Glamping near Los Altos, California offers alternatives to traditional tent camping at elevations ranging from sea level at coastal sites to over 1,800 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Winter temperatures in these areas can drop into the 40s at night, particularly in higher elevation redwood forests where temperature differences between the valley floor and mountain camps can reach 40 degrees. Most luxury camping options remain open year-round with weather-appropriate accommodations.
What to do
Waterfall hiking: Uvas Canyon County Park features multiple waterfall trails accessible directly from campsites. "The trails are narrow and steep at some places but mostly shaded. Small waterfalls are the highlights of the trail, but kids will enjoy playing in the water on hot days," notes reviewer Mon M. about Uvas Canyon County Park.
Archery courses: Mount Madonna County Park maintains a 28-target archery 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. about Mount Madonna County Park.
Wildlife viewing: Visit the white fallow deer enclosure near the ranger station at Mount Madonna. "Near the ranger station there are pens with white fallow deer. They are descendants of the exotic zoo at William Randolph Hearst's mansion down the coast," explains reviewer April N.
Coastal exploration: Coastal glamping sites provide easy beach access for tide pool exploration. "You can walk for miles on the beach or on the bluff trails. Everyone is laidback which makes for a peaceful experience. Great sunsets!!" writes Jill F. about Francis Beach Campground.
What campers like
Redwood microclimates: Mount Madonna sits above the fog line most days, creating unique forest conditions. "This is the only place I've seen the redwood trees harvest the fog and make their own rain, which is pretty cool. In the morning it's raining under the redwood trees but not under the madrone or tan oak trees, which is wild," shares reviewer April N.
Wood-burning stove comfort: The yurts at Mount Madonna feature wood stoves that become essential on cold mountain nights. "It is a lot colder here than on the valley floor. Prepare for it to be 40deg colder than Gilroy or San Jose," warns reviewer April N.
Walk-in tent sites: Sanborn County Park offers walk-in camping with equipment assistance. "It's a short walk up a paved path from the parking to the campsites. The park provides carts to help with hauling gear, and storage boxes are provided at the site, near the picnic table," reports Amanda P.
Clean facilities: Campgrounds maintain high cleanliness standards even with high visitor counts. "Absolutely soo clean and a great place to camp without having to travel so far. Bathrooms are constantly cleaned and showers are free and clean," notes carolina M. about Mount Madonna.
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Most glamping sites require advance booking, especially during peak seasons. "A nice small campground nestled in the eastern side of Santa Cruz Mountains, west of Morgan Hill, easily accessible off of Highway 101. Short hikes along the Uvas Creek and Swanson creek are right next to the campground... Reservations are required," advises reviewer Mon M.
Connectivity considerations: Cell service varies significantly across glamping locations. "No cell service (at least for ATT) when you are there," reports reviewer Darin D. about Uvas Canyon, while Sanborn offers "Verizon cell service worked at the campground," according to Mon M.
Site privacy variations: Half Moon Bay State Beach Campground offers different experiences based on site selection. "The 3 walk-up sites (36-38) were right up against the beach, which was nice," writes Marc A., while other reviewers note that standard sites can be quite close together.
Seasonal crowds: Expect varying crowd levels based on timing. "We were camping for 1 night and boy, was it crowded! Each and every group was fighting for the 'wagons' to haul stuff up the hike-in campsites," explains Pranj D. about Sanborn County Park's weekend experience.
Tips for camping with families
Bike-friendly paths: Some campgrounds offer cycling opportunities for children. "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," advises Weston W. about Mount Madonna County Park.
Child-friendly amenities: Bathroom facilities often include family accommodations. "Well maintained/clean facilities. Restrooms and showers were clean, and some even have baby changing stations," notes Mon M. about Uvas Canyon County Park.
Wildlife education: Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA offers nature programming specifically for children. "This is a great camp ground for families as well as seniors! We attended a presentation on the wild birds in the area that an employee provided, and then he took us on a hike through Costanoa and over to the ocean," shares Dave from Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA.
Creek exploration: Several campgrounds feature streams where children can play safely. "The 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," describes Adventure M. about Big Basin Redwoods.
Tips from RVers
Site specifications: RV sites vary considerably between campgrounds. "Very nice and clean AND I have a great site. Easy to find. Wifi like always is iffy and ATT is limited. 1 bar at site 30," reports Rowan B. about Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA.
Hookup availability: Mount Madonna offers electrical connections for RVs. "The RV sites have both water and electric hookups which was great! There is a very convenient FREE dump station just inside the entrance to the park that we used as we departed," explains Lori T. about Mount Madonna County Park.
Narrow access roads: Some glamping locations have challenging approaches. "To get to Sanborn you will have to drive up a narrow road. We didn't have any issue with a 21' though," notes Ignasi M. about Sanborn County Park.
Site spacing considerations: RV sites at some locations provide limited separation. "RV sites are basically parking lot with 4' strips of grass in between, But it was March and mostly empty," explains daren W. about Sanborn County Park.