Guide to Rving at Vail Lake Resort with Kids

Vail Lake, a little oasis tucked behind the wineries of Temecula, California. This was the site of our debut RV trip back in August 2012. It is now a part of our regular rotation. We enjoy the open space, beautiful views, fun village, annual events, proximity to town, and the low rates. It’s no wonder why we love taking out the RV for the weekend to relax at Vail Lake Resort with Kids.

Keep cost in check:

In general Vail Lake is a very reasonable with rates ranging from $45-$100, depending on the site area and time of stay. For instance, the lowest rates are found are in the winter months and weekdays. Summer is higher, it’s really hot. Ugh. We prefer fall and spring.

If you don’t have your own RV, no problem! A nearby family-owned company called Lake RV Storage and Rentals will deliver and set-up an RV rental for you! It’s super easy and they have several different sizes to choose from. If you want to check them out, don’t forget to mention “Hot Mama Travel” to get a 10% discount!

Drop your bags:

The camp areas at Vail Lake Resort are Arroyo Seco, Lower Arroyo, Merlot, Lower Merlot, The Oaks, Chardonnay Mesa and Lower Chardonnay. The Oaks is inexpensive, close to village and shady, but the lots are small and it is usually pretty crowded. Chardonnay Mesa is has the highest rates and is longer walk to the village and pool, but also has the best space per lot and the best views. Picking which section to camp really depends on what’s important to you and if the higher rate is worth it.

Get your Grub On:

Well this is camping, (or at least as close as my family is willing to get to camping) so we carefully plan our menu out weeks before a trip which includes deciding what restaurants we may want to try. We like to keep our camping cooking fairly simple. Since we have a lot of kids running around, we don’t have a ton of time to prep big meals. We have our designated cooks for the trip which are usually HotDaddy and Sis. We plan assembly-only meals that have been prepped at home so when we are good and hungry it only requires us to slap it together, warm it up, or throw it on a grill . Gram’s pasta salad is a sample at every family function and camping is no exception.

On the campground, the village has a little café to grab a morning breakfast burrito or afternoon burger. If you want to leave the campgrounds you are near the Wine Country, Old Town Temecula and Pechanga Casino which all have great dining options.

Chug-a-lug:

When camping, the best place to get your drink on is your campsite, but sometimes you need to change the view. The village at Vail Lake has a fun little bar called the Bunkhouse which is great for a margarita stop after a game of miniature golf. Depending on the time of year, the Bunkhouse can be a pretty happening night spot. For instance, during the Halloween dance party the Bunkhouse as well as the entire village center is rocking!

Off the campgrounds there is plenty of drinking to be had at the many wineries in the area such as Wilson Creek, South Coast, Ponte, Leoness Cellars and many more. For a full list of the wineries in the area check out Temecula Wine Country.

In Old Town, my favorite stop is The Bank. I never camp at Vail Lake without hitting up The Bank at least once. The patio is fun and the beer is cold. What else can you ask for?

While in Old Town, there is more opportunity to wine taste with many vineyards having tasting rooms within Old Town.

Fun Things to do at Vail Lake RV Resort:

Pool

Tons to do at Vail Lake Resort with kids, you really don’t need to leave the grounds. Although lake access is reserved for members only, during the warm months of the year, kids will love splashing around in the pool and going down the water slide. I love that there is a toddler pool. I can sit and relax while my babies can play safely in the shallow water.

Miniature Golf

The older kids (and adults) will enjoy play a round of miniature golf or horse shoes.

Karaoke

At night the party continues with music, dancing and karaoke! We love karaoke in this family and tend to hog the microphone.

Seasonal Events

During seasonal events the nighttime really get popping like at our favorite Vampire Vail Weekend Halloween Party! See more details about this event, HERE.

Temecula Stampede:

In need to get down? Then a night of dancing at the Stampede is sure make for a good night! This is for adults only, but some nights are 18 and over so the older kids in your group can party too. Dance lessons start at 7:00pm, if you aren’t familiar with the line dances, no worries.

Pechanga:

Yes. It is a casino. Yes. It is for adults. Yes. I bring my kids. You’ll definitely need a babysitter if you want to make a night of it, but I usually travel with a large group and we switch off watching the kids. Kids are allowed in the main areas as well as the many dining spots. We will usually grab dinner as a family and then someone will take the kids for desserts while a few of us gamble and then we switch. Also there is an RV resort here, which I will write about in a later post.

That’s a Wrap:

There is something very comfortable about Vail Lake Resort that keeps us coming back for more. We love the country vibe and the relaxing pace. The best a part about RVing at Vail Lake Resort with kids is the amount of quality-time our family gets to spend together. For more on RVing with kids, see my post, HERE.