“Roads were made for journeys, not destinations.”
–Confucius
As a family we love to go on trips near and far. But during the pandemic, due to recommended social distancing, we had to make changes to the way we travel and were posed with limited choices on where we could travel to. After being confined to limited surroundings for more than a year, when things finally started to open up but there were still some lingering restrictions on staying and dining out, we decided it might be a good idea to try out RVing which we have been talking about for a long time but never got to do. The timing seemed just right!
Quick Links for easy navigation
What type of RV to rent?
Where did we go?
The trip
What to pack?
Conclusion
What type of RV?
When we started our research on the type of RV to rent, we were flooded with a multitude of options as the RVs come in different sizes and many different amenities, categorized by classes. As a first timer, we were intimidated by the size and how difficult it will be to drive. So based on some friends recommendations we decided to go with one of the smaller ones, a C22 (Class C; 22 ft) which turned out to be just perfect for our family of four and not too difficult to drive around.
It’s a good idea to go with a reputed company where they have a new fleet of vehicles, especially if you are going to rent it for a longer duration. When we went to pick it up, we were given a demo on how to operate it and do the hook-ups which was quite helpful. Living in the SF Bay Area, we decided to go with El Monte RV Rentals in Dublin which came with pretty solid reviews and we were very happy with the vehicle and their service. Also they had a fairly newer fleet of vehicles, with most of them less than three years old.
Daily rate + mileage: $150/day + $.30/mile for a C22 motor home. During peak season $200-$250/night (call for latest rates)
Insurance: Check with your insurance for coverage for RVs. If covered, no extra insurance needed
Gas Mileage: 8-9 mpg
RV park: Full hookup – Electric/Water/Sewage . Rental – $40/night to $90/night (approx)
Other rental companies: Cruise America/RV share/Outdoorsy
Where did we go?
After looking into different destinations in Arizona and Utah, the neighboring state of Oregon came across as an ideal choice for a first timer due to it being less crowded and abundance of natural marvels it is blessed with. By carefully going through the probable destinations, we came up with the following:
San Francisco -> Lake Shasta -> Crater Lake -> Bend -> Silver Falls State Park -> Portland -> Florence -> Crescent City -> Humboldt State Park -> San Francisco
Total distance: 1500 mi
Duration: 10 days
Season: Spring / End of May
Activities: We visited the tourist spots and just explored various trails which is something we like to do as a family.
On an average, we drove approximately four hours everyday and camped in well kept RV parks with full hook-ups. Due to the pandemic and most diners closed, we packed food and all the essentials for a week which turned out to be pretty convenient in a way.
The trip
The day of our trip started with a big excitement as we got the rented RV home. We loaded all the items needed for a week which took about an hour. The best thing about going in an RV compared to driving or flying is the extra amount of space that you get and can afford to be more liberal on what to pack. We all decided to take turns driving. But having driven our minivan, we soon got a pretty good hang of it in no time.
Day 1
San Francisco -> Lake Shasta (250 miles)
Holiday Harbor RV Resort on the shores of Lake Shasta
The resort had complimentary shuttles to Shasta Caverns, a natural landmark situated on the foothills of Mt Shasta. The dimly lit caverns were one of a kind with the tour guide pointing out spots of interest and sharing with us the local history of the surrounding area. From the campground we also hiked a short trail that took us to the lake shore where all the houseboats were parked. Camping is something that we enjoy a lot and not having to pitch the tent this time around, we totally got to relax.
Lake Shasta 
Shasta Caverns
Day 2
Lake Shasta -> Crater Lake (200 miles)
After a good breakfast, we headed towards our next destination, Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States and the only National Park in Oregon. This stretch of the drive on the mountainous roads had to be done with extra caution. We crossed the CA-OR border and in about an hour we were welcomed by the pristine deep blue lake and seeing it for the first time was truly mesmerizing. The pictures don’t do any justice to the sheer beauty of what we saw. Because it was the last week of May, the trail down to the lake was still closed due to snow. We did a short hike around the rim of the lake taking in as much of the serenity as we could.
Crater Lake -> Bend (140 miles)
Camp Bend
With most campgrounds in the Crater Lake area not opened yet for the season, we drove extra miles to our next destination, Bend, OR. The RV campground where we stayed was a contemporary one and was located right in the downtown area. The mighty Deschutes river snakes through the heart of Bend making the whole town so picturesque as if it popped right out of a magazine cover. Bend is also famous for a myriad of outdoor activities, making it a year round popular destination. A walk along the river followed by a stroll through the charming little downtown with a good variety of restaurants and outdoor stores like Patagonia made us wish for a longer stay in that beautiful place.
