Beach Camping in California

Finding the Best Beaches

There are many beautiful beaches in California. Although most of these have
many activities available for day-use, not all of them provide facilities for camping and
allow overnight stays. This article lists the best beach camping parks in California and
gives you some of the hightlights of each park. We have broken the
beach camping
parks
out into three sections:  Northern California, Central California, and Southern
California, so that you can locate
beaches in just the region you desire.

Northern California
Clam Beach County Park is located just south of Little River State Beach, north of
Eureka. It is one of the few parks that allows camping right on the beach.
Beachcombing, clamming, fishing, picnicking, camping, kite flying, and building sand
castles are all popular at this beach.

Gold Bluff Beach is within Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The campground is
located in the dunes along a beautiful 10-mile stretch of golden beach. The
campgrounds lie between the Pacific Ocean and a bluff thickly covered with
Redwoods. It is located about 50 miles north of Eureka.

Westport-Union Landing State Beach covers over 3 miles of rugged and scenic
coastline. There are approximately 100 campsites located on the bluff overlooking the
Pacific Ocean. It is located about 19 miles north of Fort Bragg.

Central California
Half Moon Bay State Beach offers
4 miles of broad, sandy beaches. This
picturesque setting is ideal for
sunbathing, hiking, biking, fishing,
picnicking, and camping. It is located
near San Mateo in the San Francisco
Bay area.

Manresa State Beach is a large,
beautiful sandy beach, which offers
surf fishing, surfing, swimming, and
camping. It is located on Monterey
Bay just south of San Francisco.


New Brighton State Beach is located in the town of Capitola, just south of Santa
Cruz. This beach camping park offers swimming, fishing and a nearby forest. The
camping area is located on a bluff overlooking Monterey Bay.

Seacliff State Beach is best know for its fishing pier and concrete freighter just
offshore. There is swimming, fishing, camping, and hiking trails. It is located on
Monterey Bay near Aptos.

Sonoma Coast State Beach is one of California&#180s most scenic attractions. It
has long sandy beaches below rugged headlands. The craggy coastline has natural
arches and features secluded coves. The beach is located north of San Francisco
between Jenner and Bodega Bay. There are many campsites to choose from.
Fishing, hiking, horseback trails, and many other activities are available.

Sunset State Beach features pine trees, mountainous sand dunes, and oceanside
picnic spots. The beach is 16 miles south of Santa Cruz.


Southern California
Carpinteria State Beach is approximately 12 miles south of Santa Barbara. This
park offers a mile of beach for swimming, surf fishing, tidepool exploring and camping.
Seals and sea lions can be seen in the area December through May.

Doheny State Beach is two parks in one. Camping is located in the southern area
and the northern area is limited to day-use. There is a five-acre lawn with picnic
facilities and volleyball courts. Surfing and surf fishing is popular here. It is located
just south of Los Angeles.

McGrath State Beach is famous for bird-watching. The lush riverbanks of the Santa
Clara River and the sand dunes along the shore create just the right environment for
our feathered friends. There is a nature trail for hiking, and 2 miles of beach for
surfing, fishing, or swimming.  It is located near Ventura.

Morro Strand State Beach is a coastal frontage park with excellent picnic sites and
about 3 miles of beach. Fishing, windsurfing, jogging, kite flying and camping are
popular at this park. It is located near San Luis Obispo.

Pismo State Beach is located near San Luis Obispo. This park offers all kinds of
attractions:  hiking, swimming, clam digging, surf fishing, camping, and bird watching.
Four restaurants are within 2 blocks of the campground.

San Clemente State Beach has about 1 mile of beach. The beach is located at the
south end of San Clemente and is popular for surfing, skin diving, and swimming. The
park has a landscaped bluff top with picnic areas. There are also hiking trails on the
bluffs which lead down to the beach.

San Elijo State Beach is located near San Diego. The beach is narrow and backs
up to a bluff. It has a nearby reef that is popular with snorklers and divers. The park
also offers swimming, surfing, picnicking, and camping.

San Onofre State Beach has 3.5 miles of sandy beaches with access trails cut into
the bluff above. The campground is near old highway 101 adjacent to the bluffs. The
beach is popular with swimmers and surfers. Whales, dolphins and sea lions can be
seen offshore at times. It is located just south of San Clemente.

Silver Strand State Beach has extensive beaches on both the Pacific Ocean and
on San Diego Bay. Camping, swimming, surfing, boating, water-skiing, volleyball, and
picnicking are popular activities, along with fishing. The park is located in Coronado.

South Carlsbad State Beach is a beach near San Diego that features swimming,
surfing, skin diving, fishing, and picnicking. Its large bluff-top campground has stairs
that lead down to the beach. It is a very popular camping spot, especially in the
summer.

Our family really enjoys camping, and we hope that you do to. There is nothing like
the beach for relaxing and having fun together as a family. Whether its just going for
the day, or extending your visit by camping overnight, we hope that you have a
wonderful time.
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