Blake Ranch RV Park, Kingman AZ

Stay Date:  March 2016

Our Rating:  GOOD – 8

This has become our favorite stop when transiting the area.  With easy on/off from I-40, the park is on a hill above the interstate and truck stop/restaurant.  After check in with the friendly staff, it’s an uphill drive to the parking area.  Sites are level gravel and spacious with with small trees for shade, but still satellite friendly.  Verizon cell/data were strong, and the park WiFi worked well.  Although we don’t use them, the restrooms and laundry are below the parking area adjacent to the office, and could be inconvenient depending on your spot.  A little noise at night from the truck stop, but not enough to be a distraction.  It’s an eleven mile trip to Kingman for shopping, but other than shopping there’s not much to do in town.  With Good Sam discount the price is reasonable at $32/night.  Blake Ranch RV Park

Mission View RV Park, Tucson AZ

Stay Date:  Feb 2016
Our Rating:  GOOD – 8
We chose Mission View because of it’s location – just off I-19 a few miles south of Tucson, it gave us quick and easy access to Tucson and surrounding communities.  We were impressed with the park’s facilities; a large heated indoor pool surrounded by exercise equipment, nice clubhouse, library, meeting rooms, and reasonable laundry ($1 wash/.75 Dry).  The staff and residents were very friendly and we were welcomed to participate in their activities.  Sites were large, with concrete patio and table, and with ample room to park our vehicle next to the motorhome.  Good hookups, typical spotty WiFi, lots of OTA TV channels, and no obstructions to the satellites.  Verizon cell/data were strong.  Nice wide streets although the speed bumps were irritating.  Located at the edge of South Tucson, a deteriorating neighborhood, the park has 24-hour security.  The Passport America rate for one week @ $19/night was a bargain over the usual $245/week.  Mission View RV Park

Palms Oasis, El Centro Naval Air Facility (NAF), CA

Stay Date:  Feb 2016
Our Rating:  GOOD –8
We were looking for a warm park, and EL Centro NAF filled our needs.  Located about eight miles outside the city of El Centro, the elevation is 87’ below sea level.  This is a small but busy base, where the Blue Angels acrobatic team spends the winter practicing for their summer season.  On arrival, the gate guards opened a side gate for us since the barriers make the normal entry impossible.  We had reservations, and checked in with the campground host to get a space.  There are three sections; a new area (our spot) with landscaping and full-width patios, the larger section, also paved, and the “tarmack”, basically a parking lot with hookups.  Our site was great – an end spot so no neighbor on one side, level, and with convenient hookups.  No obstructions to satellite TV, which is good because there is no cable and while the OTA antenna picked up 27 stations, 23 were from Mexico.  No Wi-Fi, but Verizon cell/data worked well.  There’s a clubhouse, a bit time-worn, and a laundry with $1 machines.  The exchange and commissary are very small and only carry the basics.  The major drawback here is the noise; besides the Blue Angels there is constant jet traffic as the runway is painted and lit to simulate an aircraft carrier.  Flying starts early and can last until 10:00 at night – and it seems like every aircraft flies over the park.  But overall it’s a good place to stay, and is reasonable at $20/day or $350/mo, electric included.  El Centro NAF RV Park

Adobe Village RV Park, Yuma, AZ

Stay Date:  Jan 2016
Our Rating:  GOOD – 8
Yuma is a snowbird heaven, where the population more than doubles in the winter.  To understand how many people from “up north” come here, take a look at Yuma on Google Earth – and try and find a structure that isn’t an RV or mobile home.  RV parks here run the gamut, but most are 300+ site places with countless planned activites.  We were looking for a one-week stay, without the amenities or activities that we wouldn’t use.  Adobe Village was perfect for us; reasonable, convenient to I-8, and a weekly rate that included electric.  Like all Yuma parks, there are few trees, but the lots were very large with a concrete patio and streets are very wide.  Hookups were good, Verizon cell/data were strong, and there were lots of over-the-air TV stations….but most were Mexican.  People were friendly, but get used to sentences ending with “eh?” with all the Canadians.  For the area, a week’s stay was a reasonable $150, electric included.  Adobe Village RV Park

Saguaro Escapees (SKP) Park, Benson, AZ

Stay Date:  Nov-Jan 2015/16
Our Rating:  GOOD –9
Our stay of choice when visiting the area; the park has the friendliest group of people you’ll ever meet.  Members of the SKP RV Club can rent the lots of leaseholders who are abscent, or a separate area with long-term spots.  Since you’re renting from a leaseholder, each lot is different; you may have a concrete pad and patio, or in our case, just a large gravel lot.  The lots are very large, hookups are convenient, and there are few trees to block a satellite.  Cable is included but isn’t very good, and there’s no Wi-Fi except at the clubhouse.  Verizon cell/data is strong, and there are OTS stations available.  The clubhouse has a large gathering room, a pool room with professional-quality tables, a library, craft room, exercise room, meeting rooms, and a nice laundry.  Everything is spotless, inside and out.  There are hiking trails behind the park that lead into the desert, and a few small trails scattered throughout the park.  Convenient to Benson with a number of restaurants and a Wal-Mart and Safeway, and a bit less than 40 miles from Sierra Vista or Tucson.  It’s worth the annual dues to be a member and use this park.  Monthly rates are low at $330 plus Electric.  Saguaro SKP RV Park

Cotton Lane RV Park, Goodyear, AZ

Stay Date:  Oct 2015

Our Rating:  GOOD – 7

This large snowbird park was mostly empty during our visit, which considering the narrow sites made it acceptable for our four-slide motor home. Paved interior roads with gravel sites and a strange arrangement where the patio was at the rear of the site. Small trees, so no TV satellite obstruction and lots of OTA channels. Good Verizon cell and 4G, but park WiFi was too slow probably because of our location on the far side of the park. Convenient to I-10 and Loop 303, so a good stay for easy access, otherwise nothing special about this park.  We’d avoid it during the winter months.  Pricey at $34/night.  Cotton Lane RV Park

Blake Ranch RV Park, Kingman, AZ

Stay Date:  Oct 2015
Our Rating:  GOOD - 8
Easy access to the interstate and 12 miles from Kingman, this park is our choice of places to stay when transitioning the area. The level gravel sites are at the top of an uphill slope and it can be difficult unhooking a tow vehicle, but with a restaurant within walking distance there’s no need to unhook for one night. Sites have partial shade and a table, and are well spaced. The park WiFi worked well in spite of the number of RVs present, and Verizon cell/4G were strong. Cable TV was adequate and there were no obstructions for a TV satellite. Friendly office staff. This is a popular place and was full by early afternoon, so reservations are a must.  Reasonable with the Good Sam discount; $27/night.  Blake Ranch RV Park.