Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay

We stayed at Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay in Chula Vista, California. (Campground Reviews listing.)

Party city. We don’t like parties.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2023-04-08
  • Check out: 2023-04-16
  • 8 nights

Weather:

  • Mostly cloudy, one day with drizzle
  • High temps ranging between 57-70°F, lows around 48-52°F
  • Negligible wind, up to 16 MPH gusts

Noise:

  • Some distant freeway noise
  • No road noise
  • No train noise most of the time; once or twice distant noise
  • Frequent helicopter noise from a naval air station
  • Lots of neighbor noise (this was a bit more of a “fun” resort than we usually prefer)

Site:

  • #16, back-in, concrete
  • Needed to disconnect toad; parked next to coach
  • Level
  • Small site: about 50 feet long by about 25 feet wide
  • Patio table, chairs, plumbed-in gas fire pit on concrete
  • Shrubs (in need of a trim)

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, conveniently located
  • 45 PSI water, conveniently located
  • Good sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • T-Mobile: 35-46 Mbps down, 13-21 Mbps up, 30 ms ping
  • AT&T: 1 Mbps down, 3 Mbps up, 45 ms ping
  • Verizon: 2 Mbps down, 1 Mbps up, 45 ms ping
  • Starlink: not used
  • Campground Wi-Fi: not used

Amenities:

  • Central garbage compactor, not very convenient (a resort really should have garbage collection from site)
  • Swimming pool & hot tubs
  • Onsite cafe with delivery to site

Our review on Campground Reviews:

Party central, not the place for quiet contemplation

This was the most expensive place we’ve ever stayed and I really wanted to like it but wound up counting the hours until we departed. Perhaps it was because it was spring break, but this resort was packed with rowdy groups and masses of kids. You could hardly drive down the road without dodging the corn hole games, kids on bikes, adults on skateboards, etc. And, oh the noise, noise, noise. If the neighbors weren’t blasting their music or shrieking, the park itself had music blaring from the pool area or roving the streets. We work during the week, so it was unconducive to concentration. It’s petty, but the biggest complaint is that for $165/night they should have trash pickup at your site. They have one dumpster/compactor and it’s equally inconvenient wherever you are in the park. They also have annoyingly planted trees right next to the patio on the northern sites along the fence. We couldn’t get between our front door and the patio without squeezing between the tree and our slide. On the plus side, the cafe and bar were nice and we enjoyed several meals there, and the plumbed-in gas firepit at our site was a nice addition. The Bayshore Bikeway runs right by the park and it was nice to ride around the bay. We camped at Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay in a Motorhome. 

Tip for Other Campers: San Diego Zoo is worth the hype (order your tickets online to save a few bucks and avoid the line at the park), and Balboa Park has so much to see. The Cabrillo National Monument is also a great place to check out.

Interactive map; the RV park is too new for the satellite image as of this writing, but may be there if you check later:

Campground map:

Map

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

We rode our bikes:

Our site

This shrub was touching our coach; I trimmed it back so we could access the patio:

Our site

A nice plumbed-in fire pit:

Fire pit

Fire pit

We like places with on-site restaurants, even better when they will deliver to our site, which we took advantage of on travel day; we’re always tired then, so nice to not to have to cook or go out:

Food delivery to site

We went to the cafe a few times:

Cafe and bar

Cafe and bar

Bar

Breakfast:

Breakfast

Another day, free drinks from tokens given on arrival:

Free drinks

Dinner:

Dinner

Dinner

Another breakfast:

Breakfast

This place had a definite party vibe, including roving live music on our first day:

Roving live music

Other sites:

Other sites

Cabins:

Cabins

Cabins

Cabins

Concrete stamps

Cabins

Community center

Game rooms

The Commons

The Commons

Pool area:

Pool area

Pool area

Pool area

Pool area

Finally, another view of our site, with our coach packed up and ready to leave:

Our site

This was a nice, new resort. We enjoyed the convenience of the cafe. But we didn’t enjoy the noisy neighbors, with lots of people having large gatherings in front of their sites (and on the roads), with loud talking, loud children, and loud music. Not our kind of place.

Travel from Orange to San Diego, California

We drove our coach 99 miles, about two hours of driving, from Orange (Los Angeles), California to San Diego, California.

