Santa Monica, CA is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Santa Monica campgrounds just for you. Find the best campgrounds near Santa Monica, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
$45 - $225 / night
"The sites are fairly open and close to each other, so be prepared to hear everything, and because the campground is close to the city it is popular with groups and families."
"Also something to be aware of, they do not allow dogs, big bummer. Years ago, I saw dogs in the park, but the last time I went, they were not even allowed in. Otherwise it’s a very pretty place."
$80 - $300 / night
"Get a spot away from the HWY.
Short walk to the beach and a short drive to Santa Monica Pier.""Easy access to Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica and Venice Beach. Staff is super friendly and accommodating."
$55 - $80 / night
"It’s also near Santa Monica and Venice beach. Space is big enough for a bigger RV. The only negative thing is - it is very noise because of the airport right next to it."
"The bike path is in front of the campground and it will take you all the way to Redondo Beach or Santa Monica.
Check out the local town of El Segundo."
$45 - $60 / night
"Wonderful area with good hiking spots, beach access for both you and your dogs."
"It was a quick drive up the coast and onto this hidden gem. You get access to a private beach with gorgeous California hill views of PCH behind you. Perfect place for families or even RVs."
$35 / night
"Even though you are lined up next to your neighbors, noise just doesn’t carry because the roar of the ocean is so loud! It’s amazing to fall asleep to."
"They don’t smell bad when using them though….. so maybe it was one of the nearby rvs?? Not sure. Love that the beach is dog friendly."
$45 / night
"In addition, you're right next to the beach! Dogs are allowed on the beach and campsites, but not allowed on the trails. Park Rangers advised me this was due to rattle snakes on trails."
"Fantastic body surfing, some good surf waves up the highway a bit. There is a backpacking access site as well up the canyon about 3 miles."
$80 - $85 / night
"However, you do get some road noise if you stay on the road side"
"Clean, comfortable sites near Long Beach Marina and downtown. Good biking, walking lanes. Pool & jacuzzi are nice."
"This is a very nice campground near everything but still away from it all. No issues parking our 42' 5th wheel here. Clean and quiet despite the peacocks. They can be rather loud when startled."
"Cleanliness: 10/10 Privacy: 0/10 Location: 5/10 nice park but super close to the street and other vehicles. Service: in some areas, one bar (att) Area: close to food etc just right down the hill."
$50 / night
"Very peaceful spot for a long weekend. 5 days was a little much unless you have a car to visit around and did I say it was gated too."
"Great view but on the weekend we had multiple cars doing donuts really close to our van. I felt uncomfortable with that."
"This is just a few parking lots that overlook the valley and gives a view of the city skyline in the distance."
GuideGet a spot away from the HWY.
Short walk to the beach and a short drive to Santa Monica Pier.
ScoutWe arrived in the middle of the night: easy parking short walk and easy access to the campground. The view is fantastic, the site is very close to the highest point of Santa Monica mountains
TravelerThere's really not a bad spot in this campground. It's a little pricey to camp here but it's Malibu so it's expected. Easy access to Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica and Venice Beach. Staff is super friendly and accommodating.
GuideIt’s a beautiful spot with ocean view. It’s also near Santa Monica and Venice beach. Space is big enough for a bigger RV. The only negative thing is - it is very noise because of the airport right next to it.
LegendDockweilder is an awesome camping experience if you love the beach and airplanes. With LAX less than .5 miles away, you get the pleasure of plane spotting 24/7. The bike path is in front of the campground and it will take you all the way to Redondo Beach or Santa Monica.
Check out the local town of El Segundo. It has some great dining options and looks like Mayberry.
Cell Reception: Great
LegendCampground review (3 of 5 stars)
The Canyon Campground is located on a spectacular stretch of the PCH just north of Malibu. Like most other California State Parks, it is quite expensive. The sites are located in a dusty coastal sage scrub valley, often right on top of each other. This place is packed with RVs and families on vacation during the summer, so don't expect to find peace and solitude here. There are full facilities (e.g., showers, camp store), but the $45 per night fee is the highest we've paid for any camping.
One perk is that you can walk to the beach within minutes. Also, one of the few dog beaches in LA is only a couple minutes drive away. Luckily, dogs are allowed in the campground too. If you can look past your nearby neighbors, the views of the nearby Santa Monica Mountains are charming. It's also only a short drive to some spectacular hiking and bouldering. If you bring your crashpad and shoes, the sandbox and temporal boulders are about a 15-30 minute hike upstream, and you certainly won't have any crowds there! Finally, don't forget to reserve your site far in advance (you can do this online), especially for weekends. Otherwise the rangers recommend showing up at 8AM on a Friday or Saturday to try to snag one of the few walk-in sites or a site from cancelled or no-show reservation.
Product review (4.5 of 5 stars)
As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I get to test products for review for some of my camping trips. On this trip, we tested the Matador camera base layer case and the lens base layer. See our demo video, presented by my husband, the photography pro. These are two phenomenal products that offer some sleek protection for your camera and lenses.
Pros:
Cons:
Overall, these two products provide ample protection while you're trying to snap some great photos in the outdoors. I don't think they provide quite the same level of protection as larger bags with more padding, but that's not what they're aiming for. I felt a tremendous peace of mind having my camera dangling from my neck in the base layer while scurrying down the steep sand dunes, which I certainly wouldn't have felt had I not had the base layer on.
LegendLocated in Huntington Beach California. This site is right across the street from the beach. Be careful and aware when staying here. My husband and I had our mountain bikes stolen when sleeping. When we asked for camera footage the owners of the campground claimed the cameras were broken and they couldn’t share the footage. There are many homeless folks living in the area. The showers don’t get hot, but the area is clean. There is a pool and a hot tub and a small dog park. It’s expensive to stay here, but a beautiful spot.
ScoutClose to town but no cell signal, this place is amazing! Large camping area and I’ve never felt crowded ! Quarter showers and laundry, and a dog park! Lots of deer in the area and Great Lake to fish at! They also offer some hook ups for the rv campers
GuideSuper friendly staff, super clean, 2 dog parks, offers really good wifi & cable. Can pick the oranges out of the tree
Discover the best spots for pets-allowed camping near Santa Monica, California, where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Santa Monica, CA is Malibu Creek State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 34 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 92 dog-friendly camping locations near Santa Monica, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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