Camping options near Boonville, California extend well beyond RV parks, with several campgrounds offering additional amenities and diverse experiences. The area sits in the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County, where coastal fog often rolls in through the evening and early morning hours. Terrain varies from redwood forests to lakeside settings within 30-45 minutes of Boonville's downtown area.
What to do
Visit nearby beaches: From Westport Beach RV Park and Campground, campers can access a private beach section. "Almost every spot seemed to be pretty nice. Pull throughs seemed a little tight, but all back-ins were spacious. Very clean grounds. The beach is right there. You can see and or hear the waves crashing."
Explore marine activities: Porto Bodega Marina & RV Park offers opportunities to watch harbor activities. "You can see the Milky Way at night while listening to the soft foghorn and every now and then a soft bark of a seal. Wake up in the morning to either fog or bright warm sun overlooking a very sleepy glassy harbor with fishing boats bobbing in the docks."
Try water recreation: Several campgrounds provide water equipment rentals. At The Aurora RV Park, "you can use the canoes, kayaks, or paddle boat all free of charge and they provide life jackets." The park sits directly on the water with easy access for paddling.
What campers like
Family-friendly environments: Mendocino Redwoods RV Resort features numerous child-focused amenities. "We stayed in one of the premium hot tub sites, where you get your very own hot tub. We were just a few steps from the pool, which was clean, but pretty cold. The splash pad was a family favorite. The petting zoo was also super cute and the animals seemed like they were well taken care of."
Access to culinary options: Porto Bodega provides seafood dining within walking distance. "This place was great full hook up W,E,S,C you get a fire pit and a picnic table, 3 minute walk to restaurant and deli. Great place to stay for some crab, chowder, and oysters."
Tent camping alternatives: Some RV parks offer secluded tent camping areas separate from RV sections. "The front half is narrow RV slots, but further back, it's lush, shaded and pretty quiet for tent or car camping. My spot had a babbling stream next to it, and empty spots on all sides."
What you should know
Space considerations: Many RV campgrounds near Boonville have tight spacing between sites. At Harbor RV Park, "the RV park is part of a mobile home park. What you get is a space to park, water, electric and sewage. Tight sites but beautiful views."
Seasonal visitor loads: Winter and early spring typically see fewer visitors. "We stayed 6 days in November paid $250. Full hook ups with cable. Good location near City bike path and walking distance to several stores and restaurants."
Navigation challenges: Beyond highway access mentioned in existing information, inland campgrounds may present their own challenges. "Coming off of the highway there are broken down campers and RV encampments along the road. None of it interfered with the campground itself though. Check-in was easy but the entrance is a bit tight for bigger rigs."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly amenities: Thousand Trails Russian River provides recreation areas for children. "River near by, nice swimming hole in October if you were willing to walk over a lot of rocks. Not sure what the river would be like in spring. Nice play ground for kids."
Activity planning: Morning activities work best due to afternoon wind. "We absolutely love thousand trails and our membership. This is not one of their best campgrounds however the staff was five star and so is the location."
Wildlife awareness: Some campgrounds have nocturnal visitors. "They have raccoons but don't tell you that, we didn't leave anything out but had muddy footprints all over our table in the morning! Their garbage cans are not raccoon proof so every morning there's garbage scattered around."
Tips from RVers
Space limitations: Many parks have tight spacing that affects slide-out usage. "The spaces are very narrow, especially if you have slide outs which means that your neighbor's sewer hose is next to your door. A lot of very short spaces also which makes it worse."
Dump station alternatives: When sewer hookups aren't available, some parks offer alternatives. "No sewer but they do have a dumping station and a honey pot service for $35 so we took advantage of that."
Arrival timing: Consider check-in protocols when planning arrival time. "Checked in a little later in the day, don't make that mistake. Actually stop and check to see if the office is open. Even if the 'OPEN' light is off, when arriving. Before going to your site."
