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One good thing about this video , Santa Barbara is now off my list of travel plans . At this point most of California is anti Rv so guess I can forget going their.

@GDSTX

5 жыл бұрын

Rojer Grison I used to live there years go - I would never go back - it’s not the Cali I knew - to crazy 😜 and expensive.

@ScubaSteveCanada

5 жыл бұрын

The whole Santa Barbara County does not allow RV overnight stays, let alone the city itself. You must stay at an actual campground/RV resort.

@kenc2257

3 жыл бұрын

The county of Santa Barbara is not "most of California." I live in southern CA, and there is no restriction on RV parking in our residential neighborhood (except for the standard "must move at least every 72 hours").

The larger RV does mean that you'll have to look around a bit more and plan for parking SOMETIMES. But, as your video shows, you'll find a way...even in Santa Barbara. For me, having the added living space would make it a no-brainer. Nice to see a smile on your faces...cheers!

@Keesmom2

5 жыл бұрын

Jorge A I agree! Plus, we have 2 dogs so the extra space and comfort is a priority. If a city or town is not hospitable to a Class C or above, we would choose to go elsewhere.

I live in Santa Barbara. It's been that way for years! What you should have done when you first arrived, was park your rig at your mom's house and have your mom take you around the town. Santa Barbara streets are very narrow and summer one way and there just isn't any room besides the fact that the city doesn't like having RVs on the streets.

I have a 35' class A motorhome and ran in to the issue of no rv parking in many cities in CA add that to the overly expansive fuel prices. I solved the problem by never going back to CA period. There are plenty of states with cities that welcome RV's that I could care less if I ever go back there.

Santa Barbara because it is such a lovely beach city and is such a tourist destination has gone the route of so many other small beach communities and has had to limit the available street parking. My sons went to college there many years ago and I loved visiting there often but now spend more time up around Moro Bay because the the area is more RV friendly! I'm not tempted by the class C rigs and the Class Bs are as big as we ever intend to go, because the only time we're in it is to drive and sleep! The whole idea is to be outside as much as possible for us!

@dwightlilly4208

5 жыл бұрын

The restriction has been around for a long time. I agree with Ratty, I'm not spending money in a town that allows me to shop during the day and kicks me out for the night.

You two do such a good job of including us in your research. Very low key and welcoming. Thanks

Thank you for not trashing my beautiful home town. I am glad you were able to be in Santa Barbara in your van without too much trouble. Come again soon.

A camper van is much more stealthy. What you have here has "RV written all over it" and along with that comes all the hassles of finding a place to park, getting a ride back to the beach, being immediately noticed as an RV etc etc. ...... of course that's Santa Barbara. I have a Winnebago 24.5' Sprinter 3.0L turbo diesel, high top with no decals. It is the same color as was your Hymer. Very Stealthy. Many people ask me "what is that" as in it's not immediately seen as an RV and I love it, got 21.5 mpg going thru the Rockies in Colorado on a 2,580 mile trip last year. It fits in a regular parking spot as long as the over hang has room to clear in the rear. Watch your videos each week and I really look forward to them. You and Kate are "real people" and I appreciate that and you show it like it is good and bad. Your attitudes even when things don't go your way should be an example for all to follow. Consider a Sprinter or Transit van with a slide out if you want more room. Looks like a camper van when driving/parking but it will give you more room when docked/camping. The other thing I really like about my Sprinter Van over a class C is that my van is all sheet metal. I never have to be concerned about a rubber roof deteriorating or the side walls delaminating etc.

@davidstaddon7788

5 жыл бұрын

The Wonder is no longer than most of the Sprinter vans; (Era, Airstream Interstate, Coachmen Galleria, etc.} mostly, they're all between 24 and 25'. The fact that a Sprinter is a van doesn't differentiate it from the other vehicles that length. If you want to visit city sites comfortably you have to stay around 22' for less. Also, the newer Class Cs or B pluses as they're called, don't usually have rubber roofs if they're of higher quality.

FYI. Parking spaces are not all equal. I found California parking spots were smaller than most other states. My truck 20’ was always tight in any space. Not in New Mexico, Arizona, Texas or any others I remember.

Jalama Beach and the Strand. My absolute favorite campgrounds in that neck of the woods.

That rig is awesome!

