Best Tent Camping near Mount Hamilton, CA

Enjoyed tent camping at mount Madonna. I was able to reserve a drive in tent campground one month out . Many miles of trails and excellent facilities.

This campground has large open sites for tent camping. It was covered in trees and had some options for better more private spots, but sadly the campground was almost to capacity when we went. The options for tent camping was limited. I know for our next visit to reserve ahead of time, and to request cliff side tent camps. Cliff side tent camps are separate and have full vista views.

Often booked so you’ll want to get a reservation. $35/night for tent camping plus 7.99 reservation fee. No electric for tent camping but there is water. Safeway is just a mile away. Super cute town close by with fun shops and restaurants. The wind in the afternoon can be annoying but the views are worth it. I love staying here after working in Burlingame which is only 30 minutes away. Super easy to get to Mavericks, San Francisco etc.

The staff was amazing. Tent site was spacious. Not too crowded. Clean bathroom and shower. Several trails to walk. Close to town in case we forgot something.

We tent camped here but most people had a trailer. Translation: the bathroom was empty. Quiet with quick access to the beach via a steep paved path. The premium spots seem super worth it with panoramic views of the Pacific. Warning: the line for the dump station wound through nearly the entire park.

There is a BMX park a short drive away.

Security guy was awesome, kind, friendly, helpful! We arrived at 11:30 pm - exhausted, with no reservation, asking for a tent site. No problem! He quickly got us registered and put us in a site with empty sites on each side of ours. In no time we had our tent set up, and we were comfortable and fast asleep. Felt VERY safe!

We stay at this KOA 3-4 times a year. We especially enjoy the Halloween and other theme weekends they have. They have made tons of improvements over the last 10 years we have been going. Sites range from tent sites, RV sites, to full size cabins. They even rent out Airstream trailers. The staff is wonderful. Fun place. A little expensive but what you would expect for all the amenities offered. Beautiful pool but the kids kind of take it over. All the rest of the stuff KOA offers plus super clean bathrooms and sites.

Short walk to the beach. You can walk for miles on the beach or on the bluff trails. Everyone is laidback which makes for a peaceful experience. Great sunsets!!

Tenting camping and RVs. Limited electrical hookups.

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. There are also Plenty of options on how to stay- RV sites, cabins, tent sites, you can even book one of the campgrounds Airstreams! There is also relatively quick access to Santa Cruz to the north and Monterey to the south.

My only criticism is that it is not that woodsy. But hey, this is a KOA! If you want to camp in the woods, go to a national park!

This is a hidden gem. A little bowl full of redwoods, a creek and great hiking. Lots of great tent sites but pick your site wisely so you are not too close to your neighbors.  Also have some good back country hike in sites.

There is a nature trail along the creek.

If you hike up to the ridge on a clear day you can see the ocean.  There is also an old landing strip on the hill you can hike to as well. Great hike along the ridge where you can bakcpack into a trail camp.  Little streams along the way to get access to water.

Yes, this is a KOA, so if you are into tent camping or an immersive forest setting, you might want to look elsewhere. But for a quick weekend jaunt for RV campers, this location slightly more than an hour from the Bay Area is hard to beat. Full hook-ups are available, there is an on site restaurant and outdoor bar, and there is close proximity to multiple beaches and tide pools. The resort also has great activities for kids that they occasionally bring on site, such as a climbing wall and nature talks with live animals. The sites at the bottom of the first loop with awesome sunset views are my favorite. Very grassy and “outdoorsy” for a KOA.

This is sweet hike in trail camp.  We have used it for two purposes.  First when were were climbing in Castle Rock State Park and this was our hub and second when we were doing the Skyline to the Sea Trail and wanted a easy first day.  This is primitive. There is a shelter with tables in the event there is rain.  Then there are scattered sites, some with tables for you to find a tent site.  If busy - you will be sharing.

Shaded, though hike down can be in the open. Primitive restrooms. Water available. Picnic Tables.

Great home base for climbing - good trail camp for the march to the sea.

This is one of the most enchanting places I have ever been to. Just wow! There is only 4 tent sites, but they are huge! Plenty of RV spots as well. ADA accessible site are limited but they are #17, 23, 24, 109, 112. This is near a 40 acre redwood grove with so much old growth. The trees are towering above you! It is kind of pricey but well worth it. you can see an amazing view of the night sky and hear the sounds of the waves from the nearby ocean.

You do have to be bear aware here, there are food lockers though.Also, watch out for the poison oak... so much. Each site also has a fire ring and picnic table. They have clean bathrooms with flush toilets and showers that are $0.25 per 2 minutes.

I love this campground and miss it, as I have moved out of California.

We've been camping here a few times now, since it is about a half hour from where we live. We camp with a 27' Travel Trailer and the campgrounds can accommodate it. There is also several tent campsites as well. The marina to Lake Del Valle is a few miles away. They rent recreational boats as well as aluminum fishing boats. They have a swimming beach area and they rent kayaks as well. There is some decent hiking trails from the campgrounds. There were no hookups where we camped for the travel trailer. Lots of turkey and deer in the area. The fee for us was $27/per night. They is a per fee as well.

We've camped here twice and it's been nice with a couple of exceptions. Since it's a new campground, the trees are young and don't supply much shade, but since it's close to the SF Bay, the bay breeze helps. It is right off 84 near the Dumbarton bridge so there can be a lot of traffic noise. There are some nice trails that will take you to the Bay and also to Coyote Hills Regional Park. It's also near Ardenwood Farm so if you have little kids it's a good spot to visit. 
They have RV and tent sites and it looks like they will have a little store and laundry facilities in the future. There are lots of shopping and restaurant options very nearby if needed. 

