Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Vacaville? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. You're sure to find the perfect campsite for your California tent camping excursion.
Known by various names over the years (including Lupine Shores and Steele Park), Steele Canyon campground has always been known as the campground to vacation at if you're looking for some fun and relaxation. Along with tent and RV campsites, the campground features easy access to Lake Berryessa and a launch ramp.
$5 - $37 / night
$5 - $37 / night
S Rav Camp Area (sites E1-E7)
$100 / night
Get back to nature at Rancho Seco Recreational Area. A short 25-minute drive from downtown Sacramento, you’ll find the 400-acre park that makes up the Rancho Seco Recreational Area. Take a short vacation and enjoy bird watching, boating, camping, fishing, hiking and even a sanctuary for rescued exotic animals and wildlife. Camp in comfort with recreation and concession buildings, shade structures, laundry facility, boathouse, and newly renovated restrooms and showers. This Rancho Seco camping destination offers RV sites, tent camping sites, and group sites, some with gorgeous lake views.
In the middle of San Francisco Bay sits Angel Island State Park, offering spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline, the Marin Headlands and Mount Tamalpais. The island is also alive with history. Three thousand years ago the island was a fishing and hunting site for Coastal Miwok Indians. It was later a haven for Spanish explorer Juan de Ayala, a cattle ranch, and a U.S. Army post. From 1910 to 1940, the island processed thousands of immigrants. During World War II, Japanese and German POWs were held on the island, which was also used as a jumping-off point for American soldiers returning from the Pacific. In the '50s and '60s, the island was home to a Nike missile base. Today, there are two active Coast Guard stations - at Point Blunt and Point Stuart - on the island. Angel Island became a State Park in 1958.
$30 / night
Enroute campsites are available to self-contained camping vehicles for 1 night only. Because these areas are used as parking you must enter after 6 p.m. and leave them by 9 a.m. the following morning.
Guide
This place and his staff were absolutely amazing. I had a couple of different times where I needed to change the spot and without fail they were there to help. Quite CLEAN everything! I wanted to stop awhile 30 days later I was told goodbye👋 cause I know the rules at a State Park!🤦😔😔💩
GuideI am not the easiest but the staff has a heart of gold and at every turn we’re really there to help.
Traveler
This is an excellent and straightforward country park. It feels like a state park.
They have hookups and also dry camping. The better spots are near the water.
Contrary to other posts, they take walkups. It is just on the website it requires 2 weeks out.
Scout
Beautiful view we were in campsite 40. A beautiful view of vineyards and the sunset and people riding their horses. So calm and beautiful and so many activities here to do. Also there is showers, bathrooms, and hookups, we love this place. Only 8 mins from downtown Napa
Scout
We visited this park earlier this spring. Yes it was wet, but we didn't mind. Liked the spaces and layout so much...we are going back this fall. Plus we love that whole area.
However, DYRT got some info wrong. While there are plenty of full hookup spaces for RVs, there are no pull thru sites. Only back in for trailers and drive-in for coaches. Many tent camping spaces and RV spaces w/just water and power. The folks are friendly and helpful.
M.R.
Traveler
Lovely campsite with very sweet camp hosts. Always waved when they drove by.
Chose site 17 because of the beautiful tree seen in another review but was felled prior to our arrival, so no big tree. We did however get a beautiful view of the stars.
Two things to note, some of the sites (didn’t look like all of them had this issue) have an incredibly fine dusty dirt that gets on absolutely everything, it made our feet, legs and sandals completely beige from the dust and we had to wipe them with wet wipes before going into our tent and tracked a fair amount into our car upon leaving.
The other thing we were disappointed with was that we had to pay for showers on top of already paying over $50 for our site for one night, we felt that was a pretty big con and that it should be included in the fees.
Overall, you can’t get closer to the wineries and it was an otherwise lovely site.
Scout
I got there after they closed (closes at 5pm.) But there's a number to call that was posted for after hours. A camper in front of me had already called and someone arrived within minutes. They were very helpful and friendly. I got a beautiful spot secluded from everyone. I loved it! Just me and nature. I played some music dance by myself as if nobody was watching.
