Glamping in La Honda, California connects visitors with towering redwoods and coastal fog that can drop temperatures 40 degrees cooler than nearby San Jose. The Santa Cruz Mountains create diverse microclimates where morning condensation creates a unique phenomenon of "redwood rain" even on clear days. Cabins and yurts in this region often feature wood-burning stoves as the primary heat source, essential during cooler evenings year-round.
What to do
Waterfall hiking: Trails near Big Basin Redwoods State Park lead to impressive cascades during spring months. "Best thing about this campground is proximity to the Berry Creek Falls... a huge series of water falls on a super long and strenuous hike," notes Andrew D.
Ocean exploration: Beaches near Half Moon Bay State Beach Campground offer extensive shoreline walks. "You can walk for miles on the beach or on the bluff trails. Everyone is laidback which makes for a peaceful experience. Great sunsets!!" says Jill F.
Trail archery: Sanborn County Park maintains a dedicated archery course through the woods. "There is an archery trail with 28 targets on a trail through the woods. We were there 3 days in a row and did 20 of the 28. It's really pretty and a cool challenge," shares April N.
Wildlife viewing: White fallow deer descendants from William Randolph Hearst's exotic zoo can be spotted near the ranger station. According to one visitor, "The park used to have hundreds of them, but a number of years ago the park service stopped allowing them to breed because they're an introduced species."
What campers like
Temperature contrast: Coastal locations provide relief from inland heat. "We loved camping here! So peaceful, easily accessible from San Francisco," shares Amrita R. about her stay at Half Moon Bay State Beach Campground.
Natural cooling systems: Mount Madonna County Park provides full shade under redwoods. "Almost all the sites were fully shaded by the big redwoods. This is a great campground for hot weather," mentions Weston W., who appreciated the natural cooling system.
Secluded tent sites: Walk-in camping options provide more privacy than drive-up sites. "We stayed in a cabin in the huckleberry campground. The sites are a decent size with lots of trees to climb on, hide in, and play on," notes Kim P.
Coastal activities: Beach proximity allows for varied recreation. "Beautiful beach walking distance from campground. Bike or walking trails to wonderful beaches and places to eat. Short drive to many other areas," explains Carina B.
What you should know
Temperature planning: Pack for cooler conditions than inland areas. "It can get cold at night in the redwoods so the wood stove was great at night," reports a camper at Big Basin Redwoods.
Limited connectivity: Cell service varies greatly throughout the region. A camper at Sanborn County Park noted, "No cell service. Miles of great hiking. Very secluded."
Booking requirements: Reservations for glamping accommodations fill quickly, especially at Sunset State Beach. "If you can get a reservation here (which is VERY difficult) you will have the best time," advises Kate L.
Seasonal crowds: Weekday visits offer more solitude at coastal campgrounds. "The campground was almost empty in the middle of the week with only a few vehicles and tents there early for the weekend," observed Tim J. at Sunset State Beach.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly beaches: Sunset State Beach offers family-oriented shorelines with fewer visitors. "We stayed here for three nights and it was beautiful! You can walk down to the beach, take a trip to the henry cowel redwoods, go ride bikes in santa cruz," shares Tiffany W.
Nature exploration: Creeks provide natural play areas for children. "This campground has a creek that runs through it that the kids loved playing in all day. The slugs were hanging out in trees all around us and it was so much fun looking for them," explains Adventure M.
Biking opportunities: Several campgrounds feature terrain suitable for children cycling. At Mount Madonna County Park, "Nice hikes right from the site or you can drive up to where the old homestead was and see some ruins. Great campground for the kids to bike at but there are a few big hills so make sure they know how to use their brakes."
Bathroom proximity: Consider site location relative to facilities. One visitor at Sanborn noted, "Campsite 325 was right next to the bathroom, which was convenient but made things noisy around bed time and in the morning. Wouldn't recommend this site if you like to sleep in while camping."
Tips from RVers
Site selection strategy: Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA offers varied RV sites with different privacy levels. "We had a very nice stay for a long weekend. The pull through spaces are extremely tight to the point that our slide out was hitting vegetation and our neighbors awning was about two feet from our RV. But, if you expect that, it's a great place to stay," advises Andrea A.
Navigating narrow roads: Access to mountain campgrounds requires careful driving. "To get to Sanborn you will have to drive up a narrow road. We didn't have any issue with a 21' though," reports Ignasi M.
Hookup availability: Research specific site utilities before booking. "The RV area has ~20 sites. They all have water and 30 amps hookups. RVs are pretty close to each other, but not too invasive," notes a camper at Sanborn County Park.
Beach proximity consideration: Some coastal sites offer direct ocean views. "The sites at the bottom of the first loop with awesome sunset views are my favorite. Very grassy and 'outdoorsy' for a KOA," shares Daniel D. about Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA.
