Best Bets: Four picks for Southern California Coastal Camping
If you’ve dreamed of waking up to salty sea breezes and the sound of ocean waves lapping onto the shore, coastal camping may be for you.
Hazy summer mornings, warm days and cool evenings offer welcome relief from the Inland Empire’s scorching summer months.
From San Diego County’s 70 miles of sun-soaked shoreline to the Orange County coast, we’ve rounded up four campable seaside spots suitable for families, and within a 100-mile drive from Old Town Temecula’s Main Street.
As might be expected, these campgrounds are extremely popular and, often, booked far in advance so plan ahead for your next beachside campout. To make a reservation at any of these state beach campgrounds, call (800) 444-7275 or visit reservecalifornia.com.
Bolsa Chica State Beach
Adjacent to a wide, sandy beach, the small Bolsa Chica State Beach campground includes picnic tables, potable water, restrooms, showers, and RV hookups and sanitation. Bonfires are permitted. Tent camping is not. A beach wheelchair is available for loan, with ramps for sand access. Good for surf fishing, biking, swimming and surfing. Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve’s wetlands and dunes — a shelter for hundreds of bird species — is located on the east side of Pacific Coast Highway. 17851 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach. www.parks.ca.gov/bolsachica
Moro Campground
While not right on the beach, but across the highway, Moro Campground’s 28 sites for self-contained RVs and 30 tent sites are nestled in Crystal Cove State Park — one of Orange County’s largest remaining open spaces featuring miles of shoreline, backcountry wilderness, and an offshore underwater park. Amenities include picnic tables, restrooms, showers and RV sanitation. There are no RV hookups. Bonfires are not permitted. Crystal Cove State Park, 8471 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. crystalcovestatepark.org
San Elijo State Beach
Straddled between the classic surf towns of Cardiff and Encinitas, the campground at San Elijo State Beach combines the best of nature with urban conveniences within walking distance. The campground, sited on a towering bluff some 60 feet above sea level, offers sweeping ocean views. The campground includes 156 sites available for tent or self-contained RV camping. There are no RV hookups. Amenities include picnic tables, potable water, restrooms, showers and RV sanitation. Bonfires are permitted. 2050 S. Coast Hwy. 101, Cardiff. www.parks.ca.gov/sanelijo
South Carlsbad State Beach
The largest on our list, the South Carlsbad State Beach campground — perched on San Diego County coastal bluffs — offers relatively uncrowded beaches perfect for swimming, surfing, snorkeling and fishing. The campground includes 226 sites for self-contained RV camping. There are no RV hookups. Tent camping is not permitted. Amenities include picnic tables, potable water, restrooms and RV sanitation. Bonfires are allowed. An onsite camp store offers campers easy access to groceries, firewood and ice. 7201 Carlsbad Blvd., Carlsbad. www.parks.ca.gov/southcarlsbad
Top headlines by email, weekday mornings
Get top headlines from the Union-Tribune in your inbox weekday mornings, including top news, local, sports, business, entertainment and opinion.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
More in this section
Muslim groups in Australia have criticized the disparity in the police response to two stabbing attacks in Sydney this month, saying it created a perception of a double standard and further alienated the country’s minority Muslim community
April 19-25, 2024 French police evict migrants from a makeshift camp in Paris ahead of the Olympics, Portugal commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, clean-up operations take place in South Africa during the Earth Day, and Estonians demonstrate in support of a military strategic plan for Ukraine.
Almost five years after Elijah McClain died after being put in a neck hold and injected with the powerful sedative ketamine, three of five Denver-area first responders prosecuted in the Black man’s death have been convicted
South Africa this week celebrates 30 years of freedom after a historic 1994 election that saw the end of white minority rule and racial segregation
Harvey Weinstein’s New York sexual assault conviction has been thrown out by an appeals court, but it’s just one of many cases the disgraced movie mogul has faced
School officials told students around 8:20 p.m. Thursday to avoid the area around the building. About three hours later, officials said the building had been reopened
