Here are some of my favorite places to go camping in California. They are places that I've camped at that are family-friendly, easily accessible by car, and most have flush toilets, running water, and hot showers.

• Olema Ranch, Olema Valley near Point Reyes National Seashore. This is the best campground I've seen for families.They have nature programs and crafts for kids during the day and campfire shows in the evening.  Sometimes they show movies. Sometimes they have live presentations. In the summer, they have barbecue luncheons, including barbecued fresh oysters. The campground has very complete facilities. They have hot showers, a playground, game room, camp store, laundromat, post office, gas station, RV hookups, horseshoe courts, and lots of open grassy areas for playing. It's a private campground, but it's huge. It rarely fills up. I've been able to get a campsite there on a couple days notice before Labor Day weekend. Try that at Big Sur! If you call ahead for reservations, ask for a campsite in the trees close to the restrooms. Otherwise, you might get assigned a site in the overflow areas, which are less shady and farther from the showers. The campground is strategically located right next to the entrance to the Point Reyes Bear Valley Visitor's Center. Samuel P. Taylor State Park is a few miles east. Point Reyes Station, Inverness, and Tomales Bay State Park are a few miles north. Bolinas is a few miles south. The small town of Olema is next door. The Olema Valley is protected from the cold ocean wind and fog by the Bolinas Ridge. The Point Reyes area has endless recreational opportunities. Go to my hiking page on National Parks for more information on Point Reyes. (Note: this description was written in 1997. The campsite is under new ownership, so I don't know how much it's changed. It does have wireless Internet access now for a fee.)
  
  
• Samuel P. Taylor State Park, West Marin County. This park is in a wooded canyon along Papermill Creek. Sir Francis Drake Blvd. runs through the park, just before it reaches the Olema Valley. Unlike the Point Reyes Campgrounds, this has campsites under redwood trees. Salmon can be seen running in the creek in the winter. There's a swimming hole in the creek. The park has 61 family campsites with piped water and hot showers nearby. Some campsites are perched right on the banks of the creek. Others are a little farther up in the hills. There are 2 group campsites are on the north side of the creek. They can accommodate 50 and 25 people and have a large new restroom/shower facility. There's also a horse camp which can accommodate 25 people. There are day-use picnic areas in redwood groves, including a group picnic site. Trails abound through the park. There are flat trails along the creek, including a 3-mile paved bike trail. Other trails lead up into the hills, some with spectacular mountaintop views, views of waterfalls, and giant trees.
  
 
• Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Big Sur. This park is one of the crown jewels in the state park system. It's located along the Big Sur River, a few miles inland from one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world. It has family campsites in the redwoods along the Big Sur River. The river is mostly shallow and easily wadeable in the summer, but there are a few deep holes for swimming, particularly in the gorge area. The two large group sites are located just outside the main park, so they are quiet and isolated. You have to walk in a couple hundred yards and cross the river on a plank bridge, but it's worth it. The park is well-developed, with visitor's centers, amphitheater, 2 camp stores, hot showers, playing fields, laundromat, and even a lodge and restaurant. It's located in the town of Big Sur, so there are other facilities nearby, including some very expensive resorts.  Pfeiffer Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the state, is nearby. Because of all its attraction, Big Sur State Park may be the most in-demand state park for camping. Reservations, particularly during the summer, are an absolute must. Getting those reservations is as difficult as getting a reservation in Yosemite Valley. You have to call months in advance. See my hiking page for more information on Big Sur.
 

• Big Basin State Park, Santa Cruz Mountains. This huge park was California's first state park, acquired in 1902. It was formed to protect the giant redwood trees here, and has grown over the years. It has an extensive set of camgrounds, including group sites, family camps, trail camps, and horse camps. Most of the campsites are in cool, shady redwood groves. There are also tent cabins, which have cots and stoves for heating. The park has a visitor's center, campfire center, and guided nature walks.  This park is known for its long hiking trails through redwood forests, past waterfalls, and all the way down to the ocean.  It also has a short redwood nature trail past some awesome giant trees. There are also many shaded picnic areas.  The park is in the middle of the Santa Cruz Mountains, between Saratoga and Santa Cruz along winding Hwy 236, which is off nearly as twisty as Hwy 9.  Though it's longer if you're coming from San Jose, the route is straighter if you Take Hwy 17 to Mt. Herman Road, then take Hwy 9 north to Hwy 236. For more information, see my hiking page on state parks.
 
• San Mateo County Memorial Park, Santa Cruz Mountains. This park is located in the heart of a complex of adjoining parks: Pescadero, Sam McDonald, and Portola, linking to an extensive network of trails through the mountains. Memorial Park is located in the redwoods along Pescadero Creek. The family camps are on one side of the creek, while the 2 huge group camps are by themselves on the other side of the creek. The creek is dammed up during the summer and provides refeshing swimming holes.  The family camps are first-come first-served, so get there early if you want a spot on a summer weekend. The group camps can be reserved ahead of time, but they are very popular, so may be hard to get. See my San Mateo County Parks hiking page for more information.
 
