We landed this afternoon at Ely KOA Journey, pretty much right in the middle of Nevada, elevation, 6500 ft. This is just a stop-over for a night, but it really is a nice campground. We plan to drive around this after and check out the town.
From here we're heading north to Idaho. Our first stop is a place called Anderson Camp. We plan to spend a couple of days there so we can check out Shoshone Falls and what's left of Twin Falls
Camping in the California Desert
We arrived Pio Pico on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The campground is split with full hookups, 50-amp sites and all of the facilities on one side of the road and no septic 30-amp sites on the other. Well, of course, one side is more desirable and was full when we arrived, so we had to choose a site on the side of the road without septic and only 30 amps.
The site we picked wasn’t bad in itself, but it was over a mile to walk to the adult pool. To be fair you have the option to sign up on the “cross-over” list. Each morning the available sites are posted at 8:30 for you to view, at 9:00, first on the list has the first choice and new sites are assigned to the members wishing to make the move. The temperature reached 94 on Thanksgiving Day, so it was good that we elected to move so that we could run both AC units. We also met new friends after the move so despite the hassle it worked out great.
There is virtually no cell service at the campground. However, we did find that if we climbed the hill behind the kid’s rec-room, both Verizon and AT&T worked fine. (also, we found that near the adult pool there was a spot where phones worked as well, but it was off and on) Internet is available for a fee, we paid $25 for two weeks and it was only so-so. We could only stream video in the early morning before other campers dragged down the speed. I was told that satellite worked fine. Like all Thousand Trails parks, they are promoting annual campers and the better sites are set aside for them. All that being said, the campground was nice. Its location to San Diego is great, with so much to do in the city. Also, just a few minutes away is Chula Vista, a beautiful town with great places to dine and shop. We will plan on camping at Pio Pico in the future.
While we were there, we drove to downtown San Diego where we toured the USS Midway and walked the Embarcadero. We also drove past what used to be NTC San Diego where I went to Bootcamp. It's sad to see that there is not much left of it. The BEQ where I was housed was boarded up and the grinder where I trained was cracked with grass growing through. San Diego is not far from the campground, but with traffic, it takes the better part of the hour to get into the city. It is a beautiful city and we are looking forward to revisiting in the future.
The photo is a statue called Embracing Peace located in Tuna Harbor Park next to the Midway
Thousand Trails Pio Pico RV Camping is a full-service RV Resort in California located south of San Diego, close to many attractions such as the zoo, Sea World and museums. We are twenty minutes from Mexico, so day trips south of the border are not only a possibility but also a great opportunity. Members come to Pio Pico for the peace and quiet of nature as well as to escape the day to day rush of the big cities. It is considered a "destination" RV Resort in southern California, and all members enjoy the hospitality of the staff.
Pio Pico RV Resort offers a year-round classic American food cafe at an affordable price.
General Policies:
Helpful Information:
Reservation & Payment Policies:
We do not allow pets in some accommodation types; however, we do allow service animals and a service animal may have stayed in a non-pet rental.
These rentals have a queen-size bed, a set of single bunks, dinette and sofa sleeper. They include TV/Satellite (limited stations), heat and air conditioning, pots, pans, dishes, utensils, cups, glasses, electric coffee maker, toaster, full-sized refrigerator, microwave, BBQ grill, dish soap, paper towels, and toilet paper. These rentals do not have an oven. Linens are included. Please advise of your linen needs when booking.
No pets in these rentals, please. Although we do not allow pets in this rental, we do allow service animals and a service animal may have stayed in this cottage.
These rentals have a queen-size bed, a set of single bunks, dinette and sofa sleeper. They have TV/Satellite (limited stations), heat and air conditioning, pots, pans, dishes, utensils, cups, glasses, electric coffee maker, toaster, full-sized refrigerator, microwave, BBQ grill, dish soap, paper towels, and toilet paper. These cottages do not have an oven. Linens are included. Please advise of your linen needs when booking.
Pets welcome for an additional fee.
These rentals have a queen size bed, 2 bunk beds, and a dinette. They include TV/Satellite (limited stations), heat and air conditioning, kitchenette with dishes, utensils, cups, glasses, electric coffee maker, toaster, mini-refrigerator, microwave, BBQ grill, dish soap, paper towels, and toilet paper. These cabins do not have an oven. Linens are included. Please advise of your linen needs when booking.
No pets in these rentals, please. Although we do not allow pets in this rental, we do allow service animals and a service animal may have stayed in this cabin
These rentals have a queen bed in the bedroom and a sleeper sofa in the living area. They include TV/Satellite (limited stations), heat and air conditioning, kitchenette with dishes, utensils, cups, glasses, electric coffee maker, toaster, mini-refrigerator, microwave, BBQ grill, dish soap, paper towels, and toilet paper. These cabins do not have an oven. Linens are included. Please advise of your linen needs when booking.
No pets in these rentals, please. Although we do not allow pets in this rental, we do allow service animals and a service animal may have stayed in this cabin.
The cabin rentals sleep 5 people and include a bedroom with a pyramid bunk (double on a bottom/single on top) plus a two-person futon in the living area. Linens are included - extras available to rent; please advise when booking. No oven.
No pets in these rentals, please. Although we do not allow pets in this rental, we do allow service animals and a service animal may have stayed in this cabin.
These rentals have a queen-size bed and a set of single bunks, and a dinette. They include TV/Satellite (limited stations), heat and air conditioning, kitchenette with dishes, utensils, cups, glasses, electric coffee maker, toaster, mini-refrigerator, microwave, BBQ grill, dish soap, paper towels, and toilet paper. These cabins do not have a stovetop or oven. Linens are included. Please advise of your linen needs when booking.
No pets in these rentals, please. Although we do not allow pets in this rental, we do allow service animals and a service animal may have stayed in this cabin
The cabin rentals sleep 5 people and have a pyramid bunk (double on a bottom/single on top) plus a futon in a single large living area. Linens are included - extras available to rent; please advise when booking. No oven.
Pets welcome for an additional fee.
Below is a link to the Thousand Trails Campgrounds that we have visited.
- Indicates Trails Collection Resort