Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, San Rafael, CA has a lot to offer. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—San Rafael is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Find the best campgrounds near San Rafael, CA. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
Creekside Loop (sites 1-25)
$35 - $225 / night
S Rav Camp Area (sites E1-E7)
$25 - $100 / night
Kirby Cove is located just north of the Golden Gate Bridge at historic Battery Kirby. Visitors are awarded breathtaking views of San Francisco, its famous Golden Gate Bridge, and the rugged Pacific Coast of northern California. Please note: The parking area for the campground is a short walk from the campsites, so RV or car camping is not allowed at Kirby Cove Campground.
Hiking, picnicking and taking in the beautiful views from Kirby Cove are among the park's most popular activities. Visitors also enjoy exploring Battery Kirby, a historic army battery in use from 1898-1934. The Point Bonita Lighthouse and Nike Missile Site SF-88 are also close to the campsite.
Kirby Cove offers a coarse-sand beach with spectacular views - when it's not foggy - of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and northern San Francisco, including the historic Presidio. The cove is nestled at the foot of the craggy Marin Headlands and has beach access. A steep, mile-long trail to the cove begins at the parking area above Battery Spencer on Conzelman Road. The path descends through a stately grove of Monterey, cypress, pine and Blue Gum eucalyptus. Coastal sage and colorful Lupine dot the hillsides. Temperatures are mild year-round. Expect lows from 50-55 degrees and highs from 60-65. Fog is prevalent in the summer months from May-Sept. It is best to bring clothing that can be layered. Lightweight summer clothes are rarely comfortable to wear at Kirby Cove.
The San Francisco Bay Area has no shortage of fun and interesting things to do and see. Awe-inspiring Muir Woods National Monument, with its old-growth coastal redwood forest and numerous hiking trails, is just a 20-minute drive from Kirby Cove. Mount Tamalpais State Park, with hiking and sweeping views of the Bay Area, is another 10 minutes past Muir Woods. Downtown San Francisco offers a myriad of restaurants, shops, museums and tourist attractions. Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz Island and Chinatown are popular destinations. Visitors love riding San Francisco's world famous cable cars up and down the city's hilly streets.
For facility specific information, please call (415) 331-1540.
The Kirby Cove Day Use Site must be cancelled or modified more than 14 days before your check-in date otherwise it will be considered a late cancellation. You may also refer to Recreation.gov's Rules & Reservation Policies.__To initiate a refund request more than 7 days after your reservation, call the recreation.gov call center at 877-444-6777.
$75 / night
Located half way up Mount Tamalpais' forested southern slopes, Pantoll Campground is one of two first-come, first-served walk-in campgrounds within Mount Tamalpais State Park (Bootjack being the other). With 16 historic campsites lying beneath a quiet Douglas fir forest, time spent next to the campfire here will quickly expunge thoughts of the big city that lies just a few miles to the south.
The campground has an assortment of sites that are distributed on the hill that extends from the Pantoll Day Use Area; sites located further uphill offer greater privacy and more room. All 16 sites are within a short, 100-yard walk from the car park. Each comes equipped with campfire pits and historic, stone-built campfire grills to accommodate all of your cooking and warming needs. Since advance reservations cannot be made for Pantoll, arriver earlier on weekend days to ensure you’ll have a site. You’ll likely have the campground to yourself if you are there mid-week.
$7 - $25 / night
Anthony Chabot Family Campground, overlooking Lake Chabot, is a year-round getaway only 35 minutes from downtown Oakland and Oakland International Airport. The campground features 53 drive-to tent campsites, 10 walk-to tent campsites, and 12 RV/trailer campsites with full hookups (sewer, water, and 30 amp electrical). All sites have a picnic table and fire ring with grill. Restrooms include hot showers. Firewood and charcoal are available for purchase. The campground provides access to miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, along with fishing at nearby Lake Chabot.
