Best Cabin Camping near San Clemente, CA

This place was hopping and popping on the weekend. Fishing, loud music and tons of weekend campers and kids. Big resort, open pool and hot tub was nice given limitations.

This campground is so picturesque! It has a camp store, cabin rentals, and camping spots 10 feet from the sand. There are tent only, partial hookup, and full hookup sites available. Other amenities include playground, bathrooms and showers, a baseball field, and even a large gathering hall! The only downside to this location is that it is for military only, but this keeps the crowds down. The ocean wildlife is so cool, and at low tide you can see octopus, starfish, and all kinds of small fish/crabs. The views are spectacular!

We ended up here after a futile search for an affordable hotel in the area. Even though it was not inexpensive, we secured a beachfront site. The sites are in three sections: standard, deluxe, and premium. There are also cabins and a group tent area (on the public beach). 

The reservation process was not easy – you cannot make same-day online reservations and have to navigate a detailed menu on the phone to finally get to the reservation desk.

We arrived after dark, just as the office was closing but were able to get our information packet. Payment is in full when you make the reservation. As we expected, the sites are stacked up next to each other like dominoes with minimal foliage/fencing to separate the sites. The beachfront and preferred sites have a concrete and sand pad while some less expensive sites have just sand. 

There are codes to enter the restrooms, the bike path, and the pool. The restrooms were clean as were the showers, with good hot water and decent water pressure. 

In season, there are many activities and amenities offered including a water park, water sports rentals, a bistro, a snack bar, movies on the beach, and a swimming beach. About the only amenities available in November were the pool, two hot tubs (although one was not working when we were there), and the .75-mile concrete path around the lake. A gentle water aerobics class is offered three times a week. There is also a marina, but we don’t have a boat so we did not explore this. In season, you can rent pavilions, and pool or beach cabanas, all for an additional cost. 

Although this is a fully contained resort, it is not quiet. You will hear road noise and at certain times of the day, near constant noise from planes at nearby John Wayne airport. 

This was an affordable respite for us on a long road trip, but it is VERY expensive in season (about three times the price of “winter” rates). Also, it would be an entirely different experience when fully booked!

I stayed here three weeks in February. I stayed up top and site 91 was great! I would stay here again and request that site.

Cons:

• Noise from I-5 and helicopter sorties. Occasional bombing exercises also.
• Top bathrooms under construction since January but I wasn’t notified until I got there (provided ports-potties and hand washing station were stocked and cleaned regularly).
• No dogs allowed on beach. 30 min drive to Dog Beach in Solana.
• Lower bathrooms. These were the only showers available. The bathrooms are well stocked but the showers were not cleaned regularly. The same clump of hair was in the same shower for three weeks. Four out of six showers have no hooks to hang clothes. Shower caddies are all rusted. Surfers bring their boards in a rinse them off in the showers. The showers/bathrooms are gross. This was by far my biggest complaint. Regular cleaning, a few extra hooks, and new shower caddies would go along way.

Pros:

• Beautiful views and lots of beach at low tide.
• Very quiet during the week (weekends are very busy).
• Close to a small exchange, commissary, and gas station.
• Nice fire pits
• Cheap laundry facilities
• Close to San Clemente and San Diego is only an hour away.

We enjoyed the pool, watching the ducks in the pond, and the kids loved the basketball court. Some parts closed on certain days- store, jacuzzi, community room. Big spots with room to set up, but this place is booked and it’s mid week late September. Definitely my favorite Thousand Trails so far… lots of long timers/ leased sites on the other side of the park. Friendly staff and overall friendly neighbors too!

This military campground is located within walking distance of two world class surfing breaks; Old Man's and Tressels. This campground has a variety of camp spots from tent, RV to cabins. You have to make reservation thru the military systems to camp here. There's a baseball diamond. The bathrooms are clean. Try to grab the RV spots on the north side of the campground. 

Cell Service: Excellent

This is very close to home but a nice quick getaway. It is surprisingly close to everything but yet you feel like you are hours away. There are trails, trees, a little lake. For how close it is, it does always have quite a few campers. Not my go to place but a nice spur of the moment getaway.

