Manchester State Park Campground

Went up the coast in June knowing it would be hard to find a spot. Just as I thought our chances were running thin we stumbled across this place. Mostly open sites, all were fairly secluded. Big spaces, clean area and ocean sounds abound. Kids loved it to ride their bikes around and I stressed less knowing there were few, if any, cars passing by. Site 6 had lots of Cypress trees for the kids to climb, too. We will be back!

Nice sites. Not very many trees. Next to koa. Just a power plant between you and the ocean via a long walk.

This was nice for our family. This was our kids first camping trip and it was indeed a low stress environment. Bathrooms were not usable in my opinion but I have a bathroom tent with potty so it didn’t bother us. Upon arrival you are responsible for having cash to place in a envelope with your vehicle info and it’s to be left in a box at the entrance. If your burning a wood fire stop prior at the KOA to get it as well as your cash if needed. Don’t expect to camp on the beach as the pictures will fool you as it did us! You will need a vehicle or bikes to get you to the beach. We went August 30th prior to Labor Day and the weather was ok, no stars expect cooling temps in the AM.

Plenty of sites to pick from on a Tuesday in June, about 5% occupancy. I would recommend the sites in the high 30's as they are more secluded.

This is a rustic but charming campground in a beautiful location. I visited on a weeknight in June and almost all of the campsites were vacant. The grounds were impeccably clean and freshly mown, and the camp host, Bob, was very friendly and helpful.

All bathrooms are vault toilets, and there are no sinks available. Water spigots are located throughout the campground, though, and the bathrooms were clean and almost odorless.

Incidentally, the larger bathrooms also have unbelievable acoustics. A better venue for singing the Halo theme would be difficult to find.

Manchester is a delightful spot to stay for the night or the whole week. The campground is clean, has a nice layout, and has very friendly hosts. Some spots are more exposed to the wind so if you have a tent or tent trailer you may want to check in with the host to find a spot that is more sheltered. There is a nice mile long trail that leads down to the beach. If you would rather drive and park there is a nice lot right by the dunes and the day use fee is included with your camping pass. There are some great beaches north of the campground as well. We recommend jughandle for a nice secluded beach without the large crowds. There is a KOA campground just up the road with a small store that has some essentials. If you are looking for a nice quiet place to post up and chill this is it. The roads leading to Manchester are a bit winding so make sure to prepare for that!

It is so wonderful. The campground is just above the driftwood beach offering walks in solitude with the breaking waves in the background.

Second time I've been here. Five years ago, I thought it was pretty bare-bones but just what I wanted: first-come, first-serve tent spot within 3 hours of San Francisco and within a walk of the ocean. No city lights to speak of = incredible stargazing. Oceanside = fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves. Did I mention first-come, first-serve? Nearly all the other campgrounds on the CA coast require a reservation 6 months in advance for weekends, with weekday availability not much better. This small campground had a number of empty spots available at 8pm on a Saturday.

This year, it was nearly the same story. Park funding cut back, so no host = no firewood (KOA up the road sells bundles for $8). And it's only open on weekends until further notice. The vault toilets had plenty of TP, and the sites were well maintained so clearly someone is looking after the place. In fact, the overgrown grass and coastal scrub that previously lent some extra privacy to sites was cut down, a bit of a bummer. Go for the spots on the northern loop. The trees there offer some wind protection and the views over the valley toward Alder Creek are worthwhile. I wanted to set up my hammock, but tree-less sites closer to the road render that a non-option. For site variety, spaciousness, privacy, and amenities, I'd say Manchester is more like 2-2.5 stars. But last-minute availability bumps it up to 3.

There is still a pasture full of cows across the street and the Pt. Arena lighthouse just beyond to greet you in the morning, and the ocean still crashes within earshot. Salt Point and Gualala campgrounds are warmer and woodsier. Mackerricher and Russian Gulch offer much more to do. But in a pinch, Manchester will continue to be my impromptu coastal road trip stopover.