Best Glamping near Lake Forest, CA

Recent Glamping Reviews near Lake Forest, California

453 Reviews of 42 Lake Forest Campgrounds

• H

  Heather H.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 21, 2021

  Newport Dunes RV Resort

  Wonderful stay and close to home

  Great time “glamping”. Close to home with all the amenities!

• 

  Brianne S.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 23, 2020

  Moro Campground — Crystal Cove State Park

  Hiking & glamping!

  Great clean campground, beautiful views, short walk down to the beach! Lots of hiking trils around, or take the walk across the beach to the shake shack! Definitely recommend for a local glamping trip!

• 

  Alicia F.

  Legend

  

  May. 2, 2020

  Oceanside RV Resort

  Ocean 🌊 side

  We camped here on a trip up the coast and found this spot at the end of the day. There are 5 spots where you can walk your stuff and camp right on the beach. Each spot was secluded and had a picnic table and a good size area for your tent. It’s a newer retro campground with spots for RV’s, tents, cabins and yurts. There are a lot of option and facilities with showers, bathrooms and laundry.

• K

  Kellie

  Guide

  

  Feb. 6, 2023

  Launch Pointe Recreation Destination and RV Park

  Clean park

  We spent 4 nights here. The park is renovated and clean. Best laundry room I’ve seen in our travels. Sites are gravel with a concrete pad and picnic table. Each corner has a super bright street light. Thank goodness for blackout shades. The lake was closed due to algae bloom. They have a great area of vintage trailers that can be rented, as well as some super nice yurts. The restaurant was only open one of the nights we were there. Not impressive. We were the only diners there. We explored the area. As it was winter, there wasn’t much to do.

• 

  Morgan F.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 15, 2019

  Moro Campground — Crystal Cove State Park

  Typical Beach Campground

  Much like most California Beach Campgrounds, it is very crowded with little privacy. The beach is great but it is basically a glorified parking lot

• 

  Thomas F.

  Ranger

  

  May. 2, 2015

  South Carlsbad State Beach Campground

  Beach Camping

  Great place to camp in Southern California. Beautiful beach!

• 

  Tim S.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 12, 2021

  Moro Campground — Crystal Cove State Park

  Laguna Beach getaway

  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.

• 

  Donna J.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 19, 2018

  South Carlsbad State Beach Campground

  Gorgeous oceanview campgrounds. Nice clean restrooms with showers. A bit difficult to reserve as you only have a certain date and time to reserve the full hookup beachfront sites. Nearby grocery store. Enjoyed the beauty in all this area of California!

  Gorgeous oceanview campground! Clean restrooms and showers. Nearby grocery store. Beautiful visit to California coast!

• 

  susan S.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 24, 2022

  Moro Campground — Crystal Cove State Park

  Don’t break the rules

  Parked van sideways to get more privacy and went to shower and came back to a ticket. I didn’t read the camp rules, figured you could park any way you want in your site like all the other state park in Southern California.

• 

  tan N.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 9, 2021

  South Carlsbad State Beach Campground

  Beach camping

  One of best beach campgrounds in California. Beach is right there next to camping. Restroom and shower are clean even though too many people there

• 

  Brian A.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 30, 2018

  Dockweiler Beach RV Park

  Fires on the Beach!!!

  This is a pretty great RV campground. One of the only in Southern California/Los Angeles area where you can have a fire on the beach.

• C

  Christopher V.

  Traveler

  

  May. 29, 2019

  Bluffs Campground — San Onofre State Beach

  Can’t beat the views !

  Hard to beat the scenery here. Camping cliff side along the beach in Southern California. The camp grounds are a little cramped. Seem more designed for RV’s and trailers but we don’t mind. You can take dogs here and hike down to the beach from trails 1&6. Bathrooms are clean. Only outdoor showers though. I’ll go again!

• 

  Jason L.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 15, 2022

  San Elijo State Beach Campground

  Great beach camping!

