136 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Coastal camping options in the Corona del Mar area include several developed campgrounds with varied accommodation types. Notable options include Newport Dunes RV Resort, which offers tent, RV, cabin and glamping accommodations along Newport's Back Bay, and Crystal Cove State Park with both its Moro Campground and primitive backcountry sites. These mixed-use campgrounds provide a range of amenities from basic tent sites to full-hookup RV spots, with several offering beachfront or waterfront locations within a short drive of Corona del Mar.
Seasonal considerations affect campground availability throughout the region, with most developed campgrounds open year-round but experiencing high demand during summer months. "Although the price is very high, we will likely return in the future on a special occasion," noted a visitor regarding Newport Dunes RV Resort. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for weekend stays from May through September. Several state beach campgrounds like Bolsa Chica have seasonal closures between December and February. Water hookups, electric service, and shower facilities vary significantly between campgrounds, with pricing typically reflecting the level of amenities provided. Overnight temperatures remain mild year-round, making tent camping viable in all seasons.
Waterfront and beachside camping represents the primary attraction for most visitors to the area. Several campgrounds offer direct water access, including Newport Dunes with its protected bay swimming area and waterfront RV sites. As described in feedback on The Dyrt, "We spent 5 days here and loved it. While we came a little too late for the obstacle course, the paddle boards and the cove were amazing." Camping density varies significantly between locations, with state parks generally offering more space between sites compared to private RV resorts. Tent and RV sites at Crystal Cove State Park receive positive reviews for their ocean proximity while maintaining natural surroundings. Campers should note that many campgrounds in the area have strict quiet hours and pet policies, with several state beaches prohibiting pets on the beach itself.
"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."
"There is an elementary school adjacent to the campground so you get a few PA announcements to start your day. There is a small visitor's center on site."
from $25 - $75 / night
Check Availability"The grounds are impeccably clean, beautifully maintained, and set in a truly stunning location. Everything feels well cared for and thoughtfully run."
"As we expected, the sites are stacked up next to each other like dominoes with minimal foliage/fencing to separate the sites."
from $75 - $550 / night
Check Availability"This campground is at the edge of the Dana Point Harbor. The sites are small, but many of them are right on the beach. All sites have easy access to the beach. "
"Sites are close to other sites but are pretty large for what you get. All site locations are in walking distance to the beach which is so great."
from $50 - $350 / night
Check Availability"Behind my Camp site was a few different hiking paths. Restroom buildings have water, toilets, and showers. It says to bring quarters for the showers but they were free. Each site is typical..."
"This is a nice little campground tucked away amidst the hustle and bustle of South Orange County."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"San Mateo is one of the better beach campgrounds in California, some sites have some great privacy."
"Another beautiful gem along the California Coast. Although not on or too near the beach, this campground is truly a lovely spot. All or most of the campsites boast a bit of privacy."
from $45 - $250 / night
Check Availability"Beachfront camping in the heart of southern California. Concrete/asphalt sites with water electric and dump station. Adjacent to PCH so road noise but steps away from great sand beaches."
"Super convenient beach front parking with good restrooms and outdoor showers as well as a beach path perfect for walking, biking, rollerblading, etc."
from $60 - $70 / night
Check Availability"Booking a site here at Waterfront, provided us a excellent homebase that was close to the water. In all, you are about a 2 minute walk to the sand, and 4 minutes to the oceanfront. "
"Your not on the beach but literally on the other side of pacific coast highway you are there."
"California beach camping can be very hard to come by. Unlike some other campgrounds in Southern California this one gives you ample room to move around and set up camp."
"If you’re looking for classic Southern California beach camping with stunning ocean views, this spot is such a good choice."
from $45 - $300 / night
Check Availability"its close, so no 2 hour drive needed and its usually got open spots available, even in spring and summer (cause of the 3+ mile hike most likely). wouldn't say it has the best views but good when you just"
"Both Morro locations. Lower is a 3 mile hike with a few steep grades. 13 sites an outhouse and a decent view. This one is normally supporting several groups on weekends. There is no water."
"Crystal Cove Beach Cottages……Home away from home❤️"
"Great views, nice trails & beach walks. Great restaurant."
TravelerI went there to see, before making a reservation. I found the trailer park—maybe 100 old mobile homes—but I never found an RV park. I didn’t see anything to see. The “pool” was empty. The office was locked, and it wasn’t lunch. Just kinda not happening. I left a message to call me with the answering service, but I never got a call back.
TravelerWell maintained, nice folks, pleasant to talk with. I stayed there 2 months, and enjoyed it.
