Looking to go glamping near Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and enjoy a rustic retreat into nature? Find all the best glamping sites for your Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California camping adventure with The Dyrt. These scenic and easy to access California glamping locations are perfect for any adventurer.
One of the best places for Malibu Camping is Malibu Creek State Park, just 25 miles from downtown Los Angeles, features hiking, fishing, bird watching, mountain biking, rock climbing and horseback riding opportunities. Fourteen-mile Malibu Creek is the principal watercourse of the Santa Monica Mountains that ends at Malibu Lagoon. There are 15 miles of streamside trail through oak and sycamore woodlands on chaparral-covered slopes. Following the trail along Malibu Creek State Park, the visitor will be treated to spectacular vistas, including volcanic rock gorges, scenic pools, and breathtaking views of the Las Virgenes Valley and Malibu Canyon. Previous to being opened to the public in 1976, the park was used extensively to film numerous movies and TV shows, such as Planet of the Apes and MAS*H. Most of the park's land holdings were donated by Bob Hope, with later significant acquisitions from Ronald Reagan and 20th Century Fox.
$45 - $225 / night
Lake Casitas camping offers over 400 sites, so you can choose the camping experience that suits you best. Some sites are lakeside, close enough to hear the lapping water, others are nestled among the trees, and still more are located on hillsides offering splendid views of the sparkling lake.
We have sites to accommodate tents, tent trailers, campers and RVs, all with picnic tables and fire rings, and some with children's playgrounds close by. Shower houses with bathrooms are located at the front gate and towards the back of the park. We also have a convenient, fenced, dry storage facility for recreational vehicles, boats, canoes & kayaks
UPDATE as of 10/10/20 Requires military ID and only open for Active Duty for camping at this current time. People can use the Day Use with proper identification
Twelve miles south of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria camping offers a mile of beach for swimming, surf fishing, tidepool exploring and camping. Although dogs are not allowed on beach, we have a great picnic area where they are allowed to enjoy the outdoors as well. Lifeguards patrol the beach year round and lifeguard towers are staffed roughly from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. The Spanish named the area Carpinteria because the Chumash tribe, which lived in the area, had a large seagoing canoe-building enterprise, or "carpentry shop" here. This was because of naturally-occurring surface tar, which was used to waterproof the canoes.
Seals and sea lions can be seen in the area December through May, as well as an occasional gray whale. Tidepools contain starfish, sea anemones, crabs, snails, octopi and sea urchins.
$45 - $180 / night
Ventura Beach RV Resort is located just off the 101 freeway in Ventura, California. The resort is a lush 14 acres and offers RV and tent sites ranging from standard to ultra deluxe sites. As well as travel trailer rentals, poolside yurts, and a summer studio. The resort has a refreshing heated swimming pool and inviting hot tub. A recreational room with billiard tables, a flat screen television, an ATM and vending machine. You can also enjoy our playground and half basketball court.
$55 - $80 / night
Guide
We recently stayed here, for the 1st time, last week. We decided to leave the travel trailer at home, and change it up! We stayed the 1st in a large teepee. It had beds for a total of six people. It was hot in the daytime, and got really cold at night, so we switched to a Glamping tent. The Glamping tent was nice! It had a very confortable queen bed, 2 lamps, a fan, a heater, a mini fridge and a microwave. It also had a futon type couch that made into a bed. Loved the Glamping tent.
Only downfall was, that the place does not enforce it quiet time rules. 10pm to 8 am. Late night loud groups, carrying on until 2 in the morning, loud obnoxious kids screaming at 6:15 in the morning...😩they have many beautiful Peafowl, and they can be loud too, but I only heard them once. The place has very nice tiled showers, with good water pressure, clean bathrooms, a big beautiful pool, but it was closed for the season.
There are fire pits throughout the 76 acre park, it was nice having a campfire, since so many places don’t allow them anymore...they have a very large jumping pillow for kiddos, my 6 year had a blast playing on it. They also have a zip line, but it was damaged in the large fire last year, and is being fixed currently. There is a stream that runs thru the property, it was fun to explore. They have a rock climbing wall, that is brought out on holiday weekends.
Lots of fun activities for kids, like crafts, making your own rocket to launch, etc. It is not the place to come, if you want a quiet, mellow place to read a book! It is busy, and loud. They do not have any laundry facilities, nor do they have a little store. The prices on everything are going up 10% on everything, next year. This means that most campsites with full hook-ups with be $ 71 a night, ( not bad ) but the large teepees will cost about $ 200 a night, and the Glamping tents, about $ 180 a night.
