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TomandLora

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Joined
Dec 11, 2018
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Hi everyone, I'm new to this and hope you can help!
I'm planning a trip with my trailer to Vancouver island from California (Redding area) and was hoping I could get some help with finding rv sites to stay at on the way. Kinda hard trying to find good places on the way. Hopefully I can find some good fishing charters there also!
Thanks
 
Welcome to the forum! We never had problems finding rv campgrounds on I-5, google them in the area you want to stop. One of our favorites was Lake Pleasant in Bothell, just north of Seattle. It is best accessed from 405 which is the preferred route across that madhouse. When you reach Burlington WA take SR 20 to Anacortes for the ferry to Sidney BC, it is a very scenic trip and somewhat cheaper than BC Ferries.
 
Thanks for the info Roy! Will I have any problems with the ferry with a 30' trailer? I'm trying to get to Vancouver island.
 
You won't have probleems with the trailer on the ferry as long as you follow the crew instructions. You will pay extra though and reservations would be wise. Sidney is on the island, the highway goes south to Victoria  a beautiful city where you will want to spend some time.
 
Thanks for the info!!!! Really appreciate it! Looking forward to quite the adventure! 1st time for us.
Have you done any fishing there?
 
Enjoy the trip. Vancouver is on my bucket list since my mother was born there. Ironically my wife beat me to it - she was there in 2017 (albeit for an airport layover only  ;D ).
 
Thanks, really looking forward to the drive there and doing some fishing there!!!!! A lot of planning trying to figure out where we're be stopping along the way.
 
Based on Google maps route, here are places we have stayed:

Deerwood RV Park in Eugene Oregon. Nice place although it wasn't the cheapest. Eugene is a nice town with a good food and beer scene.

Emigrant Lake State Park near Ashland Oregon, really lovely. Ashland is famous for its Shakespearean theatres. Busy campground but has walk ins.

Battleground Lake State Park Washington north of Portland Oregon, off route a bit,. We stayed here as we were visiting friends in the area, ita a nice place in the woods with a small lake. Gets busy but has walk ins. Portland itself is a very up and coming food place with great restaurants. They also have the largest bookstore I have ever been in, I could have stayed in there all day - Powells - so big you get a map!

Not sure if you are just looking for overnighters or somewhere for a few days.

Campendium.com is a good website to find places to stay as well as Good Sam. Good Sam club is worth the $40 to join as you get savingsbiv you stay in one of the campgrounds they are affiliated with.

I think you will have a great trip. We are planning on Olympic National Park next year.

Happy planning!
 
Jackie mac I love hearing about where others have stayed. Thanks for sharing! We're not going to be on any schedule except for the reservations we're need to make at campgrounds along the way. We're hoping to stay a couple of days at least if we like the areas we stop at and enjoy the area.
Good idea about joining Good Sam's club. That's on my list!!!!
 
Ditto on Emigrant Lake near Ashland, OR, just past the Oregon border from California.  The RV park is called "The Point" and overlooks the pretty lake and is one of my favorite places along I-5.  They also have a slide pool at Emigrant on weekends and some other days--call and check.  In the evenings, you can sometimes watch the college rowing crews practice.

Then, get off I-5 at Coburg Road just north of Eugene, OR, and stay at Armitage Campground on the McKensie River.  Both of these are county parks and have full hookups for a reasonable rate (about $30 per night) and lots of space around your campsites.  Armitage also has a laundry with three washers and dryers.  And both have very large campsites and are also open all year. 

Deerwood is very nice, but not on a river or lake and more crowded and more expensive.

However, I would suggest making reservations if you are going in July or August. 

 
Which ferry are you planning to take to Vancouver Island -  Port Angeles, WA to Victoria, Anacortes, WA to Sidney, or from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo on the Canadian side?
 
Not sure what ferry. Any suggestions??? We're still in the planning stage! All help sure is appreciated!!
 
TomandLora said:
Not sure what ferry. Any suggestions??? We're still in the planning stage! All help sure is appreciated!!
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Depends on your route on Vancouver Island.
Our first trip we started in Vancouver (City) and took the Horseshoe bay to Nanaimo . On the Island we started in Campbell River staying at Thunderbird RV park - really liked this par, site with a view of the waterway to see the ships. From there we stop at Parksville and then Victoria - staying at Fort Victory RV Park. We had mixed feeling about this park. From Victory we wanted to go to Anacortes so we took the ferry from Sidney.


Second trip we started in Victoria and took the Anacortes ferry to Sidney and stayed at Oceanside RV Park in Saanichton. We found the drive to Victoria was longer that from Fort Victory, but actually less traffic. Since our next stop was Port Anegels we took the ferry from downtown Victoria. Our ferry was to leave early Saturday morning so we drove to the ferry yard Friday night (after the last ferry Friday). To get there you have to drive through downtown Victoria. It was a not an easy drive, mostly because it was a holiday weekend and the was a lot of traffic and tons of pedestrians. Including one who was so intent on getting a selfie with the capital in the background that she stepped off the curb right in from of me - stupid.


The is an RV park in very near downtown, Salish RV Park. We have no stayed there (yet!)
 
Thanks Smokey for the info!! Was wondering if you had made reservations at the RV parks well in advance? We want to stay at least a few days in Vancouver before we go to the island and really would like to just wing it based on what's going on. Really wanting to go fishing with a charter once we make it to the island! Thanks again for the info! Really helpful!
 
TomandLora said:
Thanks Smokey for the info!! Was wondering if you had made reservations at the RV parks well in advance? We want to stay at least a few days in Vancouver before we go to the island and really would like to just wing it based on what's going on. Really wanting to go fishing with a charter once we make it to the island! Thanks again for the info! Really helpful!
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If your traveling in summer, yes make reservations.


Thunderbird in Campbell River the park does not normally fill up, BUT the water view site go fast. Parks in Victoria and Parksville have most sites taken by seasonals leaving not a lot for transients.  We made our reservations weeks in advance. Last trip we decided last minute to stop again in Parksville and couldn't get in the park we wanted. But there was a decent park with space available. Kind of a trade, winging it you made not get the RV park you want. In any case definitely book at least a few day ahead.


Before the last few years we rarely made reservations except major holiday weekends, but we are finding that booking reservations is needed more often.

In Vancouver I recommend Capilano River RV park in North Vancouver. get reservations here for sure.


ken

 
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