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Camping near Palos Verdes Peninsula, California ranges from full-hookup RV parks on the beach to tent campgrounds at state parks up to 35 miles away. Dockweiler Beach RV Park in Playa Del Rey offers direct beach access with full hookups, while Golden Shore RV Resort in Long Beach provides marina-adjacent camping with city amenities nearby. Most camping in this area caters to RVs, though some locations like Leo Carrillo State Park (25 miles northwest) and Malibu Creek State Park (35 miles north) accommodate tent campers in more natural settings. Catalina Island, accessible by ferry from the peninsula, provides a more remote camping experience with developed campgrounds at Two Harbors and Avalon.
Reservations are essential for most campgrounds in this densely populated coastal region, particularly during summer months when beach sites fill months in advance. As one camper noted about Dockweiler Beach RV Park, "The most fantastic thing about this RV spot is the location - directly facing a large, beautiful, clean beach with built-in fire rings and a very long bike path." Urban noise is common at most sites, with aircraft noise affecting Dockweiler due to its proximity to LAX. Pacific Coast Highway traffic creates background noise at many coastal campgrounds, though canyon locations like Leo Carrillo offer more shelter. Winter camping brings cooler temperatures and occasional rain but significantly fewer crowds.
Beach access represents the primary draw for most campers in the Palos Verdes area, with bike paths connecting many coastal campgrounds. Several reviewers highlight the convenience of nearby urban amenities while still enjoying oceanfront camping. At Bolsa Chica State Beach, visitors appreciate that "there are even a few restaurants located on the beach path within the state beach parking area." Site privacy varies considerably, with many campgrounds featuring closely spaced sites. A reviewer of Doheny State Beach noted, "The middle sites are small and tight, offering little privacy. You will be right next to your neighbor." For those seeking more seclusion, the canyon campgrounds in Malibu or the island campgrounds on Catalina offer greater separation between sites and a more traditional camping atmosphere.
"The most fantastic thing about this RV spot is the location - directly facing a large, beautiful, clean beach with built in fire rings, a very long bike bath and bike rental kiosk."
"One of the only in Southern California/Los Angeles area where you can have a fire on the beach."
from $65 - $80 / night
Check Availability"However, you do get some road noise if you stay on the road side"
"This park is close to the action in Long Beach. Easily walkable or there are always E bikes and scooters to rent right outside the gate. Also, really appreciated that this RV park was gated."
from $80 - $85 / night
Check Availability"It is prime location for some great hiking and at night it is super quiet. There are restrooms and showers as well."
"The grounds were beautiful and well maintained, the camp host super friendly and helpful, the bathrooms well positioned and clean, and the sites had shade and everything we needed."
from $45 - $225 / night
Check Availability"Beachfront camping in the heart of southern California. Concrete/asphalt sites with water electric and dump station. Adjacent to PCH so road noise but steps away from great sand beaches."
"Super convenient beach front parking with good restrooms and outdoor showers as well as a beach path perfect for walking, biking, rollerblading, etc."
from $60 - $70 / night
Check Availability"I absolutely love this campground, it’s perfectly situated in between the Malibu pier area (to your left) Dume, Zuma, and more beaches (to the right), + a lovely small beach across the street… oh let’s"
"This is a great little campground just north of Malibu, California, and right off of the 101. So yes, the freeway is RIGHT. THERE."
from $80 - $300 / night
Check Availability"Awesome park, clean, level paved pads with a parking space..nice amenities, small NEX nearby. Wildlife reserve adjacent to the park made it nice for walking the dogs, too"
"Very clean, cement slab, walking paths well lit and near to many areas to explore. Wetlands on the base and birds galore."
"There are almost always other RVs/campers so you a rarely alone:) there are fire pits on the beach (California is otherwise very strict about fires) that are free to use."
"It was a quick drive up the coast and onto this hidden gem. You get access to a private beach with gorgeous California hill views of PCH behind you. Perfect place for families or even RVs."
"Nice big spots, close to the beach. Very quite. Needs to reserve at California State parks website. Dump station and water fill up on your way out not on the campsite, but thats no issue for us."
from $45 - $60 / night
Check Availability"Booking a site here at Waterfront, provided us a excellent homebase that was close to the water. In all, you are about a 2 minute walk to the sand, and 4 minutes to the oceanfront. "
"Your not on the beach but literally on the other side of pacific coast highway you are there."
"The grounds are impeccably clean, beautifully maintained, and set in a truly stunning location. Everything feels well cared for and thoughtfully run."