You can buy a KOA discount card, for just $ 30 bucks, and it gets you 10% off, each stay for a year. Valid at all KOAs in America, and some in Australia! We had a good time, and plan to go back in the summer next year. Hopefully, with our travel trailer, it will be less loud 😉
Scout
This campground is between the beach and Amtrak train, but if noise doesn't bother you, there are some really amazing things, especially if you love camping or glamping with your dog! Directly behind the campground you must keep the dog off the beach, but two blocks away is the entrance to the Salt Marshes and the beach entrance there where you can rent sea kayaks and boards in the summer is a secret many don't know...a 1/2 a mile where fido can run free off leash and play in the surf. One of the safest beaches in CA due to the proximity of the channel islands, you won't have to worry about sharks here. And the end of the this beach is the Salt Marsh water inlet and when the time is low you can walk the deserted beach for miles and miles. Just get back before high tide or you will find yourself crossing an extremely powerful river sea. In the summer there is movies in the park which a an ample lush green field for playing frisbee or ball that separates the campground from the main palm lined street Linden. Famous for it's avo cado festival which draws nearly 80,000 people from around the world. Linden Street has a grocery, brewery, pharmacy, and diverse cuisine, everything from a burger stand, Thai, sushi, and a famous grill your steak sit and dine. There is also a lovely little Mexican bakery and candy shop for the kids. You can buy t-shirts, get a haircut, tattoo, or latte to go. There is even the local health food store with a smoothie to go bar in the back for a pick me up or detox with a straw! Carpinteria is a dog friendly town. You will dogs and bikes everywhere which incidentally, you can rent not far from the 2 campgrounds. There is a driving through lot for day travelers or RVs. You must book early online to get a camping spot because of the site's popularity. Othewise, it is a first come basis. It has showers so bring lots of quarters, especially if you want to do your laundry at Linden Street laundry mat. Fire pits and a table are at each site. Expect to also hear generators running as the sites tend to be close, but you can count on having lots to do. Cool nights, warm days, cold water. Sea glass, shells, and cool rocks. Not far from this beach is Rincon Point or what the locals call Bates Beach where surfers are there everyday. The large tide pools and stone is otherworldly, and again, bring the pooch, they are going to love it! We do! Returning! And a good time was had by all...
Legend
The Point Mugu NAS campground is part of the military MWR program, therefore you need to be active duty or retired from one of the uniformed services, or be sponsored by someone who is.
The campground is located right on the beach overlooking the iconic Point Mugu rock to the south, and a nice quiet estuary to the north that is full of birds, seals, and other wildlife. There is a whole spectrum of camping and lodging options svailable, from simple basic tent camping, to reserving one of their yurts, to car or RV camping with full hookups, to cabins and even a very nice beach motel. All are location by the base MWR outdoor recreation facility which has all kinds of beach and camping gear available to check out, like snorkels and surfboards and more, and staff to advise about local hiking and recreational trips in the area.
The tent sites are very basic and very close together, but the surroundings are worth it! We didnt stay in one of the yurts but hope to next time, they are beautiful and a nice intermediate option between tenting and motel. The RV area is heavily used but clean and nicely maintained, and in a beautiful location right on the beach!. The beach motel iis adjacent, and the cabins are located in a much more secluded area off on their own to the east.
The beach is beautiful, clean and well maintained and not as heavily used as the nearby state beaches off base, which is a real treat
There are a few base eateries and a grocery store on the base just a few minutes drive away so it is easy to restock provisions if needed.
The hiking opportunities within even half hour drive off base from the campground are amazing, lots of state parks, national forests, state beaches, nature preserves and more with incredible hiking trails. This location is also very convenient to Ventura where you can catch a national park ferry to the Channel Islands for day trips.
This campground is highly recommnded, and our favorite go-to place to stay whenever we are in the LA area!
Scout
This is a pretty great RV campground. One of the only in Southern California/Los Angeles area where you can have a fire on the beach.
TravelerThis is a nice little spot, close to town, but not as close to the train as some of the other Southern California state beaches. The campground hosts went above and beyond to keep the bathrooms clean and even provided nice soap. The tent camping spots were a pretty good size for beach camping.
Traveler
This campground is located in Santa Barbara County just west of Ojai. Beautiful mountain scenery. It’s great for tents and RVs.
The lake offers fishing and boating, no body contact. There are several campsites around the lake. Some lakefront and some wooded. There is a Park store conveniently located. There are coin showers and flush toilets at many sites.
The most fun is the water park. You can take a break from the heat and tube down the lazy river. Also there is a disk golf course.
So much to do and see!
You may even catch a glimpse of a rare California Condor.
