Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP – September 2011

Rating: 1 out of 5

Location: Located 20 miles southeast of Eureka off of Hwy 36.

Amenities: Flushing toilets and showers

Pets: Allowed at no additional charge

Pros:  The campground is small so there are only a few sites available for campers.  The campground is located off of Hwy 36, which is is fairly close to Hwy 101.  From 101, you can easily drive to Fortuna, Ferndale, and beyond.  Ferndale is a quaint Victorian town with a few antique stores.  Fun way to spend an hour.  Further north is Eureka and Patrick’s Point.  We didn’t make it all the way to Patrick’s Point but we stopped at the Trinidad State Beach where dogs are allowed.  After a small hike down steep steps, an amazing secluded beach can be found.

Cons:  Campsites are extremely close together and there are no barriers (trees, bushes, etc) between the sites.   The park is literally right off Hwy 36 so throughout the night, streaming cars can be heard.  The locals love to honk their horns while passing the campground too, which is quite annoying.  The restrooms were quaint so don’t bother blow-drying your hair.  Expect the “plumbing” to be backed up because there isn’t much privacy.  The stall doors are so short…even I can see over the top!  The “river” is more like a murky pond of moss and algae.  Save your money and go further north to Patrick’s Point!

Hendy Woods SP – August 2011

Rating: 4 out of 5

Location: Located on Philo-Greenwood Road eight miles northwest of Boonville.

Amenities: Flushing toilets and showers

Pets: Allowed at no additional charge

Pros:  Hendy Woods is located about 45 minutes from the Mendocino coast.  Although we didn’t visit the coast this trip, we have visited the coast before.  Mendocino offers visitors a nice botanical garden and magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean.  Definitely a worthwhile visit.  The park is also a short drive to the Anderson Valley Brewing Company, which is probably the only thing to visit within a few miles.  The restroom facilities at Hendy Woods was one of the better facilities we have ever used but we noticed that other facilities within the park were old and outdated (visualize rust stains in the toilet, etc).

Cons:  Campsites are rather close to each other and close to the road.  Our kitchen was practically on the road for all to see.  We do eat like kings so we know we were making everyone jealous.    If you like to reserve adjourning campsites, this might be difficult since there aren’t many pathways that lead to one campsite from the next.

Bodega Dunes (Sonoma Coast State Beach) – July 2011

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Location: Located off Highway 1 in between Jenner and Bodega Bay.

Amenities: Flushing toilets and showers

Pets: Allowed at no additional charge

Pros:  Bodega Dunes Campground is located within the heart of Bodega and is central to many beaches off the coast.  A quick drive will lead you to the town of Bodega where you can pick up some local salt water taffy and a kite.  Along Highway 1 are many beaches…many of which have tide pools that you can explore.  We recommend a stop at Miwok Beach during low-tide but be careful for the “sleeper waves”, as Miss Anna would call them.  Never turn your back to the ocean!  The campground is approximately 30 minutes away from Santa Rosa and many Sonoma County breweries.  Jeff recommends Russian River Brewing Company and Lagunitas Brewing Company.  Further out is Bear Republic Brewing Company in Healdsburg.  Aside from being a great central spot for traveling outside the campground, the campground has it’s own beach access.  A one mile walk from the campgrounds will lead you to the beach, which is very private and worth visiting.  A big PRO…no bugs! Bathrooms and shower facilities were adequate and we did not have to wait long for showers (PS: showers are FREE).

Cons:  Campsites are first come first serve…so it is highly recommended that you arrive at check-in time (2 pm).  There are a lot of campsites that cannot accommodate large tents so you might want to ditch the large tent and bring a pup tent.   Since the campground is located off the coast, the morning fog will bring moisture.  Remember to pack up anything that you do not want to get wet (e.g. bring your folding chairs in every night so you have a dry seat to sit on in the morning).   Campsites aren’t private and you might be fully exposed to the elements and your neighbors.  Bring a canopy or two just in case.

Long Ravine (Rollins Lake) – July 2011

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 (with boat 4 out of 5)

Location: Colfax (about 45 minutes from Sacramento)

Amenities: Flushing toilets, showers, and a general store

Pets: Allowed at an additional charge

Pros:  Located just 45 minutes away from Sacramento, the campgrounds are far enough to forget about the daily grind but close enough to pack up the camp gear for a last minute trip.  The campsites are huge so multiple tents can be pitched on one site!  There didn’t seem to be any bugs around so we were able to ditch the bug spray and the weather was nice throughout the night (be warned…the mornings can be cold but it will quickly heat up at sunrise).   Long Ravine is situated right off Rollins Lake so a short walk or a quick drive will take you to the lake.   If you have a boat, Rollins Lake is perfect for boating and water sports.  The calmness of the lake is ideal for swimming if you can tolerate the cold water.   After we dropped anchor in a cove, we had lunch, swam, and even took a nap.  We definitely were able to lose track of time and enjoy the simple things in life!!  The nightlife at Long Ravine is also perfect for adults. With a live band playing until 11pm, the party definitely doesn’t stop after the sun sets.

