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Best Campgrounds near Sausalito, CA

847 Reviews

Camping areas around Sausalito provide a distinctive mix of urban-adjacent wilderness experiences within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and nearby state parks. Kirby Cove Campground offers tent camping with dramatic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, while Steep Ravine Campground at Mount Tamalpais State Park provides rustic cabins and tent sites overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The H. Dana Bower Rest Area, though not officially designated for camping, serves as a popular overnight parking spot for RVs and vans just north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Most campgrounds in the region require advance reservations, with sites at premier locations like Kirby Cove booking up immediately when the reservation window opens. "Nearly impossible to reserve, the five sites at Kirby Cove are large and spread out, giving the feeling of true isolation while being a two minute walk from the beach under the Golden Gate Bridge," noted one camper. Weather conditions often include fog, wind, and cool temperatures even during summer months, necessitating proper clothing and camping gear. Travelers should prepare for persistent wildlife encounters, particularly aggressive raccoons at Kirby Cove, by securing food in provided bear boxes.

The camping experience near Sausalito balances urban proximity with natural settings. Campers frequently mention the extraordinary views as a primary attraction, with sites offering vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco skyline, and Pacific Ocean. A visitor reported, "The view is breathtaking! Little crowdy at day but peaceful at night, only the traffic's sound." Mixed-use campgrounds accommodate various camping styles, from tent-only walk-in sites at Pantoll Campground to RV-friendly spaces at Marin RV Park. The region's microclimates affect camping conditions significantly, with coastal sites experiencing fog and cool temperatures while inland locations may be warmer. Many sites lack drinking water or showers, requiring campers to bring adequate supplies for their stay.

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Best Camping Sites Near Sausalito, California (132)

    1. Samuel P. Taylor State Park Campground

    52 Reviews
    Lagunitas, CA
    17 miles

    $35 - $225 / night

    "This campground is less than an hours drive from San Francisco. It is along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard which takes you through a bunch of very cute tiny towns."

    "Beautiful trees and wonderful California charm. The campsites were decently located. Above the Mendocino coast the mornings are wet and Cold. Loved this place"

    2. Kirby Cove Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area

    15 Reviews
    Sausalito, CA
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (415) 331-1540

    $40 - $75 / night

    "The walk to the beach was 60 seconds and the ocean can be seen from the site. Cool ww2 structures. You get a code to open the gate uptop and drive down to park for your stay."

    "If you plan to leave your cooler outside of the bear box make sure it has a lock or secure latch. 3- you get a gate code and parking pass to drive down, but have to walk your gear the last 500-1,000 ft"

    3. Steep Ravine Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park

    15 Reviews
    Stinson Beach, CA
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 388-2070

    $25 - $100 / night

    "1 to get to the entrance, and then another steep, curvy ride down to the campground."

    "The entire Mount Tamalpais watershed is within 30 minutes drive from this location."

    4. Pantoll Campground — Mount Tamalpais State Park

    14 Reviews
    Stinson Beach, CA
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 388-2070

    $7 - $25 / night

    "Pantoll is a pretty campground located adjacent to the entrance to Mount Tamalpais.  You can hike to, bike to, take the bus to, or even drive to this campground.  "

    "This is an ada compliant walkup campground situated near the top of Mount Tamalpais. Featuring 13 sites ranging from standard campground style to a few more secluded areas."

    5. H. Dana Bower Rest Area Northbound

    11 Reviews
    Sausalito, CA
    2 miles
    Website

    "I decided to stay here, because it was the right location for my road trip, it was free, and I thought the view of the city would be excellent."

    "Reasonably quiet on the side away from the road. Very safe, police patrols throughout the day/night. Good hiking areas nearby. Bathrooms and trash cans. Highly recommend as it is also completely free."

    6. Sunrise Campground — Angel Island State Park

    9 Reviews
    Tiburon, CA
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 435-5390

    $30 / night

    "Angel Island is a California State Park, but it's surprising how many visitors do not know of the 10 campsites scattered around the island!"

    "Campsites are walk in throughout the island.  Remember there will be fog and there will be wind.

    We try to get what they call the "group" kayak site. "

    7. Marin RV Park

    10 Reviews
    Larkspur, CA
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 461-5199

    $99 - $115 / night

    "30 mins away from the City. A bit pricy but that is to be expected in SF."

    "Great location to the city and Muir woods. Good stores near by. Narrow sites. No room for awning. Close to gather. Sites are gravel and level. Nice area for pets with view."

