Best Cabin Camping near Carlsbad, CA

Very nice campground and very kid friendly. It is also very busy and we found to be quite loud at night. They have a big pool and two hot tubs but both hot tubs were full of kids and there were adults drinking beer while wading in the pool. I am not very impressed with this koa overall but it has great potential.

This place was hopping and popping on the weekend. Fishing, loud music and tons of weekend campers and kids. Big resort, open pool and hot tub was nice given limitations.

This is one of our favorite KOAs! The sites are good, grassy in most places, and lots of trees. The best part though is the new resort-style pool with two hot tubs, rentable cabanas, huge fire pit, clean restrooms, and a cafe with local craft beer and good food.

This campground is so picturesque! It has a camp store, cabin rentals, and camping spots 10 feet from the sand. There are tent only, partial hookup, and full hookup sites available. Other amenities include playground, bathrooms and showers, a baseball field, and even a large gathering hall! The only downside to this location is that it is for military only, but this keeps the crowds down. The ocean wildlife is so cool, and at low tide you can see octopus, starfish, and all kinds of small fish/crabs. The views are spectacular!

I have to say this is one of my least favorite Thousand Trails campgrounds so far. Pio Pico has a lot of potential to be a fun destination but I feel it is extremely neglected. Pools and hot tubs are closed. Bathrooms and amenities appear pretty run down. You see the typical "Pardon our dust" signs so hopefully things are fixed quickly. Being so near to one of the most expensive cities in the US you'd think it would be upgraded to 50 Amp power as well. Cell service is non-existent, though they of course can't control that. I will say the staff is all very friendly.

If you're coming here to visit San Diego it is quite the trek into the city, to the beach, or to anything of note. We spent 3 weeks here, which was way too long with nothing to do in the area. Unless you're ok driving a total of 2 hours to something interesting and back it's a fairly boring campground to stay in.

Space E-11 Vehicle Type: 38' 5th Wheel Stay: 3 Weeks

We ended up here after a futile search for an affordable hotel in the area. Even though it was not inexpensive, we secured a beachfront site. The sites are in three sections: standard, deluxe, and premium. There are also cabins and a group tent area (on the public beach). 

The reservation process was not easy – you cannot make same-day online reservations and have to navigate a detailed menu on the phone to finally get to the reservation desk.

We arrived after dark, just as the office was closing but were able to get our information packet. Payment is in full when you make the reservation. As we expected, the sites are stacked up next to each other like dominoes with minimal foliage/fencing to separate the sites. The beachfront and preferred sites have a concrete and sand pad while some less expensive sites have just sand. 

There are codes to enter the restrooms, the bike path, and the pool. The restrooms were clean as were the showers, with good hot water and decent water pressure. 

In season, there are many activities and amenities offered including a water park, water sports rentals, a bistro, a snack bar, movies on the beach, and a swimming beach. About the only amenities available in November were the pool, two hot tubs (although one was not working when we were there), and the .75-mile concrete path around the lake. A gentle water aerobics class is offered three times a week. There is also a marina, but we don’t have a boat so we did not explore this. In season, you can rent pavilions, and pool or beach cabanas, all for an additional cost. 

Although this is a fully contained resort, it is not quiet. You will hear road noise and at certain times of the day, near constant noise from planes at nearby John Wayne airport. 

This was an affordable respite for us on a long road trip, but it is VERY expensive in season (about three times the price of “winter” rates). Also, it would be an entirely different experience when fully booked!

Nice campground great activities for kids laundry on site Jacuzzi pool fishing for RV hook Up. Over 40 cabins available. Membership costs us around $2000 And have access to / 3000 different camp sites nationwide At any time of the year a drop of a dime essentially

Mostly for RV camping but has a few cabins by the water and some even floating cabins on the water! Great place to take your kids fishing, biking, paddle boating, or just relaxing. Has lots of ducks to feed and saw quite a few people catching fish. Great place to hang out for the day or camp overnight.

Beautiful and peaceful place to camp around the lake. We were at the Westshore campsite, which seemed for me the best ( the two others are lone pines for RV and tents and Chambers for tents and cabins) Westshore has a dozen campsites with direct lake view (not allowed to swim in the lake though). Picnic table and barbecue available for each site and additional picnic tables around the lake. The sites are separated by walls for more privacy. Bathrooms available near the parking maybe 100m near the campsites. No showers though. There's a nice restaurant with a lake view. There's also a mini market shop and a bait shop. Boat rental available, but all reserved already in the morning though. I think a lot of people come fishing for the day.

We had campsite #49 which is not the best one, because we only had one wall separating us from the other campers, instead of two walls. So we had the sun directly hitting on us early morning whilst the others were still in the shade. So if you can choose, I wouldn't recommend the #49. The other sites are fine.

We enjoyed the pool, watching the ducks in the pond, and the kids loved the basketball court. Some parts closed on certain days- store, jacuzzi, community room. Big spots with room to set up, but this place is booked and it’s mid week late September. Definitely my favorite Thousand Trails so far… lots of long timers/ leased sites on the other side of the park. Friendly staff and overall friendly neighbors too!

This military campground is located within walking distance of two world class surfing breaks; Old Man's and Tressels. This campground has a variety of camp spots from tent, RV to cabins. You have to make reservation thru the military systems to camp here. There's a baseball diamond. The bathrooms are clean. Try to grab the RV spots on the north side of the campground. 

Cell Service: Excellent

Located at Lake Cuyamaca in Julian. Gorgeous views of the lake!!!! Picnic area, tent camping sites, and also cabins and condos as well. This place is so serene and peaceful as you are tucked in adjacent to the 110 acre lake. Only lake in San Diego that has stock trout all year. Other fish include Florida bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, crappie, bluegill, and sturgeon. Sits at over 4,000 elevation with Mt Laguna right up the road. Huge bathrooms here with running water. Fee is rarely cheap. Great campground for families or just as a day escape from the city.

We have camped here for years and have only stayed at the original campground which is Chambers Park. It has been a couple years since last camped here; but we visit this lake multiple times a year. Always a good time fishing and enjoying the views; Deer and Wild Turkey frequent the surrounding area. There is also an equestrian trail not to far from the campground. If looking to do a horseback ride around the lake contact Adventures on Horseback and speak to Deb. Highly recommended! (must have a minimum of 4 riders as they trailer the horses there) The Diner is a must for some Julian apple pie. The staff is always friendly and food always hits the spot.

In regards to the campground there is a picnic table and small little BBQ that are provided; There is a port a pot right by the campsite. There are some trees for shade but some sites are a little more in the sun. Open flame fires are not allowed. At night it gets chilly and do get visits from the local raccoons so make sure your food is put away in your car and trash around your site is picked up. It does get windy around the lake but at nights it normally calms down. Now that we have a little one we prefer to camp up the road at one of the other campground that is more protected from the wind and fires are allowed. You can also rent Condo and Cabins right at the lake which is perfect for fall/winter months as the condos have a fireplace. The campground is dog friendly but dogs must remain on the leash and away from the waters edge. Dogs are only allowed at the campsite. There are also boats for rent. Insider tip: after 12pm check for half day rates; if boats are not rented they will normally give you a good deal for a half day rental.

This is very close to home but a nice quick getaway. It is surprisingly close to everything but yet you feel like you are hours away. There are trails, trees, a little lake. For how close it is, it does always have quite a few campers. Not my go to place but a nice spur of the moment getaway.