Here’s the map route, heading south:

Route

An interactive map, showing our stops and potential stops:

Leaving the RV park; Jenn drove our coach around the block to the check-in area so we could toad up:

Leaving the RV park

Leaving the RV park

Honda Center:

Honda Center

Paladin on the steps; this has become one of his favorite places for travel days, so I’m happy to leave the step cover open for him:

Paladin in the steps

Bright green hills:

Bright green hills

I-5 freeway traffic:

I-5 freeway traffic

I-5 freeway traffic

The Pacific Ocean and yellow flowers:

Ocean and yellow flowers

A stop at a rest area to kill some time (since it was a relatively short drive) and have lunch:

Rest area

Annoyingly, the truck parking was overrun with cars:

Cars parked in truck parking

Back to heavy I-5 freeway traffic:

I-5 freeway traffic

Heading to Chula Vista:

Heading to Chula Vista

Checking in:

Checking in

We had a back-in site, so I untoaded while Jenn checked in, then followed the coach to the site:

Following coach

Our site before parking:

Our site before parking

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:

Map

They also have a map on a wall showing where all of the fruit trees are:

Fruit tree map

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site was near the registration area:

Our site

Setting up our site; here’s a video of a leveling jack going down:

Griddle, filters, and water softener stored for transport:

Filters and water softener

Setting up utilities:

Setting up utilities

Setting up utilities

Utilities

A nice thing about being in a city; we can get pizza delivery:

Pizza delivery

Working outside:

Working outside

The registration area was so close:

Registration area

A nice thing about this park is they offer trash pickup from the site (and even provide a bag):

Trash pickup

The Orangeland RV Park entrance:

Orangeland RV Park entrance

Entrance

Office:

Office

Registration area:

Registration area

Pool:

Pool

Pool

Hot tub (which was undergoing renovations last time we were here):

Hot tub

Putting area:

Putting area

Games:

Games

Pool table:

Pool table

Outdoor livng area:

Outdoor livng area

Outdoor kitchen:

Outdoor kitchen

Covered playground:

Covered playground

The local bus goes through the park:

Bus

A Tiffin Phaeton arrival:

Tiffin Phaeton arrival

Other RV sites:

Other RV sites

Other RV sites

Travel from Palm Desert to Orange, California

We drove our coach 103 miles, about two hours of driving, from Palm Desert, California to Orange (Los Angeles), California.

Here’s the map route, heading west:

Route

An interactive map of our route, with potential stops marked:

Leaving our site:

Leaving our site

Toading up:

Toading up

Toading up

Leaving the campground:

Leaving campground

Palm Springs overpass:

Palm Springs overpass

There were lots of yellow flowers below the wind turbines:

Wind turbines and yellow flowers

A stop at a rest area:

Rest area

A school bus next to us at the rest area:

School bus

Exit:

Exit

Green hills:

Hills

Snowy mountains:

Snowy mountains

Exit:

Exit

Castle Park theme park:

Castle Park theme park

Heavy traffic:

Traffic

Green hills:

Green hills

Exit:

Exit

Honda Center:

Honda Center

Our destination, Orangeland RV Park:

Orangeland RV Park

Orangeland RV Park

Guided to our site by a guy on a Segway; the site was that empty one on the left, but we needed to loop around the block to get into it:

Orangeland RV Park

Going the wrong way, and crossing grass, to pull through into our site:

Orangeland RV Park

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:

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:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

The electric and water utilities are at the back of the site, rather inconvenient:

Utilities

The sewer is conveniently located, though, other than in terms of the palm trees:

Utilities

Working outside:

David

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:

Our site when scouting

Other sites we considered:

Scouting for sites

Scouting for sites

Scouting for sites

Scouting for sites

Scouting for sites

A nice thing about this park is UPS, FedEx, and Amazon will deliver directly to the sites:

Delivery to the site

For USPS or packages without site numbers, they post a notice on a message board near the entrance:

Message baord

Other sites:

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Cabins:

Cabins

Cabins

Entrance:

Entrance

Swimming pools:

Swimming pools

The sky with palm trees:

Sky

Sky

Sky

Travel from Yermo to Palm Desert, California

We drove our coach 146 miles, about three hours of driving, from Yermo, California to Palm Desert, California.