This campground is great for beginners and disabled.
LegendEconomical for California and the area. Off the beaten path from all the craziness by the beach.
We are just passing through CA or it would not be my top spot. They nickel and dime a lot of things, showers pets. We paid online and we pull up and all of a sudden getting charged $5 a day extra for pets including a cat that doesn't leave the camper. Was not thrilled about that.
Otherwise, it was scenic, had a camp store, was close to restaurants, had a gate to drive into, so the place was pretty secure. Seemed like a lot of people gathered on the weekends.
We had the dirt campground which wasn't my favorite but all that was left, while the other campgrounds had cement pads. It was still pretty level.We did have cell reception, nice views and they had a water park for kids during summer months, though wasn't open while we were there.
LegendCarpinteria State Beach Campground is a one of our frequently visited “staycation” spots. We live in nearby Santa Barbara, but will use Carp State Beach as a midway meeting point when friends from Southern California and Central California meet up.
The campground is pretty large, and caters mostly to RVs and trailers. There are loops within the campground that are essentially just asphalt lots with small dirt spaces for fire pits and picnic benches - these are intended for RV campers, but we have tent camped there in a pinch. Since we are tent campers we do prefer to camp in the grassy tent sites, but they are limited in number and tend fill up quickly. Because of the moderate year-round weather, Carpinteria State Beach Campground stays pretty full all year long!
The campground has full hook ups, clean plumed bathrooms, and coin-operated showers. There are grocery stores and conscience stores within short walking distance for anything you might need. Train tracks run directly behind the campground, so there is some noise pollution from the passing trains.
The campground is at the very end of downtown Carpinteria, right next to the ocean. There are no “ocean front” sites, but the beach is a quick 1-minute walk from essentially anywhere in the campground. Some small sandy dunes separate the campground from the beach, and there is an accessible paved boardwalk running along the length of the dunes. There are beautiful tide pools just south of Carpinteria State Beach Campground that are a must see. Check the tide charts on the internet to visit the tide pools at low to mid tide.
While we really enjoy camp cooking, we tend to opt to walk into town to eat when camping in Carpinteria. Linden Avenue is right next to the campground, and is the main street in downtown Carpinteria. There is a wide variety of restaurants, breweries and coffee shops downtown. Island Brewery CO is a local favorite just on the edge of the campground - while I don’t think they have food available (yet), their beer is GREAT! Their avocado beer is a must try - I know it sounds weird, but it’s delicious (and doesn’t taste like avocados)! Rincon Brewery is a few blocks up from the campground, and also has great beer, and TASTY FOOD!
CAMPSITE SPECS
Fees: $45/night (normal campsite)
Plumbed Toilets: Yes
Drinking Water: Yes
Showers: Yes (coin-operated)
Picnic Table: Yes
Firepit: Yes
Cooking Grate: Yes
Shade: No
Cell Service: Yes
Animal Bins/Food lockers: No
Trash: Yes
ScoutWith all the Covid-19 guidelines in place for campgrounds to reopen, I was excited to see what that would look like. I naively thought the campgrounds wouldn’t be open to capacity and I was hoping for camping not so close to other campers. I don’t love how tightly packed everyone is on a normal summer camping day/night. So imagine my annoyance when it was just as tightly packed during this social distancing summer as it usually is!
With that said, people were kind and our small campground worked for our family. The only problem we had was a neighboring campground deciding past quiet hours that it was a good time to start singing and playing the ukulele. Not sure why the camp host didn’t come tell them to be quiet. It lasted until 11:30pm at least.
There is construction on one of the bathroom buildings so there were additional porta-pottys with portable hand washing stations next to them. These bathrooms were very clean! I was pleasantly surprised.
We love the beach access right next to our campsite and the beautiful scenery of the mountains above. It really is a gorgeous place.
Our boys loved guessing what trains (metro link or surf liner) were passing through- because yes- the train is a stones throw behind the sites and the trains runs frequently.
My 4 star rating is for what it is. A great camping spot that will always be booked to capacity because it’s beach camping in Southern California. I wanted to write an updated review for those wondering what covid-19 looks like here. Well? It’s the same. Just some extra hand washing stations and some people wearing masks.
ScoutG
GuideThis is a wonderful campground right next to the beach however it is only available to the military and their families. The spots are all paved with most having all the hookups but it is in need of updates. You can’t beat the location though.
GuideStayed one night as I headed South. Overpriced - sites are small and close together. The beach is right there but it’s not a long walking beach (but nice). Bathrooms were decent.
VERY WINDY!
