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Dog-Friendly Camping near San Mateo, CA

89 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.

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    SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

    Half Moon Bay State Beach Campground offers pet-friendly camping just steps from the oceanfront. Campers can bring leashed dogs to tent and RV sites, though pets are not permitted on the actual beach within the park boundaries. Pillar Point RV Park and Trailer Villa RV Park also welcome pets, with the latter featuring spacious concrete parking pads and wide lanes for easy RV maneuvering. ['Campers browse The Dyrt when exploring the best sites near San Mateo, California.'] Most pet-friendly sites in the area include standard amenities like picnic tables, drinking water, and fire rings. Reviews indicate RV sites with hookups tend to be packed closely together, while walk-in tent sites offer more privacy. Pet owners should note that while dogs aren't allowed on the state beach, nearby Poplar Beach allows dogs to roam off-leash, providing an excellent alternative for exercise.

    Anthony Chabot Regional Park's trails offer extensive dog-walking opportunities with leashed pets permitted throughout the campground. For those camping with dogs at Half Moon Bay, the coastal walking trail that runs through the back of the campground extends approximately 4 miles, making for excellent pet exercise. Campsites near Pescadero and Half Moon Bay can experience significant afternoon winds and morning fog, requiring appropriate shelter and warmth for pets. Highway noise affects several RV parks in the area, particularly Pillar Point which sits directly adjacent to the highway. Most campgrounds enforce standard pet policies requiring dogs to be leashed at all times within the campgrounds, properly supervised, and never left unattended. Local veterinary services are available in Half Moon Bay and Redwood City for emergency situations, while the nearby Safeway (approximately one mile from Half Moon Bay State Beach) provides basic pet supplies.

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    Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near San Mateo (89)

    Filters    Tent onlyRVCabinGlampingPetsEquestrian

      1. Half Moon Bay State Beach Campground

      4.3(26)9mi from San Mateo45 sitesRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "We rarely make reservations to camp in California Beach Parks, as they are usually filled up weeks or even months in advance."

      "No dogs allowed in the beach in the park but a short walk away there is a public beach that is dog friendly, so that was nice for our doggo."

      from $35 - $165 / night

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      2. Anthony Chabot Regional Park

      4.6(29)17mi from San Mateo76 sitesRVs, Tents

      "Midweek in June the park, which is fairly large, is still nearly empty."

      "as usual some spots are better than others but most close to restrooms and/or water. lots of poison oak and star thistle right off trail. great deterrent for kids to stay out of tick areas but id worry"

      from $25 - $200 / night

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      3. San Francisco RV Resort

      3.2(17)11mi from San MateoRVs

      "If you want a great little place with quick easy access to San Francisco that has a great view of the ocean this place is great! And affordable!"

      "Very nice park for an on the water location, I've been to some where you can't even turn without hitting someone."

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      4. Dumbarton Quarry Campground on the Bay

      4.7(13)13mi from San Mateo59 sitesRVs, Tents

      "What they do have are scores of hookup sites for $60 / night and three tent / drive-in no hookup water-only sites for $45 / night."

      "Since it's a new campground, the trees are young and don't supply much shade, but since it's close to the SF Bay, the bay breeze helps."

      from $45 - $65 / night

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      5. Pillar Point RV Park

      3.8(6)9mi from San MateoRVs

      "Great spot right off the highway and on the beach. Lots of activities and places to eat within walking distance. Surfing, walking/bike trails, kayaking….Pet friendly"

      "Walking distance to shops and restaurants, walking and bike trails, beach access, and friendly staff!"

      from $95 / night

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      6. Trailer Villa RV Park

      4.8(4)8mi from San MateoRVs

      "Clean, has some views from far border of the hills but the spots are tight and there is not much to do but hook-up."

      "After-hours check-in was a breeze, as the checkin instructions were taped to the main door of the office at the park entrance."

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      7. Lower Blooms Creek — Big Basin Redwoods State Park — CAMPGROUND CLOSED

      4.7(34)27mi from San Mateo33 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Near the bathroom, wash room, garbage dumpsters. The only con was the windy road! I eat sour patch kids to help with getting car sick. Easy to find. The site is pet friendly."

