Best Glamping near Santa Clara, CA

Mount Madonna County Park has 4 campgrounds. I've been camping in this park since the late 70s. I've seen some changes over the years...ahem...decades. There's something for everyone here, RVers, tenters, and those who want to rent tent cabins. There are plenty of trails to hike, as well as equestrian trails. No bikes on trails though.

There are several micro climates in this area and temps can vary, besides our weather varies from day to day.

There are trails offering views of the Santa Clara Valley, and trails offering views of the Monterey Bay. The park is above the fog line (most of the year). We don't get rain in the summer here. The park is situated at the County lines of Santa Clara County and Santa Cruz County and is part of the Santa Clara County Parks system.

No stores or markets in the park, but you can easily run into town, either Watsonville or Gilroy. It's slightly closer to Watsonville where you will find a gas station/market on 152 (Currently a Valero), or go into Gilroy on 152 for Safeway and more.

There's a small cabin (ranger's station) with a history exhibit and the white reindeer up from the kiosk. My favorite campground in the park is the Tan Oak campground at the top and through the day use area. There are plenty of Geocaches on the trails.

The bathrooms are generally clean. I say generally because I prefer the off season when I have the campground to myself and the bathrooms are super clean, but when the campground is full, like any public bathroom they can need more attention. (Or maybe people just need to clean up after themselves) I've never used the showers, nor the tent cabins. I like the sites because overall they are separated by trees so you don't feel as crowded as more open campgrounds.

Despite signage warning of mountain lions, I have never encountered a single one in all the years of camping here. I've had raccoons and skunks (so lock up your food and belongings), turkeys and deer.

Weekends, especially a holiday weekend such as Memorial Day weekend, can be full. (Not my favorite) I have also stayed for the 4th of July when it fell midweek and had the campground (Tan Oak) literally to myself.

Leashed pets are allowed (2 per site) and 2 cars and 8 people per site.

Mount Madonna County Park is located in the redwood covered hills between Gilroy and Watsonville. The towns Watsonville/Freedom are both located a short drive away for supplies, as well as many restaurants, fruit stands, and gas stations. It feels very rural when you are in the campground, however civilization isn't far away.

Campground Review: Part of the Santa Clara County Parks system, this year round campground is available to reserve online - https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/pages/mtmadonna.aspx - sites are a bit on the expensive side at $34 per night when I booked, but the amenities sort of justify the cost. The park itself contains miles of hiking trails that wind through the redwoods and along the ridgetops, RV hookups and a dumping station, group campgrounds, an amphitheater, horse back riding, showers (free), day use picnic/bbq areas, and multiple campground areas. We stayed in Valley View 3 - site 325. Initially, the plan was to camp the weekend before, but bad weather made us change our plans last minute. The parks service was helpful in getting the reservation changed to the next weekend, and the weekend went off without a hitch. When booking campsites here, I recommend taking some time to research the campsites as they vary in size and privacy. I would recommend 301, 320, 323, 324 in the Valley View 3 area. They offer large sites and privacy. Road noise is minimal, as the park gates are shut at 8pm, so there is no through traffic coming through at all hours. Campsite 325 was right next to the bathroom, which was convenient but made things noisy around bed time and in the morning. Wouldn't recommend this site if you like to sleep in while camping. All the campsites had the basics, table, firepit/grill, food storage locker and potable water was spaced out about every third or fourth campsite. They are some critters here, I saw a few skunks and one wandered right into our campsite at night, so keep an eye out for them. The facilities were very clean and it was pretty dog friendly. In the summer it might get a bit too hot and there are no rivers or lakes to jump in to cool off. The ocean is about a 30 min drive away. Overall it was a great trip, with only the various campsite sizes and privacy being an issue. If you get a good sized site away from the bathrooms it is a wonderful experience. Overall the campground/park as a whole gets 4 stars with cost and varying campsite sizes being the only cons.

Product Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At Mt. Maddona Park I tested the Cotopaxi Uyuni 46L Duffle from Roanline.com - https://www.roanline.com/cotopaxi-uyuni-46l-duffel-in-del-dia/ - Overall this duffel bag worked great, although it may not be as much of a camping duffel, as more of a weekend travel/flying or work/gym duffel. It worked just fine as a camping bag however. It has multiple spaces to stash gear, one pocket on the front that could fit phones, sunglasses, etc, a padded laptop sleeve, and two large inner pockets separated by a nylon barrier so you can keep clean and dirty clothing separate. It easily held two days worth of camping clothes as well as sweatpants and a large jacket, so space isn't an issue on a long weekend trip. The fabric is tough and any spills or dirt can be wiped away easily. It only has one strap so carrying it while hiking is cumbersome. I see it more as a travel bag than a camping bag. If it isn't fully stuffed, you can easily get away with using it as a carry-on when flying. The materials and multiple separate pockets make it great to keep you gym clothes away from your laptop, other clothes, work stuff or to use as a beach bag to keep things from getting sandy while also being easy to clean. Hands down the best feature of the bag is the one of a kind color scheme. It really stands out, so your bag will be easy to identify in crowded areas or at the baggage claim. I would give the bag 4 stars as a car camping bag, but I don't think that is really its designed purpose. It gets 5 stars as a duffel for short trips or to use going to and from the office/gym.

