San Mateo Campground, near San Clemente, California, is a great choice for those looking to enjoy the beauty of San Onofre State Beach. With spacious sites surrounded by mature trees, campers can find a bit of privacy while still being close to nature.

The campground offers clean facilities, including bathrooms and showers, which visitors appreciate after a day spent exploring. Many campers have noted the easy access to walking and biking trails, making it a breeze to get out and enjoy the scenic surroundings. As one camper mentioned, “The campground is set up as a bunch of loops with a large common area,” perfect for groups wanting to spread out while still being together.

While it’s a short drive to the beach, the location provides a peaceful retreat away from the hustle and bustle. Campers can enjoy the nearby San Onofre Bluffs and San Clemente State Beach, both of which offer stunning views and outdoor activities. Just keep in mind that some road noise can be heard at night, but the spacious sites and friendly atmosphere make it worth it. Whether you're camping with family or friends, San Mateo Campground has plenty to offer for a memorable getaway.

Details here: https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/647/files/SanMateo082609.pdf San Mateo Campground lies a short distance inland from the 3.5-miles of sandy beaches within San Onofre State Beach A 1.5-mile Nature Trail connects the campground to Trestles Beach, a world class surfing site. San Mateo Creek flows just east of the campground outward towards the ocean creating key riparian and wetland habitats which host some rare and even endangered species. All campsites include a fire pit and picnic table. Hookup sites are available with electricity and water. Other amenities include an RV sanitation station, hot, coin-operated indoor showers, and flush toilets. Below are listed a few park rules that will assist you in having a fun and save visit. San Onofre - San Mateo Campground is at 830 Cristianitos, San Clemente, CA, 92672 a short distance inland from the 3.5-miles of sandy beaches within San Onofre State Beach. A 1.5-mile Nature Trail connects the San Mateo camping site to “Trestles Beach,” the world class surfing site. Surfers using redwood boards have visited San Onofre since at least the 1940s; San Mateo Creek flows just east of the campground outward towards the ocean creating key riparian and wetland habitats which host some rare and even endangered species. All campsites include a fire pit and picnic table. RV Hookup sites are available with electricity and water. Other amenities includes a dump-station, hot indoor showers, and flush toilets. Camping is available year-round.

San Mateo Campground — San Onofre State Beach

Join the fun near San Clemente. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. San Clemente is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Get the dirt on all the best camping near San Clemente. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.

San Clemente

The Best Camping Near San Clemente, California

This is a very nice campground which is just up the road from the world famous surf break Trestles. San Onofre state beach is a couple miles away as well. 
This campground is an excellent choice year round as it stays cool in the summer and is relatively warm in the winter. It's been very quiet each time I've stayed here. The restrooms are as expected. 

San Mateo campground - perfect for surfers

This was another spot of my childhoods stopping grounds, been there countless of times. Really good views, the smell of the beach, and it’s quite distance away from the busy freeway , and no light pollution.

no complaints at all, one of my favorites in San Clemente

San Clemente 

**[ PROS ]**

*   Each site comes with a picnic table &amp; fire pit with grill.
*   Sites are seperated with some trees and bushes, albeit still close together
*   It’s near San Clemente Beach! There isn’t an easy access to beach but you can drive. Pssst….parking for the beach is included with your campsite fee!!!
*   Showers and restroom facilities are clean! Not the best I’ve seen, but nothing to complain about. You know the drill with CA State Parks -- bring cash for shower tokens
*   Firewood is sold at the campsite for $7 a bundle. Cash only so leave your plastic at home.
*   1.5 mile hiking/biking trail to the beach. It’s a little hilly so be warned if you’re going with children or elderly.
*   You get the most wonderful sea breeze during the daytime that helps you stay cool (since there isn’t much shade or tree canopies). The evening are perfect during the spring and summertime.

**[ CONS ]**

*   Campsites are close together
*   No beach view :( The pictures online are a little misleading because it makes it seem like the beach is A LOT closer. It’s not suuupperrr far, but it’s definitely not a quick walk.
*   Our neighbors warned us that they and 2 other sites were robbed the night before and the rangers were pretty much unhelpful with the matter. Luckily we didn’t have anything stolen from our campgrounds, but from what our neighbor told us, the rangers said “it happens all the time and campers need to be careful with leaving property out.” Campsites are close together so it’s very easy for someone to take something unnoticed, especially when the campsites are pretty empty during the day when everyone drives down to spend the day at the beach.
*   Not much wilderness hiking trails around besides down to the beach. There is wildlife and nature around, but most of the activities (surfing, bodyboarding, etc.) are down by the beach.
*   Beware of LOTS of ants and bees, more so than I’ve seen at other campsites.

