Top Cabins near Santee, CA

Recent Cabin Reviews In Santee

377 Reviews of 40 Santee Campgrounds

• 

  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👍😊

• 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

• 

  Dickie Simmons S.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 29, 2024

  Lake Henshaw Resort

  Inexpensive camping w/toliets and shower

  Just passing through, perfect spot for the night. Showers a bit run down but plenty of hot water. Great location for easy access to fishing. Friendly staff. Store stocked with fishing gear, snacks and booze.

• 

  Albert D.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 23, 2024

  San Diego Mountain Lodge

  lastminutewriting

  Wow, the San Diego Mountain Lodge sounds like the perfect escape! Thanks for sharing this recommendation. For those who want to capture their own adventures or share their experiences eloquently, I highly recommend checking out https://lastminutewriting.com/. Their expert writers can craft captivating narratives, whether it's about a serene mountain getaway or any other topic you want to explore. Happy writing and happy travels!

• A

  Andrew A.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 20, 2024

  GoodVibes Ranch & Farm

  More like Glamping than Camping!

  Let me first off say that the property is beautiful and that my hosts Carolyn and Bernie were very accommodating and had great energy.  Plenty of room for beautiful hikes on their many acres of land packed with some great views a few decks scattered around the property.  I found out they have a full size professional disc golf course here! I don’t bring my discs, but Carolyn and Bernie happily lent me some discs so I could try it out. 

  Now to the Glamping- now I been camping a bunch, the reason I say that this is glamping is that they have actual running water flushable toilets and outdoor hot showers!  I can’t tell you how excited I was lol, it really upleveled the whole camping experience. They also have an industrial kitchen as well as an outdoor bar where they have very fairly priced beer and wine. Did I mention they have a full size professional pool table? Turns out Bernie and Carolyn are professional pool players too! This place is awesome! I will definitely be coming back again again to relax. I live in sd so it’s only about 35-40min drive from my place.  Thank you so much Carolyn and Bernie for such a great experience!!

• D

  Deborah F.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 20, 2024

  GoodVibes Ranch & Farm

  Love This place!

  Beautiful nature getaway! Only 30 mins East of San Diego. 150 acres of beautiful pristine land. Gorgeous oaks shading our camp site. Loved the kitties & the ranch doggies. Went for a hike. Saw lots of flowers, a seasonal creek, sage, views of the valley & nearby mountain. Played some pool. The disk golf course is on the awesome hike I took. They have live music on the weekends. And 3 huge custom stone showers with natural spring water & full bathrooms with sinks & flushing toilets.

• 

  Grant W.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 8, 2024

  Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve

  Great first RV stay

  This was our first camping trip in our travel trailer. The amenities available are great. Very clean and friendly staff

• J

  James H.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 5, 2024

  Dixon Lake Campground

  Cramped

  Spectacular night lights

• 

  Stephanie W.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 15, 2024

  Guajome Regional Park

  Pretty and clean

  For the price of full hook up ($35) in a location so close to the beach, I call it a win. It was beautiful with a pond and walking paths. There were many dogs and we saw horses on the paths too. The bathrooms / showers were clean and didn’t stink. Always had toilet paper. Showers take specific coins and you have to get them from the office before 5pm so if you arrive late, keep that in mind. Spots are good size and paved paths are well lit at night. Good for going to the restroom at night but bright if you have a spot near the walkways. Otherwise the camp is pretty dark at night

• 

  Robert G.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 11, 2024

  Dos Picos County Park

  Lots of spots

  Shouldn't have a problem finding a site here.

• 

  Danny T.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 1, 2024

  Lake Henshaw Resort

  Not bad but not great

  Spaces are very close together. The camp store was closed and the camp host was a little strange. I know that can be the case often but I didn’t want to have Covid vivid conspiracy conversations. Not a spot I would have a desire TK go back to

• 

  Bill R.

  Ranger

  

  Feb. 27, 2024

  Agua Caliente County Park Campground

  A funky little San Diego County campground with a hot spring

  Camped here for three nights in March of 2019, in one of the partial hookup sites close to the pool. According to the map of the CG, there are 104 sites and 7 cabins. Partial hookups are closest to the pool/shower area, with full hookups and cabins farther back and tent sites in the middle.  

  it seemed to be a well run facility. It was cool, cloudy and wet from recent rains when we were there and our site had a tiny stream running through it. Some sites, including ours, were not too level. The pool was not what I'd call "hot", probably in the mid to high 90s. 