It really doesn’t look any bigger than a long bed truck. Sometimes I think there’s a prejudice against RVs. 😒

@SDsailor7

5 жыл бұрын

Cities in Cali are not liking the van dwellers and people living in rv's so they are enacting laws to make it difficult for them to park in the city limits. Even Walmart is not giving permission to stay in their parking lots anymore at least some of them.Their thinking is people in rv's vans are homeless and some of them are. But they are fighting back.

@clearlyclaire5825

5 жыл бұрын

I agree. And it is in the best interest of the city to not make it easy for people to vanlife and avoid those property expenses.

@DesignerAviaries

5 жыл бұрын

@@SDsailor7 2019 March WMart guide indicates 60 locations in CA do not have a ban on overnight parking.

@SDsailor7

5 жыл бұрын

@@DesignerAviaries yup not all wm are prticipating in the ban.

@GearSlut2014

4 жыл бұрын

My town recently enacted a ban (last town in the area) but it hasn’t taken effect. Many streets are long stretches of RVs and trailers. You can’t see past them; you’re forced to ride your bike in a car lane; some aren’t dumping properly; there setting up lawn furniture on sidewalks; harassing residents. It’s street parking, not a RV park.

simple solution go to rv park/campground and utilize uber when your in city or urban area, or electric bikes/motorcycle, there are too many people trying to stealth camp in urban area's causing residents in the area to demand more regulations , there is plenty of BLM land and other areas outside of urban development that you can camp free or low cost.

I pass through Cal. at night, only stop if I need something... But I did stay one time at Orange Grove RV park.... nice place. Now that's the RV you should get, really !

I love the Rv and am glad to see you guys in it for a few weeks.

I like the space in this Van too. I also like the door saying Made in Canada as I am a transplanted Canadian. Glad you have the opportunity to try this style out. (I find it much better than the depressing Beast. Sorry. ;) )

@ritabroils6190

5 жыл бұрын

Ha! Ha! Ha!

I grew up in that area and even lived in SB and Ventura. If you are heading South just before the town of Ventura is the Rincon and you can camp in an RV for free right next to the ocean. Just gotta get there early enough to get a spot before they're gone. It's well worth it. My mom always would camp there on the weekends in her class A.

@Weretherussos

5 жыл бұрын

It hasn't been free to park there in a LONG time: kzread.info/dash/bejne/aqGtttqLepW2ac4.html

Looked like your pup is a big water lover..

Excellent episode. I really appreciate your early impressions. I look forward to more next week. I think you nailed the main issue: length restrictions vs. comfort. California has so many issues around overnight parking. I think you picked the perfect location to start your two week test.

Looks great, you both appear so relax in this bigger space.

We would love to know if two mountain bikes would fit in the rear storage area. So glad to see you two in the Wonder and your thoughts on it!

Thank you so much for doing this series. Love hearing your perspective after all that time in a 19' van. I'm trying to decide which way to go myself as my purchase time frame approaches.... hm.

Good video guys. I can really empathize with the dilemma of having to decide which is more important, extra room versus ease of parking. I currently tow a 5th and we are always planning ahead for gas stops, parking, backing up etc.

I just love how they talk to each other. So cute and genuine!

Love the extra room you’ve found in this vehicle. Perhaps the way to go. Traveling anywhere requires planning. The diesel seems to even out the cost of travel between your previous vehicle and this larger one. Having diesel equal to or lower in price certainly helps.

Haven't hit the road quite yet, but thinking about navigating with our 27' airstream gives me the sweats. The LTV looks like a cool rig, though!

Excellent demonstration of pros and cons. Always a tradeoff somewhere. Good job.

Great tips! We haven't been to Santa Barbara since getting the RV and didn't realize they had parking restrictions.

Considering you started your RV travels in a Class A, it's a bit funny to hear you saying that the Wonder requires you to plan carefully. For most folks, especially those of us over 30, The Beast's size isn't a reasonable option for even a weekend jaunt (no matter if it parks so easily). Whatever unfolds, glad you're exploring options.

Great video. Thank you for sharing your adventure with us 😁

We have a 24 foot Mercedes Geist Phantom motorhome in the UK and only had one place that restricted vehicle length in Inverness Scotland. The extra space makes a lot of difference when you tour by allowing you to take more stuff.