We rarely make reservations to camp in California Beach Parks, as they are usually filled up weeks or even months in advance. While meeting up with some friends in Half Moon Bay we happened along the campsite and simply enquired if they had an open site for the night. They did, and we ended up staying for 2 nights due to a cancellation.  It never hurts to ask!  

The campsite is a nice quiet stretch of grass, live oak trees, and beach shrubs about 30 vertical feet above the Pacific beach shoreline.  While you get away from the blowing sand, you get to hear the pounding ocean at night. I can’t imagine a more gentle lullaby, frankly. The sites themselves are a little close quarters, but all provide just about enough space for a long camper and a tow/towed vehicle as well.  For a small camper like us, there’s even enough room to have a friend visit. 

The sites offer electrical and water hookups, additionally there is a dump station just as you exit the camping area. Showers and flush toilets are available, but also used by all the beach goers in the area, so you know what they look like....never clean.

The town of Half Moon Bay offers pretty much everything you need in terms of restaurants or grocery stores. Riding your bike, or walking along the path toward town for a well-earned brunch should definitely reach the top of your to-do list while you’re there.  We had brunch at Mavericks Creparie and dinner at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.  Both are absolutely fantastic!

Beachcombing, sunbathing, swimming, horseback riding, and skim boarding during the warmer months also are great ways to fill up the day. The beach path goes for miles in either direction so you can get some exercise off of the main roads.

We first visited in Feb at site 126. It has some privacy, we liked that it was in between two yurts away from others. The trail does go right behind the site but it wasn’t super busy. In April we got site 405 and it was absolutely beautiful and isolated in a ring of redwood trees with lots of other trees to use for hammocks, etc. I will warn, it gets very cold at night always better safe then sorry when it comes to layers.

Great place to hike and "get lost" in the woods. No dogs on trails though. California state park rule....

Big Basin has been part of my life growing up. Not far from the hustle and bustle of the Bay Area in California. When you arrive it's like stepping in to a whole other world. Huge redwoods blanket the mountain and line every site. Great hiking trails, creaks and fallen giant redwoods make for unlimited exploration. Many sites but they book out fast. Bathrooms, showers, general store are all well kept and stocked. Big Basin will always be one of my favorite places on earth....

So sad the devastation of last month's fires on the oldest state park in California, home to thr biggest redwoods south of San Francisco. We were lucky to have camped there this summer and when it reopens will return.

Our space was in the Huckleberry campsite. My only complaint was the proximity to the cabins & their noisy doors, lol. The site was otherwise quite comfortable.

If you like day hiking the Santa Cruz mountains are glorious. From giant trees to waterfalls to sandstone, the variety will keep you interested.

There is something awesome about standing inside a tree that is literally 10 times bigger than you! Camping here was one of the most special, amazing camping adventured in my life. My husband is an environmental geologist, so he had been working in California for the cleanup after the wildfires. So we decided when he was done I would fly down and we would take a little vacation. We had spent the week before in Yosemite National Park, so by the time we got here (not even gonna lie) we were exhausted and a little sick. In Yosemite the temperature drop at night gave us both a little cold, but thankfully the temperature in Big Basin was not nearly as harsh.

Before arriving we reserved a campsite on their website at the Huckleberry campground. At the time the Huckleberry campsite was the only one open, maybe because it was off season, although I am not sure. On the website there are actually pictures of each site so you can choose to your liking. I chose a small site with a lot of trees, what I thought was the most breathtaking site. It was just our little tent so we didn't need much room. The site had one parking spot, a picnic table, a fire pit with rack, and what I call a "bear box" which is a animal resistant container for food.

Our site was close to the bathrooms, showers, and dumpster which was convenient for us especially after 'roughing' it in Yosemite. Every facility was clean and surprisingly very nice. We didn't end up using the fire pit, but instead just cooked our food over a pocket rocket, but I do believe they had firewood for sale at the rangers hut. They had a grocery store but it is not open during the winter months so plan accordingly. However there is a town in Bouldercreek, CA with a grocery store, some bars, and a few restaurants. It is about a 20 miles drive out of the park to the town.

We ended up taking a break from the cold one afternoon while we were there and drove into town to eat at Boulder Creek Pizza & Pub. It was absolutely delicious, but whether it was actually the best pizza in the world, or it had been so long since we had a real meal, either way it was great!

The trails and campground are easy to get too and well marked, but we did lose service on the drive into the park. The education center on site is very interesting and teaches you so much about the history and growth of the amazing Redwood trees. Even every single campsite is breathtaking so you can't lose. We did a few trails around our campsite, nothing very extreme.They do have very good hiking trails with distance, just make sure you get a map before. Everything was just so wondrous and beautiful. I felt like a kid exploring this place, so small and insignificant in the big scheme of things. I will never forget this park, it will forever hold a spot in my heart and soul.

