A timelapse of the Orangeland RV Park.
campsite
Places we stay in our coach.
Orangeland RV Park
We stayed at Orangeland RV Park in Orange (Los Angeles), California. (Campground Reviews listing.)
Our second stay here; a nice park, just a few miles from Disneyland.
Dates:
- Check in: 2023-04-01
- Check out: 2023-04-08
- 7 nights
Weather:
- Sunny
- High temps ranging between 64-82°F, lows around 44-54°F
- Little wind; one day of 28 MPH gusts
Noise:
- No freeway noise, some road noise
- No train noise, but distant horns a few times
- Some neighbor noise
Site:
- #96, pull-through, asphalt
- Didn’t need to disconnect toad; parked in front of coach
- Fairly level
- Small site: about 50 feet long by about 30 feet wide
- Patio table & chairs on asphalt
- Orange trees that can be harvested
Utilities:
- 50 amp power, somewhat conveniently located
- 80 PSI water, conveniently located
- Unthreaded sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)
Internet (in usage priority order):
- T-Mobile: 78-86 Mbps down, 2 Mbps up, 30 ms ping
- AT&T: 20 Mbps down, 6-18 Mbps up, 30 ms ping
- Verizon: 21-28 Mbps down, 16-23 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
- Starlink: not used
- Campground Wi-Fi: not used
Amenities:
- Garbage collection from site
- Swimming pool & hot tub
- Package delivery to office
- Just a few miles from Disneyland
Our review on Campground Reviews:
The place to stay for Disneyland
This was our second time staying here, and I would happily stay again. For an urban setting so close to Disneyland and other attractions, they could easily charge more than they do. This park is genuinely a park, with lovely landscaping and attention to service. We had site 96, which was an interestingly located pull-through site right at the end of a row close to the office. The only downside to the location is there is no privacy screening between your living area and the check-in area. There’s entertainment value in watching the flow of people coming into the park, but I would’ve preferred a nice trellis or hedge to look at. We also enjoyed being close enough to civilization to order food delivery and get some service done on our rig while here. But the main draw, of course, is being a 10-minute drive to Disneyland. We camped at Orangeland RV Park in a Motorhome.
Interactive map:
Campground map:
They also have a map on a wall showing where all of the fruit trees are:
Our site:
Our site was near the registration area:
Setting up our site; here’s a video of a leveling jack going down:
Griddle, filters, and water softener stored for transport:
Setting up utilities:
A nice thing about being in a city; we can get pizza delivery:
Working outside:
The registration area was so close:
A nice thing about this park is they offer trash pickup from the site (and even provide a bag):
The Orangeland RV Park entrance:
Office:
Registration area:
Pool:
Hot tub (which was undergoing renovations last time we were here):
Putting area:
Games:
Pool table:
Outdoor livng area:
Outdoor kitchen:
Covered playground:
The local bus goes through the park:
A Tiffin Phaeton arrival:
Other RV sites:
Video: Thousand Trails Palm Springs campground timelapse
A timelapse of the Thousand Trails Palm Springs campground.
Thousand Trails Palm Springs
We stayed at Thousand Trails Palm Springs in Palm Desert, California. (Campground Reviews listing.)
Our second stay here; a working date palm farm as a Thousand Trails park. Tricky to get positioned, but convenient once there.