**Product Review**

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - this weekend I tested multiple items from [HUMAN GEAR](http://www.humangear.com/). I’ve never used Human Gear products before so I was really excited to test them out. All their products have a lifetime guarantee which is amazing, so you know their products are going to be legit. Right off the bat, I loved all the color selections that their products have. I lose and misplace gear when I’m camping very easily, so I like when my gear is brightly colored. After testing these products, I’M A FAN.

[GoTubb](http://www.humangear.com/gear/gotubb) (Small) - I like these but I feel that this size is much to small for what I normally need. This isn’t the most practical size for me, personally. I tend to lose small items like this but I found it pretty useful for holding my spices. I LOVE that it can be opened with one hand (GENIUS), which really came in handy when I was cooking -- I had one hand on the pot and the other hand opening go-tubbs to get to my seasonings. I also used one of the GoTubbs for holding my CA State Park shower tokens -- handy for that!

[GoToob+](http://www.humangear.com/gear/gotoob) (various sizes) - I’ve tried many travel soft tubes before, and these are definitely SO MUCH MORE SUPERIOR than anything else out there. There are lots of little features about this simple tube that makes such a HUGE impact. I’m actually really excited to talk about these tubes and share my experience.

*   The flat tube base for easy filling is a GAME CHANGER. Usually when I fill my travel tubes it’s either 1) a two person job or 2) me awkwardly trying not to spill liquids with one hand pouring and the other hand holding the tube in place.
*   The wide opening mouth for easy filling/cleaning also makes this tube such a great design. This is especially true when you’re trying to pour lotions or something with a thicker consistency into the tube. Trying to fill small opening tubes with lotion is like trying to thread a needle -- it’s a pain in the a**.
*   The valve on the tubes also dispenses really nice and efficiently without wasting product. Some other tubes out there that I’ve tried has been awful because product would continue to leak after you stop squeezing, or it’s difficult to control how much product comes out when you squeeze the tubes.
*   Lastly, THE LOOP LOCK!! Such a simple and clever design that really makes you never want to pick up another travel tube again. I love that it helps prevent leaking so you can rest easy. Added bonus, I love that you can attach it to a carabiner.

[GoCup](http://www.humangear.com/gear/gocup) - I have a couple telescoping cups already and these stand up to other products out there, but what sets these apart is the lid. It has these air vent holes that keeps the lid suctioned on so that it doesn’t leak during transport or pop off. The built-in pill case is a cool feature, but I don’t see myself using it very often. I’ll mostly use this cup for measuring things since it has volume markings on the interior. It’s only half a cup so it’s rather small.

.

[FlexiBowl](http://www.humangear.com/gear/flexibowl) - These are so much fun! I love the shape, and I love how flexible it really is. They really can be bent, squeezed, squished…YOU NAME IT…and yet it’s not flimsy and still holds its shape. These are great for backpacking because it’s so packable. They also clean super easily -- run some water and a quick wipe is all it takes since it has that super smooth interior. These bowls are also a lot bigger than they look and can hold a lot of content.

[GoBites](http://www.humangear.com/gear/gobites) (uno, duo, trio) - I love all the different models and they all come in handy for different purposes. I find the Trio better for packing a lunch for work. Some highlights of the Trio is that it comes with a reusable toothpick, and the knife doubles as a bottle opener. The storage container is handy!

But for camping, I find the Uno and Dup much more practical. My personal favorite is the Duo! When attached together, it’s pretty long so it’s great for cooking with since it has a far reach. I like that the edges of the fork have a sharper edge so you can also use it as a dull knife. These work great.

