Airstream Trip Guides and Rental Tips

Destination: Furnace Creek Campground, Death Valley National Park On my last post I talked about Yosemite, but this week we’re looking at a very different kind of national park, Death Valley.  Death Valley is hottest, driest and lowest national park in the U.S. and sounds grim and uninviting.  However, nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, Death Valley National Park is probably one of my top favorite national parks because of the beautiful desert landscapes as well as all the historical exhibits of the Old West that can be found there.  In fact, there’s so much to do and see there that I would love to take another Airstream road trip out there some day. Getting There From our garage in San Jose, Death Valley National Park is about an 8 hour drive.  So we suggest splitting the drive across 2 days with a pit stop on the first day at Bakersfield, which is what we did.  Bakersfield is about 4 hour drive from San Jose, and that is probably the max amount of hours you want to tow, especially if it’s your first time towing an Airstream.  We stayed at Bakersfield River Run RV park, which is your standard suburban RV park with full hook-ups.  Nothing particularly exciting about this RV park, but at least you can take long hot showers, send some last minute emails, unhitch to get gas in the truck, and organize your Airstream in preparation for some dry-camping at Death Valley.   From Bakersfield to Death Valley is another 4 hour drive, and we suggest taking the CA-58 to the US 395N and then down the 190E.  We recommend avoiding the 178E route from Bakersfield because the 190E west of Panamint Springs is very narrow and windy with a steep grade going down hill.  This is the link to our recommended route.   Glamping at Death Valley Death Valley has a lot of campsite options for RV’ers though most of the campsites cannot be reserved.  Here are all the campgrounds at Death Valley.  As you can see most campgrounds are only open Fall to Spring so as to avoid the the hottest times of the year.  We happened to go in October, and so we stayed at Furnace Creek, which is one of the few year-around campgrounds.  Furnace Creek is also the only campground with partial hook-ups with electric and water sources, but there are only 18 sites with hook-ups.  Furnace Creek is also the only campground that takes reservations.   However, there are so many other campsites that Death Valley is rarely booked to capacity so you will probably be fine on a first-come-first-serve basis.  It is also important to note that Texas Springs is the only campground that prohibits generators (and believe me you will probably want to rent one of our generators when glamping at Death Valley because it gets H-O-T!).  The main campgrounds also all have a dumping station (with access to water to refill your fresh water tanks), which you will want to take advantage of if Death Valley is just one of your stops on your Airstream road trip (if you’re only staying at Death Valley and coming back, then you don’t have to worry about it since dumping tanks is included in the trip price). What to do there     Pictures above are of Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America.  From the parking lot, if you look up about 300 ft, you can see where they marked where sea level is on the rock face.  Badwater Basin itself is a salt flat that you can walk on and feel as if you’re on another planet.   Other spectacular sites are Zabriskie Point (pictured at the very top of the post and right below) where you can do a short hike and great for sunrises and sunsets, Dante’s View where you can see both the highest and lowest points of North America in one spot (on a clear day), and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes where you feel like you’re somewhere in the Sahara.   Dante’s View: Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: I also enjoyed the historical exhibits at Death Valley including the still running Furnace Creek Inn, built in 1927, which has that old-timey glamour.  I also enjoyed exploring the Harmony Borax Works, famous for the 20-mule team used to transport the borax.      We also took a 45 minute drive (from Furnace Creek campground) to Rhyolite, a ghost town just across the Cali-Nevada border.  I love a good Wild West ghost town and old Union Pacific Rail cars, so this trip was especially fun for me.      Things that we missed and are on our list for our next visit include Devil’s Gold Course and Artist’s Drive.  See the full list of must-see places here. Where to go next from Death Valley If you’re planning for an Airstream trip for about 4-5 days I recommend spending that time solely for Death Valley.  But if you plan to do a longer road trip then I recommend either going up the US-395 (which is gorgeous) and spending time at Alabama Hills, June Lake, going to Yosemite (through the east entrance, summer time only), or going up to Lake Tahoe (we loved Silver Lake) and cutting back through the mountains to come back to San Jose.  If you have another 4 days and want to see a very different but equally stunning national park, then Zion National Park is 4.5 hours away.  Or if you want to come back through Barstow, you can hit up King’s Canyon/Sequoia National Park and Yosemite (through the west entrance) before heading back to San Jose. Book your Airstream Browse our Airstream fleet and check dates here. Every rental comes stocked and trip-ready, and if you would rather skip the towing altogether, ask us about delivery and setup. Here is exactly how the rental process works.

