Best California campgrounds
- Share via
Want to save money and stay closer to nature? Here are five prime coastal campgrounds. They’re all part of the state park system ([800] 444-7275, www.parks.ca.gov), and they book up fast. Fees vary from $11 to $44 per night. They’re listed south to north:
* Crystal Cove State Park ( www.crystalcovebeachcottages.org) offers 14 rentable beach cottages on 3 1/2 miles of coastline. They book fast; reservations may be made the first of the month, seven months ahead.
* Leo Carrillo State Park, 28 miles north of Santa Monica. Campsites, 1 1/2 miles of beach.
* Carpinteria State Beach, 20 miles south of Santa Barbara, is crowded in summer but convenient to a quaint town and a mile of beach with gentle tides.
* Montaña de Oro State Park, 6 miles southwest of Morro Bay, features 8,000 acres of rugged headlands full of tide pools, dramatic rock formations and walking and mountain-biking trails.
* Patrick’s Point State Park, 25 miles north of Eureka in Humboldt County. Lagoons, redwoods, meadows, frequent fog, heavy rains between October and April.
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