Anthony Chabot Regional Park features seven group camps ranging in capacity from 35 to 300 campers, reservations required (a minimum of 9 people to use the group campsites). All group camps include picnic tables, BBQ, fire ring, water, and chemical/vault toilets. Equestrian camping is available by reservation at Bort Meadow Group Camp. For reservations, call 1-888-EBPARKS (1-888-327-2757), option 2. Group campsites cannot be reserved online.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is nestled in the heart of Sonoma County. We offer camping for Tents and Rv’s, two luxurious glamping sites, and tent rental if you need a tent or an extra one for the kids. Visit our website for reservations - and our reservable instantly available - no more requirement to make reservations 48 hours before arrival day.
We release first-come, first-serve sites over the phone at 10 am. We typically have room Sunday-Thursday, but fill up on good weathered weekends from April through October.
You can enjoy camping year-round at Sugarloaf Ridge State
$35 - $45 / night
Creekside Loop (sites 1-25)
$35 - $225 / night
Located half way up Mount Tamalpais' forested southern slopes, Pantoll Campground is one of two first-come, first-served walk-in campgrounds within Mount Tamalpais State Park (Bootjack being the other). With 16 historic campsites lying beneath a quiet Douglas fir forest, time spent next to the campfire here will quickly expunge thoughts of the big city that lies just a few miles to the south.
The campground has an assortment of sites that are distributed on the hill that extends from the Pantoll Day Use Area; sites located further uphill offer greater privacy and more room. All 16 sites are within a short, 100-yard walk from the car park. Each comes equipped with campfire pits and historic, stone-built campfire grills to accommodate all of your cooking and warming needs. Since advance reservations cannot be made for Pantoll, arriver earlier on weekend days to ensure you’ll have a site. You’ll likely have the campground to yourself if you are there mid-week.
$7 - $25 / night
Anthony Chabot Family Campground, overlooking Lake Chabot, is a year-round getaway only 35 minutes from downtown Oakland and Oakland International Airport. The campground features 53 drive-to tent campsites, 10 walk-to tent campsites, and 12 RV/trailer campsites with full hookups (sewer, water, and 30 amp electrical). All sites have a picnic table and fire ring with grill. Restrooms include hot showers. Firewood and charcoal are available for purchase. The campground provides access to miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, along with fishing at nearby Lake Chabot.
Anthony Chabot Regional Park features seven group camps ranging in capacity from 35 to 300 campers, reservations required (a minimum of 9 people to use the group campsites). All group camps include picnic tables, BBQ, fire ring, water, and chemical/vault toilets. Equestrian camping is available by reservation at Bort Meadow Group Camp. For reservations, call 1-888-EBPARKS (1-888-327-2757), option 2. Group campsites cannot be reserved online.
Traveler
Insanely hot in the summer, I would recommend not going in July like we did. It was 104° or something and I was just drenching my clothes in water to stay cool.
The hike is pretty nice to the summit from there.
Lots of free water and there's free showers too which is awesome, but don't use the stinky toilet at the top there's way better ones around the bottom area.
They have food lockers, not bear lockers, and ours was broken one time so have a solid backup plan, the raccoons are very intelligent and they come out at night so be prepared for that.
BRING SHOWER SHOES AND SOAP UR GOING TO WANT IT
Ranger
The atmosphere here is wonderful. It’s quiet and right on the beach. Some RV spaces with hookups back right up to the sand/vegetation. Bathrooms and showers on site. We stayed in a spot without hookups and it was $35 per night. Gate staff was friendly and helpful. 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.
Guide
We stayed here for 12 days while visiting relatives in the Bay area. This campground, while in the heart of Fremont, feels remote and safe in spite of being close to town. Sites are not huge, but arranged in such a way as to feel private. It is in the Coyote hills regional Park. There are many many trails for hiking and biking, and wildlife is plentiful. Our RV is small and we used the showers and bathrooms quite a bit. They are cleaned daily and we're always in great shape. The laundry is run by an outside organization, and the change machine was always empty, but everything worked well.
