Top Tent Camping near Avilla Beach, CA

Looking for tent camping near Avilla Beach? Find the best information on tent campgrounds near Avilla Beach, including sites, reviews, and tips. Whether you're looking for a quiet, dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.

Best Tent Sites Near Avilla Beach, CA (13)

    Camper-submitted photo from KOA Campground Santa Margarita
    Camper-submitted photo from KOA Campground Santa Margarita
    Camper-submitted photo from KOA Campground Santa Margarita
    Camper-submitted photo from KOA Campground Santa Margarita
    Camper-submitted photo from KOA Campground Santa Margarita
    Camper-submitted photo from Colson Canyon Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Colson Canyon Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Colson Canyon Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Colson Canyon Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Colson Canyon Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Colson Canyon Campground

    2.

    Colson Canyon Campground

    6 Reviews
    22 Photos
    42 Saves
    Santa Maria, California

    Colson Campground is a primitive campground located approximately 40 miles from the city of Santa Maria, CA. There are five campsites with tables and fire rings. There is no running water and no bathroom. Popular campground for hunters, as this campground is easy access to the Alejandro Trail. Please pack out all of your trash.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Tents
    • Group
    • Equestrian
    • Picnic Table
    Camper-submitted photo from Miranda Pine Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Miranda Pine Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Miranda Pine Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Miranda Pine Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Miranda Pine Campground
    Camper-submitted photo from Miranda Pine Campground

    3.

    Miranda Pine Campground

    4 Reviews
    7 Photos
    139 Saves
    Carrizo Plain National Monument, California

    Nestled in the pines. Nice vistas of the Cuyama Valley.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • ADA Access
    • Tents
    • Group
    • No image available

      4.

      Barrel Springs Campground

      2 Reviews
      36 Saves
      Los Alamos, California

      Adjacent to La Brea Creek. Located in canyon bottom, surrounded by oak trees.

      • Pets
      • Fires
      • Tents
      • Equestrian
      • Cabins
      • Tent Cabin
      Camper-submitted photo from Brookshire Campground
      Camper-submitted photo from Brookshire Campground
      Camper-submitted photo from Brookshire Campground
      Camper-submitted photo from Brookshire Campground
      Camper-submitted photo from Brookshire Campground
      Camper-submitted photo from Brookshire Campground

      5.

      Brookshire Campground

      2 Reviews
      7 Photos
      32 Saves
      Carrizo Plain National Monument, California

      Nestled in the oaks. Provides opportunity for those seeking solitude.

      • Pets
      • Fires
      • ADA Access
      • Tents
      • Group
      • Equestrian
      Camper-submitted photo from Lake San Antonio - North Shore
      Camper-submitted photo from Lake San Antonio - North Shore
      Camper-submitted photo from Lake San Antonio - North Shore
      Camper-submitted photo from Lake San Antonio - North Shore
      Camper-submitted photo from Lake San Antonio - North Shore
      Camper-submitted photo from Lake San Antonio - North Shore
      • No image available

        7.

        Wagon Flat Campground

        1 Review
        3 Saves
        Los Padres National Forest, California

        Adjacent to La Brea Creek. Located in canyon bottom, surrounded by oak trees.

        • Pets
        • Tents
        • Equestrian
        • Cabins
        • Standard (Tent/RV)
        • Tent Cabin
        Camper-submitted photo from Bates Canyon Campground
        Camper-submitted photo from Bates Canyon Campground
        Camper-submitted photo from Bates Canyon Campground
        Camper-submitted photo from Bates Canyon Campground
        Camper-submitted photo from Bates Canyon Campground
        Camper-submitted photo from Bates Canyon Campground

        8.

        Bates Canyon Campground

        4 Reviews
        11 Photos
        34 Saves
        New Cuyama, California
        • Pets
        • Fires
        • Phone Service
        • Tents
        • Group
        • Standard (Tent/RV)
        • No image available

          9.

          Friis Campground

          Be the first to review!
          4 Saves
          Santa Margarita, California

          Adventure Pass ($5/day or $30/year), or Annual Interagency Pass required.

          • Tents
          • Toilets
          • No image available

            10.

            American Canyon Campground

            Be the first to review!
            6 Saves
            Santa Margarita, California

            Located among oaks and chaparral vegetation. Recreational vehicles or trailers no longer than 25 feet.

