G
Greg B.
Guide
GuideJalama Beach County Park
Jalama beach
The beach like it was in the old days. No developments other than the campground. Extremely family friendly and carefree. Beautiful beaches for long walks and great surf.
Camping near Avilla Beach, CA
96 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
Camping options around Avila Beach, California range from shoreline RV parks to hot springs and recreational lake facilities, with most campgrounds concentrated within a 10-mile radius of this Central California coastal community. The area includes Pismo State Beach campgrounds (North Beach and Oceano), which offer tent and RV camping with beach access, as well as TV Tower Road dispersed camping in nearby Santa Margarita for those seeking more primitive experiences. Developed campgrounds such as Lopez Lake Recreation Area provide amenities including electric hookups, showers, and cabin rentals, while Port San Luis RV Campground offers waterfront dry camping with ocean views.
Seasonal considerations impact camping availability, with many developed campgrounds operating year-round but experiencing high demand during summer months. Most established campgrounds in the region require reservations, particularly during weekends and holidays when sites fill quickly. The climate remains mild throughout the year, though coastal fog can occur, especially in early summer. The terrain ranges from beachfront settings to inland lakes, with varying amenities at each location. Cell service is generally reliable throughout the area except at more remote dispersed camping locations. As one visitor noted, "The RV spots are spacious with many being parallel to the beach. All spots in Nobi and Wyandot are dry camping unless you're in the paved parking lot farther down."
Mixed-use campgrounds dominate the camping landscape near Avila Beach, with facilities catering to various accommodation preferences. Several visitors highlighted the area's proximity to attractions as a major benefit, with one camper reporting that "there is a bike path (5 miles round trip) that leads to the beach. The path is along a creek, surrounded by trees, and goes through a golf course." The nearby hot springs resorts receive mixed reviews, with some appreciating the soaking opportunities while noting limitations with the camping areas. Noise levels vary significantly between campgrounds—highway proximity affects some locations like Avila-Pismo Beach KOA, while oceanfront sites at Port San Luis provide peaceful settings with excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, including sea otters visible in the kelp beds during late afternoon hours. Campers seeking the best camping near Avilla Beach should consider booking well in advance, especially for waterfront campsites that offer direct beach access.
Best Campgrounds near Avilla Beach (96)
1. Oceano Campground — Pismo State Beach
"Popular with families and groups Grass around tent sites still green. Most parking spots close to level but bring some blocks. Individual large restrooms with flush toilets and sinks."
"Tucked behind the dunes (and you definitely want a site next to the dunes!)"
from $35 - $50 / night
Check Availability2. Morro Bay State Park Campground
"This is my go to spot when traveling between Northern and Southern California. Conveniently located near to the town of Morrow Bay, but just far enough to feel away from it all."
"Unlike many state campgrounds you find near the highway or railroad tracks, this one is located a nice distance from the road. Still, it is within walking distance to a small marina and restaurant."
from $35 - $165 / night
Check Availability3. TV Tower Road Dispersed Camping
"The dense vegetation off the road and the compact soils can makes a bathroom situation difficult. Please be prepared and responsible and don't leave TP or trash like some others did."
"The drive up is a bit treacherous but nothing unbearable. Our car can off road quite well, but our friend had a Volkswagen Golf and it also did perfectly fine and never bottomed out."
4. Islay Creek Campground — Montaña de Oro State Park
"Quiet, peaceful and surrounded by skies perched out atop a hill."
"It was peaceful, beautiful surroundings, and a decent amount of space between campsites. The coastal air, hills, and nearby ocean views made it a great escape."
from $25 - $150 / night
Check Availability5. North Beach Campground — Pismo State Beach
"The beach is steps away. And the community has a good walking path and restaurants within walking distance."
"Turns out they had 8 and the park ranger let me drive in to scope it out. I picked a site close to the beach and even better my Oceano reservation could be transferred. Yay."
from $35 / night
Check Availability6. Pismo Coast Village RV Resort
"Steps away from the ocean. We will return."
"This is a pricey rv park, but great location and very busy. It is competitive with the others around and think it was the best one in the area."
7. Lopez Lake Recreation Area
"It was located right next to the water park but they had already closed for the season."
"Lopez Lake Recreation Area is 15 minutes behind the “Village” of Arroyo Grande, CA."
from $60 - $70 / night
Check Availability8. Morro Strand State Beach Campground
"Located just off Highway One between Morro Bay and Cayucos, the grounds look somewhat like a parking lot with trees and shrubs separating it from the sand dunes and the ocean."
