San Martin is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your San Martin camping trip.
"Not quiet though, lots of kids."
"We got a nice spot close to the dump station near front. Their pool is huge and very very well kept. The spot was 30amp and back in however they have 50amp/pull through also."
"Got propane filled, nice staff. No full hookups but dump station was convenient. Lots of nice activities going on."
"Just an FYI, if they have open spots after the office closes they put out packets for up to 2 pull thru and 2 back in spots for late arrivals without a reservation.
Pros
- Great central location!"
"Several shade trees. Lots of little kids. Wi-Fi was great. Could work and stream TV. Facilities (bathrooms and showers) were nice. Pool was wonderful. Staff were super friendly. Gave my dog a treat!"
"Peacocks running around add a whole new dimension, lol! The asphalt Campground was great for the kids biking... The camp sites are close together, btw."
"But it definitely wasn't an issue getting around. Stayed there for the first weekend while in the area for work. The do supposedly have the 10 year rule in place."
"Family friendly and tight community with an awesome river down a few steps! 15 mins down to the boardwalk! Ocean during the day and camping a night. We loved our experience. Highly recommend!"
"Cozy tight quarters but just enough room for a picnic bench, fire pit and hanging out area. This campground is covered entirely by redwoods with plenty of shade for a cool vacation."
"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."
"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."
"The bathrooms were a short walk down hill. They were clean with flushing toilets. There camp ground was quiet and it was mostly couples or small family groups."
"No one else was in the campground, so it was definitely quiet. Bathrooms and showers were available. Camp host was friendly. They also sell ice which was nice to grab for the cooler."
"Full hook ups. We had a great view of the San Lorenzo River and Henry Cowell State Park. The staff is great and helpful."
"The location is mostly flat and surrounded with Redwoods. Shady and sunny locations; larger and small RV spots. No tent camping. It backs into Henry Cowell State Park and you can walk into it."
"I have a camper van and I didn’t need all the hook up. There is a Best Western right next to this place were we ended up getting a room instead as that was less expensive."
"We love Marina Dunes RV Resort! This was our first stay here and we thoroughly enjoyed it! We love the proximity to the beach and the beautiful dunes. The park was very clean and well-maintained."
ScoutThis is a great RV resort for extended stay or overnight if traveling through. Lots of pull through sites for long RVs which are OK here. In the summer, there is a strong coastal influence so it stays cool here! Amenities include a pool, very clean bathrooms and showers and a small store.
GuideWe happened upon this RV Park as a drop in when our other park was not available. What a pleasant surprise! We’ll be making this our go to spot when traveling through the Gilroy area from now on.
For starters, the staff is wonderful. So friendly. Just an FYI, if they have open spots after the office closes they put out packets for up to 2 pull thru and 2 back in spots for late arrivals without a reservation.
Pros
Cons:
GuideWe got a nice spot close to the dump station near front. Their pool is huge and very very well kept. The spot was 30amp and back in however they have 50amp/pull through also. There is multiple lodges and a recreation center so plenty to do. Nice spot to bring the family. Close to local wine tastings and even had Safeway close enough for grocery delivery. Plus good nature hike trails in park.
LegendYou are probably thinking "Parking lot? Why did you give it 4 stars?" Because of the location! We stayed here for three nights in our 34 foot travel trailer. We barely fit into the back in site, and had to park our truck in visitor parking a short walk away. Other, smaller trailers had enough room for their vehicle to fit in alongside. The facility has full-hookups and they functioned fine. The harbor itself has trails but no other facilities for campers. No wifi but Verizon had good signal. The weather is perfect and we loved walking to the beach, to get coffee in Seabright, and driving into downtown and the boardwalk. It's fairly quiet at night, but you do have to watch your stuff. The first night we stayed here we got woken up at 5:30 in the morning by a rattling noise. Open the door and someone is walking away from our trailer. A look at our bike rack revealed that our ties had been cut. I guess the would-be thief didn't notice that the bikes were locked to the rack. Either way, you have to be careful, because this is Santa Cruz and there are a lot of weird folks about. So yes, there are some downsides. But we love Santa Cruz and it was great to be in such a central location.
LegendNice parklike campground run by the City of Monterey. It’s adjacent to a day use area with a big playground and some little hiking trails. You can walk to downtown Monterey’s restaurants and shops from here, about 1-2 miles away. The campground is on a hill though, so you’re going downhill the whole way down and uphill the whole way up.
