W
Wangtao L.
Traveler
TravelerDel Valle Campground — East Bay Regional Park District
It’s good. But not too memorable.
Cabin Camping near San Jose, CA
2 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Search destinations
Add dates
Several campgrounds near San Jose, California provide rustic cabins with varying amenities and comfort levels. Big Basin Redwoods State Park offers tent cabins in the Huckleberry campground equipped with double beds, tables, and wood-burning stoves for heat. Mount Madonna County Park features tent cabins nestled among redwood trees with access to clean bathrooms and showers. "The cabins were nice, and each cabin has 2 double beds, a table, and a wood stove. It can get cold at night in the redwoods so the wood stove was great at night," notes one visitor to Big Basin. Most cabin sites include outdoor fire pits with grill covers for cooking, picnic tables, and access to shared bathroom facilities with showers.
Cabin camping rentals range from basic structures to more comfortable accommodations with additional amenities. KOA locations like Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday and Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA offer furnished cabins with more modern conveniences than state park options. Many cabins are pet-friendly, though policies vary by location. Reservations are essential, particularly during summer months when family-friendly cabin sites fill quickly. According to one camper at Big Basin: "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 is the only source of heat." Winter visitors should note that forest cabins can get extremely cold, with Mount Madonna reportedly 40 degrees colder than nearby Gilroy or San Jose.
Most cabin rentals provide beds but require guests to bring their own bedding, towels, and toiletries unless specifically included in add-on packages. Cooking facilities vary significantly between locations, with some offering only outdoor fire pits while others may include small kitchenettes. Del Valle Campground in Livermore provides cabin options with nearby amenities including a camp store selling ice and firewood. Cotillion Gardens RV Park in Felton offers cabin accommodations with access to a clubhouse featuring games and recreational facilities. Visitors should check individual campground websites for specific cabin amenities, as furnishing levels differ substantially between basic forest cabins and more developed KOA cabin camping options.
Best Cabin Campgrounds near San Jose (20)
1. Mount Madonna County Park
"Location & Safety: Conveniently located between San Jose and Monterey - easy access off Highway 152. Felt completely safe throughout the stay."
"There's something for everyone here, RVers, tenters, and those who want to rent tent cabins. There are plenty of trails to hike, as well as equestrian trails. No bikes on trails though."
2. Del Valle Campground — East Bay Regional Park District
"It’s a cozy place with boat rentals! Plenty of shade and bathrooms available. Only reason got 4 star is the constant blue-green algae, making the water unavailable for swimming."
"Our campsite (#139) could have used some shade, but we had plenty of space and the views were awesome. Almost every site was occupied, but luckily everyone respected the quiet hours."
Check Availabilityfrom $15 - $200 / night
3. Lower Blooms Creek — Big Basin Redwoods State Park — CAMPGROUND CLOSED
"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 stayed in a tent cabin at the Huckleberry campground which was nicer than we thought it would be. It had just the right amount of space for my wife and I, our two daughters and all our gear."
Check AvailabilityCampground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $35 / night
4. Thousand Trails Morgan Hill
"Great culture here - friendly, lots of things to do (pool, basketball, volleyball, horse shoes, playground, billiards, karaoke, tennis)."
"Dog park, nice showers, nice bathrooms, trails to walk your dog, nice people, quiet. I loved it here."
5. pieffer big sur campground
6. Cotillion Gardens RV Park
"Park is rustic, but has a lot of amenities and is very close to Santa Cruz. We visit family and friends in the area often, but this was the first time we camped in the area."
"Entrance is a little nerve racking on your first visit, but once your at your site you can relax. Bathrooms are a little dated, no cell service but good WiFi if your close to the office."
Check Availabilityfrom $60 - $100 / night
7. Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday
"General: So many options, including full hookup back-in or pull-thru sites, sites with just w/e, pet sites, nine different types of cabins, and tent sites."
"The small cabins are nice and I quite like them. This is a good place for hiking, but unfortunately there is not a lot more to do. You can go to Monterey and do things there though."
8. Seacliff State Beach
"All camping spots are adjacent to the 'boardwalk' beach path and the beach. Yes, your rig is within 20' of the beach at all campsites."