  Fun beachside campground in Cardiff by the Sea, California. Not quiet or remote at all. Nice local market and lots of restaurants nearby. Great surf spot. I’ve dry camped here many times and have always enjoyed it. Dog friendly beach! *on leash

• 

  Peter R.

  Guide

  

  May. 1, 2021

  Thousand Trails Wilderness Lakes RV Resort

  Central of southern California

  In the back of a small town 2 miles behind a stater brother's. Most sites are near level on gravel and close together. Laundry uses quarters or a third party app to pay. Geese send birds roam around sites. Menifee is central to the southern California mountains of north south and east in addition to the beaches 1-2hrs west.

• 

  Javier L.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 31, 2020

  Palomar Mountain State Park Campground

  Southern California- Quick Getaway

  This park is great for all Southern California natives to get away for the weekend. Has clean facilities and the campgrounds have ample space between them. This area has a ton of beautiful landscape, during the fall/winter wonderful foliage appears. Leave no trace & enjoy our lands!

• 

  Jonathan G.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 25, 2020

  San Elijo State Beach Campground

  What more can you ask for

  It's classic California beach camping. Spots are fairly close together, and it's more like a parking lot than a campground. That said, the beach is great, and the river mouth is great for surfing. Walk across the street for groceries, food, etc. The worst part is trying to get a spot secured.

• 

  Andy H.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 25, 2019

  Lake Skinner Recreation Area

  Close to city, wineries, good amenities

  This is a great family campground right around the corner from Temecula, Murrietta, and Menifee. It has tent, partial, and full hookup sites along with a camp store, fishing, biking, bathrooms, and day use areas. The lake is beautiful and boating is also an option. The fishing costs an extra fee per day on top of your California State License, so it’s a bit pricy. There are also nice hiking trails near the campground.

• 

  Veronica H.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 20, 2021

  San Onofre Recreation Beach and Camping

  Great place for surfers!

  We have stayed at San Onofre State Beach a couple times. The campground is on the bluffs, and nearby Old Man's beach has some of the best beginner's surfing waves in Southern California. The day use area gets crowded quickly during the summer, so be sure to arrive early. If you don't want to camp on the bluffs, consider heading a bit inland to San Mateo Campground, which connects to the beach via a 1 1/2 mile nature trail. It's a bit of a walk if you are carrying a lot of gear, but much quieter and more spacious.

• 

  Erin G.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 15, 2018

  South Carlsbad State Beach Campground

  Beatiful SoCal beach spot right off of the 5

  If you’re headed to San Diego, be sure to stop and check out Carlsbad just off of the 5. this awesome beach town is quintessential Southern California beach awesomeness and it is absolutely gorgeous. Camp right off of the beach as well as have access to local shopping and restaurants. While you camp, you’ve got to check out Carlsbad cliffs for some stellar views. There are also loads of beach activities like whale watching, kayaking, surfing, fishing, and paddle boarding! My secret spot for the best fish and chips EVER is close by in Oceanside called “Harbor Fish n’ Chips.” Be sure to check this place out!

• 

  Tabitha H.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 16, 2020

  Moro Campground — Crystal Cove State Park

  Glad it exists

  It’s pretty crazy to be camping among the million dollar homes but thankful we can. It’s a beautifully maintained spot on the cliff overlooking the ocean. So much nicer than many of the Southern California beach spots in that there is a bit more space and it's much nicer than a parking lot. Plus the fantastic benefit of miles of hiking trails right from the back of the campground and the ocean and beach right in front. Something for all. And if you want to go have a posh meal or shopping that’s just a minute away too.

  Be sure to go take a look at the Crystal Cove cottages while here, it’s a pretty special spot. Try and hit up the Shake Shack too!

  Only downside is not being able to have a fire but we just used our propane portable fire pit. Spots in the back have hookups and spots in the front are tent. The tent spots are a bit nicer and would fit small trailers.

