Beach camping survey...

[ToniandSal]

Which CA beach campgrounds are your favorites?

[Jim34RL]

None- I and the Mrs. will not even go to Calif.!

[ToniandSal]

Originally Posted by Jim34RL

None- I and the Mrs. will not even go to the Calif.!

That's a shame. I have lived in So. CA all my life, but have traveled to many states and countries. CA has many beautiful places to see.

[Big bird]

Summer is a bad time, if not impossible, for CA beach RV'g, unless you plan a year or more in advance and enjoy lots of noise 24/7. In the winter there are a lot of nice beach parks. We like Pismo Beach on the central coast. You can stay at the budget State RV park near the ocean $25/day winter or someplace like Pismo Coast RV, which is $60ish/day, but if you look careful you will find a deal at Coast of "pay for 3 days, get 4". If you really like upscale, go to Newport Beach Dunes in southern CA. right on the beach. Only $97/day in the winter. (get reserved a year in advance even in the winter) If you really want summer, Newport is $325/day in the summer. In the north we like Klamath, which is about is as far north in CA as you can go. $35/day and it will be chilly and damp. There are many more great places to go and much depends on how big you rig is and how you like to camp. North of Santa Barbara about 30 miles is El Dorado RV park. One State and the other private. Or, go another 60 miles to Solvang and stay at Flying Flags RV Park. Fairly close to the beach with the Danish Solvang Village as the main attraction.

Good luck and welcome to the Gold Coast.

[HomeOnWheels]

In San Diego area, we've camped at South Carlsbad State Beach, San Elijo State Beach and Silver Strand State Beach. All are very popular campgrounds and sold out quickly after release. All are expensive, ~$100/night ocean front spot, for very tight sites. We enjoyed camping there but won't likely go back often. Too many people.

[DreiHunde]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Really, the OP asks for simple information and you have to do some California bashing.
How is that helpful?

X2

California is absolutely beautiful

[ToniandSal]

Originally Posted by HomeOnWheels

In San Diego area, we've camped at South Carlsbad State Beach, San Elijo State Beach and Silver Strand State Beach. All are very popular campgrounds and sold out quickly after release. All are expensive, ~$100/night ocean front spot, for very tight sites. We enjoyed camping there but won't likely go back often. Too many people.

We camped this week for 2 nights at Silver Strand. It is the most gorgeous beach I have seen, aside from Maui! We were in the 2nd row, so not beach front. It rained most of the time we were there, naturally. Lots of sandy paws from our two little poodles. Our next door neighbors camp frequently at San Elijo SB, and I recently booked 3 nights there for October, and 4 nights in November. At least we won't get so much sand inside because San Elijo is on a bluff.



Toni and Sal
2016 Forester 2291S
Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

[Taranwanderer]

I'm pretty jealous of your climate. CA is the ONLY state in the USA where you can visit the sunny, endless summer type beach climate, or the dry desert climate, or the mountain climate, or the boreal forest climate, or go skiing, or surfing, or boating, all in the same state. Oh, and you don't really have to deal with winter, unless you really like it, and there's no humidity. Don't think I could take the crowds or the cost but it sure looks nice. Beach camp on!

[ToniandSal]

I was born and raised in southern CA. You are correct about the perfect climate. We have dry, warmth even on the coast. Very little humidity or bugs. But, that's what makes it so popular as a destination and retirement spot. Anyway, we have reservations at San Elijo State Beach in the Cardiff by the Sea area next week.I've never camped there. Our neighbors camp there a lot and love it. It's on a bluff overlooking the ocean, so we won't have tons of sand to deal with on doggie paws this time.

The Jeep toad is all situated now. It took me 2 hours last night to get it undone because metal parts just didn'5 want to release. I was panicked thinking I was going to have to be out there on the street all night with it! So, I am going to practice hitching and ubhitching, maybe using some graphite powder so everything works smoother.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by ToniandSal

I was born and raised in southern CA. You are correct about the perfect climate. We have dry, warmth even on the coast. Very little humidity or bugs. But, that's what makes it so popular as a destination and retirement spot. I'm not sure what "CA politics" are, aside from the immigrant issue.

i was also born and raised in California. also worked for the state for 37 years until i retired, mostly as a state firefighter/EMT.
but the "CA politics" are more than just immigration issues. couldn't take what my home state has been turned into anymore. and it's a terrible state for retirement.
that's why i moved out after living there for 60 years.

it's still the most beautiful state in the Union. i was able to surf in the morning and snowboard in the afternoon. no other state has such natural diversity. that's what i miss the most.

but the politics there make it a place i couldn't put up with anymore.

