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Tamatha B.
Traveler
TravelerSanta Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday
This is a great camp ground. Plenty of activities. Showers are clean, laundry room takes tap pay.
Glamping near Marina, CA
2 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Saddle Mountain Ranch and Marina Dunes RV Park house luxury glamping accommodations within a short drive of Marina, California's coastal attractions. Saddle Mountain Ranch features luxury gazebo setups with heated queen mattresses, private fire pits, and propane grills nestled in the Carmel Valley's wooded landscape. The park maintains clean restroom facilities, offers a heated swimming pool, and provides hiking trails throughout the property. Marina Dunes complements its traditional sites with upscale glamping options including yurts and canvas accommodations, all situated near the Monterey Bay shoreline. Both locations provide picnic tables, fire rings, and proximity to beaches and local attractions. One guest shared, "This place is nestled in the Carmel Valley and decently secluded. We booked a luxury gazebo situation which came with a queen bed (heated mattress) a fire pit and your own propane grill."
Salinas-Monterey KOA and Mount Madonna County Park expand the region's glamping inventory with distinctive accommodations. Mount Madonna features yurts set among redwood groves with views extending to the Monterey Bay and Santa Clara Valley. The park sits above the fog line most of the year, creating ideal conditions for stargazing from private decks. Salinas-Monterey KOA offers safari-style glamping tents with comfortable bedding, electricity, and nearby amenities including a heated pool, game areas, and a camp store. The surrounding area provides access to hiking trails, wildlife viewing opportunities, and coastal attractions. A recent visitor mentioned, "We stayed in a tent cabin which was nicer than we thought it would be. It had just the right amount of space for my wife and I, our two daughters and all our gear. The entire campground is loaded with trees so there was plenty of shade everywhere."
Best Glamping Campgrounds near Marina (25)
1. Marina Dunes RV Park
"There is a Best Western right next to this place were we ended up getting a room instead as that was less expensive. We did arrive there with no reservation and after hours."
"We love Marina Dunes RV Resort! This was our first stay here and we thoroughly enjoyed it! We love the proximity to the beach and the beautiful dunes. The park was very clean and well-maintained."
2. Saddle Mountain
"This place is nestled in the Carmel Valley and decently secluded. We booked a luxury gazebo situation which came with a queen bed (heated mattress) a fire pit and your own propane grill."
"This is a fun little hideaway with a heated pool, but it still feels like camping."
6 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $53 - $435 / night
3. Sunset State Beach
"Clean bathrooms with running water. Very very very safe. Lots of families but again, super safe and beautiful"
"Close to the beach, hot showers, fire pits"
4. Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday
"A short drive to Santa Cruz and Monterey. They have a heated pool, laundry facilities and on site store. There are however some large raccoons so use caution with your trash."
"General: So many options, including full hookup back-in or pull-thru sites, sites with just w/e, pet sites, nine different types of cabins, and tent sites."
5. Mount Madonna County Park
"Nice area ,lots of trails into redwoods and cedar trees, campsites were very roomy and flatish. Water was available, bathroom was clean.Nice place to get away from the heat."
"There's something for everyone here, RVers, tenters, and those who want to rent tent cabins. There are plenty of trails to hike, as well as equestrian trails. No bikes on trails though."
6. Salinas-Monterey KOA
"They have nice facilities and a heated pool although a hot tub would be nice also. The sites are a little small but very mature trees and they keep it clean."
"The location is very secluded as bd far from stores but fairly close to the sea. Have visited a few time and enjoy the stay. Not many issues. I’m looking forward to the Upgrades!"
7. Pinnacles Campground — Pinnacles National Park
"We had a separate dome tent to keep out bugs. The site had two picnic benches, a fire pit and bear lockers for your food."
"The campground loop we were in was full and the sites are fairly close to your neighbor but it wasn't bad. The main reason being absolutely NO generators allowed so it was peaceful."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $44 - $164 / night
8. Cabana Holiday RV Park-cabins
"pull-ins are easy to access. the Wi-Fi here is good enough to check email but not for streaming or anything intensive. however you can get a good starlink connection and over 100 megabits per second. it is pet"
"Part of the KOA franchise, this is a very clean, well positioned RV and Cabin park for exploring the Monterey, Salinas, Watsonville, Santa Cruz area."
9. Seacliff State Beach
"All camping spots are adjacent to the 'boardwalk' beach path and the beach. Yes, your rig is within 20' of the beach at all campsites."
10. Fernwood Campground & Resort
"Fernwood is a unique campground because it has tent sites, RV spaces, canvas tents, cabins, a motel and even a restaurant."
"So nice though, next a river, but close to other campers. The showers were nice and clean bathrooms. The lady in charge was so nice and hospitable ready to help. She took us in without reservations."
