RV Trip Guides

Curated road trips from Southern California · Campground picks · Insider tips

🗺️ All Trips ⚡ Weekend 📅 5-7 Days 🌟 Epic 10+ 🆕 Beginner 🎪 Events

🏜️ Desert 2-3 days

Joshua Tree Desert Escape

Rock formations, stargazing, and desert sunsets. Perfect first RV trip — just 2.5 hours from Irvine.

📏 260 mi round trip ⛽ ~$80 fuel 🏕️ $20-30/night ⭐ Beginner-friendly

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Suggested Itinerary

Day 1: Irvine → Joshua Tree (2.5 hrs via I-10). Enter west entrance. Sunset at Keys View.

📍 Camp: Jumbo Rocks Campground — 124 sites, flush toilets, central location. $20/night. No hookups.

Day 2: Hike Hidden Valley Trail (1.3 mi loop), Skull Rock, Cholla Cactus Garden. Stargazing at night.

📍 Same camp or Cottonwood (south, quieter, $25/night)

Day 3: Barker Dam morning hike → drive home via Palm Springs (lunch stop).

🏕️ Book campsites: recreation.gov · Reserve 2-3 months ahead for weekends

💡 Pro tip: Bring extra water — no hookups at most JT campgrounds. Our fresh tank lasts 2-3 days with normal use.

🌊 Coast 3-4 days

Pacific Coast Highway: LA to Big Sur

The iconic California coastal drive. Ocean views, beach camping, wine country, and seaside towns.

📏 700 mi round trip ⛽ ~$200 fuel 🏕️ $35-65/night 🌅 Scenic

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Suggested Itinerary

Day 1: Irvine → Santa Barbara (2 hrs via 101). Stearns Wharf, wine tasting in Funk Zone.

📍 Camp: El Capitan State Beach — oceanfront, hookups. $65/night.

Day 2: Santa Barbara → Morro Bay (2.5 hrs). Stop at Pismo Beach dunes.

📍 Camp: Morro Bay State Park — bay views, full hookups. $50/night.

Day 3: Morro Bay → Big Sur (1.5 hrs). Bixby Bridge, McWay Falls, Pfeiffer Beach.

📍 Camp: Pfeiffer Big Sur SP — redwoods, creek. $35/night. No hookups but gorgeous.

Day 4: Big Sur morning → return via 101 (5 hrs) or stay another night.

💡 Pro tip: Avoid taking Class A RVs on PCH through Big Sur — tight curves! Class C (25-30ft) is perfect for this route.

🏔️ Mountains 5-7 days

Yosemite Valley & Sierra Nevada

Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, giant sequoias, and alpine lakes. The crown jewel of California.

📏 600 mi round trip ⛽ ~$180 fuel 🏕️ $26-36/night 📸 Iconic

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Suggested Itinerary

Day 1: Irvine → Fresno (4 hrs via I-5/CA-99). Overnight at RV park.

📍 Camp: Visalia/Sequoia Gateway — full hookups, pool. $45/night.

Day 2: Fresno → Yosemite Valley (2 hrs via CA-41). Tunnel View, Valley floor drive.

📍 Camp: Upper Pines — 238 sites, flush toilets, bear boxes. $36/night. Book 5 months ahead!

Day 3: Yosemite Valley: Mist Trail to Vernal Fall, Mirror Lake, Yosemite Falls.

Day 4: Glacier Point sunrise, Mariposa Grove giant sequoias.

Day 5: Tioga Road (seasonal) — Tenaya Lake, Tuolumne Meadows.

📍 Camp: Tuolumne Meadows — high country, $26/night.

Day 6-7: Return via Mono Lake or Kings Canyon detour.

💡 Pro tip: Tioga Pass (CA-120) is closed Nov–May. Check road conditions at nps.gov/yose. Some roads have 35ft length limits.

🌵 Arizona 5-6 days

Grand Canyon & Sedona Adventure

The world's most spectacular canyon plus Sedona's red rocks. Cross-state RV adventure.

📏 1,200 mi round trip ⛽ ~$350 fuel 🏕️ $18-50/night 🌄 Epic views

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Suggested Itinerary

Day 1: Irvine → Kingman, AZ (5 hrs via I-40). Route 66 nostalgia.

📍 Camp: Hualapai Mountain Park — $30/night, pines at 7,000ft.

Day 2: Kingman → Grand Canyon South Rim (3 hrs). Afternoon rim walk, sunset at Hopi Point.

📍 Camp: Mather Campground — 327 sites, shuttle access. $18/night.

Day 3: Bright Angel Trail hike (go as far as comfortable), Desert View Watchtower.

Day 4: Grand Canyon → Sedona (2 hrs). Cathedral Rock sunset.

📍 Camp: Rancho Sedona RV Park — creek-side, full hookups. $50/night.

Day 5: Sedona: Slide Rock SP, Chapel of the Holy Cross, Airport Mesa vortex.

Day 6: Return via I-17/I-10 (6 hrs) or add Jerome ghost town.