  There's a couple short trails in the park, we hiked Moonlight Canyon. We really enjoyed it!! A bit like a lunar landscape with wild desert plants and flowers. The highlight was seeing some desert bighorn sheep!

  A small store sits just outside the park entrance and though it was small, it seemed to have at least one of everything you could possibly need, including my favorite Colorado  beer, Fat Tire!!

  This park has a lot of rules, some quite unusual. Probably a good idea to familiarize yourself with them before you head out.

• 

  Tamara K.

  Traveler

  

  Feb. 23, 2024

  Lake Morena County Park

  We WILL return!!!!

  We stayed 2/17/24-2/22/24 at spot 77. Great, huge shade tree!!! Level. 

  Clean bathrooms!! Flush toilets & 2 shower stalls.

  The Rangers were kind & helpful!

  Fire wood is $6/bundle that is purchased from the ranger station. Cash only.

  Showers are pay showers. .50/4mins.

  There must have been 100 wild turkeys that cruised thru the camp ground a few times. Pretty epic sight!! 

  During this time of year, chilly nights but beautiful days. We did get rained on for a day but nothing horrible.

  Oh, fires out by 11. They’re pretty strict about that time if the camp ground is busy but if it’s not, they leave you alone. I sat out after my kids went to bed til around midnight with my fire & it was heaven. Poured water on my fire & went to bed. Perfect evening!!

• B

  Bob M.

  Scout

  

  Feb. 16, 2024

  Dos Picos County Park

  Great campground off the beaten path

  Second time here, booked to be close to the San Diego zoo safari park. This is a very well run county park.

• 

  Patrick J.

  Legend

  

  Feb. 6, 2024

  The Springs at Borrego RV Resort

  A great desert glamping destination

  When we arrived, check in was quick and were escorted to our site. Our friends had arrived already and told us the site next them was open. The man who escorted us made a quick call and made the change.

  The concrete pads are really long. I will leave a picture. This allowed us to have both the trailer and the truck on the pad. Not the perpendicular park job we are all used to. 

  It raining all day the following day and we were getting emergency alerts on the phone for dangerous flooding. The RV park has no drainage problem at all. The park is incredibly clean and well maintained.

  We did play a couple of days on the golf course there. The course was in excellent shape. Green a bit slow. :-)

  The pool area with all the activities available was a nice option. One night they had live music in that center. 

  This is a fun place to be for sure. Lots of hiking places near by. We will be back!

• 

  Hector H.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 31, 2023

  Dixon Lake Campground

  Spectacular spot

  I thought this campground was pretty nice and I enjoyed the views, the peace and quiet, we slept in our Cargo Van set up as a camper. We paid $30 for the spot and restroom was pretty close about a 2 min walk. I recommend this location!

• K

  Karen G.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 18, 2023

  Thousand Trails Pio Pico

  Terrible Experience

  I can’t believe how badly this park has deteriorated. On our last stay we saw so many weeds and potholes. The hot tubs seem to be broken all the time. Showers and bathrooms were filthy and rundown. Resort? How shameful. But worse than that are the rangers. They used to welcome us like we were members, paying customers. Not sure why they have such a hard time understanding that we pay their salaries. WE ARE THE CUSTOMERS. We were treated like we were unwanted guests. A new ranger named Christian is a cocky, arrogant kid. He clearly doesn’t want to work there and has no concept of customer service. We immediately asked for his manager and he didn’t care about how rude we were treated. The manager (Israel) only cared about flirting and gawking at another ranger who worked up in the activity center. There’s a married couple who work there selling memberships and he  told me the management is terrible and the park is going down the tubes. He told me much of their staff is unhappy about how they are treated and many have quit. I asked why they don’t get new management and he said even his boss said the women managers are untouchable. He told me secretly that he was quitting too. I guess that’s why he unloaded on them. He told me about the sexual assaults in the park from illegal Mexicans coming across the border. He told me about the 4 convicted pedophiles living in the park and showed me Megan’s Law. It’s all true. You can see them walking around and their addresses listed on their profile on Megan’s Law is the RV Park. He told me about all the drugs on the north side of the park and that one ranger was dating a member there and violently assaulted her and she turned out to be a prostitute. He said the company and manger knew he was a meth addict and yet kept him there and swept it under the carpet. He also told me that the 3rd in charge(Jesus) had to go to counseling because he keeps sexually harassing the other staff and members and he is still doing it. He apparently is harassing the girl who works in the store now. And yet they still protect him and hide it. Seriously? You want us to pay to stay here? Until they start firing these incompetent and rude employees we won’t be coming back.

