California is the state where an RV road trip makes the most sense on paper and the most mess in practice. On paper, you have three of the great American national parks within a long day’s drive of each other, the weather is mild for much of the year, and you can pick up in Los Angeles or San Francisco and drop off at the other end. In practice, mountain passes close, campgrounds need reservations, and the same RV costs half as much in March as it does in July.

This guide is a researched plan for a California RV national parks loop. We are writing from Rovaniemi, not from the driver’s seat, so we are not claiming we have driven it with a motorhome. We have compared the live prices on CampervanPlanet, read the park rules, and built the itinerary we would follow ourselves. Start your own comparison on the California RV rental page, and use code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY20 to take €20 off at checkout.

Why California works for an RV trip

California packs an absurd amount of variety into one state. In a single week you can sleep beside granite cliffs, giant trees and a salt flat that sits below sea level. Distances are manageable: Los Angeles to Yosemite Valley is around 500 km, San Francisco to Yosemite about 300 km, and the stretches between parks are rarely more than four or five hours.

It is also an easy place to hire. CampervanPlanet lists seven rental companies across the US with a wide spread of vehicles, from compact campervans to Class C motorhomes, and California pick-ups at Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. One-way rentals between those cities are common (check each offer for the fee), which means you can fly into one and out of another.

The 10-day loop we would drive

Days 1–2: Los Angeles to Death Valley

Collect the RV in Los Angeles, stock up at a supermarket, then drive north-east. Death Valley is roughly 450 km from LA. Visit Badwater Basin, 86 m below sea level, the colourful hills of Artists Drive and the Mesquite Flat dunes at sunrise. Death Valley is a winter and spring park: summer temperatures regularly top 45 °C and the heat can be dangerous.

Days 3–4: Eastern Sierra

Climb out of the valley and follow Highway 395 north along the foot of the Sierra Nevada. In autumn the aspens turn gold, and the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine are a wonderful place to park for the night.

Days 5–7: Yosemite

The Tioga Pass road into Yosemite from the east is only open from late spring to autumn. Closed passes are normal in winter, so check the National Park Service’s road status. If it is shut, loop around via the western entrances. Yosemite Valley itself is open all year, with Half Dome, El Capitan and the waterfalls at their best in spring. Our guide to RV rental in San Francisco with Highway 1 and Yosemite covers the approach from the other side.

Days 8–9: Sequoia and Kings Canyon

Head south to Sequoia National Park to walk among the largest trees on Earth. The road up to the Giant Forest is steep and winding, and the park advises length limits for larger vehicles, so check which RV sizes are allowed before you choose your vehicle.

Day 10: Back to Los Angeles

The road down from the Sierra and through the Central Valley is easy and quick. Return the vehicle, or hand it in at a different city if you rented one-way.

When to go: season and price

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best seasons for most of California. Winter is cheapest but includes snow in the Sierra and closed passes, and summer is the busiest, with the highest prices and fully booked campgrounds.

The CampervanPlanet price index tells a clear story. The cheapest 7-night campervan from San Francisco or Los Angeles started from $41/day for 9 March 2027, $43/day for 10 November 2026 and about $59/day for 8 June 2027. Across the US as a whole, typical rates run about $104 a day in winter and $173 a day in summer, so California in the shoulder seasons is well placed. Those are starting prices for the smallest vehicles; a full-size motorhome costs a lot more.

We would aim for April or October for the combination of open roads, fewer crowds and sensible prices. If you are looking at the whole country, our USA RV rental prices page shows the monthly picture.

Campervan, Class C or Class A?

Choosing the right vehicle matters more in the American West than almost anywhere. The roads in the parks are narrow and winding, and some have length limits. For a couple we would lean towards a campervan or a small Class C; for a family of four, a Class C usually offers the best balance of beds and drivability.

• Campervan: easy to drive and park, cheapest to run, but with limited space and sometimes no toilet.
• Class C motorhome: the classic RV with the cab-over bed. Enough room for three or four people, and a toilet, shower and kitchen.
• Class A: the large coach-style motorhome. Comfortable but hard to handle on mountain roads, and not suitable for every park.

Our post comparing campervans, motorhomes and RVs explains the terms, which differ between countries.

Campgrounds, reservations and the rules that catch people out

The most common mistake first-timers make is to hire the vehicle first and worry about campsites later. National park campgrounds in California usually use reservation systems, and popular ones sell out months ahead for summer. Plan the nights you want inside the parks, then pick dates that work.

A few rules to know:

• Sleeping in the vehicle outside campgrounds. It is not a free-for-all. Rules vary between national parks, national forests and city areas, and fines apply for illegal overnight parking. Use official campgrounds or private RV parks.
• Chain controls. In winter you may be required to carry chains in the Sierra. Many rental companies restrict driving on snow, so read the terms.
• Dump stations and water. Plan where you will empty the waste tanks and refill water. Campgrounds often have them.
• Driving on the right. If you come from a left-driving country, give yourself a quiet first hour.

What else to budget for

The daily rate is only the beginning. In the United States the extras can be as important as the rental itself:

• Mileage and generator fees. Some offers include a daily mileage allowance, others charge per mile. Check what is included on each CampervanPlanet offer, which also lists items paid locally.
• Fuel. A motorhome can burn 25–35 litres per 100 km, so a 2,000 km loop uses a lot of fuel.
• Campgrounds. Roughly $25–80 a night depending on the park and the hookups.
• Park entry. The annual America the Beautiful pass can save money if you visit several parks.

If you want a general sense of what to expect from insurance, deposits and pick-up, read our campervan rental guide“>our campervan rental guide first.

Frequently asked questions