Lone Pine is a small town on Highway 395 in the Owens Valley. Lone Pine has a few stores and restaurants and is mainly a portal to Mt McKinley & the Alabama Hills. Travelers often stop here on their way to Bishop, Mammoth Lakes and Lake Tahoe. There aren’t many RV parks in this area but there’s plenty of BLM campgrounds. Boulder Creek RV Resort, south of town, is the only RV park with full hookups in this area. The years of drought in California, particularly the Eastern Sierra, made Owens Lake a small wetlands. But with the unusually large amount of snow pack melt & rain in winter & spring 2023, Owens Lake had returned to a lake. By October, the warm summer had reduced the size of the lake. But much of the lake and wetlands around the Owens Lake West Delta Birding Area were still prevalent.
After hiking the Alabama Hills Movie Road, we stopped at the Alabama Hills Cafe. It has a well-served 4.5 star rating in Yelp. But they close early at 3pm and all day Wednesdays so they are great for breakfast or lunch. After hiking Lone Pine Lake Trail, part of the Mt Whitney Trail, it was after 3pm. So we tried the Mt Whitney Restaurant which claims “the best burgers in town”. The Mt Whitney restaurant has a classic decor with lots of history & memorabilia similar to the Film History Museum.
Our first 6 months of rv’ing on the West Coast have been short hops from one campground to another, on one tank of gas. Our Tacoma’s range is only ~200mi/tank and being new at towing a travel trailer. We’ve been conservative, only driving ~150-160 miles each day. But traveling home from Monterey to Oceanside (~431mi), we decided to just make one overnight stop in Buellton, the halfway point. This required a fuel stop along the way towing Howie, something we’ve been putting off until gaining more experienced. But we want to start driving longer distances before stopping overnight to get further away from home. So finding rv-friendly gas stations every 200mi along our route has to be planned. Rest stops every few hours will still happen along with the fuel stops. The California west coast does not have many Pilot/Flying J gas stations. There’s one off the 101 in Salinas CA but most are inland on the I-5 & further east. But there are a few other gas stations that cater to RVs & trucks off the 101 freeway. After researching a few places along the way using Google maps & street-view, we picked a few that were right off the 101. We stopped at the San Paso Truck Stop in Paso Robles, 118mi south, that was right off the freeway. It has CAT scales so before fueling, we weighed our tow vehicle (5680#) and 20ft travel trailer (3261#).
When planning this trip, we considered boondocking for the night but settled on stopping at Flying Flags RV Resort in Buellton, which is in town right off the 101. It’s another urban “glampground” with lots of amenities & full hookups. We booked two nights – I’ve read advice from experienced RV’ers that recommend when stopping, to stop for more than one night. Flying Flags has some very nice facilities: beautiful restrooms & showers, pool & hot tub, cafe & bar. But the Feather & Fire Cafe/Bar are closed Mon-Tues. Fortunately, since you are in town, there are plenty of places to eat nearby like the Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. a mile away. Since we were not in a big hurry and never stayed in this area. We’d spend Monday checking out the area. Nearby Solvang is a great day-trip.
On our furthest trip north towing Howie, our third stop was the KOA campground in Watsonville. It’s 28mi north of Monterey, midway between Monterey & Santa Cruz. Carol was lucky enough to get us tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium the first Saturday they opened to non-members. We love Monterey Bay Aquarium & have missed visiting so we scheduled this entire trip around these tickets. Entries were by reservation and we had tickets for 3:30pm Sat May 15th, the last group of the day since it closes at 5pm.
