The Merced River RV Resort is situated south-east of San Francisco. We stayed there only to break our journey. This RV park was perfectly adequate for a couple of nights. It might be even more pleasant in the summer, as it is quiet, and right next to a river where it is possible to swim and fish. A high point at this park is the very friendly staff, who made us feel very welcome, and were very sympathetic and supportive when Joe had a traumatic experience while at the park (more about that below).
We are posting this review so that you can decide for yourself whether the pros outweigh the cons in this park. We are publishing similar reviews for all the parks we visit. We also invite readers to submit their own reviews. Share your knowledge and help us to create a large collection of in-depth reviews to help others in the RV life! Please contact Maggie for more details.
You can see some video footage of the Merced River RV Resort in our video below. The part about the Merced River RV Resort starts at minute 6:25.
Map showing Location of the Merced River RV Resort, California
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Sites at the Merced River RV Resort
There are 112 sites, all with 30 or 50 amp service. All sites have full hook-ups and cable too. There is a fenced dog park and an open grassy area. The sites are somewhat level, and mostly gravel. There were no fire rings, but picnic tables were provided. There are 21 pull through sites, and we were lucky enough to reserve one of them.
The park is well treed, situated on the banks of the Merced River. The configuration is tight, with little privacy between the sites. The water pressure is adequate. It was easy to drive through the park and pull into our pull-through site.
Location and Local Attractions at the Merced River RV Resort
The Park is located a fair distance off California 99, so we were not bothered by traffic noise day or night. There are food stores and other shops in the area, but nothing within walking distance. There is a lovely river in the park, where you can swim in the summer, and fish as well.
Pet Policy at Merced River RV Resort
The park allows any type of pets, with the usual leash rules. There is a large, fenced dog park where you can let your dog run off-leash.
Bike Trails and Hiking at the Merced River RV Resort
There are no cycling trails in the area.
Accessibility and Availability
The drive south from San Francisco via CA 80 and CA 99 was for the most part multi-laned and relatively straight, however there were numerous areas where the pavement is very rough. The Park was easily accessed from the highway.
General Atmosphere at the Merced River RV Resort
We stayed at this park during December, so it was cold at night, but we had sunny days with temperatures around 60 degrees in the day time (15 degrees Celsius).
The Park was almost full, with a lot of full-timers. We found everyone to be respectful and friendly, with no party animals. However, we were not there over a weekend.
Noise Level at the Merced River RV Resort
The park was very quiet the week we were there. We did not notice any traffic noise, particularly at night.
Staff at the Merced River RV Resort
The Park is well organized, with an office staffed 9:00 – 5:30 Monday to Friday, 9:00 – 4:00 on Saturday and 9:00 – 1:00 on Sunday, closed between 1:00 – 1:30 for lunch. We were given a comprehensive brochure on check-in, which included a map of the park, map of the general area, mechanics in the area, etc.
We had a mechanical issue that forced us to stay an extra night. The park was full, but the staff was very accommodating and let us move to overflow parking that had an electric hook-up, next to the road.
We found a local mobile mechanic (big shout out to Diaz RV) to help us with a slide cover problem. We found the business card in the office. The mechaic was good at what he did, and his prices were very reasonable. He was also very busy, which meant he did not get to us till late in the day, but he was worth waiting for.
Value for Money at Merced River RV Resort
The price is reasonable for sites with full hookups and cable.
Wi-Fi at the Merced River RV Resort
We did not use the Wi-Fi because it was very weak.
Cable TV at the Merced River RV Resort
There was cable TV. It was at the standard of most cable TV in RV parks, that is, limited, with some channels not watchable because the signal was too weak.
Cellular Reception at the Merced River RV Resort
Cellular coverage was good for both Joe’s AT&T and my Verizon service.
Washrooms at the Merced River RV Resort
The washrooms were cleaned daily but got pretty muddy most days. I did not use the women’s shower because the first time I tried, I could not get any hot water. Joe complained about the lack of hot water and the office instantly sent a man out to check on it. He switched the hot water on and said it was fine. However, the next time I tried to shower I still could not get any hot water, so I gave up. Joe tried again, and finally figured out that the taps were backward, that is, hot water was to the right, not to the left. It would have helped if the man had mentioned that odd fact to Joe when he complained.
Facilities at the Merced River RV Resort
There is an office, a small lounge, and a small store. There are maps and brochures about the local area. There are laundry facilities on site. There is also a propane fill service, which is a little pricey, but they pick up and deliver, so the convenience is worth it.
Joe had a very close call with three large dogs who entered the property through a hole in the fence. These dogs tried to attack our two! Joe had to hold our dogs high in the air while the three dogs jumped up, trying to bite our dogs. Joe was helped by a young man staying in the park. Joe and the dogs were shaken, but otherwise okay. The park management was very sympathetic and called the Sheriff.
The park management are also planning to launch a civil suit against the owners of the dogs, as they have failed to comply with a previous request to fix their fence. Bottom line, carry a sturdy walking stick when walking your dogs in this park, so you can defend yourself and your dogs. Try to walk your dogs only in the large, fenced dog run, which is centrally located.
There is a children’s playground at the Merced River RV Resort.
Guest Parking at the Merced River RV Resort
There is a small guest parking area.
Bottom Line on the Merced River RV Resort
The park was quiet with adequate sites. The only negatives were the lack of privacy between the sites. However, this is more than offset by the reasonable prices, close proximity to the highway, and the amenities in the surrounding area.
Weigh up these pros and cons, and decide if this is the RV Park for you!
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