El Cerrito is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that California camping has to offer. Find the best campgrounds near El Cerrito, CA. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.
$35 - $225 / night
"This campground is beautiful, set in the redwoods, with a creek and nature trails. It has all the amenities: flush toilets, showers, fire pits, running water, and grills."
"On our first visit, there was no running water or showers, but they did have portapotties."
$25 - $100 / night
"The bathrooms are clean. There is running water and a small beach access for campers (if you're willing to climb over some rocks). I recommend going in August when there is less wind."
"There is a separate bedroom, you could sleep 2 couples on beds easily with extra floor space and a small individual bunk for larger families."
$25 / night
"It has great hiking nearby and an incredible view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city, and is a short drive into the city. you definitely want to reserve a space well in advance, especially during peak"
"All three sites here are next to each other and have no seperation, but if you’re okay with that it’s a wonderful place to camp Site 3 is closest to the views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the trails connected"
"Clean showers and bathrooms, some trees, close to Raley’s Grocery store. Easy drive to the wineries of Napa Valley, a little further to Sonoma but a nice drive."
"Staff was super friendly. Spots were pretty level, but close together. They gave free wifi but it was not consistent. It constantly dropped."
$92 - $140 / night
"With the campsites centered around a large communal campfire circle."
"Pitch tent on wood chips. Level. Fire pits, water. Nice and close, yet feels a ways away. Accessible to many trails."
"My site had plenty of shade, fire pit, picnic table, and water nearby."
"There is a post office and laundry mat on-site. The reservation office is open from 9-5p, and they sell firewood!! A constant fire is highly recommended. Also, we saw fox!!!"
"Like most (if not all) KOAs, you can also tent camp or tent cabins. Good size dog park for the pets to run and be free, as well as plenty of fun activities to entertain the kiddos."
"great accommodations. the bathrooms and showers were always clean. there was some construction going on, since it was the off season. it looked like they were renovating some of the bathrooms and aisle"
$35 - $165 / night
"We rarely make reservations to camp in California Beach Parks, as they are usually filled up weeks or even months in advance."
"Bathrooms and showers on site. We stayed in a spot without hookups and it was $35 per night. Gate staff was friendly and helpful."
$35 - $45 / night
"Did a little recon prior to booking our trip and decided on site #39, as we were only staying for 3 nights and did not need any sun for solar for that short of a stay."
"Staff at the visitor center/store were friendly. Sugarloaf had lots of sites to choose from. We had many neighbors (mostly RVs) but enough space between sites."
TravelerI wanted somewhere not too far to go and stay when my 5-6 year-old had 5 days off from school. This was perfect in so many ways.
Positives
- Amenities! I love how everything was themed, from the street names to the signs. Two nice playgrounds, ball courts, pool and hot tub. Watching your kids play red light/green light on the jumping pillow put a smile on every parent's face.
- Seasonal programming (weekends only). For October, we did an outdoor movie, magic pumpkins, costume contest, trick or treating, hay ride, and haunted house. My daughter loved everything except the haunted house, which she said was "too scary!"
- Clean, comfortable facilities. Lots of ways to stay. We car camped and found the hook ups really easy to use. Water, drain, 3 types of electricity, picnic table and firepit at every site. We used their bathrooms and showers and was impressed by how clean they were. Most of the time we had them completely to ourselves and they were even climate controlled.
- Restaurant. I cooked breakfast and lunch most days at the campsite, but for dinner we splashed out at the kid-friendly Waterfront Grille. Friendly staff, good food (lobster and prime rib, yum!), amazing views of the sunset.
Negatives
- Water park was closed. Call ahead to see if it is open when you want to go. I heard that it is never open because of some issue with permits or drought. If so, the promotional video is misleading and I almost deducted a star for this.
- Expensive. For camping, it is expensive, but think of it more as a theme park/resort, than true camping. We saved on the cabin and RV, and spent on the optional activities and the fancy meals.
Bottom line, I would totally go back and stay as long as I could. I hear it is super crowded in the summer, but it would be worth it if the water park is open.