Dates:
- Check in: 2023-03-25
- Check out: 2023-04-01
- 7 nights
Weather:
- Mostly sunny
- High temps ranging between 65-76°F, lows around 47-51°F
- Little wind; one day of 24 MPH gusts
Noise:
- Distant freeway noise
- Some train noise, but no horns most of the time
- Some neighbor noise
Site:
- #282, back in, sand
- Needed to disconnect toad; parked beside coach
- Fairly level
- Small site: about 45 feet long by about 25 feet wide
- Picnic table on concrete pad palm trees
- Super difficult to park due to palm trees, light post, and wacky sewer position
Utilities:
- 50 amp power, very inconveniently located
- 50 PSI water, very inconveniently located
- Good sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)
Internet (in usage priority order):
- T-Mobile: 26-88 Mbps down, 60 Mbps up, 35 ms ping
- AT&T: 3 Mbps down, 2 Mbps up, 40 ms ping
- Verizon: 5 Mbps down, 8 Mbps up, 40 ms ping
- Starlink: not used
- Campground Wi-Fi: not used
Amenities:
- Garbage dumpsters
- Swimming pool
- Package delivery to site
Our review on Campground Reviews:
Parking here is not for the faint of heart
This was our second stay, and it was pretty much the same as the last time. The check-in staff are very helpful and informative, giving you a rundown of the park and the best way to wedge your RV between the trees. With a 40′ motorhome and tow vehicle, the best way to find a site is to park your rig by the pool, unhook, and then drive the tow vehicle around to scope a decent site. Not all sites are created equal; some have palm trees that lean more than others, some are quite a bit shorter than others, and some are narrower. Once you find the best site you can, parking your rig in it is a community endeavor. Between the trees and the narrow roads, you may have to enlist the aid of your neighbors to move their vehicles so you can back in. Compromise may be required. I saw smaller rigs than ours balk at sites along our row. But once you get in, it’s very nice under the palms. We camped at Thousand Trails Palm Springs in a Motorhome.
Interactive map:
Campground map:
Our site; it took literally half an hour to get positioned between the trees, sewer, and light pole; the most difficult park to get situated in. But once set up, we enjoy the proximity to Joshua Tree National Park and the desert cities:
The electric and water utilities are at the back of the site, rather inconvenient:
The sewer is conveniently located, though, other than in terms of the palm trees:
Working outside:
We drove our truck around to scout for a site (this being Thousand Trails). This is the site we chose; a little tight between the palm tree and sewer at the rear, and a light pole and another palm tree at the front:
Other sites we considered:
A nice thing about this park is UPS, FedEx, and Amazon will deliver directly to the sites:
For USPS or packages without site numbers, they post a notice on a message board near the entrance:
Other sites:
Cabins:
Entrance:
Swimming pools:
The sky with palm trees:
Barstow / Calico KOA Holiday
We stayed at Barstow / Calico KOA Holiday in Yermo, California. (Campground Reviews listing.)
Rather short site, and too much freeway noise, but okay for a couple of days.
Dates:
- Check in: 2023-03-23
- Check out: 2023-03-25
- 2 nights
Weather:
- Partly sunny
- High temps ranging between 58-60°F, lows around 35-39°F
- Wind gusts to 37 MPH
Noise:
- Loud freeway noise; no train noise
Site:
- #39, pull-through, gravel
- Needed to disconnect toad; parked beside coach
- Level
- Small site: about 50 feet long by about 30 feet wide
- Picnic tables, charcoal grill, gravel, shrubs
Utilities:
- 50 amp power, conveniently located
- 40 PSI water, conveniently located
- Good sewer connection, inconveniently located (2 10-foot pipe needed)
Internet (in usage priority order):
- T-Mobile: 38 Mbps down, 42-69 Mbps up, 27 ms ping
- AT&T: 12-17 Mbps down, 4 Mbps up, 40 ms ping
- Verizon: 1 Mbps down, 1 Mbps up, 300 ms ping
- Starlink: not used
- Campground Wi-Fi: none
Amenities:
- Garbage bins
- Closed pool
Our review on Campground Reviews:
Convenient stop along I-15
We stayed for two nights, which was about the right length of time. It’s an older KOA in need of some TLC with convenient access to the interstate; which means you do get constant road noise. The sites are pretty short, and we definitely had to unhook the tow and park alongside the coach. The site also seemed a bit narrow, but that may have been because it had an excess of tables and chairs (2 picnic tables, a concrete table and benches, and a park bench). We camped at Barstow / Calico KOA Holiday in a Motorhome.
Tip for Other Campers: Check out the Calico Ghost Town and Peggy Sue’s Diner. Both were good, kitschy fun.