"As we expected, the sites are stacked up next to each other like dominoes with minimal foliage/fencing to separate the sites."
from $75 - $550 / night
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ScoutAs a heads up, they accept only factory van conversions with black and gray water tanks. So no self conversions. As a facility, it seems very nice, my RVing friend has been coming in here for years and absolutely loves it
ScoutI do recommend. Beautiful, peaceful place. Good folks. It’s right near Magic Mountain theme park and many useful stores nearby: Home Depot, Walmart, Target, genetic stores, movie theaters. I’ll camp here again.
GuideWe had spot 11 which was great (view! Low and thus close to the beach! although it only just fit our small 4P Kelty Late start on the level spot, there was a lot of room.
Toilets are Dixie's which aren't always clean and have banging doors, avoid the campsites close to them. I would also avoid the higher campsites including the rentals, as the hike to the beach becomes annoying.
Did a great hike to Cat Harbor overlook. Tough climb but beautiful.
The walk from ferry to campsite is short (less that 10 minutes) especially for this site (which is closest) but contains a steep hill and rough gravel. There is firewood service (15$) and luggage (10$/item) but we didn't need it. Shop normally has delivery service with temp cooler but was unavailable. Well stocked but expensive.
ScoutLove this place so much that our family canceled reservations at two other places to spend a few extra nights. The views are fantastic, the bathroom and showers are so clean, and the delicious seafood restaurant a walk down the hill is just a bonus. Staff were kind and helpful at check-in. It's a great base camp to explore the LA area. We tent camped here 20 years ago and when we came back this time with our RV it was even better than we remembered.
Scoutdon’t try to reach out to this park via phone with any questions, they won’t answer you. they won’t even answer the phone when their own reservation agents are calling them. gates close strictly at 10 so if you’re camping here make sure to show up by then. showed up at 9:58 after leaving a music festival early to make sure i made it on time, and their staff was immensely rude to me about not making it on time. the morning staff is incredibly nice, apologizing for the problems and giving me advice. the night staff though has a problem and they take it out on their visitors. for how rude they were to me, somehow the campsite across from me showed up at 11pm, so seems like they pick and choose who to give problems. avoid camping here. campsites are very close together and nothing special.
GuideWe have been to this campground quite a few times in the last couple of years and I really love it, personally because it’s really close to home. I also love that it’s first come first serve, which allows us to spontaneously go and enjoy without having to make reservations. I also like the fact that all the campsites have a fire pit and a picnic table, which were very recently replaced so they look very new. They installed metal storage boxes for saving your food overnight, this is super helpful. I love the creek even though the water is freezing cold but it’s truly a favorite. This place is wonderful and even though right now there is no water access until further notice, as long as you know you need to take lots of water for cooking and cleaning up you are good.
ScoutThe place is simple, well maintained and extremely clean. There’s back in sites that accommodate smaller 20ft campers and bigger 30ft campers, with there being some pull through sites that are big enough for RV’s, however no camping with tents allowed. Would recommend against bringing in campers with damage or DIY repairs as they “have to maintain sightly appearance”. Overall great for the price. Extremely clean bathrooms with free showers with a pool and jacuzzi plus a short walk to the beach. Only about a 45 min drive to LA with no traffic. The only bad is the constant noise from the port that doesn’t go away at night.
LegendGeneral: Two sections: RV camping and dry camping
Site Quality: If you have a larger RV and/or need hookups, you will be in a parking space with ZERO privacy between spaces (it is literally a parking space!). If you have a small RV or van conversion (smaller than 19 feet), there is dry camping. Concrete driveway; minimal privacy but a direct view of the beach. You must have a bed, dinette, sink, and small water supply to be in these spots. A concrete picnic table is included in each site.
Bath/Shower: Six-digit codes (that change regularly) needed to enter (and a different one for each bathroom). One all-in-one with a sink, toilet, urinal, and diaper changing station. The other has two shower stalls, two toilets, and one sink. The shower in the one closest to the dry camping area left much to be desired. I couldn’t get the ADA-accessible shower to work, and the other one had a push-button flow that took some time to get warm and had to be repeatedly pushed to complete the shower. Hooks and bench are outside the shower stall, compromising privacy. My biggest disappointment, however, was that there were NO electrical outlets. I took a chance and walked to the other end of the campground (by the entrance and full hookup sites) where I discovered the bathroom was much nicer. Not only did it have electrical outlets, but it looked like the showers were much nicer.
Activities/Amenities: You are right on the beach! There is a paved path for walking, running, or bicycling. Laundry was temporarily out of order when we were there.
There are very limited options for camping in this area, and the price was $55/night for dry camping. You are in the direct flight path of LAX, so have earplugs at the ready if the sound of jet planes overhead is not your thing!