Destination: Dimond-O Campground, Yosemite National Park   After our first Airstream trip to Yosemite Park, where we did some field research of the various RV parks and campgrounds off of Hwy 120 (read that post here), we decided that for our second visit to Yosemite we wanted to stay at Dimond-O campground.  We liked the fact that Dimond-O is the closest campsite outside of the national park and the campground itself feels well-space and not overly populated . Also we like to camp outside of the park, even though it takes about 45 minutes to drive from Dimond-O to the valley floor because we prefer not to take the Airstream down the narrow and winding roads within the park.  Not to say that getting to Dimond-O is a walk in the park.  There are spots where HWY 120 winds along a mountain edge but take it slow and easy and know those roads are meant for trailers and even big-rigs (just don’t go up the shortcut at Old Priest’s Grade, but rather stay on the 120).     Dimond-O campground also has some narrow spots and are surrounded by trees flanking the campground road so we advise all Airstream renters to be careful when driving around the campsite and to avoid as many tree branches as possible.  If you rent a 23′ Airstream or smaller it will be a tad easier since they are slightly narrower than the larger Airstreams.  But for a little bit of work, you get a beautiful glamping spot surrounded by trees with easy access to one of the most beautiful national parks in the U.S.   We parked our 28′ Airstream in campsite 23 (see the campsite map here).  If you are able to nab sites 19, 20, 21, 23, 24 or 25 your campsite will have access to the Tuolumne River, which is quite beautiful and tranquil (sorry the photo doesn’t do it justice).   The campground is very well-maintained with a fire ring, bench and bear bins.  There is no cell reception within the campground, however you can get cell signal at the near-by Rush Creek Lodge (which also has great indoor and outdoor lounge areas if you need to get some work done).  The lodge also has a small gift shop/market area if you are in need of some last minute provisions or if you would like to buy some ready-made sandwiches for your day trip to Yosemite.   So if you’re looking for a great campsite near Yosemite to dry-camp at, we can’t recommend Dimond-O enough! Book your Airstream Browse our Airstream fleet and check dates here. Every rental comes stocked and trip-ready, and if you would rather skip the towing altogether, ask us about delivery and setup. Here is exactly how the rental process works.

Destination: Convict Lake Most people don’t have a lot of time to go to far and obscure destinations during their Airstream road trip.  But I would be remiss not to write about this beautiful lake destination located on the other side of the Sierra Nevadas on the east side of California.  As much as I like Lake Tahoe, Silver Lake and Lake Nacimiento, I think Convict Lake is by far the most gorgeous California lake I’ve ever laid eyes upon.  You can see the bottom of the lake since the waters are so clear and when the sun shines, the water reflects like blue crystals.  Also that mountain backdrop is just breathtaking.  Don’t let the name fool you, there is nothing austere, bleak or prison-like about this place.  In fact it’s more like a little piece of the Swiss Alps on the west coast. Getting There Convict Lake is quite far from our San Jose Airstream garage and thus we advise making a stop if you are planning to explore the beautiful and rugged east side of California.  The quickest route there, which is about a 6 hour drive, is through Yosemite National Park.  Getting to Yosemite is about a 4 hour drive and you can read all about our experiences with the glamping at Yosemite here and here.  Since the mountain roads through the national park is quite narrow and windy, we recommend this route only for those taking a 23′ Airstream or smaller and only during the summer months when the pass is open.  When we took this road trip to Convcit Lake we went down to Death Valley National Park first and then came up the I-395 to Convict Lake. Glamping at Convict Lake Convict Lake Campground, which is within walking distance to the lake, has 37 standard non-electric back-up sites for RVs of various lengths.  The spots can be a tad narrow so we recommend driving carefully around the campground and always having a spotter when backing up.  Since there are no water or electric hook-ups at the campsite you might want to rent one of our generators to comfortable dry-camp.  Since sites are limited we highly recommend making reservations here before your trip.  There is a dump station and water filling station that is easily accessible right outside the campground if you need to empty or refill tanks.  The campground itself is nicely arranged with some trees giving you privacy between sites. What To Do There Within walking distance to the campground is the Convict Lake Resort, which conveniently provides boat, kayak, and paddleboard rentals for a day out on the lake.  