California roads

[allegrorover@mac.com]

We have a 40-foot RV with a motorcycle on a lift and a toad behind it. We are looking for advice about traveling the coast road of California -- available campgrounds, places we should or shouldn't go. We will be taking our trip in May for several months and would like to visit several wineries through California, Oregon and Washington.

Is the coast road the best to take as far as scenery and access to villages and campgrounds considering our size, or would it be best to stay inland and drive to the coast as we move up north?

We would appreciate any info and recommendations. Thanks for your help.

[tbutler]

We don't live in California. I'm sure that some residents will fill in more detailed information. We have traveled the coast in the area around San Francisco and to the north to Eureka.

The coast road scenery is spectacular. For the most, Highway 1 on the coast is not advised for large motor homes. You'll be better off traveling Highway 101 and taking the motorcycle on good weather days or the toad on rainy days. Highway 1 is the kind of road I love to cruise on a motorcycle. We did take a 38' motor home on Hwy 1 but I gave it up as soon as I could find a road to take us back to 101. That said, there are some nice campgrounds on Hwy 1. We stayed at a city campground in Watsonville, south of San Francisco. A really nice campground, it wasn't expensive and had great service. We stayed a week and rode our bicycles up and down the coast visiting coastal day parks.

As you get further north, Highway 101 is the coast highway but it doesn't hug the coast like Hwy 1 until it reaches Oregon. We haven't traveled Hwy 101 into Oregon.

[NWJeeper]

Hwy 101 for the southern half of Oregon is a good road and acceptable for a big rig. It is very scenic but it can be an exercise in frustration as you have to drive so slow. Most of the going is 35 to 45mph so don't plan on making time. That said our favorite places are Tillamook, OR. Visit the cheese factory and plan to have fresh ice cream for lunch, yum. Just about 40 minutes north is a state park which we absolutely love, Newhalem Bay state park.

Washington's coast is not as scenic but Grayland Beach state park has a whole new section on the beach which is great and has huge pull throughs and back-ins almost big enough for two rigs! We just loved it. Make reservations, both of these state parks are very popular but shouldn't be all that full yet in May.

If you want other ideas for Washington or Oregon let us know, it's our back yard.

[rosst8@calwa.net]

In Tillamook, you must visit the air museum also.

Its a converted dirigible hanger from WW11.

[pianodan]

If you travel 101 through Oregon, Depot Bay is spectacular, and just north of Depot bay is a Clam house (forgot the name of it, been a long time) that serves galvanized buckets full of steamed clams.

[jctelling@juno.com]

We travel down from Northern California to Southern Cal a lot, and the best way (in my opinion) is HWY 101, which takes you through Gilroy, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo etc before going over to the coast at Pismo each. the road then cuts back inland, and goes over to the coast again around Gavioat State Park just after 101 merges with HYW 1. You travel through Santa Barbara, then on to Ventura, where there is a pretty good campground just North of the city. We drive an Excuriosn 39L and tow a GMC Acadia.

The other choices are I5, which is dangerous because of the way the truckers drive, and HWY 99, which is my second choice. These converge just south of Bakersfield, and take you over the Grapevine. A lot of people underestimate the steepness and many cars/RVs/trucks overheat, so try to go over when it is cool (under 100 f) - that area gets rather warm!

[Guest BillAdams]

I am not sure which way you are going, but if you come into CA1 from the North around Monterey, CA and travel South you will have a great day trip on the outside lanes away from the sheer walls and tight inside turns. We made the trip with a 40' RV and a full size extended van in tow. You take your time, pull over on the many pull-offs to let others get by and go even slower than the recommend speeds on the sharp corners. It's about 100 miles down to Morrow Bay with several stops including Hearst Castle as you get near the end of the trip. I think the N. bound trip would be OK, but I don't think I would have been able to enjoy the view and the trip in general as much hoping no one was coming when I had to swing wide to make some of those turns. This is simply not an issue if traveling Southbound.

