Three week trip to California with an RV - what must we not miss?

[GalensOyster]

Hello,

We're planning the holiday of a life time this summer - a three week trip to California with the DC (13 and 8). We've booked flights (yay!) and our intention is to take a road trip in an RV. Our plan is to arrive in San Franscisco, stay there for a few days (Alcatraz, Golden Gate etc) and then head out to Yosemite, Sequioa, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley (Mesa Verde?) Joshua Tree, LA and then back to SF to fly back to London.

We're quite out-doorsy so lots of hikes, bike rides and horse rides are planned but my question is, are we planning too much driving? What should we be sure NOT to miss and what should we miss because it's not worth it? I'm ploughing through travel guides and googling until I go cross eyed so I would really appreciate some tips from people who have been there and done it before me and, crucially, who've had a good time. Is Universal Studios really worth it, for example? Any insider tips for me?

TIA.

We drove SF to LA with a two night stop on the way in San luis Obispo. Not much to do there except Hearst castle though.

Not a crazy distance at all. Takes 8 hours in a U-Haul van. The Getty Centre in LA is worth a visit but I think you have to book.

San Francisco:

• Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park is ace.
• Chinatown worth a stroll through.
• Coit Tower gives good views over the city.
• Lombard Street, though maybe park at the bottom & walk up and watch the traffic snaking down.
• Very smelly urban sea lion colony at pier 5(? - double check online. It's near the departure pier for Alcatraz. You can probably find them by following your nose.)

If you choose exit Yosemite via the Tioga pass to get to the Nevada side of the Sierra Nevadas, Bodie ghost town (historic monument, but very tumbledown as it's done as 'managed decay') is atmospheric and worth a visit. The light up there is amazing - we took brilliant photos despite our very limited ability.

The tufa and birdlife in Mono Lake and neighbouring (dormant) volcano rim made for interesting hikes - not far from Bodie.

There is also a place called the Obsidian Dome on that side of the Sierra Nevadas which is supposed to be good, but we didn't make it that far.

Yosemite isn't very RV friendly

Oh dear God, YY to this. I reckon driving an RV up to Glacier Point wouldn't be far off a near-death experience. There are some really vertiginous drops, many hair pin bends and very few crash/safety barriers in Yosemite. It was bad enough in a hire car.

Bookmarking this thread because we're about to book a similar holiday (although I'm not sure about the RV bit).

OP, do you mind asking who you booked flights with / what route??

Hi Cointreau - we are flying from mainland Europe but got a good deal with BA via Heathrow.

@ Bunbaker - why is Madonna Inn "interesting"? I am now suspicious. I have a T shirt from Madonna Inn bought for me by SIL. Have I been the butt of an in-joke?

The Madonna Inn is unique in that every room is different and has a different theme. We had a lovely meal there but couldn't afford to stay there.

We had a drink at the madonna inn, pleased to visit but glad we weren't staying there. I can highly recommend The Apple Farm, really lovely.

I've just been looking at the Madonna Inn rooms and suites on their website. There are some proper migraine-inducing carpets and wallpaper on that site. I like the Daisy Mae and Caveman suites best because they are least swirly.

When we were there for a meal there was a tree in the middle of the restaurant and the toilets looked like they were in a cave.

Lucky you! Lassen National Park was a real highlight for us. Much, much less crowded than Yosemite with many interesting features.

Thanks everyone.

@2016 - how long did you stay at Lassen?

We only stayed three nights. It was long enough to hike out to Bumpass Hell (where there are spewing geysers all around you.) and for the children to participate in some Ranger programs (free and excellent) and to earn their Junior Ranger badges. It is really remote so bring lots of food with you, although there is a camp store, but that is really it. You truly feel you are in the wilderness, unlike the valley in Yosemite. The campsite on Manzanita lake is very nice.