**VEGAN CHILI RECIPE (6 servings) - SPICY**

**Ingredients:**

*   3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
*   3 Heaping Tablespoons of Cumin Powder
*   1 Tube of Soyrizo
*   1 Can of Diced Tomatoes
*   1 White onion (diced) - Set aside ¼ of diced onion for serving
*   1 FlexiBowl of mushrooms (diced)
*   1 Tablespoon of Chilli Pepper Flakes (optional)
*   1 Teaspoon of Basil
*   1 Teaspoon of Oregano
*   ½ Teaspoon of Rosemary
*   ½ Can of Corn
*   ½ Can of Black Beans
*   ½ Cup of Jalapenos (diced) (optional)
*   ¼ Cup of Chopped Cilantro
*   Chopped Green Onions for serving (optional)
*   Salt &amp; Pepper to Taste

_Note: Remove Chilli Pepper Flakes &amp; Jalepenos from recipe for non-spicy chili._

**Cooking Directions:**

1.  Combine diced tomatoes, onions, chilli pepper flakes, basil, oregano, and rosemary in a medium stock pot (at least 2.8 L) . Cook and stir on medium heat until onions are translucent.
2.  Stir in soyrizo, tomato paste, cumin, jalapenos, mushrooms, and cilantro to the pot. Fill the pot with water until it covers all the ingredients.
3.  Bring pot to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cover until mushrooms are tender. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes.
4.  Stir in beans and corn, and add salt/pepper to taste. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes; stir occasionally.

**Serving (optional)**

*   Serve with green onions and diced onion
*   Enjoy with corn tortilla chips

Ranger Review: Humangear at San Mateo Campground

I camped here with a bunch of friends. We had a blast, and took advantage of the short walk it was from our campsite, to the beach!

 Convenient and fun 

Great campground. Picnic table and fire pit at each campsite. Water every few campsites. Bathrooms with flush toilets and coin operated showers. Some small trees and some campers had hammocks. Firewood for $7/bundle. You get free parking at any of the beaches with your camp reservation. The 1.5 mile trail from camp leads to trestle beach which is a surf beach along with Onofre beach. San Clemente beach which is a short drive away from camp is more for swimming. 

San Mateo

Nestled only moments from the PCH and I-5 the San Mateo is the closest non- military beach one can find in the San Onofre State Beach Area before Memorial Day. It's location provides easy access to the beach as well as the town of San Clemente as it offers campsites for both rv and tent venturers.

We arrived late afternoon. Check in is typically 2 p.m. We were created by State Park representatives which gave us a quick run down as to the location of our site as well as the other points of interest.

Our campsite itself was again a primitive site which included a fire ring and picnic table. The parking was well labeled and made for easy navigation.

We noticed though surrounded by trees throughout the site the actual camping area was very open. This made for more of a group camping experience with other campers. While nice, it also made for a very loud early chatter in the morning.

Bathrooms were divided with 3 shower rooms and 3 bathrooms. Showers were token operated with dispensers just around the side of the bathroom facility outbuilding. 2 tokens would cover a typical shower and we were pleased by the hot water.

🐰🐰🐰🐰⚪️

Overall the campsite receives a 4 of 5 Bunnies. It is advertised as beachside and that was a bit of a stretch so I must say it was a little frustrating to discover it was a commute instead of what it had been promised. Bookings are a must and are done through an outside vendor which covers the entire state so error is to be expected. Still it was pleasant and close.

For those who need wifi, this is not the location for you!

For the full story on the reservation check out my video about the campground and also the San Onofre area:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvCDhtx5W1k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvCDhtx5W1k)

  

Update:  since this review I have noticed that the campground is now offering better management with online booking and has updated their customer service.

Not on the beach but a nice campsite close to it

CCampground is nice, most spots have enough shade. The bathrooms are clean and hot showers are coin operated. Easy hike to tressels beach and short drive to san clemente t-street, san onofre - old man's beach, and bluffs. Some noise at times coming from the close military base but overall a really nice place to stay especially for people looking to surf or enjoy the beach. Lot's of hikes in the area as well, which are easily accessible by car.

Nice place, easy access to surf

We like this campground because it's close to home. There are a lot of camping spots to choose from. It's a bit of a hike to the beach but totally manageable. The restrooms and showers are nice and clean. If you have an RV, you can have access to electricity and water. There are no pull-through sites, so it might be a challenge to back your larger rig into some of the spots. The campground is pretty close to Camp Pendleton so there may be times when your hear gunshots and helicopters in the distance.

Great place to camp and close to home. 

