Soledad Canyon Petite Retreats
Beneath the open skies lies a special place called Soledad Canyon where one can escape to peace and reconnect with nature…
Aaron and I decided to get out of the city for a few days to reset and unplug in nature. We found Soledad Canyon an RV campground by the San Gabriel mountains just a two-hour drive outside of Los Angeles.
We stayed at Thousand Trails Soledad Canyon RV Resort with Petite Retreats. Petite Retreats offers unique glamping accommodations across the country where you can stay in tiny houses, cozy cabins, yurts, tents, or cottages. At full capacity, Soledad Canyon can hold 5,000-6000 guests. We went in the off-season so there were a few travelers around, making the campground feel like our own oasis.
We stayed in a pet-friendly cabin. A one-bedroom 700 square-foot space with a loft that has two twin beds. The high ceilings and open floor plan gave us all the room we needed for two adults and our Golden Retriever Lady. The cabin has heating and air, and a full shower with towels and toiletries provided. The kitchen had everything we needed to make coffee and all our meals. All we had to bring were the groceries!
Note: Cell service is very limited in the canyon. Making it a great place to unplug from the world. My recommendation is to get here in the daylight. Navigating the grounds can be very challenging at night when it’s dark with limited cell service and few signs. It took us a bit to find our cabin. Once you get to your unit, make sure to memorize the code for your cabin! I locked myself out, but luckily had left the code in the car and was able to retrieve it without having to call the front desk.
Fun fact about Acton, California: the town is known for mining, and in 1899 the governor tried to convince everyone to move the state capitol to Acton. Naturally, he did not manage to persuade the government as the state capital is still Sacramento. This town also saw the gold rush hence the ties to mining and the railroad which still runs through Acton today!
ACTIVITIES
There are a ton of activities at Soledad Canyon RV Resort to keep you entertained. Pools, spas, nature trails, mini golf, pool tables, table tennis. and my personal favorite… pickleball! And if you’re up for a short 24-minute drive the Vasquez Rocks are nearby and a fun activity for the whole family! Climb the rocks, take in their splendor, and get lots of family photos. Maybe even your Christmas card photo. There are also lots of hiking trails in the area with beautiful views of the San Gabriel mountains.
The description of our cabin said that it had a DVD player. However, upon arriving we found we could log into any of our TV apps via Roku. If you like to fully unplug, I suggest bringing a deck of cards and some board games. The activities office at the recreation center also has lots of games you can rent and any equipment needed for the activities on the grounds. (Try your hand at Pickleball– it is my new favorite thing!)
PET OWNERS
One of the things I loved most about our trip to Soledad Canyon was that the park and some of the Petite Retreats cabins are pet-friendly! Lady had the best time running around in the grass, exploring the nature trails, getting to say hi to other dogs on the grounds, and just spending time with us in the cabin. Please remember that you are out in the wilderness. Raccoons and other wildlife may be in your area. Particularly at night. We had some raccoons scavenging underneath our cabin and sending Lady into a tizzy. Careful not to let your dog out when raccoons are around and always keep your pup on a leash.
Also, I recommend dog boots for your dogs. There are a lot of sharp stickers on the ground that get caught in their paws. I highly recommend getting these dog shoes. Lady is a Golden Retriever and wears a size large. It may take a while for your pup to get used to them, but they’ll thank you when their little paws are safe from the stickers.
FOOD
I brought food to cook while we were there and lots of snacks. Our Petite Retreats cabin had all of the kitchen utensils we needed. However, make sure to bring your seasoning, salt, pepper, olive oil, etc. I combined the seasonings I would need for this delicious gluten-free and dairy-free chicken alfredo recipe ahead of time and put them in Ziploc baggies so that cooking would be a breeze. The next night Aaron made burgers on our private BBQ grill and we enjoyed s’mores for dessert. Note- this campground does not have firepits as fire hazards are a real threat in California. However, if you are craving that gooey fire-roasted marshmallow, I recommend getting one of these portable, no-ember s’more kits.
There is a convenience store on the property with a few necessities and snacks if you find you need anything. There are also a few grocery stores in the areas within a 20-minute drive.
PACKING LIST:
A few quick things I would recommend bringing with you are:
- Pocket knife
- Seasoning and oils to cook with
- Headlamp / Lantern /flashlights
- A good book and cozy beanie
- Pet essentials: food + water bowls, treats, toys, a ball, doggy seatbelt, and poo bags. Our cabin was pet-friendly and provided us with a dog bed which Lady loved.
CABIN PASS:
If you are ready for more adventures, Thousand Trails now offers a new cabin pass with access to hundreds of unique vacation rentals with no overnight fees.
Thank you all for following along on our couples camping getaway to Soledad Canyon with Lady. It was so much fun that we are already looking into other locations. Maybe next time we’ll bring Lady and stay in a yurt near Yosemite National Park! For more destinations, make sure to check out Petite Retreats and Thousand Trails on Instagram. You can follow more of my travel and lifestyle adventures @Laura_Lily!
Photos by Tony Oberstar