9. Costanoa Coastal Lodge & Campground
"The sites in the Eucalyptus loop where we were had back-in sites, with a paved driveway, and are level. The sites have a picnic table, a fire ring, and wood-fenced platforms."
"Once we figured it out, the late check in paperwork was detailed on how to find our space."
Check Availabilityfrom $100 - $200 / night
10. Redwood Resort RV Park & Campground
"Was able to book the night before and get the last full hookup spot."
Check Availabilityfrom $55 - $75 / night
Drive Time
- 34 min from Santa Cruz, CA
- 46 min from Salinas, CA
- 1 hr 10 min from Stockton, CA
- 1 hr 20 min from Modesto, CA
Recent Cabin Photos near San Jose, CA
8 Photos of 20 San Jose Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Cabin Reviews near San Jose, CA
210 Reviews of 20 San Jose Campgrounds
- TTamatha B.Traveler
Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday
This is a great camp ground. Plenty of activities. Showers are clean, laundry room takes tap pay.
- TTamatha B.Traveler
Treasure Island MH and RV Park
Henry in the office is amazing. Bathrooms are clean. laundry room very large and has many washers and dryers. Subway close walk, MUNI is at the park entrance. A gas station and Grocery store are both across the street.
- DDoug O.Traveler
Marina Dunes RV Park
Our favorite place. We have stayed here 14 times. Always clean.
- TTwindaddy
GuideDel Valle Campground — East Bay Regional Park District
East Bay Parks - IYKYK
Like most/all east bay parks, this is well appointed for the masses. It’s also surrounded by rolling hills and close to suburbia. For many, these are positives. As an east bay resident they are for me as well. Del Valle is a bit more removed than many east bay parks. From my location in Fremont, it’s a one hour drive. A pleasant drive for the most part. I camp to get away for a bit and almost always to mountain bike. As such, I seek parks that have trails. Del Valle has a map of many trails. They also appear on many of the mapping services used by mountain bikers. Review those and digest them if this is also your intention - these are east bay parka style trails. In other words, mostly steep and loose fire roads, with many “social trails” sprinkled between. If you are compelled to stay legit/legal trails, bring an ebike. Now on to the camping. I picked a spot as far removed from any booked spot on the map. I triple checked this up until the day before I arrived. I want solitude! When I arrived Thursday afternoon, I was surprised to see the sites just 3 spaces away, on both sides, occupied. This is a fairly compact area. And while I’m sure they’re lovely folks, this isn’t what I expected on a Thursday. Saturday? Sure. Anyway… be aware that these reservation services aren’t completely reliable in that regard. The bathrooms and showers are amazing! Clean, smell good, cared for. Noteworthy is the hot showers in the camp grounds are free and your one push of the button provides water for two minutes I'd guess. Very nice! The space, 135 for me, is okay. A couple trees for shade, a nice table and fire pit. It’s now dark and the noise is minimal - mostly from the group campsite just down the hill. I’ll update this with more details in the coming days since it’s a 4 day visit.
Update 1: it’s my first morning here. Using starlink as there is no cell signal to be found. What I noticed last night was that this park is directly below the flight path to the local airports. Every couple minutes last night, a plane would fly overhead. According to flight aware, they’re at about 10,000 feet. If this will ruin your getaway, you’ve been warned.
Update 2: On Friday night, the majority of the spots were filled. Many large groups of people with varying degrees of consideration, but to their credit almost all (except the barking German Shepard) were quiet by 10PM. It was a bit more crowded come Saturday morning. Some friends came to visit for a mountain bike ride, and we set off at about noon. I had been complimentary of the facilities and bragged that I'd be taking a nice shower after our ride. Unfortunately, upon our return, there was no hot water and no lighting in the showers. And, sadly, someone decided to remove the tags and hangers from their TJ Maxx haul and leave them all over the floor of two of the showers.
Verdict: I'd only come back here in the springtime when it's likely to be green and have some water in the arroyo and only during the week. The density and composition of the people here was akin to being at Costco on a Saturday, and I only did that once.
