Southern California Beach Camping Best Campgrounds

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Discover the best places to camp on the beach along the Southern California coast. Enjoy fresh ocean breezes, the sound of crashing waves, and cozy nights by the campfire. With beachfront hotel prices sky-high, camping on the beach is an affordable and fun vacation option.

Santa Barbara County – Ventura County – Los Angeles County – Orange County – San Diego County – Beach Camping Map

Santa Barbara County Beach Camping

Jalama Beach County Park

Jalama Beach County Park is one of California’s best places to camp on the beach. It has 100 ocean-view campsites and seven comfortable cottages. Jalama Beach is north of Santa Barbara, just south of Vandenberg Air Force Base. This campground is the most secluded on our list, so bring everything you need. A small restaurant and an on-site store serve the famous Jalama burger, but that’s the only available service. This Santa Barbara County park and campground address is 9999 Jalama Road, Lompoc, California. Campground Reservations.

Gaviota State Park Camping

Gaviota State Park is the last stop on Highway 101 before it turns inland toward Buellton and Solvang. It is a beautiful camping spot at 10 Refugio Beach Road in Goleta, California. It offers 41 developed campsites that accommodate tents and RVs up to 27 feet. The park also features hiking trails connected to the Los Padres National Forest, perfect for nature lovers. However, note that the campground is smaller, so you will be camping close to your neighbors. Campground Reservations.

El Capitan State Beach

El Capitan Beach is perfect for families looking for a beach camping adventure or to escape from the city for the day—Sandy Beach, rocky tidepools, and sycamore stand and oaks along El Capitan Creek. The campground has 133 campsites. Several campsites offer beautiful Pacific Ocean views from cliff-top locations. Gaviota State Beach is north of the town of Goleta along Highway 101. Campground Reservations.

El Capitan Canyon Resort

While not directly on the beach, El Capitan Canyon Resort offers fantastic coastal views and is easily within walking distance of the beach. El Capitan Canyon Resort accommodations include Safari Tents, Cabins, and Yurts. Imagine going camping; the only chore you have to do is packing your suitcase. One nice feature of the resort is that it is on the east side of Highway 101, far enough away that you don’t hear the horn of the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains as they head up or down the coast. Resort Website.

Refugio State Beach Camping

If you like beach camping, Refugio State Beach is a lovely area lined with palm trees that provide a relaxing day or a fun camping trip. Campsites are located very close to the beach, with some nestled in shady palm trees. Imagine falling asleep to the sounds of crashing waves. Both tent and RV campers can enjoy this scenic coastal location. 10 Refugio Beach Road, Goleta, California. Campground Reservations.

Carpinteria State Beach Camping

Carpinteria State Beach offers 216 campsites for RVs and tent camping near Carpinteria. There are four campgrounds: Anacapa, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and San Miguel. Santa Cruz and San Miguel have campsites directly on the sand, steps to the Ocean. 5361 Sixth Street Carpinteria, California. Campground Reservations.

Ventura County Beach Camping

Hobson Beach Park – Ventura County

Hobson Beach Park features 29 campsites, 13 through 28 of which are directly on the ocean. The campsites are close, but the campground location makes up for the lack of space. Campsites can be reserved using the Ventura County Parks Online Reservation System. A small snack shop serves breakfast and lunch; restrooms and WiFi are available. 5210 Pacific Coast Hwy, Ventura, California. Campground Reservations.

Rincon Parkway – Ventura County

You can’t get any closer to the beach than at Ventura County’s Rincon Parkway. Situated on the old Pacific Coast Highway, campsites have spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. Reservations can be made online up to 180 days before the arrival date. Every site has a fantastic idea, so it doesn’t matter where you park. Tent camping is not allowed here, and there is no day-use parking. 4668 Pacific Coast Hwy, Ventura, California1. Campground Reservations.

Faria Beach Park – Ventura County

Faria is another small beach campground run by Ventura County. Situated a few miles south of Hobson Beach, Faria Beach Park features 38 campsites. Numbers 7 – 34 are directly on the ocean with unobstructed views of the Pacific. All sites are offered by reservation. Getting a spot here can be challenging, especially during the summer and holiday weekends. There is a small cafe that serves breakfast and lunch. 4350 Old Rincon Hwy Ventura, California1. Campground Reservations.