Check Availabilityfrom $60 - $100 / night
Drive Time
- 17 min from Salinas, CA
- 29 min from Santa Cruz, CA
- 48 min from San Jose, CA
- 1 hr 50 min from Modesto, CA
Recent Glamping Photos near Marina, CA
25 Photos of 25 Marina Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Saddle MountainC
Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA HolidayC
Mount Madonna County Park
Thousand Trails Morgan Hill
Thousand Trails San Benito
Uvas Canyon County Park
Riverside Campground & Cabins
Fernwood Campground & Resort
Casa de Fruta
Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County ParkJ
Ventana CampgroundC
Pinnacles Campground — Pinnacles National Park
Glamping Reviews near Marina, CA
456 Reviews of 25 Marina Campgrounds
- DDoug O.Traveler
Marina Dunes RV Park
Our favorite place. We have stayed here 14 times. Always clean.
Rubén D.
GuidePinnacles Campground — Pinnacles National Park
Great summer getaway
The campsite was great. Ground pretty hard, so a mallet or big rock will be helpful. There’s a tree, but no shade for the picnic table. I setup a tarp and it worked great. There are no flush toilets near the campsite. The loop has portable toilets and handwashing stations.
Tim P.TravelerThousand Trails Morgan Hill
Great Campground
I liked this Thousand Trails resort because it’s more like camping. The staff is amazing. The facilities are great amazing big pool. The only problem I had is they didn’t have any sewage hook up, but I have a tote so it wasn’t that big of a deal.
- TTom H.Guide
Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday
Great place for kids, lots to do.
Koa’s in this area are typically expensive and this is no exception. But, for families it may be worth it. Playground, jumping, bouncing area, dog yard. Lots to do. It has good shower facilities, bathrooms are clean. For retirees and older folks, it may not be worth it. Not much room between sites and lots of kids for the nervous folks. My site (35) was electric and water only with a dry creek behind us. My only beef (and it was not only with the campground, but with irresponsible dog owners) was the piles of poop I had to pick up before I could safely walk around. Come on people! If you own a dog, please take care of them and pick up after them. Otherwise, the location was convenient, the place was clean (exception noted) and I will likely return.
Lee D.
LegendSanta Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday
Many options for families
General: So many options, including full hookup back-in or pull-thru sites, sites with just w/e, pet sites, nine different types of cabins, and tent sites. Some sites are paved and some are gravel.
Bath/Shower: The one closest to our site had a women's and men's restroom, and the showers are individual units but shared for both genders. I expected a more upscale shower (it was ok but a little tight, skimpy on hooks and no bench).
Activities/Amenities: So many amenities including a pool and hot tub, playground, jump pad, climbing “palms”, rec center with bike rentals and concessions, and a train (I’ve probably missed a few). Laundry is available on site (operated via an app and your phone).
Although this is not our preferred type of camping, after five nights in California State parks with limited amenities, we stayed here for hot showers, laundry, and full hookups for van maintenance. This was a typical KOA in many ways, but one thing that was different was that we had to wear wristbands, and there was a gate to enter and leave. While it should have made us feel safe, I wondered why there were extra security features.
Chia-Chia W.GuideVentana Campground
3.8/5 – Beautiful Redwood Camping Experience with a Few Important Caveats
We camped at Ventana Campground(Alila/Hyatt) in Big Sur and overall had a great experience. The redwood forest provides incredible shade, keeping the campsite cool even on warm days, and the atmosphere feels peaceful and magical. The entrance is beautifully designed, and there's even an Airstream serving pizza, drinks, and gelato. Our biggest surprise was that some sites are limited by tent size, not guest count, so double-check before booking. Be prepared for a steep walk to certain sites and bring a wagon only if your site allows it. Mosquitoes were intense before the campfire, so insect repellent is essential. Restrooms were decent but not spotless, and showers require paid tokens. Overall, it's a beautiful, well-managed campground that's perfect for a relaxing redwood camping experience.
Izzy M.
ScoutFernwood Campground & Resort
Thankful!!
Large sites, plenty to do and explore. The creek runs right through the campground. The hubby and I decided to take a last minute road trip up north from the long beach area... No reservations just a tent and some personal necessities. All of the campsites in big sur were sold out and we came across Fernwood. To our surprise they had one spot available for us. The girl in the office, along with the maintenance folks were super friendly and helpful. Very family friendly ambiance. We will be returning but with reservation this time 🤭 and a larger group.
Chris C.GuideVentana Campground
Nice, but Overpriced and Crowded
This is a resort campground. Nice bathrooms w/ showers, well kept campsites, a store in the campground, beautiful redwoods and staff rolling around in golf carts. For $80 you basically share a campsite with 2-3 other groups and park your car in tiny parking spaces. For spending that kind of money I was expecting to have some more space. The only place I’ve been so close to other people was upper pines in Yosemite.