Interactive map:
Campground map:
Our site; we didn’t bother with the Magne Shade, since only a couple of nights:
Utilities:
So many tables and benches:
View of the freeway from our window:
Entrance:
Office:
Bike and archery rental (maybe in summer):
Mural:
Piano:
Artwork:
Playground:
Train car:
Deflated jump pad:
Pool:
Tent sites:
Cabins:
RV sites:
Death Valley Furnace Creek Campground
We stayed at Furnace Creek Campground within Death Valley National Park, California. (Campground Reviews listing.)
The first time we’ve ever stayed inside a national park in our coach.
Dates:
- Check in: 2023-03-20
- Check out: 2023-03-23
- 3 nights
Weather:
- Partly sunny, a couple days of drizzle
- High temps ranging between 61-73°F, lows around 43-50°F
- Wind gusts to 37 MPH
Noise:
- No road or train noise
- Some neighbor kid noise, not too bad
Site:
- #69, pull-through, asphalt
- Didn’t need to disconnect toad; parked behind and in front of coach
- Level
- Large site: about 95 feet long by about 50 feet wide
- Picnic table, fire pit, gravel
Utilities:
- 50 amp power, conveniently located
- 55 PSI water, conveniently located
- Good sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)
Internet (in usage priority order):
- Starlink: 43-148 Mbps down, 11-23 Mbps up, 29-40 ms ping
- T-Mobile: no service
- AT&T: no service
- Verizon: no service
- Campground Wi-Fi: none
Amenities:
- Garbage dumpsters
- National Park!
- Visitor center
- General store
- Restaurant
Our review on Campground Reviews:
Great campground in the heart of Death Valley NP
There are two things I wish about this place: 1) That they had more full hookup sites, and 2) that we’d gotten to stay longer. We originally booked a dry camping spot but were lucky enough to snag a cancellation for a full hookup and I’m so glad we did. I would have stayed here either way, as it’s truly the best place to stay in or near the park. The pull-through sites are incredibly long and every site is large so you’re not cramped against your neighbor, which is appropriate when staying in the largest National Park in the contiguous 48 states. It’s also very convenient to all the “must-see” places in the park. If you need internet while staying here, you must have Starlink. Cellular data was non-existent for any carrier. There is WiFi at the Furnace Creek Ranch. We camped at Furnace Creek in a Motorhome.
Tip for Other Campers: Gas in Stovepipe Wells was quite a bit cheaper than at Furnace Creek and the food was better at the restaurant there, too.
Interactive map:
The campground map:
Death Valley National Park is interesting in that it is mostly below sea level. The campground has an elevation of -190 feet:
Our site:
Death Valley is the hottest and driest national park… so of course it was cool and rainy:
Entrance:
Dishwashing station:
Other sites:
Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort
We stayed at Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Campground Reviews listing.)
A large RV resort, just down the road from the Vegas Strip.
Dates:
- Check in: 2023-03-13
- Check out: 2023-03-20
- 7 nights
Weather:
- Mostly sunny, a couple days of drizzle, one day of nearby thunderstorms
- High temps ranging between 63-72°F, lows around 41-54°F
- Some wind
Noise:
- Fairly loud freeway noise, though more like a background noise
- No train noise
- Airplane noise; in the flight path for the big airport
Site:
- #108, pull-through, concrete
- Needed to disconnect toad; parked behind coach
- Level
- Small site: about 55 feet long by about 25 feet wide
- Concrete patio, picnic table, grass
Utilities:
- 50 amp power, conveniently located
- 55 PSI water, conveniently located
- Fair sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe, 1 2-foot pipe needed)
Internet (in usage priority order):
- T-Mobile: 25 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up, 20 ms ping
- AT&T: 22 Mbps down, 15 Mbps up, 44 ms ping
- Verizon: 25-35 Mbps down, 8-16 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
- Starlink: not used
- Campground Wi-Fi: not used
Amenities:
- Garbage bins
- Pools and hot tub
- Restaurant
Our ranty review on Campground Reviews:
Large resort, near The Strip
This could have been so much better than it was, but the annoyances started early and kept adding on:
– Upon arrival, we had to wait for a long line of RVs to be checked in. When it was our turn, we found out why it took so long: they checked every rig for the “RVIA sticker”. I’ve never had that before and it was weird because our rig was originally bought in Canada so it had a different sticker than they were used to. Look, if you’re just looking to keep Schoolies and homemade conversions out of the park “for insurance reasons”, I get it, but when someone shows up in a pretty well-known make and model, just wave them through.
