What’s up YouTube—this trip was more “camping” than legit camping, because we headed to Redwoods RV Resort in Santa Cruz to do an easy, family-friendly weekend. The big reason we chose an RV resort is my in-laws just bought a brand new trailer and we wanted to test it out for the first time. With a one-year-old, it’s way easier than trying to go full overland or send it out to places like Joshua Tree right now. I also had my CVT Mt. Rainier hybrid rooftop tent set up on the Tacoma (plus the awning I basically always keep on), so you’ll see how my RTT setup works even when we’re staying on the RV side. I walk you through the trailer layout and basic specs, like the dry weight (7,500 lbs) and how much extra payload it can take (up to 2,300 lbs), plus the leveling system that raises the jacks and tells you if you’re level. Then I give you my first impressions of the resort—super nice, kid-friendly, and dog-friendly, but the sites can be a little tight depending on your setup. I also show the map, explain the tent-only vs RV rules (no ground tents on the RV side, but rooftop tents are allowed), and we explore the river access. To top it off, we hit the steam train ride through the redwoods—75 minutes with a 10-minute stop at Bear Mountain. It’s not cheap (we paid $50 per person), but I honestly recommend it. Just watch out for poison oak up there.