There are also a couple beautiful hikes around the lake for those who prefer to stay on land.  But Convict Lake is probably best known as a fishing destination for the avid fisherman.  Also for those who feel like eating something fancy for a change, the Convict Lake Resort has two fine dining restaurants: Restaurant at Convict Lake and Morrison’s Restaurant (name after the mountain peak surrounding the lake). Where To Go Next If you’re on a time constraint, the fastest way back to San Jose would be to go through Yosemite National Park again.  Or if you came up through Death Valley, going through Yosemite would be a nice roundtrip.  If you came up through Yosemite and want to go down to Death Valley I would advise caution for the inexperienced trailer driver because there’s a stretch of narrow mountain roads that can be quite nerve-racking (going up is no walk in the park either but it’s not nearly as scary as going down).  Lake Tahoe is about a three hour drive away if you want to continue the California mountain lake tour. Book your Airstream Browse our Airstream fleet and check dates here. Every rental comes stocked and trip-ready, and if you would rather skip the towing altogether, ask us about delivery and setup. Here is exactly how the rental process works.

Destination: Azalea Campground, Kings Canyon National Park We love big trees.  That’s why Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Resort is one of our favorite local RV parks.  But a giant sequoia tree is the mother of all big trees.  They are the living dinosaurs of the plant world and something that everyone should see (or hug) once in their life.  Well we found the best campground for visiting these beautiful giants, Azalea Campground located in King’s Canyon National Park.  This year-around campground located in the national park is a little less than 4 hours away from our San Jose garage.  Since this is a campground there are no hook-ups so be prepared for some dry-camping.  There are dumping stations open during the summer months (though we don’t know how accessible they are since we went during the autumn).  Also there are some tight turns within the campground so we advise all Airstreamers to be extra careful when driving through the campground.     The campground has 110 sites, which are all first come first serve basis.  Sites 54-58 are popular spots because it’s a bit away from the rest of the campsites.  But we were in campsite 37 and still felt pretty secluded (see map at the bottom of the page here).  If not being able to make a reservation during peak season makes you nervous, then you can reserve sites at the neighboring Sunset Campground, which has 157 reservable sites open from May to September.  Both campgrounds are within King’s Canyon National Park and close to each other and Grant Grove Village where the Grant Grove Market and King’s Canyon Visitors Center are located. Rent an Airstream for This Trip Want to camp at Azalea Campground without owning a trailer? Every GoSilver Airstream comes stocked and trip-ready, and delivery and setup are available. Check dates and pick your Airstream for this trip. Check Airstream Availability   The Grant Grove Market has groceries, beer/wine, firewood, and any other supplies you might have forgotten for your trip.  The Grant Grove Village also includes a restaurant and post office.  So you may be in a remote national park, but you’ll want for nothing! The best part of Azalea Campground is that it is within walking distance (0.8 miles or a 3 minute car ride) to the main attraction at King’s Canyon National Park: General Grant Grove, home to the General Grant Tree.  The General Grant Tree is the second largest tree in the world (we’ll get to the largest tree in a minute here) and is estimated to be 1,657 years old.  There are also several other hikes around General Grant Grove, which you can find listed here.   Another great thing about Azalea Campground is that it is only 40 minutes away from Sequoia National Park so you can visit 2 national parks in one day if you were so inclined (the entrance fee to Kings Canyon is also good for Sequioa National Park).   Sequoia National Park is home to the largest living tree in the world, the General Sherman tree.  Also in the area is the Lodgepole Visitor Center and the Giant Tree Museum.  There are also quite a few hiking trails in the area, that are listed here.   And if you wanted to make your Airstream road trip a National Parks tour, then the south entrance of Yosemite is about 2.5 hours away from King’s Canyon National Park.  There’s a lot of beauty on this side of California   So if you’re looking for some big beautiful trees or to check off some National Parks from your bucket list, then Azalea Campground is the place to go! Book your Airstream Browse our Airstream fleet and check dates here. Every rental comes stocked and trip-ready, and if you would rather skip the towing altogether, ask us about delivery and setup. Here is exactly how the rental process works.