• Calaveras Big Trees State Park along Hwy 4 in the Sierra Nevadas. This park was the site where the giant sequoia trees were first discovered by white men. Before Yosemite became popular, this park was the most popular tourist attraction in the Sierras. The giant trees and stumps here rival those in the nearby national parks. The park is divided in two by the canyon of the Stanislaus River.  The North campground is located on the north side of the river near Hwy 4. The pine-shaded campsites surround a broad grassy meadow. The Squaw Hollow Campround is farther down the canyon, closer to the river. The park road crosses the river, allowing access to it for fishing and swimming. It continues up the south shore to more hiking and picnicking areas, and a more remote and untouched grove of giant sequoias.


 
• Pinnacles National Monument, south of Hollister. This is a great place to go in the springtime and late fall, but not in the summer. It gets HOT out here. In the spring, however, the weather is just right, and the route to the park is paved with wildflowers. The large campground here is privately run, so it offers amenities you wouldn't find in a government-run park, such as a swimming pool. The campsites are shaded by trees and along a creek. The campground is down on the valley floor, with the jagged ridge of the Pinnacles looming high above to the west. The park offers hiking, rock-climbing, and caves to explore. See my national parks hiking page for more information.
 
• Henry Cowell State Park, Santa Cruz Mountains near Felton. This park is along Hwy 9, not far from Big Basin. It's smaller than Big Basin, but more easily accessible from Hwy 17, the main highway to Santa Cruz from the Bay Area. It has an impressive grove of giant redwood trees and access to the San Lorenzo River. There's a visitors center and picnic grounds along the river. The campground is located in a higher and warmer part of the park in a grove of bishop pines. You can walk uphill from the campground to a point with a view of Monterey Bay, or you can walk down to the cool redwood groves. Adjacent to the park is Roaring Camp, with its shops, barbecues, picnic areas, and steam train rides. See my state parks hiking page for more information.
 
• Marble Quarry Campground, Columbia State Historic Park. This private campground is located right next to Columbia State Historic Park in the heart of the Motherlode of the Sierras. It's a good place to camp out if you're touring the Gold Country. The campsites are tree-shaded, which is fortunate, because it can get hot up here in the summer. They have a swimming pool, shuffleboard courts, and a game room. See my Gold Country page for pictures of this region.
 
• Paul Dimmick Wayside Camp in Navarro Redwoods State Park, south of Mendocino. I've come here many times with friends on abalone-hunting trips. I don't dive for abalone, but I love eating it. This is a good place to camp for ab divers, as it is close to the coast, but inland enough so that it is sunnier and warmer than the coastal parks. It's right alongside Hwy 128 along the banks of the Navarro River. The campsites are in a second-growth redwood forest. Huge stumps and fallen trunks are reminders of the giants that were once here. The campsites are first-come, first-served, so go early to grab one on a summer weekend. The restrooms have running water, but no showers. The water is usuable for washing, but not officially-blessed for drinking, so you either have to filter it or bring your own drinking water.  See my North Coast Parks page for more information.

• Uvas Canyon County Park - This is one of the best places in the Bay Area for viewing waterfalls in the winter, a cool place to camp at other times. It has 1133 densely wooded acres on the eastern slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains, with steep trails leading to the summit. It has 25 reservable family campsites and a youth group campground for 40 people.
  
• Joseph D. Grant County Park - this is the largest Santa Clara County Park, with 9560 acres, located in the valley east of San Jose en route to Mt. Hamilton. It has miles of hiking trails, meadows, lakes, and creeks. Campsites are located in the rolling hills. It has 40 reservable family campsites with hot showers. There are group picnic sites and a youth camping area.
  
• Coyote Lake/Harvey Bear Ranch County Park - this long fishing and boating lake is located in the hills east of Gilroy. A campground with 74 sites is located in a tree-shaded flat right on the lakeshore. Miles of trails lead through the hills in the newly-opened Harvey Bear Ranch and Mendoza Ranch sections, which increased the size of the park to almost 4600 acres.
  
• Mount Madonna County Park - this 3688-acre park is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains along Hecker Pass between Gilroy and Watsonville. Groves of second growth-redwood trees provide for shady camping. It has 118 drive-in and walk-in campsites in 4 campgrounds. Group picnic, group camping, and youth camping areas are available. You can see white fallow deer in a pen. A nature trail leads around the ruins of the Henry Miller estate. The park also has a visitor center, amphitheater, and archery range.
  
• Portola Redwoods State Park - this park is located in a deep redwood-forested valley. Campsites are along the creeks.
• Butano State Park, (another link: Camping California's Wild Coast) - this redwood park is located near the coast. Creeks run through the park in fern-covered canyons.
• New Brighton State Beach - this very popular beach is located south of Santa Cruz. Campsites are on the coastal terrace above the beach. Trees provide scattered shade. Paths lead down the cliffs from the campground to the sandy beach.