            • Pets
            • Tents
            • Toilets
          Showing results 1-10 of 13 campgrounds

          Recent Tent Reviews In Avilla Beach

          536 Reviews of 13 Avilla Beach Campgrounds


          • Camper-submitted photo from Military Park Vandenberg AFB Pine Canyon Campground
            September 5, 2024

            Military Park Vandenberg AFB Pine Canyon Campground

            Nice and quiet

            Located on Vandenberg base which requires a membership card (military I.D.) This helps keep the camp site more private. No one goes here. It is tranquil and has trails to hike and lakes to fish in. Hunting is also allowed during select seasons. If you like quiet and keep to yourself, this is the place. There are no trash cans and a permit is required for campfire. There are a couple of port-a-pots and they are very clean. Go SpaceForce! Lastly, watch out for poison oak. Stay on the trails and all is well. Semper Fi.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Lopez Lake Recreation Area
            August 20, 2024

            Lopez Lake Recreation Area

            Not our scene: hot, crowded, buggy

            We had reservations for 2 nights on an Augugst Friday / Saturday at Lopez Lake in a full-hook-up site in Bandtail (Site 38). The reviews of this place were great, and the photos were beautiful. We arrived to find a HUGE park (yes, I should have noted how many campsites there are). Check-in involved parking our van and standing in line like Disneyland. The park employees were nice though. There were big signs all around "NO FIRES" (more on this later) and I was also told at check in that there were no fires. We found our site easily enough, only to realize how closely packed the sites were in Bandtail. Some nice folks to our right had three sites - 11 kids and 21 people between them. The kids rode their bikes all over, and even onto our site (while also running around our van chasing a chipmunk). We had our daughter's dog, so tried sitting outside in the shade, only to find that in addition to the heat (it was mid 80s), there were biting flies. :( Poor puppy got bit or stung more than once. So we went in our van and turned on the AC (it could run on low with the 20A service there). Then, after dark, a dad and his young son arrive on our other side and had to back in their boat in the dark. We got out of our rig and helped them (twice) with our portable lights and guidance. In the morning, they spoke in very loud voices and we were right next door. We did take one of the trails in the heat, but they are not at all well maintained - basically trampled grass that could easily hold a snake. While the area is pretty, it is just way too crowded for our taste. Oh, and the bathrooms were dimily lit, had a couple of non-functioning toilets, and were dirty. We were ready to get out of there and will not be back. Lastly, though the fire danger was marked as extremely high and "NO FIRES" signs at check-in, along with verbal warnings of no fires, I saw two campsites had open fires in the fire pits. This blatant lack of regard for rules and safety didn't sit well with me. And no one was enforcing the fire ban. Sad.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach
            August 17, 2024

            Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach

            Great Campground

            We stayed here a few years ago, but on the primitive / non-hookup side. We stayed on the E/W hookup side this time and liked it as well, though it does have the more typical RV/parking lot feel as compared to the other side.  There's a nice walking trail that connects the two sides. It's $50 for an E/W site, plus an $8.25 reservation fee.

            There's a cool lagoon that you can walk all the way around on, with lots of birds, and much of it accessible as well which is nice. There's a cool visitor center, open 12-4. The beach is a short walk away. There's a great Mexican restaurant down the road also, Old Juan's, it's so good and has great vegan options.

            The showers here are nice and clean, and $1 gets you 4 minutes.  The showers are individual, private, and non-gendered. There was no host on site when we were there, but the rangers were very present.  This campground, like all California State campgrounds we've been to recently, has trash, recycling, and a food compost bin which I love.

            There's a fun game for kids where you download an app and go on a scavenger hunt and complete other challenges.

            No dump station here, but there's one just 2 miles north at North Beach Campground, and it's $10 for dump and water fill there.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area Campground
            August 17, 2024

            Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area Campground

            4 x 4 recommended

            We love being able to camp directly on the beach, and have done so many times in Texas and in Louisiana, but wouldn't recommend it here unless you are in a 4wd. We did see 2 skoolies on the beach, but then we also saw a pickup truck stuck in the sand in the parking lot outside of the beach, so there's that.

            Camping overnight is only $10, and the beach is wide open for camping. It was very busy during the day on a weekday in August, so I can imagine the weekends are packed. 

            This is a fun beach in a fun, low key beach town, and we love coming here.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Morro Bay State Park Campground
            August 3, 2024

            Morro Bay State Park Campground

            Nicer when it's not crowded

            We stayed here last year when the area was getting hit by severe storms and flooding - so the campground was almost empty. We loved the campground then and gave it 5 stars. This year when we stayed it was packed, and definitely not as nice of an experience.

            The previous review mentions the awkward walk to the showers, and I will agree with that. You either have to go through someone's site, or walk all the way to the end of the road. We got lucky and got to cut through some vacant sites to get to the showers.

