Many people who dream of living a nomadic life in a van or RV head to Southern California for fun times by the beach, awesome scenery, and perfect weather. There are lots of great places to camp in this part of the country, ranging from beaches to forests, public parks, and private resorts.
If you’ve been curious about spending more time in this area, camping for a weekend, week, or even longer is an ideal plan. Here are some dreamy camping spots in Southern California to inspire you.
Jumbo Rocks Campground, Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park is a great starting point for your Southern California camping adventures. One popular spot is the Jumbo Rocks Campground, which has 124 sites and is centrally located in the park. You’ll have excellent views of the iconic rock formations when you stay here. It’s busiest here between September and May, so make a reservation in advance to secure your spot. These sites do not have electric hookups, and there is no cell phone reception here. Campers should also know that there is no drinking water, dump station, laundry facilities, or internet here. However, trash is collected year-round. Both RVs and tents can stay here, but the maximum trailer/RV length is 35 feet.
Tamarisk Grove Campground, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
A stunning state park in Southern California to visit is the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park; however, you will need to check the park’s website to confirm what is currently open due to health and safety protocols. One of the campgrounds here is the Tamarisk Grove Campground, which is one of four developed campgrounds in the park. It has 27 sites for tents and RVs. This campground offers shade and easy access to hiking trails. When it’s open for camping, there are coin-operated showers, flush toilets, and a visitor info center with a small store nearby. Dispersed backcountry camping is also available in this park.
San Elijo State Beach Campground, Encinitas
Beach camping is a way of life in Southern California, so make a point to set up camp at the San Elijo State Beach. This camping area is off the San Diego coast and a nice spot for camping, surfing, swimming, and picnicking. Snorkeling and diving are also popular in this area at the nearby reef. The maximum trailer/motorhome length here is 35 feet. Between March and December, there’s a camp store and snack bar open by the entrance of the campground. There are restrooms and shower facilities at this state beach. Dogs are allowed in the campground but not on the beach.
Serrano Campground, San Bernardino National Forest
There are some wonderful national forest campgrounds in Southern California, including the Serrano Family Campground. This campground is in the San Bernardino Mountains and on the north side of Big Bear Lake. It has 93 single campsites and 16 double campsites. When you camp here, you’ll find RV hookups, a dump station, fire rings, a comfort station, a camp host, and interpretative trails. Showers and restrooms are available here, as well as bear boxes to keep your food safe. This is a popular place to camp, especially in the summer.
Paso Picacho Campground, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
To experience Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, you can camp at the Paso Picacho Campground with a tent or trailer/motorhome up to 30 feet long. Dogs are allowed to camp here with you in the campground and also be with you on designated paved roads. This is a lovely park with over 100 miles of trails in an oak woodland forest. The campsites all have picnic tables and fire rings, while there are restrooms with flush toilets and flush toilets nearby. However, there are no hookups for RVs. In the summer, you can join an interpretive program to learn more about the landscapes.
Manker Flats Campground, Angeles National Forest
Located in the Angeles National Forest, the Manker Campground has 21 campsites and can accommodate RVs up to 16 feet long. There are no hookups here, but campers will have piped water and flush toilets. It’s at 6,000 feet of elevation and a very affordable place to stay – just $12 per night. The campground is open year-round and a short drive from the visitor center and Mt. Baldy Schoolhouse. The Mt. Baldy Bowl Trailhead is close by to explore the area on foot. Campers should use bear boxes and canisters to protect food and themselves.
Idyllwild Regional Park Campground, Idyllwild
There are 88 forested campsites at the Idyllwild Regional Park Campground, and each one has a picnic table and fire ring. There are restrooms and showers near the sites too. Stay here to be close to the eclectic mountain village of Idyllwild with its open spaces, forests, and hiking trails. This is a pet-friendly park with an amphitheater, nature center, and picnic area too.