Guide
Feels very off grid. Camp experience was smooth and the sun was shining.
Guide
Quiet stop, but I wouldn't call it the most beautiful stop I've ever stayed. Camping spots are to the left and the right I'd the day use. Pit toilets. No garbage.
Scout
We love to camp here for barbecuing, mountain biking and hiking. We always do it during 7/4 holidays except for this year when the park canceled our reservation due to high heat. So we booked for the Labor Day weekend. Temperature was perfect and biking and hiking were enjoyable as usual. This year we had two new types of visitors to the the site. A couple of wild turkeys came to pick up the dropped food on the ground. We were able to take a closeup look at them and they were beautiful birds with big eyes spotting tiny bits of crumbs. They come and go from one site to the next quietly and gently. Very cute and we took pictures with their presence. Then came the aggressive yellow jackets. We never had yellow jackets in our previous 7/4 outings here. Oh boy, they fought for the meat relentlessly. At the end of the outing, both my finger and my wife’s were stung. We reported the experience to the attendant at the gate when leaving. She said the park is looking for a solution. In the meantime, she suggested contacting them early on so they might be able to provide another site. Hopefully, next year, we won’t encounter so many nasties.
GuideThis rv site was awesome.It's quiet beautiful, lush green. Be aware tho. It's full of poison oak!!!! But yiu can get around it.
There are no hook ups. But the sights are mostly shaded, so it was a great help and I did not go in a hot time of the year. They have good hours for use of generators as well
We Brought our electric bikes and rode to the geyser in Calistoga and to multiple wineries It was a great way to travel
TravelerOk, I was originally hoping for a cabin, which is included in my search, but this CG is either tent or RV only. Luckily, I also brought a tent.
I was there 2 weeks ago. It's a fairly large area and flat. Lots of space for kids to play including a play area.
Sheep roam freely in one area towards the back.
It's a great place for families. Showers are great. Includes a small shop for goodies.
I love it there. Only negative is there are only portapotties. Except for a couple that are constantly in use.
Scout
Doggy Gyh
Guide
Wow! This place is busy and expensive. We stopped at this KOA because it was a good halfway point for us heading to the Redwoods. This KOA offers a variety of activities that cater to children, such as petting zoos, jumping pillows, climbing walls, and pools, which are excellent for keeping the young ones engaged and entertained. To me it was overcrowded and the firepits were so close to the RV’s I was afraid it would set my neighbors RV on fire, or our neighbor was going to set ours on fire. For those without children (like us), the bustling environment might be overwhelming, but it also provides an opportunity to enjoy the lively atmosphere.
Ranger
This campground is nice with newer bathrooms and shower facilities, but it's also very open and exposed. Great access to Spring Lake's water-based activities and hiking trails, plus easy access to Trione-Annadel State Park for hiking and mountain biking. Howarth Park, a city park, also borders Spring Lake Regional Park and provides access to boating and fishing on Lake Ralphine, plus they have a small train, carousel, tennis courts, and a softball field. Overall a good campsite for families in need of lots of recreation options, but not the best for those wishing to "get away from it all."
Guide
It is the only RV parking in Sacramento that will allow you to stay for one night. Great campground! Hospitality and professionalism- that how you can describe this place! Lots of things to do for kids: great playgrounds, swimming pool, more than 100 ducks going around! Beautiful place! Thank you!
Ranger
Tons of beautiful, shady spots overlooking or near the Sacramento river. Very Breezy and well maintained park with good prices for electrical and water hookup and a dump station. Clean bathrooms and showers at no cost and the laundry room with free detergent . Decent prices in the store and overlooks the Marina and the river at includes free fishing and swimming and is a beautiful spot! was only going to stay one night and ended up staying two.
TravelerThe pool was great during the oven like temperatures, the staff was very kind and the amenities were good and clean. Movies night every night, and shop for groceries on site.
