Top California Campgrounds

California offers a large selection of great places to camp, either in your tent or RV. Below are some of the best the state has to offer:

Big Sur Campground & Cabins
47000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA
831 667-2322

Located 25 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, Big Sur Campground & Cabins is situated among the stately Coastal Redwoods along the Big Sur River. Activities in the area include:

• Swimming in the river
• Inner tubing (rentals available)
• Fishing (Steelhead Trout)
• Beach access
• Hiking trails nearby
• Nearby art galleries

Camping sites and amenities include:

• Tent sites both on and off the river starting at $34 per site off season
• RV sites both on and off the river starting at $40 per site off season
• Tent cabins starting at $80 in off season
• A firepit and picnic table are provided in each site
• Water and electric hookups at RV sites
• Accommodates RVs up to 40 feet in length
• Restrooms and hot showers
• Laundry
• Playground
• Camp store
• Dump station

Van Damme State Park
Mendocino Coast

Named one of the "Top 25 Amazing Locations" by ReserveAmerica, Van Damme State Park consists of 1,831 acres on the Mendocino Coast, southeast of Mendocino. It's no wonder Van Damme was put in the "amazing" list, as it features a Pygmy Forest with mature cypress and pine trees which stand just 6 inches to 8 ft. tall. Other features include:

• Abalone diving
• 10 miles of hiking trails along the fern-covered canyon of Little River
• Scuba diving

Camping Facilities and Amenities include:

• Back-in and pull-through RV sites
• Group sites
• Fire rings
• Restrooms and showers
• Comfort station
• Dump station
• Amphitheater
• Barbecue
• Food Lockers

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park
3801 ST. HELENA HWY.
Calistoga CA
Reserve at ReserveAmerica.com

For those of you into birdwatching, Bothe-Napa Valley State Park is named as one of the "Top 25 Bird-Watching Spots" by ReserveAmerica, and offers a quiet and secluded camping experience on the edge of the Napa Valley wine country. Which also means you're close to some of the finest wine tasting the state has to offer. The park is located 5 miles north of St. Helena and 4 miles south of Calistoga on Highway 29/128.

Camping Facilities and Amenities include:

• Tent sites
• RV sites (24 and 31 ft. Back-in)
• Fire rings
• Comfort station
• Handicap access
• Picnic Area
• Restrooms and showers
• Swimming
• Telephone
• A horseback rental concession during the summer and fall

You can reserve a space at Boothe-Napa Valley State Park through ReserveAmerica.com.

Emerald Bay State Park 
Lake Tahoe
Reservations at ReserveAmerica.com

If you want a beautiful California beach camping site, you must try Emerald Bay State Park, one of the most photographed place in the world. The park is located on the southwest shore of Lake Tahoe on State Highway 89, 22 miles south of Tahoe City. In addition to the natural beauty, there's also a replica of a Scandinavian castle, Vikingsholm, a 38-room mansion that's actually a part of the park, and available for tours. Activities of the area include:

• Boating
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Swimming

Camping facilities and amenities include:

• Boat-in camping
• Tent-only sites
• 21-ft. Back-in and Pull-through RV sites
• Fire Rings
• Handicap Access
• Loading Pier
• Restrooms and showers
• Water fillup station
• Metal bear-resistant food lockers (yes, there are bears in the area)

Yosemite Park

Yosemite Park covers nearly 1,200 square miles in the Sierra Nevada of California, just 4 to 5 hours east of San Francisco. There are 13 popular campgrounds within Yosemite Park, 10 of which can accommodate RVs and trailers, and many of which are opened all year. Activities of the area include:

• Auto Touring
• Biking
• Boating
• Camping
• Climbing
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Horseback Riding
• Wildlife Viewing
• Winter Sports

The campsites are:

In Yosemite Valley

• Upper Pines (All year)
• Lower Pines
• North Pines
• Camp 4 (All year, No RVs/trailers)

• Wawona (All year)
• Bridalveil Creek

• Hodgdon Meadow (All year)
• Crane Flat
• Tamarack Flat (No RVs/trailers)
• White Wolf
• Yosemite Creek (No RVs/trailers)
• Porcupine Flat
• Tuolumne Meadows

Each campground has different RV and trailer size specifications, as well as facilities, so you would want to check http://www.nps.gov/yose/ for more details. Many are also first-come, first-serve, but some do require reservations. You can make reservations at http://www.recreation.gov 

Yosemite Pines RV Resort and Family Lodging
20450 Old Highway 120
Groveland, CA
yosemite@yosemitepinesrv.com

Yosemite Pines RV Resort and Family Lodging is located outside of Yosemite Park, but offers amenities you may not find in some of the campgrounds within Yosemite. In addition to tent sites and RV back-in and pull-throughs with water and electricity, you'll find:

• Pet friendly resort
• Swimming pool
• Volleyball court
• Children's play gym
• Alpaca petting farm
• Children's playground
• Meeting rooms
• Pavilion BBQ & Picnic Area
• Laundry room
• Hiking and biking trails
• Free T-1 Wi-Fi
• Basic sleeping cabins to large, luxury cabins and yurts

For Beach Camping sites in California, check out our page on California beach camping.

Synonyms: cacamping, californiacamping and ca camping are used synonymously.

californi, califormia, californa, californina, calofornia, clifornia, callifornia, californis, caliornia, califorinia, califirnia, califonia, alifornia, caifornia, calafornia, califoria, calfornia, califorina, cailfornia, claifornia,
califonria, californai, califronia, and calfiornia are typos for "California."