Emma Wood State Beach

Emma Wood State Beach offers campers and day users an incredible place to unwind and soak up some sun with excellent beachfront camping and beautiful panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. Emma Wood’s is a popular year-round destination with a 90-site self-contained campground about as close to the ocean as possible and moderate temperatures—highway 101 Ventura, California. Campground Reservations.

McGrath State Beach

(As of 7/10/2019, McGrath State Beach is closed until further notice due to flooding.) McGrath State Beach has 172 campsites by the beach and is next to the Santa Clara River and dunes. The campground is relatively remote by Southern California standards but far from civilization’s comforts. The beach here is wide and sandy, perfect for a stroll or laying out in the sun. 2211 North Harbor Blvd. Oxnard, California.

Point Mugu State Park Camping

There are two campgrounds at Point Mugu State Park—Thornhill Broom on the beach and Sycamore Canyon, with ocean views. Point Mugu State Park features more than 70 miles of hiking trails and five miles of pristine ocean shoreline surrounded by rocky bluffs and jagged pinnacles. 9000 W. Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, California. Campground Reservations.

Thornhill Broome Point Mugu

Thornhill Broome Beach Campground is part of Point Mugu State Park. The main attraction here is pulling up your RV and parking on the beach—nothing between you and the surf except the rocky shore. Thornhill Broom campsites are considered primitive sites and are limited to 8 people. Reservations are Non-Site-Specific. All campsites are directly on the beach. Thornhill Broome Beach’s address is 9000 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California. Campground Reservations.

Los Angeles County Beach Camping

Leo Carrillo State Park

Stretching just a mile and a half along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California, Leo Carrillo State Park is a perfect destination for day use or an overnight camping trip. Leo Carrillo’s campground is inland from the beach in a canyon lined with giant sycamores. There are 135 campsites, including several group sites. Beach access is through a tunnel under the Pacific Coast Highway. 35000 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California. Campground Reservations.

Dockweiler State Beach RV Park

If you like the sound of planes, you will love Dockweiler. This state beach sits beneath the takeoff path from Los Angeles International Airport. If you can get past the noise of the planes, the beach here is wide and sandy and has plenty of fire pits. There are 118 total hook-up spaces for RVs at Dockweiler. About half of the sites back up to the beach (1-82). No tent camping is allowed. Reservations must be made at least one day in advance. 12001 Vista del Mar Playa del Rey, California. Campground Reservations.

Orange County Beach Camping

Bolsa Chica State Beach RV Camping

Bolsa Chica State Beach is between Huntington Beach and Seal Beach. Beach camping at Bolsa Chica is limited to recreational vehicles only. Be sure to bring along your bicycles when camping at Bolsa Chica. The beach trail runs south to Newport Beach and north to Long Beach. 17851 Pacific Coast Hwy. Huntington Beach, California. Campground Reservations.

Sunset Vista RV Park Huntington Beach

Sunset Vista RV Park is half a mile south of the Huntington Beach Pier. This campground is a parking lot adjacent to the beach where you can park your RV. The location is excellent. Everything you could ever want, including the Pacific Ocean, is within walking distance. The downside is it can get very noisy, and there are a ton of fire rings on the beach, and depending on the wind, you will get a lot of smoke in the evenings. 103 Pacific Coast Hwy Huntington Beach, California. RV Park Reservations.

Newport Dunes Luxury Beach Camping

Newport Dunes Resort provides the perfect home away from home for guests to have fun in the southern California sun. While most guests arrive by RV, stopping for just a few days’ rest as they continue to their final destination or staying for an entire vacation, you don’t need an RV to stay here. There are plenty of overnight options, including tent camping and cottage rentals. Newport Dunes Resort is at 1131 Back Bay Dr, Newport Beach, California. Newport Dunes Reservations.

Crystal Cove Beach Cottages

Twenty-four cottages at Crystal Cove range from beachfront to bluff top. All of the cabins have a microwave and refrigerator. ADA-accessible units have a small electric stove. If you don’t want to cook on your beach vacation, you can dine at the beachfront Beachcomber Restaurant. Crystal Cove Beach Cottages are some of California’s most sought-after beach rentals—located midway between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach along Coast Highway. Crystal Cove Cottages Reservations.