Cons:  Bathrooms were clean; however, there weren’t a lot of shower facilities (one out of the closest two restrooms) so a long wait to shower is expected.  If you do not have a boat, there is only one area you can go to that actually has sand.  We noticed a couple of beaches along the lake during our boat ride; however, they were not accessible from the campground.  While the nightlife can be appreciated by young adults, this is definitely not ideal for the families with kids or adults who are light sleepers.  The band played until 11pm and the echoes could be heard throughout the surrounding sites.  We couldn’t imagine having a site closer to the action.   The nightlife also brings out the party crowds.  Even though there is a curfew, expect some noise from individual campsites.  People also tend to drive really fast within the campground.  Be careful on the paved areas and keep a close eye on kids and pets.

Big Basin Redwoods SP (Huckleberry) – June 2011

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Location: 20 miles north of Santa Cruz

Amenities: Flushing toilets, showers, and a general store

Pets: Allowed at no additional charge

Pros:  Big Basin Redwoods SP is the oldest State Park in California and it shows.  As soon as you enter the park, you can visit the convenient/gift store.  You can save a lot of room in the car by buying milk, eggs, etc at the store.  However, like a typical tourist trap, everything is overpriced…even the firewood ($10.25 a bundle). There are a lot of paved trails that dogs are allowed on.  One trail led us to the Sempervirens Falls, which is a small 17 ft waterfall that is worth the quick and easy walk.  Bathrooms were clean and most had running water (sinks) to wash your hands.  Sometimes he antiseptic soap just isn’t enough so it’s nice to have running water!  The campground had a lot of showers so we never had to wait in line.

Cons:  Although the campsites are nestled amongst beautiful redwood trees, the sites were small and did not have a lot of flat areas for tents.  One of our sites didn’t have room for one tent (seriously, we had to put the tent in the driveway).  Granted, our tents are like mansions and can fit two queen air mattresses…but that’s besides the point.  A lot of the sites were small and only had room for small pup tents (hopefully, you don’t mind being on a slant).  The fire rings were placed too closely to the picnic tables so it was hard for us to have our “ring-o-fire”…luckily we had two sites to choose from. The campground is close to Santa Cruz so a 40 minute drive will take you to the Boardwalk; however, to get in and out of the park, you have to drive through the twists and turns on the the tight roads.  Hopefully, you don’t get motion sickness because this was quite a challenge for a few of our backseat passengers. Lastly, the mosquitoes were out in full force.  Poor Lauren got bit on her face and all over her legs.  Load up on the bug spray (skip Off and get something more powerful) because the citronella candles don’t work.  The campgrounds also have hungry raccoons so follow the advice of the rangers and store all the food overnight in your car.

After spending a week in NYC, we boarded the Crown Princess for a cruise north along the eastern coast.  The cruise took us to New London, Boston, Bar Harbor, St John, Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, and lastly Quebec City to see the fall colors.  Unfortunately, we were a little early for the fall colors but luckily, the trees in Quebec had already started to turn their vibrant colors of red, orange, yellow, and purple by the time we arrived.  Each port had something unique to explore so we were never bored.  Filled with a rich maritime history and beginnings of a new life for many European immigrants, the New England states and provinces offered visitors a taste of the past!  Interestingly, the Canadian provinces have been able to hold on to roots from Scotland and France.  You feel like you’re in France when you’re in Quebec…mostly because over 95% of the people speak French as their first language!  Check out our photo album for more details on what we did at each port!

McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial SP – September 2010

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Location: Northeast of Redding, six miles north of Highway 299 on Highway 89 near Burney.

Amenities: Flushing toilets, showers, and a general store (amazing)

Pets: Allowed at no additional charge

Pros:  In 2007, 24 cabins were added to the campground.  The cabins come equipped with bunk beds, propane heat, and are on sites big enough to hold additional tents!  This was the first time we reserved a cabin and probably won’t be the last time!  The two-room cabins were very roomy and the insulated walls kept us warm at night without having to use the propane heater.  The weather in Burney tends to be on the warm side so the cabin also doubled as a place to escape the heat.  There is currently no electricity but it appears there will be in the future.  The cabins are separated from the tent campers and are spread fairly far apart from each other.  Our favorite site was #71 and apparently, it’s the camp host’s as well!  Right next to the site is a parking lot, which made it convenient for our visitors!!  The campground’s centerpiece is the 129-foot Burney Falls.  You can easily walk to the top of the falls but the walk to the base of the falls was moderate.  No dogs are allowed on the trails.    Teddy Roosevelt once described Burney Falls as the “eighth wonder of the world”.  We’re not sure if we would describe it as such, but they definitely were neat to see!  The campground also has direct access to Lake Britton.  According to signs on the beach, dogs are not allowed; however, we saw a lot of rule-breakers!  Access to the lake is a long walk, so we recommend driving to the beach.  At Lake Britton, you can rent canoes, paddle boats, etc. The campground is close to McCloud and Dunsmuir, so make sure you check out waterfalls at these locations.  Check out our photo album for pics of all the amazing waterfalls we visited!!