@kendclife7913

5 жыл бұрын

Thank goodness that you live in a civilized country.; we've lost that status some decades ago.

love to follow your journey :) I was basically looking for a Van because I wanted it to fit normal parking, but then I found Benimar Tessoro 481 (under 6 meters) Have not regretted a second, it is perfect! Good luck finding the right car for you

@chem.4919

5 жыл бұрын

Just looked this up. It's nice. Too bad we can't get stuff like this in the States.

So glad you're doing this series. I'm a few years away from my own full timing adventure and I'm facing the same conundrum. I'm very interested to see what you decide, and I'm hoping your decision making process will help me with mine.

I will have to spend more time than I want in Southern CA due to work, so this lovely B+ is off my list. I plan to go van first then later, when CA isn't so prominent in requirement, go for something like this. It's great to see you talking about the challenges and helps us see the differences by just choosing different episodes to watch :).

@Weretherussos

5 жыл бұрын

Keep in mind that with the height limitation, everything but a low roof van would be excluded from being allowed to park on the street.

@slptp

5 жыл бұрын

@@Weretherussos Thanks! LA is pretty organized with maps of allowed parking which is where I'll be centered, but yeah, it's looking pretty dismal every where else when it comes to height issues and the van I want.

Thanks for the info! We're about to head up the coast from SoCal, so glad we watched this. Safe travels from us to you!

So happy for you guys 👍👍👍👍

I say quality of life in the inside space is so much better than the small inconvenience of finding a parking spot.

@Weretherussos

5 жыл бұрын

There is definitely an added quality of life but when you're in something smaller, you have access to more places - which also adds to quality of life. It's a give and take on both sides.

@kevinkevin1038

5 жыл бұрын

well, I know we are challenged for space with 2 adults and an 80 lb Lab. We dont bring much food or clothes, so we have more room for the stuff we buy during travel. But man, those new Wonders sure look nice!

@nancysala7769

5 жыл бұрын

We're the Russos we went from an 18 footer to a 31 footer. There is no way I’ll go back to a smaller one. Love the space. We can go anywhere we want with out 31 footer

@Weretherussos

5 жыл бұрын

Nancy - we started with a 30 footer and will never go back to something that large. We like being smaller.

@BradColemanisHere

5 жыл бұрын

That's interesting because I was thinking that the inconvenience was actually quite large.. They spent hours of their day looking for places to park, being picked up by a vehicle that could go everywhere in town, and driving back and forth between places they are allowed to be. For me, that would feel like a hassle that I wouldn't want to deal with on a daily basis. However, I'm just an observer here. :) I'm trying to plan out our summer RV trip and I'm concerned about parking.

Thanks for the info. I am really loving this RV

Love your video on SB. My daughter lives there and we love visiting her from LA once a month or so. We have a class A pusher and love it, but I really enjoy your van life videos!

This certainly suits you folks better, being comfortable is everything when you’re traveling. This van is nice, hope you get it or something else similar to it.

Thank you for the information😊

Try the Travato 59k for a nice open feeling 4.5 cubic foot fridge . Front seats turn around for nice lounging and views . Thanks for the video .

Love this RV you guys look so good in it hope you guys decide what you want. I would buy this one in my case.

Beautiful unit. Enjoy your videos

That MPG is very impressive. I did a CruiseAmerica 25' Standard last year and it never did better than 8 mpg. Talking to a few people and that seems to be the norm, so this appears to break that.

I have been thinking that we need to get a B so that we can use it as our bigger vehicle around town. We have a small C right now, plus a Honda Ridgeline and a Ford Fiesta which is our Toad. We considered full time RVing, but I don't think we will ever do that, too many ties to home, but we may someday spend several months in the southwest in winter. I like the RV you have now and could see living in it for several months but would like to have fewer vehicles. One decision I definitely agree with Joe about is the importance of a good cup of ☕ first thing in the morning.

Thanks for this video, exactly what I was hoping for! Hope to see some true boondocking info since the electrical systems seem kind of dated....safe and foolproof but not the latest stuff.

Love your videos your honest opinion means a lot to me and that's the reason i have followed you guys for a some time can't wait to see your final opinion on this camper.