The Monterey/Santa Cruz KOA is only our 2nd KOA but this one was definitely a tier above Ventura Ranch KOA. The campground was well laid out and included a tent-camping area, RV sites, and cabins. The RV sites were full hookup, fairly spacious, and level gravel pads with picnic table & fire ring. Pine trees surrounded the site but did not overhang our trailer or solar panel. The KOA is very family oriented and there were kids on bikes everywhere. They have scheduled activities and many play areas, closed at the Ventura KOA due to Covid, were open. Our grandkids would enjoy this campground so we will have to return when they are a bit older & able to travel this far from home. The Friday-Saturday we were there happened to have a special rate – stay Friday at the regular rate & get Sat for $20. Needless to say we were happy for the price break BUT every RV site, tent, & cabin in the campground was occupied.
Our reservation listed driving directions that were different than Google Maps or Apple Maps. Be sure to follow the driving directions the KOA provides in their reservation confirmation or web site (reprinted bottom of this page), not Google or Apple Maps. On a day-trip back to the campground, we drove our truck (without trailer) on the route suggested by Google Maps, using Buena Vista Dr. It’s a very narrow winding road so even though it may be shorter, I would not have liked navigating it with our small trailer.
Since we arrived Thursday & our aquarium tickets were for Saturday, we had Friday open. We enjoy hiking in the Redwoods in Humboldt County so we looked for a place nearby. Unfortunately, nearby Big Basin and Henry Cowell Redwood State Parks were closed due to wildfires. They are scheduled to reopen the end of May but not while we are here. Fortunately, only 30mins away in Aptos, the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park was opened. There are some old growth redwoods so that was where we spent Friday. We were given a paper map by the park ranger but had trouble with judging direction & scale. Trail markers are few and far between and there is little to no cell service. We did an extra mile or two before getting back on the right trail. So be aware if it’s an unfamiliar park to not assume you can navigate using your cell phone. Pay particular attention to any trail marker because there are plenty of forks on the trail but not all are marked. Since we had an extra long hike, we rewarded ourselves with burgers and beer at Burger Aptos.
Saturday we drove to Monterey early and had lunch before our entry time into the aquarium. Cannery Row restaurants were packed with tourists and had long lines so we opted for Hula’s Island Grill on Lighthouse Ave, a few blocks away. At 3pm, we headed to the aquarium and got into the socially-distanced queue. They let us in a few minutes early and it was even better than I remember. Although the 3:30 group of a few hundred entered the aquarium, people dispersed pretty quickly. There were people near popular tanks like the octopus (see photo) who was very active while we were there. Monterey Bay Aquarium is my favorite and I think they have the best presentations of aquatic life & educational material of any aquarium I’ve visited. Well worth the drive, the wait, and although we saw everything we wanted. It would have been even better if we had an extra hour. Tomorrow we pack up and head to Flying Flags in Buellton, CA, about 212mi south. It will be the first time we’ve fueled the truck while towing. I’ve mapped out a few rv-friendly gas stations along our route. But Paso Robles has a truck stop with Cat Scale so that’s where we’ll stop.
We camped here in February and enjoyed the location so much we wanted to come back during warmer weather. Unfortunately, we returned during a cold spell which was very much like February. The day we arrived was beautiful sunny and warm but the “May Grey” hovered over the campground the next few days. Pismo State Beach Campground is small with pull-through sites providing water & electricity. They have private restrooms & showers which require tokens. Pismo Preserve is a popular hiking area just east of the 101. We noticed it last trip but did not stop so this time we stopped & hiked the Lone Oak trail. Wildflowers were in bloom so the hillsides were covered in yellow flowers. The “May Grey” burned off and it was a warm afternoon. There is a beautiful oak-forested area on the Vamonos Canyon trail with birds such as hawks, turkey vultures and woodpeckers flying about. There are several trails of different elevation changes and lengths. You have to share the trails with runners and mountain bikers (some on e-bikes) who may attach a bell so you can hear them coming. When we were there, there were people hiking & biking but overall uncrowded.
The next day we drove up Highway 1 to San Simeon & the elephant seal rookery. It was along the coast so the marine layer kept it cool. It’s a great drive and even the RV could easily make it north this far on Highway 1. The road gets less rv-friendly, narrow & winding, further north though. There were thousand of elephant seal along the coastline at every pullout. We stopped at Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery which is a great spot to view & photograph them. Hearst Castle is nearby but closed due to Covid.
