Need a little advice on S. Cal and Ca./Or. Coast

[Silver350]

So we're pretty much decided that we need a little break and plan on driving to S. California near the end of January, stay a while and drive up the 101 on the way home. Unless the weather would be too bad that time of year.

We want to blast down I-5, take the girls to see Mickey for a couple of days (is that enough? we've never been), see an old friend in Murrieta Hot Springs and take our time getting home. We're taking the pop up and the van.
Is camping on the coast that time of year OK?

What kind of weather can we expect ?

Should we wait until later in the year?

Any recomended locations?

Thanks, Bob

 

[macmcintire]

My wife and I are driving up the California coast Mid-May. I asked the same questions you did, only I did it by PM to Forum members in cities all along the coast. I received great responses from everyone. Too bad I didn't do it in a post so you would already have your answers.

In an nutshell the answers were that the weather changes significantly along the coast and could be good one day and bad the next. Could be clear or foggy. If foggy, it could be clear 10 miles down the road. If sunny it could be cloudy later in the day. In other words . . . you get what you get. So bring the sun and rain gear. However, all were in agreement that the best odds of great weather for such a trip is October.

Also, there are lots of wonderful places to see along the way. Here's the list I was given:

From S to N (roughly):
 
La Purisima
Jalama Beach
Guadalupe Dunes
Village of Arroyo Grande
Avila Beach
See Canyon/Prefumo Canyon
Downtown San Luis Obispo (Thursday night Farmer’s Market; but be careful b/c you’ll want to move here.)
Morro Rock
Morro Beach
Cambria
Hearst Castle (if you like arts and artifacts, plan on spending all day there)
Wineries in Templeton and Paso Robles
The Old Coast Road
Nacimiento-Ferguson Road
Pfeiffer Big Sur Park
Nepenthe
Palo Colorado to Botcher’s Gap
Carmel Valley Road
Tassajara Hot Springs
Monterey Bay Aquarium
 
I can add to the list is your SMB is 4x4:
Refugio Road (Regan Ranch is along there)
El Camino Cielo
Figueroa Mountain Road (Neverland Ranch is along there)
Hi Mountain Road
Hi Mountain Lookout Road
Oceano Dunes
Pozo

I was told the views are better North to South, so we changed our plans and will start at the top and end at Santa Barbara rather than the other way around. We've decided to stop at Yosemite and Sportsmobile West on the way out to the coast.

Hope this helps,

Mac

 

[Viejo]

Is camping on the coast that time of year OK?

Wet.

What kind of weather can we expect ?

Wet.

Should we wait until later in the year?

Yes, if you can, wait until April/May.

If you do come in Jan, Hwy 101 is more of a sure thing than I-5, which can be shut down for snow/ice. On the coast it's usually just wind and rain.

 

[yvrr]

If you do come in Jan, Hwy 101 is more of a sure thing than I-5, which can be shut down for snow/ice. On the coast it's usually just wind and rain.

While it is possible for I-5 to be shut down by snow over the "Grapevine" between Bakersfield and Los Angeles, the more likely problem is fog in the Central Valley. Don't expect to be able to drive early in the morning or late in the evening but the fog normally dissipates enough by mid-morning to drive safely. Weather maps will show the fog which can extend from south of Sacramento to south of Bakersfield.

Yes, two days is enough at Disneyland if you get to the park early each day. Get park hoppers tickets and start in Disneyland but immediately go to your most wanted attraction (Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones, etc.) and get fast passes for the family. Later, take everyone's entry tickets and go over to California Adventure and get fast passes for California Soaring. That way, you can bounce back and forth between the two parks without spending a lot of time in lines. PM me if you need more suggestions. (We go every year and were there earlier this month.)

How old are your girls? The Big Sur coast can be boring for young ones (but amazing for the rest of us). If they are 10 years or older, Hearst Castle can be interesting to see how the rich spent their money. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is great. In San Francisco, consider visiting Alcatraz...while it seems weird, it is very interesting to visit solitary confinement, the exercise yard you saw in the "Escape from Alcatraz" movie, etc. Chinatown is also great to visit.