      "We stayed here with our 2 dogs last November as a nice winter getaway from L.A. We got one of the tent cabins, which are just adorable and so cozy."

      from $35 / night

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      8. Candlestick RV Park

      1.8(6)12mi from San MateoRVs, Tents

      "Or Muni which takes about double the time including walk to the station. Great WiFi. It's a parking lot with close neighbors. Nice and clean facilities."

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      9. H. Dana Bower Rest Area Northbound

      4.1(14)21mi from San MateoRVs

      "I decided to stay here, because it was the right location for my road trip, it was free, and I thought the view of the city would be excellent."

      "Reasonably quiet on the side away from the road. Very safe, police patrols throughout the day/night. Good hiking areas nearby. Bathrooms and trash cans. Highly recommend as it is also completely free."

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      10. Ben Ries Campground — Butano State Park - CLOSED INDEFINITELY

      4.8(18)24mi from San MateoTents

      "It is a smaller park than many of the other redwoods parks in Northern California, so it was very nice and peaceful. Butano is a bit off the beaten path to get to, but so worth it."

      "Large, user-friendly campsites surrounded by redwood trees. Great ferny hiking trails for every level of camper/hiker. Very easy access to campsites and near Pescadero and Highway One."

      from $35 / night

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    Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near San Mateo, CA

    48 Photos of 89 San Mateo Campgrounds

    Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near San Mateo, CA

    826 Reviews of 89 San Mateo Campgrounds

    • D
      Jul. 2, 2020

      Uvas Pines RV Park

      Nice place with a great dog park

      This park has mostly long-term residents. It was super quiet, though there was a somewhat noisy road next to us. We were on the first site next to the road, so I suspect it would be a non issue for most of the sites.

      The dog park is extremely well-maintained. Beautiful grass, very nice fence, a bench to sit on, water for your pets and plenty of space to run.

      There a really nice stream to hike along. And underneath a bridge there are bat houses. We went under there at sundown and watched the bats come out. Strongly recommended!

      The lady who runs the place was extremely nice and helpful.

      Full hook-ups and relatively large, gravel sites with some shade. However, I needed to raise one wheel about 5 inches and another 2 to get level.

      Short drive to downtown Morgan hill or Gilroy. And there’s a Camping World as well.

    • C
      Dec. 8, 2020

      Uvas Pines RV Park

      A slice of heaven in the bay area

      We visited the first week of December 2020.  The staff was helpful and the grounds were well maintained.  Flat easy pull through with full hook-ups.  Definitely in a canyon around the corner from Thousand Trails.  You can see the stars at night and it is a very quiet campground.  We were surprised at all the high-end rigs there, some full-timers.  A nice dog park area and a stroll along the creek - our dog loved it.  They recycle and are very environmentally aware. No pool or playground but lovely nature away from the hustle and bustle of silicon valley.  It is about 6 miles to shopping and many restaurants.  A very easy drive off the highway if you take the Tennant Road exit.

    • travelingdancer X.
      Jan. 11, 2026

      Thousand Trails Morgan Hill

      Loved it

      Dog park, nice showers, nice bathrooms, trails to walk your dog, nice people, quiet.

      I loved it here.

      If you have a thousand trails membership ($52/month) then you get to stay at this campsite for free (up to 14 days) worth it

    • MThe Dyrt PRO User
      Oct. 16, 2024

      Coyote Valley RV Resort

      Buttoned up, formal atmosphere RV resort

      High priced. Nice people at desk. Damon who helped us park was very friendly. Almost entirely high-priced big rigs, some of whom seem settled here but it's clean, 'orderly,' very quiet. Rigid rules keep the order; nice that no political flags/signs allowed. 2 dog parks and lots of grassy areas to take for a walk. Showers in locker-room/bldg, bathrooms nice and clean. Green grass. Also has laundry with 2.50 wash and.25 dry for 8 min. Skunk wandered by site in the night. Cool train sounds from nearby tracks at night. Was probably the most convenient to San Jose, otherwise we likely would've been in mtns. and too far away from town for our needs at the time. Would not be a regular choice for us.

