Best Tent Camping near San Francisco, CA

Loved camping here! So peaceful, easily accessible from San Francisco

Been coming here since I was little. Very beautiful and not too far from San Francisco.

An excellent place to camp that's just minutes away from San Francisco. Trails are well kept and maintained.

This is a beautiful campsite. It is not too far from San Francisco, so a great way to escape the city. Highly recommend!

Went to Sam Taylor because it wasn't too far away from San Francisco - it was a surprisingly great area! Thanks to Questival for forcing us to get out!

Love the camp ground and the staff. The spaces are nice. Lots of things to keep kiddo’s busy. It’s not to far from San Francisco without having to go into town with your rig. There is a regular mall and a outlet mall just down the road a bit

Very easy to get to from San Francisco. We had amazing views of the bridge and the city and were lucky enough to have a clear day (which is rare in SF!). We biked across the Golden Gate bridge and back. We hung out on the beach and had amazing views of the Golden Gate bridge from there. We had a great time in this area and would definitely recommend.

Family friendly, easy hiking, creek running through, clean but old bathrooms, spacious sites, only 2 bathrooms with showers, a few steep hills, rangers and small camp store on site. About 20 mins from small town, about 1/2 hr from Pescadero State Beach, about 45 mins from Half Moon Bay, about an hour from San Francisco…all estimates without traffic, of course. Some sites are very private, some right on top of each other.

If you want to escape the city, this is the place to go. Just a short drive from San Francisco lies Steep Ravine campground at the southern end of Stinson Beach. The campsite sits right on the Pacific Ocean and offers some of the best sunsets imaginable. And being so close to SF you'd be surprised at how many stars appear at night. The campsites are set up well, you'd never know other people were nearby. The only sounds you hear at night are some frogs chirping and the waves crashing below.
The campground also has its own beach to explore.

I first stayed here as a kid decades ago, but some things never change. Love having this close-in spot; the trailhead is only minutes from San Francisco. The walk to Tennessee Beach is very flat and level and doable for kids. The campground is off on a slight detour but it’s an easy starting spot for hike-in camping.

Mornings can get foggy here, so bring a sweatshirt regardless of the season. Pack in the water you need (if push comes to shove you can head back to the main trail to get more). Sites are level and well marked.

It is amazing that you only have to drive an hour from San Francisco to truly feel like you are getting away from it all. The trees are spectacular, and there is running water near some of the sites. The only reason why I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because the sites are a bit small, and can feel like you are camping with your neighbor. Also, some of the sites are near the road, so you can hear cars going past, luckily, it's not a big problem at night. Besides that, there are some very enjoyable, moderately easy, hikes that start very close to the campground.

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.

This campground is less than an hours drive from San Francisco. It is along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard which takes you through a bunch of very cute tiny towns. It offers easy access to the Bay so plenty of beach access within a short drive. There is a fantastic grocery place at Pont Reyes Station so stop there for fresh bread, wine, cheese from Cowboy Creamery, then head to Hog Island for shuck your own oysters.

The campground itself is populated with families so it’s lively and full of children. Make sure you bring bikes as the bike paths run along Lagunitas Creek are great. You can walk along the fish spawning area but are forbidden from accessing the water November to June to avoid disturbing the spawning season. This campground is not good for dogs. Leave your fur babies at home.

The wildlife are clever and tenacious. Two squirrels worked together to break into my food locker and partied down on some magic mushroom chocolate. Bastards.

Try to score one of the creek side spots. They are small but the proximity to the running water helps to cover the road noise.

The Upper Campground is a gem of a place to camp, nestled among the redwoods on the eastern facing side of a ridge (complete with hiking trails) and a creek.  The Madrone group campground is across Sir Francis Drake Blvd (I personally think it's less scenic but more open).  The only reason I took off a star is the campground's proximity to the road, which is not extremely busy but can be noisy if you are camping in a tent.  Were it not for the noise, we'd go back again and again and again.

In the coastal town of Bodega Bay California is a state/regional beach called Doran Beach. It is a beautiful place to go for a day trip or for overnight camping trips. Doran's campground is right on the beach with the bay on both sides of the road. There are several areas for RV's and also for tent camping. (This review is for the tent camping.)

As with many sites in California there is a parking lot to park cars in and you walk in to the sites. There are restrooms, water and drinking fountains. 

The sites themselves have tables, campfire pits and a lockable wooden storage box.  There is a bird sanctuary nearby which is great for birdwatching. 

The sunrise and sunsets are the most beautiful times of day and the beaches have emptied out. There is nothing like sleeping to the sound of rolling waves. 

The only downside to this as a tent camping spot is the incredible wind that blasts in from the ocean. 

I love this campground.

Love this campground ... a great basecamp for easy access to everything that West Marin has to offer.  It has wonderful campsites nestled among mature trees with a stream that runs through it.  It's a bit too tight for large trailer or RV camping (unless you are an expert at maneuvering through tight spaces).  Also, if you're tent camping, the vehicle noise from the nearby Sir Francis Drake Blvd can be distracting if you are a light sleeper (and you are tent camping).  But all in all a great locale!

Tent camp here every year. It's small but great for families! Has a creek and many hiking trails!

Not much privacy for tent camping. Fog horn goes continuously. Good hwy 1 access. Affordable. Walking distance to awesome beach.

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.

Do this. “Hike in” means a paved lot with wheelbarrows to help you get your gear to your site which is less than a mile.

Yes these can be hard to get but the new “rolling reservation “ means dates are released 6months to the day not a whole month at a time. Be flexible and you can get a site. We have also stayed in the cabins which are a fantasy experience but the tent sites are cheaper and easier to get.

Tent sites have raccoons and are $25/night Cabins have mice and are $100/night

Site 2 is on the edge of the world. Several trees had been chopped down and there was little shelter but an unbelievable view! We camped for two nights in November and it was sunny and chilly.

Raccoons are abundant and brazen. They got into my lock top storage container but didn’t even try the flimsy food locker. Our bandit made off with a loaf of bread and the marshmallows.

Other tips: Site 1 is very exposed. Site 2 is ample for two tents if needed Site 3 ample for two tents with just a cedar fence between site 2 and 3 Site 4 is tucked down on the hillside with a great view south.

Beach access is via larger boulders. Have good shoes.

Firewood is available onsite for $7. Clean outhouse near tent sites. Clean bathrooms near parking lot- no soap or showers.

Only 3 tent sites available, You have to reserve ahead of time, No drive in access, unloading our staff was very big work, Very nice views and a lot of hiking trails are available