@BearfootAdventures

5 жыл бұрын

3thRock VanLife I agree with the honesty you don’t find that much anymore

Maybe the answer is a campervan that doesn't have a fixed bed taking up half the floorspace? such as the murvi campervans that have a rear kitchen and bathroom.

@CC-kr2fs

5 жыл бұрын

Too bad they are only available across the pond.

We are going back and forth between the smaller Pleasure Way Plateau and the Unity. We just can't decide if we need the room.

Oh yay...hoping u love it. Its major cool. Its a bad idea that some cities are not making rv parking available....tourist dollars are being lost because of it. RVING is HUGE RIGHT NOW....and interest is just growing..by not giving rvs access they are making there cities less popular and losing out on great revenue.

@suemeyer7551

5 жыл бұрын

Sadly people have ruined it for the rest but its a known thing in California now. No surprise to these 2.

@lorcro2000

5 жыл бұрын

These ordinances aren't really aimed at vacation RV:ers, they're entirely made to target the homeless and 24/7 vandwellers. California has even some well paid people unable to afford housing; there are literally people like Google developers who have to live in an RV by the side of the road. Instead of fixing the problem (crazy unaffordable housing) they try to hammer people flat with parking restrictions, as if that would help.

@johnhouchins3156

5 жыл бұрын

It's the company you keep. No, they may not be your personal friends, but there are enough unsavory people out there "nomading" along side you to make anyone in your group suspect. You don't pay property taxes for the town, you don't vote and there's plenty of trouble coming from the meth heads and vagrants among you. Who do you really think the police and town governments are going to listen to, the residents, or people passing through? It's hard to argue for "tourist dollars" when you're parking on the street and generating no revenue. Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger. In all honesty, would you want a vagrant to move into your neighborhood in front of your house for days at a time? Or stealing water from your church, or camping in your lot without asking? Of course not. It's easier to toss the whole lot of you than to sort you out. If you think of it from the homeowners' perspective, you'll agree there's a problem.

@lorcro2000

5 жыл бұрын

@@johnhouchins3156 A million people live permanently on the road now in America alone. And really, if someone rolls up in a shiny new $100+ grand LTV, the chance that they're a crazed meth head is kind of small. Also, NIMBY won't help fix the issue. The proper attitude would be to help the people who are involuntarily homeless to become more homed, and let the voluntarily nomadic live their lives.

@allens7476

5 жыл бұрын

@@lorcro2000 "And really, if someone rolls up in a shiny new $100+ grand LTV, the chance that they're a crazed meth head is kind of small. " The problem is no one is going around pointing out the good from the bad. If they did, they'd probably be sued by the ACLU. How are you going to tell the poor guy that he can't park, but the rich guy can? So cities make blanket stupid laws to stop the 1% who ruin it for everyone. Look at cities where anything goes. San Francisco, Seattle, they're dying.

So many laws the closer you get to big money areas.

You are so close to my Hometown of Ventura. You should try the Rincon Camping along the beach (like you did in your Aktiv)! I love watching your learning experiences, weighing comfort with mobility. Keep on evaluating your needs to your wants and I know you'll find your perfect Russo fit!

Thanks again for another great video, this is gonna be a tough decision !

Comfort comes first !

That’s for responding to my text. Love the show. I’m planning to buy an RV When I retire in 5 years

I'd love to live in this size of RV, but I think a self-converted high top extended van may just be the sweet spot for me for 24/7 living. And not white, something more muted in green, as I will probably spend time parking it in more natural settings, where white stands out like a sore thumb.

The mpg is awesome! And it surely looks good, but yeah, the hassle. 😞 I know you will choose that which suits you best.

Bought my Leisure Travel Van Wonder RTB from LaMesa RV-Phoenix in January 2019. Have not any trouble parking it although it does take up 1-1/2 spaces length wise. Sometimes you must walk a little bit, but that is OK. Downtown areas can be a problem and of course towns who don’t like RVs are a problem. So far, the multitude of pluses outweigh the parking issues for me. Leisure makes an excellent product and LaMesa offers great service.

Aloha Your thoughts about RV size are very important to me. Thanks

Been to Santa Barbara a coupe times. Nice town.

