TheSamba.com :: View topic - Californian Camping

Thu Mar 29, 2012 1:58 am

Hi everyone,
maybe somebody knows me for the topic about troubleshooting with my T3 syncro...
Now I'm writing this topic because I will come to California in April and it will be the first time for me in US.

I will travel by plane and obviously without my syncro.
I will work at Coachella Festival in Indio, then move for couple of days to a friend house (I do not know where it is exactly), but THEN I'm planning to rent a sort of minivan and here YOU can help me.

I'd like to see some natural spots in Cali, and also spend some camping nights with my rented van.

I wrote down this topic just to ask for help from you who lives and knows Cali laws and possibilities.

Is it possible to drive my (rented) car to some nice spot and then overnight there sleeping in it? i.e. I saw Yosemite National Park and it seems amazing.

May be you can tell me tons of cool places where I can feel Cali Nature??

I have my flight back booked from San Francisco, April, the 30rd.

I KNOW I'M MISSING SYNCRO DE MAJO!!!

Thu Mar 29, 2012 9:08 am

I would rent the smallest motor home I could find and stop at State Parks/campgrounds and/or KOA/private campgrounds. Look them up online for info. You can sleep in WalMart parking lots too. Make a loop around Lake Tahoe to Reno/Mt Shasta/Eureka then South through the Redwoods.

Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:07 am

It would be a shame not to visit Yosemite. That park will blow you away.

I'm not sure what time of year you will be here but 395 to 120 through Yosemite is hard to beat but it's a STEEP climb.

The other otption would be to go through the Central Valley (nothing to see) to either 41 or 140 and go through Yosemite that way. You could always take 120 out of the park to 395 and head North to Lake Tahoe then make your way down to SF that way.

I think you can rent camping stuff at REI but I'm not totally positive. April will be a nice time to visit weather wise. I'm not sure if all camping places will be open that early in the year so I 'd do a little research before you chose a route. Tioga Pass (120) is generally closed until mid June (as are Highway 4 and Highway 108)

Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:19 am

X2 on Yosemite!

Drove up there for the first time at night and was enjoying the crap out of the twisty hill climb in the dark. Next day driving down in the daylight, it was a pretty scarry ride when you could see over the edge.

The redwood forest is pretty cool too.

Alcatraz.

Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:54 am

crofty wrote: It would be a shame not to visit Yosemite. That park will blow you away.

......

April will be a nice time to visit weather wise. I'm not sure if all camping places will be open that early in the year so I 'd do a little research before you chose a route.

Don't count on Yosemite being open that early in the year. Last year we planned to go through there in the 2nd week of June. We got there and the entrances to the park off 395 was still closed due to snow. Some relatives were following us <from Winnemucca> by about 8 hours. We called them and told them about it being closed, so they went the northern route. It too was closed. Now I won't count on going to Yosemite <at least from the west> until at least July.

Thu Mar 29, 2012 11:17 am

notchback wrote: crofty wrote:
April will be a nice time to visit weather wise. I'm not sure if all camping places will be open that early in the year so I 'd do a little research before you chose a route.

Don't count on Yosemite being open that early in the year. Last year we planned to go through there in the 2nd week of June. We got there and the entrances to the park off 395 was still closed due to snow. Some relatives were following us <from Winnemucca> by about 8 hours. We called them and told them about it being closed, so they went the northern route. It too was closed. Now I won't count on going to Yosemite <at least from the west> until at least July.

End of April 2011:

Gorgeous time to be there because the snow was melting in the Sierras, which led to lots of waterfalls with high volume. 8)

Keep tabs on the weather and park closures: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hours.htm ; if the park will be open, make a reservation for camping. We lucked out and got one of three remaining cancellation spots (side note: Yosemite's system is asinine; we entered and exited the park for free, and had I not been a moron we could've camped for free too).

Lots of places in CA to see, most in the northern half: Pacific Coast Highway, Yosemite, Redwoods, Sequoia/Kings Canyon, Death Valley and parts in between.

Thu Mar 29, 2012 11:42 am

There's always Big Trees... 8) OVP!

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26558

http://www.oldvolksclub.com/photo_bigtrees2010.html
http://www.thesamba.com/vw//forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Thu Mar 29, 2012 12:31 pm

If you're going to be in Indio, I would highly suggest Joshua tree as well.

Thu Mar 29, 2012 12:55 pm

notchback wrote: crofty wrote: It would be a shame not to visit Yosemite. That park will blow you away.