"Beach walks can be nice... with scenic views up and down coast. Also neighborhood walks along bluff above campground are relaxing. Restrooms clean but basic."
from $35 - $50 / night
Check Availability9. El Chorro Regional Park
"They do charge extra for dogs, $3.50/day/dog, but was well worth it as they have beautiful large dog parks a mile behind the campsite."
"This is a great campground close to San Luis Obispo. It is great for tent or RV camping and is located near a park, garden, and golf course."
from $38 - $65 / night
Check Availability10. Morro Dunes RV Park
"California, Morro Dunes RV Park Located right on the beach and ocean near Morro Rock. Within walking distance from Downtown Morro Bay.
Directions: From highway 1 exit at E. G."
"Great access to bike path and just a few minutes walk or bike ride to down town/harbor with harbor shops and restaurants. Amazing view of Moro rock, super close by!"
from $35 - $74 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 4 min from San Luis Obispo, CA
- 22 min from Santa Maria, CA
- 1 hr 52 min from Hanford, CA
- 2 hrs 10 min from Bakersfield, CA
Recent Camping Photos near Avilla Beach, CA
173 Photos of 96 Avilla Beach Campgrounds
Stanley
Flying Flags Avila Beach
Raf A.
Avila Hot Springs
Bridgette H.
Flying Flags Avila Beach
Alexandra T.
North Beach Campground — Pismo State Beach
John Y.
Coastal Dunes RV Park & Campground
Alex M.
Oceano Campground — Pismo State Beach
Katie W.
El Chorro Regional Park
The Dyrt
Pacific Dunes Ranch
Teresa S.
Pismo Sands RV Park
Lindsay C.
Islay Creek Campground — Montaña de Oro State Park
Chanel C.
TV Tower Road Dispersed Camping
Chanel C.
Morro Bay State Park Campground
Recent Reviews near Avilla Beach, CA
787 Reviews of 96 Avilla Beach Campgrounds
- ssheena C.
ScoutPismo Coast Village RV Resort
Pismo coast village
First time here with our 5th wheel. It was a great stay and we had a fantastic site. All the amenities you could need and easy access to beach, stores and freeway!
Anthony M.
TravelerPismo Coast Village RV Resort
Great coastal park
Friendly staff and nice park. We found the sites to be roomy in the section we were in with a 10ish foot stretch of grass between the us and the people behind us. Park is dog friendly and has plenty of amenities and a really good section of RV needs in the shop. Best part is a really short walk to the beach (dog friendly) and a short walk to Pismo which has awesome shops, food, pier, beach, and atmosphere. Definitely a fav of ours!
Brian Y.ScoutMorro Bay State Park Campground
Convenient Location - average facilities
This is my go to spot when traveling between Northern and Southern California. Conveniently located near to the town of Morrow Bay, but just far enough to feel away from it all. There is a marina right across the street from the entrance with a nice restaurant with great sunset views. Standard state park amenities that could use a little bit of TLC but clean and operational. My site, #98, is next to the camp road and recycling so I suggest finding another.
- ssteven D.Traveler
Morro Strand State Beach Campground
One Night Stay
The campsite itself was clean but You Will be right next to other campers. The restrooms were clean but there are no showers at this campground. Beach access is good and beach is beautiful. If there is overcast your camp will get wet. Cover anything you want to stay dry. Would definitely go again
- ttaylorTraveler
TV Tower Road Dispersed Camping
Quiet and free camping with a view
Showed up at 11pm on a Tuesday night. There are multiple spots off a dirt road atop the hill. There were multiple others car camping but we were able to find a spot and didn't even make it as far as the provided coordinates. Temperatures were great and it was quiet at night and all through the morning. Only 1 hiker and one cyclist passed by. Thete were some smaller clearance vehicles but I think they'd be limited how far down sone of the roads they can go. We camped in a rooftop tent on a Tacoma. I wouldn't recommend tent camping here due to limited space and barely being off the road although there may be a few spots. Downsides to this spot is a lot of uneven ground, hard compact soils, some scattered poison oak, and scattered trash. The dense vegetation off the road and the compact soils can makes a bathroom situation difficult. Please be prepared and responsible and don't leave TP or trash like some others did. The best was the morning view: waking up on a hilltop surrounded by clouds. The quiet space and morning views and agility to find someone space at 11pm despite other campers was a positive.
Rhonda L.TravelerVines RV Resort, A Sun RV Resort
Vines is awesome
Very helpful and amazing amenities , super helpful with questions
- Rhonda L.Traveler
Cypress Morro Bay RV Park
Great
Great sites very clean
Lee D.