TravelerThey speak so highly of Dockweiler RV Park, but they forget to say that it has no WiFi, and poor cell phone reception as well. I reserved a space, they made me pay in advance for the whole 3 weeks. They helped me park the camper… avd they never said anything about no wifi. I feel the rv site has been misrepresented. “Oh, well, wifi works in the office, but not even 5 spaces away”. I live alone in my RV. No wifi means I’m sitting here alone in a dead RV. Lonely. Everyone has wifi, yet they don’t mention they don’t , nor even cell phone reception, usually. I get only 1 bar
ScoutI have been to this campground many times and it is always a great time. Easy access to town, surf, the beach, and great facilities. Highly recommend!
TravelerWell maintained small campground. Fact that you are downtown Long Beach with lots of food and attractions close is a major selling point. But campground itself has pool, hottub and small store on site. Campers/RV are pretty close parked but each spot comes with table and some lounging space.
ScoutI found the campground to be very friendly kid friendly and pet friendly. The spots were spacious and some had privacy others were out in the open. The rangers were very friendly and helpful, they helped me set up my tent when they saw I was having trouble. There are trails to explore. A great last minute getaway from the city and not to far, the bathroom was clean and modern with hot showers and toilets.
ScoutOnline Review
Rating: 1/5 Stars
Title: Horrible Experience — Zero Empathy and Harassment of Disabled Guests
If you are a traveler with disabilities, a service animal, or simply expect basic human decency, stay far away from Waterfront RV Park.
My stay here was a nightmare. I was placed in a cramped corner spot with barely enough room to maneuver. Because of my medical condition, I rely on a service dog. I had to park slightly over a painted line—by a mere 8 inches—just to have enough physical space to load my service animal safely. My vehicle blocked no one, yet night after night, park security targeted and harassed me over this minor detail, acting rude and aggressive.
When I experienced a severe medical emergency and panic attack, security chose to escalate the situation, berating me while I was injured and confused instead of offering help. Management showed zero empathy or willingness to listen. After learning my truck was broken down at a dealership, making it physically impossible to move my RV immediately, they threatened to tow and impound it without giving me reasonable time or process.
This facility lacks basic compassion, professionalism, and respect for its guests. Save yourself the stress and avoid this park.
TravelerGreat rv site site used ele bikes outside to get to beach brilliant!! Would use again
ScoutThe scenery is unique and enjoyable, with nice views of either sunrise or sunset, depending on site. I found the lake itself very pretty. However when we arrived 4 vehicles are in our spot, people were nice enough moving but we had to go door to door knocking on camper to ask who's cars they were due to no signal and no rangers nearby. Our site was pretty dirty with lots of trash, copious ants near the drainage attachments, and two of the nearby groups had excessive tents extending into the back of our site making our view look more like a homeless encampment and less like a serene mountain sunset. They also were littering, urinating outside, and excessively drinking and partying like crazy until the wee hours. As a family group we felt really uncomfortable. It seemed like not all spots are like this, however, on my walk around deer loop in the morning. If you do go, the water activities and rentals look fun, the walking trail/biking trail was nicely done, and you could optimize your spot by booking a whole group of spots (instead of booking one, book one on the right and left side to avoid feeling like you have entered homeless refuge). It maybe was a bit worse as we were here over a holiday weekend. But we most likely won't be back, there are other places that are less expensive and with better enforcement and a family atmosphere. If you want to party it is probably a fine spot, and if you love water sports also likely ok. I thin it's a beautiful place with unique scenery and a lot of potential, but needs more enforcement regarding guest code of conduct.
Edited and gave 3 stars instead of 2. Views are really nice now that our poorly behaved neighbors left. Worth considering a visit during less busy times.
Campsites near Corona del Mar, California sit along the coastal bluffs with elevations ranging from 20-110 feet above sea level. The Mediterranean climate features average summer temperatures of 75°F and winter temperatures rarely dropping below 55°F. Rain is minimal from May through October, making waterfront camping options viable nearly year-round with minimal weather concerns.
Beach access trails: 1.5 mile hike to Trestles Beach. At San Mateo Campground, the trail to the beach offers both exercise and scenery. "A fun little hike (1.5 miles) to the walk until tresels beach. I think it's 2 miles all together. The beach is beautiful, great for surfing!" notes a camper at San Mateo Campground.
Hiking on No Name Ridge: Crystal Cove Backcountry offers primitive camping with ocean views. "After the steep beginning, you feel a sense of being father in the wilderness then you really are. Tons of Hawks hunting all over the top of the hill," says a visitor to Crystal Cove Backcountry. The area features a 10-mile perimeter loop trail system.