......

April will be a nice time to visit weather wise. I'm not sure if all camping places will be open that early in the year so I 'd do a little research before you chose a route.

Don't count on Yosemite being open that early in the year. Last year we planned to go through there in the 2nd week of June. We got there and the entrances to the park off 395 was still closed due to snow. Some relatives were following us <from Winnemucca> by about 8 hours. We called them and told them about it being closed, so they went the northern route. It too was closed. Now I won't count on going to Yosemite <at least from the west> until at least July.

Tioga Pass might be closed but Yosemite itself never closes (baring flood or fire).

Thu Mar 29, 2012 12:55 pm

Busryder wrote: There's always Big Trees... 8) OVP!

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26558

http://www.oldvolksclub.com/photo_bigtrees2010.html
http://www.thesamba.com/vw//forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

That was a fun trip!

Mon Apr 02, 2012 1:06 am

Kern county!!! Trail of 100 giants, Kernville, Alta Sierra, etc....

Mon Apr 02, 2012 1:57 pm

Another vote for Joshua Tree. Its very close to Indio, but a much nice hi desert location. Excellent for hiking. Also, up the hill from Coachella is Idyllwild. We're at 5300- 6200' elevation with tons of trees. Couldn't be more different than Coachella!

Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:07 pm

Hey Greg MGM- is ISOMATA still up there? I used to live in Hemet/San Jacinto, and would drive up there to escape the heat...
How about the good old Rustic Theatre?
Believe it or not, I went to a party in Idyllwild, and met this guy named Timothy Leary... :shock:

Sun Apr 08, 2012 8:25 am

Dude you have to roll up Hwy 101 go through Santa Barbara, Big Sir and on through to Monterey. The camping all up and down is awesome and the views are spectacular. You will get the Red Woods and the Ocean with lots of opportunities to camp. By the way up there you might run into allot VW owners camping out along the beaches.

Good luck have a bitten time dude

Sun Apr 08, 2012 9:56 am

Kraash37 wrote: Dude you have to roll up Hwy 101 go through Santa Barbara, Big Sir and on through to Monterey. The camping all up and down is awesome and the views are spectacular. You will get the Red Woods and the Ocean with lots of opportunities to camp. By the way up there you might run into allot VW owners camping out along the beaches.

Good luck have a bitten time dude

You mean Highway 1 (aka, PCH, Pacific Coast Highway), not 101 (which goes through the Salinas and Santa Clara Valleys, not up the coast).

Mon Apr 09, 2012 11:33 am

Many thanks for replies and sorry for this message come too late but I was away for easter holidays.

So,
I think I will have enough time for a trip at Joshua Trees Park during my 5 days off from the festival.
Then I want to move North, maybe through hwy 1 (or 101) to Salinas and then NE to Yosemite.

Do you think is it safe to consider overnighting in the van, near the beaches along the hwy 1 or is it better to find a campground?

I saw Budget Rent for rent a car, I think I'll do it!!

Thanks for help!!

Mon Apr 09, 2012 12:08 pm

If you head up north, mackerricher state park right on the beach of fort bragg

Yosimite is a must

generally, you are safe camping in your van. State parks will be the most safe.

go here http://www.parks.ca.gov/ParkIndex/ and search by region

please take pics and share

Mon Apr 09, 2012 1:54 pm

Ok, I've booked the Car from the 25th to the 30th (april).
I've booked a Dodge Gran Caravan or similar (I will travel alone!).

Calaveras big trees seems very cool!

Do I need some kind of permiss to enter a park? i.e. Yosemite or Big Trees?

Do you think is there a shop where I can rent some camping gears?

sleepbag, campingas...

Thanks!!

PS. http://maps.google.it/maps?saddr=Joshua+Tree,+CA,+...=m&z=7

Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:25 pm

You'll need a Jackson ($20) to enter Yosemite and most State Parks are about $6 I think.

You might have to take 140 into Yosemite as I think 120/Big Oak Flat road is closed.

FOR YOSEMITE NAT'L PARK ROAD INFORMATION CALL 209-372-0200

http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

Mon Apr 09, 2012 9:59 pm

Quote: Do you think is there a shop where I can rent some camping gears? I'm not sure who rents camping gear maybe you could just borrow some for your short time. My mother inlaw works at a state park in marin county and a lot of tourist stay the weekend and fly out of SFO. and buy low cost items at a walmart or kmart or used store and just donate the items to a shelter or goodwill type store or leave it with her when heading out.