159 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds within a 20-mile radius of Emeryville, California range from urban RV parks to island tent camping with bay views. The East Bay offers Anthony Chabot Regional Park with drive-in and hike-in tent and RV sites, while Angel Island State Park provides primitive tent camping with stunning panoramic views of the San Francisco skyline. Marin County locations like Mount Tamalpais State Park offer both tent camping and rustic cabins, making the region suitable for various accommodation preferences from basic tent sites to full-hookup RV facilities.
Access to campgrounds varies significantly by location, with many requiring advance reservations, particularly during peak summer months. Island camping options like Angel Island require ferry transportation from nearby terminals with limited schedules. "There are only 10 sites on Angel Island, so permits are limited! You have to take a boat to get out to Angel Island so you have to drive up to Tiburon and park your car and get onto one of the Ferry Boats," noted one visitor. Urban camping areas may have restricted hours and security concerns, while state and regional parks typically have established quiet hours, maximum stay limits, and seasonal restrictions. Weather conditions around the bay can change rapidly, with fog and wind being common factors affecting camping comfort.
Most popular camping areas near Emeryville feature scenic views of the San Francisco Bay, with Angel Island campsites receiving particularly positive reviews for their unique perspectives. A review mentioned, "Angel Island is a unique backpacking experience, one I'd gladly do again. It's worth knowing that Sunrise is completely exposed, and the Bay is notoriously cold, windy, and foggy." Tilden Regional Park provides more wooded camping with eucalyptus groves and hiking trails, though several visitors note it feels less remote than other camping destinations. RV parks in the area tend to be utilitarian with tight spacing but provide convenient access to urban attractions. Campers seeking more primitive experiences can find options at places like Steep Ravine in Mount Tamalpais State Park, which combines cabin and tent camping with coastal views but requires advanced planning due to limited availability.
"as usual some spots are better than others but most close to restrooms and/or water. lots of poison oak and star thistle right off trail. great deterrent for kids to stay out of tick areas but id worry"
"Midweek in June the park, which is fairly large, is still nearly empty."
from $25 - $200 / night
Check Availability"I decided to stay here, because it was the right location for my road trip, it was free, and I thought the view of the city would be excellent."
"Reasonably quiet on the side away from the road. Very safe, police patrols throughout the day/night. Good hiking areas nearby. Bathrooms and trash cans. Highly recommend as it is also completely free."
"The walk to the beach was 60 seconds and the ocean can be seen from the site. Cool ww2 structures. You get a code to open the gate uptop and drive down to park for your stay."
"If you plan to leave your cooler outside of the bear box make sure it has a lock or secure latch. 3- you get a gate code and parking pass to drive down, but have to walk your gear the last 500-1,000 ft"
from $40 - $75 / night
Check Availability"Angel Island is a California State Park, but it's surprising how many visitors do not know of the 10 campsites scattered around the island!"
"Campsites are walk in throughout the island. Remember there will be fog and there will be wind. We try to get what they call the "group" kayak site. "
from $30 / night
Check Availability"30 mins away from the City. A bit pricy but that is to be expected in SF."
"Great location to the city and Muir woods. Good stores near by. Narrow sites. No room for awning. Close to gather. Sites are gravel and level. Nice area for pets with view."
from $99 - $115 / night
Check Availability"There’s a dog park close by if you want to go get down to the sandy beaches within walking distance great hookups water pressure is a little high."
"If you want a great little place with quick easy access to San Francisco that has a great view of the ocean this place is great! And affordable!"
"This campground is less than an hours drive from San Francisco. It is along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard which takes you through a bunch of very cute tiny towns."
"Beautiful trees and wonderful California charm. The campsites were decently located. Above the Mendocino coast the mornings are wet and Cold. Loved this place"
from $35 - $225 / night
Check Availability"1 to get to the entrance, and then another steep, curvy ride down to the campground."
"The entire Mount Tamalpais watershed is within 30 minutes drive from this location."
from $25 - $100 / night
Check Availability"Pantoll is a pretty campground located adjacent to the entrance to Mount Tamalpais. You can hike to, bike to, take the bus to, or even drive to this campground. "
"This is an ada compliant walkup campground situated near the top of Mount Tamalpais. Featuring 13 sites ranging from standard campground style to a few more secluded areas."
from $7 - $25 / night
Check Availability"Tilden is great for anyone looking for a close park right outside of the Berkeley/San Fran area. It is a rather large park area that overlooks Berkeley."