Cost is $44/night, plus a $6 surcharge for RVs. Sites are dry camping but there’s a dump station with potable water, free for campers, $12 for non-campers. Showers are free for campers as well! A rarity in California. Showers were clean and had good pressure, but the water was only warm, not hot.
The website and the signs in the campground say there’s a 21ft vehicle limit. But according to other reviews it seems to be hit or miss if you get called out on it by the rangers. We are in a 26ft class C and decided to go for it and had no issues. I can see why there’s a length limit though, as the roads in the campground are narrow and full of overhanging trees. The drive through town to get to the campground was a little gnarly as well. UPDATE: Ranger spoke with us about the size of our motorhome and didn’t kick us out, but asked us not to come back. Fair enough. He was very nice about it.
Cell service was really weak in the campground, and the cell booster did not help (this was for both Verizon and ATT). Lots of trees in the campground so our solar panel didn’t get much sun. Also most sites are iffy on flatness, but #30 was ok with levels.
TravelerPlenty of sites if you have 30 amp. Plenty of full hook up sites. The 50 amp sites were all in one section. If you don’t need to run your A/C you can get by with 30 amp hook up. We loved most of the sites were pull thru. Had good picnic tables. Restrooms and showers were great. Like others have said this place needs a lot of care. A lot of sites were out of order. Nice trails there. Gilmore was a distance for us to restock on supplies. Pool was open but not heated. Hot tub was closed for the winter season. You are out in the sticks so no cell phone service. You could purchase WiFi and patch your phone thru WiFi calling.
GuideI stayed here for one night in a 22’ RV at one of the back-in sites for the shorter term stays on a drive from Death Valley back towards the San Francisco Bay area. I believe the office is currently closed due to Covid, but they have a box of maps and envelopes plus a drop box for payment right outside the office.
It looks like most of the spots here are for pretty long term stays. There was plenty for space for short term, overnight campers. Spot comes with WiFi code, but there’s plenty of cell service too. You’re close to the I5 and can hear the soft lull of some traffic, but it’s still fairly quiet.
TravelerLevel, concrete pads. Spacing is tight. We had an end space with a nice patch of grass. Small space to walk dogs.
Campground is directly adjacent to the parking lot and marina from which multiple boats sail for whale watching trips. You can also rent kayaks nearby to kayak in the calm waters where you will almost certainly see sea otters.
Easy in and out, but tight turns if you have a big rig. Our 30’ class C had no troubles and there were a lot of much larger trailers and class A’s so maybe tight but definitely doable.
You can easily walk to Phil’s, but expect very long lines. They were not allowing dogs even in outdoor seating area.
It was very quiet at night, but very loud during the day. Everyone there was very friendly. Very nice and helpful people running the office.
I would definitely stay here again, especially if going whale watching or kayaking with the sea otters.
LegendThe park is amazing and there are so many great hikes, wildlife viewing and picturesque landscapes!
The campground loop we were in was full and the sites are fairly close to your neighbor but it wasn't bad. The main reason being absolutely NO generators allowed so it was peaceful. The sites were semi private as the brush and trees have grown around most sites offering a little privacy. Other campers were friendly and considerate. Note that the RV side with the hook up does not offer any privacy and is near the main road. RVs are not confined to that area though.
The spots are flat and include fire pit, picnic table and food locker. Raccoons apparently are a big problem here so keep your food locked up. There is a small general store/visitor center with a variety of food items, stove fuel, firewood, general camping supplies and souvenirs. WiFi also available for $10 for 7days per device. We paid, but our T-Mobile hotspot with Weboost won out in the end because the WiFi did not reach our spot. There is better reception for the WiFI in other spots. No cell reception with AT&T or Verizon.
The hiking is great! and during the week pleasantly absent of tons of other hikers. Masks are required even on trails when 6 ft distance cannot be maintained, and people were very respectful of that on the trails. There is a lot of wildlife to see though sadly we did not see any condors on this trip. The caves are currently closed due to Covid.
Other amenities:
Tent cabins
RV only loop with 30amp hook up only (no sewer or water hook up)
Showers
Bathrooms
Garbage and Recycling
RV dump station (flush water only)
Fresh water filler up (near RV camping area)
Group camping
Pool (currently closed)
Pets allowed but NOT allowed on any trails
Overall a great experience for a lesser known National Park, would come here again!
San Martin, California, offers a variety of RV camping options that cater to different preferences and needs, making it a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
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