- CColeen B.Guide
Monterey Pines RV Park - Military
Nice small military RV park
RVs only. No tent camping. Some sites have partial hookups and some have full hookups. This is at the edge of the Monterey Pines Golf Course. In fact you check in at the golf course office. Sites 1-14 have a view of the course. Mature shade trees, picnic tables and bbq’s in each site. No fire rings.
The bathrooms are nice and clean and have heaters! Laundry is free! Four washers and eight dryers.
As of Sept 2026 they’re actively building a new dog park.
It’s right next to a private airport and there are 2-3 planes (jets and smaller planes) taking off each hour. It stopped at 10pm and started up again at 5am. Suggest earplugs at nighttime.
Verizon service is pretty poor. They have free Wi-Fi but it didn’t reach to site 1.
- JasonGuide
Monterey Pines RV Park - Military
Amenities are great, Navy wives not so much.
Great park. Monthly rates are the most expensive in the country, for a military camp, but still about 2/3 of what it is off base. Watch out for golf balls, stay in spots 7-10. Whatever you do, do not let the door open and let your dog run out by accident...the Navy Knives, err Wives club is always watching. Anyway, close to all Monterey, Big Sur, Salinas, Carmel Valley. Really nice, clean Park. Bathhouses are very clean. Laundry requires quarters, but they work well. Shaded spots, so if you need Starlink stay on the east side row to point north.
David W.GuideBeach RV Pleasure Point
Convenient spot in Santa Cruz
I came into Santa Cruz to visit family and needed a place to park my bus while there- this park was available and fit my needs perfectly. It’s a simple gravel parking lot set up - clean bathrooms / showers, full hookups. Not what I would call camping but a great place to stay with proximity to the things that matter.
Tim P.TravelerThousand Trails Morgan Hill
Great Campground
I liked this Thousand Trails resort because it’s more like camping. The staff is amazing. The facilities are great amazing big pool. The only problem I had is they didn’t have any sewage hook up, but I have a tote so it wasn’t that big of a deal.
Guide to San Jose
Cabin rentals near San Jose, California provide access to diverse terrain from coastal redwood forests to inland valleys with temperature variations of up to 40 degrees between locations. San Jose cabins range from basic structures with minimal amenities to fully equipped units with modern conveniences. Seasonal considerations significantly impact cabin availability, with booking windows opening 6 months in advance for most locations.
What to do
Hiking trails: Mount Madonna County Park features extensive hiking networks through diverse forest types. "The park has some unique features. Near the ranger station there are pens with white fallow deer. They are descendants of the exotic zoo at William Randolph Hearst's mansion down the coast," notes April N. about Mount Madonna County Park.
Water activities: Del Valle Campground offers boating and swimming opportunities on the adjacent lake. "They rent recreational boats as well as aluminum fishing boats. They have a swimming beach area and they rent kayaks as well," explains Ed E. about Del Valle Campground. The lake maintains lower boat speed limits making it suitable for beginner paddlers.
Beach access: Seacliff State Beach cabins provide oceanfront accommodations with direct beach access. "All camping spots are adjacent to the 'boardwalk' beach path and the beach. Yes, your rig is within 20' of the beach at all campsites," reports Serge B. about Seacliff State Beach.
What campers like
Wildlife viewing: Mount Madonna campers appreciate the abundant wildlife encounters. "This is the only place I've seen the redwood trees harvest the fog and make their own rain, which is pretty cool. In the morning it's raining under the redwood trees but not under the madrone or tan oak trees, which is wild," says April N.
Family recreation: Thousand Trails Morgan Hill offers extensive recreation facilities beyond standard camping amenities. "Their pool is huge and very very well kept. There is multiple lodges and a recreation center so plenty to do. Nice spot to bring the family," says Nicole R. about Thousand Trails Morgan Hill.
Bathroom facilities: Del Valle Campground maintains clean, updated facilities even during peak periods. "The facilities were clean and well maintained. We didn't interact with staff/rangers too much, but the few we did talk to were very friendly and helpful," notes Colleen S., who stayed at site #139.
What you should know
Temperature variations: Mountain cabin locations experience significant temperature drops compared to valley locations. "It is a lot colder here than on the valley floor. Prepare for it to be 40deg colder than Gilroy or San Jose. We weren't prepared & had to drive into town & buy more clothes!" warns April N. about Mount Madonna.
