Best Glamping near Avalon, CA

Recent Glamping Reviews near Avalon, California

179 Reviews of 13 Avalon Campgrounds

• 

  Morgan F.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 27, 2018

  Two Harbors Campground

  Cool location, very crowded

  The location is awesome, two harbors has a summer camp feel. Easy little walk to town, great for those who dock their boats. VERY loud and crowded, my husband and I were exhausted after a long hike from Avalon.

• 

  robherr

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 11, 2018

  Hermit Gulch Campground

  Easy access to Avalon, hiking, and Wrigley Botanical Garden

  Hermit Gulch is in a little mountainous valley among Catalina's chapparrel covered slopes.

  Pros: the loacion is great, about a mile from Avalon and all of the snorkeling spots, and even closer to Wrigley Botanical Garden (which is a must-see while you're there). The campsite has showers, toilets, and shade (in spots). The sites are ok sized for tents. Wildlife comes through the campsite regularly.

  Cons: the pricing is per person rather than per site. Wildlife comes through the campsite regularly (7am about 100 crows fly down the valley squaking and cawing).

  Overall I would stay here again though.

• H

  Heather H.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 21, 2021

  Newport Dunes RV Resort

  Wonderful stay and close to home

  Great time “glamping”. Close to home with all the amenities!

• 

  Brianne S.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 23, 2020

  Moro Campground — Crystal Cove State Park

  Hiking & glamping!

  Great clean campground, beautiful views, short walk down to the beach! Lots of hiking trils around, or take the walk across the beach to the shake shack! Definitely recommend for a local glamping trip!

• 

  Morgan F.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 15, 2019

  Hermit Gulch Campground

  Awesome location no privacy

  This campground is cool because you can literally take a bus to it. It is right outside of Avalon and walking distance to everything. This is where the TCT begins.

• 

  Lyle F.

  Guide

  

  Feb. 4, 2021

  Hermit Gulch Campground

  Accessible, family friendly and close to everything Avalon has to offer

  This is a traditional, clean, accessible and beautiful. Just an easy option while staying on the island and enjoying all the city of Avalon has to offer. Close to Botanical Gardens, hiking and plenty of money spending opportunities including activities, food and entertainment. Speaking of spending money... you gotta get to the island first and then be prepared to drop some coin. =)

• 

  Kristil C.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 13, 2018

  Two Harbors Campground

  Island Life at it's Best

  Set on the the terraced edges of Catalina, the views last for days. Two Harbors is often overlooked for Avalon, but it's oh so much better. This side of the island features 1 large building that is their general store, bar, and restaurant, and that's it. It's quiet, peaceful, fun, has hiking trails everywhere, and you are almost guaranteed to see buffalo. The campground can get windy, so bring warm close and you have to carry it all in (well- on and off the boat, and if you want to wait they have a small shuttle to the campground although it's only about .5 mile walk). The beach is right off the campground, perfect for snorkeling and paddle boarding. There is also a rental office that can provide you with diving equipment, kayaks, and other fun water activities.

• J

  Jonathan K.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 24, 2020

  Hermit Gulch Campground

  Best Campground for beginner camper.

  A really nice campground. Only 30 mins walk or 5 minute bus ride from downtown Avalon. I highly recommend using the bus for the first and last trip when arriving as trying to walk there with all your gear can be quite challenging. If you need food or other provisions you can go to the Vons, or the ranger station(Open 6am-6pm), can provide ice, charcoal or propane. Showers only take quarters so make sure to bring quarters (1 quarter = 1 minute). I reccomend reserving a campsite near the back of the campground as there is more tree cover for shade and it gets you farther away from the main road that receives alot of loud golf cart traffic and can be extremely noisy(usually from 8am-4pm). There is an added bonus that I felt that made this campground unique to others that I've been to, which is there is sooooo much wildlife the frequently visits the campground. In one day we saw deer, quail, woodpeckers and the famous Catalina fox. This campsite is positively a must camp if you are on Catalina Island.

• 

  Morgan F.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 15, 2019

  Moro Campground — Crystal Cove State Park

  Typical Beach Campground

  Much like most California Beach Campgrounds, it is very crowded with little privacy. The beach is great but it is basically a glorified parking lot

• 

  Tim S.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 12, 2021

  Moro Campground — Crystal Cove State Park

  Laguna Beach getaway

  Luckily Booked last minute on reserve California (the worst web thing ever) on site 49. Looks like there is a oven view from every site. Close to beach and shopping.

• 

  Brian A.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 30, 2018

  Dockweiler Beach RV Park

  Fires on the Beach!!!

  This is a pretty great RV campground. One of the only in Southern California/Los Angeles area where you can have a fire on the beach.

• 

  susan S.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 24, 2022

  Moro Campground — Crystal Cove State Park

  Don’t break the rules

  Parked van sideways to get more privacy and went to shower and came back to a ticket. I didn’t read the camp rules, figured you could park any way you want in your site like all the other state park in Southern California.