I had a reservation at Wilderness Lakes, and I was a day early, so they let me in! Off to a good start! Full hook-ups, laundry and showers about 50 yards away, no matter which way you go. Laundry is done with an app, and pretty cheap, $1.75 wash, $1.75 dry. Nice canals running through the park, with ducks and their ducklings trailing behind. I chose to stay at the far end, away from the crowds. I got a great site, with no one on either side, and 2 neighbors across the street. While I was setting up, one of my awning screen poles broke. I called ShadePro, and they were out the next morning with a new one. Management seems very friendly, there’s a store at the front of the park, and a nice one mile hike around the perimeter of the park. Unseasonably warm the past couple days, so used my AC for a couple hours in the afternoon, to cool Riley and I down. The internet pretty much sucks. Good for email, and very little surfing, but way too slow to stream Netflix, etc. I just put on some music and relax, or throw in a DVD at night. Plenty of trash receptacles, playground for kids, mini golf, and much more. They even have cabins to rent. Will definitely come back!

This is a great little campground if you want a quick getaway. We camped here when we were training for our first backpacking trip to test out all of our gear. Because it's not easy to get to, don't camp here if you expect to come and go.

General: A mix of partial hook-up and tent sites plus six cabins about an hour from San Diego. 

Site Quality: All the sites have paved pads except 64-68 and 70-75; these have gravel pads. These sites also have a curb which can be a bit challenging when backing in an RV. A fire ring and picnic table complete the site. Some have better separation/privacy than others. This area had a lot of recent rain so the creek that meanders through the park was very high. Sites 74 and 75 were flooded and unoccupied when we were there.

Bathhouse: The one closest to site 73 was very basic (no hooks, shelves, or mirror); there was also one handicap-accessible separate bathroom. Although there were showers in other parts of the campground, there were not any in the bathhouse closest to our site.

Activities/Amenities: Campfire program, horseshoe pit, short nature trail, dump station. There is also a large, enclosed picnic pavilion. This park seemed to attract family groups (at least on a Friday) and it was great to see so many kids around the campground not on their devices! Appreciate the dishwashing sink and the propane canister recycling. 

We had to change our plans at the last minute so we were fortunate to secure a site at this park on a Friday night in late March and it was fine for an overnight.

They ask for reg, insurance, on both truck and trailer when you arrive. We Stayed In spot 338 and had absolutely no cell coverage for our Verizon phones. The Bathrooms and showers take a code to get in. Not sure what thats all about, they were clean. The Geese in the park are a hoot! It Appears the park is VERY residential now a days. Not a camping environment like it was years ago. Dirt bikes, electric scooters, golf carts with loud music, cars literally cruising the park with loud music, people using leaf blowers you name it we saw it. If your going there to get away this is the wrong park very busy and noisy all hours.

Actually there is...Camp Pendleton Del Mar Beach is not too bad in small doses or stays. The first thing you must remember it is a Marine Corp base and that things run a bit differently. It’s their own world. Federal laws and regulations are enforced. They will give you a ticket for one mile o er the speed limit and take a point. They remodeled the beach area and tore out all the trailers a few years back and built rental cottages. There are also tent sites as well as RV/trailer sites with hook-ups. They each come with a barbecue pit but no grill. Reservations are a must. Prices are seasonal, $50 for the cottages and $40 for the others. You may reserve a spot or cottage for usyally up to two weeks. AnythIng longer and they are are lIkely to place you in the back wIth no vIew. You may bring a dog to the beach but it must be on leash at all times because of the endangered wildlife by the marsh. Del Mar beach is open to the public technically for day trippers. You can drive on base without military ID, they will just ask for a driver license and proof of insurance at the main gate and to sign in. Most ammenties, like the rentals and other camp sites would not be accessible. However, if you have a military sponsor who is willing to make the reservation under his name discreetly, that’s a different story. Active duty usually has priority over retired and civilians in regards to reservations. Active duty can book 12 weeks out and others 10 weeks. On base you will not have access to stores, gas stations, etc., without some form of military ID. Summer months are not bad if you don’t mind young marines enjoying alcoholic libations in large quantities or witnessing a lot of testosterone as they try to exert their dominance. There is a restaurant and bar that is air conditioned so you can escape the heat.