[Filthy Beast]

Originally Posted by bikendan

i was also born and raised in California. also worked for the state for 37 years until i retired, mostly as a state firefighter/EMT.
but the "CA politics" are more than just immigration issues. couldn't take what my home state has been turned into anymore. and it's a terrible state for retirement.
that's why i moved out after living there for 60 years.

it's still the most beautiful state in the Union. i was able to surf in the morning and snowboard in the afternoon. no other state has such natural diversity. that's what i miss the most.

but the politics there make it a place i couldn't put up with anymore.

That said, you still have not addressed the original question.

It's like when someone asks a question and the first response it "I don't know but someone who does should answer you question" (didn't know the punctuation for parphrasing).

[bikendan]

You're right, I didn't answer the question.

San Elijo, Cardiff, Carlsbad, San Clemente, Bolsa Chica, Leo Carrillo, Emma Wood, Carpenteria, El Capitan, Refugio, Sycamore Canyon, Faria, Hobson, Rincon Parkway, Morro Bay, Sunset, New Brighton, Half Moon Bay and Patrick's Point.

[bob caldwell]

The whole west coast is the same......4 seasons..

[Terier]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

The whole west coast is the same......4 seasons..

Note sure if I agree about the four seasons being the same. We have tank top & shorts season, t-Shirt & jeans season, sweater & socks season and light coat & closed toes shoes season.

Beaches that I have visited & like are:

Crystal Cove Moreno - On a bluff with ocean view. I like how the sites are sectioned off. But the walk to the beach & back will kill you.


El Capitan - Love the mix of tall tress and ocean.



San Clemente - Full hookups but neighbors are really close. Walk to beach can do you in too but driving down the hill works. On a bluff - some sites have a partial ocean view while others sites have no view. I camp here often because of the full hookups & I like the beach.


South Carlsbad - On a bluff, sites next to cliff have ocean views.



Leo Carrillo - Small beach area, not too crowded. Cam walk to beach. I think they are improving this campground with hook ups.



Del Mar (Marine base close to San Diego) - Right on the sand but a long walk in deep sand to the water.

[bob caldwell]

With new phone, will be posting pics next summer from coast parks up north...

[ToniandSal]

OMG San Clemente is my backyard. I didn't know you could get that view. Will drive there and check it out. Thanks!

[ToniandSal]

Morro Bay is on my go to list.

[SDPadsfan]

We try to get to San Clemente at least once a year and also go to Silver Strand a couple of times a year. They are two very different beaches, but both are nice in their own way. We went to Carpinteria over Spring Break and had a great time there as well. If you are into shells, there are some gorgeous shells there. We have reservations for San Elijo in a couple of weeks. I have never been there before, but I have heard a lot of great things about it, plus it is just a short walk to Las Olas for some killer fish tacos!

[Terier]

Just a heads up that the San Clemente photo is from the beach parking lot. I was heading back to camp when I saw the sky and decided to stop for a moment.

My co-worker keeps talking me out of Silver Strand as I RV solo. She thinks it would be tough for me to get the trailer in easily. I have visited San Elijo a couple of times. They have some sites with full hookups and some sites (no hook ups) that are next to the sand where you can walk out to the beach.

Carpinteria looked nice but the sand is too deep for me. After a lot of feet & ankles surgeries deep sand is a killer for me. My co-worker likes to camp there. She likes the little town being close by.

I have camped at Doheny twice. The first time backing up to the sand & beach. It was nice being close to the water. The second time my site was in the back area. My next door neighbor family was were camping there too but they were tent camping. In the middle of the night the train sounded like it was on top of us. It was so funny - a car driving by head lights were shined in at the same time I could hear the train brakes. My TT were shake a bit. LOL - It was just like one of "I Love Lucy" shows. Everyone else slept through it and didn't know anything about a train. I don't remember hearing the train when I had ocean view but that campground isn't that big so I must had slept through it too.

[ToniandSal]

Originally Posted by SDPadsfan

We try to get to San Clemente at least once a year and also go to Silver Strand a couple of times a year. They are two very different beaches, but both are nice in their own way. We went to Carpinteria over Spring Break and had a great time there as well. If you are into shells, there are some gorgeous shells there. We have reservations for San Elijo in a couple of weeks. I have never been there before, but I have heard a lot of great things about it, plus it is just a short walk to Las Olas for some killer fish tacos!

We will be at San Elijo next week. Our next door neighbors rave about it, so I booked for this month, and next month mid-week. We haven'5 been thete either. It's a bluff campground, is all I know. I will post pics! We will bring our Jeep to explore the town of Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Will check out Las Olas for those fish tacos!

I camped at San Onofre decades ago but wasn't impressed by the dirt sites and no ocean view, very close proximity to loud trains at night. Might try San Clemente State Beach, because its so close. The only thing I didn't like about Silver Strand was the parking lot camping. Pretty darn close to everyone! But the beach is truly gorgeous! We spent 2 nights there last month. I am willing to try it again.