• C

  Christopher V.

  Traveler

  

  May. 29, 2019

  Bluffs Campground — San Onofre State Beach

  Can’t beat the views !

  Hard to beat the scenery here. Camping cliff side along the beach in Southern California. The camp grounds are a little cramped. Seem more designed for RV’s and trailers but we don’t mind. You can take dogs here and hike down to the beach from trails 1&6. Bathrooms are clean. Only outdoor showers though. I’ll go again!

• 

  Veronica H.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 20, 2021

  San Onofre Recreation Beach and Camping

  Great place for surfers!

  We have stayed at San Onofre State Beach a couple times. The campground is on the bluffs, and nearby Old Man's beach has some of the best beginner's surfing waves in Southern California. The day use area gets crowded quickly during the summer, so be sure to arrive early. If you don't want to camp on the bluffs, consider heading a bit inland to San Mateo Campground, which connects to the beach via a 1 1/2 mile nature trail. It's a bit of a walk if you are carrying a lot of gear, but much quieter and more spacious.

• 

  Tabitha H.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 16, 2020

  Moro Campground — Crystal Cove State Park

  Glad it exists

  It’s pretty crazy to be camping among the million dollar homes but thankful we can. It’s a beautifully maintained spot on the cliff overlooking the ocean. So much nicer than many of the Southern California beach spots in that there is a bit more space and it's much nicer than a parking lot. Plus the fantastic benefit of miles of hiking trails right from the back of the campground and the ocean and beach right in front. Something for all. And if you want to go have a posh meal or shopping that’s just a minute away too.

  Be sure to go take a look at the Crystal Cove cottages while here, it’s a pretty special spot. Try and hit up the Shake Shack too!

  Only downside is not being able to have a fire but we just used our propane portable fire pit. Spots in the back have hookups and spots in the front are tent. The tent spots are a bit nicer and would fit small trailers.

• 

  Crystal C.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 23, 2018

  Bluffs Campground — San Onofre State Beach

  This is your true BEACH experience at San Onofre

  Only open during a portion of the year this campground is the true beach camping experience. While it can be used for day use throughout the year when I first visited this area I was so upset that it was not open and instead ended up staying at another campground.

  Upon my return I had to check it out and now it will be my exclusive campground when in the San Onofre area!

  The views of the ocean are amazing from the sites. There are pull in spaces that you can park a small RV or adventure vehicle or green space for tents. I noticed a lot of surfers pulling in when I was there and hiking their boards down the bluff while others pulled in by the Camp Pendleton Beach front for the rocky beach shores.

  The facilities include outdoor showers and sinks and nice bathrooms. It is perfect for a visit to the beach where you don't need a lot to make you happy.

  Stairs stagger down the bluffs toward the beach where there is a lifeguard stand and a vast beach area for anyone wanting to brave the cold waters. It is a perfect place to catch the sunset on any given night as you can see for what seems to be eternity.

  During the open season on weekends it fills up quickly, during the weekdays it is kind of busy as well but there are still some walk up spaces available. I would suggest calling for reservations in advance just to make sure.

  Camping on the bluffs is a bit more expensive than I typically would be wanting to spend to stay in my tent, $40 dry camping. No hook ups are available at sites and with the exception of some picnic tables there isn't much else to talk about in way of the actual location. You will also find that there is an additional fee if you reserve online for "convenience", that was annoying but standard for all campgrounds in California.

  Everyone I met there had such a chill vibe and so it made for a great camp.

  One perk to the expensive fee is it does allow you access to the San Clemente beach area which has hot showers and a little different view to check out!!

  TIPS:

  • If trying to walk in arrive early otherwise there will be little chance of snagging a spot.

  • Bring your firewood because there is none to forge and none available at the entrance.

  • Pack a wetsuit the water is COLD so if you are planning on being in and engaging in any water sports you will be thankful!!

• C

  Cassie R.

  Scout

  

  May. 22, 2018

  Hermit Gulch Campground

  A fun camping hideaway on the bustling Catalina Island

  I stayed here Labor Day weekend for tent camping! So, since I don't plan to camp here again for awhile, I should let you in on the secret(?) that the best campsite is Site 29!!! Reserve this one if you can!! It's the furthest away from the road and taxi dropoff, so it can be frustrating if you have to lug all your stuff, but it's well worth it. This site is much larger than the other sites. I think it's because it's at the end and it's not big enough to make into 2 separate sites. There's also a lot of shade relative to the other sites, which generally don't have much. This of course changes depending on the time of day. Site 29 also seems to be more separated from the other sites, whereas the other sites seem to be stacked on one another. 

  The ranger was very helpful. The bathrooms were pretty clean and well-stocked the whole time, which is impressive since it was such a busy weekend. 

  The shuttle is $2 exact change.

  I appreciate that there are covered trash cans scattered amongst the sites so we don't all have to lug our trash to a big smelly dumpster. 