– Once you get inside the gate, you have to sign some paperwork and head inside to registration, which was incredibly slow even with four people on duty. Got through that process where I signed as much paperwork as when we sold or bought a house.
– On our way out the door we were accosted by a “Good Sam Rep” that had obviously been waiting for the tired and weary travelers to try to Shanghai them into a timeshare presentation without knowing what was going on. We were halfway through signing up for the seminar when we cottoned on to the shenanigans and walked out.
– Got to our “Premium Pull-through site” and it was quite a squeeze to fit the 40′ motorhome and tow vehicle on the pad. We had to unhook and park the truck diagonally across the pad to keep our bumpers out of the road, also being sure to avoid the lamp post, the garbage can, and the sprinkler heads.
– They have an extensive rule booklet, but nobody else seemed to read it and nobody in the park actually enforced the rules.
– Went to soak in the hot tub, which is a welcome perk after a day of driving, and despite being “adults only” there were many, many children jumping into it with no parents around.
– Wanted to partake in the café, but it was only open sporadically. The one time we did get in, though, the martinis were strong and the tater tots were amazing.
– When you leave the park and come back you have to sit in the long line of RVs checking in because there isn’t a separate line for checking in versus returning.
– On the other hand, it was a conveniently short drive to The Strip.
We camped at Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort in a Motorhome.
Tip for Other Campers: Convenient to The Strip, but if you want a bit of nature and amazing scenery, Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire are each a decent day trip.
Interactive map:
Campground map:
Our site:
When one enters the park, they first need to check in with security, that hands over a registration form:
Then one parks in one of the several registration lanes:
And goes into the office:
To the registration desk:
They really like their paperwork and inefficient procedures. Perhaps necessary with such a large park, but it didn’t seem very streamlined.
Swimming pools:
We used the hot tub, though despite all the signs about no kids in the hot tub, there were several that used it:
They have family and adult swimming pools; this is the family one, which nobody was using as it wasn’t heated — so of course all the kids were in the adults-only pool. Yay:
A fairly large store:
Always nice to have an on-site restaurant too; we had dinner there once (and were going to another couple of nights, but they were closed — having an onsite restaurant is well and good, but having it closed unexpectedly is almost worse than not having one, though I know lots of restaurants struggle with staffing nowadays):
Tasty martinis; yes, they had a full bar:
Jenn’s sandwich and tots:
My burger and lots of fries:
Also nice when an RV park has a mail room; we got several packages delivered here:
Outdoor game area:
Bathrooms:
Other RVs:
The elevated freeway was very near, resulting in a constant hum of noise:
The big Las Vegas airport was also nearby, so planes would frequently fly over:
The entrance at night:
A nice RV resort; not great, but good, and close to the Vegas attractions. We might stay here again, but would probably prefer to try another place, or go back to Lake Mead.
Kingman KOA Journey
We stayed at Kingman KOA Journey in Kingman, Arizona. (Campground Reviews listing.)
We were going to stay somewhere else, but changed our plans due to our NIRVC stay, so this was a last-minute reservation.
