New National Parks Resource

We have posted a new page on the El Monte RV Rental website that provides comprehensive information for individuals looking to visit one of U.S. National Parks by RV. It provides links to national park resources for all 50 states as well as National Park Service Pass information.

To see more check out our National Park Service Resources page.

Summer RV Availability Getting Scarce

We are barely into the summer season and already we are close to being fully booked for many locations in many sizes at El Monte RV. We guess people have come to realize that in these tough economic times an RV vacation is a very fun and inexpensive alternative to the traditional vacation.

As we stand right now, July is almost fully reserved. However, there is still some availability for August - but it is going fast...

If you are also planning an RV vacation adventure you had better book soon. We anticipate being fully rented out through Labor Day within the next couple of weeks.

You Can Even RV to PGA Tournaments

Yes, among the many events that you can RV to, PGA tour events would be included. Check out these posts from golf writer Jack McCallum who rented a Class A motor home from El Monte RV to attend the U.S. Open in Bethpage, New York. See:

• The People's Golf Writer: Breaking camp, and thinking of fathers and sons
• The People's Golf Writer meets the People's Family at the People's Open

Come and Explore Central Arizona

Provided by our friends at the Desert Valley RV Resort.

Our park, Desert Valley RV Resort, is an oasis in the heart of Arizona's "Golden Corridor". We are located halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, right outside of Casa Grande, Arizona.

Desert Valley RV Resort is a new resort, currently in our third season of operation and we cater to the "young at heart". We have many amenities in our park for you to enjoy including: a heated swimming pool/Jacuzzi, horseshoes, a library, pool tables, shuffleboard, WiFi Internet, and much more. There is a lot to see and do in this area.

The Casa Grande Ruins is one attraction that people find interesting to visit in our area. It was created as the nation's first archeological reserve in 1892. It preserves an ancient Hohokam Indian farming and living community. The site was declared a National Monument in 1918.

If you are feeling like you are ready to try something new, then you might want to try sky diving at Sky Dive Arizona. Sky Dive Arizona, located in Eloy, is the largest sky diving resort in the world. They have a large indoor wind tunnel that many people enjoy before trying the real thing.

Visitors to our area often enjoy birds and there are several places near by that you might find interesting.

• The Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch is located on 600 acres off of I-10 and is the largest privately owned ostrich ranch in the United States. You can feed the ostriches, visit the Lorikeets compound and explore the area.
  
• Also visit the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert. Admission is free. You can go on bird walks and observe over 200 different species of birds in the area. You can fish, walk your dog or just enjoy the area. They also have an observatory.
  

Many people enjoy shopping, excellent golf courses and wonderful restaurants in our area. We have reasonable rates and a lot of activities in the winter months. We were recently acknowledged by Trailer Life magazine as being in the top 300 out of their 12,000 parks. We hope you come for a visit and enjoy exploring the area.

Some other attractions near Desert Valley RV Resort include:

• The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson
  
• The Grand Canyon
  
• Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park in Phoenix
  
• Picacho Peak State Park, home to Picacho Peak which is the site of the Battle of Picacho Pass during the Civil War, which was the western-most engagement of the American Civil War.
  

For more attractions nearby see Attractions on the Desert Valley RV Resort website.

Other RV Campgrounds should feel free to share with us the wonders that may be found in and around their campground. Please send your article submissions to monty@elmonterv.com.

Camping, Chuck Wagon Dinner Show, Trail Ride and Rodeo in Dubois, Wyoming

Come to Dubois, Wyoming (Where Real Cowboys Work and Play), on a Thursday, June 18 - August 20, and camp at the Dubois Wind River KOA, enjoying all the scenery of the wilderness while camping on the Wind River in the heart of a small old West town.

Thursday night dinner is served at the Circle Up Chuck Wagon Dinner Show where Cowgirl Catering cooks up a full Dutch Oven meal like the cowboys enjoyed after a day on the trail. Then listen and laugh to the music of The Prickly Pair and the Cactus Chorale as they entertain you in the old West and Celtic way. Just $22.00 for adults and $6.00 for kids 11 and under. Saunter back to your campsite for a good night's rest.

The next day take a 2 hour horse ride on MacKenzie Highland Ranch's trails into the Shoshone Forest. Rides are $20.00/ hour per person. Longer rides are available for an added charge. They also have ATV's for rent if you have no spurs.

Upon returning to your campsite, get ready to Cowboy Up at the Dubois Rodeo. Enjoy Sally's burgers and Angus dogs before heading to the stands to experience a local rodeo where the competition is friendly but the cowgirls and cowboys are serious. Kids enter the mutton bustin' or race for the ribbons on the calves' tails. Dudes from the quest ranches compete for ribbons on the steers' tails. Tickets are available at the gate for $7.00/ adults and children under 5 free.

It's a late night of fun.