We tent camped here. It’s a nice campground, clean with lots of amenities for those that need them. The vegetation is mostly brush, so not much shade from trees. In the summer, that can make it very hot. The walk to the beach is long for small kids, but if you want to gamble for a parking spot at the beach, your camp pass allows you to park at several nearby other beaches. They had a great Junior Ranger program offered, our kids loved it!

Long Walk t the Beach

One of my favorite activities is surfing, and when I can camp the night beforehand, I'm an even happier creature. San Mateo campground, located just about a mile and a half from San Onofre State Beach is an awesome spot to rest your head before an early sunrise surf or after a sunset paddle adventure. I must note, the walk to the beach from the campground is about a mile and a half on a well maintained trail, one that even could be taken barefoot if you please, which, I obviously did. This trail drops you off right on the beach in front of one of the best surf spots in San Onofre. The campsite itself was secluded even though the entire campground was pretty crowded. Our spot had enough room for two parked cars, and plenty of space to set up multiple tents as well as a fire pit and picnic bench. The bathrooms on site were clean and well maintained. The only downfall was that each campsite is allotted three parking passes so make sure you and your friends share rides!

If you like long romantic walks to the beach, this campground is for you

This campgound is as basic as it gets with outdoor showers and chemical toilets. Located next the the 5 freeway and train tracks you'll have to put up with a lot if noise. But if a fun surf spot is what you're after you wont be disappointed. I camp here every year and always have a great time. I see dolphins frolicking in the waves almost every year and you can even dip into town for supplies or a pizza. One freeway exit over from a world renowned surf spot this is one of my favorite campgrounds in Cali. But be warned it is a long walk to the beach and if you are allergic to bees they hangout in and drink from the sinks and showers.

Primitive but great surf

Trying not to be too negative, because this is one gorgrous area of the world, but...

The noise: crowded campsite with too many people crammed into a small space; the regular trains passing by all hours of the day/night; and, HWY 5.

The view: our campsite's view was blocked by a mound of dirt. (We thought we were so lucky to score a campsite on the bluff near the edge...)

The wind: holy bananas! The wind picked up and (despite being staked in the ground) our tent nearly blew away. With the total weight of three adults and two kids, we managed to keep the tent, but this wind lasted all night. Wind = No Fire = No Dinner. Grandpa ran into town and grabbed burgers while Grandma secured her sleeping spot in the back of the remaining pickup with camper shell.

The upside: we can all laugh about it now.

OMG Prepare to be Blown Away

One of the campgrounds at San Onofre State Beach, San Mateo is about a mile inland in San Clemente. I booked two sites next to each other over Easter weekend with my family. The sites were slightly smaller than I’m used to but because we had 2 we didn’t mind the close quarters. The trail to Trestles Beach was very pleasant, although the beach was not quite a swim beach. The park staff was probably the friendliest I had ever encountered and the bathrooms were very clean. The crowd was primarily young families, there was some noise past the quiet hours but nothing too crazy.

Family friendly

This campground is great as it gives campers easy access to all of the local areas.  It's right outside of town so there is no need to fight the traffic.  Its located right up the road from Tressles and uppers both world famous surf spots.  The campsites are big enough for 2-3 tents and two cars.  There are bathrooms and wash facilities located on sight.

Small Beach Campground

Expensive, but I don’t think you’ll have a campground around here with this much space and camping feel. If you want multiple nights you’ll need to reserve up to 3-6 months in advance. 
Fire pit and table at every site, trees between sites. In the heart of Camp Pendleton so you’ll hear distant range sounds, never anything that woke us up. Definitely a lot of families here.
Your reservation will also get you free parking on any beach. Water and power hook up spots were 65 a night.

Great Family Camp

This is one of my favorite campgrounds. We have been coming here most every year as a family for probably 10 years.  We made our reservations online about five months ago. Full hookups was about 65 a night but this also includes free parking on any of the state beaches. 

We were on site 63 and were close to the showers, bathrooms, and trash. Between each camp it is trees which offers plenty of privacy. 

Each campsite has a large wooden table with benches and a fire pit with a grill. Firewood is available for purchase for $7 a bundle. It’s lightweight pine that burns quick. We knew this and brought our own wood. 

The campground is only a 5 minute drive from the beach. There are lots of families in the campground and it is a great environment.