💡 Pro tip: America the Beautiful Pass ($80/year) covers Grand Canyon entry. Grand Canyon campsites book 6 months ahead — reserve early!

🌟 Epic Loop 10-14 days

Ultimate Southwest National Parks Loop

Joshua Tree → Death Valley → Yosemite → Grand Canyon. The trip of a lifetime, all from Irvine.

📏 2,200 mi ⛽ ~$650 fuel 🏕️ $20-50/night 🏆 Bucket list

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12-Day Itinerary

Day 1-2: Joshua Tree — Hidden Valley, Keys View, stargazing at Jumbo Rocks ($20/night)

Day 3-4: Death Valley — Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point, sand dunes. Furnace Creek ($36/night, full hookups)

Day 5-7: Yosemite — Valley floor, Mist Trail, Glacier Point, Mariposa Grove. Upper Pines ($36/night)

Day 8-10: Grand Canyon South Rim — Bright Angel Trail, sunset viewpoints. Mather ($18/night)

Day 11: Sedona red rocks detour (optional)

Day 12: Return to Irvine via I-40/I-15 (7 hrs)

💡 Pro tip: This is our most popular long trip. Book a Class C for the best balance of comfort and maneuverability. Add our Starlink WiFi extra ($15/day) to stay connected!

🔥 Event 8-10 days

Burning Man RV Guide

The ultimate survival guide for bringing an RV to Black Rock City. Prep, packing, and playa tips.

📏 1,100 mi round trip ⛽ ~$400 fuel 🎫 Ticket required 🌡️ Extreme conditions

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Essential Prep

Pre-trip: Book RV 3-6 months ahead. Our Class A ($399/night) or Class C ($210/night) are playa-proven. Generator unlimited add-on is a MUST.

Packing: Extra water (5 gal/person/day), dust covers for AC intakes, duct tape, tarps, shade structure, bikes, LED lights, costumes.

Route: Irvine → Reno (8 hrs via I-5/CA-70) → Black Rock City (2 hrs via NV-447). Fill up in Wadsworth — last gas station.

At playa: Park on hard-packed surface, seal ALL gaps against dust, run AC at night, conserve water, bring extra propane.

Return: DEEP CLEAN REQUIRED. Our $50 dump service + our mobile detailing van will restore your RV.

⚠️ Playa damage fee: Additional $500 cleaning surcharge for Burning Man rentals covers alkaline dust removal and HVAC filter replacement. This is standard across ALL RV rental companies.

🎰 Nevada 2-3 days

Vegas + Valley of Fire

Hit the Strip, then escape to the stunning red sandstone of Valley of Fire State Park.

📏 580 mi round trip ⛽ ~$170 fuel 🏕️ $20-40/night 🎲 Fun

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Day 1: Irvine → Las Vegas (4 hrs via I-15). Afternoon on the Strip, dinner show.

📍 Camp: Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort — pool, spa, shuttle to Strip. $40/night.

Day 2: Valley of Fire State Park (1 hr from Vegas). Fire Wave trail, Elephant Rock, petroglyphs.

📍 Camp: Atlatl Rock campground — $20/night, electric hookups.

Day 3: Red Rock Canyon morning hike → return to Irvine (4 hrs).

🏖️ Beach 2-3 days

San Diego Beach & Zoo

Ocean beaches, world-famous zoo, Gaslamp Quarter. The easiest RV trip — just 1.5 hours south.

📏 200 mi round trip ⛽ ~$60 fuel 🏕️ $50-75/night ⭐ Beginner perfect

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Day 1: Irvine → San Diego (1.5 hrs via I-5). San Diego Zoo or Safari Park.

📍 Camp: Campland on the Bay — waterfront, full hookups, pool, beach. $65/night.

Day 2: La Jolla Cove, Torrey Pines hike, Old Town San Diego.

Day 3: Mission Beach morning → Gaslamp Quarter lunch → drive home.

💡 Perfect first trip! Short drive, full hookups, easy campgrounds. Great for families with kids.

🆕 First-Time RV Renter's Checklist

Everything you need to know before your first RV trip. Print this or screenshot it!

✅ Book RV + campsite 2-4 weeks ahead

✅ Verify insurance covers RV rentals

✅ Plan route — avoid low bridges & narrow roads

✅ Download apps: iOverlander, GasBuddy, Campendium

✅ Pack: clothes, food, toiletries, medications

✅ We provide: linens, towels, full tank, propane

✅ At pickup: 30-min orientation walkthrough

✅ Practice backing up in empty lot first

✅ At campsite: level → electric → water → sewer

✅ Keep black tank valve CLOSED until full

✅ Dump tanks: black first, then gray to rinse

✅ Before return: fill fuel, remove belongings, basic tidy

✅ We handle: deep cleaning, tank dump (add-on), exterior wash

✅ Return by 11 AM to avoid late fees

🎒 Nervous about your first trip? Add our First-Timer Bundle ($99) — includes kitchen kit, camping set, cooler, s'mores kit, and a printed how-to guide. Everything you need to feel confident!

Ready for your adventure?

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