Scout
Good spot to spend the night. Rocked up at around 8pm, pretty busy at least 10 other vans and rvs there for the night. Couple of food vendors, great view of Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Weren’t hassled at all, left around 9am.
Scout
Gosh - this area just doesn't seem to like dogs much!
ScoutNice spot close to the Golden Gate Bridge
Traveler
I’m very confused by the boojie negative reviews, what do you expect?
This is an absolutely great spot! Restrooms and showers are clean and the staff is great. Will be back often.
Not a far drive to the city either. Price is higher than other places but this close to the city with all of the amenities a pretty good deal.
ScoutThe 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.
Traveler
This is an excellent and straightforward country park. It feels like a state park.
They have hookups and also dry camping. The better spots are near the water.
Contrary to other posts, they take walkups. It is just on the website it requires 2 weeks out.
Scout
This was some “glamping” for us. We’re in a van with no consistent onboard power or water, so we do a night or two out and a night at a site with more amenities. This was a perfect stop driving south on the 1 after the previous night remote on the coast and a planned need for StarLink with power source. Park is clean and well-organized, if tight, and the bathrooms are super clean and door-coded, with included hot showers. Right on the marina, fun if you enjoy harbor/boating scenery, and good food within walking distance. No way - that I found - to reserve online, but a phone call at 9am on a Saturday was returned within 10 minutes and got it done. Range of big rigs to camper vans, easy access and enough room to negotiate into spots. Very welcoming, safe, laid back environment.
Scout
Beautiful view we were in campsite 40. A beautiful view of vineyards and the sunset and people riding their horses. So calm and beautiful and so many activities here to do. Also there is showers, bathrooms, and hookups, we love this place. Only 8 mins from downtown Napa
Scout
We visited this park earlier this spring. Yes it was wet, but we didn't mind. Liked the spaces and layout so much...we are going back this fall. Plus we love that whole area.
However, DYRT got some info wrong. While there are plenty of full hookup spaces for RVs, there are no pull thru sites. Only back in for trailers and drive-in for coaches. Many tent camping spaces and RV spaces w/just water and power. The folks are friendly and helpful.
M.R.
Legend
Have you been over to Bodega Bay? I think you'd like it there. Our friends sure know us well! While the town doesn’t look much different than when it appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”, the cafes in the village have definitely upped their game.
Bodega Dunes State Park is a great way to experience the area without the same activity and noise in the camp grounds down closer to the water. The campsite loops wind through the coastal Live Oak and Bishop Pine trees and provide some privacy in between sites in some areas, though some sites are right on top of each other.
They are generally smaller pull-in sites geared more toward tents, vans, and small travel trailers. There are just a handful of sites that can accommodate bigger RVs. Many of the sites have decent open sky resources for solar power and satellite internet, though many in the lower areas had standing water and torn up asphalt pads from the heavy rains the last couple of years.
The bathrooms were clean and comfortable with flush toilets and warm showers (coin operated). My only complaint about the bathrooms is that there weren’t quite enough for the demand, in my opinion, but a few port-o-potties might help offset that during the busy season.
Hiking among the sand dunes and along the beach provide some really stunning scenery. Reaching the beach, you’ll find as much coastal sand as you can handle with miles and miles of it to yourself. The water, which is normally pretty cold year round, can also be pretty rough for swimming.
A short drive away is the gorgeous Bodega Head Trail which winds up along the headland and offers amazing scenery. It’s sort of like a small Point Reyes National Seashore, but much easier to get to.
Bodega Bay has a couple of small grocery stores, gas stations, and more than a few restaurants to meet nearly any craving. The area is known for its Dungeness Crab Harvest, so be sure to check that out when it's in season!
TravelerGreat location overlooking the city, has facilities like toilets and drinking fountains. Very busy when I was here on a Saturday night with locals, tourists and Mexican street vendors. Can’t complain because it’s free and close to the city
Legend
Great (and big) park in Bodega Bay with several separate campgrounds. We got lucky and snagged a last minute spot for 2 nights in August. Easy access to the beach, lots of day use areas all around this park, and bonus: a dog beach that was available on a trial basis when we were there- dogs got to run free on this little patch of enclosed beach- wonderful. Hope it becomes a permanent feature!
