OCEANO-FIVE CITIES ELK LODGE, OCEANO, CA

Our Opinion: Recommend. Fun location a few blocks from Pismo State Beach, a great walking beach also open to vehicles and camping. This is an Elks Lodge - you must be an Elk to stay here.

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SANTA MARIA ELKS LODGE, SANTA MARIA, CA

Our Opinion: Recommend. The nicely landscaped and convenient lodge makes a great stopover for traveling Elks. Private you must be an Elk to stay here.

Date of Stay: March 19th, 2009.

Weather During Stay: California coastal springtime. Lows in the 40’s, highs in the 60’s.

Sites: Ten W/E sites (30 amp) are along the west side of the parking lot in the back, with another 13 FHU (including cable TV) sites in a separate area on the south side of the lodge .

The FHU sites (top photo) are very side, with a picnic table at each site. Lots of grass around the area, and some trees. Sites there are a little sloped.

We stayed in a W/E site, which had fewer rigs. These sites are reasonably wide and very level, on asphalt. A wide strip of mown lawn runs behind the sites, and there is a group of 4 picnic tables under a cover at one end.

Rate: $25 FHU, $20 W/E, $10 drycamping. Convenient dump (third photo) is available behind the lodge (get the key inside).

Phone/radio/TV: Strong Verizon phones and aircard signal. No obstructions to block TV satellite in the W/E sites. Trees might be a problem for roof mounted satellites in the FHU sites, but they provide cable TV. We didn’t bother with the TV antenna. Local NPR on 90.1, news and music.

Elevation/Landscape/Terrain: Flat, level parking area. I didn’t check the elevation, but it is probably no more than 500‘ or so. Views of local residential neighborhood, lodge, parking lot, and Hwy 101.

Lighting/Noise: The night lighting in our W/E site was unobtrusive. Didn’t check the FHU sites. Noise… well, the lodge is right off of Hwy 101 (see the view of the parking lot and Hwy 101 from our site in the last photo). Lots of highway noise during the day, but it didn't bother us at all at night once we closed the windows.

Favorite Sites: Except for the difference in the W/E vs. FHU, all sites are essentially the same. We would make our selection based on the number of rigs on site and how long we intended to stay.

Hiking/Walking: We didn’t get out at all; it was a short stopover for us.

Comments: This is a very convenient location for traveling Elks. The lodge is attractive, with lots of green lawn, trees, landscaping and plenty of paved parking. Very clean, convenient dump station.. A much-better-than-average Elks RV parking area in a small (population 91,000) city in a pretty, hilly, agricultural area. We saw all the standard shopping nearby as we came up Hwy 101.

YUCAIPA REGIONAL PARK, YUCAIPA, CALIFORNIA

Click here to read our most recent review  (December 12, 2011) with updated fees and additional photos.

Our Opinion: Recommend. This large regional park has spacious sites and good hiking, in the midst of an urban area.

Date of Stay: March 15th through 18th.

Weather During Stay: Springtime! Lows at night were crisp, in the 30’s; daytime highs in the mid 70’s. Beautiful.
Site Description: Our site is a large pullout along the side of the campground road. A school (high school?) is next to us at the border of the park, so it is quiet at night but lots of “kid noise” during the day. All sites are paved, with large concrete patios surrounded by grass. BBQ grill and sturdy picnic table at each site. FHU with 50 and 30 amp electric.
The campground is gently rolling, with lots of green grass and trees. Most of the 42 RV sites are pull-outs, but some are back-ins. Not all are level, but most are quite long; all are fairly spacious. Many of the pull-out sites have multiple utilities for groups of two or three. Several restrooms (with showers); plenty of trash cans. Tent camping sites are available in a separate area. Dump site available. All sites can be reserved at http://www.sbcountyparks.com/. Maximum stay 14 days in 30.

Rate: FHU RV sites are $27. Senior camping rates are available Monday-Thursday, $23. We paid the full rate for Sunday night, the senior rate thereafter - plus a $5 fee for making a reservation.

Phone/radio/TV: Verizon service is good on both the aircard and phones. Lots of trees mean you need to pay attention if your TV satellite is roof mounted. On the antenna, we have four digital stations, all PBS. NPR on 91.9.

Elevation/Landscape/Terrain: Rolling hills, lots of trees, green grass and lakes. Elevation 2,600 feet. This large, regional park is in a busy urban/suburban area, with a school next door and homes nearby. Views from the campground are of other campers, the surrounding hills, and the school.
Lighting/Noise: No streetlights here (a good thing), but the restrooms are brightly lit at night. We were positioned so that wasn’t a bother. Noise from the neighboring students during the day. Sites near the front of the campground had considerable road noise.

Favorite Sites: All have some good, some not-so-good features. As usual, we prefer perimeter sites to the interior sites.
Hiking/Walking: Walking the loop road of this huge park is pleasant. A rather strenuous hike goes to the peak of the highest nearby hill, Mt. Zanja.

Comments: This park is a pleasant oasis in a busy urban area in the Inland Empire of California. The campground occupies a small area of the park, which includes a large lake (with fishing), swimming beach, water slides, playground, and several large picnic areas. I suspect this park is very crowded with day-users in summer. Grocery shopping nearby; 18 hole public golf course ¼ mile away.

ROCKHOUSE ROAD BOONDOCKING, BORREGO SPRINGS, CA

Our Opinion: Recommend. Plenty of open space with vast views near an interesting small town.

Date of Stay: March 10th through 15th, 2009.

Weather During Stay: Desert springtime weather - warm days, cool nights, some clouds, lots of sun, calm, breezy and windy alternately.

Sites: No developed sites. Dispersed camping in a huge tract of land located at the intersection of S22 and Rockhouse Road on the eastern edge of Borrego Springs, CA.

Rate: Free. Near the beginning of Rockhouse Road, signs on both sides say “No Trespassing”. These signs are completely ignored by boondockers and are not enforced.

Phone/radio/TV: Verizon phones and aircard, if you stay near the intersection of S22 and Rockhouse Road, but the signal diminishes if you travel further back towards the mountains. Nothing to block satellite. Didn‘t bother with TV antenna. NPR from Palm Springs/Indio at 92.9 FM

Elevation/Landscape/Terrain: Elevation is 660 feet. View is of scrubby desert and scattered RV’s with arid mountains in the distance. Wide open spaces.

Lighting/Noise: No night lighting whatsoever. When the moon is full, it is bright enough to cast a shadow. Noise during the day from passing traffic on paved S22 and vehicles moving about in the area - and the distant sound of generators humming

Favorite Sites: Dispersed camping available along dirt roads throughout the area - find a flat spot with a nice view and you’re home.

Hiking/Walking: Walk in any direction on dirt roads/tracks throughout the area, or stop by the Anza Borrego State Park Visitor Center for information on the many, many hikes in the park This photo was taken on a hike on the west side of Borrego Springs, several miles from our boondocking site.

Comments: Rockhouse Road is the gateway to one of several boondocking areas surrounding the small town of Borrego Springs, located in the center of California’s largest state park. Lots of interesting activities in the state park and in the town, with more decent restaurants than is typical for a town its size. There are a couple of golf courses in town (one 9 hole) and a very upscale RV Resort, along with a few other RV parks and a FHU campground in the state park. The small grocery store is well supplied by not inexpensive - bring supplies.

HOLT'S SHELL RV PARK, GILA BEND, ARIZONA

This review has been updated to reflect a more recent stay.  Click here to read our latest review.