Camgrounds around Carlsbad/Oceanside

[walker111]

Already planning for next summer as I know good places fill up quick.
Asking opinions on Carlsbad South State park. Looks really nice and would love to spend a week by the ocean. I see that max length states 35 feet but the pics show big rigs and the sites do look big and wide.
I have a 39 foot toyhauler. Best to ask park people but throwing it out .
Anyone like it there? I also looked into Oceanside but that place is crazy expensive and I do realize by the ocean cost goes up.

We traveled down south 3 summers ago and loved the area. Did a week in Anaheim and a week around Oceanside.

2 adults and 2 boys aged 13 and 11 for next summer. Paddleboards, bikes etc. Will try Disney again so Anaheim RV park probably.

Anyone take a big rig in these areas? Any help appreciated.
Another winter in Canada soon so dreaming early begins!

[walker111]

I found a map that shows it now. Seems that the ocean side sites will work but have no power, water etc. If I stay a week I could go dump once and run the genny a few hours when needed. 100 gallon tank and washrooms there can make it doable.
thanks again

[walker111]

hwy395lvr wrote:

walker111 wrote:

hwy395lvr wrote:
Doheny State Beach campground in Dana Point. I would say half of their sites would fit your rig.Right on the water,no stair climbing to get to the beach.No hook-ups at all though. It's in Orange County so just a hop skip & jump to Disneyland. Doheny has all your water activities including deep sea fishing that embarks 1/2 mile away from Dana Pt. harbor.Some pretty good restaurants walking distance from the campground.


I'm checking in on Sunday for South Carlsbad for four nights.I'll check around for some accommodating sights for your rig.

Thanks so much for that!

We saw alot of rigs larger than your toy hauler mostly on sites in the north end.Much wider sites on that end. They simply backed in parallel to the road and fence. South end is quiet but sites are more narrow and shallow and don't allow enough room for rigs your size.

Any idea what number some of those sites were? In the site I am checking it is difficult to tell the north end.
Thanks for the info.

[walker111]

thanks for that

[hwy395lvr]

walker111 wrote:

hwy395lvr wrote:
Doheny State Beach campground in Dana Point. I would say half of their sites would fit your rig.Right on the water,no stair climbing to get to the beach.No hook-ups at all though. It's in Orange County so just a hop skip & jump to Disneyland. Doheny has all your water activities including deep sea fishing that embarks 1/2 mile away from Dana Pt. harbor.Some pretty good restaurants walking distance from the campground.


I'm checking in on Sunday for South Carlsbad for four nights.I'll check around for some accommodating sights for your rig.

Thanks so much for that!

We saw alot of rigs larger than your toy hauler mostly on sites in the north end.Much wider sites on that end. They simply backed in parallel to the road and fence. South end is quiet but sites are more narrow and shallow and don't allow enough room for rigs your size.

[walker111]

Bigdog wrote:
We have stayed at Paradise by the sea, which can be a bit expensive, but again only a five minute walk from the beach. We have been staying at Guajome County park on the eastside of Oceanside lately and it's a pretty good place for the kids,, but you'll need to get res in NOW. There is also a park in Vista that's not too far off the main run to the beach, but I can't remember the name.

We did 4 nights at Guajome last trip. Liked it but we had ANTS move in!!!!
Price was really good.

Thanks

[walker111]

hwy395lvr wrote:
Doheny State Beach campground in Dana Point. I would say half of their sites would fit your rig.Right on the water,no stair climbing to get to the beach.No hook-ups at all though. It's in Orange County so just a hop skip & jump to Disneyland. Doheny has all your water activities including deep sea fishing that embarks 1/2 mile away from Dana Pt. harbor.Some pretty good restaurants walking distance from the campground.


I'm checking in on Sunday for South Carlsbad for four nights.I'll check around for some accommodating sights for your rig.

Thanks so much for that!

[WayneLee]

My favorite campground in North San Diego County is in Oceanside itself. It's called (link) Paradise By The Sea RV Resort. It's really little more than a paved parking lot, but they have a trail that leads to the beach and they are really close to downtown Carlsbad.

If you travel a little more south, then you can hit the Mission Bay campgrounds as mentioned before. One of the best campgrounds on San Diego Bay is the Chula Vista KOA, one of the best KOA's around. As others have said, you are probably too long for the State campgrounds on the beach.

If you like gambling, Pechanga Casino in Temecula has a great RV park and it's near all the wineries. And the Pala Casino (between Temecula and Escondido) just built a 100 space RV park that is really nice also.

Lots of RV parks and campgrounds in San Diego county, just not many near, or on, the beaches. If you have been in the military, there is a really nice campground right on the beach and on the Marine base, Camp Pendleton, open to active military and veterans only.