• Russian Gulch State Park - this is a beautiful coastal park near Mendocino, with campsites along Russian Gulch Creek.
• Van Damme State Park - this coastal park is also on the coast near Mendocino with campsites along the Little River. Trails lead through lush fern canyons and pygmy forests.
• Hendy Woods State Park - this park is located in a forest of giant redwoods along the Navarro River, along Hwy 128. Campsites are located in the forests. It's inland from the Mendocino Coast, so it is warmer during the summer than the coastal parks.
• MacKerricher State Park - this large park is located on the coast north of Fort Bragg. It has lakes, meadows, beaches, and coastal bluffs.
• Angel Island State Park, "Alone on an Island (in San Francisco Bay) Angel Island State Park" - Angel Island is located in San Francisco Bay just off Tiburon. It's reached by ferry from San Francisco, Tiburon, and Vallejo. It's a popular place for bicycling and hiking. Views from the highest point, Mt. Caroline Livermore, are among the best in the Bay Area. A hike-in environmental campground is available for camping.
• Sanborn Skyline County Park - this is a beautiful park located in a redwood forest near Saratoga. There are RV and walk-in tent campsites. The walk to the tent sites can be steep, but they located in a deeply-shaded redwood grove. A nature science center is here, as well as a youth hostel.
• Saratoga Springs - this is a private campground along Hwy 9 near Saratoga in a redwood forest along Saratoga Creek. It has extensive facilities, including a swmming pool.
• Andrew Molera State Park - In sharp contrast with nearby Pfeiffer Big Sur, the campground at this park is rarely full. That's because it's in a open field with little shade and requires a 1/4-mile hike to reach it. It has running water and portable toilets. A mile hike leads to the mouth of the Big Sur River and a beautiful beach.
• China Camp State Park - this park is located near San Rafael on San Francisco Bay. It the site of a former Chinese shrimp-fishing village. There is a campground with walk-in campsites here.
• Other Bay Area Parks
  
• Castle Rock State Park
• Half Moon Bay State Beach
• Seacliff State Beach
• Sunset State Beach
  
• Mount Tamalpais State Park
  
• Henry Coe State Park
• Mount Diablo State Park
  
• Bothe-Napa Valley State Park
• Clear Lake State Park
• North Coast Parks
  
• Sonoma Coast State Beach
  
• Fort Ross State Historic Park
• Salt Point State Park
  
• Manchester State Park
  
• Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park
  
• Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park
• Humboldt Redwoods State Park
• Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
• Richardson Grove State Park
• Central Valley/Sierra Parks
  
• Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area
• Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
• San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area
  
• Millerton Lake State Recreation Area
  
• Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park
  
• Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park
• June Lake Loop
• Mammoth Lakes
• Ed Z'berg - Sugar Pine Point State Park, Lake Tahoe
• D.L. Bliss State Park, Lake Tahoe
• Emerald Bay State Park Boat Camp, Lake Tahoe
• Tahoe State Recreation Area
  
• Donner Memorial State Park
• Red Rock Canyon State Park
• Central Coast Parks
  
• Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
• Limekiln State Park
• San Simeon State Park
  
• Montana de Oro State Park
• Morro Bay State Park
• Pismo State Beach
  
• Santa Barbara-Ventura area beaches
• Carpinteria State Beach
• El Capitan Canyon Campground
• El Capitan State Beach
• Refugio State Beach
• Gaviota State Beach
• Emma Wood State Park, Ventura
• McGrath State Park, Ventura
  

• California State Parks
• California RV & Camping Guide
• US National Forest Campground Guide
• Northern California National Forests
• Bureau of Land Management in California: Camping
• UCB Parents Recommendations: Nearby Camping & Hostels
• Bay Area Backcountry
• Maintour Northern California Camping Tour Guide
• The Mining Co.: California Camping Destinations
• Petaluma KOA
• Go Camping America!
• San Francisco Outdoors: An Activity Guide for California's Golden Gate
• The Eastern Sierra Web Page
• High Sierra Campgrounds
• Malakoff & Co.: Gold Country Recreation
• American Camping Association
• Woodall's: Where to RV Camp
• California Camping and Service Network
• Robert's Camping Guide
• Alison Chaiken's Trips Around Northern California
• Rooms Plus Travel Guide: California Campground Directory
• CampNet America: Campground, RV Park, and Camping Directory
• CampUSA: California
• RV Journal Magazine
• Desert USA: Camping in the Desert
• Call of the Wild: Wilderness Trips for Women

The best book on camping in California that I've seen is California Camping by Tom Stienstra (Foghorn Press, San Francisco). It's a huge thick red book with ratings and personal opinions on just about every campsite in California.

Other books:

Moon Outdoors: California Camping by Tom Stienstra.
Menasha Ridge: Best in Tent Camping, Northern California by Bill Mai
Menasha Ridge: Best in Tent Camping, Southern California by Bill Mai
Menasha Ridge:  The Unofficial Guide to the Best RV and Tent Campgrounds in California and the West  by Joel Grossman and Christopher Books

AAA also has a guide and camping maps which you can pick up for free if you're a AAA member.

Ron Horii, San Jose
Created 10/5/97. Last update: 7/14/07