RVs parked along Hwy 101 Southern California

[caseyc]

I recently came back from a road trip to sunny Southern California. Travelling along highway 101 south, I came across a long row of RVs parked along the beach. I've never seen so many RVs all parked next to each other along the coastline. I'm not exactly sure where the spot is, but it's somewhere between Ventura and Carpinteria off Hwy 101.

Does anyone know the history of this? Can anyone just pull up their RV or van to park/camp there for as long as they like? Is there a fee or reservation list? Who knows? Maybe one day I might show up there myself, haha.

I didn't shoot this YouTube video, but this is what I'm referring to, see link below.

RVs parked/camped along Highway 101 in Southern California:

 

[DC Fuse]

Hustlers grab your guns
Your shadow weighs a ton
Driving down the 101
California here we come
Right back where we started from................

It's been a decade or so but yeah the State has pull-outs on the 101 and PCH (hwy.1) that at the time they charged me $7.00 p/day to park and if i remember correctly i had to move every 4 days.(or was it 7 days?)
You put your cash in a strong box and took a heavy paper permit that hung from your rear view mirror for the State Patrol to verify you paid. (they came thru to check several times a day)
Their are pull outs like every 20 miles or so. Then you just went to another one. Rinse/Repeat.
At that time i was living on the shore of the Pacific ocean for $210.00 a month.
A good time was had by all!

 

[Mac J]

by the looks of that youtube video, some of those campers and some of those 5th wheels will not be able to leave when they want. Cars, trucks and other RVs have them boxed in! Looks like a mess.

 

[caseyc]

That's what it looked like with my own eyes as I was driving down the freeway. All the RVs were packed in tight stretching for a long distance.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Yup, that is a park that you can pay to camp at. Not sure why anyone would want too though.

 

[SternWake]

I love parking next to the ocean, even if a busy road is on the the other side.

But the slipstream pf passing vehicles and the occasional Harley makes it not so peaceful.

Further south one is allowed to park many places for free from 5am to 11PM.
During holiday weekends some RV's flout this rule stay overnight, and just pay the fines. I've been denied parking in desirable areas at 5AM due to lined up RV's which broke the law. Makes for less surfers in the water as one must park a half mile away and walk.

Some towns have ordinances of no vehicles taller than 7 feet tall are allowed to park on the street closest to the ocean. I have not tried flouting this rule as I am about 7'6".

Not sure how much the fines are but a beachfront campsite near here is 55$ a night

 

[caseyc]

Silly question here. But if one doesn't surf, what does one do while parked along the beach all day?

 

[Patrick46]

Silly question here. But if one doesn't surf, what does one do while parked along the beach all day?

WATCH the surfers!!

 

[SternWake]

I can watch the ocean all day long, unless it is is in lake mode, ie.. no waves.

I also bring some wood working projects, like shaping wood surfboard fins, or I'll tackle something else on my to do list.

A million dollar view is soothing, especially when one does not need to pay for it.

 

[caseyc]

I go to the beach at least a few times a week. I like the cooler weather along the coastline versus inland heat. When I visited Los Angeles last week, I couldn't take the inland heat after a few days so I retreated to coastline cities. Santa Monica was nice. Santa Barbara was crazy packed with college kids. My new favorite beach town is Pismo Beach. Nice quaint town that wasn't overrun with tourists. I tried to visit Ventura Beach but didn't make it off the freeway.

Yes, I agree the ocean and beach view is priceless.I also enjoy just the simple people watching aspect of going to the beach.

 

[highdesertranger]

boy so kal sure has changed. I remember when I was in high school and the population of so kal was about 1/4 of what it is today. my buddies and I were out having a good time one night and wanted to hit the waves early. so we went down to Huntington beach to wait for the sun to come up. parked right next to the pier, drank beer until we passed out. well I awoke when the sun hit me in the face, around 6am(mas o menos). I looked over to the passenger seat of my nova, my buddy was laying on his back in the dirt with my pass door wide open and his legs on the front seat of my car with Budweiser cans all over the place inside and out. all this time my radio was blaring. a started laughing at him then woke him up. we woke up are friends in the ford courier behind us and went surfing. boy that could never happen today, the Huntington beach gestapo(I mean police) would have us in jail as soon as we parked the night before. boy have times changed. highdesertranger

 

[Mac J]

Silly question here. But if one doesn't surf, what does one do while parked along the beach all day?

Duh? smoke pot and drink beer!!

 

[user 423]

Beachcomb!

 

[GotSmart]

I was just traveling up Highway 1.

I spent the night at a park overlooking Greyhound Rock beach.

The story the local surfers told me was that Santa Cruse County does not have the money to patrol all the beaches, so they just leave the people alone if they appear to not to be making a mess.

 

[66788]

I noticed in the YouTube video that a few of the rigs had pop outs open on the traffic side of the Highway. You would have to be braver than me to sleep in one of those pop outs just waiting for a truck to rip you out of your rig and then run you over.

 

[Patrick46]

there used to be a mile long stretch of hwy 101 South of Crescent City, where tons of RV's would park next to the ocean too. Big long beach...nice place.
I think you could stay for a week or something...but not any more.

 

[Dragonfly]

I was in S. Calif in mid-80's. We could drive up 101 and park anywhere and sleep. We had a 34' converted bus with a 20' dragon on the side. We did swap-meets, so drove from one to the other..and in between, we rested near the ocean, where I made my handmade items. That's what we did near the highway. We also walked as far as we could down the beach and turned around, walked back. That's what we did near the ocean.
As time went on, some pretty messy people began living wherever they parked, leaving messes behind. Was that the reason they stopped us from parking along 101?
We always picked up any messes we found. That is one beautiful road/beach/place to relax..and no reason to have a paper plate lunch, drop the detritus and move on. But some people did.

Memories
Oz & Mr. Oz

 

[flailer]

I was just traveling up Highway 1.

I spent the night at a park overlooking Greyhound Rock beach.

The story the local surfers told me was that Santa Cruse County does not have the money to patrol all the beaches, so they just leave the people alone if they appear to not to be making a mess.

I travel through that area a lot, and know that beach.

And I can tell you the cops do like to hassle people, but I still go, and stealth camp some. And have done fairly well.

I understand it that the closer you get to Santa Cruz the more hassle you receive.

One 3-day weekend, in the Boulder creek area, I got stopped 5 times - 3 of them was riding my motorcycle. But I didnt get any tickets. They just seem to excel at being BUTTHEADS.

I was told by someone that overnight RV parking ticket was high. They told me the $ amount of ticket, but I don't remember, but i think it was over $100.

Remember boys & girls, Calif is on the "Left Coast" - Sheeze.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah and a 100 dollar ticket in kalifornia ends up being a 500 dollar ticket after all their assessment and fees. highdesertranger

 

[GotSmart]

I was parked at a county park...(inland) The local sheriff knocked on my window at 3:30 AM>>> Looked at my ID and cat, and told me to find another place tomorrow night.

I heard they were looking for a local murder suspect. (50 miles away)

I saw the Deputy in a store the next day, and he said "hi" and inquired about my cat. He also asked if I had found a place to stay. He seemed concerned and willing to help. I have found showing respect to the LEO's works for me.