            We do still love this campground though, because of the boardwalk in the estuary and all the bird sightings there. We got to visit the museum this time as well, small and cute and well worth the $3 entry fee. The restaurant is still there but we didn't go this time. Next time we go we will rent kayaks and explore the water some more. There's a golf course here adjacent to the campground as well.  The town of Morro Bay is cute and relaxed and fun to visit.

            There's a dump station here but it's not free even for campers - it's a $10 fee you pay with your credit card right at the dump.  Showers were ok, no complaints.

            This is a good, low key and decently priced campground that we'll definitely stop at the next time we're going through the area.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Morro Bay State Park Campground
            August 2, 2024

            Morro Bay State Park Campground

            "Last resort" campground, 3 stars at best

            - PROS -

            Beautiful location <5 minute drive away from the beach and Morro rock. SLO is close, and the coast is always nice. There's a pretty boardwalk trail next to the site as well (see photos).

            - CONS -

            These aren't camp sites, they're parking spots with a fire pit on dead grass and weeds. You're packed like sardines next to adjacent campers. It's unclear where the boundary of each others' site is. For facilities, they do have big bathrooms, showers, and dumpsters… but they're all filthy and unkempt. And even though the bathrooms may be right next to your site, there's no way to get to them without walking through another person's camp site or going all the way around– down the road or around many camps. We had a crotchety old man get mad at us for walking somewhat through his site. I enjoyed my stay, but only because I wasn't the one paying for the site.

            TLDR: This site functions moreso as an overnight parking spot than it does a campsite.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Lake San Antonio - North Shore
            July 11, 2024

            Lake San Antonio - North Shore

            Weekend Trip

            Great camp ground. Launched the boat and anchored it to shore. Literally had the place to ourselves. Fishing was great from shore in morning and dusk. They had clean bathrooms and showers.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Jalama Beach County Park
            July 3, 2024

            Jalama Beach County Park

            Never disappoints

            Jalama Beach offers great walks along a long beach that is nestled in a cozy bay. Surfers, couples & families can enjoy this beautiful place. Watch for tar on the sand & pack some petroleum jelly to help remove it in case you step on it barefoot. There’s a small freshwater stream that flows right into the shore where your pets & kids like to splash around & play. Lots of driftwood & rocks pepper the shore so bring water shoes.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Morro Bay State Park Campground
            June 29, 2024

            Morro Bay State Park Campground

            Great location, dirty facilities

            You can’t beat the location- across from Marina , trails and walking distance to Morro bay town. , the restrooms and shower facilities were always filthy and running out of toilet paper. Bring your own soap and TP 

          • Camper-submitted photo from Lopez Lake Recreation Area
            June 27, 2024

            Lopez Lake Recreation Area

            Great time with the whole family

            Large sites with plenty of room for tents and all the other camping necessities. This site backs up into the hills and there are black bears that roam the area so be sure to prepare for that. The lake is full and lots of areas to fish.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach
            May 31, 2024

            Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach

            Beautiful, but a little squirrely

            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. We also saw a cute little weasel. There’s also lots of rangers, which makes for very well-mannered campers. Loved it!! You can walk to the beach or drive on the beach. Driving in the beach was fun, but it was so windy and so cold! This was the end of May. Not sure what the weather is over months. The actual campground was not as cold or windy, since it’s behind the dunes. The bathrooms have hot water and Flush toilets. Showers are huge and are self-contained and not in the bathrooms. Tokens needed. Starting in May there’s a market night at the main pier, small but fun to visit. Lots to do, from renting dune buggies to playing at the main pier. Loved it and can’t wait to go back. Oh, and about the squirrels. They’re not afraid. They ate through my little pantry that’s canvas that’s connected under my table. Also, mosquitoes! How could I forget. Bring bug spray and citronella or thermacills. They’re out and about and it’s not fun if you’re not prepared. There’s a Walmart not too far away. After the citronella incense weren’t working, we went to Walmart and it was war! Another note, campsite 68 does not look like the photo. Tree is gone and the ice plant has invaded the site and made it smaller. One tent will fit, not another.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Avila Hot Springs
            May 25, 2024

            Avila Hot Springs

            Small hot spring pool and loud and cramped camping area

            Only one small shallow hot spring pool, usually crowded at peak hours. At the pool there is outdoor showers, lap pool, indoor bathrooms, changing rooms.