Dates:
- Check in: 2023-03-10
- Check out: 2023-03-13
- 3 nights
Weather:
- Mostly sunny
- High temps ranging between 64-66°F, lows around 41-49°F
- Wind gusts to 28 MPH
Noise:
- A little distant road noise, no train noise
Site:
- #96, pull-through, gravel
- Needed to disconnect toad; parked in front of coach
- A little unlevel
- Medium site: about 50 feet long by about 40 feet wide
- Concrete patio site with patio table & chairs, fire pit, grill
Utilities:
- 50 amp power, conveniently located
- 45 PSI water, conveniently located
- A little loose sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed); it had an underground leak that spilled onto the ground
Internet (in usage priority order):
- T-Mobile: 12-16 Mbps down, 14-19 Mbps up, 40 ms ping
- AT&T: 17-41 Mbps down, 12-23 Mbps up, 146 ms ping
- Verizon: 5 Mbps down, 4 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
- Starlink: not used
- Campground Wi-Fi: not used
Amenities:
- Garbage dumpsters
- Closed pool
- Mini-golf
Our review on Campground Reviews:
A good place to stop between Phoenix & Vegas
This was a last-minute reservation as we had to change our plans between Phoenix & Vegas. The KOA website is always straightforward and convenient. The staff were nice and helpful, including guiding us to our spot. We had a nice end patio spot with a view of the mountains. There’s a small bit of noise from the interstate, but not too bad. Roads inside the park were a little tight on some of the corners. We camped at Kingman KOA Journey in a Motorhome.
Tip for Other Campers: Convenient day trip to Grand Canyon West and the Sky Walk.
Interactive map:
RV park map:
Our site:
Patio:
The electrical pedestal was a bit strange, with the outlets on the side:
And the two 50 amp switches were not connected:
Sign:
Entrance:
Office:
Closed swimming pool:
Mini golf:
Playground:
When we arrived we had to wait for this RV and Jeep to untoad, as they didn’t make the turn after the entrance:
Other sites:
Mobile homes for 55+ long-term residents:
Mountain views:
NIRVC Phoenix service to fix DEF head failure and more
When we arrived at the Las Cruces KOA, we got the Check Engine and Malfunction Indicator Lights on our dash, and the three error codes that indicated the dreaded DEF head failure issue — SPN 3364 FMI 9, SPN 1761 FMI 9, and SPN 3031 FMI 9:
We tried to reset the errors with the BlueFire adapter, which worked… but at the end of the next drive, the errors came back. So we knew we had to get the DEF head replaced. The DEF head is a component of the Diesel Exhaust Fluid system, that measures the level and temperature of the DEF tank. But coaches built around 2017, as ours was, had a part with a design flaw, causing it to fail for many coaches. It was pretty much a matter of time before ours failed, so I got a DEF head simulator as insurance, and we never let the DEF get below halfway, to help reduce the chance of the issue occurring. But our time came regardless.
We could have taken our coach to a Cummins service shop, but they operate on a first-come-first-served basis, so we’d likely have to wait a few days. Not convenient when we live full-time in our coach. But fortunately we were a few hours south of Phoenix, Arizona, where National Indoor RV Centers (NIRVC) has a facility. A place we were familiar with, having had our coach serviced there before.
So I contacted that NIRVC, and asked if they could get the replacement DEF head from Tiffin, and fit us in to replace it. They were able to do so. We were super-impressed with their service. They worked with Tiffin to get the part overnighted, and Tiffin covered the cost of the part and labor. When we arrived, the Service Manager (Andrew Pringle) greeted me and came out to help us get parked in a campsite.
We also got them to do a few other tweaks while we were there. One was I noticed this pump/compressor/thingy that’s part of the air leveling system had come off its brackets, and was vibrating significantly when used (we pretty much never use air leveling, but tried it when arriving at NIRVC; great time to find that!):
The brackets were broken, so the tech drilled out and replaced the brackets to get it re-mounted.
We also got them to look for a rattling noise elsewhere in the generator compartment, which they partially fixed with some foam padding. And we got them to add a cover over the ceiling vent in our rear bathroom; something we wanted to do at the recent NIRVC service in Dallas, but the part was out-of-stock there.
Not bad for a day’s work at short notice!
We had been scheduled to stay in Tombstone for seven days, but we left early to go to NIRVC, arriving in the afternoon, and staying overnight at NIRVC, so they could have the full next day to do their work. We chose to stay there that night too, before moving on.
