Our own private California

What to do
Vintage Surfari Wagons
1965 Harbor Boulevard
CostaMesa
714-585-7565
www.vwsurfari.com
Several vintage Volkswagen buses, $100-$125 per day, depending on the season.
Yosemite National Park
nps.gov/yose
Skip the throngs in Yosemite Valley queuing up to see Half Dome and El Capitan and head for the Toulumne Meadows, where you can get out and hike away from the crowds.
Where to camp
Morro Bay State Park
Morro Bay State Park Road, Morro Bay
805-772-2560
Just off the shoreline with a magnificent view of Morro Rock and great access to a quaint beach community. Hearst Castle is just up the road. Tent campsites $35.
South Lake Tulloch RV Campground & Marina
14448 Tulloch Road
Jamestown
209-881-0107
Camping in Yosemite is so competitive that spaces sell for five times their normal value on Craigslist. Why not skip the headache and camp here, an hour outside of the park, with a lake and a family-friendly atmosphere?
Candlestick RV Park
650 Gilman Ave.
San Francisco
800-888-2267
www.sanfranciscorvpark.com
Want a place to stay in San Francisco with water views for $69 a night? This concrete jungle, just outside the home of the National Football League 49ers, offers the basics and, most importantly, access.
Where to eat
La Taqueria
2889 Mission St.
San Francisco
415-285-7117
If you eat one thing in San Francisco, it should be a Mission-style burrito in the Mission District, complete with mariachi band.
Where not to get gas
There’s an old saying on the Pacific Coast Highway: “Do not get gas in Big Sur.’’ At $5.89 a gallon for premium (which the VW demands), it’s a good rule of thumb. Unfortunately, due to the remote location, the monopoly is unavoidable.