Yes, it will be wet in Northern California... expect rain 3-4 days per week in January but that shouldn't keep you from having a great time! Besides, the campgrounds (if open) will have more open spaces! But, you might check state parks for open campsites and plan accordingly...

 

[daveb-SMB]

Although I haven't been there since the 60's, a buddy of mine said he enjoyed Knox Berry Farm as much as D-land. He said it has thrilling rides. Has that place been upgraded that much? I hated it as a kid but things change I guess.

 

[yvrr]

I loved it as a kid in the 1950s (before D-land) when it really was a "ghost town". But it has, in my opinion, lost its niche as it has tried to match D-land and the other "thrill-ride" park. But kids today don't see the nostalgia of Knott's....

 

[surfgeek33]

Its nice here during January, well its actually quite nice through out the year. I guess that's why we live here in So Cal :a3: Disneyland and California Adventure is quite doable in 2 days. I don't really recommend Knots Berry Farm. It has definitely changed the last few years, not too kid friendly IMO (lots of unsupervised hoodlums roaming around). You can probably find lots of campsites available by the beach, since its not peak season. Let me know when you have a solid date for D-land, maybe we can meet up, we have a annual passes. Too bad you guys aren't here sooner. My sister is an RN for D-land and could have got you and 2 other guest for free. She just gave her 2 weeks notice before the holidays. :a6:

 

[daveb-SMB]

I don't really recommend Knots Berry Farm. It has definitely changed the last few years, not too kid friendly IMO (lots of unsupervised hoodlums roaming around).

Oh yeah, that's how it's spelled :b3: Well I still like the jelly :a1:

 

[Aldercrest]

Expect 40-45F and wet on the northern Oregon coast. Warmer later in the spring, but very likely wet through June. Still things to do and see, but odds are it will be cool and wet.

 

[TomH-SMB]

The advice re. park hopping and fast passes in Disney are spot on. Two days is perfect for Disneyland. Disney World requires one to two weeks.

I have driven the coast from Canada to San Diego and I would suggest some other time of the year. As has been said, you will have variable weather, but that is assuming no systems are coming through. If we get a big slow system, or a series of systems, you could have pouring rain for days on end. We are in a La Nina year, which typically have dryer than average winters, however a different phenomenon has moved the jet stream further south than La Nina usually allows. This added phenomenon usually looses its effect in January. We have had a wetter than average winter so far (very wet in fact-it has been like an El Nino winter thus far), yet I have read that climatologists still predict below average precipitation by the time the wet season ends. Still, you can never predict winter weather here with much accuracy beyond a couple of days. In the dry season, you can depend on constant changes between sun and fog on the coast. Spring and early fall are much quieter than summer.

I love the string of small wooded mountain lakes about 4 miles from the coast in the Florence, OR area. I also enjoy the hiking in Point Reyes National Seashore. Your SMB is ideal for a section known as the Lost Coast. CA state route 1 veers away from the coast for a hundred or so miles north of Fort Bragg and coast access is by more minor roads. Below is a short thread on the Lost Coast, but I would recommend additional research. Good Luck. Be safe and have fun.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=5874

 

[jstanley-SMB]

My advice for camping on the beach in January in California is to go farther south to Baja California Sur and camp on the Sea of Cortez.

 

[Viejo]

US 101 veers away from the coast for a hundred or so miles and access is by more minor roads.

Yes, 101 is inland for the whole 260+ miles from San Francisco to Eureka. To drive the coast you need to go up Hwy 1 from Marin Co. to Ft. Bragg. Then 1 goes inland to join 101. From just above Ft. Bragg you can drive the Lost Coast on the Usal Rd. to Shelter Cove and then up through Petrolia to Ferndale.