Then it's back to your campsite for one more night of camping along the Wind River. $43.00/ night for full hookups with TV and WiFi. The Dubois Wind River KOA is located 50 minutes east of Grand Teton National Park and 90 minutes east of Yellowstone National Park.

Thanks to our friends at Dubois Wind River KOA for providing us with this description of what sounds like a very good time. Other RV Campgrounds should feel free to share with us the wonders that may be found in and around their campground. Please send your article submissions to monty@elmonterv.com.

RV Vacation Heaven Along Florida's Big Bend Coastline

Nature's Coast RV Resort is nestled comfortably in the charm of Old Florida, just a few short minutes to the emerald Gulf of Mexico and the tannin-colored waters of the Steinhatchee River. Located in beautiful, pristine and unspoiled Steinhatchee/Jena, Florida, a visit to Nature's Coast RV Resort will put you in the middle of a string of counties studded with emerald-like gulf waters, deep springs and rivers that stretch along the Florida's Big Bend coastline.

Take a day trip to one of several nearby Parks (Fanning Springs, Manatee Springs, Ginnie Springs, and more), featuring some of the largest natural springs in the world. For more information on the springs see:

• Florida Springs
  
• Florida Springs State Parks
  

Enjoy hiking, cycling, fishing, birding, camping, and remember to bring your picnic basket. For birding fans, be sure to check out the West Florida Section of the Great Florida Birding Trail.

Whether you choose to cast from a dock or venture into the Gulf for inshore, offshore or fly fishing, anglers are hooked on Steinhatchee. Many local marinas rent skiff and pontoon boats, or they can arrange daily charters for saltwater fishing. Popular catches include trout, red fish, snapper, cobia and grouper.

For an unforgettable boating experience, try your hand at scalloping from July 1 through September 10. Steinhatchee is known as the "Scalloping Capital of Florida" and boasts the most abundant supply of sea scallops in the state. Due to the popularity of scalloping, reservations should be made well in advance for both accommodations and guides, if needed. Nature's Coast RV Resort can "hook" you up with a local marina or fishing captain. And when you want water sports, visit the Gulf where canoeing, kayaking and scuba diving are popular pastimes. Canoeing and Kayaking enthusiasts can find an excellent resource in the Canoe and Kayak North Florida website.

If it is wildlife you seek, the West Indian manatee, Florida black bear, bald eagle, Florida sand hill crane, red cockaded woodpecker, least tern, gopher tortoise, Florida panther and many other mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians are some of the endangered species that call the Nature Coast home.

From the famous Suwannee to the Steinhatchee River with the unique Dixie Mainline Trail, tidal flats, and coastal marshes, Taylor and Dixie Counties are along Florida's upper Nature Coast, flooded with fun in Florida's Pure Water Wilderness.

A peaceful drive from any direction, Nature's Coast RV Resort is located on Hwy 358, approximately 90 miles south of Tallahassee, Florida and 70 miles west of Gainesville, Florida and is nestled only 1.5 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico and one of Florida's most scenic rivers, the Steinhatchee. So…take a walk on the wild side or kick back and relax at our beautiful pool, stay in shape in our fitness center, gather your family fireside, or throw some horseshoes, Nature's Coast RV Resort is the perfect place for a one-of-a-kind Florida getaway.

Other RV Campgrounds should feel free to share with us the wonders that may be found in and around their campground. Please send your article submissions to monty@elmonterv.com.

Family RV Vacation of a Lifetime

RV Vacation Through Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico

The following was submitted by an RV Vacation Fan.

It was the summer of Y2k. My family (husband, wife & 2 sons) had planned a six-week trip traveling through five western states in an RV. We started with an RV Rental in Salt Lake City where we flew in two days before settling into our new "home."

Our RV was a Class A, 36 feet long and slept six to eight. It had all the makings of home except the washer and dryer. There were two TV's, stereo, refrigerator, stove and microwave. What more could we ask for? The grocery trips were fun - we could just leave the store and be home.

We drove up to Jackson Hole and to Grand Teton National Park. It was our dream family vacation. Teaching the boys, albeit young, only six and nine, about our country's history in real life!

After spending one night, we continued our drive north to Yellowstone National Park. It was amazing. We had booked the campground for a week, rented a car to tour the park and settled in to see the geysers and the wild life. Old Faithful was as true as they say. We hiked the trails and saw deer, moose and bison close enough to see the color variations in their fur.

The boys, with my husband, fished for dinner in the lake at the park. I never had trout that tasted so good. After making the kids try the fish, they chose to eat the hamburgers we brought as a backup plan.

From Yellowstone, we drove across Wyoming to Cheyenne, where we stopped to see a real rodeo, with bronco roping and everything. What a hoot. Next stop was Four Corners, in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah. The boys loved the idea of being in four places (states) at the same time.