San Mateo 

We made the mistake of not being prepared for the ANTS!!! Campground looked pretty cool, so close to the beach, some trails nearby. Room for kids to ride bikes... but we picked up about a gazillion ants. It was pretty much a sheet of them. After trying to get rid of them we came in to find ants on top of ants having a party. We had camped all over the west and this was the fort tome we picked up an ant in our trailer. It was unbearable and we had to leave, ended up giving the trailer away in LA because it was going to cost more to tow it home and bomb it than it was worth (it was a pretty cheap trailer). We learns that comet around all points of contact with the ground keeps them down. I don’t know how tent campers deal with it, I sure hope they have a trick, too. 

Bring Comet for ANTS!!!

Clean bathrooms and showers were nice. One site was large enough for three tents. It was very quiet at night no trouble sleeping. 

Love the sites but, the walk to the beach was far. 

Nice campgrounds 

San Mateo is one of the better beach campgrounds in California, some sites have some great privacy. Of course it can get very crowded and a bit noisy but thats to be expected with trestles in walking distance! Its also very cool to be right next to the military base, and if you are lucky you can hear mortars at night!

Walk to Trestles

Nice campgrounds, lots of privacy between you and your neighbor. Good trails nearby, but only 2 in Onofre Beach that allow dogs. Close to the ocean, restaurants and shopping. The trail between the campground and beach is~1.5 miles.

Lots of green, large private campsites

Just far enough away from every day life but close enough to go at a whim
Bonus factor hot showers

Love this place

We were very happy with our camp site which was a short hike to the beach and town to get ice. We live super close to this campground but finally decided to camp near us and were happy we did. I loved that there were many showers super close to our site. Will definitely be back. 

Pleasantly surprised 

My wife, son and I stayed here with our two dogs for the weekend of 9/11. It was a nice surprise. The place was clean and the sites were private. The campground overlooks Camp Pendleton. The sites had  electric and water hook ups with a dump station on site. Good cell service with AT&amp;T. It was a nice 40 minute hike to Trestles Beach. We would definitely stay here again. It was close and convenient for a local camp trip. 

Nice place

Clean campground, most of the spots are super private! A fun little hike (1.5 miles) to the walk until tresels beach. I think it’s 2 miles all together. The beach is beautiful, great for surfing! 

Chill 

Our first camping trip and was a great experience. Front gate/office staff were efficient and getting us checked in and helpful with directions to our reserved site. Firewood was cash only and staff provided easy directions to nearest store selling bundles that would accept card payment. Site was clean and mostly free of ants. They seemed to be all over the grounds so watch your messes and keep trash away from camp area and thrown out frequently. 

Bathrooms and shower area is cleaned and sprayed out every morning. We noticed this on our way out the following morning. Bring soap and towel with you to bathrooms. These are not provided. We did not use the sink/kitchen clean up area as we only stayed one night and opted to take care of this at home after our trip. I cannot provide any feedback on that area. 

Our site was close to the entrance of the trail to the beach. We walked .5 mile of it the morning we left and turned back. The view at parts are very nice and the trail is well kept and flat. View of the valley and ocean at highest point. 

Night was quiet from other guests. Everyone in our area respected the quiet hours and kept to themselves. Yes, you can hear nearby military exercises but these are not very disturbing, in my opinion. Wildlife was active at night during our stay. Rabbits and squirrels are running about throughout the night and a nearby pack of coyotes were celebrating something making for a fun experience. 

In all, we’d return and look forward to it. 

Great 1 Night Stay

My favorite spot in the San Clemente area. It's farthest from the beaches, but it's also quietest and the most spaced out. Bathrooms and showers are standard. Want to surf? Walk the short trail for 10-15 and you're set!

Surf nearby

Lots of kids riding bikes and having fun! I suggest to follow their lead. Bring a bike to explore the loops and trail to beach. Walking the one mile each way to the beach was nice with our dog on leash because the terrain has snake potential. We enjoyed the view in our Skamper pop up from site with Electric hook up site 30. But other Electric sites had good views 24,26,27 and 28. Clean bathrooms. Nice campground will be back.

Nice Family Campground bring a bike

We recently tent camped here for 5 days, space 138. Since we were here, Sunday - Friday, we didn't get any weekend crowds, and the days we were here, it seemed more 1-2 night use in the spaces around us.

There are pay per use showers, and flush toilets, that were both clean and had plenty of TP.

I think the wood bundles were $8 from the Ranger stop, but we had bought some in San Clemente before hand.

the long hike to the beach is fairly easy, but long, at least 30 minutes walking on a dusty trail. but it was better than trying to find parking.

