Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near San Luis Obispo? Finding a place to camp in California with your tent has never been easier. Search nearby tent campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.
Colson Campground is a primitive campground located approximately 40 miles from the city of Santa Maria, CA. There are five campsites with tables and fire rings. There is no running water and no bathroom. Popular campground for hunters, as this campground is easy access to the Alejandro Trail. Please pack out all of your trash.
Nestled in the pines. Nice vistas of the Cuyama Valley.
Adjacent to La Brea Creek. Located in canyon bottom, surrounded by oak trees.
Nestled in the oaks. Provides opportunity for those seeking solitude.
Adjacent to La Brea Creek. Located in canyon bottom, surrounded by oak trees.
Adventure Pass ($5/day or $30/year), or Annual Interagency Pass required.
Located among oaks and chaparral vegetation. Recreational vehicles or trailers no longer than 25 feet.
Scout
Back in February, before my foot injuries hobbled me, we spent two nights here. We chose to camp in the tent camping area, away from RVs and their generators and lights.
The location was great.....right next to the beach, with our car conveniently parked next to our tent campsite.
We hadn't been tent camping for a long time before that, so we were surprised that we were one of the very few people in the tent camping area that actually camped in tents. The rest of the people in the area just camped in the campervans, small camper trucks, or disconnected towable campers.
We could hear the wind all night in our tent, but during the day, the weather was perfect....cool and sunny.
Restrooms were nearby and clean. There were no showers, but we were told that we could (if we wanted) use the ones in another nearby State Park.
Rangers were friendly.
Overall, a very nice experience.
Guide
We’ve camped here many times over the last 15 years. We’ve tent camped on primitive sites and camped with a pop-up with electricity & water. None of the full hookup sites have a view but some of the tent sites do. There isn’t much fishing now, because the water is so low, but there are still pretty hikes to be had and water slides if it’s hot. We’ve been to the ropes course too, which is really fun.
GuideLong time campers in California are probably familiar with the feeling that the prep work required simply to get a reservation at the most popular national and state parks is more than prepping for the trip itself. This is true not just for the most famous parks, like Yosemite, but for many others as well. Wanna camp between late May and early October in a well known state park? Better book that reservation months in advance. This is especially true for RV sites, as there are even fewer of those.
But sometimes you want to just get away on shorter notice. This is where the CA county park system comes to the rescue. County parks are numerous and much easier to get reservations at. And Lopez Lake, part of San Luis Obispo county doesn’t disappoint. The lake itself is a man made reservoir, and the campground sits right behind it. It’s got a mixture of tent sites and RV sites, some will full hookup - although some may only have 15/20A power. There’s lots to do on the lake, and Pismo Beach is a short drive away. Is a weekend at Lopez going to be like that epic 4 day trip you took to King’s Canyon or Zion or Yellowstone that you planned years in advance? No. But if you decide to take a long weekend in the late summer, there’s a good chance Lopez Lake will have spots available, especially during the week. Highly recommended.
Traveler
This is a great campground close to San Luis Obispo. It is great for tent or RV camping and is located near a park, garden, and golf course. It is a short drive to San Luis Obispo or Morro Bay where you can hike, shop, relax on the beach, and eat great food.
TravelerNice camp site. Near San Luis Obispo & Pismo Beach. When we stayed here it was for the Renaissance Faire (which has moved to San Luis Obispo proper). There were tons of loud people. We definitely need to return to give this an honest review. It can't be as bad as I'm remembering it.
GuideSo, let’s say that you planned on going camping along CA Central Coast. But somehow your reservations at a more prominent campsite got botched. Of course, without assigning blame to anyone who was responsible for the reservations. Well then, EL Chorro Regional Park might be your saving grace.
Located off Highway 1 between Moro Bay and San Luis Obispo, this typically overlooked campsite has not much there but still within arms (long arms) reach of many popular destinations.
Guide
Santa Margarita Lake is a lovely, quiet medium size lake used for drinking water in San Luis Obispo County, Los Padres National Forest. There are 60 campsites; 54 tent/RV, 2 Boat-in and 4 horse camps. There is a playground and a pool available in summer as swimming in the lake is not allowed. Canoe/boat rentals are available as well as a launch ramp and marina store. This lake is popular with smaller fishing and recreational boats. Amenities include flush toilets in main camp, picnic table, fire pits but no hook ups. Reservations are online except for horse camps which require a phone call to County Parks 805-788-2387, fees run 38$-36$ per night.
Traveler
The Morro Bay State park offers a scenic coastal campground nestled in tall eucalyptus trees just a stones throw from the water. There is plenty to see and do in town, and the campground has a kayaking company within walking distance. There's also a natural history museum across the street.
This campground is clean, and quiet with showers and flushable toilets. It's accessible with car, bike, or rv spots. They also offer a senior discount, but it's very affordable.
