Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Pacifica, CA

This KOA is pretty big with plenty of options for RV sites. Wide variety of full hook-ups or partial hook-ups. Like most (if not all) KOAs, you can also tent camp or tent cabins. Good size dog park for the pets to run and be free, as well as plenty of fun activities to entertain the kiddos. For us, this is a great spot to shoot down the highway and pull in for a few days to get away from the hustle and bustle of normal life! Close to downtown Petaluma with plenty of premium shops and restaurants.

Pros: Has numerous amenities including hot (free) showers (cleaned daily), flush toilets, full hookup RV spots, laundromat, US Post office, fenced playground, dog park, drive in tent sites, and firewood for sale. Cons: expensive, sites are close and poorly defined and the after hours check in procedure doesn’t prevent overlapping.

We had a very nice stay for a long weekend. The pull through spaces are extremely tight to the point that our slide out was hitting vegetation and our neighbors awning was about two feet from our Rv. But, if you expect that, it’s a great place to stay. Very clean, well maintained, and about a 20 minute walk to the ocean. Decent takeout from the restaurant and great cocktails! Very convenient dog park. We had almost the entire row to ourselves after checkout on Sunday. We will definitely return for the full experience when all restrictions are lifted, but will leave our two big dogs at home as there wasn’t much space for them.

No matter what site you reserve, all the site are amazing! We had #108. Near the bathroom, wash room, garbage dumpsters. The only con was the windy road! I eat sour patch kids to help with getting car sick. Easy to find. The site is pet friendly. You can only walk the dogs at paved areas, no trails. Our dogs still had fun. The redwood trees were amazing! Definitely an experience you will never forget!

Great playground, jumping pillow, petting farm and mining fun :)

There is so much to do here. There is a store, big playground, jumping pillow, pool, petting zoo, and more. All the amenities were very nice. It’s a bit pricey and they charge for kids over 5 years old

This campground is so friendly and lively! It reminded us of the vacation scenes in Marvelous Mrs. Mauser or Dirty Dancing. A great vacation buzz/sound of kids having fun, people riding bikes and visitors walking their pets. Facilities are clean and the staff is courteous.

We stayed here with our 2 dogs last November as a nice winter getaway from L.A. We got one of the tent cabins, which are just adorable and so cozy. The sites are nice and distanced from each other, bathrooms were in great shape and it was pet friendly. We got a package with the tent cabin that came with bedding, cooking utensils and firewood, so were pretty much set once we got there. The beds are comfy and the wood burning stove (photo attached) is the only source of heat. It is neat but BE WARNED...it gets COLD on those winter nights so make sure you a) have enough wood; b) are good at keeping fires going throughout the night; and c) have lots of dry wood. The wood that was left for us as part of our package was really wet and wouldn't burn so we had a very chilly night even with loads of sleeping bags and blankets. Other than that, we had a great experience and got to take the dogs for a great walk on the paved trails in the State Park. Can't wait to go back!

We stopped here on our way to the Redwoods and it was a beautiful stop. This campground is clearly a getaway from the more congested parts of the area. Cute petting zoo and a pool that was open during COVID! We didn't stay long enough for sure. We also appreciated that it was close to city amenities like Lagunitas Brewing Co.

A nice KOA close to Petaluma with great facilities. We took advantage of doing some laundry and having a hot shower. This KOA also offered all sorts of amenities for families including a small petting zoo, a pool, playground areas, and more. Sites were fairly close together and offered little privacy but overall it was a great place to recharge and get organized.

Wow! This place is busy and expensive. We stopped at this KOA because it was a good halfway point for us heading to the Redwoods. This KOA offers a variety of activities that cater to children, such as petting zoos, jumping pillows, climbing walls, and pools, which are excellent for keeping the young ones engaged and entertained. To me it was overcrowded and the firepits were so close to the RV’s I was afraid it would set my neighbors RV on fire, or our neighbor was going to set ours on fire. For those without children (like us), the bustling environment might be overwhelming, but it also provides an opportunity to enjoy the lively atmosphere.

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.

Great place to hike and "get lost" in the woods. No dogs on trails though. California state park rule....