We had an issue with a camper that was next to us playing very loud music and when we asked them to turn it down they refused so we asked at the office if there was a space available somewhere else and they accommodated us without question. 

We appreciate how convenient it is for people who live in the Bay Area and if you want to visit the area from out of state or out of the Bay Area, it would be a great place to park your camper and explore.

I chose Casa De Fruta because of their Passport America discount. I had to be in the area for a day, so I’ve decided to try this one. It was half price for three nights. It is an older park, it has seen better days but the RV sites are full-hookup and concrete.

I saw lower sites that looked like tent sites, it is perfect if you want less highway noise. There are some“permanent resident” sites in the back of the park. Bathrooms are kept clean. They have a pool, but it is not heated, so I couldn’t use it in October. It was in the ’70s during the day and pretty cold during the night. 

I had to use my small heater to keep myself warm. It’s a great weekend place for families with cute fruit and candy stores, carousels for the kids, little train, and animals. The weekend I came there was a Rennesaince Faire in the back and I’ve heard there are other fun festivities going on in the area, like the Garlic Festival, Strawberry Festival etc. One funny thing happened, I locked my bike to the bench but I lost the key. The office was kind enough to have maintenance to come out and help me. They cut my lock and finally, I was able to get my bicycle back. Typical me!🙂 Overall, I had a good time at the park, not much to do after you visit the little stores, but it is perfect for a night or two stays.

We rarely make reservations to camp in California Beach Parks, as they are usually filled up weeks or even months in advance. While meeting up with some friends in Half Moon Bay we happened along the campsite and simply enquired if they had an open site for the night. They did, and we ended up staying for 2 nights due to a cancellation.  It never hurts to ask!  

The campsite is a nice quiet stretch of grass, live oak trees, and beach shrubs about 30 vertical feet above the Pacific beach shoreline.  While you get away from the blowing sand, you get to hear the pounding ocean at night. I can’t imagine a more gentle lullaby, frankly. The sites themselves are a little close quarters, but all provide just about enough space for a long camper and a tow/towed vehicle as well.  For a small camper like us, there’s even enough room to have a friend visit. 

The sites offer electrical and water hookups, additionally there is a dump station just as you exit the camping area. Showers and flush toilets are available, but also used by all the beach goers in the area, so you know what they look like....never clean.

The town of Half Moon Bay offers pretty much everything you need in terms of restaurants or grocery stores. Riding your bike, or walking along the path toward town for a well-earned brunch should definitely reach the top of your to-do list while you’re there.  We had brunch at Mavericks Creparie and dinner at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.  Both are absolutely fantastic!

Beachcombing, sunbathing, swimming, horseback riding, and skim boarding during the warmer months also are great ways to fill up the day. The beach path goes for miles in either direction so you can get some exercise off of the main roads.

It was a nice campground to go to. Lots of wildlife and hiking. Dogs are allowed. The lake is closed to any and all water-craft because the water level is too low. It is very clean and well maintained for the most part. Cell phone service for Xfinity/Verizon is spotty at best. There is weak wifi.

However, here's where it loses a star:

I arrived on a Friday late afternoon. Set up my tent. People were fairly loud until about 11pm. Bathrooms were really nice and clean…at first. Saturday, in came the crowd. Loud, obnoxious, and inconsiderate way past midnight. There was no reinforcement of quiet hours past 10pm. The toilets were clogged by 9pm at both restrooms. Men's restrooms have ONLY ONE STALL. And they were clogged beyond belief. I cannot understand why people do not know how to flush a toilet in public. Do they do this crap at home? Anyway, Sunday morning past 9am, still clogged up. Lines waiting to use the compromised restrooms as well. Ridiculous. Unfortunately, that's what ruined my experience. People just being completely selfish in a public campground and staff not be able to keep up with their antics. Maybe there shouldn't be so many sites for so few facilities. Just a thought.

For SUV tents, check out campsite pics on other sites before booking. SUV tents are usually limited to one entrance/exit point on the tent. Usually the driver's side. Each campsite is different. The one I reserved had only one pic that basically showed me nothing. I only could back in to set up my tent on the grass. Both the picnic table and firepit were facing the passenger side way far from the parking spot (as you can see in the second pic) opposite the entrance to my tent. So something to consider.

Butano State Park is an absolute gem! 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. There are some car sites available, but we had a walk in site. At the time we went, you were assigned a site by the ranger - we happened to get the very last site that was tucked back on a little hill, so it was very nice and secluded. Every site is surrounded by giant redwood trees, and it is an absolutely gorgeous campground.

We forgot our tent on that trip, but that ended up being a GREAT mistake! We set up our air mattress on the tarp, and falling asleep and waking up amongst the still, quiet redwoods was absolutely magical.

The park is so green and lush, shaded, with a nice moderate temperature. There are plenty of hiking trails, and a creek nearby.

I would love to return to Butano some day!

CAMPSITE SPECS

Fees: $35/night

Plumbed Toilets: Yes

Drinking Water: Yes

Showers: No

Picnic Table: Yes

Firepit: Yes

Cooking Grate: Yes

Shade: Yes

Cell Service: No

Animal Bins/Food lockers: Yes

Trash: Yes

This place is magnificent. I've hiked every trail here. It's pretty amazing to climb up and see the views of the ocean on a clear day. Most site are small and can probably only hold 1 tent however parking areas seem to be pretty large so if you only have one car you can use the other parking area for a tent. There are a few larger sites to be found.

We camp here every year in May or June. It's always fun. The tent cabins are super convenient.