            Camping area is small and it’s basically a dirt parking lot. Loud road noise all night and day from the freeway. Lots of pincher bugs infested my gear. Not peaceful. Better to just visit for a soak, they have cheaper rates for a morning or evening visit.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach
            May 19, 2024

            Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach

            Great campground, camp hosts not so much

            I’ve been coming to this campground for years with friends. It’s an awesome spot. Bathrooms are generally clean however you do need tokens for the showers and the machine only accepts cash so make sure you have some dollars. You get two tokens for a dollar and each token gets you 2 min of shower time. They have garbage and recycling too. The camp hosts are a bit militant about the rules so don’t break them. They have zero tolerance and don’t put up with anything. Also keep your dog on a leash. Someone’s dog attacked another dog this morning and the State Park LEO were on site.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Morro Bay State Park Campground
            May 15, 2024

            Morro Bay State Park Campground

            Nice, quiet location.

            Not a lot of privacy, but generally quiet and no road noise to speak of. 10-15 min bike ride to town. Only downside is that showers became coin-op some time within the past year. Bring some cash to buy shower tokens....wish I'd known!

            Note: The pull-in for site 118 isn't quite level. Not too bad if you back all the way in, but still not level.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach
            May 9, 2024

            Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach

            Great location for beach and dunes access.

            Very nice SP campground. Don't try to check in early, you will get suggestions to park until check in time of 2pm. Once in, the sites with hook ups sans sewer, will actually be pull through sites, which was nice. From there, you can walk. ride or drive on to the beach. There are paths around the camp that go around the estuary type lagoon. Dune trails are nice for hiking although some thick sand in places. We rode our bikes on the beach. Low tide makes it very easy with wet packed sand. The sites are spaced pretty well. We will be back for sure.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Islay Creek Campground — Montaña de Oro State Park
            May 3, 2024

            Islay Creek Campground — Montaña de Oro State Park

            Beautiful, clean & quiet

            One of my favorite established campgrounds this far. Small and secluded and plenty of space between most sites. Wood and water both widely available, not sure about electric though. Short walk to Bluff Trail trailhead and Spooner’s cove.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach
            April 24, 2024

            Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach

            Green grass near beach

            Green, grassy campground with well separated spaces. Most pull thru and level. All surrounded by grass for nice tent camping. Surf sound is continuous. Masks other sounds except noisy generator in next site. Nice restrooms

          • Camper-submitted photo from Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach
            April 21, 2024

            Oceano County Campground — Pismo State Beach

            Ocean front recreation

            Ocean front, off road sand dune recreation if you have a capable vehicle. It’s great. Best with an off-road capable vehicle. Bathrooms are a bit rough without running water.

            Fish, drive off-road, camp, bonfire or hunt for seashells.

            Bring a good jacket in April.

          • Camper-submitted photo from Locatelli Vineyards & Winery
            April 3, 2024

            Locatelli Vineyards & Winery

            I'm #o Happy to have support in my dreams

            They called me and told me they loved my story and dreams and wanted to help me with the dreams I have with my future Lifebook lifestyle

          • Camper-submitted photo from North Beach Campground — Pismo State Beach
            February 23, 2024

            North Beach Campground — Pismo State Beach

            Awesome Beach - Weird Campground

            Being so close to this awesome beach is definitely a hook, but something is off about this place. The staff are on top of you from the time you pull in to if you are a couple minutes late leaving. Little to no shade. Said hello to other campers with no so much of a nod.  

            Not my scene for sure.

          • Camper-submitted photo from San Simeon Creek Campground — Hearst San Simeon State Park
            February 8, 2024

            San Simeon Creek Campground — Hearst San Simeon State Park

            What a delight

            A GREAT find, can't say enough good things about this place.  We stayed in the Washburn campground (up the hill/less expensive/better views/less people, more space, less trees and a clear view of the sky in every campsite (visited in February, we have Starlink and solar). The stars here are incredible at night, all you hear are the waves crashing, and beautiful views in every direction.  The camp host, Shelby, was delightful and very accommodating when we wanted to switch sites.  Lots of bathrooms, very clean, lots of dumpsters and water spigots, all conveniently located.  Rangers regularly drive through and we felt safe and attended to; a sketchy situation had materialized in one of the sites and the Ranger stood in the pouring rain for two hours, ensuring these folks left.  A well run and maintained area. RV water and dump station at bottom of hill. automated, $10.

          • Camper-submitted photo from North Beach Campground — Pismo State Beach
            January 16, 2024

            North Beach Campground — Pismo State Beach

            Good for overnight stay

            Stopped here for a quick overnight stay on the way to Big Sur over New Year’s Eve weekend. Bathrooms were clean, campground seemed well maintained. Sites very close together with limited to no shade.



          Frequently Asked Questions

          Which is the most popular tent campsite near Avilla Beach, CA?

          According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Avilla Beach, CA is KOA Campground Santa Margarita with a 3.5-star rating from 2 reviews.

          What is the best site to find tent camping near Avilla Beach, CA?

          TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Avilla Beach, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.