My advice for camping on the beach in January in California is to go farther south to Baja California Sur and camp on the Sea of Cortez.

Sure, the weather in Cabo is great in Jan. but I'll take pouring rain over headless bodies on the side of the road and army check point shakedowns any day.

 

[TomH-SMB]

Yes, 101 is inland for the whole 260+ miles from San Francisco to Eureka. To drive the coast you need to go up Hwy 1 from Marin Co. to Ft. Bragg. Then 1 goes inland to join 101. From just above Ft. Bragg you can drive the Lost Coast on the Usal Rd. to Shelter Cove and then up through Petrolia to Ferndale.

You are correct. It was late and I was thinking State Route 1 and incorrectly typed US 101. Thanks for correcting my mistake.

 

[Silver350]

OK, so it looks like my options for camping on the coast will be Cold and Wet or Wet and Cold. So we've decided that well just stick to D-Land and south of there for about a week and a couple of days driving on either end. We'll leave January 28th, arrive the 30th and leave the 4th or 5th.

Baja would be awesome but it's not going to happen, hopefully we'll find some decent weather in Ca. I've done the Vancouver B.C. to Fontana or National City drive at least 200 times so I'm aware of the winter conditions on I-5, chaining up for slush on Mt Ashland, Tule Fog in the valley, etc.

So now we want to camp near D- Land and maybe near a beach for 3 or 4 nights. Not oposed to moving around a bit. My girls are 4,6&8 so it's still a lot about Princesses as far as Disney is concerned. Any recomendations on campgrounds?

Thanks, Bob

 

[macmcintire]

Our favorite is So. Carlsbad State Beach, obviously just South of Carlsbad, California. We have spent a week camping there each May for 15 years. They have showers, restrooms, a camp store and the campsites are on a bluff overlooking the beach. We see dolphins swimming there all the time.

Here's a picture pre-Sportsmobile when we used out tent trailer to camp. [photo:2etewfs6]12396[/photo:2etewfs6]

 

[surfgeek33]

I would highly recommend San Elijo State beach. Its about 5 minutes south of Carlsbad. Overlooks the ocean, and Encinitas is walking distance (easy walk), nice shops and dine in restaurants. Also close to Lego Land if the girls are interested.

This was our camp site:

A View from our campsite.

 

[Silver350]

Well, we were just offered free accomodation for as long as we like in Murietta Hot Springs, so we will not be camping after all. Now the plan is to do day trips from there. I see that Anza Borrego State Park is very close by and mentioned frequently on this site.

So if a person had 2 days at D Land and 1 day each to see a little bit of the following, where would one go?

Anza Borrego

So. Cal Beach

One more suggestion

Thanks, Bob

 

[NRL]

Well, we were just offered free accomodation for as long as we like in Murietta Hot Springs, so we will not be camping after all. Now the plan is to do day trips from there. I see that Anza Borrego State Park is very close by and mentioned frequently on this site.

So if a person had 2 days at D Land and 1 day each to see a little bit of the following, where would one go?

Anza Borrego

So. Cal Beach

One more suggestion

Thanks, Bob

I try to see a different bit of Anza Borrego every chance I get these days.. the last trip was Little Blair Valley.

I usually head out from my buddy's place near Murietta Hot Springs/ Temecula and take 79 towards Anza Borrego..
Usually take highway 79 to S2
If you never been to the Anza Borrego area, I'd start with Borrego Springs and head to Font's Point..for some nice pics then from there explore a few known places nearby if you have more time. 79 will connect to to S2 and then take S22 to small town of Borrego Springs.. You can then head back to S2 or S22 and explore more sites or connect up to 78 and explore the ocotillo wells area.

Might want to Google (Font's Point, Truckhaven, Superstition, Blair Valley, Ocotillo) or check out this link:
http://www.desertusa.com/anza_borrego/a ... erest.html

 

[Silver350]

NRL:

That is very helpfull, thanks.