Burning Man Rental Packages Now Available There’s nothing quite like a beautiful silver Airstream shimmering in the open desert, am I right?  Well for those who want to rent an Airstream for Burning Man, an annual city built in the middle of the Nevada desert devoted to self-reliance and self-expression, you’ve come to the right place.  We are offering Airstream rental packages specifically for Burning Man. Now I’m sure you’ve noticed the pricing for these packages are nothing to sneeze at.  But that’s because having experienced Airstreams returning from Burning Man, we know that Playa dust is also nothing to sneeze at.  The bulk of the cost goes to the 10+ hours of preparing our Airstreams for Burning Man (including a full waxing of the exterior and the taping of all windows and vents) and the 30+ hours of cleaning required to fully remove Playa dust from every nook, cranny and compartment of the Airstream.  We also provide free grocery stocking, purchased by the customer through Instacart (ie have all the water you need for the week already stocked into your Airstream when you arrive) and free San Jose Airport pick-up and drop-off for out-of-town guests.  And of course we include all of our usual Elite RV amenities like a fully-stocked kitchen, all linens and towels, full propane tanks, and dumping of all tanks post-trip.   We have also decided that we will not be doing Airstream deliveries to the Playa so all renters must tow their own Airstream to Burning Man.  We feel that since Burning Man is a community celebrating self-reliance, that guests going to the Playa should practice this Burning Man principle.  And if you want to practice towing before your drive to the Nevada desert, we will happily schedule a time to show you the basics and allow you to practice at our San Jose garage free of charge.  And of course all rentals are fully insured (which is included in the Burning Man package price).  Lastly if you don’t own a truck, we have partnered with our local Enterprise Commercial business and can arrange the rental for you.  We will also have the rental truck delivered and hitched up to the trailer ready to go on the day of pick-up.   So if you’re interested in renting an Airstream for Burning Man, you can start your reservation process on our rentals page.

Lake Tahoe is one of the easiest big-scenery trips you can take in a rented Airstream: about 149 miles from our Lathrop shop to South Lake Tahoe, roughly two hours and forty minutes east on US-50, and under three hours to the Truckee side via I-80. The payoff is enormous. Tahoe is the second-deepest lake in the United States at 1,645 feet, per the U.S. Geological Survey, and the area is packed with nature hikes, mountain bike trails, lake activities, and even gambling on the Nevada side if you are so inclined. Campsites here mostly run without hook-ups, with a few full hook-up RV parks mixed in. Here is what we know first-hand, and what our customers recommend. The Lake Tahoe shoreline from above. Logger Campground, Truckee (north of Lake Tahoe) Logger Campground sits north of Lake Tahoe in the Truckee area. Two things to know. First, there are no hook-ups, so we advise experienced or adventurous RVers here (read our dry-camping post for what that actually means). Second, Google Maps will take you the wrong way. Follow the campground’s own directions instead: take I-80 to HWY 89, exit right at Hobart Mills Rd, merge left onto old HWY 89, take a right at the fork to stay on Hobart Mills Rd (also called E. Pasture Rd), then left onto Dog Valley Rd to the campground. Your reward is beautiful views of Stampede Reservoir directly behind the campground, where you can boat, water ski, swim, and fish. Lake Tahoe itself is a 45 minute drive, but the secluded spot means far more privacy than the busy lake. Sites come with a fire ring and picnic tables. Grover Hot Springs State Park, Markleeville (south of Lake Tahoe) Grover Hot Springs State Park is about 45 minutes from Stateline in South Lake Tahoe. You will be dry-camping here too, rewarded with trees outside your Airstream window and a 5 minute drive to the hot springs the park is named after, fed into a pool you can enjoy all day for a small entrance fee. There are hiking trails throughout the park and a trout creek. It is one of the few campgrounds open year-round, which makes it a great fall trip when the crowds thin out. We found this one by asking locals. The posted max trailer length is 24 feet, and we recommend experienced towers only, since there are some tight spots. One of our Airstreams at a campground near Lake Tahoe. Recommended by our customers Coachland RV Park (Truckee, 20 minutes from the lake): a repeat-customer favorite in the Tahoe area. If you want full hook-ups (water, electric, sewer, and cable) plus basic WiFi, this is your best bet. Read about Jason and Grace’s Airstream road trip here. Ice House Campground (near Kyburz, on the US-50 route): another customer recommendation on the way up to South Lake Tahoe. We have also stayed at one of our all-time favorite campsites in the greater Tahoe region: Silver Lake East on the Eldorado National Forest, which we wrote about here. Headed for the Black Rock Desert rather than the lake? Here is what it takes to bring an Airstream to Burning Man. Book your Airstream Browse our Airstream fleet and check your dates here. Every rental comes stocked and trip-ready, and if you would rather skip the towing, ask us about delivery and setup. Here is how the rental process works.

