The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Menlo Park. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Menlo Park is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Menlo Park and user-submitted reviews.
$35 - $165 / night
"We rarely make reservations to camp in California Beach Parks, as they are usually filled up weeks or even months in advance."
"Beautiful beach walking distance from campground. Bike or walking trails to wonderful beaches and places to eat. Short drive to many other areas. small but good size sites for where it is."
$45 - $65 / night
"What they do have are scores of hookup sites for $60 / night and three tent / drive-in no hookup water-only sites for $45 / night."
"The showers are roomy with ok water pressure (for California) and warm water. The laundry is super convenient. They even have summer ranger programs but we didn’t see many kids here."
$25 - $200 / night
"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"
"Always went here when we don't wanna drive too far. Staff is great and place is clean. Campsite #69 has the best view but is next to trail. Very nice trails and not super far from town to get food."
$35 / night
"Not far from the hustle and bustle of the Bay Area in California. When you arrive it's like stepping in to a whole other world. Huge redwoods blanket the mountain and line every site."
"So sad the devastation of last month's fires on the oldest state park in California, home to thr biggest redwoods south of San Francisco."
"Clean, has some views from far border of the hills but the spots are tight and there is not much to do but hook-up."
"After-hours check-in was a breeze, as the checkin instructions were taped to the main door of the office at the park entrance."
$35 - $50 / night
"Given all that and its proximity to SF, I’ll be aiming to get reservations here every summer, and some winter seasons too."
"Bathrooms are easily accessible but showers are a bit of a walk maybe 5 mins from your site."
$33 / night
"This is a nice camping away from the car experience. It's a short walk up a paved path from the parking to the campsites."
"Great walk-in campground so close to home in the South Bay Area (albeit walk is slightly uphill)."
$35 / night
"It is a smaller park than many of the other redwoods parks in Northern California, so it was very nice and peaceful. Butano is a bit off the beaten path to get to, but so worth it."
"Large, user-friendly campsites surrounded by redwood trees. Great ferny hiking trails for every level of camper/hiker. Very easy access to campsites and near Pescadero and Highway One."
$8 / night
"The parking lot for the trail head is just a bit further down Hwy 35. "
"There is a nearby shooting range and you can hear the gunshots during the daylight hours."
$75 / night
"We walked through and enjoyed the nature areas so much. We continue to go back and spend time at Cayote Hills because it is so beautiful. We can't wait until thwe next time."
GuidePantoll would be one of my favorite campgrounds of all time if not for the noise levels. One would think that quiet time would be respected in a backpackers campground, but not here. This is a major party campground, especially in summer. Don't let the fact that it's behind a ranger station fool you-- they clock out by 10pm, and if you have an issue after that, good luck. Last time I camped here the dude on the site next to me would not stop pointing his light into my tent. I was in my 1 person backpacking tent with the rainfly off. So irritating. But the campground itself is so beautiful. It's just a few miles uphill from Muir Woods, and you don't need additional reservations to hike in from the campground. Like Bootjack this is a first come first serve tent only campground. Pantoll is closer to Cardiac Point and more trails. You could hike pretty much anywhere in Mt. Tam from here. No camp hosts but the Rangers are available from about 9-5, some of my favorite rangers outside Yosemite. Wifi is available at the ranger station.
GuideThis is one of my favorite campgrounds I've ever camped at. Bootjack is a tent only, walk in campground. You park your car in the parking lot, and then carry your stuff uphill to your site. The site closest to the bottom is reserved for disabled. Many of the sites feature beautiful historic stone grills. Some of the sites are two levels. Many are next to the creek. It's usually quiet and peaceful. Pantoll Ranger Station is only .4 miles away and there are endless hiking opportunities from there. This campground is first come first serve only. Maximum stay 14 nights per year. The only major downside is there is no camp host. Rangers come through once per morning to power wash the restrooms.
GuideNice clean decent cell service. Lots of birds singing. The views of the lake are very nice. Would stay again
GuideThis is an interesting rv park on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It has a ca beach town feel, but is just 20 minutes from San Francisco. Walgreens, Safeway, and a couple coffee shops, local bakery and restaurants all walking distance. Spectacular sunsets over the pacific if the fog permits. Saw a couple whales too. When it’s clear you can see the farralon islands 30 miles offshore. On the downside the “campsites” are close together… it’s more like a parking lot than a campground, but everyone is friendly and the overall vibe is good.
GuideBeautiful mature trees all over campground. The bathrooms need to be cleaned more often. Sites are not level.
LegendI camped here prior to Covid and there was already a lot of peeps camping up and down the streets outside the campground and I know that it has increased in numbers since. Inside the campground it was fine and didn't get hassled at all. Used this spot to attend an event at the Marconi Center and commuted on my bike without issue. Don't know that I would vacation here necessarily but the campground overall had nice showers and worked for what I needed overall a nice place just in a tough neighborhood.
LegendVery nice park for an on the water location, I've been to some where you can't even turn without hitting someone. The area is a bit industrial but quick access to San Fran and the other sites around town. Nice bike trail right on the water
GuideWe loved how wooded this campground is and is close to nearby towns! We went to Sea Harvest in Moss Landing for dinner and would definitely recommend!Long walk to the beach, so we ended up just parking at the day use parking lot. Beach had plenty of litter and even a decaying seal which was a little unpleasant. Our paved site was decently unlevel. Bathrooms had private showers- 50 cents for 2 minutes. One shower ate my 2 quarters and didn’t work, but the next one worked fine and had hot water! Most people seem to not follow leash rules with their dogs.
LegendThis is our 3rd or 4th stay here. We visit people in the Bay Area and this place is convenient to Palo Alto and the Peninsula. It is usually not crowded, but this trip has more rigs the bathrooms are modern and clean, if spartan. The showers are roomy with ok water pressure (for California) and warm water. The laundry is super convenient. They even have summer ranger programs but we didn’t see many kids here. We are in a Class B van, but many sites are large enough for Class A rigs. Every time we have stayed here it has been windy. Sites, though asphalt, require some leveling.
Camping near Menlo Park, California, offers a great mix of nature and adventure. With beautiful parks and campgrounds just a short drive away, you can enjoy the great outdoors without straying too far from home.
Whether you’re looking for the best camping near Menlo Park, CA, or just a quick getaway, these campgrounds offer something for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Menlo Park, CA is Half Moon Bay State Beach Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 27 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 14 parks near Menlo Park, CA that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
Keep Exploring
