RV Park Review – Mission Bay RV Resort, San Diego, CA
This is a so-so RV park in a FABULOUS location. We love staying here just for the access to water & beach with pooch.
NOTE/ Review updated as of last stay Feb, 2016
Link to park here: Mission Bay RV Resort
Link to map location here: Mission Bay RV Resort
- Site quality = 2.5/5 Just so-so sites here. The park is probably best described as a large asphalt parking lot. It has small strips of green and trees, but sites are all asphalt and there is really no separation or privacy between campers. Sites are a decent size with full hookup (50Amp/water/elec + local cable) and most are very similar. There are several “premium” sites, but I (personally) don’t feel they are worth the extra $$
-> Premium Bay View sites have a nice water view through the back fence, but they are back-in only (so class A’s can’t face the view).
-> Premium Beach View sites have somewhat of a view, but beach is across the park from a parking lot so it’s not really that attractive
-> Super-size sites are really just longer asphalt sites
In my opinion the nicest sites are next to green strips by the facilities (sites 154, 139, 127, 112) or in the middle of the park around the low 120’s which are often quite empty (so good chance of not having a neighbour). - Facilities = 3/5 Facilities also so-so here. Bathrooms are rather dated and have an older feel to them. Also the showers seem to take forever to warm up. However stalls are large, there is good water pressure and they are kept meticulously clean.
- Amenities = 2.5/5 Also so-so amenities here. There is a small “snack shack” on-site, a pavilion, 2 laundromats and community room, but really not much else. They do offer free Wi-Fi which “mostly” works, although it does tend to cap out with users when park is fuller.
- Location = 5/5 Location is where this place gets it’s star points. You are in a quiet corner of Mission Bay with full water-views right outside the park and small on-site beach. There are miles of walking/biking/exercising available around Mission Bay directly from the park, plus you’re crawling distance to Mission Bay Golf Course. You’re also only minutes from all San Diego’s best attractions incl. Sea World (right around the corner), Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach and even downtown. For location this can’t be beat.
- Pet friendliness = 4/5 If you want to be walking distance to dog-friendly beach & water there is really no other park in San Diego that compares. There is small on-site pet run, pretty water-side walking around De Anza Cove directly from the back park gate, plus pooch can go on the beach and around Mission Bay (before 9AM and after 4PM in winter, or after 6PM in summer). Best of all you’re only ~5 mins drive from off-leash pet heaven Fiesta Island, and ~10 mins drive to Ocean Beach Dog Beach. Only ding is the park does limit certain breeds.
Overall rating = 3.4
BONUS ALERT: Stroll along miles of beach and water with pooch!
Summary: This park is all about location, location, location. It’s in a quiet corner of Mission Bay Regional Park surrounded by green, sand and water, within easy distance of practically all San Diego’s best attractions and right next to Mission Bay Golf. Also it’s the only RV park in San Diego I know where doggie can directly access a beach (within hour limits), or be only 5 mins from off-leash beach access (Fiesta Island and OB Dog Beach). All other RV & State parks in the area do not allow dogs on the beach. So for all those reasons we really (really) love this place. But the park itself we could probably take or leave. Sites are fully asphalt with no separation/privacy and there are minimal amenities. It’s kept nicely clean, there is good security, but there are not alot of “extras”. It is also quite pricey ($60-$90/night) unless you take advantage of discounts. Water and beach-front sites are back-in only and not (in my mind) worth the $$, but on internal sites you can use Passport America for 50% off Mon-Thurs ($25/night) plus in winter the park offers excellent monthly rates ($925/mo, for the regular sites). If you stay here in low season (winter) and take the discounts I think this park is one of the best locations in the city, and we’ll come back again and again just for that.
Extra Info: Good signal -> Three bars ATT LTE, three bars Verizon LTE. On-site free Wi-Fi, but it is unreliable. All sites are full hookup with cable TV. Nightly rate $60-$90. Monthly rate (winter) $925/mo (“regular” site only -> 30-day stay limit then need to go out for 24 hrs before another 30-day stay, EXTRA $5 pet charge). Park takes Passport America (mid-week) and Good Sam’s.
Pictures of that Park remind me why I love boondocking so much.
It’s definitely a departure from our last couple of months “out in the wilds”, but we make allowances for being by the beach & water. Still…I do miss boondocking too 🙂
Nina
It always amuses me how these places like to use the term “resort”, which is a funny way of spelling “parking lot”. But hey, it suits the purpose. That’s an awful lot of asphalt though, which I imagine would be just a heat magnet. I note Polly is standing in the shade in the second pic. Hm.
Thankfully winter temps are very mild in San Diego. Usually some morning chill and up to ~70 in the afternoon. So far the heat hasn’t been a problem.
Nina
Great monthly off season rate for sure… but they don’t take RV’s older than 10 years. Bummer, what’s up with that? 😉
It seems to be part of their wierd list of restrictions, but given that I’ve definitely seen RVs older than 10 years in here. I think if your rig is in good shape you’re fine to stay. The written rules are more rigorous than the experience and they seem prett relaxed once you’re actually in the park. It’s always something with these private parks 🙂
Nina
Nina, you’re probably right. Good to know, maybe we’ll try just pulling in sometime.
I hate that rule so much… I usually say over the phone.. “My rig is nice, it’s vintage.”
Besides, with Lazy Daze RVs, the year is hard to determine because the outside design didn’t change for 50 years. We see so many nice vintage RVs/trailers/buses… they’re missing out. 😛
PS – In 2009 we bought “the Cheddar Yeti” our 1988 Lazy Daze in the beach parking lot at Mission Bay Park, right near there. Haa!
Yeah, we’re actually parked right next to a sweeeeet vintage Monaco (lime green and white) right now. So, they definitely do make allowances for older rigs as long as they’re in decent shape. I do agree that it’s a silly rule.
Nina
I think it gives the park the option of rejection. I have never been questioned with our 02 Monaco.
Thank you so much for doing a park review of every place that you stay. I know that we will never get a chance to go everywhere we want to go (so little time, so much diesel cost), but I will definitely refer to your info when we get out there.
Syl
We have talked about that rule (10 year) and decided it gives the owner an out
when a coach arrives. We have, it seems, always been passed the ten but Jan just tells them it’s whatever year. As we keep our rigs sparkling like yours Nina, there has never been a question.
I agree. I too think it’s mostly an out clause for the owner. I’ve seen plenty of older rigs in this park, but they were all in nice condition.
Nina
Thanks for writing this review and having the pics we are looking to have to be there for a few months possibly for work stuff so this would be good for us 🙂
We stay here pretty much every time we’re in town. Can’t beat the location. Just be aware that they don’t offer monthly rates year-round, only in the winter(ish) months from mid-Sept to mid-May. Once you get into summer you’re stuck with the daily rate.
Nina
Thanks for your campground reviews, they are spot on. Site 127 is perfect with the extra space with our dogs. After the last 2 years of FL winters, our west coast winter trip has been a big change. There is way to much to do in San Diego and it seems our month in MB rv will be to short with farmers markets, breweries and people to watch.
Add our “Thank You” to the list above – just made reservations to stay here in June, after being at a loss on what to do when I realized our ‘usual’ haunt at next door Campland By the Bay was out of the question due to their sky high summer rates (we usual go there in the spring.)
This park fills all our needs to perfection, and the price is great, particularly in that they are currently offering a June early bird discount of 15%. 🙂
Excellent! Enjoy your stay!
Nina