Airstream Destination: Costanoa One of the most popular questions to us at GoSilver is “Where should I take my rented Airstream?”  And one of our favorite local Northern California spot (and a favorite spot for Airstream deliveries) is Costanoa.  Costanoa is the perfect place for those who love nature and that country life, but who don’t want to necessarily camp in the boonies.  This is glamping at its finest.  The resort is located on the California coast between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz (about 25 miles from each on Hwy 1).   The resort does have a lodge (for those who want the full hotel experience) and tent bungalows (with shared dorm style bathrooms), but of course our favorite way to stay at Costanoa is in one of our Airstreams (the comfort of home on wheels).  Plus, it is one of the few ways we can stay at Costanoa with our dogs (no dogs allowed in the lodge or the tent bungalows).   Have a BBQ with friends and family on the premises and play some competitive ladder golf (it’s surprisingly addictive and fun).  Costanoa also has a kids camp, mountain biking trails, and horseback riding for beginners.  And take advantage of Costanoa’s organic gourmet restaurant, Cascade.  All their ingredients come form local farms or their own organic farm, and their menu changes seasonally.  I had a really excellent kale and seaweed salad (trust me, it tastes way better than it sounds).  Where else in the world can you glamp/camp and have fine dining?   Each RV site allows for up to 6 people with the added wood platform for tent camping.  This is a super family friendly camp site where kids can play safely almost everywhere on the resort grounds.  For the adults, there’s a heavenly spa and even a free sauna at their comfort stations.   While staying at Costanoa, check out some of our favorite places near by: Pie Ranch: for delicious pie and fresh organic produce sold at their farm stand (plus it’s a teaching farm that helps future farmers learn the ins and outs of organic farming) Pigeon Point Lighthouse: the perfect spot for an awesome photo shoot with your DSLR or selfie stick Arcangeli’s: A bakery that’s been family-run since 1929.  Their garlic herb artichoke bread is famous and for good reason.  It’s not hype!  It’s delicious!  And if the weather is nice, grab some grub (including the bread of course) and head over to the beach to have a picnic in the sand. Pescadero Country Store: If you don’t feel like going to the beach for lunch and the famous artichoke bread is sold out, then equally wonderful is the Pescadero Country Store.  They have a space outside with picnic tables where you can drink an ice-cold beer and munch on some really wonderful fried artichoke hearts. Swanton Berry Farm: In the summer you can pick your own berries!  Don’t feel like doing the work?  You can still buy some at their farm stand when in season. Harley Farms:  A goat-lover’s paradise.  See the goats outback and buy some goat cheese and goat milk bath & body products at the farm stand.  They also host some fun dinners and tours, but check with their website for availability. Slow Coast Airstream store:  This cool Airstream store is chock full of local unique gifts, and even if you’re not in the mood to shop this store is definitely worth checking out (ok, I might be a little biased because I love all things Airstream). Butano State Park:  Hike amongst the giant Redwood trees Ano Nuevo State Park:  Hike along the ocean and spy on some elephant seals Book your Airstream Browse our Airstream fleet and check dates here. Every rental comes stocked and trip-ready, and if you would rather skip the towing altogether, ask us about delivery and setup. Here is exactly how the rental process works.