Scout
Thank you for sharing your experience at Hirst Horse Ranch! It sounds like a perfect getaway with its peaceful 10-acre property, shaded by trees and dotted with delightful horse pastures. The children’s playground, with its sandbox, treehouse, and impressive 17-foot swing, promises endless fun for the young and the young at heart. The opportunity to interact with horses and enjoy breathtaking sunsets makes it truly special. For more captivating moments and updates, make sure to follow them on Instagram. Download the Instagram app through this link and stay connected with Hirst Ranch!
Guide
My husband and I stayed for two nights. It is difficult to get to when in an RV towing Two skis (still haven’t found out if the ferry can take vehicles that are towing) , but it was worth the drive. It is an older park, but the bathroom was clean (and free) , there is a fantastic beach, the managers were super friendly, and best of all….. our RV window looked out over our very own doc!
ScoutAppears to abandoned.
ScoutMembership park will accept outsiders — on the delta with marina for boaters and fishing
Scout
Had to walk all the way down to get to the camp site with all the gear, it was to windy to put up our tent
GuideJust left here with a group of 33 3rd graders. We stayed in the meadow area. It was wet as it had just rained, but overall it was a nice place. Small store, full hookups in places (will bring our trailer back), tables, fire rings. Not much privacy but at least this weekend it was quiet (except for our group 🤣)
TravelerOverall good experience. A little on the high end for dry camping. The charge for the campsite, every person over 2 campers, and a 25$ surcharge for reserving a specific site. The dump station and boat ramp are also additional but that’s pretty typical. I will say that the staff was very friendly the sites that we stayed in are huge. Double the size of most campgrounds.
Guide
My family and I spent two nights at campsite #5. We had a really great experience here!
We visited Kirby in March 2024 and the weather was not as bad as I thought it would be. The temperature was in the 50's for the most part. There was decent amount of wind but not enough to make a stink about. I was comfortable in pants and a sweatshirt the whole time, never had to break out my jacket. During the day, it was warm enough to wear a t-shirt. It rained a little bit overnight both nights we were there but we were equipped to deal with the conditions.
Each site has three square shaped wood-framed plots to pitch your tent on. Two of them are covered in a bed of rocks and one of them was raised about two feet off the ground. The third plot on our site did not have rocks. I would recommend bringing a tent footprint to prevent the rocks from damaging the bottom of your tent. Our site's fire ring was equipped with a thick steel BBQ grate that swivels laterally over the fire ring. Our fire ring's grate covered a good portion of the fire ring so it was useful for cooking. I'd like to note that not all campsites are equipped with the same style of fire ring as our site had. Campsite #5 also had three picnic tables (two of them were bolted to the ground, one of them was not) and a bearproof storage container.
The campgrounds itself is relatively small (only 5 overnight sites). You will receive a gate code emailed to you upon reservation which you will need to unlock a gate that leads you down a long dirt road to the bottom of a valley where the campgrounds are located. The parking lot is sort of small but finding a spot wasn't an issue. The parking lot is sitting on top of a hill, overlooking the entire campgrounds. The sites themselves aren't too far away from the parking lot, but hauling your gear back uphill to your vehicle after camping a couple nights can be tiresome. There are a few pit toilets scattered throughout the campgrounds that were relatively clean. There is no running water at Kirby, so make sure you bring enough water! The old military ruins (I believe from the late 1800's) were also cool to explore. The views of the Golden Gate and the city are breathtaking. We got to watch between 10-12 large shipping vessels float in and out of the bay, very cool!
All in all, we loved our stay at Kirby and will definitely be camping there again during the warmer months!
ScoutMy family and I have some of the most fun when we visit the capital camp grounds we always do. I've been going to this place for a long time now with my parents now I love bringing my children.
Camping near Vacaville, CA, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're a family looking for a weekend getaway or an RV enthusiast seeking adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.
Camping near Vacaville, CA, has something for everyone, from families to seasoned RVers. With a little planning and the right campground, you're sure to have a great time!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Vacaville, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Vacaville, CA is Steele Canyon (formerly Lupine Shores) with a 4.2-star rating from 5 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Vacaville, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 25 tent camping locations near Vacaville, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