TravelerAnother military RV campground in need of renovation. 10 washing machine and dryers and only 2 worked. Ice Machine broke. Many sites the sewer hook-ups are closed up. right on the beach you cant get any closer. Not much on the base. Just a little NEX. Be warned when the sun goes down the mosquitoes are horrendous. Everybody goes inside to get away from them.
RangerThe campground was very basic with just hookups but the view and beach were beautiful! As a bonus we saw a baby sealion on the beach one morning!
GuideThis is probably my favorite beach campground yet! Being on the Military base reduces the number of people trying to get to it. The beach is on the base, and has a protected wetland and then shooting range on one side then on the other is the base itself, so this beach is really JUST for those staying on the base or campground. The weather was a little cooler than expected, but we had a blast! We watch seals, ducks and more swimming around the beach. We practically had it all to ourselves. It was quiet and well maintained. I heard they are shutting down for a year or two for a major campground upgrade.
TravelerThis is a great camping spot. The beach is across the street. Facilities are closer then that. The Navy Exchange down the street has camping supplies. The cost for a tent site is $10. An unbelievable place.
TravelerGreat place to go hang out on the beach. Easy parking and hook ups. Beach is great for the kids and fishing. You really have to stay on the front desk as far as getting a reservation confirmation email though. Over all the family liked it and we’ll be back.
TravelerBeautiful Beach! Great place to go fishing, watch Sea Lions and Birds. Walking my dog on the beach. Watching the sun rise and beautiful sunsets. customer Service and knowledge at the MWR are extremely helpful. Lots of beach equipment; Tents, coolers, cook stoves...Surfing gear and bikes to rent. Indoor giant TV to watch and gather with other patrons inside the MWR. Pool tables, ping pong....lots to do here. Or just relax on the beach and breathe in the fresh air and beautiful scenery.
TravelerBest Beach Campground! WiFi too!
TravelerMilitary Camp Ground. Base access required.
Camp ground is right next to the beach. Spots have plenty of room.
ScoutMilitary campground..near small beach...beach break. Isolated..Clean...Quite
Traveler
Hiking distance from a water hole and where they filmed many many movies and TV series You can still see MASH set. You can also do rock climbing
TravelerThis is a great place to get away from the bustle of LA. Very quiet and peaceful. The bathrooms were very clean! All of the park rangers I encountered were very pleasant. The only thing I wasn’t too happy about was it closed the gates at 10. So we couldn’t come in any time we needed to. I’ve been to a few campgrounds that you can pay at the gate in a deposit box and the next morning you’d get checked in by a host. This would’ve been nice. Instead of having a 10pm curfew. We didn’t have much time to explore but what I saw was great. I’ll definitely be putting this on my list of places to return to.
ScoutWe chose to stay here for the first time while visiting friends in Van Nuys for Memorial Day weekend. It's a quick drive from the campgrounds to almost anywhere. 🤨$45 for a one night spot is a little much, but great compared to a hotel/motel. 😥Gates close at 10pm 😥 so we had to leave friends early to get in the pitch the tent in the sunset. 🤩GREAT scenery of the Agoura Hills , roosters could be heard nearby the next morning ✌Other campers were cool and quiet, especially for a holiday. 🤗One of the rangers gave us a couple shower tokens that someone had "paid forward".
GuideShowed up Tuesday with no reservations and stayed until Friday morning when the spot was reserved. Cold showers available for free, hot water costs a few tokens. The rock pool is awesome but gets crowded near mid day. Couldn't find the mash site, apparently the bridge washed out. Got by the 10pm gate closing by getting a ride from the campground and walking back from the gate at night. Great location to Malibu beaches and most of LA. $45 is the most we paid for camping anywhere... but worth it.
RangerI have camped here many times over the years. It’s an absurdly expensive campground. It’s close to LA so I assume that is why they feel they can charge so much for a mediocre campground. The sites are close together and I camped here once when it was almost empty but they blocked off half the campground so you couldn’t get away from even just a few neighboring campers. There is a lot of cool stuff in the park like the old MASH set and a rock pool to swim in. But the campground itself is just OK.
ScoutBeautiful sunset! Comfortable, well-spaced sites. (Some have little/no shade.) Very dry in summer and a lot of small trash around (paper, wrappers). I can understand others taking issue with the $45 price, but parks are under such intense budget constraints, it’s hard to complain. We were in an airstream — challenge getting in/out for some sites if you are towing. Neighbors all friendly. Everyone quieted down right at 10. Covid camping so rock pool and MASH set were closed. It’s a great getaway if you’re a city dweller. Also: bunnies!!
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is Malibu Creek State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 30 reviews.
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