Help a newbie with planning!

[ThorAce2015]

Originally Posted by MCCOHENS

Being a newbie and only having 5 days you might want to scale down the trip. That is a lot of driving and time to actually camp, hike, etc will be minimal. Kids don't enjoy sitting in a bouncy motorhome no matter how many gadgets they bring. Consider a 100 -150 mile radius, then you have a 2 days driving and 3 days there to have fun.

I agree with above post. We have camped with 2yr old granddaughters and extended travel in motorhome is not easy. Scale down your trip.

[XXXEsq]

Just got back from a trip from LA to SF. When we left, the 5 was closed at the Grapevine due to snow, so we drove the 101 the whole way up and the 5 all the way back. 101 was open all the way up, but there were a few sections that were down to a single lane due to construction which caused multi-hour crawls. Took 9.5 hrs from LA to SF.

[Frankmerrill]

Oh, how I love that trip! My wife, two young kids, and I did that trip in 1978 in a 1974 Volkswagen Campmobile that we bought just for that trip. That was our first RV and we loved it and the trip. We were sharing memories of that very trip on Christmas Eve just last week with our now adult kids and their kids via the marvelous capabilities of the internet and Zoom.

Thank you for the pleasant stroll down memory lane!

Best Regards,
Frank

[Camp CA]

Originally Posted by S-Car-go

...........want to travel 5 days from January 3 to January 8. We want to visit Sequoia Park, Carmel by the sea, San Francisco and all which is of interest. But! .. I am alarmed by the weather.......

These are some of our favorite places to visit. Sequioa National Park will be below freezing but check for access in the event of winter storms. Don't forget a stop in Solvang, Pismo Beach or Oceania/Half Moon Bay and Moss Landing. Travel 101 north to Carmel and San Francisco. Access Sequioa from Fresno off CA99. Be careful returning south over the I5 Grapvine due to closures in the event of snow. However, consider avoiding the Grapvine with its heavy truck traffic and steep grades going south out of Bakersfield. There are other routes, albeit longer.

[twogypsies]

Well OP.... looks like you'll be starting your trip tomorrow. Please give us a trip report when you return. Hope all goes well!! Have fun.

[Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Well OP.... looks like you'll be starting your trip tomorrow. Please give us a trip report when you return. Hope all goes well!! Have fun.

In post #21 the OP said he moved the trip back to start on 1/7.
I hope he returns to tell us what they did and how it went.

[S-Car-go]

Originally Posted by XXXEsq

Just got back from a trip from LA to SF. When we left, the 5 was closed at the Grapevine due to snow, so we drove the 101 the whole way up and the 5 all the way back. 101 was open all the way up, but there were a few sections that were down to a single lane due to construction which caused multi-hour crawls. Took 9.5 hrs from LA to SF.

Great advice! Thanks!

[S-Car-go]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Well OP.... looks like you'll be starting your trip tomorrow. Please give us a trip report when you return. Hope all goes well!! Have fun.

Start January 6.
I will definitely write about the road! I hope for your kind advice if I have any difficulties.

[S-Car-go]

Originally Posted by Tomahawk

In post #21 the OP said he moved the trip back to start on 1/7.
I hope he returns to tell us what they did and how it went.

RV inspected, pick it up at 10:00 am January 6

[Arch Hoagland]

Originally Posted by S-Car-go

RV inspected, pick it up at 10:00 am January 6

When you pick it up do a walk around with your cellphone and video the entire outside of it, preferably with the rental manger at your side.

Have him or her remove the sewer connection cover....that way if someone hasn't closed the valves properly the manager will get the dodo and not you.

[MEC57]

Do 200 to 300 miles per day and enjoy the time at thw stops.

[Telephonebil]

I have done many trips with my kids starting at 6 moths old now they are 17 ant 21.
Long driving trips make everyone short on temper. I would plan on no more than 250 fun miles a day. Remember you may be able to stay in a rest stop if you are not at final destination. Let the kids out and run around every hour and a half or so unless they are sleeping. Watch your down hill grades !
Put tranny in lowest of gears and do not over use brakes or over heat them. Don’t try to do 500 in a day. That’s really not necessary.
Have a good time.

[Tomahawk]

I'd like to add one thing. Not really for the OP but others following this thread. My wife's family is in the Santa Cruz area and we live in the Long Beach area. We have made that drive, round trip, close to 100 times over the years. One good trick for me is to leave a few hours after dinner, maybe 7PM. After about about 2 hours, the wife and kids would be asleep and I could drive until mid night in peace and quiet. Some trips we'd stop in Paso Robles or King City and finish up the last hour or so the next day while eating breakfast. After trying nearly every route, I like taking 5 to 46 and then to 101. You drop into Paso Robles, skipping all the traffic on 101 through the valley and Santa Barbara. I'd only take 101 the whole way if we wanted to stop in one of the towns or the weather was bad on the grapevine. In a car I take 154 in Santa Barbara, in an RV I'd stay on 101. The time difference is not that big because 154 is windy and has a 55 speed limit. The CHP likes to sit at the bottom of the grade going north where it is straight and easy to be way over the speed limit.

[S-Car-go]

Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland

When you pick it up do a walk around with your cellphone and video the entire outside of it, preferably with the rental manger at your side.

Have him or her remove the sewer connection cover....that way if someone hasn't closed the valves properly the manager will get the dodo and not you.

thanks! I will definitely make a video