@ScubaSteveCanada

5 жыл бұрын

Santa Barbara area reminds me of parts of Jamaica's country-side.

like the new van you rcking out we are still looking at fifth wheels safe travels

@flybyairplane3528

5 жыл бұрын

Allan Warmflash , sorry, but I just happen to be checking out RV accidents, and the trailers, and accidents, were ALL SPEED RELATED, WORLDWIDE, Class A accidents are just like city busses, nothing in front of you.,,,, Cheers from NJ

I say I like the extra inside size and if you had a motor bike you could get to anywhere even if you had to park in an “appropriate “ park area away from things. Gas mileage was very good too 👍

There's pro,and con, to everything. I had a tt and now I have a roadtrex so far I really enjoy it a lot better. How do you find out about rules on parking is it a app. Thanks

Disappointing to see the extreme oversized vehicle restrictions in the Santa Barbara area. Plan on taking a California Missions trip someday and will have to keep in mind. Loved your Radar Love-like music

I strolled thru Santa Barbara just a few weeks ago and SB definitely doesnt seem to be a friendly boondocking town for either RV or Vans. I found going either north or south out of SB easier to find legal overnight parking and I'm just in a DIY mini-van thats easy to park.

I love the RV & wish it was mine .

Congratulations on 💯k.

What a neat parallel parking job.

@Weretherussos

5 жыл бұрын

I try ;)

@pault1964

5 жыл бұрын

How many attempts before the final video

Have you tried Avila bay by Pismo beach? It is a beautiful area and I go kayaking in the bay which is Wonderful!

it would be great if you guys can keep that rv you guys look great in it

If you guys ever get a chance to try something else I would like to see a review of the Carado Axion Studio

I like the looks, room, and thought out floor plan for a small B+ unit. The length is an issue for me. Had a Camper on a dodge dually before, and 2 to 3 times a week caught hash for parking the truck (even without the camper), in many instances. Parking research takes up quite a bit of time and tends to put a damper on the day. I'll be interested to hear your final take on the size issue. I do like LTV products, and wish they still made a full B van.

Excellent - well informed video.

@Weretherussos

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

California is calling me....but not S. Barbara apparently !! Just picked up my 2018 Unity CB. Amazing how many more spots I can fit into compared to when I was hauling around my Airstream. So while it seems worse compared to your Van Life....its amazing from my perspective!! Safe Travels !

that is one nice rig 😊

I would like to see how the Pleasureway stacks up with its 22 foot length. Same height and width.

I think it suits the two of you. I love it!!

7:15 Heaven on earth

The RV is nice, however, the parking would have me rethinking everything. Don't forget..... you want to ADD more to the back end for your motorcycle....uh oh....... I've been looking at Aktiv 2.0 and ever since your Hawaii video , I'm rethinking that to downsize further to Aktiv 1.0 and be under 20'....since my van would be multipurpose and be able to go just about everywhere...Much to ponder .... !!

@sealion234

5 жыл бұрын

In our experience the full size Promaster chassis (ours is a 2019 Travato 59K without any extras on the back) at just under 21 feet is the perfect size. We also use it as our only means of daily transportation in central Florida and have found that we can park it anywhere we would park a car. Nobody has taken any offence in the year we've had it; in fact people often come up to talk to us about how wonderful they think our rig is.

@flybyairplane3528

5 жыл бұрын

nicholas gabel the RUSSOS used to have the AKTIV2.0, THEIT TRIP TO MAUI , they rented the AKTIV1.0, cheers from NJ

Great job parallel parking. That van is beautiful, but too big for you guys. The extra room is nice until you have to find a parking spot.😃

Cali is the most RV unfriendly state in the country.

@MikeAndNary

5 жыл бұрын

And anti-second amendment too.

@amunraankh

4 жыл бұрын

Cali is the most unfriendly state in the country...PERIOD! And yes, they are anti-second amendment, as stated by "commando602"!

I'm in a conundrum as well. I'll be going solo so don't need the width but dang that's a nice rig. Real issues with width and length vs comfort.

@Weretherussos

4 жыл бұрын

Make a list of your absolute must haves and find something that works. Ours was that it fits in a standard parking spot, has a comfy bed and a place to work. If being small isn’t a must have something like this is a great option.

A pop up camper top on the Beast would be great. Pop it up when you can leave it down for stealth...

@equinnimity

5 жыл бұрын

Agree just pricey for that specific old vehicle, but a great compromise on a viable one.

