RV Rental San Ardo, CA

About an hour’s drive from San Ardo is Pinnacles National Park, set in the mountains east of Salinas Valley. This is a spectacular place to explore 30 miles of hiking trails, caves, and climbing routes that traverse around rock formations and remnants of an extinct 23 million-year-old volcano. After taking a short loop or an all-day trek, relax with a picnic at the visitor center, and learn about this area’s unique wildlife. This park provides a habitat to hundreds of diverse species, including big-eared bats and nesting places for the California condor, which is the largest endangered soaring bird in North America.

If a day on a freshwater lake sounds appealing, after picking up your RV rental in San Ardo, cruise over to Lake Nacimiento or the San Antonio Reservoir Recreation Area. Lake San Antonio is paradise for year-round water sports; take your pick of waterskiing, canoeing, motor-boating, fishing, and swimming. San Antonio's north shore provides miles of horseback riding trails, and whether you’re a beginner or advanced hiker or mountain biker, there are 26 miles of trails on the south shore for every level.

When you’re craving fresh sea air, head towards the Monterey Bay and drive your luxury San Ardo RV rental along scenic State Route 1, a road that winds north and south on almost 100 miles of majestic coastline. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary offers endless opportunities to scuba dive, rent a kayak, paddle out into epic surf, relax on a beach, or go on a whale-watching excursion in sparkling Pacific Ocean waters. When you’re in southern Monterey County, you also won’t want to miss an adventure in world-famous Big Sur State Park, where you can marvel at ancient redwood forests, wildflower meadows, and jaw-dropping panoramas.

Most of the state and national parks around Monterey County have campgrounds where you can stay in your San Ardo camper rental. If you’d like to get back to nature but still want easy access to entertainment and supplies, Big Sur or Pinnacles National Park are good options. Pinnacles Campground is located within the eastern side of the park around meadows and oak trees. It's open year-round, and you’ll have access to electric hookups for your RV, showers, and a swimming pool. There are also nature programs and a general store with basic food and camping equipment available on the premises, plus you’ll be within close range of the trail system.

You also have the option of setting up base camp right by the waterfront. Lake San Antonio is a popular camping area, with full hookup RV sites available on both the north side (which is closer to shoreline) and south shore (which is more shaded). You can also bring your travel trailer rental from San Ardo to the Williams Hill Recreation Area, which is conveniently close by. The campsites here are equipped with level RV pads, fire rings, shade structures, picnic benches, and vault toilets. Just be aware there’s no electricity, running water, or trash collection at the sites, but William Hill does offer great views of the surrounding Salinas Valley. 

After you book an RV in San Ardo, you’ll come across several amenities around the tiny town to start you off on the first leg of your adventure, including a local market, cafe, and liquor and gas station.

San Ardo is not too far from charming seaside towns and larger urban settings. It's about an hour from Salinas, Monterey’s largest city and county seat. Here you can explore two of California’s most historic establishments, the San Antonio de Padua Mission and the Soledad Mission. If you’re a fan of the famous American literary author, John Steinbeck, you’ll definitely want to pay a visit to the renowned Steinbeck Center Museum when you’re in Salinas. 

Shopaholics will find plenty of options at the Salinas City Center, which features unique boutiques plus the Northridge Mall, which is Monterey County’s largest shopping center. This is also a great area to sample wine and produce from the region's numerous vineyards and farms. Take some time to wander through a number of art galleries, throw on your cowboy boots and head to the California Rodeo Salinas, or be entertained at one of this area's many annual festivals and events, like the California International Airshow.