Best Tent Camping near San Ysidro, CA

Recent Tent Reviews in San Ysidro

1355 Reviews of 27 San Ysidro Campgrounds

• 

  Kate W.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 19, 2025

  Dripping Springs Campground

  Simple but great

  I really have come to love Dripping Springs campground. There's a great hike right out the end of the campground, although it gets HOT because this is more desert land than forest. I've stayed in a few sites and I think 14 has become my favorite even though you are kind of exposed, it's huge and it's away from all the other sites. I did see a baby scorpion in the bathroom once, so beware. There's a nice little cafe down the road and a winery a bit further that I like with a beautiful view.

• 

  Robert G.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 18, 2025

  Bow Willow Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Peaceful, Scenic, Lots of Nearby Trails

  First car camp in Anza Borrego.  Wasn't disappionted.

• 

  Brittany

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 14, 2025

  Arroyo Salado Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Amazing sunrise

  The camping spots were close to each other but no one else was there so it didn't matter. The stars and sunrise were amazing! Will definitely go again!

• 

  Ryan L.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 12, 2025

  Blair Valley Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Free Desert Camping

  Grateful for free camping sites. Just outside of Julian which is a charming little town.

  Decent for some seclusion/isloation as the road through is winding.

  When in early January. 65-70 during the day. ~45 at night.

  The quiet was my favorite part.

• 

  Julie K.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 6, 2025

  Corvina Beach Campground — Salton Sea State Recreation Area

  Really great for $10

  We were pleasantly surprised by the spacious camp spots with fire rings and picnic tables. The CG had toilets and cold showers. I would have given it 5 out of 5 but there was a train that went by near the site. We've heard about the bad smell at Salton Sea but it was odorless when we were there in January.

• M

  Michael W.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 4, 2025

  Octillo Wells OHV Recreation Area

  It’s desert time!

  It’s technically the Republic of Slowjamistan.

  Lots of open space, just drive out and park. Might need an air down/up system depending on how far in you want to travel. No issues for the first 0.25-0.5 mile off the highway.

  ATV rentals available. There are some picnic tables and compost hole restrooms.

• W

  Wes L.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 9, 2024

  Dos Picos County Park

  Great Setting, Peaceful, and CLOSE to home!

  This place is a jewel, and if you live in San Diego, right in your backyard! Rangers are super helpful and friendly, the campground is clean and quiet, and the setting is beautiful. There’s a tranquil pond, nice hiking trails, places for kids to play…. Just a fantastic option close to home for locals and well worth consideration for visitors to the area.

• 

  Paulina B.

  Ranger

  

  Dec. 7, 2024

  Sam's Family Spa RV Resort & Motel

  Worth it for Long Term Stays

  Sam’s Family Spa offers a mixed experience with steep daily rates, decent weekly rates, and an unbeatable deal for monthly stays. The mineral-fed hot springs and heated pool area are highlights, though access requires wristbands and a bathroom code. Mail delivery is convenient, but the lack of security at the campground entrance feels like a gap. The west side of the park boasts stunning views, and the grounds feature a variety of interesting desert plants. However, the overall experience didn’t quite match the polished image portrayed on the website. Still, its proximity to Palm Springs and relaxing hot springs make it a worthwhile option for longer stays

• 

  E.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 2, 2024

  Blair Valley Primitive Campground — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  Great escape from the city!

  I followed the coordinates provided and it took us right to the trailhead. We saw a few other campers but overall, the campground was ours for the weekend. We did some light hiking and exploring but otherwise took advantage of the peace and quiet that was available to us. Gorgeous sunsets and sunrises and epic star gazing! Being a dark sky community, we were able to see so many stars and constellations. We saw shooting stars nearly every minute and we were also able to find Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,  and Neptune all with the naked eye! Next time we will pack a small telescope and I'm sure we will see more! 

  Watch out for cactus and needles that are buried in the sand. It is not recommended to bring dogs or walk barefoot for this reason. Our sandals and boots both had many needles stuck in the rubber soles after the trip. Being in the valley, the winds were very light but there is a possibility of strong winds and sand storms so be prepared. Temps averaged 70-75 during the day and dropped to 38-42 at night but with a small fire and proper gear, we were plenty comfortable. Fire rings are provided at some locations however the ranger informed us we could build a rock ring and line it with tin foil which worked great. 

  The road in was a bit rough in some areas. Wash out and silty sand could pose problems for smaller vehicles or campers so use your best judgement. Single track roads in/out so you will need to yield off the main road when encountering larger oncoming vehicles, which could also be difficult for inexperienced offroad drivers.

• F

  Frances L.