SO glad to see you guys in something that isn't a tank that will be a money pit. I was thinking that maybe a Pleasure-Way XLTD might work if you guys like the rear twin. Its only 22'9" bumper to bumper. Thats a bit shorter than the LTV your driving now.

Remember !! Union Pacific Railroad, Amtrak AND Metro ALL run trains ALL night long on Highway One from Ventura to Point Conception. ALL day and ALL night.

New subscriber here. Great thought provoking look at this wonder! We are looking to buy a Unity and one of the things we wanted to be able to do is park at beaches along the California, Oregon and Washington coast. Hopefully they are not all putting up signs like this. Will you be trying other beach communities? All the many Beach lot parking near Huntington Beach, both south and north along the coast was always our favorite destination. Haven’t been there for several years so hopefully they still allow rv’s. Looking forward to your next video.

@Weretherussos

5 жыл бұрын

There are a lot of great spots along the coast like this one: kzread.info/dash/bejne/aqGtttqLepW2ac4.html

The lot behind the visitor information center on the corner of Cabrillo and Garden #street has some RV parking. A class B under 20 ft comes in real handt here.

@Weretherussos

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks...that's where we were parked.

@alabi2k542

5 жыл бұрын

@@Weretherussos sorry..didnt get a chance to finish the video, otherwise I would have seen that 😔😎

Hmmm...that Garden St. parking lot sign at 7:27 really speaks volumes on how the city treats its handicapped visitors. No discount at all. Otherwise, it looks like a wonderful place.

It's really nice, But your right there are pro's and con's to that one.

Have you heard of or looked into getting a membership with Harvest Hosts? This vehicle along with most any RV appears to be allowed in most of their locations.

Hey, guys a great video. I was wondering, where did you get that cone filter to make coffee with?

@karenpolansky9097

5 жыл бұрын

Douglas Holman you can buy something similar at REI or Mec in Canada. That is one of the 4 different ways I have to make coffee in my rig. 😊

Thank God for doing this. As a potential owner I have to think twice. And I am only thinking of family visits on long drive rather much of a home. But still it would be hassle to park further away each time to enjoy the scenery. I wonder what other restrictions or tickets are enforced in cities.

We have a 1963 GreyHound bus and we are looking at Down Sizing ! You really limit Where you can go and where you can park.

Thinking the larger behicle will be best out of the city and on the road wind shouldn't be a big issue with the weight being more and there arebless parking restrictions

Luckily for me I had the pleasure of living in the beautiful state of California 50 years ago. Now we have an agreement.They make it difficult and expensive to travel and camp in their state, and I don’t want to be exposed to their social problems.

@CC-kr2fs

5 жыл бұрын

Amen, I'm stuck here and can't wait till I can get out.

@stop.juststop

5 жыл бұрын

Quite a beautiful state........with terrible laws.

@robertbraden3889

5 жыл бұрын

Go north of Santa Rosa there is a lot of places to camp and park for free, below that and its expensive and restrictive and I hate it with a passion,won't go there unless I have to.

I'm finding that as I progress down life journeys, I Don't Bend as much and easily as I used to. Space for me is king. Have safe and FUN travels. :-)) :-))

@jlarm3

5 жыл бұрын

AMEN!!!!

I think you guys should stick with a camper van. For your lifestyle, the Revel seems like a good fit. Good luck....tough, tough decisions.

Sounds like you appreciate the width of the Wonder but its length is a drawback. If that's the case, I say find something that's 20 feet or less that is wider than a typical van. That said, I think anything other than a true class B is still going to catch a side eye in an anti-RV community.

@tracy3066

5 жыл бұрын

I have a 2018 Roadtrek 210 Popular and I think it's the perfect size. It's got the wide body to add the extra width and and just a hair over 21 feet. (Unless someone got out and measured it I think it would pass as 20 feet) The extra width in the back really makes a huge difference! Mine was also modified to add 2 power sofas in the back (to make a permanent twin bed) and then a desk with a pull out laptop tray! LOVE IT!!!

@chem.4919

5 жыл бұрын

@@ChopperChad It's a public street. Anyone should be able to park. I can't identify a single owner of the cars parked along the street in front of my house. The only time I have a problem with a vehicle parked in front of my house is if doesn't move for several days.