Campsite Review: 2/5 Stars

Half Moon Bay State Beach – Francis Beach Campground State Beach Phone # (650) 726-8819

I find it a little disappointing just how close the campsites are to each other here, meaning you’re not going to get anything close to a secluded camping experience. The facilities were dirty/sandy (although you are right on the beach), probably because not only are they being overused by day trippers to the beach and the many campers. Although, they do have coin-operated hot showers available (2 minutes per quarter). They really do pack in the 50+ sites here although there are 3 walk-in sites with great views over the beach and of the ocean, which are separated from the RV (up to 40’) mad house, but then you’re right by all of the day use people and even more out in the open as there is literally no coverage at all. The RV sites have electric hook-ups and there are shared water spigots (not hook-ups).

All of these are reservable by phone at 1-800-444-PARK (7275) or online at www.reservecalifornia.com/ ($35 for tent, $56 or $65 for RV and a $7.99 online fee)

Dogs are allowed at the campsite on leash, but not on the beaches here at all (Although horses are… Guess only one animal per “beach”). If you want a dog friendly beach go just a little south to Poplar Beach where the doggos can roam free off leash and have a blast.

The State Beach Park itself is very tiny. $10 to park, there’s a small visitor centers, beautiful beaches, nice scenery, not a lot of vegetation. From here you have access to the 4-ish mile long Half Moon Bay coastal walking/bike trail which runs right through the back of the campground and into the “park”, and of course there are ~4 miles of sandy beaches to enjoy. Should you need connectivity there is actually (unsecured) wi-fi provided by the park and adequate cell coverage!!

For me personally the campground only gets 2/5 stars :

Overall, remember that while you have great access to the beach and the campground is pet friendly you’re definitely, not exactly going to get a remote camping experience and the dog beach is a little way away. The facilities are a bit dirty and jam packed and could be a little better maintained.

Gear Review: 4/5 Stars

As a Ranger for The Dyrt I sometimes get the opportunity to test out products and what I got to use during this trip as a day pack during this trip was Ethnotek’s Setia 20 Liter backpack. While listed as a laptop backpack I used it to store my snack, water bladder/bottle and other first aid type items. I used the laptop pouch to hold the water bladder and ran my tube out the side. Worked perfectly!! For being a compact backpack, I really liked that it has both padded shoulder straps with a slide adjusting sternum strap and the raised lower back padding which made for a comfy fit and allowed a bit of airflow.

I also like that it’s water resistant and contains a hidden built-in rainfly, not that it has rained once since I’ve moved out to Northern California, but it is foggy and a bit damp first thing in the morning. The top zippered pocket in the top hood is the perfect size for items which you’ll want to have easy quick access to like; IDs, credit cards, extra sunscreen, etc. The main pocket is easily accessible via either the drawstring at the top or the side zipper so you can grab things out of the bottom without having to root around through everything in the pack. I do appreciate the laptop compartment, but for a more urban commuter bag I think this would be better utilized with additional pockets to separate out your work items and as a day-pack I think the laptop sleeve would be better utilized as a water bladder holder if there was a slot to pull the tube through.

The only real drawback I had with this gear was that the side zipper doesn’t have a lock of sort for security. I like that there are the 2 zippers, but I think that having some sort of webbing across the zipper so that you could place them both on that side making it a little more difficult for someone walking behind/beside you to just unzip the side and pull out items. This added security isn’t really needed if you’re out hiking, but if you’re commuting in a large city or on crowded public transportation could really save you from losing some valuables.

Overall, I give the bag 4/5 stars. I really love the company’s mission of keeping culture alive by creating high quality laptop and travel bags that feature ethically sourced handmade textiles. The back is extremely comfortable and has a ton of great features, but I think there are just a few minor tweaks which would make it truly unsurpassable.

Backpack’s Features:

· Water resistant 840 denier ballistic nylon main bag fabric

· Built-in handmade textile paneling. Exterior & interior.

· Left side zip gusset pocket for water bottle & quick-grab accessories

· Back-right side zip pocket to access main internal compartment volume

· Main compartment can also be accessed by its large drawstring cinch top

· Main compartment is sealed with a buckle clipped top hood

· A zipper pocket is built into the top hood for easy access storage

· Padded shoulder straps with slide adjusting sternum strap for comfortably fit while wearing

· Built-in rain cover tucks into and can be removed from the bottom of the bag’s back panel

· YKK® zippers

The most challenging thing about Steep Ravine is the drive from the gate on down to the parking lot. It. Is. Very. Narrow. Once you make it down cue instant zen & elation. Very clean and well maintained bathrooms with flushable toilets and sinks are right near the parking lot and wheelbarrows are available to help you unload your gear to your cabin or camp site.