ScoutMy golden shore experience was nothing short of amazing the camping ground was clean. The poop ,electricity and water where working just fine there was enough space for our 40 ft RV. The palm trees added a beach atmosphere. The greatest part was the pool and the jacuzzi they where the cherry on top the pool was clean and the jacuzzi where just right! I absolutely loved it 5 stars.
Urban camping options around Palos Verdes Peninsula generally require advance planning due to limited availability. The coastal region offers several RV-focused sites with ocean proximity, though tent campers need to travel further to find suitable accommodations. Most campgrounds in this region experience significant ambient noise from nearby roads, aircraft, or urban activities, with noise levels decreasing in canyon locations or during weekday stays.
Beach exploration at low tide: Malibu Leo Carrillo State Park Campground offers excellent tide pool access. "The best part about this campground is definitely the beach access- it's about a 10-minute walk from most sites, and you can explore some amazing tide pools and caves once you get there. The kids loved searching for hermit crabs and sea anemones," notes a camper who visited in October.
Bike along coastal paths: Waterfront RV Park in Huntington Beach provides direct access to extensive coastal bike trails. A reviewer explains, "We rode bikes along the bike path through Huntington, and went for daily walks as well. In all, you are about a 2 minute walk to the sand, and 4 minutes to the oceanfront."
Water activities in protected bays: Newport Dunes RV Resort offers family-friendly water recreation. "They have activities for the kids like arts and crafts, an inflatable obstacle course or you can rent paddle boards or watch a movie on the beach," writes one regular visitor who returns annually.
Convenient urban proximity: Golden Shore RV Resort offers city access with RV comfort. "Very well maintained campground. The spots are groomed and clean when you come in. Great Long Beach location, a nice bike ride along the beach to Naples and the Queen Mary," explains a reviewer who found the location ideal for exploring the area.
Canyon settings with shade: When temperatures rise, Malibu Creek State Park Campground provides natural cooling. "We stayed in site 59 which had a really nice shade tree and great views of a meadow and the cliffs out the back of the site. The sites are fairly open and close to each other, so be prepared to hear everything," notes a December visitor.
Direct beach access: Bolsa Chica State Beach Campground positions RVs near the shore. As one camper observed, "Beachfront camping in the heart of southern California. Concrete/asphalt sites with water electric and dump station. Adjacent to PCH so road noise but steps away from great sand beaches."
Aircraft noise impacts: Dockweiler Beach RV Park experiences regular air traffic. "We loved this spot next to the beach. We got used to the planes, but they are certainly jarring at first," mentions a camper who stayed despite the noise. Another reviewer suggests, "Stayed in the dry-camping area. #128. 19-20 foot max length. Right on the beach. Airplanes landing were noticeable, but the sound just faded into the background after a while."
Limited privacy between sites: Most coastal camping sites offer minimal separation between neighbors. At Newport Dunes, a reviewer cautions, "I hope you like cozy. Neighbor in campsite next to us yapped his belligerent drunken mouth all weekend."
Security considerations: Some campgrounds experience urban challenges. A reviewer at Waterfront RV Park warns, "Be careful and aware when staying here. My husband and I had our mountain bikes stolen when sleeping. When we asked for camera footage the owners of the campground claimed the cameras were broken and they couldn't share the footage."
Bring beach gear transport: At Leo Carrillo, walking distance requires planning. "Bring a wagon if you're hauling beach gear though, as the walk can feel long with all your stuff," recommends a family who visited with children.
Consider midweek stays for quieter experience: Weekends bring crowds to Malibu Beach RV Park. A visitor noted, "Only half the dry sites were used even on the weekend in November," suggesting that off-peak timing offers a more relaxed experience.
Wildlife awareness: Properly secure food at all sites. "Also spotted a few rats at night, so definitely store your food properly," warns a Leo Carrillo camper. Another reviewer mentioned, "Squirrels are very aggressive and will eat your food if left unattended."
Site selection matters: At Dockweiler Beach RV Park, different sections offer varying experiences. "Review of dry campervan section of park only, which seemed considerably more quiet and less chaotic than the big RV area... Best sites are 125-128," advises a visitor who found the quieter section preferable.
Limited height clearance in some areas: Access restrictions can affect larger vehicles. One camper at Leo Carrillo warns, "Attention pour avoir accès à la mer, le véhicule doit faire moins de 8 feet!" (Attention to access the sea, vehicles must be less than 8 feet tall).
Utility outages can occur: Waterfront RV Park has experienced service interruptions. A reviewer reported, "Since my arrival 3 days ago, two of those days we have been without water until 5:00pm... This morning we were notified the electricity would be shut down from 10:00pm to 5:00am due to maintenance."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 115 campgrounds and RV parks near Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA is Dockweiler Beach RV Park with a 3.8-star rating from 26 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA.
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