Sunday, April 17, 2016

Our view... and opinion... of various sites we visited.

Please be reminded we will be reporting on camping and RV sites we visit.  We hope this will be useful to all as a reference document for travel planning.

For ease of reporting and "user friendliness" we will report each site under its Province or State, in a north to south configuration (just pretend you're driving south from Canada to Mexico :-)

BRITISH COLUMBIA

2016 September

Who knew?  We started our sojourn south by driving to Victoria and parking in the Coho Ferry parking lot.  Must arrive between 1930 and 2000 hrs.  Then OK to stay over night... No charge.
  • VANCOUVER ISLAND
    • Cowichan Area
      • ...
    • Comox Area
      • Kin Beach Park
        • Aug. 22.23, 2016
        • Small RV and camping park (some sites and a large field)
        • right on the beach; with a BBQ area
        • we were in Site #1 - no facilities - but great view.  
        • $15 night (cash)
    • North Island
      • Brown's Bay Marina & RV 
        • beautiful site, right on the water (whales swimming by)
        • also has a fairly good restaurant
        • expensive ($50/night) but a great place to kick back for a day or two
        • rec. building has a hot tub, pool table, and laundry.
      • Sayward Valley RV
        • suitable for an over-night stay but pretty much set away from town and not near the water.


WASHINGTON

  • PORT TOWNSEND, WA
    • Point Hudson Resort & Marina  (360-385-2828 / 800=228-2803)           
      • April 21 & 22, 2016
      • 103 Hudson St., Port Townsend
      • Beautiful setting, part of the Port of Port Townsend
      • the RV sites are right beside the marina and are full service 
      • even has three different restaurants right there.
      • sites are situated up on the peninsula and look out over the waters north and east
      • Khu Larb Thai Restaurant is still the best Thai restaurant here
    • Fort Worden State Park RV & Campsites
      • We took a drive through this historical site.  It's fabulous.  All the old buildings are renovated and being used as a Conference Centre and Colleges.
      • As well, there are great RV campgrounds, down (almost) on the beach and with all the usual State Park facilities.
      • We would definitely consider staying here another time.  And we have learned there are several other, good, State Parks in the area... worth checking out.
  • SHELTON, WA
    • Little Creek Casino & RV Park  (360-427-7711 / 800-667-7711)            
      • April 20, 2016
      • 91 West State Route 108
      • level sites with cement parking pads, and full facilities
      • this is a good over-night stop, with clean washrooms and showers, and a laundry
      • it's also attached to the Little Creek Casino for you gambling types
      • Passport America price = $18.00
      • Observation since last fall:  the grass hasn't been cut for some time and the RV park is looking a little shabbier than it was.  May just be the early season.
      • still a great place for an over-nighter

OREGON
  • Riverview RV Park, La Pine, OR
    • grassy site with gravel pads and a friendly manager
    • clean washrooms and showers... even a laungry
    • an older park but ver well maintained
  • Pioneer RV Park, Hermiston, OR
    • suitable fora one-nighter
    • clean, in-line parking with full services
    • Pasport America $18.00
  • Farewell Bend State Park
    • following along the Oregon Trail (aka Hwy. 84)
    • great view of the river and a private site with electricity and water
    • $24/night

  • OAKRIDGE, OR
    • Casey's Riverside RV Park  (541-782-1906)                                                
      • April 19, 2016
      • 46443 WestfirRd., Oakridge, OR
      • Beautiful campgrounds, right on the Willamette River
      • friendly staff
      • small store, all sites have electricity, water and sewer
      • some pull-through sites right across path on the river
      • should mention there is a train that runs every so often, on the other side of the river. If you don't mind the sound of a train's horn, it's quite romantic.
  • Chehalis RV & Outdoor Resort
    • OK, but not the best we've stayed in
    • quite a drive off route, hilly roads and site
IDAHO


  • Three Islands Crossing State Park, Glenn's Ferry, Idaho
    • Site #12 on the upper circle
    • beautiful state park, dump site on way out
    • right on the Snake River
    • Hwy 84, just before Twin Falls, Idaho
    • $28/night


NEVADA 


  • Sparks Marina RV Park, Sparks, Nevada
    • cement pads, all lined up
    • small pool, tidy grounds and security
    • nice park for walking at the marina next door, and it's 11 minutes from the Reno Airport
  • , Welcome Station RV Park, Wells Nevada
    • small and friendly
    • parallel parking on grass
    • on the slip road to the highway (traffic noise)
    • but friendly and peaceful with a small stream and horses in the field
    • great, old-fashioned shower and washroom
    • Passport America $15.00
    • NB: Advice from Larry re the 'flatter' route
      • head south to Ely on Hwy 93, stop for groceries and gas
      • leave Ely, turn right at McDonalds on to Hwy 6 and then turn left onto Hwy 318.
      • leave early enough to get to Alamo
        • stop for fuel and water at Sinclair Station, then head 4 miles down the road to the Pahrahagat National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge
    • very beautiful and free
    • on a man-made lake with lots of wildlife
    • Mule deer checked out our stuff overnight.
    • warming: re shaking out shoes and gloves, etc... for tarantulas