I camped by tent, in site #1, and can’t wait to return. It is the quintessential California costal camp site. All of the sites are incredibly beautiful, with lots of space, and each with their own unique layout & personality. The camp hosts clearly take very good care of all of them, as we explored the next morning we spotted poison oak but never in close range to the cleared pathways and flat areas of the camp sites. Just be aware, and stay on the cleared areas, not just for poison oak but also with respect to the preservation of the natural wildlife habitat. Speaking of that NO DOGS! We read conflicting information on the Mt. Tam website but make no mistake, dogs will not be allowed, and even if they were, this place is too precious & too populated with frogs and raccoons & SEALS (like 20 feet away) when you’re jumping into the waves to even consider the best of dogs.

This is a fantastic spot. A great combination of breathtaking western skyline & crisp costal air. Only bring your favorite people & your best film.

Foggy in the morning this time of year, warms up about noon. Dogs allowed, but can’t bring them into bathrooms. Flush toilets and coin showers, I think about 1 quarter per minute. No trails for dogs to walk on, but you can walk them around the campground or go for a short drive down the road to find a dog friendly trail. Lots of oak trees and scrub pines. Campsites are dirt with bear bins, picnic tables, and fire pits. Lots of poison oak and poison ivy. Also, if your dog likes to eat acorns, note that they can be toxic to dogs. There are acorns all over the place this time of year, and my dog ate a few of them. She didn't get sick, thankfully.

If you want a great little place with quick easy access to San Francisco that has a great view of the ocean this place is great! And affordable! It's a little extra on a Thousand Trails membership... but the area is just so crazy expensive I can understand the need. The staff was welcoming on the way in. Spots are pre-reserved for you so you don't have to worry about the first-come-first-serve mess. That's always a relief. It doesn't look like all of the pull-through spots are still pull-through really even though the campground map indicates they are. The ones on the north side may be but looked like they are for really long rigs. I think that's mostly because of the recent configuration changes to the spots. The west side of the park DID fall into the ocean. This doesn't affect you or anything. There's a fence along that side now so you don't get close to the cliffs.

The spots are all on asphalt so that keeps everything a bit cleaner. Some spots like ours did have the hookups on the wrong side due to it having been a pull-through at one time. We had to bring our cord and sewer line under the RV but didn't need any extensions. We were right beside the bathrooms which were clean and well kept. The spots are a bit tight... but... just realized where you are. It's not like there's a whole lot of land to go around in this city.

The view of the ocean and the sunsets are fantastic. I honestly didn't understand any of the bad reviews because we actually had no bad experiences whatsoever. No campground is truly a 5-star as they never have everything but this one is definitely a solid 4.

Even though it's in Pacifica, it's still super easy to get into San Francisco if that's your goal. We just parked our truck at Daly Station's parking garage. It's very safe and patrolled ( still don't leave anything visible in your car though just to be safe). The train takes you right into the heart of San Francisco and the transportation system there gets you everywhere else easily. We just got a Clipper card for our stay. If you just want to relax here there's still a beautiful walking path just south of the park. There is an auto junkyard next door to the south. Just get on the sidewalk and walk past there a little ways and then cut over on Paloma Avenue (I believe it was) to get to the path that goes along the ocean for a couple miles. Great views! Even walked down at night with our dog and never a once felt unsafe.

Vehicle Type: 38' 5th Wheel Stay: 2 Weeks Site: 84

The atmosphere here is wonderful. It’s quiet and right on the beach. Some RV spaces with hookups back right up to the sand/vegetation. Bathrooms and showers on site. We stayed in a spot without hookups and it was $35 per night. Gate staff was friendly and helpful. No dogs allowed in the beach in the park but a short walk away there is a public beach that is dog friendly, so that was nice for our doggo.

Campground Description

The Rob Hill campground claims the title of the only overnight campsite in the city! Stumbled across this campground by accident a few weeks ago as we were hiking around The Presidio. It was quite the hidden gem set amidst a stunning cypress and eucalyptus grove. Looked like there was easily room for at least a dozen small tents at each of the sites and nice restrooms accessible via combination punch pad. (You can see how much space there is in the photos and video)

I found out that 2 of the 4 sites, that can accommodate 30 people each, are open to the public, reservations are handled through the emailing the PDF reservation form to camp@presidiotrust.gov. The staff person indicated yesterday that weekends are booked solid through the end of the year; however, weekday sites are available.

