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Old 03-20-2016, 12:13 PM   #1
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San Francisco to Austin, Waco, San Antonio and Galveston.

My husband and I are headed to Austin soon for our daughter's wedding and PhD graduation! We are new RV'rs. 3 short trips so far in our FR3, 25ds. Any suggestions for parks, truck stops along CA hwy 5, hwy I 10 and in the Austin, Waco, San Antonio, Galveston areas are much appreciated!
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Old 03-21-2016, 08:41 PM   #2
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First of all, install the Gas Buddy and the RV Parky Apps, they will give you fuel stops and rv parks along your route, along with ratings and all the particulars. Unless you have a particular reason for choosing the 10, I would recommend the 99 south from Sacramento, the 58 east from Bakersfield, and the 15 north to the 40 in Barstow. From Amarillo the 287 takes you to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, then south on the I35 W to Waco, Austin and San Antonio.


I say this for several reasons, and I have taken the I10 and the I40 to the same destination as you have. The I10, while it may seem shorter and more direct, I don't believe the mileage is much different. The I10 has higher speed limits, but I don't think you want to go 85 in your motorhome. It is monotonous is most cases, but that is your choice.


The I40, while it does have spots of nothingness, I guarantee you it is more scenic than the 10. Take a look at your route on gas buddy and rv parky, and compare the fuel stops and rv parks on both.


Which ever way you decide, Happy Trails, Forrest
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Old 03-21-2016, 09:56 PM   #3
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I x2 the above route using I-40 & I-35. In Williams, AZ the Grand Canyon Railway RV; in Albuqerque, NM the American RV Park; in Amarillo, TX the Oasis RV Resort. These are right off I-40. We have stayed in them a few times. We have a daughter in Tulsa so we are used to these routes when go out West or return from the West.
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Old 03-21-2016, 10:01 PM   #4
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Another good app for your laptop is RV Park Reviews :: Home.
for looking up by state and gives rates.
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Old 03-21-2016, 10:38 PM   #5
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Unless you have a particular reason for choosing the 10, I would recommend the 99 south from Sacramento, the 58 east from Bakersfield, and the 15 north to the 40 in Barstow.
If you do go this route and you like oranges, a good overnight spot is Orange Grove RV park in Bakersfield off of the 58. It's a run of the mill RV park, clean and nice people. The kicker is there is a farmers market around the corner that sells local oranges. I guarantee these are the best oranges you will ever eat. Compared to what we get up here in the Bay Area, those are almost like candy. Even if you are not stopping overnight, stop by the farmers market and buy a couple of big boxes of oranges, (a couple boxes sound like a lot but by the time you tell everyone about them and they try them, they go fast!).

Here is link to the RV park:
Orange Grove RV Park | Bakersfield, CA | RV Park

Here is a link to the farmers market right around the corner:
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Old 03-21-2016, 11:51 PM   #6
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Thanks, everyone for your suggestions. I had already found RVParky and just installed Gas Buddy and RV Park Reviews. We've driven to Austin a couple of times and yes, I40 is much nicer. We will take that home since we are not in as much of a time crunch after the wedding. I really appreciate the specific park recommendations. Love this forum and really thank everyone for their suggestions. Kathy
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Old 03-22-2016, 02:12 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by gectisme View Post
If you do go this route and you like oranges, a good overnight spot is Orange Grove RV park in Bakersfield off of the 58. It's a run of the mill RV park, clean and nice people. The kicker is there is a farmers market around the corner that sells local oranges. I guarantee these are the best oranges you will ever eat. Compared to what we get up here in the Bay Area, those are almost like candy. Even if you are not stopping overnight, stop by the farmers market and buy a couple of big boxes of oranges, (a couple boxes sound like a lot but by the time you tell everyone about them and they try them, they go fast!).

Here is link to the RV park:
Orange Grove RV Park | Bakersfield, CA | RV Park

Here is a link to the farmers market right around the corner:
Home page

Question, I know they will check you going into Calif. for fresh produce and confiscate it, I don't know if they check entering Arizona. Remember coming back from Oregon and my Father-in-law refused to give them his bing cherries, he said he would eat them all first and he did on the side of the road..... To the OP make time on the way home for williams arizona. Great CG downtown lots of history on the old route 66
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Old 03-22-2016, 10:50 AM   #8
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Question, I know they will check you going into Calif. for fresh produce and confiscate it, I don't know if they check entering Arizona. Remember coming back from Oregon and my Father-in-law refused to give them his bing cherries, he said he would eat them all first and he did on the side of the road..... To the OP make time on the way home for williams arizona. Great CG downtown lots of history on the old route 66
Hmmm, not sure about AZ. I know NV doesn't care because I have brought those oranges to Las Vegas when visiting friends there.

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Old 03-22-2016, 01:01 PM   #9
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Ikely we will stop for oranges on our way back so we won't be needing to stuff our faces at the last minute.

One more question, from us newbies....do most people book RV spaces for long trips where you are not sure of the exact days, as you go? We don't know yet which days we will be in Waco, Austin, San Antonio and Galveston, just the two weeks we will go through all of them. Unless there are special circumstances, can you usually get a space the day before at at least one of 2 or 3 parks? Also, from SF to Austin and back, we will want to book as we go, is that how you all travel or do you book way ahead and call if plans change by a day or two?

Thanks again everyone for taking the time to educate us! When we are experience we will pass it on!
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Old 03-22-2016, 01:15 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Skgust View Post
My husband and I are headed to Austin soon for our daughter's wedding and PhD graduation! We are new RV'rs. 3 short trips so far in our FR3, 25ds. Any suggestions for parks, truck stops along CA hwy 5, hwy I 10 and in the Austin, Waco, San Antonio, Galveston areas are much appreciated!
Just make sure you secure a reservation way ahead of time in the Austin area. They are ALWAYS booked. May have an easier time in Paige, Bastrop, or Elgin. I stayed in Elgin and it was nice and quiet. Full hook ups. I was coming home from Indiana.

Good luck.
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Old 03-23-2016, 04:57 PM   #11
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We like IH 10 OR IH40.......40 has more stuff: Williams RR to Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, Meteor Crater, "Standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona." The famous Texan Restaurant in Amarillo. Eat the 72 ounce steak and get it for free. Darned good steaks there. The Cadillac Ranch near exit 62 west of Amarillo is fun to visit. And if you stay at the Amarillo Ranch RV Park on IH 40,,,,a stretch Limo will pick you up for free and take you to the restaurant. We stay as volunteers at Lake Georgetown, Cedar Breaks RV park.....a Corps of Engineer lake just north of Austin in Georgetown. If you aren't travelling on a holiday, weekend or spring breaks,,,,you shouldn't have any trouble gettin in. This park we're at is nice,,,,and if you have the Golden Age pass, it's half price. While in Austin, make sure you see the bats some night under the Congress Street bridge. Largest urban bat population in the world. And you'll realize it at dusk. See it from the greenbelt down below on the south and east end of the bridge. instead of up on the bridge.....a better perception.
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Old 03-26-2016, 10:39 AM   #12
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Let me recommend our favorite park in Galveston, Jamaica Beach RV park. It has wonderful pools, splash pad for kids, putt putt golf, outdoor movies at night, just a wonderful little place with beach access right across the street. We stay there several times each year. It is pretty far out of the city of Galveston, so choose this one if you only want to enjoy the beach areas, and not the city. Or don't mind traveling 20 or so miles into town. It's a busy place, but relatively large. Reservations recommended. Have fun!
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