  Guide

  

  Dec. 1, 2024

  South Carlsbad State Beach Campground

  Too close to highway

  Campsites are right on top of each other. Highway is breathing down your neck. Beach is nice though.

• 

  Sade H.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 30, 2024

  William Heise County Park

  Fun but Dusty

  We went in October with our AHG group. It was great and super dog friendly but WOW so much dirt created so much dust in the air and it got on everyone and everything. With that being said… TONS to do! Such beautiful sights to see! The drive up was amazing. They had plenty of water to wash and drink with a lot of bathrooms as well.

  You can walk trails, stargaze, take your bikes around and so much more!

• 

  Sade H.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 29, 2024

  Observatory Campground

  Love this place!

  I brought my family with our 2 dogs for Thanksgiving and unfortunately we left early because it was a major danger for our dogs with the very bold and brave coyotes.

  We tent camped but I feel like if we had an RV it would have been safer for the dogs.. for us alone with out the dogs, tent camping would have been fine!

  Other than that. BEAUTIFUL!!! We loved every single moment from the colorful drive up to the stars and checking out the observatory which was also pet friendly. It’s SO FUN to see all the different color leaves and the sunsets, the sunrises, the crisp air, the views on the way up….all of it was so beautiful.

• S

  Shawn

  Guide

  

  Nov. 9, 2024

  Salton Sea Sra

  I love this place

  I have been coming here for 25 years. Sadly the lake is disappearing, but it have beautiful sunsets and is isolated and peaceful ( except for the occasional train). Avoid in the summer, but winter is amazing.

• 

  Jeff T.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 21, 2024

  Dixon Lake Campground

  Great forestry feel. And good price ($30)

  We stayed here multiple times to car camp and have stayed in sites 3, 6, and 28. We really enjoyed site 28 due to the spectacular views of Escondido. The reason I gave it 4 stars is because their can be some creepy people occasionally like some old guy was following my son in his car. But other than that we had a good stay. If you are in a camper I would recommend Escondido RV resort instead due to the more inviting feel (we stayed there in our Coleman travel trailer). But if you car camp a lot like myself I would recommend staying here at Dixon lake. Great stay overall👍😊

• T

  Tony B.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 27, 2024

  South Ridge Yellow Post Sites

  Awesome dispersed site with amazing views

  Very nice to find a campsite this private on a weekend in southern California elevation is high enough that temperatures were very enjoyable (mid 80's)

• 

  Osborn T.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 25, 2024

  Rancho Los Coches RV Park

  Natural Language Processing

  I would like to emphasize that the implementation of natural language processing(NLP) technologies https://lightpointglobal.com/services/data-analytics/data-science/nlp-services can significantly improve customer interactions. With the help of solutions such as chatbots and virtual assistants, you can automate answers to frequently asked questions and provide round-the-clock support, which will increase customer satisfaction. NLP also allows you to analyze guest reviews, determine their mood and extract valuable insights from open data, which will help in further development and adaptation of services. Language translation capabilities expand accessibility to an international audience. Thus, integrating NLP into software allows you to improve user experience and increase the efficiency of business processes.

• W

  Wendy R.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 22, 2024

  Dos Picos County Park

  Harassing Ranger

  I have never had a bad experience at a camp ground with any ranger. They have all been wonderful. Not at this park. My registration tags went to my home so I did not have current tags. I had to have a family member collect my mail and forward to me on my travels so it was delayed. I did have a receipt which I was required to provide. However, the ranger barged into my campsite in a huff, treated me as if I were vomiting a crime and demanded my receipt on the spot in front of all. It was quite over the top. Later the same man barged back into my campsite throwing accusations at me that I hadn’t paid my measly $4.00 parking fee and breaking the rules of the park. He had the nerve to argue with me after I explained that in fact I had paid. He backed down after realizing I had. He then returned to harass us for the kids using chalk. There were kids from several campsites using chalk. We apologized and made them clean it up, no big deal. But the ranger was didn’t simply ask for it to be cleaned. He was threatening and confrontational. I dealt with one other ranger here who was quite nice and helpful but this other was awful. I discovered I was not the only one to have this experience here. I would recommend Sweetwater or Lake Jennings in San Diego area or Aqua Caliente where they are quite friendly. Yikes this was horrible

• C

  Charlie W.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 22, 2024

  Provisions Farm

  Delightful Area, Delightful Hosts

  Wow, Highland Valley is beautiful!  This is a great place to camp your RV - especially if you love the farm vibe.  We stayed in the front spot, up against the property line, which felt private.

