So you have rented your RV and it’s time to start planning on where to stay. If you are planning on staying in the Los Angeles area to see the many attractions that LA has to offer you will want to keep in mind that you are looking for campgrounds in Los Angeles and not Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County is over 4300 square miles while the city of Los Angeles is about 500 square miles.
Dockweiler RV Park is Los Angeles’ only RV park that is right on the beach. Enjoy the 3 miles of sandy beaches, cool ocean breezes, and rolling waves right from your RVs front door. This campground offers full hookups, showers, a laundry mat, a sani dump, and every site has its own BBQ and picnic table. The Marvin Braude Bicycle Trail is close to the park making it easy to visit Redondo Beach Pier, Venice, Santa Monica, and Marina Del Ray. The address for the park is 12001 Vista del Mar, Playa del Rey, CA 90293.
Golden Shores RV Park is located downtown Long Beach on the water. This campground has a pool and hot tub as well as horseshoe pits and shuffleboard. This campground is located at 101 Golden Shore, Long Beach, CA 90802.
Anaheim Harbor RV Resort is the closest RV park to Disneyland (within walking distance) and on the Anaheim Resort Trolley route. This park boasts new washrooms and laundry rooms, a heated pool, playground, mini-golf, an arcade, and free wireless and cable.
Anaheim Resort RV Park is also a mile away from Disneyland and has the Anaheim Resort Trolley coming by every 20 minutes from 1 hour before Disneyland opens to 30 minutes after it closes. After a day of walking around Disneyland enjoy a cool dip in the swimming pool or soak your tired feet in the hot tub. There is a large picnic area with BBQs where you can get to know the other guests.
Just 25 miles from Los Angeles lies Malibu Creek State Park. This picturesque park is the perfect place to hike the quiet trails, catch a few fish, or catch up on your bird watching. The sitcom M*A*S*H was shot here for all eleven seasons. There is still evidence of this around the park, from a leftover ambulance to the mileage post, fans from around the world travel here to relive the glory days of M*A*S*H.
Located in Eastern Los Angeles the Pomona KOA is your home away from home. The campground has a hot tub and sauna, a snack bar, and fishing. There is even a shuttle that will take you to your favorite attractions.
Malibu Beach RV Park has an amazing view from its location on the cliff high above the Pacific Ocean. If the view alone isn’t enough to convince you to stay at this park you can also see dolphins from this point and whales depending on the season. There is great fishing here, as well as body surfing, beachcombing, a children’s playground, and a video game room.
Jungle Island is the most hands-on animal experience that you will ever encounter when you take their VIP tour. Hold a baby Kangaroo, play with the Lemurs, and feed an alligator. Stroll through the mile of trails looking for some of the over 300 beautiful birds. Visit the Liger, the world’s largest cat. The Liger is a cross between a Lion and a Tigress, this is one huge kitten.
Explore the mystery of Coral Castle. Open the 9-ton gate that opens with just a push of the finger or sit in a functioning rocking chair made entirely of stone. Ed Leedskalnin dedicated his life to building this castle made with 1000 tons of stone. It is still unknown today how Ed moved these huge stones, was is science or supernatural. The only thing that Ed would say was ”it’s not hard if you know-how”.
Vizcaya Museum and Garden was once the winter home to American businessman James Deering in the early 1900s. Tour the 34 decorated bedrooms, the dining room, library, and living room which are all decorated with the historical furniture Deering brought back from Europe combined with those made especially for the estate. Explore the gardens and grounds filled with sculptures and fountains.
Swim in the Venetian Pool, created in 1923 this pool was built in an old rock quarry. The pool is filled daily with 820,000 gallons of water from an artesian well. Swim under the grand waterfall, have lunch on the island, and check out the grotto, where the 12-foot deep cave goes back underneath the rocks.
With so many great places to travel in the United States, why do so many people choose Chicago every year? Chicago has miles of beautiful beaches along Lake Michigan, world-class museums, and some magnificent architecture. Whether you are a foodie, an adventurist, a sports fan, an architect lover, a beach lover, or a kid (or just a kid at heart) Chicago has something for everyone.
Photo Credit: pixers.us
Interesting things to know about Chicago
Over 50 million people visit Chicago each year.
The population of Chicago is almost 3 million people.
Chicago is famous for Chicago-style hot dogs, Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, 1920’s gangsters like Al Capone and Jazz music, just to name a few.
Chicago has some really great sports teams including Major League Baseball teams, the Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs. The NBA team is the Chicago Bulls, and for American football, they have the Chicago Bears.
RVing in Chicago
There are 2 RV rental locations in Chicago. Both locations are located on the north side of Chicago. Chicago’s local transit is the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). Two lines run 24 hrs a day. The Blue Line connects Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and downtown and the Red Line Connects the north and south side via downtown. Since you will be traveling in an RV rental get to know the local transit as taking your RV to local attractions can be inconvenient as you try to find parking. Another great way to get around Chicago is by bicycle. DIVVY lets you rent one of 6000 bikes and pickup and drop off at one of over 600 locations. Just download the app to join.
Things to do Chicago: The Foodie
You may have heard that Chicago has a fierce rivalry with the Big Apple for best pizza but Chicago is also known for its variety of ethnic foods. As a ‘city of neighborhoods’, each neighborhood has different specialties to tease your taste buds!
Chicago Style Hotdog:
It wouldn’t be a trip to Chicago without an authentic Chicago style hotdog! Get the best in the city at Portillo’s! Experience this perfect dog fully loaded with all the fixins in a perfectly steamed poppy seed bun.