Cell service limitations: Cabins in redwood areas typically have minimal connectivity. "Important to note that you can actually get a cell signal if you walk to the dump station!" mentions Lori T. about Cotillion Gardens RV Park, highlighting the general lack of service throughout the campground.
Reservation requirements: Advance planning is essential for securing cabin accommodations. "Registration online was really easy as was the check-in process. We stayed in Valley View 1, site 106," notes Lori T., who successfully navigated the reservation system at Mount Madonna.
Tips for camping with families
Children's activities: Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday provides structured activities for children. "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," shares Daniel D. about Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday.
Biking opportunities: Mount Madonna offers safe biking routes for children. "Great campground for the kids to bike at but there are a few big hills so make sure they know how to use their brakes," advises Weston W., emphasizing the importance of safety considerations.
Wildlife education: Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA provides educational programs for children. "We attended a presentation on the wild birds in the area that an employee provided, and then he took us on a hike through Costanoa and over to the ocean. He was awesome and the hoke was great!" shares Dave about Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA.
Tips from RVers
Site selection: Choose sites carefully based on privacy needs and terrain. "Sites are a little tight but worth being nestled in the redwoods. Lots of hiking and exploring right from the campsite," recommends Jacob B. about Cotillion Gardens RV Park, noting the tradeoff between site size and natural setting.
Utility connections: Verify utility hookup availability when booking cabins or RV sites. "Some areas are redwood, other parts mixed with other kinds of trees. The sites are a decent size with lots of trees to climb on, hide in, and play on," notes Kim P. about Big Basin, highlighting the natural amenities that compensate for limited utilities.
Winter preparation: Pack additional heating sources for redwood forest cabins in cooler months. "It can get cold at night in the redwoods so the wood stove was great at night," explains a visitor to Mount Madonna, underscoring the need for supplemental heating options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find cabins near San Jose, CA?
Where can I find cabins near San Jose, CA?
Several options for cabins near San Jose are available within an hour or two drive. Mount Madonna County Park offers tent cabins in a peaceful redwood setting with multiple campgrounds and hiking trails. For coastal options, Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA Holiday provides cabin accommodations along with amenities like a swimming pool and trampoline, making it family-friendly. Other cabin options can be found at Thousand Trails Morgan Hill and in the greater Santa Cruz mountains area, all within reasonable driving distance from San Jose.
What types of camping cabins are available in the San Jose area?
What types of camping cabins are available in the San Jose area?
The San Jose area offers diverse cabin options to suit different camping preferences. Cabana Holiday RV Park-cabins provides comfortable cabin accommodations with amenities like Wi-Fi and is pet-friendly with a store on-site. In the redwoods, tent cabins are available with varying features - some include wood stoves for heating, beds, tables, and basic furnishings. Many cabin sites come with outdoor amenities like fire pits with grill covers for cooking, picnic tables, and bear boxes for food storage. Options range from rustic tent cabins to more equipped structures with beds and heating options.
How much do cabin rentals cost near San Jose?
How much do cabin rentals cost near San Jose?
Cabin rental prices near San Jose vary significantly based on amenities, location, and season. At Cotillion Gardens RV Park, the base price starts around $50 per night, though this is considered relatively expensive for basic accommodations. KOA properties in the region typically charge premium rates for their cabin rentals, with prices potentially ranging from $75-150+ depending on cabin size and amenities. County parks with cabin options like Del Valle Campground often provide more affordable options, especially during off-peak seasons. Additional fees for parking, pets, or extra guests may apply at most locations.
What campgrounds with cabins can I find near San Jose?
What campgrounds with cabins can I find near San Jose?
Several campgrounds with cabins are within driving distance of San Jose. Santa Cruz North-Costanoa KOA offers cabin accommodations along the beautiful coastline. Salinas-Monterey KOA provides cabin options with easy access to Monterey Bay attractions. Other options include French Camp Recreational Vehicle Park and Seacliff State Beach for those willing to venture a bit further. These campgrounds vary in amenities, with most offering basic facilities like water and toilets, while KOA properties typically provide more services and comforts for cabin guests.
Keep Exploring