Showers were $2 for 5 minutes, there’s recycling here (a separate bin for propane cylinders too).
This campground has a lot of in and out traffic and day use visitors and overall more activity than the Westside campground across the way. We enjoyed both of them.
Legend
This is a mellow, low key, beachy Sonoma County campground in Bodega Bay. It’s got that vibe that so many beach campgrounds do, a little run down, no frills, open layout, and happy friendly campers. We stayed here for a couple of nights and had a great time.
There’s hiking all over this area, lots to explore and see. Cell service was good. Showers here are expensive at $2 for 5 min, quarters only. There’s a host on site who’s been hosting here for something like 15 (maybe 30) years. There’s a boat ramp adjacent to this campground, lots of boats in and out for fishing.
There’s a dump station for a $7 fee (though the website says $10, so maybe it's actually $10), honor box at the station to deposit your money. Water fill available here as well.
Recycling available, as well as a separate bin for green propane canisters. Camping is $35/night, plus $2 fee per dog per night (boo), plus whatever online reservation fee ($8?). Reservations must be made online. Hosts obviously do not handle that and there was nobody in the entrance shack when we arrived- though a ranger swung by later to collect the dog fee (that fee can’t be paid online when you make the reservation). Anyway, confusing process but just go with it and have a great time.
ScoutThere is upward of 90 sites, many are for just tents and are on sand with fire pit. I have our travel trailer there and are the site # in the 70's and are on a asphalt pad, which makes it cleaner and level. Down side would be close to a road and traffic during day, but at night very quiet except for fog horn which is no big deal. The beach walks and adventuring the coast and local fair makes it all worth it. Water and dump station available, not at campsites but at entry of park
Traveler
Lovely campsite with very sweet camp hosts. Always waved when they drove by.
Chose site 17 because of the beautiful tree seen in another review but was felled prior to our arrival, so no big tree. We did however get a beautiful view of the stars.
Two things to note, some of the sites (didn’t look like all of them had this issue) have an incredibly fine dusty dirt that gets on absolutely everything, it made our feet, legs and sandals completely beige from the dust and we had to wipe them with wet wipes before going into our tent and tracked a fair amount into our car upon leaving.
The other thing we were disappointed with was that we had to pay for showers on top of already paying over $50 for our site for one night, we felt that was a pretty big con and that it should be included in the fees.
Overall, you can’t get closer to the wineries and it was an otherwise lovely site.
Scout
I got there after they closed (closes at 5pm.) But there's a number to call that was posted for after hours. A camper in front of me had already called and someone arrived within minutes. They were very helpful and friendly. I got a beautiful spot secluded from everyone. I loved it! Just me and nature. I played some music dance by myself as if nobody was watching.
Scout
Very enjoyable stay. The park is clean,quiet and there’s a few trails that take you to the Beach. It’s about a 30 min walk but an easy one. Theres electric, cable and water at the pole. The sewer is up near the entrance. All in all a nice peaceful retreat. I work remote and have had meetings all week. No issues with Verizon or T mobile Hot spots.
TravelerI’m not sure that this can be considered established or even legal camping since it is a rest stop. The location is awesome considering it’s right beside of the Golden State Bridge, but it also makes it a popular spot for a lot of people to hang out at and watch the sunset and other tourist attractions and even local activity.
Guide
Feels very off grid. Camp experience was smooth and the sun was shining.