Photo Credit: Checkli.com
Deep Dish Pizza:
This city is famous for its delicious deep-dish pizza! Extra deep means extra room for cheese, sauce, and extra toppings! Try Chicago’s best deep dish pizza at Pequod’s Pizza. Wash it down with their own seasonal craft beer!
Photo Credit: DudeThatCookz.com
The Original Brownie:
Did you know that the brownie originated in Chicago? It was created in 1893 for the Chicago World’s Fair. Stop by the Palmer House Hilton to try one of Bertha’s famous brownies.
Polish Sausage:
Jim’s Original has been serving their Polish sausage the same way since 1939. Get it topped with yellow mustard and piled high with fried green onions and spicy hot peppers. Make sure you ask for your bag of free French fries.
Opened in 1897 and noted as a Chicago landmark, it is the city’s official reception venue. Take the free afternoon tour and admire the stunning 38-foot-diameter mosaic glass dome.
Comprised of two iconic buildings, both glazed in terra-cotta, they gleam in the city lights all hours of the day. Walking through the center doors brings you to a secluded park area along the Chicago River also leading to the entrance of the Chicago Riverwalk.
Teach your about kid your love of architecture at this museum geared towards the whole family. The Skyscraper Gallery has replicas of the tallest building in the world including Chicago’s every own Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower). Relive the Great Chicago Fire as dynamic video, interactive touch screens, and light projections bring the devastation to life. And watch as the city rebuilds itself. If you want to know about how Chicago was established and why it became the city it is today, this is the place to go!
Spend the afternoon with 61,500 other NFL fans at Soldier Field. Home to the Bears, feel the energy of the game at this luxury stadium offering all the food, drinks, and souvenirs you need to make this an experience you won’t forget.
There is no better way to spend an afternoon than at the ballpark. Cheer for the home teams as you indulge in the many classic snacks. Don’t forget to order a craft beer and heat to your seat in the Guaranteed Rate Field and watch our favorite game.
One of Chicago’s most popular beaches relax and watch the waves or watch the many joggers, rollerbladers, and bikers cruise by on the Lakefront Trail. Many options to rent kayaks, SUPs, jet ski rentals. Relax in the sun and sand and take in the city Skyscape or play a round of volleyball.
Relax in the sand, spread out a blanket for an afternoon picnic, go for a swim or people watch. Close to downtown and the Magnificent Mile, this beach gives you an up-close view to some iconic Chicago buildings from this scenic beach.
This is the place that even the locals hang out. Visit the 3300-foot pier that runs along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. At Navy Pier, you can take in Cirque Shanghai’s visually spectacular Dragon’s Thunder. View the breathtaking fireworks set to music every Wednesday and Saturday nights during the summer, either from the pier or on an evening cruise, the view will be stunning. Visit Pier Park and ride the 150 foot Ferris wheel or the musical carousel. How about A”mazing” Chicago where you will get lost in the Mirror Maze then stagger through the Spinning Tunnel. Join a Segway tour or rent a bike, what a way to spend the day.
At Shedd Aquarium be prepared to take a trip of the imagination to an underwater world like no other. Touch the Stingrays, go eye to eye with the dolphins, and take a walk to the south Pole with the Penguins.
Chicago is the home of the Blue Man Group. Running since the late 1980’s the Blue Man Group can still be seen at the Briar Street Theatre. Their unique blend of music, technology, and comedy appeals to people of all ages.
Alder Planetarium was the first planetarium built in the Western Hemisphere in 1930 and is now the oldest planetarium in existence. Learn about the Curiosity Rover by viewing NASA’s full-size replica, our solar system, and the mysteries of space.
What a great place to bring little ones (best for children under 8). It’s a Willy Wonka-land of toys and games and interesting things your little ones. With 17 permanent exhibits and 3 changing exhibits, there is always something new to explore. A few of the permanent exhibits are the grocery mart area, water station, train station, musical instruments, arts, potbelly sandwich shop, pet vet, and nursery. If the kids get hungry there is also a small cafeteria.
This park opened in 2004 to celebrate the new millennium and has quickly become the most popular tourist attraction in the Mid-West. There are so many things to do at Millennium Park so plan on spending the day. On a hot summer day, you can spend some time splashing around in the Crown Fountain as pictures of locals tower 50′ above the pool. Tired of the crowds? You can always find a moment of peace in Lurie Gardens. Surrounded by local grasses, flowers, shrubs, and trees it’s the perfect spot to sit and read or to just share a cup of coffee with a friend. If you are looking for a little adventure you need to try out the climbing wall at Maggie Daley Park. This 40′ climbing structure has something for everyone from beginner to expert.
Located 25 miles outside of the city this 10 mile crushed limestone loop takes you past the waterfalls, to the scenic view overlooking the river and through the marshes. This is a great place to hike, bike, or walk the dogs.
View Chicago in a whole new way by paddling down the Chicago River. You can spend the afternoon paddling past the heart of downtown Chicago, past hotels and restaurants, or spend the day at North Avenue Beach and have lunch at one of the local restaurants.
Photo Credit: UrbanKayaks.com
Drive into Chicago during sunset to capture the magnificent skyscape and experience Chicago in an RV! One of the largest cities in the world, Chicago offers a little something for everyone. Whatever your heart desires, this city has it! Pack the maps, rent your RV, and get this fun city adventure started!