To get away from the cool grey coastline, on Day 3 we drove inland to Lopez Lake in hopes of boating on the lake. Inland skies were clear and blue and Lopez Lake is only 13mi inland. But by early afternoon, the winds on the lake were so strong wind surfers were enjoying catching air. We decided against renting a boat & fighting the strong breezes chopping the lake. The lake level is (at least) 15-20ft below its high water mark but there were people fishing from boats & docks. I’ll add a fishing pole in my truck inventory for such fishing opportunities. We drove around the Lopez Lake campgrounds – seems like every hillside has sites, most primitive. Hiking trails were plentiful but the dry rolling hills on a windy afternoon were not calling. Since Lopez Lake was a short mid-day detour, we visited Dinosaur Caves in north Pismo Beach. Breaking out the bikes, we had a short ride around this scenic area. Next day – heading north to Monterey.
Our first stop northward was the Ventura Ranch KOA, our first stay at a KOA campground since becoming members. We had a back-in site, fairly wide, with electric and water. The campground is ~17mi inland from Ventura so warm and sunny during our stay. We’ve been using InRoute RV navigation app on my iPhone for directions. It works well but I thought the directions seemed off so we double-checked our track with Google Maps. Google Maps recommended a quicker route, taking highway 23. That was a mistake. The route was shorter but wound through the canyons. There were tight turns, guardrail-less sections of road, high cliffs, and a busy two-way two lane road – not recommended. Most of the campground’s public areas were closed due to Covid. The pool, zipline course, and kids activity area were quiet but all campsite were occupied. What isn’t quiet are the many peacocks roaming freely around. They take some getting used to but while we were there, their loud calls could be heard far & wide. They also roam through the campsite – they are a beautiful bird but noisy and unexpected. We did not spend much time in the campground since it was Mother’s Day weekend and our son Matthew wanted to have lunch in Camarillo with his mom. Matthew’s wedding which was postponed from Sept 2020 was rescheduled to May 28 2021. With it only weeks away, once we had lunch, we hit the premium outlet stores for wedding wares (wears?). After two noisy nights (peacocks & a barking dog next door) we’re headed to Pismo State Beach Campground.
After a one week trip from Oceanside to Pismo Beach in February 2021, we wanted to do another trip there during summer. Our trip northward, we kept to the “2-2-2” rule – “take a break every 2hrs, drive 200mi, stop by 2pm”. Our arrivals were often closer to 3 or 4pm but we stuck to the other suggested “rules”. Stopping at a rest area to have lunch, check tires, and hit the restroom after a couple hours. Our Tacoma’s range is only about 180-200mi so we’ve been limiting ourselves to that distance each day. But at that pace, you don’t get very far so now that we are gaining more experience. We will gradually extend our time on the road and make fuel stop with the trailer attached. Something we’ve been reluctant to do but after pinpointing RV-friendly gas stations, on the two legs to get home – Monterey to Buellton 212mi; Buellton to Oceanside 220mi. We will fuel up near the freeway and get back on the road without taking a break.
Since Pismo State Beach is a bit farther than a tank of gas. The first leg was to our first KOA at Ventura Ranch for 2 nights. We met our son Matthew in Camarillo for an early Mother’s Day lunch and spent the day with him. After postponing his wedding in 2020, he’s finally able to get married with friends and family May 28th, two weeks away. So shopping for wedding clothes and checking out the venue was something we wanted to do. So we did not sight-see or explore much of the Ventura Ranch area. Next, we camped 4 nights at Pismo State Beach, occupying the same site as our Feb trip. All the site are pull through with water & electrical hookups. The coastal weather this early summer felt cooler then February. We just happened to hit Pismo State Beach during a cooler weather window so we did not really enjoy warmer summer beach weather. It was a cool, foggy “May Grey” on the coast but a little further inland the marine layer burned off. Our primary destination was Monterey since we were lucky enough to get tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Carol scored some tickets the first weekend open to the public since Covid lockdown. The Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA is 28mi north of Monterey proper.