This campground is a great base camp for coastal exploring; either north to Cayucos, or south to San Luis Obispo and Pismo.
Guide
This was our first trip in our RV and I think it worked out well. The location of this place is perfect with lots to do in the area. 1 hour south of here was Solvang and Ostrich farm, 1 hourish north is Cambria and San Simeon. There is also Avila beach about 5 minutes away and pismo about 10 min. If you need anything, San Luis Obispo is 5 minutes away.. the facility was very nice, with lots of trees that give the "escape" feeling and the people that work here are FABULOUS!! The only downside was the noise. You are really close to the highway so you hear cars zoom past all night, not great for a light sleeper like me.
Guide
This lake and the one up the road, San Antonio Lake , are very popular motor boating locations in north San Luis Obispo County. Camping in the summer months are very hot and crowded and not cheap. On the positive side, the lake is huge with narrow passages where you can get off the main lake and fish or just have fun. Jet skis, kayaks etc are permitted. There is a beach for kids near the marina area campground. The campground is part of the private Lake Nacimiento Resort located near the marina and extends along the shore toward the dam with various types of sites. Some sites have direct access to your temporarily moored boat. It gets a bit noisy in the evening as college students party after a long fun day on the lake. All services are available even a store. Three stars for noise and crowds and prices ( tents 35$ hookups 50$, plus pet fee, vehicle fee,etc.)
Legend[ PROS ]
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This campground is basically like one giant parking lot which mostly caters to RVS and trailers.
Not ideal for tent camping. There is very little space to pitch a tent, don't even think about 2 tents.
Sites are very, very close together with very little privacy. I could hear my neighbor's whole conversations even with the sound of the surf.
It was super windy here at night. We were camping in our tent trailer and our entire tent was rattling for hours. The tent next to us packed up in the middle of the night and left.
No shade at this campground so it's pretty awful when it's sunny. I wouldn't suggest bringing a canopy because it gets super windy here.
Overall, this campground was very disappointing. Especially for the price! The only redeeming quality is the beach. It was super hard to get a reservation and is normally completely booked.
GuideWe met a group here and camped at a couple of adjacent sites. It is a premium location very close to the Pacific Ocean, and you can walk to a little store and very casual restaurant on the water. You can also rent canoes and kayaks to paddle out to the isthmus which is comprised of dunes. On the day we tried that, it was very windy, and some of the kayaks and canoes had to be rescued, so we decided to turn around and didn't make it all the way to the island. Nonetheless, it was great to be out on the ocean, and the scenery is otherworldly. The town nearby is very cute with lots of touristy things, but with a laid-back atmosphere. One can also venture further in to San Luis Obispo, which is a fun college town.
Guide
This is a pricey rv park, but great location and very busy. It is competitive with the others around and think it was the best one in the area. There are over 400 sites and so you are very, very close to your neighbor and tight parking at your rv, but the grounds are kept very nice and there are lots of things to do at the RV park.
Direct access to the beach and can stroll the beach all the way to downtown. Also walkable to state park with walking trails by the water.
Wifi worked excellent and had good AT&T cell service so easy to work remote here. Laundry on site and pricey, but machines worked well and very clean facilities with plenty of washers and dryers.$2.75/wash,$1.75/dry
Close to San Luis Obispo. Awesome food at Oasis Mediterranean, the Honeymoon Cafe and Talay Thai!
ScoutWe stopped here for a few nights so we could hook up to shore power for a bit, do laundry, dump etc. The campground itself is small and old so the sites can be a little small for the larger rigs. Bathrooms and showers were clean. People who run it were extremely accommodating - it was difficult for us to access the dump hookup in our first assigned site (we have a macerater with a very short hose) so they moved us to a better site. Easy walking/biking access to Avila beach (4.8miles round trip), and quick drive from Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo. They allow leashes pets and have a small dog park and pet “walk,” and while these are great, I also like to walk my dog around the whole campground when we can’t take her walks elsewhere, and this campground is very limiting. They have several signs up where dogs aren’t allowed.
Overall, this is a great location if you want access to the beach and nearby towns with nice basic amenities.
ScoutI loved staying here. The site was clean, we had full hookups, and the bathrooms were very clean too. Their store had a lot of items that you might need (groceries and alcohol) and little souvenirs. Staff was super friendly. Would have given them 5 stars, except that the wifi doesn't work. I even went and asked one of the women who work in the office and she showed me how to set it up on my computer and phone but still nothing. I even brought my computer closer to the main office, hoping to be able to get some work done, but nothing. She mentioned that many other guests had complained about it not working but according to her, it was working. I am not sure where the "disconnect" was here! Regardless, great place, beautiful pool and lawn area and playground for kids. You are also only minutes away from the beach in Avila and great shopping (Whole Foods, Costco, Ralph's etc and lots of restaurants in San Luis Obispo (SLO).