This is a great place for a group camping event. With the campsites centered around a large communal campfire circle. Really seemed like the whole campground is very well organized and clean, with each of the 4 sites also having individual fire rings, looked like nice clean bathrooms, and plenty of space for people to run around. There's a great view of the ocean nearby as this is basically directly above Baker Beach. Since it's in the Presidio, come prepared for fog and cold weather. With a nice big fire and plenty of warm clothes, it seems like it could provide a very cool experience to watch the fog blow in through the trees. Note we haven’t camped here because of the crazy high campground cost being $125 per site, thus I’d say that Rob Hill is definitely intended for groups, not for individuals.

The campsite’s main distinction is the site for the Camping at the Presidio (CAP) program, which provides youth with meaningful outdoor experiences.

When the U.S. Army left the Presidio, Rob Hill was a dusty, rustic site. It was expanded and improved in 2010 with support from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund. "Rob Hill Campground is a place where children and families have the opportunity to pitch a tent in their national park, enjoy s’mores cooked over a campfire, and wake up in the woods to the sounds of nature,” said Walter J. Haas, Chair of the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and son of its founders.

2018 Rob Hill Campground Application and Payment Form PDF >>

To request a site, please right click on the above link and Save Link, complete it, and email it to camp@presidiotrust.gov. (Mac Users: print the form, fill it out, scan it, and send it to camp@presidiotrust.gov.) Some browsers are unable to open this form properly, so please make sure it is saved to your computer.

Reservations are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and are confirmed via email. For questions, please call the Presidio Visitor Center at (415) 561-4323. Reservations cannot be made over the phone.

Please Note/Restrictions

• RV, pop-up and camper-truck camping is not allowed in the Presidio. No hook-ups available.
• Reservations begin at 12 pm and end at 11 am the following day.
• Service dogs are the only pets allowed.
• Alcohol, smoking, firearms, explosives, and generators are not permitted.
• Campsite permits come with four parking passes. Please park in the designated parking area; illegally parked vehicles are subject to ticketing and towing by the U.S. Park Police. Additional paid parking is close by for additional vehicles.
• All sites are walk-in. ADA access to the sites is available. Vehicles are not permitted in the campground proper.
• Each campsite is equipped with a fire pit (you must bring your own firewood) and a fixed charcoal barbecue grill. Please do not burn wood or charcoal when there is a Spare the Air alert in effect. Visit http://www.sparetheair.org to learn more.
• Quiet time is 10 pm to 6 am.
• No amplified music is allowed.
• The campground cannot be considered a temporary residence.
• Heavy rains and high wind advisory cancels. Please call the weather hotline (415) 561-2115 for updated information.
• The Great Room and Fire Circle are reserved for education programs only. Please do not disturb the groups using these spaces.

CAP Program

Two of Rob Hill's four group sites are reserved for the Camping at the Presidio (CAP) program, which provides youth with meaningful camping experiences. Through this 'train the trainer' program, the leaders of schools and community organizations are given the skills to bring groups of kids to explore the Presidio's outdoors. These adventures offer hands-on learning and exploration. CAP leaders love "getting to know the kids in a different setting" and seeing their kids' enthusiasm about simple natural wonders like a banana slug or the night sky. "The whole experience was truly magical!" said one CAP participant. CAP is a partnership of the Presidio Trust and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

Overall, I gave the campground 4/5 stars because it was very well maintained and in a great location. But the cost is pretty exorbitant and there are only 2 sites open to the public.

This is just a perfect spot for when you just need a spot for the night. To be very clear, it's not a campground. It's just a safe and legal spot to sleep. We stayed here 3 years ago and nothing much has changed, including the $12 fee.

The area is beautiful and lots of people come here to walk and exercise, and once I took my dog on a walk I saw why nobody brings their dog - TICKS! So many!  Just from walking along the path, not even going into the grass, my dog got 6 ticks once and 5 ticks another  walk. 

My previous review is still accurate, except that now all 3 sites are open. Glad this place is under the radar, it's nice that there's been room here for us when we've needed it.

I run and walk dogs there and love it but it's day use only.