A camping forum for VW bus and camper owners.

Bus City XVII

Event Details

Time: May 15, 2025 at 12pm to May 18, 2025 at 11am
Location: Guerneville, CA
Street: 12600 River Road
City/Town: Guerneville, CA
Website or Map: http://www.Schoolhousecampgro…
Event Type: weekend, camping
Organized By: Laura May
Latest Activity: yesterday

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Event Description

We are back for year XVII!

The weekend starts Thursday, May 15th (who doesn’t love an extra night of camping?!)

There is no such thing as reservations for this event! Drive in and pick your spot or join another camper and make new friends. If we have a larger than normal turnout, we do encourage sharing your space. The sites are large and there is plenty of room for everyone.

The campground is closed to the general public until Memorial Day weekend. Ranger Chris is once again opening the weekend before just for the VW Family! It’s a secret - it’s always special. The gate will open on Thursday, May 15th at noon.

There will be space for you - no reservations are needed! We have never turned anyone away. We love that this event brings in 60+ VWs every year. This event is special and we have many people who have been attending since the first year.

Enjoy camping under the Redwood canopy, float on the river (private access just across the road), clean bathrooms with hot showers and flush toilets and dish washing stations. Take a trip into downtown Guerneville for shopping, Stumptown Brewery or get your bubbles at Korbel Winery.

RSVP or call Laura May with questions 707-867-9378.

Yes, you can bring other friends who do not have a VW, kid and dog friendly. Please visit the Schoolhouse website for more info. www.schoolhousecanyon.com

Cash only for camping and firewood available for purchase on site.

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Comment Wall

Comment by Laura May on Sunday: Thank you to all who have attended Bus City for the last 16 years.

While I have tried to keep this event going after it was passed on by two previous hosts, one being the creator of this event, it is no longer viable at the location we have been at. I have become aware that Schoolhouse Canyon Campground is no longer interested in hosting a smaller event.

I, as are many others grateful for Schoolhouse hosting us for so many years, I am now looking to find a campground that is suitable for our needs. We can no longer meet their requirements for more campers and that is not what we are about. We want to continue to provide a space where we are all happy and whoever shows up is welcome.

I am currently looking at a private farm that also does catering in Lake County, and I am open to other suggestions.

Many thanks to Brett “Big Blue” and Allison who kept this going for so many years. The memories are amazing and we will be forever grateful to Schoolhouse for making those memories.

I plan to keep this event going. It will be Bus City just at a new location. Please note this is a VW Camper Family event that has been going on for 16 years. This will not be our first change of location. We have never been about how many VWs show up, just they you keep the VW passion going. I will keep everyone updated about a new location and hope to see you there in 2026. I will still be hosting this event and will let you know of a new location soon.

If you are interested in starting a new event, please post on VW Camper Family or many of the amazing VW groups out there. Peace and love and fun travels to all my fellow VW Family.

We camp to have fun and to enjoy one another. Love you all.

Comment by John LaTorre on Sunday: See what happens when I don't show up?

On a more serious note, I'm sorry that the Schoolhouse Canyon owners no longer wish to host us. If we're going to be continuing this, let's get an estimate (or "guesstimate") of what we could expect in the way of attendance, or what amenities we might consider necessary. I have contacts in the Sonoma/Napa/Marin area who have held weekend campouts for large groups for the past fifty years.Maybe we can talk about it, or I could come visit you when my schedule is more certain.

Comment by regis101 on Sunday: Plan for failure, as we used to say in the construction world. Need an exit plan. Adapt and move on. That said, maybe a meeting with Schoolhouse might come to a compromise. It was a soft opening for them. I would think the attendance number isn't important. Something has chapped his hide. As for another venue, maybe put Finnon Lake on the list. While there are many places to camp, finding an exclusive place for fifty plus vehicles with amenities seems limiting. Had we just bought that ten acres a few years back....

Comment by John LaTorre on Sunday: Finnon Lake is certainly an option. Another one is in Colfax, where a group I'm with used to reserve a large area in a campground by Rolins Lake, certainly capable of holding sixty buses or more, in early May before the summer tourist season began. But if we're looking for something closer to the coast, those wouldn't do.

Something we might have to consider is using more primitive areas, where we'd have to bring in porta-potties. Again, that group I mentioned earlier has been doing this routinely for years, and have all the necessary contacts.

Comment by Laura May on Monday: All great ideas. I am willing to find the right spot for our group. Unfortunately, I have had so much pressure from Schoolhouse to produce numbers that my personal camping experience is no longer enjoyable.

I will be looking at a private farm here in Lake County shortly. The bonus is one of the owners is a chef and we could have an amazing dinner (like a crawfish boil) for one of the nights. I still need to work out details. The other option is we use a park where people have to make reservations. It has always been lovely to just show up at Schoolhouse but the downside is the owner wants more attendees. He has stopped communicating with me so I see no other way to go than to find a new location.