Scout
Nice bathrooms, ocean sounds, not that level for tent camping at c7 .
TravelerClose to the beach within walking distance. Showers and restrooms not chemis . No hookups last time I was there both RV & tent camping .
ScoutBeautiful park. We thoroughly enjoyed our drive-in tent site, the scenery, and the abundant bird life.
Ranger
Green, grassy campground with well separated spaces. Most pull thru and level. All surrounded by grass for nice tent camping. Surf sound is continuous. Masks other sounds except noisy generator in next site. Nice restrooms
Traveler
We stayed here for a night when we arrived at Pismo Beach with no booking, and state campgrounds were full due to COVID-19 diminishing capacity. This campground is squeezed between the railway line to the east and the PCH to the west, in a not very wide strip of land. (Thankfully, the railway line is not very busy, with only 1 train in the evening, and 1 in the morning.) Our site was towards the southern end, and abutted the fence bordering the railway line. There were only 3 or 4 other sites empty in the entire campground (which has over 230 sites). There were mainly RVs throughout the campground, but a smattering of tents too (including ours).
The campsites had the basic fire pit and table, plus a faucet. The toilet block was close, but it was small and not particularly clean. The toilet cubicle doors were bizarrely short in both directions (i.e. the space from the floor to the bottom of the door was way too much for privacy! Not to mention being too short at the top too.) There was no soap dispenser for the hand basins, which I think should be mandatory during a pandemic (and especially considering how much money the campground is making each weekend, let alone at other times). I note that the campground is run by the San Luis Obispo County Parks. Frankly, I think they should upgrade the toilet blocks (at least, the one at southern end; perhaps the others are better but as I didn't use them I can't be sure....)
If we'd have been in our RV, we'd have preferred to save ourselves almost $50 and stayed on a street somewhere. This saved us from sleeping in our car, and made us appreciate other campgrounds we've stayed at all the more.
TravelerIt is a fine enough campground, the nearby park being its main selling point. There is nothing special in the way of amenities or things to do, but it is peaceful and you are mostly left alone,
Bathrooms are closed, tent camping is closed.
GuideThe location was pretty sweet right by the beach. I tent camped while my family members RVd. My site was large with a fire pit but they were slightly crammed in and had no fire pit. Did notice that some had the pits so be careful if choosing which site. Overall a nice visit.
TravelerWe looked for a beach not overly populated but clean and easy to camp. Lovely hookups if you need them and tent sites beach side are mostly protected from the winds. Cooler time of year but we knew that coming in. Would love to visit again in warmer months!
ScoutThe squirrel campsites for tent camping is great as they have more shade than other spots. Restrooms were clean and always had toilet paper stocked. They have been having bears coming into camp but we kept our food locked up and cleaned up all trash and didn't have any issues with them. The lake is low but they have great hiking trails and the wild turkeys are always fun to see.
Scout
Eenjoyed 2 days here with many other campers. Staff helpful..friendly..restrms clean..quiet at night..fun things for kids..lake nearby also. Only 1 pitfall...we tent camped in space #63..next to a dirt road which looped around the campground. We got nailed with dirt dust every time someone drove by. Other than that..all was well...saw wild turkey and dear right next to our site. Inwould return but not at that camp space.
Scout
I have been here a few times over the years and it never disappoints! This year the swimming holes were perfect for some post hike cools downs. On the way to the site prepare for about 12 water crossings. There are roughly 6 tent sites all close together. There was a pretty rowdy crew of guys so get there early to pick your spot!
Traveler
This lake has a no body contact rule which makes it a great quiet fishing lake with no jet skiing, swimming etc... there is a seasonal swimming pool that is right across from the rv spots. It is a dry campground and the 7 rv spots are basically on a parking lot but are on the waters edge which is nice. The tent sites are nice and are close the the lake. There is a well stocked and surprisingly well priced store as well as a marina that rents boats and kayaks. The lake has 2 boat launches and miles of hiking trails all within a short walk to the camping area. We get a few tv channels on our antenna but there is no cell reception. We launch our kayaks 20’ from our camper and when we had a boat we would launch it when we got there and leave it in the water right next to the camper which was very convenient. This of course always depends on the water level which has been very low some years, but has been good this year. The pool, showers and restrooms are newer, clean and very close to the rv spots but a bit of a walk to most of the tent sites.
San Luis Obispo, California, offers a variety of tent camping options that allow you to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the beautiful surroundings. Whether you're looking for family-friendly amenities or a more rustic experience, there's something for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near San Luis Obispo, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near San Luis Obispo, CA is KOA Campground Santa Margarita with a 3.5-star rating from 2 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near San Luis Obispo, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near San Luis Obispo, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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