Best Campgrounds near Vacaville, CA

Midweek in June the park, which is fairly large, is still nearly empty. The sites are fairly close to each other, which matters because one of the other campers is right next to mine (46) and doesn't understand basic camp etiquettes like not using generators all night or letting their dog wonder through other sites and the bathroom areas off-leash. Still the campsites all have decent views–though best ones abut the lake on the map. They look close to the lake on the map but they are actually way up high above it. There are trails running throughout the park and around the lake that are a mix of wider open trails and narrower, through the woods, but groomed trails with plenty of up and down to make for a good hike.

Lots of birds and wildlife–beware says the sign...all the signs, but I mostly only saw turkeys and a few water birds. Because the camp was empty, I moved over to site 56 when it was clear my neighbor was a camp d-bag. It was a pull through with a downhill slope in the site but not in the drive. The views and solitude over here were great with the setting sun through the trees, and the knowledge that the Bay in the distance.

There were a few other weird vibes in the park, namely some e-bikers charging up phones at the bathroom drinking 40s and smoking joints, while watching very loud sitcoms on the charging phones. They seemed mostly harmless, and were gone well before dark.

The warm waters* of Lake Chabot was beautiful and tempting as a siren, but don't touch it, or let your dog touch it, unless you want to get mutated like the Ninja Turtles...

Actually, that is a bad example. That would be awesome. The water will make you sick or your (or your pets) skin break out in a real not fun way. It is toxic. It will not make you a Ninja Turtle.

The showers were great. Hot and FREE!

Finally, this is a well-kept park with proactive rangers only limited by their working hours, and despite it being quite accessible to Oakland, the park felt like camping in the wilderness, even though I could hear cheers echoing through the canyon from a graduation somewhere below.

The road in is fairly winding with a bit of a drop down the cliff. If you're heading in at dusk or dawn, go slow. You will see deer stepping through the road.

*I don't know if it was warm. I didn't touch it.

Pantoll would be one of my favorite campgrounds of all time if not for the noise levels. One would think that quiet time would be respected in a backpackers campground, but not here. This is a major party campground, especially in summer. Don't let the fact that it's behind a ranger station fool you-- they clock out by 10pm, and if you have an issue after that, good luck. Last time I camped here the dude on the site next to me would not stop pointing his light into my tent. I was in my 1 person backpacking tent with the rainfly off. So irritating. But the campground itself is so beautiful. It's just a few miles uphill from Muir Woods, and you don't need additional reservations to hike in from the campground. Like Bootjack this is a first come first serve tent only campground. Pantoll is closer to Cardiac Point and more trails. You could hike pretty much anywhere in Mt. Tam from here. No camp hosts but the Rangers are available from about 9-5, some of my favorite rangers outside Yosemite. Wifi is available at the ranger station.

This is one of my favorite campgrounds I've ever camped at. Bootjack is a tent only, walk in campground. You park your car in the parking lot, and then carry your stuff uphill to your site. The site closest to the bottom is reserved for disabled. Many of the sites feature beautiful historic stone grills. Some of the sites are two levels. Many are next to the creek. It's usually quiet and peaceful. Pantoll Ranger Station is only .4 miles away and there are endless hiking opportunities from there. This campground is first come first serve only. Maximum stay 14 nights per year. The only major downside is there is no camp host. Rangers come through once per morning to power wash the restrooms.

Stayed here for a long weekend with friends in Napa Valley.

Location itself is GREAT. 5 mins from everything in town. Had good cell service and park was clean. Was quiet busy during the day as it is also a day use park with lots of activities.

Sites were cramped in tight. $65/night for water and electricity. They have a dog run area that is nice and large! Bath houses were also nice. Good hot showers.

Knocking it down a star for the tight sites and the check in staff were rude almost every time I talked to her. Also lots of little bitty rules of being picky. Overall would stay here again.

Thousand Trails Lake Minden

Tiny Park, Giant Heart

We spent three weeks at Lake Minden and, to be honest, judged it too quickly. It’s one of the smaller Thousand Trails parks, and when we first rolled in, we weren’t sure it was going to be our kind of place. That changed fast.

Right off the bat, we were greeted warmly at the gate- no awkward waiting or guessing, just a “Hey there, welcome!” kind of vibe. Our assigned spot had a bad electric hookup, but moving one space over solved that and actually gave us a better view. So, win-win. 

The park, like many Thousand Trails locations, is clearly from a different era. The facilities, the grounds, even the layout- it all shows its age in the same way most of these long-standing parks do. But here’s the difference: it’s obvious they take care of what they have. You can feel the pride in the upkeep, and honestly, I’d take a clean, cared-for 50-year-old park over a neglected new one any day.

The community here is what made the trip. The staff pour real effort into the activities- they’re on time, thoughtful, and welcoming. Friday potlucks were the soul of the park. We forgot our plates and silverware more than once (parent brain), and Barbara, the activities director, always had us covered without missing a beat. That kind of care doesn’t go unnoticed.

