Santa Monica RV parks offer diverse accommodations within 30 miles of the city center. Urban RV sites typically feature concrete pads with minimal landscaping, while beachfront locations provide direct ocean views but come with noise considerations. Many parks restrict vehicle age to 10-15 years and require advance reservations, especially during peak summer months when occupancy reaches 100%.
What to do
Beach activities across from park entrances: Dockweiler Beach RV Park provides immediate beach access where visitors can enjoy swimming, sandcastle building, and beach walks. "Great spot where you are never alone. Depending on the season, the lot can be packed. It is accommodating for some different size vehicles and has direct beach access and some amenities such as fire pits on the beach," notes a camper.
Biking on coastal paths: Golden Shore RV Resort offers easy access to beach bike paths. "Great Long Beach location, a nice bike ride along the beach to Naples and the Queen Mary. Highly recommended," shares a visitor. The resort connects to miles of paved coastal trails suitable for all skill levels.
Explore local attractions: When staying at Santa Monica area RV parks, visitors can use rideshare services to reach popular destinations. "We took an uber. If you stay on the West side of the city it's okay (still 50/60 USD) for a single ride. But If you want to explore any of the nicer beaches like manhattan Beach I do suggest to take the campervan, park at one of the malls in that area and then take an uber from there," recommends a camper at Hollywood RV Park.
What campers like
Ocean views from elevated positions: Malibu Beach RV Park offers panoramic ocean vistas from its clifftop location. "Every spot has a great view of the Pacific Ocean from high upon a cliff! General store is well stocked and there's a park to lounge or play games on the cliffs edge!" reports a visitor.
Proximity to food options: Many Santa Monica area RV parks are positioned near dining establishments. A Malibu Beach RV Park camper notes, "It's perfectly situated in between the Malibu pier area (to your left) Dume, Zuma, and more beaches (to the right), + a lovely small beach across the street… oh let's not forget Malibu Seafood is right next door!"
Clean facilities despite urban setting: Newport Dunes RV Resort maintains high standards for its amenities. "This campground has small sites like most RV parks do, but there was a lot of fun things to do with the kids. They had a movie on the beach when we were there, and fun water toys out," shares a camper who appreciated the activities despite compact spaces.
What you should know
Aircraft noise levels vary by park: Many Santa Monica area RV parks experience aircraft noise due to proximity to LAX and other airports. A Dockweiler Beach RV Park visitor states, "We parked right by the Pacific Ocean, watched planes from LAX fly overhead, and soaked in a stunning sunset. It was the ideal place to settle into our campervan life as a Desi-Filipino-Canadian family on a 5000 KM adventure."
Site dimensions often exclude tow vehicles: Anaheim Harbor RV Park and other facilities may charge additional fees for parking tow vehicles. "Their site measurements are for your camping unit ONLY. If you have a tow vehicle or are towing a vehicle you must pay per night for a parking spot, whether it fits on the site or not," cautions a visitor.
WiFi quality issues: Connectivity varies significantly between parks and even sites within the same facility. A camper at Anaheim Harbor RV Park reports, "Other then the wifi being very poor signal (some nights) no wifi. Very nice campsite and the price is great aswell."
Tips for camping with families
Choose parks with dedicated children's activities: Santa Monica area family-friendly RV parks offer structured programs. "They have activities for the kids like arts and crafts, an inflatable obstacle course or you can rent paddle boards or watch a movie on the beach. There are fantastic running/bike trails along the Back Bay," explains a Newport Dunes RV Resort visitor.
Reserve during weekdays when possible: Weekends bring larger crowds and higher noise levels to most Santa Monica area parks. "It didn't get busy until people started showing up on saturday for the holiday weekend," notes a Malibu Beach RV Park camper who enjoyed midweek tranquility.
Select sites away from facility entrances: Bonelli Bluffs and similar parks offer varying site quality within the same facility. "Some spaces monumentally better than others. Occasionally they run a special. There's good hiking and bike riding and fishing. They have a pool," recommends a visitor who found optimal family-friendly spots.
Tips from RVers
Request specific spots when available: Regular visitors develop preferences for particular sites based on layout, access, and privacy. "We stayed here last year and it was horrible and said we'd never stay again. But never say never!! We had to find a place as we had illness in our family. So they had a space available for our 42' 5th wheel and the site was wonderful. Cement, lots of room, close to laundry and pool," explains a Golden Shore RV Resort visitor.
Prepare for non-standard parking procedures: Hollywood RV Park uses unique methods for positioning RVs. "Steve the owner is amazing and the team will take your rig on a forklift to your site and fully set you up. It feels like a neighborhood instead of a busy RV park," reports a camper who appreciated the full-service approach.
Verify hookup functionality before setup: Some parks experience maintenance issues affecting utilities. "They seem to be having some issues getting basic maintenance done. And had one side that was full of ants so that the power and water did not work properly," notes a visitor at an area park.