Dripping Springs Campground, Cleveland National Forest
A fantastic national forest campground to check out in SoCal is the Cleveland National Forest, which is home to the Dripping Springs Campground. Check the official website to confirm the open status of this area and any other timely information to be aware of, such as fire dangers. There are 34 single campsites and nine equestrian sites here, as well as vault toilets, horse corrals, and potable water. The best seasons to camp here are spring and fall. When you camp, you can check out the over 30 miles of local trails via the Wildhorse and Dripping Springs trails.
Frandy Park Campground, Kernville
There’s a private campground along the banks of the Kern River called the Frandy Park Campground to also consider for your Southern California travels. This family-friendly campground accommodates tents and RVs with pull-through sites and clean facilities. It’s a great place to be when you want to explore the Sequoia National Forest and desert landscapes. The river offers whitewater adventures for rafters and kayakers, while boaters and fishermen will also enjoy the local waterways. There are 16 sites with water and electrical hookups at this park, and tent sites are also available. Onsite amenities include outdoor games, a dump station, rafting companies onsite, and hot showers.
Doane Valley Campground, Palomar Mountain State Park, San Diego County
When you’re in the San Diego area, make a trip to Palomar State Park to enjoy the beautiful forest and mountain meadows. In addition to camping here, the park is popular for trout fishing in Doane Pond and hiking. The evenings are cool here, even in the summer because of the elevation over 5,000 feet. The trails do not allow dogs or mountain bikes. Dogs are allowed to be with you at the campground though, as well as on paved roads and on the trail around the pond and Myers Fire Road. At the campground, trailers and motorhomes are limited to 24 feet in length.
Point Mugu State Park Campgrounds, Malibu
The scenery around Malibu really can’t be beaten, so plan to camp at Point Mugu State Park to soak it all in. The Thornhill Broome and Sycamore Canyon Campgrounds are located here. The maximum trailer/motorhome length is 31 feet at this park. You can have your dog with you at the campground and in the day-use areas but not on the trails. At this park, you’ll enjoy five miles of ocean shoreline with sandy beaches, dunes, rocky bluffs, river canyons, and rugged hills. Bodysurfing, swimming, and surf-fishing are popular activities here.
Leo Carrillo State Park Campground, Malibu
Trailers and motorhomes up to 31 feet long can camp at Leo Carrillo State Park, which has 1.5 miles of beach area for swimming, surfing, and beachcombing. There are reefs, coastal caves, and tidepools here to explore. Large sycamore trees give this campground plenty of shade. The park is great for backcountry hiking and bringing the kids along for junior ranger and campfire programs in the summer. Campers will find coin-operated showers at the park, and 20/30/50-amp hookups are available at some sites.
San Onofre Bluffs Campground, San Clemente
In addition to day-use and beach access, the San Onofre Bluffs State Beach offers overnight camping for tents and trailers/motorhomes up to 25 feet long. This is a popular beach for water recreation and draws in around 2.5 million visitors per year. The San Mateo Campground is close to 3.5 miles of sandy beaches and a 1.5-mile nature trail. There are RV hookup sites here with water and electricity. Camping is available year-round here, and there’s a dump station, flush toilets, and hot showers on site too. You can also camp at the less-developed San Onofre Bluffs, but there are no RV hookups there.
Furnace Creek Campground, Death Valley National Park
Every visitor to Southern California definitely needs to spend time at Death Valley National Park at some point! This epic park features otherworldly landscapes that you’ll find nowhere else on earth, plus overnight camping opportunities below sea level. The Furnace Creek Campground is one of nine National Park Service campgrounds here. Furnace Creek is the only one with hookup sites and group sites, however. Make a reservation if you want to stay during the busy season between October and April. There are 136 campsites here for RVs and tents.
South Carlsbad State Beach Campground, Carlsbad
You can enjoy this popular San Diego-area beach campground with an overnight booking during your SoCal travels. This campground has a camp store and can accommodate trailers/motorhomes up to 35 feet long. Dogs are allowed in the campground but not on the beach. Surfing, swimming, diving, fishing, and picnicking are popular activities here. The campground gets very busy in the summer and has stairs that lead right to the beach.