Here are my usual campsite stats; not a typical campsite, but great that NIRVC offers the ability to stay overnight, even with an electrical hookup:
Dates:
- Check in: 2023-03-08
- Check out: 2023-03-10
- 2 nights
Weather:
- Mostly sunny
- High temps ranging between 75°F, lows around 42-44°F
- Negligible wind
Noise:
- Some road noise, no train noise
- Jets flying over from Luke Air Force Base
Site:
- #4, back in, gravel
- Needed to disconnect toad; parked beside coach
- Fairly level
- Medium site: about 70 feet long by about 25 feet wide
Utilities:
- 50 amp power, conveniently located
- No water
- No sewer (dump station available)
Internet (in usage priority order):
- T-Mobile: 62-75 Mbps down, 30 Mbps up, 80 ms ping
- AT&T: 33-49 Mbps down, 12 Mbps up, 70 ms ping
- Verizon: 47-70 Mbps down, 20-41 Mbps up, 60 ms ping
- Starlink: not used
- Campground Wi-Fi: none
Amenities:
- RV repair
Interactive map; the campsites are in the northeast corner of the grounds:
Our site (with the generator compartment open):
Electrical hookup:
Looking past our site to the front of the NIRVC building:
We sat in the waiting room for a few hours:
Kitchen:
The waiting room has windows overlooking the massive indoor RV storage facility:
Looking across the storage area, you can see the roof of our coach by the leftmost door:
We were very happy with their service, glad that they could fit us in, and solve our DEF head issue plus the other improvements. We highly recommend NIRVC for RV service.
Tombstone RV Park & Campground
We stayed at Tombstone RV Park & Campground in Tombstone, Arizona. (Campground Reviews listing.)
An uncomfortably short site.
Dates:
- Check in: 2023-03-04
- Check out: 2023-03-08
- 4 nights
- We were going to stay 7 nights, but left early to go to NIRVC (see upcoming posts)
Weather:
- Mostly sunny
- High temps ranging between 68-73°F, lows around 36-45°F
- Negligible wind, yay!
Noise:
- Some road noise, no train noise
- Occasional loud neighbors
Site:
- #45, pull-through, gravel
- Needed to disconnect toad; parked beside coach
- Fairly level
- Small site: about 38 feet long by about 25 feet wide
- Picnic table; no fire pit
Utilities:
- 50 amp power, conveniently located
- 35 PSI water, conveniently located
- Fair sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)
Internet (in usage priority order):
- Starlink: 6-23 Mbps down, 3-8 Mbps up, 100 ms ping
- T-Mobile: 17-23 Mbps down, 2 Mbps up, 70 ms ping
- AT&T: 16 Mbps down, 2 Mbps up, 75 ms ping
- Verizon: no service
- Campground Wi-Fi: not used
Amenities:
- Garbage dumpsters
- Heated pool
Our review on Campground Reviews:
Good spot to stop close to Tombstone
This was a really nice, well-run park and a great launching point for all the area has to offer. The hosts were all very friendly and helpful from check-in, to guiding us to our site, to helping us with package deliveries. Our site was clean and level. On the other hand, it was also pretty short for our 40′ motorhome and tow vehicle. Usually, if we have a pull-through site it’s okay if we unhook the tow after we park the coach. Here, we really should have unhooked beforehand as the truck was completely blocking the lane until we unhooked it and parked alongside the coach. Even so, the motorhome was poking out to the front and rear. We had to use our safety cones for the first time to help demarcate our corners. We camped at Tombstone RV Park and Campground in a Motorhome.
Tip for Other Campers: Chiricahua National Monument and Fort Bowie National Historic Site are a good day trip away and shouldn’t be missed.
Interactive map:
Tombstone newspaper and RV park map:
Guided to our site:
Our site; it was rather short, so we put out mini cones to help prevent people hitting our coach:
The tombstone theme: “here lies [site] 45”:
The cellular services weren’t great, so we used Starlink:
The entrance at sunset:
Office:
Activity center:
Swimming pool:
Cart:
Other sites:
It was fine, though the site was too short for comfort, and the roads a bit tight in places.