Yosemite National Park is the single most popular destination for GoSilver Airstream renters, and it is an easy tow from our Lathrop shop: about 117 miles east on CA-120, roughly two and a half hours to the Big Oak Flat entrance and right around three hours into Yosemite Valley. You are on Highway 120 from the moment you leave Lathrop, one road nearly the whole way. The National Park Service counted more than 4 million visits a year, so the difference between a great Yosemite trip and a stressful one comes down to two things: taking the right road with the trailer, and reserving your campsite early. Here is what we tell every renter. Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View. The scale of these granite cliffs cannot be captured by photos, though of course we tried. The drive from Lathrop, and the one road to avoid Follow CA-120 East through Manteca, Oakdale, and Chinese Camp toward Groveland. As you approach Groveland, your maps app will try to send you onto Old Priest Grade. This is important: if you are towing, do not take Old Priest Grade. It is a steep shortcut meant for cars only. Stay on CA-120. We have had a couple of customers take Old Priest Grade anyway, and even though they made it, it was a white-knuckle experience we would not recommend to anyone. Highway 120 is not exactly a walk in the park either, but if logging trucks can make their way up and down this road, so can Airstream towers. Half Dome at Yosemite. Along Highway 120 from Groveland to the park, there are a handful of RV parks and campgrounds you can stay at. To make it easy, we have checked them all out. Our top recommendations: Yosemite Lakes RV Resort if you want hook-ups, and Dimond-O Campground if you can do without. RV parks with full hook-ups Yosemite Lakes RV Resort: We recommend this park for beginner Airstreamers or anyone who wants the glamping rather than camping experience, meaning no roughing it required. It is part of the Thousand Trails collective (membership), but they keep quite a few spots for non-members too. The spots are close together, but they come with full hook-ups and the resort is well maintained. The biggest bonus: it is the closest full hook-up RV park to Yosemite, only 9 minutes from the park entrance. It is popular with families and can be crowded in peak season. Yosemite Ridge Resort: Another great full hook-up option, quite a bit smaller with only 15 spaces, which means no big crowds. It has a pool, its own gas station, a general store, and a restaurant. In exchange, you are further from the entrance (about 17 minutes), and there are no fire pits. Yosemite Pines: Closest to Groveland and its restaurants, bars, and grocery markets, but the furthest from the park entrance (about 28 minutes). Around 200 sites with both full and partial hook-ups, plus a general store, pool, petting zoo, and family activities. Each site has a fire pit. We stayed here on one of our own trips and were not fans of how close the sites are, and there are quite a few long-term residents. Campgrounds with no hook-ups Dimond-O Campground: For the more adventurous, or anyone experienced with towing and backing up, we highly recommend this campground just 15 minutes from the park entrance. Only 38 sites, so reserve the moment you know your dates. One customer told us she booked the day her window opened, six months in advance, and that is normal for peak season (April through September). Most sites are back-in, so backing experience helps, though we will send you off with walkie-talkies if you and your travel partner are up for the challenge. There are no hook-ups here. Read what dry-camping in an Airstream actually means here, and we recommend renting a generator. In exchange you get a secluded, private campground surrounded by trees, quite possibly the most serene campsite on Highway 120. Sweet Water Campground: A good option if you are willing to rough it but not yet confident backing up the trailer. It is 13 minutes from the entrance with 14 sites, some pull-through. Space is limited, so reserve far in advance, and bring a generator. The sites sit in a large cleared area, so less privacy, but some have clear, beautiful views of the surrounding forest. The Pines Campground: The smallest and furthest from the entrance (21 minutes), set in the Stanislaus National Forest with its own hiking trails. Only 12 sites plus a group option that works well for large parties. Open year-round; reservations highly recommended. We do not recommend Lost Claim Campground due to the narrow, bumpy roads inside the campground. Camping inside the park Camping inside Yosemite National Park is also a great option. The NPS details for RV camping are here. RV sites (listed as RV non-electric and Standard non-electric) book up fast, so make reservations the moment they open, five months in advance. Reservation information is here. Carrying on over Tioga Pass to the east side of the Sierra? Convict Lake is the next one we would stop at. Book your Airstream Browse our Airstream fleet and check dates here. Every rental comes stocked and trip-ready, and if you would rather skip the towing altogether, ask us about delivery and setup. Here is exactly how the rental process works.