Day 3
Bend -> Silver Falls State Park (125 miles)
Silverspur RV Park
With the weather forecast calling for rain, we started driving towards Silverton, OR and to me this sure was one of the most scenic drives during our entire trip. With creeks running in parallel to the Douglas fir lined highway for miles, the entire drive with the constant drizzles was just dazzling. We hopped on and off at many places to enjoy the picturesqueness of that area with mountains as a backdrop, enhanced by colorful wildflowers in full bloom.
After about 3 hours, we reached Silver Falls State Park, which is often referred to as the “crown jewel” of the Oregon state parks and soon we were about to see why! We did a 7.2 mile hike of the Trail of Ten Falls, with each and every one of them different from the other. It was quite an experience where we got to actually walk behind some of those falls. The entire area was so lush and green and the cool weather made it even more spectacular. This easily qualified as the top attraction during our entire trip.
Day 6
Portland -> Florence (170 mi)
Harbor Vista County Campground and Park
After spending couple of days in Portland visiting family and famous landmarks like Nike headquarters and Powell’s Bookstore, we continued our trip to Florence in the Pacific Coast along Highway 101 with an impromptu stop at the serene campus of University of Oregon in Eugene famed for the Oregon Ducks football team. We reached Florence in time to visit the Sea Lion caves where we got to see clusters of sea lions lazing around in the afternoon sun with unbeatable views of the vast expanse of the ocean.
Apart from the very famous beaches like Cannon beach, Oregon coast is famous for its many lighthouses and we were delighted to visit one of the most photographed, Heceta Head lighthouse. From the parking lot right under a bridge on highway 101 starts the scenic trail with out of the world views at every turn until we reached the top at about 1000 ft elevation. Half a mile before the lighthouse was the red roofed lightkeeper’s house in sharp contrast to the surroundings which looked as impressive as the lighthouse itself.
We spent the night in Harbor Vista County campground surrounded by such natural beauty where we took a stroll on the quiet sandy trails leading up to the ocean.
Day 7
Florence -> Crescent City (180 mi)
Redwood Coast Cabins and RV Resort
With nothing much planned for the day, we had a lazy morning with a sumptuous breakfast enjoying ocean views while having chats with fellow campers, some staying there for a week. The whole area was so colorful with rhododendrons in many different colors and made us wonder if it was the rhodo capital of the world. Around mid morning we started driving to our next destination, Crescent City, the northernmost city in California where the sea meets the redwoods after saying goodbye to Oregon where nature undeniably was at its best.
Crescent City welcomed us with towering redwoods and the nature hike we took in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park amidst such overgrowth of vegetation is something that we will treasure for a long time. We decided to call it a night at the Redwood Coast Cabins RV Resort, a huge well kept facility with nice hot showers.
Day 8
Crescent City -> Humboldt State Park (120 miles)
Burlington Campground at Humboldt State Park
We continued our journey along the redwoods coast and in about a couple of hours we were in the stretch of Hwy 101 paralleling the much heard about Avenue of the Giants, home to some of the world’s biggest redwood trees in Humboldt State Park. This avenue spans over some 30 miles with access via multiple exits from the highway. We were lucky enough to find a campsite in the Burlington campground, one of the most popular campgrounds out of the thirteen in the park and right next to the visitor center. It was downright one of the best sites we had ever camped at with the tall and majestic redwoods guarding us over. By the way, we booked this site months in advance due to its high demand.
Being a weekend, the popular campground was packed with families and buzzed with kids running and biking around. We connected with nature exploring quite a few short trails as recommended by the wonderful park volunteers like Nature Trail, Founders Grove, and Rockefeller Loop. Some had access to the river down below strewn with pebbles that felt nice to wade around.
Day 9
Humboldt State Park to Santa Rosa (240 miles)
It was the last day of our trip and the magical week was coming to an end! We had a relaxing drive enjoying the mystic foggy coastline in the pleasant Spring weather by stopping at various places where nature provided the most stunning backdrops to capture our memories and we even got to do a couple of short hikes to different viewpoints on unmarked trails.
After a few hours drive, we reached Guerneville in Sonoma County, where we spent the afternoon lazing around in the Russian River. On that warm sunny day, the drive through the wine country, home to many world class wineries, restaurants, and boutique hotels was as enchanting as ever and it was just the perfect way to end our trip.
What to pack for the RV trip?
One of the time consuming work in RVing is the amount of packing you need to do to make it your home for the duration you are going to travel because it is cumbersome to stop and shop along the way. There are many sites that talks about what to pack and I found this quite useful. In addition to this, we packed our Instant Pot on this trip which definitely made cooking a breeze.
Conclusion
After we got back, when we reminisced about our trip, we realized that first and foremost where you choose to go makes the whole experience worthwhile. Second is the weather which is a personal preference. Spring and Fall are our favorite seasons to travel and it worked out perfect. Having done it successfully once now, we look forward to more RV trips in the future knowing the choices are endless!
Feel free to reach out to me if you need any help in planning your RV trip! As always your feedback is welcome!
Check out my other blogs at Trails and Summits. Happy RVing!