) gets bombarded and rates ramped for winter snowbirds, but here in San Diego it’s peace and quiet. What that also means is that you can get some great park discounts. Now, this is city camping so don’t expect ultra-cheap but you can spend a month in green Santee Lakes for $670 (+electric) or a month in peachy-prime bayfront/beach property at Mission Bay RV Resort for $800 (elec. included). San Diego has also got some great county parks worth the visit. We’re in Mission Bay right now (I’ll be doing a full review soon) and half the park is completely empty.

3/ It’s Super Dog Friendly

Hanging out at Coronado Dog Beach

A rig parked for the day on prime beach at Fiesta Island

San Diegans love their pooch’s and there are lots of ultra-dog friendly beaches along the coast as well as tons of in-land hiking and a plethora of fun pet events throughout the year (the Ugly Dog Contest and Dog Surfing being just a few).

And then there’s Fiesta Island which I venture to declare may well be the most amazing city dog spot in the world! The entire island is a pristine urban escape dedicated to off-leash pooches and offers miles of beach, water and trails right in the center of Mission Bay. It’s open from 4AM-10PM, allows beach-front fishing & campfires and has so much space and sand you can even park your RV right on the shore for free (it’s the nicest day-parking spot for RVs in the city, in my mind). It’s dog-gone RV pooch heaven and we go there literally everyday!

4/ City, Beach, Mountains – You Got It All

Hiking in the remote Santee hills just 15 miles from downtown

Gorgeous Sunset Cliffs in La Jolla

One thing you’ve got to love about San Diego is the variety. From coastal beach to mesas and beautiful rolling hills it’s really got it all. Downtown San Diego is a city, but the rest of the coast sports little “coastal communities” that all have their own special vibe and cater to surfers, kayakers, shoppers and beach lovers. So, taking a day-trip to laid-back Ocean Beach is a whole different experience than going for a jaunt to upscale La Jolla. Should you want to get away from it all just drive ~15 miles inland to Mission Trails, hike for a day in a slew of great areas or drive an hour to the desert for complete and utter isolation. For those with kids San Diego has the added attraction of Legoland, Sea World, and (my personal favorite) The Wild Animal Park.

5/ It’s A Golf-Lovers Dream

San Diego's impressive map of Golf Courses (from golfnow.com)

Now, I didn’t really expect golf to make my top 5, but Paul’s newfound interest in the sport has made me a rather interested side-observer. As it turns out San Diego has over 90+ Golf Courses (!!)within a 40-mile radius including an impressive array of public courses. You can play like a PGA pro in coastal splendor at one of the finest municipal courses in the nation at Torrey Pines, or go for an easy and cheap game ($30 or so a pop) at any one of the many Executive Courses around town. If you’re flexible on your tee-times you can get great deals at golfnow.com, and if you don’t golf (like me) many of the courses are scenic enough that they’re even worth the ride around in the cart.

So, did I manage to tempt you?

2011 Top RV Parks & Campgrounds Of The Year

Believe it or not we’ve made it to 2012! With 2011 speeding rapidly behind us (at an ever increasing rate, or so it seems) this is the perfect time to review the best of the best of sites that we stayed at last year (just like we did in 2010). In line with our “free-the-beast” camping style most of the spots we chose were public parks. In fact out of 62 total stops in 2011, only 5 were private parks, and all but one of those 5 were big city. It’s the way we like it ->loose and free in the wild with just a rare touch of civilization every now and then. Since SO MUCH of our camping was in the wilds I’m switching around a few of our catagories this year. Hope you enjoy them!

1/ Top 3 Camping Spots with a VIEW

Lovely Lone Pine Campground, CA

We came across some simply spectacular views in 2011. In fact so many campgrounds made this list that I had to narrow it down to those that gave us true 360-degree views right from our RV site.

• Tuttle Creek, Lone Pine, CA -> Sweeping 360-degree views of Mt.Whitney and the Owens Valley, all for only $5/night. Wow!
• Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, NM -> Nestled in the Sacramento Mountains you have a fully open view of the valley with the mountains behind you. Oh, and sunset out your window too!
• Elephant Butte Lake State Park, NM -> Book a water-front site in the north campground for sweeping views of the lake with the mountains in the background. Gorgeous!

2/ Top 3 BEACH Camping Spots

The wonderful beach at Fort Stevens State Park, OR

We managed some great beach stops both in FL, TX and OR. It was hard to chose, but these 3 made the top of our list:

• St Joseph Peninsular State Park, Cape St.Blas, FL -> Remote and gorgeous with paw-friendly beach only ~1 mile away! We simply raved about this spot when we were there and it definitely makes our top list.
• Carl G.Washburne State Park, Florence, OR -> A hidden gem along the OR coast boasting both a dog-friendlly beach and an awesome lighthouse.
• Fort Stevens State Park, Astoria, OR -> Miles of beach, history, lake and trails all in one. And ALL of it paw-friendly too.

3/ Top 3 FOREST Campsites

Our "sitting area" at Convict Lake, CA

When we’re in the mountains we LOVE the forest campgrounds and we managed some pretty gems in 2011. Here are my favorites:

• Canyon Rim, Flaming Gorge, UT -> What a spectactular spot! A mini-campground with only 7 RV sites just steps away from outstanding views of Flaming Gorge.
• Cayton, San Juan NF, CO -> We totally fell in love the remote Lizard Head Wilderness here and would come back in a heartbeat. You’re next to river, mountains and days of hiking at 9,400 feet.
• Convict Lake, Mammoth Lakes, CA -> It’s the most expensive of our NF choices, but in a simply fabulous location. Lake, mountain and views. You get it all here!