CALIFORNIA
  • Orange Grove RV, Bakersfield, CA
    • valley area is low and can be prone to smog during certain seasons
    • RV park is flat, plain, and has few amenities... BUT, in the right season it does have orange trees and guests are welcome to pick the oranges
    • washrooms are fine
  • Durango RV, Red Bluff, CA
    • near the highway but lovely park
    • right on the river, with level, cement, drive-thru sites
    • Rec building with pool and propane fire pit, etc.
    • walking distance to nearby restaurants
    • major frog situation after dark, so we prefer the sites away from the fountains and fish/frog pools
  • Seven Feathers Casino and RV Resort, Canyonville, CA
    • while RVs are permitted to park in the Casino parking lot, just down the road is a beautiful RV Park, with level, pull-thru, cement pads, all facilities, AND a rec. building with pool and hot tub.
    • there's also a shuttle that runs you up to the Casino and restaurants should you so desire.
    • A truck stop lies just south (and adjacent to) the RV park.  RV rigs are also permitted to park up in the overnight parking lot there.
  • LIKELY, CA
    • Likely Place RV & Golf Resort  (530-233-4466)                                         
      • April 18, 2016
      • 1255 Likely Pl., Likely, CA
      • Watch for the big sign at the side of the road... turn onto the road just south of the store
      • Very nice golf and RV resort, a couple of miles into the country side and surrounded by beautiful forests.  Even has a nature trail.  Sites are flat, gravel with grass on each side. Sites are a good size and most have electricity and water.  There is a dump station near the entrance.
  • BISHOP, CA
    • Browns Town Campsite (760-873-8522)                                                     
      • April 17, 2016
      • 1 mile south of Bishop, on Hwy 395
      • staff was friendly enough
      • unfortunately many of the sites did not have Water or Electricity and none had sewer
      • and on April 17, 2016 there was a significant ant problem on many of the sites.  We decided not to stay.
      • if you have allergies, note large number of Cottonwood trees
      • had we stayed, the fee would have been $30 (non-refundable)
    • Bishop RV Park (Tri-County Fairgrounds) (760-873-3588)                    
      • April 17, 2016
      • Sierra St. & Coats St., Bishop, CA
      • no ants
      • nice, clean, flat gravel lot (no grass, although the fairgrounds has lots of grass)
      • new buildings, great washrooms, full-service sites
      • $30/night  (self-service pay envelope if arrive on a Sunday - which we did)
      • NB: great bakery in Bishop called Erick Schlat's Bakkery (763 Main Street, Bishop)
  • PALM SPRINGS & AREA, CA
    • The Outdoor Resort (Cathedral City) (760-328-3834)                               
      • March 25 - April 15, 2016
      • 69411 Ramon Rd., Cathedral City
      • Without a doubt, this is our favourite spot to visit. It is expensive, but for your money you have tennis, golf, swimming, hot-tubbing, walking, an exercise room, movie night, other social events, and a gorgeous, private setting. It's also minutes away from Palm Springs which is just down the road.
      • This is not a public RV Park.  It is a collection of privately owned sites.  Rentals are possible but must be arranged through either private owners or one of a few rental managers.

ARIZONA
    • Crazy Horse RV Park (Lake Havasu City)
      • very busy and in need of refreshing
      • Cat Tail Cove, down the road 15M is reported as being very nice.
    • Buckskin Mountain State Park    
      • fabulous location and set up
      • will definitely stay here again
    • Canyon Lake Marina & RV Resort (outside Apache Junction)
      • privately owned and not cheap, but nice setting
      • RV sites pretty crowded, although Site A and C are great
      • very poor restroom and shower facilities
    • Golden Sun RV Resort (Apache Junction)    
      • ok for a parking lot RV place
      • people are very nice and there is a pool... it was just a little 'old' for us                          
    • Gilbert Ray County Park (outside Tucson)
      • fantastic place... our first experience in a State Park
      • no reservations, first come first served, $20/night
      • electricity at each site, water ever few sites
      • dump site for all (usual for the US)
      • great desert location with hiking trails every where.
    • Patagonia Lake State Park
      • great park with good sized sites. 
      • dump station is on the way out (or in :-)
    • Saddle Mountain RV Park, Tonopah, AZ
      • mixed reviews on Trip Advisor but we thought it was just fine and met our needs very well.
      • washrooms older but clean, sites flat gravel with not too many trees, but they were just fine (power, water and sewer), pool, tennis court, and pickle ball courts
      • Passport America = $16.50 night

PLACES WE HAVE HEARD OF AND WILL BE CHECKING OUT WHEN WE CAN.  
ANY FEEDBACK WELCOME.




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