GuideThis KOA is pretty big with plenty of options for RV sites. Wide variety of full hook-ups or partial hook-ups. Like most (if not all) KOAs, you can also tent camp or tent cabins. Good size dog park for the pets to run and be free, as well as plenty of fun activities to entertain the kiddos. For us, this is a great spot to shoot down the highway and pull in for a few days to get away from the hustle and bustle of normal life! Close to downtown Petaluma with plenty of premium shops and restaurants.
TravelerThis campground is beautiful, set in the redwoods, with a creek and nature trails. It has all the amenities: flush toilets, showers, fire pits, running water, and grills. The only drawback is the sites are small and close together, affording very little privacy. The campground can be pretty loud at night too. If you're looking for peace, quiet, and seclusion, this might not be the campground for you. We really enjoyed it though because we have a three year old, and with all the other noise in the campground, I didn't have to feel bad when she was being loud. Also, watch out for the raccoons! They stole my bread that I stupidly left out, and then tried to get into our ice chest. There are lockers provided at each campsite. Use them!
ScoutJeanne and Roberts treehouse is a luxurious Wonderland of a campground! We had total privacy, a pool, sauna and hot tub and a cool little treehouse to sleep in (with real stairs, leading up to it), Our dogs had a great time because they were off leash… The place is completely private and fenced! We highly recommend, the treehouse… You won’t be disappointed!
LegendCampground Description
The Rob Hill campground claims the title of the only overnight campsite in the city! Stumbled across this campground by accident a few weeks ago as we were hiking around The Presidio. It was quite the hidden gem set amidst a stunning cypress and eucalyptus grove. Looked like there was easily room for at least a dozen small tents at each of the sites and nice restrooms accessible via combination punch pad. (You can see how much space there is in the photos and video)
I found out that 2 of the 4 sites, that can accommodate 30 people each, are open to the public, reservations are handled through the emailing the PDF reservation form to camp@presidiotrust.gov. The staff person indicated yesterday that weekends are booked solid through the end of the year; however, weekday sites are available.
This is a great place for a group camping event. With the campsites centered around a large communal campfire circle. Really seemed like the whole campground is very well organized and clean, with each of the 4 sites also having individual fire rings, looked like nice clean bathrooms, and plenty of space for people to run around. There's a great view of the ocean nearby as this is basically directly above Baker Beach. Since it's in the Presidio, come prepared for fog and cold weather. With a nice big fire and plenty of warm clothes, it seems like it could provide a very cool experience to watch the fog blow in through the trees. Note we haven’t camped here because of the crazy high campground cost being $125 per site, thus I’d say that Rob Hill is definitely intended for groups, not for individuals.
The campsite’s main distinction is the site for the Camping at the Presidio (CAP) program, which provides youth with meaningful outdoor experiences.
When the U.S. Army left the Presidio, Rob Hill was a dusty, rustic site. It was expanded and improved in 2010 with support from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund. "Rob Hill Campground is a place where children and families have the opportunity to pitch a tent in their national park, enjoy s’mores cooked over a campfire, and wake up in the woods to the sounds of nature,” said Walter J. Haas, Chair of the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and son of its founders.
2018 Rob Hill Campground Application and Payment Form PDF >>
To request a site, please right click on the above link and Save Link, complete it, and email it to camp@presidiotrust.gov. (Mac Users: print the form, fill it out, scan it, and send it to camp@presidiotrust.gov.) Some browsers are unable to open this form properly, so please make sure it is saved to your computer.
Reservations are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and are confirmed via email. For questions, please call the Presidio Visitor Center at (415) 561-4323. Reservations cannot be made over the phone.