4/ Top 3 Camping DEALS

Desert boondocking just outside of Yuma, AZ

This may seem like an odd catagory, but I had to mention it. I’m lumping together a few campgrounds into one here just to give you a feel for just how GREAT a deal you can get camping in the wilds.

• New Mexico State Parks -> I’ve mentioned them soooo many times on the blog, but they deserve just one more. New Mexico has the BEST camping deal in the country IMHO. The Annual Camping Pass is $225 and covers a YEAR of primitive camping with only $4/night extra for electric. Add to it that New Mexico has some of the most beautiful State Parks we’ve encounted and I really can’t imagine a better deal.
• BLM Campgrounds -> BLM campgrounds are primitive and often remote, but they’re fabulous deals at only ~$5 a pop. Good examples that we’ve simply loved are Tuttle Creek and Owl Canyon in CA, Datil Well and Orilla Verde in NM.
• Boondocking -> What’s even better than $5/night? That would be FREE!! There are tons of great boondocking sites especially on BLM land out west. We snagged a gorgeous spot on the beach in Sea Rim, TX, a desert beauty in Quartzsite, AZ and a remote lovely just outside of Yuma.

5/ Top 3 Not-Yet-Mentioned Gems

Hill view of the lovely Davis Mountain State Park, TX

These didn’t fit into the other catagories, but they made our list of top-rated campgrounds for their own individual reasons. So, here we go:

• Davis Mountains State Park, TX -> One of our absolute top-rated campgrounds because it combined the best of everything. Great sites and facilities in a fabulous location with both hiking, star-gazing and hills. Sadly fire swept this area in 2011, so we’re not sure what it all looks like now.
• Mesa Verde RV Resort, CO -> Yes, a private park believe it or not. Great facilities just outside Mesa Verde National Park. It made the very top of our list of private parks visited in 2011 and deserved a mention for that reason alone.
• Markham Park, Sunrise, FL -> We wintered here last year and consider it one of the nicest spots for extended stay in southern FL. Want gigantic sites, oceans of green, trails and lakes? Add-in a full-blown dog-park and biking area to boot. Then, this is your spot!

There are tons of other worthy and beautiful campgrounds that I didn’t manage to mention, but we’ll just have to place them in the archives for the next time. Happy Camping everyone!

RV Park Review – Hi Valley RV Park, Boise, ID

Hanging out in the dog-run at Hi Valley RV Park

A clean, convenient stop-over location for Boise with a huge dog-run.

Link to park here: Hi Valley RV Resort, Boise
Link to map location here: Hi Valley RV Resort, Boise

1. Site quality = 3.5/5
   Basic but decent site quality for a private park. There are long, flat gravel pull-throughs and back-ins (most back-ins occupied by semi-permanents). Like most private parks sites are fairly tight, but each site is separated by a “slice” of concrete and green grass (a nice bonus) plus a picnic table. A few, sparse shade trees around. Full selection of hookups with cable TV.
2. Facilities = 3/5
   There’s a full set of facilities here, but they’re all a bit dated. Older showers and restrooms, but kept spotlessly clean and with a few little, cute touches (free bath-mats).
3. Amenities = 4/5
   A decent set of amenities here. On-site laundry, free Tengo WiFi (works decently), and selection of movie rentals and book-swap at the main store. Small, grassy play-area for the kids. Also propane available. Biggest bonus is the HUGE dog-run.
4. Location = 4/5
   This is a good location to explore Boise. The park is in the West of town in a quieter residential neighbourhood, but close enough to be short drive from downtown. Also Walmart, Home Depot and other shopping just a few miles away. Only ding is not alot of green around here.
5. Pet friendliness = 5/5
   Dog facilities are the biggest bonus here. The park has a huge dog run along the back (next to the river) which you can extend into a longer walk along the river-bank. Very spacious.  You are also only ~15 mins drive from the big off-leash dog park downtown.

 Overall rating = 3.9
BONUS ALERT: Huge dog run on-site!

Summary: We were looking for a convenient pet-friendly stop over in Boise and this place fit the bill. It’s a fairly standard private park with “parking-lot” type sites, but is kept meticulously clean and has some nice extra touches. Sites are mostly pull-through with full selection of hookups and slice of green. Good set of amenities and facilities (no pool however). Owners are super-friendly and location is fairly quiet, yet still convenient to everything in downtown Boise. The biggest bonus (for us) was the enormous dog-run all along the back of the park giving us a nice area to walk and hang out w/ pooch by the river. Given the choice of parks around Boise this is one of the nicer options and we’d probably chose to come again if we needed to stop in town.

Extra Info: Verizon aircard and smartphone had full signal. Free WiFi on-site (Tengo). Sites $ 34/night (regular full-hookup). They do offer a nicely discounted weekly & monthly rate, plus a Good Sam’s and AAA discount. 

Typical site view

View of our site at Hi Valley (all sites are very similar)

Typical view down one of the pull-though rows

Another view down the rows

View of main office and facilities in middle of park

View of playground