Scout
We love to camp here for barbecuing, mountain biking and hiking. We always do it during 7/4 holidays except for this year when the park canceled our reservation due to high heat. So we booked for the Labor Day weekend. Temperature was perfect and biking and hiking were enjoyable as usual. This year we had two new types of visitors to the the site. A couple of wild turkeys came to pick up the dropped food on the ground. We were able to take a closeup look at them and they were beautiful birds with big eyes spotting tiny bits of crumbs. They come and go from one site to the next quietly and gently. Very cute and we took pictures with their presence. Then came the aggressive yellow jackets. We never had yellow jackets in our previous 7/4 outings here. Oh boy, they fought for the meat relentlessly. At the end of the outing, both my finger and my wife’s were stung. We reported the experience to the attendant at the gate when leaving. She said the park is looking for a solution. In the meantime, she suggested contacting them early on so they might be able to provide another site. Hopefully, next year, we won’t encounter so many nasties.
Traveler
Everything about the campground is GREAT. The location is CLASSIC. West Marin is BEAUTIFUL.
And for families who want a quick trip over Golden Gate Bridge to introduce their children (or adults!) to the great outdoors, their first camp, nowhere is more convenient and instantly gratifying.
However! You are going to probably experience some of the most ridiculous first-time campers with no sense of camping etiquette you have ever met in your life. I put up with it, for kids—- and now I have great stories— but I’d never go back as an experienced camper.
Example A: Finally things quiet down and everyone is asleep, 2 or 3 am. A woman starts SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER, every single headlamp comes on, other people start screaming too, thinking it’s a bear attack. The ranger, where the F are they?
We literally WALKED OVER toward the screaming banshee, that went on for a few bloodcurdling minutes. Do you know what we found? This complete nincompoop was surprised when we stooped down to her tent and said, “What’s going on?”
She was defiant, and her “companion” looked dazed. She said, “I just had a bad dream, what’s the big deal?”
I said, “Well, you can’t do that here, if that’s what it is. You’re going to have to stay up the rest of the night, to make sure you’re not screaming, or leave now. You just devastated about 200 people, and children are crying everywhere, thinking there’s a bear.” (Not).
I think Sam T should have a big sign that says, “This is not Spring Break. This is not a place to work out your family trauma. This is not a garbage fight. This is not your narcissistic b.s.”
You might think, “oh just one bad time.” Well, that was the ultimate, but no, i went there dozens of times because the Kidds loved it, and we could live in SF and start camping in about a half hour.
Okay, now I feel like a curmudgeon. More good people who know how to camp SHOULD camp here, because peer pressure and good community is the only thing that works. I did my time ! now it’s up to you!
Scout
Full Disclosure: I know the owner of the property and stayed at La Bohemia for free.
Nevertheless, this is an amazing spot. The owner and his young daughter have done an amazing job restoring the forest and making a special place over the past few years. It is a great getaway from everything. No sign of any building insight.
I must admit, my favorite part was watching football on the large outdoor screen and eating BBQ by the campfire. It was an amazing experience in an amazing place.
GuideThis rv site was awesome.It's quiet beautiful, lush green. Be aware tho. It's full of poison oak!!!! But yiu can get around it.
There are no hook ups. But the sights are mostly shaded, so it was a great help and I did not go in a hot time of the year. They have good hours for use of generators as well
We Brought our electric bikes and rode to the geyser in Calistoga and to multiple wineries It was a great way to travel
TravelerOk, I was originally hoping for a cabin, which is included in my search, but this CG is either tent or RV only. Luckily, I also brought a tent.
I was there 2 weeks ago. It's a fairly large area and flat. Lots of space for kids to play including a play area.
Sheep roam freely in one area towards the back.
It's a great place for families. Showers are great. Includes a small shop for goodies.
I love it there. Only negative is there are only portapotties. Except for a couple that are constantly in use.
Camping near San Rafael, CA, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor fun. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near San Rafael, CA, has something for everyone, from families to seasoned RVers. Just be prepared for the crowds and enjoy the beautiful surroundings!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near San Rafael, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near San Rafael, CA is Samuel P. Taylor State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 51 reviews.
What parks are near San Rafael, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 15 parks near San Rafael, CA that allow camping, notably Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Point Reyes National Seashore.
