Gilroy Garlic USA RV Park

This park is "okay" as a last resort. The spaces are very cramped, so cramped that we are stressing about pulling out tomorrow. See our neighbors truck (which is in his area) is in the way of us leaving and making a left down the street. I cannot put out my awning as it would hit the tree between me and my neighbor.

Our site had cracked concrete and was not level side to side or front to back. We did not level side to side as the descrepancy was less than one of our lego pads.

Pool is fine, on the smallish side for so many people AND closed to children from 2 to 4p. Bathrooms were sad looking and laundry is $4 for a wash and dry. It states to not wash any comforters or anything with pet hair on it. Since we live with 2 cats that means everything is covered in fur.

They offer a propane pick up service. I went back to the office to get the official price: 2.80 a lb. They also ask you to leave your garbage at the end of the site for pickup from 8:30 to 4:30, no one picked up my garbage so I hoofed it to one of the unlocked dumpsters.

Place is quiet, no noise after 10 and most people obey the painfully slow 5 mpg speed limit. I could not hear the 101 from my spot, but as I got closer to the dumpster I could.

This park is fairly clean, quiet, has a pretty cheap and very good laundry room and friendly and helpful ladies in the office. Maintenance filled one of our propane tanks pretty fast. A few feral kitties skulking around--but no bother. Some sites are beautifully maintained while others have a pretty nasty weed problem. This is definitely not an ideal spot for those looking to escape the daily grind... but it is priced competitively, LEVEL!!, packed-in (like, really close to yer neighbor) but easy to maneuver in and out.

There are some grassy areas but no dogs allowed :-( . There is a small, but decently maintained gravel doggie poopee area far off to one side. They suggest the tall, grassy area across the street from the RV Park for bigger dogs to romp. It works.

Probably better suited for most/full-timers as a one to a few nights stay.

What to say? Gilroy Garlic USA RV Park is just not my kind of place. However, I shall keep things positive by pointing out certain park features that may appeal to certain demographics.

For example, if you're a big fan of your basic Target/Ross strip malls and chain restaurants, you're in luck. The RV park is situated directly behind the shipping docks. You can easily walk to the mall, although hiking through those massive parking lots is just weird. Likewise, if the soothing sounds of a regional highway helps you sleep at night, then know this, the 101 is a mere 150 yards away. Similarly, if you of an authoritarian bent, or perhaps into some light domination, then you will discover no end of thrills with the park's rules and regulations. Exceed the speed limit, kicked out. Walk on the grass, kicked out. Grease down the sink, kicked out (permanently, with all caps and multiple exclamation marks -- so they really really mean it). Abuse the Wifi bandwidth limits, kicked o.... oh wait. That last one's actually not possible. I mean, you can connect to the park's Wifi just fine, after much fiddling and agreeing to behave, but once you're successfully connected to it, you're still not, in any way, actually online. Because it doesn't work. Ever. (Editor's Note: Since you are literally still in town, the phone coverage is excellent. Tether off your phone and you 're good.)

Enough about rules and surroundings. What about the park itself? Well, it has a lot of concrete. If you're into flat artificial rock-like slabs, you will be very happy here. Sadly though, all that gorgeous concrete is pretty much covered cheek to jowl by tightly parked 5th Wheels, small fences, string lights, and an odd assortment of electric cars and pickup trucks. It's a popular place! Pretty sure half of its guests are not guests at all, but residents. The facilities are clean-ish and, shall we say, weathered. Don't shower without flip flops. They're also passcode protected, but locked down between 10pm and 5:30am. Probably to keep all the locals out. Not sure. Don't really want to know.

It's too bad. Because the region around Gilroy is truly stunning. Farms and hills as far as the eye can see. County parks within easy reach, both east and west. If your rig is less than 28 feet, you may want go ahead and head up the hills to Mt. Madonna County Park to the west, or Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch Park to the east. They're both less expensive, surrounded by trees, hiking trails, lakes, and the facilities are cleaner.