Easter weekend took it to another level. My toddler had the time of his life painting eggs and coloring puzzles, and my wife - who’d never painted an egg before - might’ve had more fun than he did. The Easter egg hunt was packed with families and even staff with their kids. Prizes for the winners, candy in the eggs for the rest of us- my toddler’s too young for the sweets, so I had no choice but to help. That’s what dads are for, right?

There’s an ice cream social every Saturday, and it’s as delightful as it sounds. Tons of toppings, lots of conversation, and just a genuinely happy way to spend a weekend afternoon. We missed candy bar bingo this time, but it's already on the list for our return trip.

Special thanks to Gwen, the park manager, who couldn’t have been more welcoming. The assistant manager warmed up by the end of our stay, which made us feel even more like part of the community.

Facilities were surprisingly polished. The showers were spotless, stocked, and looked freshly upgraded with woodgrain tile and real stall doors. Toilets and sinks were just as clean, and even when I accidentally left my shampoo in the shower, I found it days later placed neatly on the side counter. That’s rare. Housekeeping here clearly cares.

The lodge is small- more like a retrofitted mobile trailer - but full of charm. It’s where most activities are held, and there's a cozy back room with a pool table, board games, a decent little DVD collection, and a small library. My toddler played Connect 4 like a champion (even though he mostly used it as a coin-drop game), and, tried valiantly to reach the pool balls.

Now, the lake. It’s... functional. Let’s be honest, it’s a man-made basin with some concrete leftovers that litter the sides that look like the Ghost of Swimming Pools Past. Not the prettiest, but they do stock it with fish and the docks looked newly redone- one rebuilt while we were there, looked really nice when they finished. I didn’t bring my gear, but next time, I’m sneaking out for some dad-time with a rod and reel.

There’s no pool at this park, but the grassy areas made up for it. Annual sites had a huge open field behind them where my son ran wild playing ball and chase. Minden must’ve mowed the day we arrived because the smell of cut grass hit us like nostalgia. They kept it mowed weekly, and my kid was hypnotized by the riding mower going up and down the stretch. In fact there's enough gassy area I thought a great spring/summertime regular event would be water days- think slip'n slides and mist sprinklers set up for the kids. That would be fun... and a cool relief in those hotter days.

There’s a playground with a raised soft-chip base, multiple slides, and just the right level of challenge for a toddler. He had a blast. Even the dog park, while nothing fancy (just a weed-sprouting rectangle), gave our Silky terriers a space to run a few laps. I may or may not have snuck them into the field after hours for some frisbee time. Nobody tell.

Connectivity was solid- I had full AT&T service for calls, texts, and data the entire time. It was a quiet park, minus one domestic dispute from a neighboring site that cleared up fast (and they moved out the next day). Otherwise, peaceful and calm.

Now, let’s talk about traffic flow- because this one got me. The park is built around a lake, and the road looping around it is one-way, enforced with a strict 5 mph speed limit. That’s great if you have kids or dogs and you want a calm environment. Not so great when you realize halfway to the store that you forgot your wallet. What should’ve been a quick grab turned into a 10-minute drive out, a 10-minute drive back in, and then… yep, 10 minutes out again. I’ve taken shorter road trips just to get ice cream. Lesson learned.

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Stay Summary & Scores

Restroom & Shower Facilities: ★★★★★

Exceptionally clean, stocked, and well-maintained. Modern-feeling shower stalls with privacy and woodgrain tile. Toilets and sinks equally spotless.

Lodge Amenities & Common Spaces: ★★★★☆

Compact but full of charm. Activities room, pool table, games, small library. Retrofitted mobile unit, but used thoughtfully and consistently.

Overall Cleanliness & Maintenance: ★★★★★

Top-tier. Grass is cut regularly, restrooms shine, playground looks freshly maintained, and even left-behind items are handled with care.

Recreational Activities & Family Engagement: ★★★★★

Thoughtfully organized events (especially Easter), ice cream socials, egg painting, RC airplane shows, dog races, and a family-friendly vibe across the board.

Staff Hospitality & Park Culture: ★★★★★

Gwen leads with warmth. Barbara is the MVP of activities. Assistant manager needed some time to warm up, but did. Felt truly welcomed.

Lake & Waterfront Quality: ★★☆☆☆

Man-made and a little tired. Some concrete remnants along the edge. Not great for swimming, but fish-stocked and dock area recently improved.

Pet-Friendliness: ★★★☆☆

Dog park was weedy and basic, but functional. Open spaces nearby helped. Waste bins were present and clean.

Site Utility Functionality: ★★★★☆ First electric hookup was faulty, but the second was fine. Rest of the site utilities performed without issue. Easy to park and level.

Traffic Flow & Accessibility: ★★★☆☆ 

Strict 5 mph limit is great for safety (especially with kids) but makes trips around the loop feel like slow motion. One-way loop adds time - especially painful if you forget your wallet and turn your day into a 30-minute regret. 

General Atmosphere & Community Vibe: ★★★★★ Welcoming, peaceful, and filled with community spirit. The kind of place where strangers become friends over potluck and board games.