LegendIslay Creek Campground — Montaña de Oro State Park
Rugged coast camping at the end of the road
General: 47-site campground at the end of the road. No utilities and no (or very limited) cell service.
Site Quality: All camper pads are paved and wide enough to fit two vehicles. No designated tent pad (but there is room to pitch a tent). RV size is limited to 27 feet. A fire pit, wooden picnic table, and food box complete each site. Most sites are level, but a few are slightly sloped. Good amount of space between sites.
Bath: Vault toilets only; the one nearest our site was clean and well-maintained. I have never seen a vault toilet with a linoleum floor!
Activities/Amenities: Many trails – some just for hiking, but many are multi-use (for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders), and they range from easy to challenging. The Bluff trail has stunning views when the campground is not shrouded in fog. The sunsets can be beautiful as well. The Spooner Ranch House visitor center is worth a quick visit if it is open (hours vary). No dump station, and there are shared water spigots. Firewood is available from the camp host. The host was very present and friendly when we were there.
This is camping the way I like it – no frills, just time to relax and take in the rugged coastline. At night when it is quiet, you can hear the waves. The beach is pebbly sand and not the best for walking on, but nice to take chairs there and enjoy the waves. Poison oak grows throughout the campground, so be cautious.
Guide to Avilla Beach
Campgrounds near Avila Beach, California provide direct beach access options within minutes of the Central Coast shoreline. The local terrain creates diverse microclimates where coastal fog regularly burns off by mid-morning during summer months, while winter temperatures rarely dip below 45°F. Trails connecting many campgrounds to beaches aren't regularly maintained after winter storms, so checking current conditions before arrival is recommended.
What to do
Beach hiking trails: 5 miles from Avila Beach: At Lopez Lake Recreation Area, campers can access nearby trails. "There is a bike path (5 miles round trip) that leads to the beach. The path is along a creek, surrounded by trees, and goes through a golf course," notes one visitor about the nearby area.
Wildlife viewing: Dawn and dusk best times: Montaña de Oro State Park offers excellent wildlife spotting. "I've lived only several hours away for 11 years without knowing this simple loop campground was even here. The state park offers days worth of outdoor activity and views forever and ever, with the ability to feel alone only miles from town," reports Ryan W.
Water activities: Rent equipment at marinas: Lopez Lake offers various water sports facilities. "The lake is wonderful and usually very mellow. Kayaking and fishing are both nice at Lopez as well," notes Crystal J. The nearby marina stores often rent equipment during summer months at reasonable rates.
What campers like
Easy beach access: 2-minute walk: Oceano Campground provides quick beach access. "This campground is awesome. It's very beautiful, with lots of wildflowers, trees, trails, beach dunes…and squirrels. Lots of them. But we also saw and heard hawks, turkey vultures, owls, and many other birds," shares barbara M.
Moderate temperatures: Pack layers: The coastal location moderates temperatures year-round. "Weather can be fickle with cold, wind and fog even in summer. Quiet at night. A few sites have beach views," says Leonard H. about Morro Strand State Beach Campground.
Less crowded offseason camping: Late September-April: Many campsites near Avila Beach offer more availability during shoulder seasons. "We went in January and had no idea about the Monarch Butterflies. About 300 feet from the campsite is a grove of trees where thousands of Monarchs fly and mate," Garrett M. says about Oceano Campground.
What you should know
Ticks present in some areas: Check regularly: Some campgrounds report tick issues. "Although the location is very scenic and a 10 min walk to the beach, I wouldn't return because there are ALOT of ticks at the campground. We went with a party of 11 and found multiple ticks on 5 people," warns Val H. about Montana de Oro State Park.
Road conditions to dispersed sites: 4WD recommended: Some remote sites require appropriate vehicles. "Wasn't sure I was going to make it even with my Subaru Forester. It's absolutely gorgeous up here! Can't set up my bathroom and have a lot of vertigo though," notes Chastity R. about TV Tower Road Dispersed Camping.
Wildlife encounters: Secure food properly: Many campgrounds have active wildlife. "Raccoons will 100% rush your site as soon as you go to sleep to see if there are any fun goodies laying about. Put stuff away. Some sites have bear boxes, so I assume...bears," advises Ryan W.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Avilla Beach, CA?
What camping is available near Avilla Beach, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Avilla Beach, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 96 campgrounds and RV parks near Avilla Beach, CA and 8 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Avilla Beach, CA?
Which is the most popular campground near Avilla Beach, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Avilla Beach, CA is Oceano Campground — Pismo State Beach with a 4.1-star rating from 67 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Avilla Beach, CA?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Avilla Beach, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 8 free dispersed camping spots near Avilla Beach, CA.
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