We arrived in Denver, happy to go to a Colorado Rockies baseball game at the infamous Mile High Stadium, drove up to the top of Rocky Mountain National Park and even tried Buffalo burgers.

In Moab, we went on a half-day rafting expedition in a class 4 river. The rapids were a blast. So were the water gun fights we had with the people in the three other rafts!

Driving west, we fell in love with Bryce Canyon. It was so beautiful to gaze down at the gigantic monoliths from the top of the trail. Of course, we spent time at Zion National Park as well, since it was practically across the street. On to the Grand Canyon, our final park before heading back to Salt Lake City to return our home on wheels. We went to both the north and south rims. Very different views and although each was astounding, I highly recommend visiting the north rim.

This was the trip of a lifetime. A memory making adventure my family still talks about and will always remember. We could not have done it without the RV.

El Monte RV has RV rental locations in many places that can be used for a similar vacation (depending on the starting point):

• Salt Lake City RV Rentals
• Denver Colorado RV Rentals
• Arizona RV Rentals
• New Mexico RV Rentals
  

Please feel free to share your RV vacation experiences with us. Send them to monty@elmonterv.com.

Balloon Festivals Galore

There are two hot air balloon festivals coming up in June.

Starting today(June 5) and running through June 7 is the Temecula Valley Hot Air Balloon Festival in Temecula, CA.

From June 19 through June 21, 2009 the Dallas Ft.Worth Summer Balloon Classic will be held in Waxahachie, TX. El Monte RV has two convenient locations from which you may pick up an rv rental for this event - McKinney RV Rentals (northeast Dallas) and Palmer RV Rentals.

Of course don't forget the world's largest hot air balloon festival which happens in October - the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. In 2009 it will be held October 3 - 11 at Balloon Fiesta Park, which is located at 5000 Balloon Fiesta Parkway NE, Albuquerque, NM. Check out El Monte RV's Albuquerque RV Rental location for an RV for this event.

For more information on other hot air balloon festivals see Balloon Festivals in the USA on the Blastvalve Ballooning Search Engine site.

Beauty and Fun in the Illinois Valley of Southern Oregon

Thank you to Glenn and Lori Woodbury, owners of the Lone Mountain RV Resort located in O'Brien, Oregon, for sharing the following with us...

Lone Mountain RV Resort is a new upscale RV park located in the beautiful Illinois Valley of Southern Oregon. The park is located in O'Brien Oregon, a very quaint small town. The resort is owned and operated by Glenn and Lori whose Grandparents settled in the Valley in 1910. They and their families have enjoyed four generations in this safe and close knit community.

The Illinois Valley offers a little bit of everything, including:

• Hiking
  
• Golfing
  
• Fishing
  
• Rafting
  
• Gold Mining (see: Oregon Gold Adventures)
  
• Swimming in Crystal Clear streams, rivers and lakes
  

For more ideas check out the Southern Oregon Vacation Guide put out by the Southern Oregon Visitors Association. There are also some very unique attractions, including:

• Crater Lake
  
• Oregon Caves National Monument
  
• Redwood National Park
  
• Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area
  
• Rough and Ready Botanical Garden
  
• Great Cats World Park
  

The Illinois valley is also within the Rogue Valley Appellation which is part of the Southern Oregon American Viticultural Area (AVA). There are several wineries located within the valley including:

• Bear Creek Winery
• Bendock Estate / Windridge Vineyard
• Bridgeview Vineyards
• Foris Vineyards Winery
• John Michael Champagne Cellars
• LongSword Vineyard
• Troon Vineyard
• Valley View Winery
• Wooldridge Creek Winery

The Lone Mountain RV Resort offers seasonal rates and can easily be your home for a night, week or a month.

So if your travels take you to southern Oregon, visit the Lone Mountain RV Resort. They promise you will want to return again and again. For more information visit the Lone Mountain RV Resort website at http://www.lonemountainrv.com/.

RV Camping, Golf & Breathtaking Beauty

As you may imagine, we have a lot of communications with various RV campgrounds. One who we have been speaking to recently, Cherokee Springs Golf and RV Resort, was kind enough to share some of the great things that can be done from their RV campground.

Cherokee Springs Golf and RV Resort is off Scenic Highway 89 between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon in southern Utah's "color country". Cherokee Springs is literally a wonderful place to come up to - at an elevation 7200 feet the golf course at Cherokee Springs is one of the highest west of the Rockies.

Cherokee Springs Golf and RV Resort is located in what is known as Utah's "color country", a name derived from the similar scenic features and vivid and varied scenery that can only be described as breathtaking. Some of the wonderful natural resources that can be visited from the park include:

• Bryce Canyon National Park & RV Camping Ideas – Bryce Canyon, Utah
  
• Grand Staircase National Monument
  
• Capitol Reef National Park
  
• Dixie National Forest
  
• Kodachrome Basin State Park
  
• Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
  
• Anasazi Indian Village State Park
  
• Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
  

Other activities nearby include scenic drives, horseback riding, ATVing and mountain biking. You can actually bike or ride trails that lead from the resort all the way to Bryce Canyon via the back country. The fishing at Panguitch Lake or in the Sevier River is great and there are lots of hiking trails around.