As mentioned, limiting our daily travels to under 200mi makes for slow travel. So we wanted to drive further each day heading homeward. Flying Flags RV Resort in Buellton was midway so we stayed there two nights. Some RV’ers recommended staying two-nights when stopping instead of one. It has its pros and cons: pros you have a chance to rest & check out the area; cons it takes you longer to get home. So it really depends on your schedule. We had the time but we have yet to adjust to the RV retirement lifestyle of taking it slow. When we arrive someplace, we want to hike, bike, and enjoy the area.
Since towing Howie is still new to us and stressful, we prefer not to drive more than a tankful of gas. As we gain more experience and fuel at rv-friendly stations, we’ll consider driving longer distances. For now, keeping our drives under 200mi is good. Since Pismo State Beach campground did not have full hookups, we reserved a full hookup site at Carpinteria State Beach. We only stopped for one night to break up the drive home. We considered boondocking since there are no Harvest Hosts in this region. But having a full hookup site allowed us to bypass the dump station at Pismo Beach campground.
Carpinteria State Beach campground has sites right on the beach and we reserved one of the few sites available. Since our trailer is only 20ft, there was one site available. If you want a campground with full hookups right on the beach then this is the place. We were only here one night but we made the most of our 24hrs. There are natural tar sands, resembling black lava flows, oozing throughout the beach front.
We had clear sunny windy weather most of our week in Ventura. Today was supposed to be a calmer day but everything is relative. We stopped at the Butterfly Grove where Monarch Butterflies are abundant Oct-Feb. This February, there were only several but the grove is free, easy to access so worth a visit. There is beach access, dunes, coastal trees, birds & trails we enjoyed. The section of campground adjacent the Butterfly Grove was closed due to recent flooding, perhaps from recent King Tides. Later, we took the coastal drive up to Avila Beach, hoping to check out the lighthouse. Turns out the only way to see the lighthouse is by tour group so we stopped for lunch by the beach. Avila Beach has a similar ambiance to Catalina Island. We ended the day by driving on the beach at sunset. We later learned there are petitions and the Sierra Club lobbying to stop the vehicles on the beach. There is only ~4 miles of driveable beach but I understand, as an oceanographer, the potential environmental impact. We are heading south tomorrow and this is our last evening at Pismo Beach. We considered driving all the way home tomorrow but booked a single night in Carpenteria, about 110mi south.
Morro Bay is a great scenic destination to get out and stay socially-distanced. We had a beautiful clear windy day, thankful we were not towing. Morro Rock is the cornerstone of Morro Bay. There’s a wide beach & plenty of free parking, large enough for motorhomes. Just south of Morro Rock in Morro Bay, is a small wharf with several excellent seafood eateries & fish market. There is also a salt water taffy stand that has a wonderful selection of some of the best taffy we’ve ever had.
After lunch, we headed 5mi south to El Moro Elfin Forest in Los Osos. A mile of wooden boardwalks that take you through 90 acres of coastal dune scrub & pygmy oak forest.
After 3 nights at Ventura Beach RV Resort, we headed ~110mi north to Pismo Beach State Beach in Oceano. This is a California State Beach campground with electrical & water hookups. It’s adjacent to Oceano Dunes beach, where you can drive your vehicle on the beach (may be banned soon). At the campground, there is a lagoon to hike around with a variety of waterfowl. We considered staying at Morro Bay State Beach but none of the available sites had hookups. Being RV-newbies, we are still trying to gauge our dry-camping capabilities. Morro Bay is 25mi away so we made it a day-trip. Avila Beach is also nearby so we spent our third day exploring it. I had disembarked an oceanographic cruise in Avila Beach many years ago & always wanted to revisit this coastal town.