• L

  Lisa M.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 28, 2023

  Glen Ivy RV Park

  Relax long term stay

  We were here to visit family in California & came across this gem near our family’s home. Since we were staying for a few months it was perfect & the monthly rent was very reasonable. This park is very dog friendly. The park has 2 large green areas to walk your dogs at & a fenced in dog area in the very back (not recommended as it is not kept up). The staff here have been friendly & helpful when we have needed RV upkeep. They have a gentleman in the park whose a resident that can wash your rig for a charge & he does a great job (just ask at the front gate for his info). The market stocks just the basic necessities but it’s nice when needed. The park is clean & the garbage is picked up a few times a week. They’re are trash bins near every section of the park as well as bathroom/shower facilities with washer & dryers at most of them. We stayed for 5 months. This park is central to everything.

• 

  brittanie H.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 1, 2018

  South Carlsbad State Beach Campground

  Just Beachy

  South Carlsbad State Beach is extremely crowded (like many coastal campsites in Southern California), but has very easy access to your own space on the beach below the cliffs.

  We scored a last minute site because the weather was cold and windy on a Saturday in February, otherwise BOOK IN ADVANCE.

  There are lots of RVs, kids riding their bikes, and dogs galore, all of which are fun, but if you’re looking for a private site, look elsewhere!

  Fire Pits and a picnic table at each campsite and plenty of area to park your car and set up a table/easy up/etc.

  If you book on the West or Ocean side, only a chain link fence separates you from the beautiful sunsets the Pacific Ocean has to offer!

• 

  Dianne S.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 28, 2018

  South Carlsbad State Beach Campground

  Easy and so close to the beach

  This was my first California camping experience. South Carlsbad State Beach makes camping easy. The beach is close by and the facilities are clean. It's been a few years since I've been, but I don't remember a lot of trees. It's very convenient and easy to camp with your family, especially if you enjoy the beach. A lot of people around us had campers. We were tent camping, so although it was easy to set up the ground was a little hard when putting in the tent stakes. We were there during the summer, so the day time can get a little hot. But when it gets hot, head to the beach to cool off! Aside from the hard ground and minimal trees, it's still a great place to camp and quite a popular one as well.

• 

  Corinna B.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 31, 2020

  Oceanside RV Resort

  Totally fine. Nothing special. Good jumping-off place nearish to the beach

  Overall I’d rate this park a“meh.” It’s an okay location, across the highway and a short walk from a “beach” (more like a little beachy play area), though it’s also right up against the train tracks. Oceanside as a town is pretty cute, depending on which part you're in. You’re also a very close drive to Lego Land and not too far from San Diego and such. Since campgrounds in Southern California tend to be very, very expensive, this one falls about in the middle.

  The spots were okay. Not too tight, but not cute. There's some fences and scrub-trees in-between the spots, so that helps a bit. There’s also a dog area, which is helpful. Bathrooms okay. Nothing special. Like I said, mostly a “meh.”

  When we were there, there was also a bit of construction and such going on. In reading other reviews online it looks like there’s a new owner as of some time in 2019, so it may end up nicer in the future. But as it was, I’d try somewhere else first if you can find other options more to your liking.

• 

  Drea M.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 18, 2016

  San Elijo State Beach Campground

  Cliffside campground with a SOCAL beach vibe and a taco shack!

  If you wanna go on a surfside southern california adventure and keep it fun and cheap then this place is great. People do yoga on the beach, buy tacos after surfing all morning and you can walk along the beach for miles and see so much for so little of those treasured SOCAL beach scenes. You are near a little bit of beach town so you can buy anything you crave from a nearby gourmet market and meander along a beautiful garden walk behind the campground across the highway. Bums and beach hobos sneak through the fences a lot so watch yourself after hours by the restrooms or toward the far corners of the place. Bathrooms are minimal, showers need tokens and seemed to be cleaned industrial prison-style by a large butchy crew with a big hose, scrubby instruments at the end of poles and a bottle of bleach. The sites aren't private but at the beach everyone is on display so you get used to it. Bring a cruiser and your dogs and kick back at this great albeit crowded and maybe even a little too loosely run joint-- I mean, campground. The taco shack adds to the paradise resort vibe here, except unlike a resort, the tacos are actually GOOD!

