Best Campgrounds near Santa Cruz, CA

Pretty & windy drive. No visitor center but rangers drove by once. We were the only ones at the site that night. It lightly rained but mostly the air was misty, & the fog got more dense as the night went on, but by the morning it cleared revealing a great view. (Site 8 seemed like it had an awesome view!)

Our site was right next to a trail but again we were alone so no issues. Didn’t get to try a trail this time but the campground is still just a pretty place to hang out. Picnic table, fire pit, & nearby water, trash can, & bathroom. Saw quails, a mouse, & a bobcat? Had a great time!

I recently spent a weekend at Veteran's Memorial Park Campground and had a fantastic experience. The grounds are well-maintained, the campsites are spacious, and the park offers a peaceful atmosphere surrounded by nature. Whether you're hiking, grilling, or just enjoying the fresh air, it's the perfect spot to unwind. One thing I really appreciated was the clean restroom facilities and how friendly the staff were. They genuinely care about making your stay comfortable. I brought along my laptop for some offline fun, and playing Minecraft with the Optifine mod made the serene forest setting even more immersive at night. If you're looking for a relaxing getaway with all the essentials covered, I highly recommend checking out Veteran's Memorial Park Campground.

I recently spent a weekend at Veteran's Memorial Park Campground and had a fantastic experience. The grounds are well-maintained, the campsites are spacious, and the park offers a peaceful atmosphere surrounded by nature. Whether you're hiking, grilling, or just enjoying the fresh air, it's the perfect spot to unwind. One thing I really appreciated was the clean restroom facilities and how friendly the staff were. They genuinely care about making your stay comfortable. I brought along my laptop for some offline fun, and playing Minecraft with Optifine mod made the serene forest setting even more immersive at night. If you're looking for a relaxing getaway with all the essentials covered, I highly recommend checking out Veteran's Memorial Park Campground.

This is a nice enough campground if you need a place to stay, but it's not our first choice for when we need something in this area. The sites are sort of awkwardly spaced and placed, and it's hit or miss if you get something level or private.  I think for tents this is a better campground, but for us in an RV it wasn't the greatest. But overall, still very nice, and it's a nice walk to the beach. Dogs are allowed on the beach.

We didn't have good cell reception (we did have some) in the campground, but on the beach the reception was great.  Showers were $0.25/min and they take quarters.  No dump station on site, and no hookups.

We took the "trail" to the beach one time, overgrown and grassy, and were all covered in ticks afterwards. Stick to the paved roads if you're walking to the beach, unless they mow or clean up the trail.  There's also a group camping area here.