Great location, kinda close to beach

Wanted to camp near Trestles and this seemed like a better option than the Bluffs.  The trail to the beach takes about 40 minutes each way.  A few times we drove to the bottom of the road and walked from there instead (15 minutes).  Feels a little overpriced at $40 a night.  Quiet campground.

A little far from the beach  

Our family had a great time camping at site number 23 in San Mateo campground. Electrical and water hook ups, a great view, and a lot of space to enjoy this one of a kind Campground. Your camp ground receipt permits you to drive down to San Clemente State Beach and park feet from the water with no extra charge. Great mountain biking Just off the main road. Having an E bike allows you to zip back-and-forth to the world famous Trestles ￼￼Surfing beach, or you can park on the main street and walk in about a quarter mile to this beautiful beach.  This camping area is a couple of miles across from the Marine base, and when we arrived there was some live artillery training during the daytime. At first we thought there were thunderstorms in the area🤓

Camping, biking, hiking, surfing…

Pretty nice camp ground. Clean and quite. Close enough to the beach. Decent facilities and nice hosts/front gate persons. Site was well maintained and fit 3 tents and 3 cars.

Mid Fall Camping w/the Bois 

Very quiet and comfortable place to spend the night! The hike to the beach was okay but pretty close to a busy road. Spotty cell service but that's fine by me when I'm camping! Very clean bathrooms. Overall pleasant stay.

Quiet and comfortable

$40 for a parking space 1.5 miles from a surf beach. 

It has fire pits, flush toilets, and showers with hot water, but it lacks privacy, nature, and the feeling of getting away from the city. 

Facilities, but not a good time

We came here on our maiden voyage with our trailer. Go figure the toilet valve clogged up once we plugged in. None the less, the bathrooms are close by and we made due until the next morning. Went into San Clemente and got a new valve at Ricks Trailer Supply and was back in business. Great place to get away without being to far away. We enjoyed our peaceful time. 

Nice quick getaway 

Always fun here.  Fire at night, ocean sounds all night! 

BEACH TIME

Nice campground ,cell reception seemed poor, children playing in roads , very stressful driving and having kids dart in path of car because parents aren’t paying attention! We did see a ranger who was nice , bathroom okay for campsite but bring tissue and disinfectant just in case, bring water shoes as the beach is very rocky.

Nice Needs More Security.

Overnight stay at San Mateo campground to be close to the beach. Easy to get to San Clemente State Beach and the campground parking pass was also good at the beach.

Close To The Beach

We like coming here. It’s close to our home in San Diego. Spots are decent sized. Concrete pads for the RVs. Level. Decent facilities and they had a pop up store from 11am to 3pm on Saturday. Selling clothing primarily. Nice hikes near by. ATT cell phone service 2 bars for the most part. This is our second time here and we will come back.

Clean campground. 

A little drive to beach , not on the beach, closest  beach is Onofre and it's mainly for surfers

A lil drive to beach, surfer beach 

Spent about 5 nights at San Onofre. It was close-ish To Disneyland and had nice amenities. 

Showers were coin operated, but at least Hot.

Biggest con: Dump station cost $10 to use!!

Nice campground, terrible Verizon service

This is part of San Onofre State Beach. The campground is situated between the freeway, Camp Pendleton, and the city of San Clemente. Some campsites offer views of the river basin behind the campground. It is full of huge powerlines and you can see some marine facilities. It is a short hike under the freeway to the beach. There is good mountain biking to be had off of Christianitos. The park offers a nature hike with some informational signs.

Suburban campground, great for travelers

It’s between San Diego and Costa Mesa so both of my daughters can meet us half way. Beautiful scenery love the nature around us and short walk to the beach

Perfect get away!

Another beautiful gem along the California Coast. Although not on or too near the beach, this campground is truly a lovely spot. All or most of the campsites boast a bit of privacy. While parked on asphalt, you actually get not so small, individual area surrounded by low trees and bushes all around. I appreciated being in my own space, as my puppers are huge attention seekers and will bark to make themselves known. But here, they tended their own business (sleeping) and I got some well deserved peace and quiet!