• 

  Nathaniel S.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 24, 2021

  China Camp State Park Campground

  Ideal for a Camping and Mountain Biking Weekend In Marin County

  Located on the west side of the San Rafael/Richmond Bridge, on San Francisco Bay, this park is extremely popular with mountain bikers.  There are definitely better mountain biking trails in Marin (Tamarancho Boy Scout Camp, for example) but keep in mind that the bar is very high for mountain biking in Marin. So China Camp won't disappoint even if it's not the most epic biking in the area.  The trail running and hiking is great too.  The campground is off the main road that parallels the bay.  It's located just past a meadow, and in the (increasingly rare) wet months, there's a creek that runs through the park.  The website will say the sites are "hike in", but this is not how I'd describe it.  Yes, you need to park in the main lot and then carry your gear to the campsite, but it's not really a hike. More like a short walk, a quarter of a mile at best.  This means you will be able to bring your fully iced Yeti loaded with tasty local microbrews to your campground.  Heck, maybe you can figure out how to hitch it to your mountain bike so you can tow it in.

  The park itself is classic country California - oak, madrone, and even the occasional redwood.  It's often foggy in the morning, and sunny in the afternoon.  You can camp here year round, and I've been here in the winter, spring and summer. I really enjoy it here when the creek is running, but even in the summer when its dry, the proximity to the bay means it probably won't get too hot.  Bring your mountain bike and shoes suitable for hiking and trail running.  I've never done it, but I'm pretty sure you could kayak in the bay here as well.

  This park is 4 stars because one would never plan a trip to visit China Camp on its own, but it definitely would be included as part of a larger trip to Marin county.  A great Marin trip would be: set up camp at China Camp, day trip to Muir Woods, day trip out to Point Reyes, half day of mountain biking in China Camp, full day of mountain biking on Mount Tamalpais, full day of mountain biking at Tamarancho. Drink plenty of local microbrews in between.  For locals, this is an awesome spot located right in the Bay Area.  I come here often, and I've never had a bad time.

• 

  Crystal C.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 23, 2018

  Bluffs Campground — San Onofre State Beach

  This is your true BEACH experience at San Onofre

  Only open during a portion of the year this campground is the true beach camping experience. While it can be used for day use throughout the year when I first visited this area I was so upset that it was not open and instead ended up staying at another campground.

  Upon my return I had to check it out and now it will be my exclusive campground when in the San Onofre area!

  The views of the ocean are amazing from the sites. There are pull in spaces that you can park a small RV or adventure vehicle or green space for tents. I noticed a lot of surfers pulling in when I was there and hiking their boards down the bluff while others pulled in by the Camp Pendleton Beach front for the rocky beach shores.

  The facilities include outdoor showers and sinks and nice bathrooms. It is perfect for a visit to the beach where you don't need a lot to make you happy.

  Stairs stagger down the bluffs toward the beach where there is a lifeguard stand and a vast beach area for anyone wanting to brave the cold waters. It is a perfect place to catch the sunset on any given night as you can see for what seems to be eternity.

  During the open season on weekends it fills up quickly, during the weekdays it is kind of busy as well but there are still some walk up spaces available. I would suggest calling for reservations in advance just to make sure.

  Camping on the bluffs is a bit more expensive than I typically would be wanting to spend to stay in my tent, $40 dry camping. No hook ups are available at sites and with the exception of some picnic tables there isn't much else to talk about in way of the actual location. You will also find that there is an additional fee if you reserve online for "convenience", that was annoying but standard for all campgrounds in California.

  Everyone I met there had such a chill vibe and so it made for a great camp.

  One perk to the expensive fee is it does allow you access to the San Clemente beach area which has hot showers and a little different view to check out!!

  TIPS:

  • If trying to walk in arrive early otherwise there will be little chance of snagging a spot.

  • Bring your firewood because there is none to forge and none available at the entrance.

  • Pack a wetsuit the water is COLD so if you are planning on being in and engaging in any water sports you will be thankful!!