• 

  Candy H.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 14, 2023

  Dos Picos County Park

  Quiet Park Near San Diego

  The county park is quiet and peaceful. During the week I’m 1 of about 4 campers. It has filled up on the weekends with mostly families and scout troops. It is a mix of RV and tent campsites.

• C

  Christy G.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 14, 2023

  El Prado Campground

  Peaceful and well maintained grounds

  Me and my husband camped here for about five days we are in spot 42 lots of room back in plus pull in spots full hook ups has paddle boats fishing and spots to walk your dog

• 

  Mark W.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 7, 2023

  Lake Cuyamaca Recreation and Park District

  Tight squeeze on the drive on, but plenty of space in the site

  • We arrived as the sun was setting and had a glare in the windshield so it was a little tough getting through the tight loop but we made it.  Had we noticed that we were supposed to turn right before the bathrooms, we would not have had to do a u-turn!  That was my mistake.   We had a 22 foot trailer and were just barely able to squeeze through.   Many people had their vehicles parked right along the narrow road in.  I saw larger RVs there - I can only imagine how difficult that just have been to get through.  There's a section of road where if you go off it, you could potentially roll down a hill. 

  • Check in for this campground is across the lake at the "bait and tackle shop" (15029 CA-79, Julian, CA 92036) and that's only open until 6PM.  If you arrive later than that, that's OK just check in in the morning.  I wouldn't recommend trying to pull a trailer over to the other side as you'll have a difficult time turning around.  The camp host will remind you as you're entering or leaving that you need that parking pass.

  • The best site in this park would be number 23 as it has a clear view of the lake and a very large "front yard".  We were in 21 and had a partial view with the two other sites closer to the lake blocking our view.

  • Cell service for Verizon was OK for phone calls, not so great for data.   I noticed driving around the lake that there was 5G in the area, just not at the campground.  Top data speed at the site was around 2 MBps down, 0.5 MBps up.  If you have a directional signal booster, that may help.

  • We brought out Starlink dish for internet service.  The trees blocked the satellites every 7 minutes but that was OK for streaming movies.  We never experienced a full outage, just brief moments where the speed went way down.  Our best Starlink speed at the site was 174 MBps down, 11 MBps up, plenty of bandwidth.

  • There are two free campground shower on site, bathrooms and a dishwashing area.  A small store near the entrance has a few food items.

  • The camp host was courteous and drove around once in a while to check out on everyone.  

  • I didn't notice any trash cans on site.  We packed our trash out.

  • The nearest town is Julian - about 6 miles away.  It's a nice place for a quick day visit where you'll find gas (including diesel), food, restaurants, historical buildings, etc.  Of course, you should get a pie while you're there!  Julian is well known for that.

  • The site was clean and neighbors were courteous.  We had a large group camping a couple spots away but they kept the noise down.

  • If you have kids, there's a nice playground by the lake.

  • We had a beautiful view of the Milky Way at night, visible to the naked eye.

  Overall, I would say this is a great camp area to visit with several recreation opportunities nearby.  We came for mountain biking.  There are plenty of trails to ride.

• 

  Raquel L.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 20, 2023

  Paso Picacho Campground

  Stolen Campsite

  My family and I take a yearly camping trip and this is one of the sites that we regularly come to. We are a big group of 19 and find this place very comfortable and enjoy the trails. However, we will not be returning! A squatter had hijacked one of our reserved spots and the rangers have done nothing but give is the run around. They just allowed her to stay in our reserved spot the entire stay. The rangers just kept making excuses for the squatter. What was supposed to be a carefree week turned to a stressful and cramped week. They do not care about the campers and it clearly shows.

• T

  Time4Dirt

  Guide

  

  Jun. 24, 2023

  Dos Picos County Park

  Awesome CG!

  Site #30 This campground was an awesome campground from beginning to end. The guard shack that’s in the middle of the entry to get into The campground appears to not be used. You actually check in at the office to the right of guard shack. They only appear to store their ranger trucks near the guard shack, so go into the lane on the right when you’re entering the park. Check-in was quick and easy. There are signs in the park that direct you to where to go to get to your site as well as they give you a map when you check in. The Site was not level (which isn’t a problem) just mentioning it so that you know you’re going to have to have things with you to level your rig. Our site was covered with chalk from overly creative previous campers. Otherwise is was clean. This is a beautiful park with lots of trees and shrubbery. Saturday night was busy and slightly loud but quieted down by midnight. Sunday morning most of the campers packed up and left. The line for the dump is long and slow moving. Blocking sites in its path from 10:30 am to after 12:00 pm. So keep that in mind when you’re scheduling your camping site. Our site was blocked but we could squeeze out so it wasn’t a problem for us. But it could be a problem for others. So just a heads up. Bath house was clean showers looked good. They do you have poison ivy or poison oak in this park. I don’t remember which but they had signs up about it. We saw squirrels, bunnies, and LOTS of hawks and a few other birds during our stay. We had solid Verizon service anywhere in the park. The rangers drive though on and off all day then disappear in the late afternoon reappearing early morning. There are quite a few flys buzzing around and gnat like bugs. But it was no big deal. Great park!

