Community Forums

Old Harry · 08-01-2022, 04:27 PM

My son-in-law is serving in the Navy and has been transferred to the Pacific Fleet, San Diego. His wife, (our daughter) and two young grandsons have sold their house and are moving there later this month. Since my wife and I are retired we volunteered to take the grand kids and daughter from Pensacola Fl. to San Diego in our motorhome. Spend some time sightseeing the SD area and then take our time returning home by any route that strikes our fancy.

What I would like to know is what would be a nice RV park to stay at once we get to SD. Their new home is in LaMesa so being close to that is important.

vito.a · 08-01-2022, 04:39 PM

Our grandkids really enjoy the San Diego KOA. It's actually south in Chula Vista. They have an impressive pool complex and great kids activities.
https://koa.com/campgrounds/san-dieg...SAAEgLV2_D_BwE

pduggs · 08-01-2022, 04:47 PM

We spent January and February 2021 in San Diego. We stayed at Chula Vista RV Resort, which is now Sun Outdoors San Diego. This is a new park that opened after our stay. I’m not sure if the old park is still open, but we enjoyed our stay. We had a site that overlooked San Diego Bay.

You might check out Fiddlers Cove Marina RV Park. It’s a military park that maybe your SIL can get you in. We drove by that park and it looks very nice. Right on the bay.

https://www.sunoutdoors.com/californ...-san-diego-bay

Fiddler's Cove Marina & RV Park (Navy MWR)
(619) 522-8680
https://goo.gl/maps/uQRXaaZMW5VjFhay6

Smitty77 · 08-01-2022, 04:50 PM

Santee Lakes is another location to check, another place where lots to do with children

!

Travel safe, and way cool that you get to travel with the GK's - a trip they'll always remember!

Smitty

TexasJack · 08-01-2022, 05:09 PM

RV Parky app shows 2 in La Mesa.
San Diego RV Resort, pricey for me, but looks nice. Next to I-8 & near a rail commuter station.
Admiral Baker military RV camp. Half the cost, and A bit tighter. Family should make you eligible.
Others are further away. Do a map, online search, try a different app. Get your family there to check out the area.

The most recent comments on the SD RV Resort mentioned 'homeless' camping and theft there.

Edit
While I was looking for things, others have been typing faster than me.
Note - I haven't been to SD since I was a child. I commented on what I found closest to La Mesa. Add commute times, or not, as you see fit.

Most of all, enjoy!! SD is by all reports a nice place. And family makes it better.

My kin are scattered from Sacramento to Atlanta, with few nearby.

twogypsies · 08-01-2022, 06:11 PM

Here are some parks.

As I read it the children aren't staying with you when you get to California. They'll be in their new home. So kids' activities aren't required. You'll be siteseeing the area along with visiting with them, I assume.

This looks like it would be a LOT quieter than San Diego RV 'Resort' which is right on the highway.

https://campgrounds.rvlife.com/regio...d-rv-park-4023

Make a reservation.... NOW.

There are many parks around:

https://campgrounds.rvlife.com/regio...fornia/la-mesa

AreVee · 08-01-2022, 09:23 PM

I don't know about availability at any of these places. Summer in San Diego might be pretty tough.
These places aren't very close to La Mesa.

Mission Bay:
https://www.campland.com/

Silver Strand (Coronado):
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=654

B RAD · 08-02-2022, 04:46 PM

I’m in the San Diego area right now. We stayed a week at San Diego RV Resort. It is a nice average park with lots of full time residents but most seem to keep their sites in good order. Lots of noise from cars and trains but this is crowded Southern CA. so that’s what you get along with just about the best weather in the entire USA. If you can qualify for one of the military campgrounds then that in absolutely the way to go. Prices for all the private parks are way to high but they are pretty much all full so I guess they know what they can charge. We are now in Oceanside, Ca just up the coast about 30 miles. We love the beach but this will be our last summer here as we are now priced out.

beaverfever · 08-02-2022, 06:42 PM

since your son is military check the famcamps out.
i know absolutely nothing about them but remember a gentleman at a rv park raving about one in the San Diego area

2Yung2 Quit · 08-03-2022, 08:15 PM

The Elk's Lodge in El Cajon has RV spaces with electric and water for $25 a night. The dump station is $5. This is about as close as you can get to La Mesa. https://www.elks.org/lodges/lodgefac...dgeNumber=1812

HavingABlast · 08-04-2022, 09:49 AM

Local here. Santee Lakes has very close proximity to not only La Mesa, but is centrally located to other things too, like the SD Zoo, Balboa Park, San Diego Harbor, Mission Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and Sea World. Lego Land, the old mining town of Julian, the surrounding deserts are within an hours drive too, as well as many vineyards in all directions. Golf courses are everywhere.

Yes, there are CG’s closer to La Mesa, but the ones that I am thinking of are also right on the side of the freeway. That noise would be bothersome to some…me included.

Fiddlers Cove, mentioned above is right on San Diego Harbor. Lovely, but quite a hike to La Mesa from there. If you want a FamCamp closer to La Mesa, look at Admiral Baker. It is closer, and abuts a nice golf course (two 18 hole courses), that are in great shape (played there a few weeks ago).

Where ever you land, it is wonderful that you are making great memories for your grandkids. Safe travels.

Alan_Hepburn · 08-04-2022, 10:28 AM

We checked out Admiral Baker about a year ago and at that time it was active duty only - don't know if that has changed. We ended up at Rancho Los Coches RV Park, in Lakeside - just a couple of miles from our son's house in El Cajon. It's a bit pricy, but then most parks down there are.

Charming · 08-05-2022, 07:55 PM

This past spring we stayed at Sweetwater Summit Regional Park. Lovely views and nicely spread out. It is about 9 miles south of LA Mesa.

Old Harry · 08-06-2022, 04:19 AM

We thank you for all the responses and great suggestion. We tried the Admiral Baker but they only had boondocking sites left and that was after our daughter used her military ID, so I don’t know if they are still open to only active duty or not. Several others were also booked for our size and needs. We now have a site at Sweetwater Summit Park. We felt it was the best compromise between the son-in-law/daughter's new place and the sights we want to go to after we no longer have the grandsons with us. We will keep our two young grandsons for the first day and night while their parents set up the new house with the belongings and beds, after that we turn them over to their parents.

Big on my list of places to go is the Maritime Museum of San Diego to see the tall ship HMS Surprise. I sailed on her as a “crew-trainee” when she was known as the “HMS” Rose before she was bought by the movie company Fox and used in the movie Master and Commander.