    8. Bicentennial Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area

    7 Reviews
    Sausalito, CA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 331-1540

    $25 / night

    "All three sites here are next to each other and have no seperation, but if you’re okay with that it’s a wonderful place to camp Site 3 is closest to the views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the trails connected"

    "It has great hiking nearby and an incredible view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city, and is a short drive into the city. you definitely want to reserve a space well in advance, especially during peak"

    9. Haypress Campground — Golden Gate National Recreation Area

    5 Reviews
    Muir Beach, CA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (415) 331-1540

    $25 - $75 / night

    "The tent pads (a flat sandy area surrounded by wood beams) were fairly small - maybe 10' x 10'.  Each site had a picnic table and a large metal food locker.  "

    "This campground is about a 0.75 mile hike from the Tennessee Valley trail head. Very limited number of sites, so you’ll definitely need a reservation. No fires."

    10. San Francisco RV Resort

    15 Reviews
    Pacifica, CA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "If you want a great little place with quick easy access to San Francisco that has a great view of the ocean this place is great! And affordable!"

    "Very nice park for an on the water location, I've been to some where you can't even turn without hitting someone."

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Recent Camping Photos near Sausalito, CA

226 Photos of 132 Sausalito Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Sausalito, CA

847 Reviews of 132 Sausalito Campgrounds

  • yThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 5, 2025

    San Francisco North-Petaluma KOA

    Great area, safe, kid friendly

    I planned to stay here just one night and stayed like 4. Great spot, I loved downtown Petaluma and enjoyed the safe feeling and convenience of this location. Great amenities for children too.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 4, 2025

    Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Campground

    Feels much more remote than it is

    Great campsite, awesome staff. Tucked away off highway 12 in wine country it feels much more remote than it actually is. It's a great fast getaway from the northbay, but it can be hard to reserve a site ahead of time but they do have first-come first serve sites too. Excellent hiking with both fairly flat trails, to challenging trails with lots of elevation change. It's often very hot in the summer, and there can be lots of rattle snakes sunning themselves on the rocks. This is one of my favorite camping spots.

  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 30, 2025

    Anthony Chabot Regional Park

    Lovely site, really close to San Francisco!

    On visiting San Francisco we were looking for a site that wasn’t a car park. This really met the mark! Beautiful place with great sites. Nice picnic tables & fire pits! Was very quiet

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 29, 2025

    Westside Regional Park

    Decent landing spot

    If you are here for fishing or boating it’s perfect

  • T
    Aug. 24, 2025

    Anthony Chabot Regional Park

    Nice location and activities, but a bit cramped

    I just needed/wanted a short getaway without driving hours from home. Since I'm used to this place for mountain biking, I figured I'd try camping here for a couple nights. 

    I did a recon ride previously on my mountain bike, so knew which spots I'd prefer and booked site 35 for a Thursday and Friday night. 

    Arrived at about 5PM and found my spot. The ranger booth was closed, but I didn't feel the need to chat with them anyway. The place was largely unoccupied at this point. Maybe a dozen or so spots appeared taken. 

    The weather, though hot in the Bay Area at this point, was quite nice. The breeze and shade of the park made for a very comfortable setting. I believe it was 88 in Castro Valley, but felt about 78 at the campground. I don't have AC for the van, but didn't feel I needed any. 

    I got setup and then headed out for a short ride, followed by a warm shower, cold beer and dinner. It was quiet that evening and I slept well. 

    I worked through the morning Friday, though the Starlink suffered some interruptions due to the tree cover. Early afternoon more people started to show up, as I expected. I went for a long ride and when I returned the place was much more occupied and people were setting up tents, starting their bbq's, etc. Though a bit close to the neighbors, none of them were obnoxious. 

    My advice would be to know the spot you're selecting and know that in the summer months the grass isn't green :) 

    I'd score the individual aspects as follows (1-5):

    Bathrooms: 4

    Location: 5

    Activities: 5

    Privacy: 3

    Cleanliness: 4

  • g
    Aug. 16, 2025

    Olema Campground

    Nice spot, little privacy

    Lovely large meadow with scattered trees. RC/van spots are arranged in cul de sacs, tent spots on the edges of fields.

    Somewhat noisy - kids, dogs, radios - but settled down by 9. Friendly vibe. Expensive at $83/nt but good showers. Wifi was slow when I stayed.

    Decent backup option for the area if Samuel Taylor is booked.

  • g
    Aug. 12, 2025

    Samuel P. Taylor State Park Campground

    Small and lovely

    Lovely site in redwoods. Sites are close, but have some privacy. Stream is accessible shallow. Beautiful trees.

  • PThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 3, 2025

    San Francisco North-Petaluma KOA

    Best KOA

    Paid a premium price for a Saturday one nighter, but it certainly is a great VIP campsite. The host says they will come around in the morning and empty our tanks! No need to hook up our sewer hose!

  • Patrick J.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 29, 2025

    San Francisco North-Petaluma KOA

    Great for Families and groups, but not for just one night.