Campsite Review: 2/5 Stars

Half Moon Bay State Beach – Francis Beach Campground State Beach Phone # (650) 726-8819

I find it a little disappointing just how close the campsites are to each other here, meaning you’re not going to get anything close to a secluded camping experience. The facilities were dirty/sandy (although you are right on the beach), probably because not only are they being overused by day trippers to the beach and the many campers. Although, they do have coin-operated hot showers available (2 minutes per quarter). They really do pack in the 50+ sites here although there are 3 walk-in sites with great views over the beach and of the ocean, which are separated from the RV (up to 40’) mad house, but then you’re right by all of the day use people and even more out in the open as there is literally no coverage at all. The RV sites have electric hook-ups and there are shared water spigots (not hook-ups).

All of these are reservable by phone at 1-800-444-PARK (7275) or online at www.reservecalifornia.com/ ($35 for tent, $56 or $65 for RV and a $7.99 online fee)

Dogs are allowed at the campsite on leash, but not on the beaches here at all (Although horses are… Guess only one animal per “beach”). If you want a dog friendly beach go just a little south to Poplar Beach where the doggos can roam free off leash and have a blast.

The State Beach Park itself is very tiny. $10 to park, there’s a small visitor centers, beautiful beaches, nice scenery, not a lot of vegetation. From here you have access to the 4-ish mile long Half Moon Bay coastal walking/bike trail which runs right through the back of the campground and into the “park”, and of course there are ~4 miles of sandy beaches to enjoy. Should you need connectivity there is actually (unsecured) wi-fi provided by the park and adequate cell coverage!!

For me personally the campground only gets 2/5 stars :

Overall, remember that while you have great access to the beach and the campground is pet friendly you’re definitely, not exactly going to get a remote camping experience and the dog beach is a little way away. The facilities are a bit dirty and jam packed and could be a little better maintained.

Gear Review: 4/5 Stars

As a Ranger for The Dyrt I sometimes get the opportunity to test out products and what I got to use during this trip as a day pack during this trip was Ethnotek’s Setia 20 Liter backpack. While listed as a laptop backpack I used it to store my snack, water bladder/bottle and other first aid type items. I used the laptop pouch to hold the water bladder and ran my tube out the side. Worked perfectly!! For being a compact backpack, I really liked that it has both padded shoulder straps with a slide adjusting sternum strap and the raised lower back padding which made for a comfy fit and allowed a bit of airflow.

I also like that it’s water resistant and contains a hidden built-in rainfly, not that it has rained once since I’ve moved out to Northern California, but it is foggy and a bit damp first thing in the morning. The top zippered pocket in the top hood is the perfect size for items which you’ll want to have easy quick access to like; IDs, credit cards, extra sunscreen, etc. The main pocket is easily accessible via either the drawstring at the top or the side zipper so you can grab things out of the bottom without having to root around through everything in the pack. I do appreciate the laptop compartment, but for a more urban commuter bag I think this would be better utilized with additional pockets to separate out your work items and as a day-pack I think the laptop sleeve would be better utilized as a water bladder holder if there was a slot to pull the tube through.

The only real drawback I had with this gear was that the side zipper doesn’t have a lock of sort for security. I like that there are the 2 zippers, but I think that having some sort of webbing across the zipper so that you could place them both on that side making it a little more difficult for someone walking behind/beside you to just unzip the side and pull out items. This added security isn’t really needed if you’re out hiking, but if you’re commuting in a large city or on crowded public transportation could really save you from losing some valuables.

Overall, I give the bag 4/5 stars. I really love the company’s mission of keeping culture alive by creating high quality laptop and travel bags that feature ethically sourced handmade textiles. The back is extremely comfortable and has a ton of great features, but I think there are just a few minor tweaks which would make it truly unsurpassable.

Backpack’s Features:

· Water resistant 840 denier ballistic nylon main bag fabric

· Built-in handmade textile paneling. Exterior & interior.

· Left side zip gusset pocket for water bottle & quick-grab accessories

· Back-right side zip pocket to access main internal compartment volume

· Main compartment can also be accessed by its large drawstring cinch top

· Main compartment is sealed with a buckle clipped top hood

· A zipper pocket is built into the top hood for easy access storage

· Padded shoulder straps with slide adjusting sternum strap for comfortably fit while wearing

· Built-in rain cover tucks into and can be removed from the bottom of the bag’s back panel

· YKK® zippers

We were camping for 1 night and boy, was it crowded! Each and every group was fighting for the "wagons" to haul stuff up the hike-in campsites. Some groups even got aggressive with me and my husband for not "returning" the wagon to them. They even threatened and verbally abused us and a few other campers.

There was a large group of guys who had booked the campsite 29, and they were cooking biryani well beyond 1 am, and were drinking and running about noisily. Post midnight, a few campers asked those guys to keep it down but to no avail. The rangers are pretty much useless. When some of us filed a formal complaint with them, they didn't do anything about it.

Overall, this was a less than average experience. There's a reason that this campground so close to the Bay Area is popular with the larger groups. But best avoided.

Short uphill hike to the 1st few campsites , bathroom and hots showers are available and its a good campsites for starting campers.