Cons:  The HEAT! If you can’t stand the heat…get out of the kitchen!!  The weather in Burney can get quite warm so make sure you find a cabin/site in the shade!  The temperature drops a few degrees in the shade and is quite noticeable!  The bathrooms weren’t as nice as we would have liked (can we pick one water pressure and keep it there), but once the warm water hit the dirty skin…there was nothing better!  There are lots of critters that aren’t afraid of humans so make sure you lock up all food!  Meat bees are also in the area so save some extra meat for them!

PS: The camp host, Dave, might recommend checking out the Burney cemetery and hiking to the white “beach”.  If you don’t mind walking in the heat to see NADA…be our guest!  Otherwise…save yourself an hour in the heat and go to Lake Britton!  The white “beach” was non-existent and the lake looked like a swamp!  The walk back to camp was not a happy one!!

On August 21, 2010, we decided to go on a daycation and head east towards San Francisco.  Our love for trees lead us to Muir Woods.

In 1908, Muir Woods was designated the 10th National Monument for the US.   This marked the first time in history that a private individual, William and Elizabeth Kent, donated land to the federal government to create a National Monument.   William Kent requested that the monument be named after John Muir, a noted conservationist.

Throughout the area are many trails that meander throughout the monument.   We decided to walk the loop along Redwood Creek, which takes you on a 2 mile trip through the Cathedral and Bohemian Groves.   Within the groves, we marveled at the beauty of the redwoods.  Their shear size simply takes your breathe away.  The 2 mile walk was perfect for kids and even the mature kids of all sizes!  We even saw parents with strollers!!  Muir Woods was definitely worth the $5/person entrance fee…we highly recommend a visit!!  We rate this a 5 out of 5!

After spending a few hours at Muir Woods (this included the 1 mile trek back to our car because the parking lots were full), we headed down Highway 1 to Muir Beach.

Muir Beach is a small beach about 1,000 feet wide.  This beach is perfect for a family campfire on the beach because there are ready-made grills throughout the small beach.  There’s also an area for DOGS!!  We found a log that became our bench, where we enjoyed our picnic lunch from home.  It’s a shame to think there are people who have never placed their toes in the sand on a beach looking out to the ocean!  We sat in quiet awe as we chomped on sub sandwiches and chips (of course).   After ten years of being together, we still enjoy exploring the world and enjoying the quiet, simple moments in life.  What a wonderful daycation!!  Check out our album for more pics from our daycation!

Plasse’s Resort – July 2010

Rating: 4 out of 5

Location:  In the heart of the High Sierras approximately 50 miles east of Jackson.

Amenities:  Portable toilets, showers, general store, restaurant, propane station, laundry facilities, canoe and kayak rentals, arcade, and outdoor playgrounds.

Pets:  Allowed at no additional charge

Pros:  The campground is very pet friendly and family oriented.  It offers a one-stop shop of entertainment and fun.  Campsites are spread fairly far apart and the evenings are quiet.  The resort has it’s own lake access; however, we recommend visiting Sandy Cove Beach, which is a few minute drive from the resort.  Sandy Cove Beach offers easy access to the lake and is also a great spot for fishing.  Picnic tables are located near the beach so it’s a great area to spend the day. There are lots of activities to do at Plasse’s, which will offer hours of fun without having to leave the campgrounds.  There’s even a restaurant within the resort if you get tired of cooking your own meals!  A laundry facility is available so if you’re staying for a week or more, you won’t need to overpack!  A creek running through the resort offers great opportunities for fishing and is quite easy to get to.

Cons: In order for you to get to the campsites from the main entrance, you have to cross a creek that is about a foot to two feet deep.  If you’re driving a low profile car, you may end up having trouble passing.   Signs within the campground designating individual sites are hard to read so plan accordingly.  It is recommended that you come during the day to set up shop.  Mosquitoes are relentless so bring the powerful bug spray.  “Off” didn’t keep the bugs away so make sure you bring something with a high content of Deet!   Lake access at Plasse’s is not the greatest.  Instead of a beach, you will find a marshland of soggy, muddy grass.  We highly recommend going to Sandy Cove for beach access.   While there are showers available at Plasse’s, they are not within short walking distance.  Plan on driving your car if you want to take a shower (don’t forget about crossing the creek).   Due to the altitude, the weather will range about 30 degrees during the evening to day.  Plan on bringing lots of layers because you will feel the heat during the day and the icy chill during the evenings.