    Check in was fine. Got wrong direction how to get to the site. After looping around to approach the site, I found the streets all very tight for RV maneuvering. The place was packed. Had a pull through FHU site. Pretty narrow. Seems like a common theme. Great things for kids to be entertained by and enjoy for sure. We were passing through and I think we would have been better served elsewhere. Our site was patches of grass and looked like it needed some TLC. Tested the water-Water tested as acceptable tap water after running it through an external filter. 21 elements checked, all within range. Dissolved solids were 251...pretty high. The worst water in our 6 week trip. Must be a California thing.

Guide to Sausalito

Samuel P. Taylor State Park Campground offers tent, RV, and cabin camping options in a redwood forest setting 15 miles northwest of Sausalito. The campground sits at 100 feet elevation along Lagunitas Creek, creating a cool microclimate where summer temperatures average 10-15 degrees cooler than nearby inland areas. Campers should prepare for persistent evening fog that rolls in from the Pacific Ocean, particularly during summer months.

What to do

Explore historical sites: Visit Battery Kirby at Kirby Cove Campground, an artillery battery active from 1898 to 1934. "You will pass Battery Kirby on the way to the beach. There are only five sites at this campground so you will be secluded," explains Nick M.

Hike to Tennessee Beach: From Haypress Campground, take the flat and easy trail to the ocean. "The walk to Tennessee Beach is very flat and level and doable for kids. The campground is off on a slight detour but it's an easy starting spot for hike-in camping," notes Allison W.

Ferry to San Francisco: Stay at Marin RV Park and leave your vehicle behind. "A short 10 minute walk from the RV park is the ferry that will drop you off downtown San Francisco. We spent a week here and only drove when we wanted the experience driving down Lombard St," reports Jeff T.

What campers like

Secluded camping close to the city: At Steep Ravine Campground, you can feel far away while being minutes from urban areas. "The wildlife is off the hook..I've seen deer in the seaside vernal pools, wild miniature ocean bunnies boxing in the morning sunshine, and a great white shark off the cliffs one fine day," shares Nikata L.

Sunrise views of San Francisco: Wake up early at Angel Island State Park for unique perspectives. "The three 'Ridge' sites giving campers views that stretch from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge with the city and Alcatraz in between!" explains Randy B.

Natural quiet after dark: Once day visitors leave, campers often have Angel Island nearly to themselves. "The upside of being patient with how far out you make your reservation is that once the last ferry leaves, you have the island practically to yourself. It is pretty awesome," notes Bryan R.

What you should know

Weather conditions vary dramatically: Prepare for unexpected cold even in summer. "One thing to note, the night is COLD up this way, and mere miles will cover several different weather systems. Bring layers," advises Kathleen C. at Samuel P. Taylor State Park Campground.

Reservation competition is fierce: Many campgrounds book immediately when reservation windows open. "If you can get a reservation, you've got to experience this campground. The view of the City from here at night is incredible and otherworldly when the fog starts to set in," says Christy S. about Kirby Cove.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the best campgrounds near Sausalito, CA?

While Sausalito itself has limited camping options, several excellent campgrounds are within a short drive. Kirby Cove Campground offers breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline, with just five sites that book up months in advance. Bicentennial Campground provides walk-in tent camping in the Marin Headlands. For those willing to drive a bit farther, Angel Island offers boat-in camping with panoramic bay views, while Mount Tamalpais State Park features several campgrounds with stunning coastal vistas. Most sites in the region require reservations well in advance, especially during peak season.

What amenities are available at Sausalito camping areas?

Camping areas near Sausalito typically offer basic amenities with varying levels of services. Haypress Campground provides primitive camping with vault toilets but no potable water or showers, requiring campers to pack in their own supplies. Spring Lake Regional Park offers more developed facilities with newer bathrooms, shower facilities, and convenient access to water-based activities. Many nearby campgrounds feature picnic tables, fire rings, and access to hiking trails. For those seeking RV accommodations, facilities like Petaluma Lake Area Camps provide full hookups, though some require military affiliation for access. Always check specific campground regulations before arriving.

What are the best times of year for camping in the Sausalito area?

The best time for camping near Sausalito is typically late spring through early fall (May-October), when temperatures are mild and rainfall is minimal. Bodega Dunes Campground is particularly pleasant during summer months when its central peninsula location provides access to beautiful beaches. Wright's Beach Campground shines in fall when crowds thin but temperatures remain comfortable. Winter camping (November-March) can be challenging due to increased rainfall and cooler temperatures, though the area rarely experiences freezing conditions. For the mildest weather and fewer crowds, consider camping mid-week during September or early October when summer fog patterns typically diminish.

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