"Tilden offers a lake in the middle to swim in and fish. The campsites have lots of fire pits. The weather is always great too!"
from $75 - $120 / night
Check Availability
GuideWe arrived and looked at our site and needed sun to recharge our batteries so the attendant let us pick one from the available list. A bit dusty but well worth it for the amenities.
GuideThis is more of a rest, stop in a camp area and there’s signs all over that say do not leave valuables exposed in vehicle. Amazing dude perfect time to be here for a airshow
TravelerAround this time of year, park is practically empty during weekdays. Nice and quiet and peaceful place where you can slow things down
GuideGreat location with spaces in safe SE bay area location and reasonable prices New development small young trees limited natural shade
ScoutVery quiet campground at night. See stars clearly. Use the fire pit after 730pm when the wind has calmed down.
ScoutI was woken up by law enforcement and asked to leave on my second night staying here. They will issue a citation (luckily they took mine away and gave me a warning) this needs to be removed as a dispersed site.
GuideThere are many spot. It's a parking lot and the spots are very snug. The edge by the ocean lost a few.
Staff is kind, helpful and responsive. Area is clean and very peaceful. It's a bit pricey. Our standard spot was $150.
GuideLike most/all east bay parks, this is well appointed for the masses. It’s also surrounded by rolling hills and close to suburbia. For many, these are positives. As an east bay resident they are for me as well. Del Valle is a bit more removed than many east bay parks. From my location in Fremont, it’s a one hour drive. A pleasant drive for the most part. I camp to get away for a bit and almost always to mountain bike. As such, I seek parks that have trails. Del Valle has a map of many trails. They also appear on many of the mapping services used by mountain bikers. Review those and digest them if this is also your intention - these are east bay parka style trails. In other words, mostly steep and loose fire roads, with many “social trails” sprinkled between. If you are compelled to stay legit/legal trails, bring an ebike. Now on to the camping. I picked a spot as far removed from any booked spot on the map. I triple checked this up until the day before I arrived. I want solitude! When I arrived Thursday afternoon, I was surprised to see the sites just 3 spaces away, on both sides, occupied. This is a fairly compact area. And while I’m sure they’re lovely folks, this isn’t what I expected on a Thursday. Saturday? Sure. Anyway… be aware that these reservation services aren’t completely reliable in that regard. The bathrooms and showers are amazing! Clean, smell good, cared for. Noteworthy is the hot showers in the camp grounds are free and your one push of the button provides water for two minutes I'd guess. Very nice! The space, 135 for me, is okay. A couple trees for shade, a nice table and fire pit. It’s now dark and the noise is minimal - mostly from the group campsite just down the hill. I’ll update this with more details in the coming days since it’s a 4 day visit.
Update 1: it’s my first morning here. Using starlink as there is no cell signal to be found. What I noticed last night was that this park is directly below the flight path to the local airports. Every couple minutes last night, a plane would fly overhead. According to flight aware, they’re at about 10,000 feet. If this will ruin your getaway, you’ve been warned.
Update 2: On Friday night, the majority of the spots were filled. Many large groups of people with varying degrees of consideration, but to their credit almost all (except the barking German Shepard) were quiet by 10PM. It was a bit more crowded come Saturday morning. Some friends came to visit for a mountain bike ride, and we set off at about noon. I had been complimentary of the facilities and bragged that I'd be taking a nice shower after our ride. Unfortunately, upon our return, there was no hot water and no lighting in the showers. And, sadly, someone decided to remove the tags and hangers from their TJ Maxx haul and leave them all over the floor of two of the showers.
Verdict: I'd only come back here in the springtime when it's likely to be green and have some water in the arroyo and only during the week. The density and composition of the people here was akin to being at Costco on a Saturday, and I only did that once.
TravelerNothing like camping under the redwoods with sounds of streams nearby. Restrooms and facilities are clean and well maintained. Park Rangers are extremely nice and helpful.
Camping sites near Emeryville, California vary dramatically from beach views to forested retreats. Though the area experiences heavy fog between June and August, average summer temperatures remain mild at 65-75°F. Winter campers should prepare for overnight temperatures that can drop to the low 40s, making three-season sleeping bags recommended year-round for tent campers in the region.
