Ghost Town in Paradise
Since many of you like my rambling updates about our travels I thought I would share some of what we’ve been doing. The last half of our trip was spent inside (thank you man cold) but we did venture out for fresh air. Cabin fever in a small RV is pretty intense. 
We stayed at the Mission Bay RV Resort which is surrounded by what I can only describe as a Ghost Town. We’d walked around it several times but Monday we walked into it…shh…the signs all say NO TRESPASSING but I couldn’t resist.
On this magnificent piece of property sticking into Mission Bay sits the De Anza Bay mobile home park. These places have million dollar views and they’re all abandoned.
Some googling told me that the city had leased this land out, back in the 50’s, then decided the residents’ time was up and they had to vacate. The residents had planted gardens and set up a beautiful community so most of them refused to leave. Things got nasty with litigation, threats, and harassment of residents until the courts finally awarded each remaining resident $77,000 to get out.
Some homes have been removed but most are still sitting here. Empty. Like a ghost town in paradise. Many are filled with furniture, have curtains in the windows, thriving gardens and chairs on the front porch as though the resident will be right back. It’s really creepy.
I have no idea what’s going to happen to this land but its a shame to see it abandoned and decaying.
In the afternoon we went down to the Del Coronado.
Whew, what a breath of fresh air. I haven’t seen it in 25 years and it’s as magnificent as it ever was. Talk about a contrast!
It was crawling with tourists and as splendid as I remember. Del Coronado Island looks like a Shangrila with lush plantings and impeccable streets, quite a contrast to the ghost town on Mission Bay.
We start our drive home today and looking forward to more living space:)
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
You look great and I know you have to wear hats to protect your skin. The black and dark hats cut you height off:
You should stick to your lighter tones line your hair. It is a tricky thing. Just look at the pictures:
I wear all color hats and choose them to coordinate with my outfit. Light colored hats are fun and I choose them when I can.
Glad to see you out and about and feeling a bit better.Lovely photos too!
Did you get to the Chateau Bel Age?
I tried. They were closed with no sign or notification.
We live on the bay near the park, here is updated information on the park.
http://fox5sandiego.com/2017/12/05/residents-get-sneak-peak-at-mission-bay-revitalization-plans/
We would like to see more wetlands as that was what was there in the first place. Our home overlooks the marsh area and it is Home to many species of birds, just beautiful! These lands also absorb rising sea levels and provide habitats for many animals.
It’s such a beautiful spot Dottie. I hope they make it a natural area. Lucky you!!what a stunning view you have. We loved watching the birds and ducks.
We stayed in that rv park in 1988. It was wonderful and well kept back then. Sad to see it has been abandoned.
The RV Park is still up and running nicely. In fact I heard they were going to expand. It’s the mobile Park section that’s been abandoned.
Hopefully you visited more places in the San Diego area, like Poway, Carlsbad and Fallbrook?
We visited several other spots. It’s such a glorious area. We love it!
How bizarre and eerie (dare I use that word. No pun). So sad for all concerned especially as the land hasn’t been used. I feel like that about reservoirs here where valleys with former homes have been flooded to make a lake. Eerie. Glad your ear is improving btw.
It was strange. Thanks Anna
I love your outfit!
Thanks
I googled Mission Park RV resort and didn’t come up with positive comments – just a paved parking lot with small spaces, deserted trailer park next door, only one laundry was in service for all those spots. We saw plenty of parking lot “RV resorts” on our travels. It would not feel much different than camping at Walmart, something I would never do. I imagine the view is pretty if you are lucky to get a water view spot. And, the surrounding area offers plenty to see and do. I would be interested on your take of the RV resort itself.
How do you manage to look so put together and chic when RVing?
It’s not the best RV site we’ve been in and we’ve been in much worse. We did back right on the water so that saved it for us. It’s a great location, close to San Diego and La Jolla but my preference is places with trees and more vegetation. There’s one across from this that is much worse so if the 2, this is a palace.
We found that a lot of the RV resorts across the southern states are paved parking lots, not the lovely treed spots we have in Canada. I have to say that most of the State Parks are lovely, although we found at the time some homeless ( as no house ) were staying at these. Completely out of our comfort zone. We hope to escape the wet, west coast next year with better results. Any info on places to stay in California will help.
We are in a state park right on the beach in Carpinteria. It’s stunning!
I’m glad to know that you were able to get out and about for at least part of your trip! There is a lot more to the De Anza Cove mobile home park story. There was a 50-year lease that had run out in 1979 and the city (who owns the land) gave the residents plenty of notice to vacate. The residents, who paid very little in fees for bay-front property have been fighting to stay there for almost 40 years. There will be no private development of the area because the state gave the 120 acres to the city in 1945 for recreational purposes. The mobile home park was an illegal residential use of the land. I hope you come back to visit San Diego when the area is converted to a waterfront park as it was first intended. I agree that it looks like a very sad, decaying, ghost town now
I did read that but wasn’t sure of the source so didn’t put it in my post. It’s such a lovely spot I hope they fix it up. We will definitely be back.
Janice’s rendition. Is true. The lease ran out years ago and many dollars were wasted fighting it in court for so many ye#rs. My family members lived there right up to the time they had to vacate about a year ago. They were some of the very last to leave.
Wow! Thanks for sharing
Being an East Coast girl, for a moment I thought you were at the Grand Floridian at Disney World when I saw the red roof of the Del!
Yes very similar!
I do like reading about your travels , it has been about 25 yrs for myself since visiting the Del Coronado , interesting to hear it has not changed , also very sad that property at Mission Bay is just wasting away , someone with big bucks must be sitting on this with no cares how it looks , …pity
It’s really shocking to see this place just rotting away. And creepy.
Buy…no…not sure how hat happened…My Apple has a mind of its own with spelling…
Let’s try again: Hugs to LUCY…
Mine does too;) xx
If I read correctly, the City of Mission Bay ? shot itself in the proverbial foot by demanding evacuation from the residents of the traitor park..for what?…a ghost town all these years later…Interesting…and I do enjoy your travel shares…
Safe trip home…Hugs to Buy…-d
It was the city of San Diego. They hired a security company who harassed the residents, they turned off the power and started cutting down trees. It sounds like a nightmare.
Glad to see you are feeling better. I really like the black denim jacket. It looks great on you.
It’s getting there. This year has been so bad for sickness! Thanks