Moro Campground Crystal Cove

Moro Campground offers spectacular ocean views from all of its sixty campsites. Unlike some other beach campgrounds, there is no bad campsite. No open fires are allowed anywhere in the park. You may use compressed gas BBQs on the beach or at the campground. 8471 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, California. Campground Reservations.

Doheny State Beach Camping

Doheny State Beach is next to Dana Point Harbor in South Orange County. Some of the campsites at Doheny are directly on the beach. There are 16 RV campsites only. To balance the campsites, you can use a tent, pop-up trailer, or the back seat of your car. There is also a separate group tent site at the far end of the campground. 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, California. Doheny Beach Campground Reservations.

San Clemente State Beach

San Clemente State Beach has 160 bluff-top campsites. Most sites do not have a beach view. However, campsites 57-72 have a partial ocean view. A paved trail leads down to the wide sandy beach. The park’s visitor center is the original 1934 ranger’s cottage. Open most weekends. The visitor center has interesting historical photos and information on native animals and plant life. 225 Avenida Calafia San Clemente, California. Campground Reservations.

San Diego County Beach Camping

San Onofre State Beach Camping

San Onofre State Beach features 3,000 acres of Southern California coastline between San Clemente and Camp Pendleton. The park includes San Onofre Bluffs, San Onofre Surf Beach, and San Mateo Campground. San Onofre Bluffs stretches along Old Highway 101, offering day-use parking and camping. San Mateo Campground is about 1.5 miles inland from the beach. A trail connects the campground to Trestles Beach, a world-class surfing site. Basilone Road exit off I-5, San Clemente, California. San Onofre SB Reservations.

South Carlsbad State Beach

South Carlsbad State Beach is between Highway 101 and the Pacific Ocean. There are over 200 campsites here, half of which are premium sites with ocean views. Several stairs lead down to the beach but are relatively steep. Every location has a picnic table and a fire ring. A hedge on one side of the site offers some privacy. However, the spaces are close together. The beach here is rocky, with very little sand to play on. Reservations – 7201 Carlsbad Blvd. Carlsbad, California. Campground Reservations.

San Elijo State Beach

San Elijo State Beach offers bluff-top camping, with about half of the 170 campsites having uninterrupted views of the Pacific Ocean. Campsite assignments are made upon your arrival unless you reserve a specific site. Peak-season reservations are necessary, but you should not have problems getting an ocean-view campsite after the busy summer. 2050 South Coast Hwy 101 Cardiff, California. Campground Reservations.

Silver Strand State Beach

Silver Strand State Beach is on the sand strip that separates San Diego Bay from the Pacific Ocean. It is San Diego’s most popular place for beach camping. Silver Strand features 136 campsites for self-contained vehicles only. Camping is only in the north lot #4. Spaces 041 to 061 and 081 to 095 are right on the beach. 5000 Highway 75 Coronado, California. Silver Strand Campground Reservations.

Oceanside Harbor RV Beach Camping

Camping is allowed year-round in Harbor Beach’s Parking Lot 11B, while in Parking Lot 12, camping is only permitted from mid-September to mid-May. 15. The parking fees vary depending on seasons and average $30.00 to $35.00 daily. A reservation is not required, and the camping arrangement is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Camping is allowed for a maximum of 5 nights in any 30 days. Pop-outs, slide-outs, and awnings and tents are strictly prohibited. Barbeques and stoves are prohibited in parking lots, landscaped areas, or sidewalks but can be used on the beach. Also, no portable fire pits are allowed. Oceanside Harbor Website

Roberts Cottages Oceanside

Roberts Cottages are on the strand, only steps to Oceanside’s vast sandy beach. These are primarily one-bedroom cottages built in 1924 as vacation homes. Today, many of these unique beach cottages can be rented. While not cheap, the location is breathtaking, and the average price is $1500 per week during the summer. Oceanside is midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, making it an excellent family vacation destination. Roberts Cottages reservations.

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