Hike through redwoods: At Samuel P. Taylor State Park, numerous trails wind through towering redwoods. "There is an extensive network of trails accessible from the campground," notes Amanda P., who appreciates the "eucalyptus groves make the air smell wonderful, and there is so much wildlife to see (deer, turkeys, owls, etc.)."
Explore historical sites: Military installations and immigration history provide educational opportunities around the Bay Area. At Angel Island State Park, "there is plenty of hiking, beach access, paved roads for biking, and tours of the history of the island," according to Haley C., who mentions the island has "various bathrooms that include flush toilets and sinks."
Mountain biking: Mount Tamalpais offers challenging terrain for cyclists. "This place is absolutely fabulous," writes Nikata L. about Steep Ravine Campground. The wildlife viewing adds to the experience as "I've seen deer in the seaside vernal pools, wild miniature ocean bunnies boxing in the morning sunshine, and a great white shark off the cliffs."
Proximity to San Francisco views: From Kirby Cove Campground, campers get front-row views of San Francisco. "You can't find a better spot to see the Golden Gate bridge and the SF city skyline," reports Patrick O. The weather requires preparation as it's "almost always chilly in the evening and night so be prepared with jackets and GOOD sleeping bags."
Urban-accessible wilderness: Anthony Chabot Regional Park offers nature just minutes from the city. Ryan W. describes it as "a well-kept park with proactive rangers" where "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."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Local campgrounds offer surprising animal encounters. At Pantoll Campground, one visitor warns about "lots of raccoons at night, so lock everything away." Similarly, Luke D. observes that "my partner and I tried eating and got surrounded by a whole bunch of raccoons" at the H. Dana Bower Rest Area.
Reservation challenges: Many desirable camping areas require planning months ahead. For Steep Ravine Cabins, Adam advises, "you need to be ready to click 'reserve' on the website at no less than 5 minutes before the window opens for your dates of interest, which was 6 months ahead of time when I reserved."
Microclimate preparation: The Bay Area's diverse topography creates distinct weather zones. Brittany R. emphasizes that Angel Island "is completely exposed, and the Bay is notoriously cold, windy, and foggy; you'll want to bring enough stakes to guy out your tent as there isn't any wind protection from trees or boulders."
Fog horn disruptions: Waterfront campsites experience regular fog horn noise. According to Ashley S., who rated Kirby Cove Campground five stars, "BRING EARPLUGS. The fog horn doesn't quite if its foggy. And its LOUD."
Choose beginner-friendly sites: Anthony Chabot Regional Park offers convenient, manageable camping for inexperienced families. J.d. E. calls it "simple family car camping at its finest. It's minutes from Oakland and Castro Valley," though he notes "it's pretty noisy, and folks like to party."
Pack extra water: Water availability varies significantly between campgrounds. At Angel Island's Sunrise site, Brittany R. warns about water limitations: "the water spigot at Sunrise was not working when we arrived, and this was not mentioned anywhere during the reservation process... they did have a large container of water for each campsite."
Reserve weekday visits: For families seeking tranquility, midweek reservations reduce crowds. A Pantoll Campground camper mentioned, "On a weekend night in March, only four of the 16 sites were taken so we had no problem nabbing a spot," highlighting how timing affects the camping experience.
Limited RV camping options: Most campgrounds near Emeryville restrict RV size or don't accommodate RVs at all. At Marin RV Park, Lance L. warns "It's very tight spacing, no privacy in between lots so be prepared and skilled if you have a bigger rig. My 34 foot trailer took some time to get in."
Strategic park-and-ride: RV campers can use campgrounds as base camps for city exploration. Jeff T. gave Marin RV Park five stars "purely for it's location. Drive in, park and then walk to all the sights you want to see in San Francisco. A short 10 minute walk from the RV park is the ferry that will drop you off downtown San Francisco."
Expect utility challenges: RV hookups may require additional equipment or troubleshooting. Lance L. suggests bringing "extra hose" because "they don't have traditional posts where you would expect the water to be." Another RVer mentioned experiencing flooding issues at some sites, highlighting the importance of checking site drainage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Emeryville, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Emeryville, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 159 campgrounds and RV parks near Emeryville, CA and 2 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Emeryville, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Emeryville, CA is Anthony Chabot Regional Park with a 4.6-star rating from 29 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Emeryville, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Emeryville, CA.
What parks are near Emeryville, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 17 parks near Emeryville, CA that allow camping, notably Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore.
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