To enjoy these California road trips, you can be a resident of the Golden State, or you can be an avid road tripping camper spending the summer leisurely camping your way around.
San Francisco to Sonoma
After a camp stay at San Francisco RV Resort, head north toward wine country and a camp stay at Russian River. As the crows fly, it’s about an hour’s drive (give or take traffic time), but you can choose to make a day of it and stop off at some places along the route. Heading out of San Fran, head across the historic Golden Gate Bridge into Sausalito. It’s all about the houseboats here along with the view across the Bay. Shop a bit in downtown Sausalito and grab a coffee for the road. Once in Sonoma County, make sure to stop off in Santa Rosa, where Charles Schultz spent over 40 years drawing Snoopy and his friends. The town pays tribute to Schultz with several statues of the beloved Peanuts characters, and it is also home to the Charles M. Schultz Museum and Research Center. Of course, now you are in wine country, so decide which are your favorites and check them out (go to sonoma.com for a list of all the wineries.) Non-vino centered attractions here can include Sonoma State Historic Park, Safari West and the town of Bodega Bay where the Hitchcock thriller, “The Birds” was filmed.
LA to Monterey
A stay at Thousand Trails Soledad Canyon puts you in proximity to Los Angeles and its highlights which include the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Griffith Observatory, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, and the iconic Hollywood sign. But a few days in the city may have you ready to road trip to a place a bit more serene. And that is Monterey – which is roughly five hours north. Make sure you book a stay at Marina Dunes RV Resort which will serve as home base as you explore the area. A bit less than 2 hours into the drive, you can stop in Santa Barbara, known as the American Riviera, where highlights include Old Mission Santa Barbara, Stearns Wharf and maybe a seafood lunch at one of the restaurants located here, or Lotusland, a beautiful botanic garden nestled in the hills of Montecito. A little over two hours from Santa Barbara is where you will find San Simeon, home to the famous Hearst Castle (hearstcastle.org) which is worth a visit to see this 115-room “house” and all its treasures. Two more hours and you’re in Monterey where must-dos include Cannery Row and the historic waterfront, the 17-Mile Drive, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Lake Tahoe to Yosemite
Yes, it’s hard to leave the beauty of Lake Tahoe and the emerald waters of the lake, the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains and the quaint shops and waterfront dining. If you must hit the road…head to Yosemite. In terms of your campsite, you will be leaving Tahoe Valley Campground and heading to camp at Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes. This trip is all about the scenery! In Lake Tahoe, don’t miss kayaking or stand-up paddling in Lake Tahoe, an excursion to Vikingsholm, a Scandinavian-style castle built in 1928, and a thrilling gondola ride at Heavenly Ski Resort. Yosemite National Park serves up round two of scenic wonders which include Half Dome, Tuolumne Meadows, and Yosemite Falls. Of course, everyone comes here to hike or climb, but there is so much more to do here. Check out Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, the largest in the park and home to more than 500 trees, the Yosemite Museum, that includes the history of the Native Americans who made their home here and the Ansel Adams Gallery, which displays an amazing collection of the famed photographer’s work.
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- Explore the Thousand Trails Camping Pass and the Thousand Trails Cabin Pass
- Find more campgrounds at ThousandTrails.com.