• 

  Annie G.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 18, 2024

  Fry Creek Campground

  Very beautiful

  This is a very nice and quiet campground and everyone there was very respectful of quite hours. The place was very clean and very beautiful. The only con was that there are way too many insects everywhere, My base camp got bombarded with a swarm of wasps, And I was forced to leave a day early, and had to leave my cooking pot behind because of the swarm of wasps... I wish there were some kind of rangers or someone there that I could have asked for help about this, or I wish someone would do something about this issue but I guess it is what it is at this location lol 😆 Other than not being able to cook and eat without wasps in your face and In your food, it was really nice

• M

  Molly A.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 18, 2024

  Tool Box Springs - Yellow Post Campground

  Canpsites a plenty

  There’s a few designated camp areas up this way. Went out in early Sept 2024 and the road was fine. I drive a lifted AWD overloaded Honda Element and I had no issue. There were two sections on the final ascent loop to the top of Thomas Mountain that were a little scratchy. You do not need to complete the final ascent to the top to enjoy the camping areas. Although if your car is capable there’s an excellent spot at the very end of the loop.

• 

  Kyle F.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 17, 2024

  Champagne Lakes RV Resort

  REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS!

  Let's start off with the fact that this"resort" has REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS living there and TWEAKERS SELLING DRUGS. When I mentioned it to the management they could care less, didn't say a word and walked away laughing. They DO NOT perform ANY BACKGROUND CHECKS and especially with children in the park I find that very disturbing. They nickel and dime you for every little thing and the rent has gone up 3x in one year. The water supply smells like sewage when you take a shower. Because they do pump outs the resort smells like human excrement most of the time. The lakes are polluted as well and completely full of cyanobacteria AKA green algae which is a respiratory hazard. POTENTIAL BEWARE.

• 

  Gabriel S.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 15, 2024

  Pine Creek Road Camp

  Nice quick and easy getaway

  Quite easy to get to. I drive an Acura RDX and had no problems (I actually had a lot of fun driving the road). 

  There were way more flies than we were expecting. Prepare to get swarmed. Luckily just gnats and no mosquitoes from what we experienced.

  We applied for a permit on Friday and did not get it by Saturday when we departed. Luckily, no rangers patrolled during our stay.

  Some spots with good shade.

• 

  Lisa D.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 11, 2024

  Mission Bay RV Resort

  Wasn't Thrilled

  Overpriced for a dirt spot, no ocean view at all. Ocean view sites full of expensive RVs that can afford the price. No market or cantina, for those you have to walk to Campland, not a short walk. Should've just stayed at Campland

• 

  Rhyn E.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 3, 2024

  Tool Box Springs - Yellow Post Campground

  Oasis of calm

  Labor Day weekend. We occupied the only spot out of five. Lots of wildlife. Raccoons in the night, gray squirrel, other squirrels, many birds. So much

• 

  Rhyn E.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 2, 2024

  Pinyon Flat Campground (San Bernardino National Forest) — San Bernardino National Forest

  Good Place if Needed

  The campsites are fine. Well used. There are pit toilets. Fresh water (you can fill water without camping). Had spaces on Labor Day weekend. It’s cooler than Palm Springs. (It feels like summer, not hell). Fire pits. I guess that works when fire risk is low. Note: I can faintly hear dogs and chickens from nearby houses. Oh, and the road traffic.

• d

  david

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 30, 2024

  Pine Creek Road Camp

  Peaceful and secluded

  A great spot if you want to get away and enjoy some alone time. It’s a little warm in the day in august this time of year so you can’t hike around or explore too much. My girlfriend and I stopped in Julian on our way out to get a late lunch and then head to the campsite. The road is paved until you turn off Lone Creek Road and then it is a dirt road. I have a stock Rav4 and it was able to drive on it although there are a few spots you need to be careful at so you don’t scrape the bottom of your car. We only spent one night but we never saw another person during our stay

• 

  Glen C.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 29, 2024

  Laguna Campground

  Wonderful for dry RV or tent camping

  The scenery is incredible and varied from deeply forested to open meadow.  There are miles of hiking trails.  The campground layout is nice and for many of the loops it is possible to find a site that feels separated from your fellow campers.  This place fills up during the weekends in the spring through fall seasons, so book sites early on recreation.gov.  As implied by my title, there are no hookups here so any RV camping is dry camping.  For RVs with a good solar array, it is possible to find open spots that keep the energy flowing throughout the day.  There is one loop dedicated to longer RVs.  As a personal note, I don't recommend Site 62 for RV camping - it is angled and has some erosion issues coming off of the asphalt pad.  I have been to this campground several times as both a tent camper and an RV camper and have not had any problems with cleanliness of the facilities or excessively noisy neighbors.