This post was most recently updated on July 9th, 2019
Golden Village Palms — sounds like an oasis, doesn’t it? Well, there are many people who probably think of Golden Village Palms RV Resort as an oasis, and I’m one of them. You’ll find this gem of a resort in Hemet, California…in the beautiful San Jacinto Valley, nestled between two mountain ranges. The sun shines here nearly every day of the year, and it’s a snowbird’s paradise.
At Golden Village Palms, you can bring your RV, rent one of the spacious cottages, or retire in your own purchased park model. Once you’re a ‘resident’ you have access to an amazing collection of amenities and special events. This is the fun part! As a recent guest at Golden Village Palms, I’d like to share with you everything I enjoyed.
Friendly and Welcoming
First and foremost, everyone is so friendly — both staff and residents. It is easy to feel at home here. My husband and I were comfortable walking through the park and attending some of GVP’s planned events. People smiled, greeted us, engaged us in conversations, and were quick to answer questions we had.
Lots to do at Golden Village Palms
Secondly, there is so much to do at the resort! With weekend concerts and dances to featured restaurant nights and indoor air-conditioned shuffleboard, there is something for everyone. There are craft fairs, farmers’ markets, wood-carving classes, a library, a professional fitness center, and championship billiards tables. You can relax in one of three swimming pools or two jacuzzis — or join a heart-pumping water aerobics class. There’s also pickleball, horseshoes, frisbee golf, sand and water volleyball, and activities for your dogs. Golden Village Palms residents seem to have a vivaciousness for life!
The Perfect Place to Be
And lastly, Hemet is the kind of place that adopts you as their own. You’ll instantly feel at home here. The valley that surrounds Golden Village Palms RV Resort will astound you with beautiful places to explore…like Diamond Valley Lake for fishing or Simpson Park for hiking and spectacular views. There’s the Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre, home of California’s oldest outdoor play, Ramona. The Western Science Center hosts ancient mastodon remains, and several historic museums preserve the rich history of San Jacinto Valley. With championship golf courses and outlet shopping nearby, you’ll never run out of things to do. And you won’t have to drive far to visit southern California’s famed beaches!
I should mention we also enjoyed some local dining in Hemet. Breakfast at Mia’s Country Kitchen included large portions of the best breakfast comfort food like omelets, and biscuits and gravy, while Polly’s Pies lured us in with country decor and the best pie I’ve had in a long time!
Special Events
On our most recent visit to Golden Village Palms, we loved taking in the Vintage Trailer and Classic Car Show that was held April 27-30, 2017. (Next year’s Vintage Trailer Show will be April 26-29, 2018). This event brings in pre-1985 vintage trailers with an open house where you can enter the trailers and see how they are restored and decorated. Besides that, there were tribute bands, a classic car rally, vintage vendors, a pet parade, and a farmer’s market. Our first night at the show, we strolled the park just to see the vintage trailers and then we went back the next day during the open house. It was so much fun to see inside the trailers, talk to the owners, and be part of the vintage “vibe”! Here’s just a sampling of the fun photos we took:
Just for your information, this vintage trailer is open to the public during the Saturday Open House from 9 am to 3 pm, for just the cost of a parking pass — $5. Be sure to come next year on April 28, 2018! And here’s a glimpse of last year’s Vintage Trailer Show, courtesy of Golden Village Palms:
Staying in a Golden Village Palms Cottage
We don’t own an RV, so we stayed in one of GVP’s super cute cottages. These are available for rent at very reasonable rates*, since they come fully furnished with a full kitchen, bathroom, queen-size bedroom, and living room. Larger and lighter than a typical hotel room, and much more like living in your own home with your own dedicated parking spot, this is a fun and comfortable option for lodging. I even loved the front porch–it’s a great place to sit and read or greet the neighbors!
*Cottage rates range from $160/night or $880/ week. There are often specials for $199/2 nights. Remember, this is a great deal when you consider all the activities available to you at the resort! Golden Village Palms RV Resort is for active adults. Children are allowed only for short visits while visiting resort residents. That being said, I did see several grandchildren there visiting family and having a great time!
