California loop

I used to windsurf at Candlestick Park quite often.  It is not a good neighborhood.  My wife refused to go with me whenever I went there because she did not feel safe. 

But it is windy!

Hi 8muddypaws,
We have had some time to look at some of the parks in the close SFO vicinity.
Without the experience of actually any stays, we can only guess an opinion from varied reviews.
In general, most say candlestick is just average, with the occasional rude proprietor thing & the odd un-reasonable rules, tight spaces etc.
My wife does not care too much for the reviews of this one either.
But what to do, even the SFO RV Resort ( in name only by the looks of it) is tight spaces with no room for an awning or chairs. The wife prefers this park.  But so close to SFO parks would be so hard find in the traditional sense (open spaces, trees, grass, etc) we've found. On the whole though, without being too critical, we are happy that we can get a stay in SFO, I'm 100% sure the parks are kept to the best possible standards they can within reason.
We're happy with that.

If there's any way you can have a car during your stay I suggest staying at the North Santa Cruz KOA in Pescadero on the coast,  or at Pillar Point.  Both are very nice and the drive to SF isn't that bad.

Our two favorite places on the coast are Morro Bay and Monterey.  San Francisco doesn't even make the top 20 for us.  . I had to go there often enough for work that I got my fill.  Just the aquarium in Monterey is worth the trip.  San Diego and Long Beach have great ones too.

Hi again 8muddypaws,
Well, we've taken a swag of time to look at your suggestion and tips, of course the teens wanted to contribute to the input too, so we gave them their chance. In the last week.
For the last part of our Loop, once SFO is done (I have, but the wife has never been to), we'll day visit Monterey, then stay at Morro Bay; Pismo Beach; Malibu Beach (for the teen kids) a couple of days in each, with call ins on the way (Santa Barbara and others, etc) in between, that way we all have experienced California in the best poosible way we could, bar none.
So a little sun burn to take home from a beatiful California beach (or 3) never hurt anyone........ right ? (ouch !! LOL).
So there it is, according to us all, it's the perfect California Loop for us this time.
And I guess we wil be wanting more.................. but that's for the next loop !!.
Cheers to you all,
The Aussies.         

Here are my recommendations for RV parks on the coast:

http://morrodunes.com/morro_dunes/index.html

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=595

http://www.maliburv.com/

The one at Morro Bay is my favorite on the coast. Stunning scenery and right across the street from the beach.

Hi tom, nice to hear from you again after all this time!!.
Thanks mate, we've looked at a couple of your suggested sites.
We'll be making reservations all around as soon as our flights are confirmed (mid October),
schedules & prices for the U.S. are only released 330 days in advance (we'll be needing all of that to reserve some of the more popular stays)........ go figure !!

Please let me know at some stage about the hike at Yosemite you mentioned earlier in in the conversation
(on page 1 I think ?). As I mentioned then, I'd like that photo at the foot of El Capitan too !.
We would like more of a stint for our vacation, but we do have to have our son home in time for registering him in college
for next year.
So, we'll have picked the eyes out of this trip thanks to all you guys & gals, next time though,
we want see more !!. for longer !!.
See you on the road soon.

Yosemite is a hikers paradise. I will list my favorites in order of how much I like them. But first let me explain weather in Yosemite. The valley floor is 7 square miles out of 1200 square miles and 95% of the visitors spend 95% of their time in the valley and never get out of the valley. So therefore the valley is crowded. But don't let that deter you. It has to be the most beautiful 7 square miles in the world. The valley runs east and west and it is a very deep valley. The walls are three thousand feet high. So if you hike in the summer you will want to hike on the south wall. The north wall will be in direct sunlight all day long and it will not be very comfortable. Hiking in winter is best done on the north wall so that you will be in the sun. My favorite hike is the Mist Trail which is actually three hikes in one. It can be as short as 2 miles to the bottom of Vernal Falls, or about 4 miles to the top of Vernal Falls or 8 miles to the top of Nevada Falls. It is on the south wall and it is not as misty as the name sounds.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/vernalnevadatrail.htm

My second favorite hike is the four mile hike. And of course it is not four miles, it is five miles one way. You can hike up the trail to Glacier Point and ride a shuttle bus back to the valley floor or take the bus up and hike down or hike up and down which is 10 miles. The view of the valley from Glacier Point is one of the best views anywhere. It is a steep hike, like being on a stairmaster for a few hours. It is also on the south wall.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/fourmiletrail.htm

On the north wall is the Yosemite Falls trail which goes to both upper and lower Yosemite Falls.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/yosemitefallstrail.htm

Mirror Lake is a great trail. Perfectly flat the whole way and only five miles round trip. Stunning views of Half Dome.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/mirrorlaketrail.htm

There are free shuttles running all day long in the valley (not the one to Glacier Point) and when it gets about an hour from sunset hop on the valley shuttle and get off at Sentinel Bridge stop. Walk across the street and join the mob on the bridge. You  will be able to take a photo just like the one below and really impress your friends.

I should mention that it is best to start any of these hikes very early in the morning as they get very crowded, especially the Mist Trail.

Hey Tom,
Well i've checked out your links....... yeah great, fantastic.
I've also checked some hikes out on you tube too !!.  OOOee, some nice ones all round.

With the ten mile hike though, well i'll have to see how I go........ anything similar here in lengths of ten miles is like walking along groomed paths in the garden........... except up hill.
Such as Mount Warning south west of Brisbane on the rim of 'Lost World' National park, also known as the 'Scenic Rim' or adjacent to.
I've climbed Mount Timbragargan on the Sunshine coast Glasshouse Mountains ( in my late 30's0 using all the gear necessary) but that's 25 years ago, and the old legs are now not
what they used to be, as I said, I'll see how I go when we get there.
The other hikes look great.  I've contacted the Rangers at Yosemite, they wre really happy to send me some teriffic cd's and info leaflets about the whole Park.
Looking forward to getting them in the mail soon.

So thanks for the heads up on the hikes !.
Catch you again soon.