  The ranger said that AT&T and Verizon have service at the campground. My friends have Sprint and they did not have service. 

  Ok that's all I can think of for now. Have fun camping here! :)

• 

  Kaitlyn B.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 17, 2024

  Hermit Gulch Campground

  Easy and great for first time campers

  Clean bathrooms, friendly rangers, nice layout, cute wildlife, close to TCT. Only issue, which is probably just on all of Catalina, is that late hours of the night people are driving up the road in their golf carts which are super loud. So don’t get a site near the road if your an early or light sleeper.

• 

  Katie R.

  Guide

  

  May. 8, 2017

  Two Harbors Campground

  Surpassed Expectations

  We visited Two Harbors in late April and stayed in the campground for 1 night. The views from our site were stunning. Stargazing was prime as well since there are virtually no lights in Two Harbors. The facilities include temporary toilets, running water, and showers .25 miles away back in to town. The campground offered easy access to the beach and delivered fire wood and water for a reasonable fee.

• 

  Roland B.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 1, 2017

  Two Harbors Campground

  Stunning Camp Site

  I am glad we pitched in a tent instead of paying for the high price hotels in town. The campground have toilets, running water, and showers. You can hike back in town which is about 1/4 miles away from the site. This campground is easy access to the beach and well maintained by the staffs. The staffs can deliver fire wood, propane/fuel, water for a fair price.

• C

  Coty S.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 3, 2020

  Two Harbors Campground

  Perfect beach front camp ground.

  I absolutely love this place.

• A

  Amber

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 30, 2020

  Two Harbors Campground

  Beautiful

  This is a nice spot to camp. A little pricey per night ($70) but sometimes you just gotta splurge. You do have to walk to your site which involves a few hills but I took a few breaks along the way and it was fine. You can pay to get your luggage delivered to your site I am unsure of the price. We got a foldable wagon to lug all our stuff to our site. Make sure you have a strong man. Lol walking the hills was enough for me I couldn’t imagine pulling a wagon full of gear as well. You can also get firewood delivered to your site no extra charge. It’s ten bucks a bundle. Two bundles lasted about 4 hours. The boat to and from Catalina only operates on certain days so make sure they fit your camping schedule. Lots of things to do. Scuba diving,kayaking, swimming, frisbee golf, and just relaxing enjoying the view.

• 

  Corey B.

  Ranger

  

  Apr. 14, 2022

  Two Harbors Campground

  Pricy but Fun

  We camped at two harbors in May of 2015 and had a lot of fun. We took the ferry to two harbors and walked up all of our gear to the site. It is a bit of a walk if you aren't packed correctly (we brought a cooler and it was a bit rough getting it up there). 

  The water in the harbor is super clear. We kayaked around the area and loved it. At night we had deer walking directly through our site as we were eating dinner (seriously on a few feet away). They didn't both anyone and were really cool to watch. 

  The price is steep especially counting in the ferry, but it was a lot of fun and I'd do it again. 

  The bar near the harbor was a nice plus as well. Getting a beer after kayaking during a  camping trip was fun.

• 

  Hayley K.

  Legend

  

  Feb. 20, 2020

  Two Harbors Campground

  Expensive but beautiful views

  We loved our stay here for a birthday trip! The sites are large and can fit multiple tents. There are picnic tables and fire pits. It seemed like it should have been packed but I think the price and ease of arrival keeps people away. 

  Easy walk down to the "town" of Two Harbors for a Buffalo Milk drink or across the island for views on the South Side of the Island. This is a great place to stay for the microbrew fest every year on the island. 

  You have to reserve on Reserve America. The sites are pretty expensive and charge by the person. $27-$29 (Winter- Summer pricing) for each person with a $10 reservation fee. You can only stay a total of 10 days and will need a camping permit to do so. You also need to have a boat ticket to take the ferry over and back. Book early if you can, especially during the Summer. You can also rent gear for the trip too if you are traveling to the island without gear. Pricing is on the website.

• 

  Heather L.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 18, 2022

  Two Harbors Campground

  LOVE this getaway!

  If you’re ever in a position to go camping in Catalina - DO IT!!! Two Harbors has stunning views, a great hiking trail, and easy access to showers, bathrooms, a small grocery, and a restaurant- get a Buffalo Milk at the bar, you won’t be disappointed.

• 

  Mandy E.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 31, 2018

  Two Harbors Campground

  Great views but crowded

  If you are hiking the TCT this is the stop that provides you with coin-operated showers, restaurants, a tiny grocery store, hand dipped ice cream, and a bar with outlets to charge your devices. The campgound is a short walk away from the town but tends to be crowded and noisy. However there are lobster to catch in the harbor and plenty or great spots to swim. Potable water available.

• C

  Cynthia M.

  Scout

  

  Feb. 18, 2023

  Newport Dunes RV Resort

  Nice RV park

  Each spot has fence around it which is nice. Very clean facility. A bit loud on the weekends.