Campgrounds near Moss Landing, California offer access to both mountain and marine ecosystems with campsites ranging from sea level to over 1,000 feet elevation. The area experiences regular coastal fog patterns, particularly in summer mornings, creating unique microclimates where temperature can vary by 20-30 degrees between inland and coastal campsites. Winter camping often provides clearer views with temperatures rarely dropping below 40°F.
What to do
Wildlife viewing by kayak: The Elkhorn Slough area adjacent to Moss Landing KOA Express provides exceptional wildlife encounters. "You can easily walk to the marina area or onto the beach. Easy walk into the marina area or onto the beach. Kayaking or take a guided tour by experienced guide. See Sea Otters and tons of birds," notes one visitor.
Mountain biking near redwoods: Mount Madonna County Park offers bike-friendly trails through diverse forest environments. "The park has some unique features. 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," a camper explains. The park also features "an archery trail with 28 targets on a trail through the woods."
Racetrack viewing: For motorsport enthusiasts, certain campsites offer unique trackside viewing. "Beautiful views! Not every site has them, but most do. Either of the race track or the valleys and hills on the other side," reports a visitor to Laguna Seca Recreation Area, noting that "hours of loud cars kinda wears on you after a while. They ran from 9-4 both days."
Beach hiking: Multiple beaches within 5-15 minutes of campsites offer uncrowded shoreline walks. "About a 5 min trek through sand and dunes and you'll find yourself at a beach not many people frequent. On Friday we were the only ones for as far as I could see. No exaggeration."
What campers like
Ocean sounds: Campsites with proximity to the ocean provide natural soundscapes. "You can hear sea gulls and sea lions at your site," reports a camper at Veteran's Memorial Park Campground. Another visitor notes it's "only a mile from downtown but still tucked away in the woods."
Privacy between sites: Despite coastal campgrounds often having closer spacing, certain campsites offer good separation. At Manresa State Beach Campground, "Sites are very private and separated by bushes and trees. The loading zone was a short walk to our site. It was an easy 5-7 minute walk down to the beach."
Fog-harvesting redwoods: The unique coastal climate creates interesting natural phenomena. "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."
Dog-friendly trails: Pet owners appreciate campgrounds with extensive trail access. "This is a county park that allows dogs on ALL the trails. It's hard to find that sometimes so we greatly appreciated how dog friendly it was."
What you should know
Water availability varies: Some campgrounds have significant water restrictions. At Laguna Seca, "No potable water. They mention this several times on their website but still people miss it. Bring your own water."
Reservation requirements: Many campgrounds fill quickly, especially during summer. At Sunset State Beach, "If you can get a reservation here (which is VERY difficult) you will have the best time." Winter offers more flexibility as one camper noted, "We camped in the winter and had no reservations, but got a good spot anyway."
Site differences within campgrounds: Individual sites vary significantly in size and privacy. "Our site (418) was huge and private. There is a large vacant campsite across the road that's reserved for docents but it was empty when we were there so we had the cul-de-sac all to ourselves."
Weather preparedness: The coastal mountains create dramatic temperature variations. "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!"
Tips for camping with families
Activity options: Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday offers extensive children's facilities. "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."
Beach access: Consider how far your family will need to walk to reach beaches. "It's a walk to the beach. Perfect for anyone. All kinds of camping here and it's a walk to the beach," notes one camper, while another specifies, "It's a bit of a walk to the beach from the campground. It's a beautiful beach and not crowded however."
Wildlife safety: Properly secure food at all campsites near Moss Landing. "There are a LOT of raccoons, so pack up your stuff well," warns one camper. Another notes, "Our bear locker wouldn't close properly, and we suffered the consequences when we awoke to a family of raccoons raiding the box."
Space for children: Look for campgrounds with open areas. "Large grass area available to anyone to use, along with a playground. Sufficient shade on each site," notes a visitor to Veteran's Memorial Park.
Tips from RVers
Site selection: RV sites vary significantly in size and accessibility. "Our 40' double expando barely fit and you had to go into the neighboring sites just to access your hook ups etc. Waste hook up is inches from our picnic table."
Hookup locations: Some campsites have awkward utility placement. "The sites are super deep, all are 50' in depth. There are lots of super rigs that are pushing the 50' they have available." Another camper notes "The location of the electrical/water is awkward."
Leveling considerations: Many sites require leveling blocks. "Our paved site was decently unlevel," reports a camper, while another notes "They were very close together but paved. Beach is super close and sea life plentiful."