    • Eric D.
      Jul. 2, 2019

      Olema Campground

      Private Family Oriented Campground

      Pros: Has numerous amenities including hot (free) showers (cleaned daily), flush toilets, full hookup RV spots, laundromat, US Post office, fenced playground, dog park, drive in tent sites, and firewood for sale. Cons: expensive, sites are close and poorly defined and the after hours check in procedure doesn’t prevent overlapping.

    • Roxanna L.
      Dec. 2, 2021

      Uvas Pines RV Park

      Morgan Hill, CA Would definitely stay again

      Medium sized campground. Huge roomy sites. Busy little park with lots of vehicles going in and out all the time. Nice walking trail by creek for you and your furry buddy. Dog park was large and ours loved it. Close see to Morgan Hill which is a quaint friendly little town. We made a booking mistake and they were actually able to move some people around to accommodate us. Laundry room was extremely small but clean and functional. They have propane available. Friendly and very helpful staff. Would stay again if in area.

    • Andrea A.
      Feb. 10, 2021

      Costanoa Coastal Lodge & Campground

      Great if you know what to expect

      We had a very nice stay for a long weekend. The pull through spaces are extremely tight to the point that our slide out was hitting vegetation and our neighbors awning was about two feet from our Rv. But, if you expect that, it’s a great place to stay. Very clean, well maintained, and about a 20 minute walk to the ocean. Decent takeout from the restaurant and great cocktails! Very convenient dog park. We had almost the entire row to ourselves after checkout on Sunday. We will definitely return for the full experience when all restrictions are lifted, but will leave our two big dogs at home as there wasn’t much space for them.

    • BRIAN O.The Dyrt PRO User
      Apr. 28, 2022

      Pillar Point RV Park

      Pricey, but worth it

      Great spot right off the highway and on the beach. Lots of activities and places to eat within walking distance. Surfing, walking/bike trails, kayaking….Pet friendly

    • Cristina A.
      Aug. 11, 2019

      Lower Blooms Creek — Big Basin Redwoods State Park — CAMPGROUND CLOSED

      Amazing camp sites

      No matter what site you reserve, all the site are amazing! We had #108. Near the bathroom, wash room, garbage dumpsters. The only con was the windy road! I eat sour patch kids to help with getting car sick. Easy to find. The site is pet friendly. You can only walk the dogs at paved areas, no trails. Our dogs still had fun. The redwood trees were amazing! Definitely an experience you will never forget!

    Guide to San Mateo

    Trailer Villa RV Park in Redwood City welcomes pets with spacious concrete parking pads and wide drive lanes that make maneuvering large RVs convenient for campers traveling with animals. Half Moon Bay State Beach Campground and Pillar Point RV Park also accommodate pets, offering varying amenities from beachfront locations to full hookup services. The grounds are clean and the park enforces quiet hours, creating a peaceful environment for both pets and their owners. Most campgrounds in the area require pets to remain on leash at all times, with designated areas for pet relief. Campers browse The Dyrt when exploring the best sites near San Mateo, California. Anthony Chabot Regional Park provides additional pet-friendly camping options with both drive-in and hike-in access for those preferring more natural settings with their dogs.

    The coastal location offers numerous pet-friendly walking paths and beach access points. Half Moon Bay State Beach features beautiful walk-in sites approximately 200 feet from parking, with tent-only sites 36-38 providing extraordinary beach views and access to extensive bluff trails where dogs can be exercised. A dog-friendly public beach is located a short walk away from the state beach campground for campers whose pets aren't allowed on the main beach. The Coastal Trail extends for miles in both directions, perfect for morning walks with leashed pets. The Half Moon Bay area experiences foggy coastal weather, particularly in summer months, so campers should pack appropriate gear for pets who may need extra warmth during cool, windy evenings. Downtown Half Moon Bay is within walking or biking distance from several campgrounds, providing access to pet supplies if needed during extended stays.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near San Mateo, CA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near San Mateo, CA is Half Moon Bay State Beach Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 26 reviews.

    What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near San Mateo, CA?

    TheDyrt.com has all 89 dog-friendly camping locations near San Mateo, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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