I hope I’ve opened your eyes to a whole new concept for traveling – using RV resorts. But especially Golden Village Palms! With over 1000 sites, a spectacular clubhouse, beautifully landscaped grounds, and a full calendar of activities and special events, you definitely get more than your money’s worth of great experiences. And you’ll probably make new friends, too…
My Magical Moment
It was after a very long day of running around Hemet and San Jacinto, visiting attractions, meeting town council members, and touring several museums. I’d been on my feet nearly the entire day, and it was now about 9:00 pm. I decided to go for a relaxing swim. I actually ended up with an entire pool to myself. It was the pool that’s typically heated a little more than the others. I easily waded in (no shivering!) and floated on my back. As I looked up I could see the stars and moon overhead and the silhouette of the palm trees lining the pool. I wish I could have taken a photo from that vantage point. It was a perfect moment — peaceful, beautiful, and relaxing. My magical moment. It’s partly why I wanted to return. You’ll find your own magical moments at Golden Village Palms, too.
Disclaimer: Golden Village Palms hosted me for my visit, but they could not have imagined I would love it so much! Thank you GVP!
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I still can’t get over the pianist in the band the second night, he was insane! Oh, and the Peach Pecan Pie at the nearby restaurant was heavenly.
I agree! The band was called ‘The Killer, Cash and the King’, and I’ve never been more entertained by a band. The pie we really enjoyed was at Polly’s Pies http://www.pollyspies.com/locations/hemet/
What a wonderful place! I’m curious now to look into RV resorts for future vacations.
I don’t know how many RV resorts include cottages for rent, but that’s certainly a big draw for Golden Village Palms!
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glad to hear of this place! We’ve stayed in a few rv parks now with our tear drop and they are always special! Sometimes they are fancy, sometimes vintage but always interesting.
Those teardrop campers are so fun. I’ll bet you’d love the vintage trailer show, too!
Too bad it isn’t an adults only park anymore. Lots and lots of dogs in the park and the owners don’t care where they do their business, some pick it up and some don’t. We went to this park for two winters but not sure if we would return. Gone downhill a little and for the price you pay one would think it would be managed better.
Jacqui, I’m so sorry you had a bad experience. I only remember seeing one or two dogs while I was there, but never heard them bark and never saw a mess. And my most recent visit was only a month ago. Also, it definitely is still an adult park, except for visiting grandchildren.
What a wonderful place to enjoy with family and thanks for sharing your experience at this place
Wow, I didn’t know there was a lake up there and I live in the area. Proof that I need to explore my own back yard more! However, I have seen Ramona and it is AWESOME!
Love the vintage trailer and car show. American vintage is just so classic and looks like an event not to miss! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Oasia or not, Golden Village Palms is stunning and your stay looks like so much fun! California is my favourite part of US and this place is perfect too 🙂
That’s one fancy-looking RV resort! Good to know you can stay even if you don’t have one of those beasts.
This looks like a perfect place for relaxation! My parents need to take their camper out here. I love all the vintage cars too!
I do not own an RV but the cottage looks lovely and so American! The activities you mention seem endless and you can definitely spend weeks without getting bored there!
I love that you can take your RV here as well as staying in their rooms. Very cool. That vintage car show looks amazing! I might have to take my mum to this as she would love it.
Looks like a great RV resort! It’s so cool! The vintage will take you back in a beautiful time you’ve never been I bet! Glad you had a great time!
That looks like a very nice place to relax at! I think the most important thing is the staff members and residents are friendly. A place is always better when people are nice, ain’t it?
We discovered many of these RV Resorts throughout our 8 years of fulltime RVing. We decided to permanently stay in one!
RV Resorts, now that’s interesting and intriguing. Looks like you stayed at a pretty fancy one. The pool is amazing. The activities offered by the Golden Valley Palm are quite impressive. The workout area, golf, Jacuzzi and more. Indeed a new way of traveling and lodging.
That place looks like a dream. i love all of the palm trees and the kitsch vibe!
Looks and seems like an extremely lovely place but with children not allowed overnight, it might be some time before we visit Golden Village Palms.