Story Trail for children: O'Neill Regional Park offers educational hiking for young campers. "Great playground for children. Recently paved streets (perfect for scootering, skating, biking). Easy and fun 'Story Trail' hike for children. The hike features a new book every month, each page is mounted to a placard along the trail," according to a review from O'Neill Regional Park.
Ocean views from tiered campsites: Moro Campground offers elevated views on terraced sites. "The sites are terraced, so no matter which site you get you'll have a view of the ocean. It is in a developed area of Laguna Beach, so there is not much solitude or quiet enjoyment of nature. However, it's super convenient to have stores like Trader Joe's and restaurants just a few minutes away," says a reviewer at Moro Campground.
Proximity to urban conveniences: Some campers appreciate the blend of nature with nearby amenities. "O'Neil is a great little park that's tucked away among the urban sprawl of Orange County. Once in the park you feel like you're far out in the wilderness. It makes for a great weekend great away. There's a general store nearby but its stock is limited. There's also Trabuco Oaks Steakhouse across the street if you get tired of cooking," notes a camper.
Protected beach swimming: Newport Dunes offers a safe swimming environment. "We spent 5 days here and loved it. While we came a little too late for the obstacle course, the paddle boards and the cove were amazing," explains a visitor at Newport Dunes RV Resort. Water activities remain the primary draw for families camping near Corona del Mar.
Campsite proximity: Many campsites in the area have limited privacy between sites. "Each campsite has a fire container, barbeque, and a picnic table under trellis type structure. Clean flush toilets. Beautiful location next to the ocean," reports a camper at San Clemente State Beach Campground. Most state parks have well-defined sites with standard amenities.
Noise considerations: Traffic noise affects several camping areas. "Great location. I mean what can I say to diminish a beach spot for 60 bucks? How about a motorcycle passing right outside your bedroom window at 12,000 rpm every two minutes all night long? Yeah, that'll do it. Bring earplugs and lots of white noise," advises a visitor to Bolsa Chica State Beach.
Ant management: Some campsites require special preparation for insects. "We made the mistake of not being prepared for the ANTS!!! Campground looked pretty cool, so close to the beach, some trails nearby. Room for kids to ride bikes... but we picked up about a gazillion ants. We learns that comet around all points of contact with the ground keeps them down."
Security awareness: Property theft occurs at some locations. "My husband and I had our mountain bikes stolen when sleeping. When we asked for camera footage the owners of the campground claimed the cameras were broken and they couldn't share the footage. There are many homeless folks living in the area."
Look for kid-friendly amenities: Some campgrounds specifically cater to families with children. "If you're looking for primitive dispersed camping, this is probably not your spot. If you're camping with kids, it doesn't get much better than this! We stayed at campsite #58 which we felt was very large are private. Clean facilities, flushing toilets and hot showers, well maintained sites."
Beach access considerations: Some beaches require a challenging walk. "The walk up from the beach is a little tough, but the lifeguards are super nice and helpful if you need assistance. I always come home with a nice tan and great calfs. The upside of the walk is that there aren't as many people as down the beach by the public parking."
Wildlife awareness: Coyotes are present at several campgrounds. "Everyone comes here with their dogs and the coyotes are insane. They are everywhere. I wish they could/would do something about it. They are not afraid of humans at all. You'll wake up to them chasing rabbits literally in your campsite. Bit scary since I have a small dog," warns a visitor to Doheny State Beach Campground.
Dump station availability: Some campgrounds offer free dump stations. "Very well maintained campgrounds with quality facilities located throughout. $20 a night, they have water spigots shared between campsites (if you bring a "y" you can stay connected, otherwise fill tanks and disconnect). Self pump out (free) and good rubbish collection points throughout."
Site selection for size limitations: RV sites vary significantly in size and access. "The roads that lead to the sites is a bit narrow, so if your towable is on the long side, you might have to work a bit to back it in. The maximum length is 38. We had 30/50 amp electrical and water. Dump station is on your way out, with 3 stations in that row."
Arrival timing enforcement: Strict check-in times are common. "Check in is at 3pm. They are hard on this. If you arrive early, you can register, but will be directed to Reef Point back down PCH or to the visitors center in front of the camp entrance."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Corona del Mar, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Corona del Mar, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 136 campgrounds and RV parks near Corona del Mar, CA and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Corona del Mar, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Corona del Mar, CA is Moro Campground — Crystal Cove State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 35 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Corona del Mar, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Corona del Mar, CA.
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