If that's not the way you are going you will find lots of wineries along CA 29 between Napa and Calistoga. Be sure to plan time for a mud bath in Calistoga. Not only is it a very unique experience, it's a really nice one as well. There is an excellent campground in town as well. As you travel N. it will be on 101 and you can stop and that the train in Willits, visit as many towns as you like (we like a dry camping area in Eureka between the bay and ocean) the Redwood forests S. of Crescent City (we stay in Crescent City and visit by car). Visit Brookings and stop by the seafood vendors in the late afternoon after the fresh batch of Dungeness crabs arrive. You can stay at Beachfront RV park or several others without the view. There are a number of cities to visit and or stay along the trip N on 101 so just keep going. You will find Sea Lions Caves N. of Florence, lots to do in the Newport area, Tillamook as mentioned before all the way up to Astoria for some more camping and touring. You have a tough choice here. You can head inland to visit Mt. St. Helen's (highly recommended) and then coming back out or just continuing up 101. Either way you will want to make your way to the Olympic Loop. Continuing up 101 you will eventually get to the Olympic loop with the Hoh Rain Forest, the Sol Duc Hot Springs and Port Angeles. This is an excellent place to catch the ferry to Victoria, BC. Either walk on or take your car on the ferry (a somewhat pricey option) and spend the day exploring Victoria and their amazing gardens.

From there you will take the ferry from Port Townsend and make your way to Oak harbor and then onto Anacortes.

Of course, there is Seattle with lots to do but if you can get yourself just a bit further be sure to to drive into BC and visit Vancouver which is a beautiful city with an excellent park system and wonderful people. I don't know if the Olympics had a positive or negative effect on Vancouver but I hope it had no effect at all.

Well, whew, there you go. What more can I tell you?

[wolfe10]

A great thread-- keep it coming.

Many of us (including Dianne and I) will head west (we enjoy Hwy 50-- the loneliest road in America), then through the CA wine country and north along the coast before heading inland for the FMCA Convention in Redmond this August.

Brett

[Guest Wayne77590]

I did a search and found this thread. It has answered some of my questions.

NWJeeper, I just may give you a PM or email regarding routes to take heading up the coast. We are in Petaluma, CA right now and leave in the morning for Klamath, CA, using US-101.

Thanks all.

[rdschoepf@gmail.com]

Would certainly NOT recommend NORTHBOUND Hwy 1 north of Cambria, CA. The sharp turns North of the Hurst Castle make it impossible to keep a 40' coach on your own side of the road - I was scared to death that we would encounter a kid riding a crotch rocket Southbound while crowding the yellow line! Sounds as though traveling it Southbound may be a better bet though I have not driven it myself in a coach. Certainly the Southbound trip is a thrill for anyone afraid of heights! This is a very beautiful trip so be sure to take it - it will be a ball on your bike! You can follow Hwy 1 North from Monterey to San Francisco with no problems.

The first portion of Hwy 1 North of San Francisco is a bit sharp and steep. Sir Francis Drake blvd from San Anselmo to Olema, CA is a much better way to access that beautiful ride in the coach. Hwy 1 North of Fort Bragg, CA has many turns too sharp to allow a 40' coach to stay in its own lane - the problem here being the logging trucks - while they are able to stay on their own side of the line due to the design of their trailers, they leave no room to spare! On this road neither Northbound or Southbound is acceptable for 40' coaches. Fort Bragg and Hwy 1 South of it are very beautiful and well worth the trip. Sorry I am not able to comment on the suitability of CA 20 from Fort Bragg to Willits - too many years since I have driven it and then it was in a car. We have always taken the coach on CA 128 between Albion to Cloverdale - that takes you out of your way a bit but is a pretty drive.

Note that summer time produces a lot of fog right on the coast in both California and Oregon.

Calistoga, CA is at the very North end of the Napa Valley - great California wine country. A good place to stay in the valley is the campground located on the Napa County Fairgrounds - 8 short blocks from the downtown restaurants. This campground is closed for the fair which is held over Independence Day - If you will be there in late June or early July you may wish to call them to find out exactly when they are closed.

Have a great trip - you will be traveling through some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere!

[Guest BillAdams]

We took 1 from Monterey to Morro Bay and I highly recommend this trip. We did pull over from time to time to let others pass but we never felt rushed or out of place. I highly recommend N to S as you don't have any of the cliff edges to deal with and/or having to swing out into the oncoming lanes to make one of the many tight curves. If the speed limit is 25 you will want to be going about 15 to make a nice comfortable turn. Otherwise, it's just a great trip with plenty of real estate between you and the ocean. If you have made the trip to Crater Lake, you will understand when I say that you have LOTS more road under your tires along CA1 than you do on those roads. CA1 is great! Take the drive (N to S) and you will be able to tell your friends about the trip and post here about one of the greatest drives you have ever taken.