Please Note/Restrictions
CAP Program
Two of Rob Hill's four group sites are reserved for the Camping at the Presidio (CAP) program, which provides youth with meaningful camping experiences. Through this 'train the trainer' program, the leaders of schools and community organizations are given the skills to bring groups of kids to explore the Presidio's outdoors. These adventures offer hands-on learning and exploration. CAP leaders love "getting to know the kids in a different setting" and seeing their kids' enthusiasm about simple natural wonders like a banana slug or the night sky. "The whole experience was truly magical!" said one CAP participant. CAP is a partnership of the Presidio Trust and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
Overall, I gave the campground 4/5 stars because it was very well maintained and in a great location. But the cost is pretty exorbitant and there are only 2 sites open to the public.
TravelerLived in this area almost my whole life and never knew about this campground. Did a little recon prior to booking our trip and decided on site #39, as we were only staying for 3 nights and did not need any sun for solar for that short of a stay. Tons of shade with the sites along the south side of the campgrounds, tons of sun along the north side. So depending on the time of year and your solar charging needs, this may make a difference. There were ample water faucets along the campground road and bathrooms were only a short walk in just about any direction. The showers are located along the north east portion of the loop, and they are fantastic. Large, hot, coin operated showers at the rate of $0.25/min. There is free WiFi with limited bandwidth at and around the visitor’s center, as well as an option to pay for premium internet at a reasonable daily or weekly rate. There is firewood and bagged ice available at both the visitor’s center and with the camp hosts. They can take card, cash, or you can pay using their QR code. They also have some basic supplies and snacks at the visitor’s center. The campsites are your standard fare with a parking area, a picnic table, and a fire pit. Some of the sites are less level than others, but there are plenty of good places to set up tents. Additionally, some of the parking areas for each site are better than others. At our site, we were able to fit our teardrop, our tow vehicle, and our parent’s jeep in our assigned parking area at site 39. The campsites are relatively close together, so that might be an issue if you visit when it’s booked up, but we went just after Labor Day and we had at least two to three empty sites to either side of us. The camp host was friendly and helpful, as were the rest of the staff. Lastly, depending on the time of year, you may encounter yellow jackets, so prepare accordingly. If you don’t have your own mosquito net tent, you can rent one at the site for about $15/day, plus a $25 mandatory setup fee. It appears that they also have a couple “glamping” sites which are furnished with a fancy teepee tent, chairs, and I believe they even have their own private portapotty. Speaking of portapotty, you can rent your own at your site for about $10-15/day, too. Very convenient if you are reliant on that amenity and your chosen site is far from the other restrooms. Lots of hiking around, there’s an observatory nearby, and it looks like a popular spot for cyclists, as well.
ScoutThere are 4, 30 person, group sites. Pitch tent on wood chips. Level. Fire pits, water. Nice and close, yet feels a ways away. Accessible to many trails.
ScoutJeanne and Robert’s Hipcamp is amazing. We had such fun there. Their treehouse site has a solar, heated pool, a sauna, and a hot tub! The Vancamp site has total privacy, and a hot tub in the redwoods. We could not have found a better place to hang out and chill! Our dogs even got to be off leash because it is all fenced!
ScoutI've been here two times and enjoyed it each time. The bathrooms are clean. There is running water and a small beach access for campers (if you're willing to climb over some rocks). I recommend going in August when there is less wind. July can still be very windy, some nights were calm and some were not.
You can surf, go hiking, or fishing. To hike towards Stinson Beach or Dipsea Trail - head back up to the gate entrance and walk across the street. There is a hidden hiking trail entrance called Rocky Point on the right side where you can begin your hike from.
Only one parking space per vehicle & if you need ADA access they have one for the cabins and environmental site #7 is wheelchair accessible. 5 people max per campsite, although it says 8 online.
I recommend environmental site #5 if you want more privacy and a closer ocean view from your campsite.
Beware of raccoons. Make sure to clean your site after every meal and store your items well. I wouldn't depend on the storage they have for you on site to keep raccoons out (even with a lock).
P.S. Call them beforehand for the gate code before leaving. You'll need it to enter the premises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near El Cerrito, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near El Cerrito, CA is Samuel P. Taylor State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 52 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near El Cerrito, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 27 glamping camping locations near El Cerrito, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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