California

Our next destination was Ajo, AZ to visit the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument which is named after the organ pipe cactus that grow there. Another thing about the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is it runs right up to the Mexico border. We decided to hike Estes Canyon Trail including the switchbacks to the top of Bull Pasture Trail to get great views to the north and south.

Four recommended stops heading East on I-8 leaving San Diego, CA. Two great Harvest Hosts, one with animals, and one amazing dispersed camping area with beautiful desert sunsets.

We did a few hikes during the day, and the highlight was definitely The Slot. Planning a trip to Anza-Borrego? You don’t want to miss The Slot. Wondering which route to take? Check out our recommended RV route through the mountains back to San Diego.

We recommend camping at Joshua Tree Lake RV & Campground which is 35 minutes from hiking trails inside Joshua Tree National Park, and Chiriaco Summit Dry Camp Area for boondocking only about an hour away.

Dante’s View is worth the drive. At 5,475 feet it provides amazing panoramic views in just about every direction. Do the short hike out on the first ridge for spectacular views, especially at sunrise or sunset. Take on the crazy eight miles of Dante’s Ridge if you have the time and love challenging hikes!

The day’s adventure included the Mosaic Canyon hike with some rock scrambling, viewing the Mesquite Flat Dunes, checking out what is left of the old Keane Wonder Mill and Mine, a short walk along the Salt Creek Interpretative Trail, which was my favorite part of the day as we got to see pupfish swimming in the creek, and finishing the day learning about the "White Gold of the Desert," Borax.

When you hear the name, all you think is “it gets really hot” but that’s not the case if you visit in March. We share things to do in Death Valley including hiking and rock scrambling in Desolation Canyon, walking at the lowest point in North America at Badwater Basin, and driving the scenic Artists Drive to check out the colorful hills.

I knew nothing about this National Park and it turned out to be a gem, especially this time of year (late winter). Don’t let the narrow roads stop you from bringing your RV to Pinnacles. We loved being able to camp inside the park. The hiking trails, condors, and caves are worth the drive.

Back on the road again! Our first stop was to take our Jeep to Hollister Hills SVRA which offers off-roading trails for horses, OHV, and 4x4 vehicles on 6,800 acres along with camping.

We share pictures and videos of this famous racetrack so you can see the different turns and elevation changes and hear the various cars that come here to race. Along with the beauty of this campground up in the hills near Monterey, CA.

I highly recommend you plan a trip to Pismo State Beach!! We recommend you camp at 1) North Beach Campground if you are tent camping or prefer to dry camp with your RV or 2) Oceano Campground if you want hookups. We also share details on where you can drive your vehicle on the beach and where to get the best Tri-Tip sandwich!

Leaving Benicia, CA, we made our way back to US 101. The next stop on our California Pacific Coast Highway RV Road Trip was Paso Robles. We were in wine country and excited to use our Harvest Host membership to RV camp at wineries for free!

We left the Redwoods and continued south on the Pacific Coast Highway (US 101) through California. Our next stop was Fort Bragg. I was nervous about the drive from Willits to Fort Bragg on SR 20 but we made it without too much trouble and we would do it again. After Fort Bragg, we decided to go around San Francisco so we headed to Benicia for an overnighter at a great little spot.

The Avenue of the Giants is a free auto tour of the Redwoods and the surrounding forest areas. The Lost Coast Scenic Drive includes a trek out west to Shelter Cove and then north along the Lost Coast to Capetown.

Wondering what to do in Crescent City? Our day trip included the scenic Howland Hill Road drive through the Redwoods, a short walk on Stout Grove Trail, taking pictures of the Battery Point Lighthouse, walking out on the B Street Pier, and dinner at Fisherman’s Restaurant.

Looking for things to do in Klamath, CA? We recommend visiting the Trees of Mystery, hiking the easy Yurok Loop Trail, and driving the scenic Coastal Drive Loop.

Looking for places to stay in Klamath with your RV? We recommend these spots: Redwood Hotel Casino and Chinook RV Resort.

Don’t make the same mistake we did! Here are our five tips for hiking Fern Canyon in the Redwoods: 1) Give yourself plenty of time to get there, 2) Don’t miss the stairs as we did!, 3) Bring a change of socks, 4) Pack a snack, 5) Want to see Elk? Get a later start.

Trinidad was stop number one on our Highway 101 road trip. This cute, little fishing town had stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and was a great home base for exploring the Redwoods. Planning a trip to Trinidad? We share nine things to do, six summer events, and where we stayed.

Looking for things to do in Redding, CA? We recommend: 1) Visiting Shasta Dam and hiking Shasta Lake, 2) Checking out the Sundial Bridge, 3) Hiking Whiskeytown Falls and 4) Purchasing meats and seafood from R&R Quality Meats.

For one month we treated ourselves to a Bay View site at Mission Bay RV Resort in San Diego, California and that site did not disappoint. I didn’t realize how beautiful sunsets could be over the water. I appreciated each day that I was able to look out at the bay from our bed.

We highly recommend you check out El Cantaro even if you aren’t vegan. We aren’t vegan, but Jeri cannot eat a lot of dairy which is difficult when cheese is on almost everything. Sometimes she feels like she is missing out, but not El Cantaro. The “steak” nachos were the highlight and AMAZING!

Wondering where you can get wild King Salmon in Monterey Bay? There are two main options 1) at the dock from local fishermen or 2) seafood markets. We share our recommendations, and an amazing Salmon Avocado Poke bowl recipe.

We were given a recommendation to check out Katy's Smokehouse in Trinidad and since we happened to be driving by it one day we dropped in. I was expecting a restaurant, but Katy’s is really just a counter inside a small building selling smoked salmon, albacore, and other fish along with canned seafood goods.