[Bigdog]

We have stayed at Paradise by the sea, which can be a bit expensive, but again only a five minute walk from the beach. We have been staying at Guajome County park on the eastside of Oceanside lately and it's a pretty good place for the kids,, but you'll need to get res in NOW. There is also a park in Vista that's not too far off the main run to the beach, but I can't remember the name.

[hwy395lvr]

Doheny State Beach campground in Dana Point. I would say half of their sites would fit your rig.Right on the water,no stair climbing to get to the beach.No hook-ups at all though. It's in Orange County so just a hop skip & jump to Disneyland. Doheny has all your water activities including deep sea fishing that embarks 1/2 mile away from Dana Pt. harbor.Some pretty good restaurants walking distance from the campground.


I'm checking in on Sunday for South Carlsbad for four nights.I'll check around for some accommodating sights for your rig.

[walker111]

Thanks all. keep them rolling in!

[Nunyadamn]

Sloop Smitten wrote:
South Carlsbad State Beach and San Elijo State Beach (Cardiff by the Sea) are both state campgrounds. They both have an extremely limited number of hook up sites with water and electricity. No sanitation hookup but both have dump stations. I would think 39’ would fit in one rated for 35’. You may have to park at an angle rather than parallel to the road. Oceanside does not have a beach side state campground so you are probably looking at a private RV park. They do have beachside camping at Oceanside Harbor but it is largely an asphalt parking lot with public restrooms. Harbor on one side and beach on the other. It is run by the harbor department. No hookups but a dump station is available.

If looking for a reservation at the state parks plan on being online at 8:00 AM on the first of the month, seven months in advance. Prepare a Reserve America account prior to making the reservation as the time it takes to create the account will kill your chance at a reservation. Research what sites you need and jump on them quickly. Have another person (or more) on another computer looking at other sites. If you both get sites (highly unlikely) you can cancel one.

An alternative is Silver Strand State Beach on the strand just south of Coronado Island. The chance of getting a reservation is much better there as they are across the highway from the beach but have a walkway under the road to the beach. Reserve America handles their reservations as well.

Other alternatives are Chula Vista RV Park on San Diego Bay. An excellent park.

Mission Bay RV Resort and Campland on the Bay are both on Mission Bay. Never been to Mission Bay RV but Campland is very nice. Since you have a truck the beach is only minutes away.

That should give you some alternatives to research.

You're giving away all of the secrets 😉

I am waiting to make reservations for Carlsbad as well for a week in July as well as a second week at Silver Strand. I have stayed at Silver Strand once before. It is on the side with the beach - I think you are looking at Fiddlers Cove which is military only. They have electric and water at every site now and a dump station. I would never stay there again if I can't get on the beach side. The side near the road is too loud with traffic. I was stationed at NAS North Island for years and never knew the traffic was so bad that early in the morning.

I have been looking at Carlsbad for a few years but haven't made it yet. I hope to get a good spot for July.

Campland is ok, but it is expensive. I lived 100 feet away from there for years and as a kid I used to go pick up visiting girls there. I stayed there last spring and it has gone downhill since the glory days I remember but the price is too much for what you get in my opinion. I agree it is great for kids and mine like it, but I personally would rather go north or south and stay on the beach.

To the OP - are you interested in going north of LA? If so, I would highly suggest you look into Jalama Beach. It is my favorite place, but you have to go the last week of July so you don't get the wind - I have only stayed once and that week was excellent. I have attached a photo of the campgrounds I have either stayed at or will stay at. There are plenty to choose from.
Southern CA Campground Map

[lfloom]

If I had kids (and I used to, before they grew up and moved out), Campland on the Bay would be the place to go. If you do not have kids, the place might seem a bit hellish.It is an amazingly high energy place, but there were wall to wall activities for the kids and they loved it. We used to go in the off season (homeschoolers) and there are a large amount of kids who live there year round, so it was quite a gang of kids.

[walker111]

Thanks for the great info. I am on this early and hence asking the questions. I have no problem going a bit north or south as long as we can swim and do the activities mentioned.

Thanks regarding Anaheim RV with the clearance issue. We were there as mentioned 3 years ago but with a 30 foot fifth. I think the only sites I could get my rig in would be the sites running through the middle as I did see some big rigs there.

Will research the campgrounds you guys provided.
Have a good one!

[lhenry8113]

Haven't been to "Campland on the Bay" near Mission Beach for a few years but we always had fun there. Great place for families and pretty much self-contained--little place to eat, swimming beach, store, bicycling around the campground, etc. We always stayed in the G or H section overlooking the Wildlife Sanctuary. Also, Mission Beach is a fun place to cruise around. Lars