• c

  chloe M.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 18, 2023

  Dixon Lake Campground

  For occasional campers

  The lake is a reservoir and good for just a day trip, but don’t stay too long. Gets super hot and you can’t swim in the lake to cool off at all. The boat ride was fun but also cost money. We heard screaming children all day but otherwise, the view from our site was nice and land was decent

• 

  John B.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 5, 2023

  Lake Cuyamaca Recreation and Park District

  Great Time Nice Facility

  Friendly staff kept everything clean and gave great advice. Some in our party tent camped and had the best space, view, shade trees. We had a trailer as well, nice and level with water and power. Both had aluminum picnic tables and iron grills. Propane fire pits we allowed but no wood fires.

• 

  Julie B.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 4, 2023

  Lake Morena County Park

  Nice campground

  Nice campground. There were a lot of families with kids but you can strategically choose a campsite on an end/corner for more privacy. You’ll also want a site with some shade if there in spring/summer as it got hot during the day. Not all sites have shade. Music must be off by 10, and there is a ranger who comes around to make sure of it. Fires out by 11.

  Campsites have a picnic table and fire ring. Water and electric hookups. Our site was a little overgrown but manageable.

  Bathroom was big, nice and clean, though there is only 1 on the campsite loop. Another up at the ranger station.

  Lake is a short car ride or long walk away. There is a nice hiking trail that takes you back to the dam. Beautiful lake views along the way. We saw 2 bald eagles.

  Took a ride over to nearby Campo Creek Winery and met the lovely owner and chatted over a few glasses of wine.

• 

  Nick L.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 2, 2023

  Indian Oaks Trailer Ranch

  Maintenance Nightmare

  I have been staying in my rv full time for ten years. And this campground is absolutely the worst. Good: the lady who takes the reservations is very friendly at first. Bad:  First day: check in. The spot is very difficult to get to up a hill. And small. Almost impossible to park. Plug in electricity. Sewer hookup was good. Screw on the water to their connection. And it breaks. Water flooding my site for 45 minutes before they shut it off. Maintenance guy on site comes and fixes it.  Didn’t even try to hook up the water and on day 3 it breaks again. Spraying my rv with high pressure water again. Flooding inside. Water all over the electrical connection. So much water flooding my travel trailer starts sinking and sliding down the hill. Office doesn’t care. They come fix it again. This time it decides to hold until we are packing up our campsite. Then it blows water all over again. Told the office that they broke the jack on the front of my rv. Flooded my rv. The “nice” lady in the office now becomes very defensive telling me that they take accountability for nothing that happens at their rv park. So I call the company that owns the campground. Basically the same response. There is a very nice county rv park that is much less expensive right around the corner. Stay there and your trip will not end up being the nightmare that mine was. These guys ruined a great vacation. P.s. the lake is disgusting. Maintenance guy looks like he’s on drugs. And there are old tweeker trailers all over the park.

• e

  ethan L.

  Scout

  

  May. 31, 2023

  Hidden Haven Farms

  Private, scenic camping on an active farm!

  The tent had nice cots and plenty of space for my wife, myself, and our little son. He had a BLAST with all the farm animals and hiking around the trails. The tent is up the hill away from all the noisy animals so it is very private and peaceful. Plus the view is beautiful!

  The outhouse worked great for us, it is just a bit of a hike down the hill from the tent. The cabin is much closer to everything, so if you are planning to stay there you won't have to walk as far. 

  Some of the animals are roaming free (it is a farm). Our son LOVED that but just be aware if you are not comfortable with animals.

  Karen, the farmhand, helped us out with everything we needed and provided a fire pit, firewood, lounge chairs, trash bins, and a canopy. We bought eggs fresh from the farm and cooked them over the fire for the full experience!

  The weather was perfect in May, cool in the evenings but totally comfortable with some warm jackets.