It’s been almost a year since we got our trailer and we have sure made the most of it! We love trying new places and have found some really great spots! I’ve rounded up some of our trips so far including our favorite features and day trips to our notes on what to expect when visiting.
Chula Vista KOA
San Diego
We really like the Chula Vista KOA! It was packed with fun amenities like a blob ( huge bouncy pad), beautiful brand new showers, bathrooms and pool, rock climbing wall, restaurant and tons of kids activities. It super close to the USS Midway which was a fascinating day trip for all of us. We also stumbled into the absolute best mexican restaurant we have ever eaten at called La Puerta. Don’t pass up the best margarita ever called “ Whole Lotta Love”. We visited it in the winter so it was chilly but I can imagine how packed with fun it would be in the summer months. Never the less we had a great time and would absolutely visit again
Rancho Oso
Santa Barbara
This ranch style campground was a fun departure for us from our regular type of camping. If you are looking for a super simple, no fluff, ranch style camping trip this is your place. We were excited to try out some horse back riding and live on the ranch. The website is bit misleading on this place though. While we did have a good time we found some things that we learned quickly to pay attention too. Everything is very relaxed and simple. The grounds are great with teepees, horses and farm animal friends. The restaurant is open only by reservation the day before at 3:00 so make sure you are on the ball otherwise there is no food available outside of a small very simple ranch store or what you packed. We happened to get the memo right as we pulled in about dinner that night so we got lucky with a huge bbq dinner. There is no fluff at this place! Also, they will say there is wifi but there really isn’t. Not a big deal but worth knowing. The facilities are a bit older but still did the trick. The main take away was to ask a lot of questions when you can because there aren’t a lot of staff around and not a lot of info. Once you get the details you are good to go though for a fun cowboy time. If you want to take a break from the horses you can take a fun day trip in to Solvang. We visited Ostrich land, had some breakfast and shopping in town and checked out the Motorcycle Museum for daddy.
Bass Lake
at Yosemite
If you want a little of everything Bass Lake is a great option! We loved this trip! The campground is simple but has everything you would need. We chose a spot nearest to the little trail to the lake. We hiked back and fished one day and it was a fun little adventure. The facilities are super clean and updated. The huge pine trees make for a perfect backdrop to your trip! So gorgeous! We ventured into the little town ( 2 minute drive) to grab our boat rentals. We rented a speed boat one day and then a pontoon another. We loved our lake days. We found a little cove where the girls could rock jump and swing from a giant rope swing into the water. We added a tube both days onto our rentals and whipped them around the lake. For lunch, we highly recommend Ducey’s! The food was amazing and they had a great selection! You can also hang out at the marina restaurant with live music, food and cocktails. We were disappointed by the food but the vibe was fun and laid back. The lake is within 30 minutes of Yosemite National Park. The park is super busy in the summer time so be prepared for some crowds. There is nothing more specatular then the waterfalls and natural beauty of Yosemite. We visited the park a couple years back and documented the fun with a fun recap video!A note that we made for last time is to make sure we where or bring our swim suits to take a dip in the river. Also, we were bummed to miss the window for tube rentals to float the river. Next time, we will bring our own and get our float on. Also, make sure to bring snacks or lunch with you when visiting the park. It’s soooo busy that getting into any restaurant is crazy hard. A riverside snack, with toes in the water would have been divine! Overall this was a super fun trip that we would for sure take again!
Newport Dunes
Newport, Beach
Newport Dunes never disappoints! We have visited many times and always have a blast! Regardless of it being pretty pricey to stay it really is worth it for a quick trip! The pool is great and always clean. They have tons of daily kids activities for all ages including nightly Movie nights under the stars. The store is fully stocked with anything you could ever need including super cute sweats and swimsuits if needed. Our girls lose their mind for the inflatable water park. For a cost of $18 for 2 hours, the kids can party out in the lagoon on massive inflatables and jungle gym. They love it so much! We also love how accessible this campground is to yummy OC restaurants and fun things to do. You can bike really anywhere, grab a mouth water piece of pizza from St. Pepperoni’s, a Balboa Bar from Marine on Balboa Island, catch some chic shopping in Lido Village or just stay on the grounds for some relaxation!