Here’s the map route, heading south:

Route

Interactive map, showing our stops and other potential stops:

Truck lane:

Truck lane

Fuel stop:

Fuel stop

Diesel

Paladin in the steps:

Paladin in the steps

Highway CA-247:

Highway CA-247

Highway CA-247

Highway CA-247

Highway CA-247

Highway CA-247

Cafe 247, an interesting lunch stop with parking big enough for us:

Cafe 247

They were having a motorcycle gathering, which made it feel like a biker bar, but wasn’t:

Cafe 247

Cafe 247

Cafe 247

Cafe 247

Cafe 247

Cafe 247

Cafe 247

We bought a loaf from Banana Bread Man out front:

Banana Bread Man

Cafe 247

Cafe 247

Cafe 247

Highway CA-247

Highway CA-247

8% grade:

8% grade

Highway CA-62:

Highway CA-62

Wind turbines:

Wind turbines

Mountains:

Mountains

Palm Springs:

Palm Springs

Our destination:

Our destination

Our destination

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:

Map

Our site; we didn’t bother with the Magne Shade, since only a couple of nights:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Utilities:

Utilities

So many tables and benches:

Tables

View of the freeway from our window:

View of freeway

Entrance:

Entrance

Office:

Office

Bike and archery rental (maybe in summer):

Bike and archery rental

Mural:

Mural

Piano:

Piano

Artwork:

Artwork

Playground:

Playground

Train car:

Train car

Deflated jump pad:

Deflated jump pad

Pool:

Pool

Tent sites:

Tent sites

Cabins:

Cabins

RV sites:

RV sites

RV sites

RV sites

Where I have been

Lots of people on Micro.blog have been posting lists of places they’ve been, so I thought I’d join the fun.

Despite living full-time in a motorhome, I actually haven’t been all that many places yet. But we’re working on it.

My list, with emojis inspired by Jean’s much more impressive list:

  • 🇳🇿 New Zealand
  • 🇨🇦 Canada:
    • 🇬🇧 British Columbia
  • 🇲🇽 Mexico
  • 🇺🇸 United States:
    • 🏜️ Arizona
    • 🏄‍♂️ California
    • 🏔️ Colorado
    • 🏛️ DC
    • ☀️ Florida
    • 🥜 Georgia
    • 🌈 Hawaii
    • 🥔 Idaho
    • 🎣 Montana
    • 🎰 Nevada
    • 🌶️ New Mexico
    • 🗽 New York
    • 🦫 Oregon
    • ⭐️ Texas
    • 🏝️ US Virgin Islands
    • 🐝 Utah
    • 🌲 Washington
    • 🤠 Wyoming

We have a map on our coach for places we’ve visited since buying it, which is a shorter list — Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas:

Map

Map

We’ll pick up 10 more states later this year — North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas. Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida (I’ve been to Florida before, but not in the coach):

Timezones 2023

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:

Map

Death Valley National Park is interesting in that it is mostly below sea level. The campground has an elevation of -190 feet:

-190 feet elevation

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Death Valley is the hottest and driest national park… so of course it was cool and rainy:

Rain and mud

Entrance:

Entrance

Dishwashing station:

Dishwashing station

Other sites:

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Travel from Las Vegas, Nevada to Death Valley, California

We drove our coach 121 miles, about three hours of driving, from Las Vegas, Nevada to Death Valley, California.

Here’s the map route, heading west:

Death Valley route

An interactive map, with our stops marked:

Horses artwork:

Horses artwork

Driving past the buildings of the Vegas strip:

Vegas

Vegas

Vegas

Overpass artwork:

Overpass artwork

Snowy mountains:

Mountains

A snack while driving:

Snack

Paladin in his safe space:

Paladin

Mountain:

Mountain

We stopped for lunch at the Area 51 Alien Center:

Area 51 Alien Center

It’s Nevada, so there’s also the Alien Cathouse Brothel:

Alien Cathouse Brothel

The Area 51 Alien Center:

Area 51 Alien Center

Area 51 Alien Center

Area 51 Alien Center

Area 51 Alien Center

Our coach

They have a cafe, but it was closed, so we grabbed packaged sandwiches for lunch:

Lunch

Cow artwork:

Cow artwork

Leaving Nevada, entering California (no welcome sign, just “click it or ticket”; real friendly there, California):

Nevada to California

Bumpy road:

Bumpy road

Enering Death Valley National Park:

Enering Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park

Most of the park is below sea level; passing sea level elevation, heading down:

Sea level elevation

-5 elevation:

-5 elevation

The Ranch at Death Valley, at -190 feet elevation:

The Ranch at Death Valley