Where is a good place to camp in Southern California?

Where would a good place be in southern California for a newly retired couple to RV camp in?

• I wonder if we could find a place within an hour of the beach and fairly safe. We're kind of scared - we're ranchers from South Dakota so we don't want to be in a city. Thank you so much - this is our first year & it is exciting!

• Answer:

  Hey Wonder Bread, If you don't want to be in a city, SoCal is really not for you. It's hard for outsiders to really grasp this, but you basically have nothing but cityscape for 100 miles from downtown LA in every direction. Places like Disneyland are right in the heart of it. Despite this, I can still recommend a few sites since I'm an RV'er myself living in "The OC". -Carpinteria State Beach: About 100 miles northeast of LA, near Santa Barbara. Look into their volunteer programs. You can stay for free if you put in a certain number of hours in the ranger station checking people in, and helping people get settled into their spots. It's right on the beach in California, and we've met some of the nicest hosts from different places. This is the most family-friendly campground I've ever seen. In the afternoon, small kids on bikes have the run of the place. Probably the only place in the state where you can just cut your kids loose to go make friends and play. Your friends will be SOOOO jealous. -Anaheim RV Village: Just about 3 blocks from the front entrance to Disneyland, it's very nice. You also get to see fireworks every night. Yes, it's in the city, but it's such a nice park and location, I couldn't resist. -Pismo Coast Village: In Pismo Beach, one of our favorite spots. LOTS of retirees here. -Campland on the Bay, San Diego: Another really nice park, on the northern end of San Diego Bay. Perfect for visiting Sea World. -Flying Flags RV Park, Buellton: Nice location along the Central Coast -San Simeon State Park: Right along PCH near Hearst Castle. No hookups, but the views more than make up for it, and you're just a few miles from Hearst Castle. If you want hookups, then stay at Pismo and drive 50 miles to Hearst Castle. -Marin RV Park: OK, now we're in NorCal. But I couldn't resist giving this little park a plug. The best part about this park is the location: You can walk 10 minutes to the Larkspur Ferry, which takes you to the Ferry Building in San Francisco. From there, you can explore the city to your heart's desire. This is what we did a couple summers ago, and we had a blast. Check out rvparkreviews.com. I have a few reviews on there, and you can explore other parks in the state. Good luck!