Of course you should not forget that at the Cherokee Springs Golf and RV Resort you can enjoy the 9 hole, par 36 golf course offering a challenging layout and scenic views. You may also bring your horse as they have a 9 stall barn, riding arena and pasture area.

So if your travels take you to southern Utah's color country, check in on our friends at the Cherokee Springs Golf and RV Resort. You can get more information on their website www.cherokeespringsresort.com or you can call them at 435-619-0391.

And remember, if your RV travels take you to the State of Utah, El Monte RV can accomodate you from our Salt Lake City RV Rental location.

Other campgrounds, please share with us the cool things that can be done in and around your campground. Contact Val at vluongo@elmonterv.com to share your stories.

Vacations That Save You Money on ABC TV!

We were recently featured on ABC News in Los Angeles:

Get the RV Bug - RV Rental Vacation Video

RV bug? No not an insect, it's the bug to hit the open road and see the wonderful sites and attractions that our country has to offer. Get the bug to see it in a way that you have never seen before - from the cab of an El Monte RV rental.

Check out El Monte RV Rental's new RV Camping Video

• RV Rental Vacation Video - Great Family Vacation Ideas from El Monte RV Rentals on YouTube
• RV Rental Vacation Video - Great Family Vacation Ideas from El Monte RV Rentals on the El Monte RV site

You're sure to get bitten by the RV Camping vacation bug after watching the video. Then give us a call and we will get you started on a dream vacation in your vacation home on wheels - an El Monte RV.

How About Looking for Gold on Your Next Vacation?

Old ghost towns, echoes of the wild west, and that yellow metal that has driven everyone crazy over the ages. Who could ask for more adventure for their next RV vacation?

Yes, you can go recreational gold hunting and many properties have facilities for recreational vehicles. The Lost Dutchman's Mining Association (LDMA) operates numerous properties across the United States. Many of the properties have facilities for RVs including full hookups. These include Italian Bar northeast of Sonora, California; Loud Mine between Dahlonega and Cleveland, Georgia; Stanton an old ghost town located approximately 2 hours northwest of Phoenix, Arizona; Blue Bucket south of Baker City, Oregon; and Vein Mountain about half way between Asheville and Hickory, North Carolina. The LDMA also operates other properties with much more rustic facilities or no facilities at all. Membership in the LDMA is required to prospect on the properties.

The site GoldFeverProspecting.com provides a nice list of places where you can recreationally look for gold. Another list of gold mining camps may be found on the Gold Miner's Headquarters web site.

For additional information you may also want to check out Gold Panning Vacation on the e-goldprospecting.com site or Family Vacations to the Old West on FavoriteFamilyVacations.com.

So if your are looking for an RV Vacation with a lot of adventure, why not try your hand at looking for gold? Maybe you will strike it rich - well maybe not rich, but you just might bring home enough precious gold and memories to make it a wealthy adventure.

Tips for a Successful RV Vacation

An RV vacation can be a lot of fun! It can make for a great family adventure, and it is typically less costly than other types of vacations. According to PKF Consulting, a consulting firm with expertise in travel and tourism, RV vacations are 27% to 61% less expensive than other types of vacations studied.

While an RV vacation can be fun and relatively inexpensive, there are a few basic pointers to for a successful trip.

Plan Ahead

The key to a successful RV vacation is planning. Anyone considering such a vacation should think about:

• Planning an itinerary that includes the places you want to go and things that you want to see.
  
• Mapping out driving directions that are easy and direct.
  
• Mapping out the places you will be staying. There are many resources to find RV campgrounds, including El Monte RV's own campground booking page and the websites of KOA (Kampgrounds of America), Passport America RV Campgrounds, Recreation.gov , RV and Camp Out West.com, and Thousand Trails to name a few.
  
• Making your reservations for both the RV and the RV campgrounds that you will be visiting.

Rent Early

Similar to vacation homes, RVs are in demand during peak vacation seasons. It is not at all out of the ordinary for an RV Rental company to have most or all of their RVs rented by early spring. Renting ahead also applies to space in RV campgrounds as well. The best RV campgrounds in the best locations also get booked early.

Congratulations to the Contest Winner!

We would like to congratulate our newest contest winner: Chuck P!

Chuck won our blogging contest by posting his dream RV vacation on a blog and sending us the link.

If you want to read about Chuck's vacation you can find it here:
http://myrvlink.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=1635737%3ABlogPost%3A21778

Congratulations Chuck on winning your new Ipod Touch!