I recommend this as a backup option for your camping in Big Sur. The price for what you get is not worth it and there is cheaper and much better camping around the area - just book far in advance!
Guide to Marina
Mount Madonna County Park offers unique yurt camping 25 miles inland from Marina, California, situated at an elevation of 1,800 feet among redwood groves. These hillside accommodations remain above the fog line most of the year, creating ideal conditions for stargazing while providing views extending to Monterey Bay and Santa Clara Valley. The park contains miles of hiking trails through redwood forests and along ridgetops with temperatures typically 40 degrees cooler than nearby valley floor locations.
What to do
Explore hiking trails: Mount Madonna County Park features extensive trail networks accessible directly from campsites. "This particular site has a trail leading directly to the vast network of hiking trails. Huge bonus for us and we were pleasantly surprised that not one person used our site as a cut through," notes a visitor from Mount Madonna County Park.
Visit the beach: The shoreline near Sunset State Beach offers long stretches of relatively uncrowded coastline. "Beach is long and expansive with very few people on an average day. Nice place to take a stroll and relax," explains one camper who found this location "not far from Santa Cruz, maybe 25-30 minutes depending on traffic."
Wildlife viewing: San Benito RV and Camping Resort provides opportunities to observe local wildlife within the campground. "Deer wandered through camp at all times of the day. You can see wild boar passing along the hillsides. We also saw a couple of foxes one evening on the perimeter," reports a visitor describing the abundant wildlife activity at this 300-acre property.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Campground cleanliness ranks high among visitor priorities at Pinnacles Campground. "Clean. Friendly staff. Wonderful showers. Campground was full the weekend we were there," notes a recent visitor who appreciated the well-maintained amenities despite high occupancy.
Swimming options: Several campgrounds offer swimming facilities for cooling off after hiking. "They have a heated pool, laundry facilities and on site store. There are however some large raccoons so use caution with your trash," warns a visitor to Santa Cruz KOA, highlighting both the amenities and wildlife challenges.
Privacy levels: Site selection significantly impacts privacy at Mount Madonna County Park. "While the sites are a little close to each other, those on the outside of the loop had a great deal of privacy. Inner loop sites have none, but would be great if you were camping with friends," advises a recent visitor who carefully considered site placement.
What you should know
Weather variability: Coastal fog and temperature swings affect camping comfort. "It is a lot colder here than on the valley floor. Prepare for it to be 40deg colder than Gilroy or San Jose. We weren't prepared & had to drive into town & buy more clothes!" cautions a Mount Madonna visitor.
Wildlife encounters: Raccoons are particularly active at Pinnacles Campground. "Raccoons... everywhere.... seriously leave your car locked, these little buggers were not afraid of humans," warns a camper who otherwise enjoyed the "good showers, clean bathrooms, private sites."
Beach access: Reaching the beach from Marina Dunes RV Park requires effort. "If you like to walk, there is a path that will take you to the ocean. It's about a quarter of a mile walk in sand. There is no sidewalk," explains one visitor who also noted highway noise as something to consider when selecting sites.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly amenities: Look for campgrounds with dedicated children's activities. "This KOA is great for a family getaway. TONS of activities on site- huge bouncy pad, a climbing wall, ping pong tables, a swimming pool, pedal go karts, the list goes on and on," reports a Santa Cruz KOA visitor.
Spacious sites: Select larger sites when camping with children and gear at Saddle Mountain Ranch. "Camp sites and cabins are a little close together but nice, clean grounds make it comfortable. Good playground for kids. Foosball, ping pong, corn hole, horseshoes, and other games available," notes a visitor who found the campground "perfect for beginning campers and glampers."
Noise considerations: Family-oriented campgrounds may have varying noise levels. "Lots of activities for younger kids. Convenient location, lots of amenities. Cabin was super nice to stay in after a week of car camping! Kitchenette, bathroom, hot water. Perfect," shares a satisfied family visitor at Saddle Mountain Ranch.
Tips from RVers
Site access challenges: RV campers should evaluate campground roads before arrival. "First off the road coming to the campground is very steep, could be challenging for some rigs," warns a Saddle Mountain Ranch visitor about potential access issues for larger vehicles.
Highway noise: Marina Dunes RV Park offers ocean proximity but with ambient noise. "It is very loud here with the freeway right behind you. It didn't bother us in the day. At night I had a sound machine so it didn't bother us. Our neighbors ended up leaving after a day because of the noise," shares one RVer describing the tradeoffs of this location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping
campsite near Marina, CA?
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Marina, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Marina, CA is Marina Dunes RV Park with a 4.2-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find
glamping camping near
Marina, CA?
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Marina, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 25 glamping camping locations near Marina, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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