San Onofre SP

This is my n=1 experience, but the night we were camping here, our neighboring camp was extremely loud.  In fact, so loud and rowdy that eventually other campers called the police at 2AM, and a few of them were actually arrested for civil disobedience and threatening other members of their own party when the police arrived…

There is a ton of road noise coming off of the highway even late at night whenever a big trailer truck comes barreling down the road.  You can try to imagine it’s the sound of the water but it doesn’t really work out when it’s off sync with the sound of the waves.

Camp is not close to the beach at all, but the sites themselves were large and spacious, so that is worth mentioning.  Clean facilities in working order, but would never return for the aforementioned noise reasons.

You’re camping off the side of a highway for crisssakes!

Road Noise, Rowdy Campers

Easy spot close enough to the beach to be almost beach camping but far enough to have plenty of room and spacing to spread out. Your parking pass allowed to you to park at the state beach across the 5 freeway for free. Campsites are well maintained and have mature trees and bushes between sites to provide lots of privacy. Showers/facilities are a little rundown and our bathrooms foot-wash and dish wash station were disconnected. During the weekday you can hear activity from Camp Pendleton. Overall great spot to camp with the family. 


Great spot with good privacy 

We loved this campground!  There are mature trees between every campsite that provide privacy between sites.  The campground is setup as a bunch of loops with a large common area between the rear of every campsite.  That's the only place you're going to see your neighbors.  It's a perfect setup for a bunch of people camping together at separate sites - get enough of them and you'll have the entire common area between you to spread out!  For us, we used that large open space to setup our Starlink satellite antenna, and that was necessary since Verizon is basically a dead zone in that area.  

  

The communal showers were nice.  BRING DOLLAR BILLS to change them into tokens for the shower. A couple tokens (one dollar) is enough for a decent shower.  

  

Your paid campground site gets you day use access to the other nearby parks: San Onofre Bluffs and San Clemente State Beach.

  

Got an e-bike?  Lots of people had them.  I think as long as you're on the pavement there's no issues but check with the park regulations for any off pavement use which would include the trail to Trestles.

  

CONS:

  

The dump site was closed this weekend (8/18-8/20).   But with our day pass we were able to use the dump site at San Clemente State Beach.  NOTE: Day use is up to 10PM and they also have a dump site at the Bluffs.  Just keep in mind you may have to wait in line with other campers checking in to access the other areas.  We went at "dinner time" just before sunset to avoid crowds.

  

At each bathroom / shower area, there are a set of sinks - one for washing hands and a couple others for (apparently) washing dishes and other stuff.  However, they were turned off.

  

Overall, this was one of the better campgrounds we've stayed out.  We would defiintely come back here.

Great Location, Lots of Privacy, Easy to Back In, Clean

Nice campground. 1.5 miles from the ocean. Sites are quite large with bushes/ trees between sites. Upper campground has water and electricity. 

Near the beach - spots usually available 

Site had tree cover which had some nice shade to provide relief from the sun. Lots of room for a couple vehicles and tents. Clean bathrooms and showers, but we stayed midweek and the place was very, very minimally occupied. Good access to walking and biking trails. 

Nice spots with shade, clean facilities 

I can’t say that it was awesome but it wasn’t jaw dropping. Nothing to write home about but not uninviting. 

Comfortable- Yes…but not jaw dropping. 

If you have an RV probably be alright. I have a roof tent and stayed at a primitive campsite. It’s pretty chill. The campgrounds themselves is extremely clean. If you come around March, keep your fire wood dry because mine got wet and couldn’t start a fire. We’re next to Camp Pendleton and I’m pretty sure I could hear gun exercises lol. About 1.5 miles from the highway. Not a deal killer but if you want complete peace and quiet, this isn’t it. The actual campsites looked like they have some nice space to them. Still small overall. The trail to the beach is 1.5 miles. The beach isn’t great unless you’re a surfer. A lot of surfers camping here. It’s a cool spot to get away if you live nearby and wanna camp and grill. If you’re coming from far away, I’d say check out the site on the actual beach. At least you’ll be on the beach. 

Ps - if you run into locals on the trails, don’t be nice, because they hate you and hate that you’re there. They’re insufferable. So do you and enjoy yourself and don’t be polite to them. The staff and other campers are awesome though 

It’s just fine

State part with a mile walking access to beach. Most spaces are long enough for big rigs but tight because of vegetation. Bath houses are OK but there are a lot of them. Paid showers. Mostly a surfer crowd.

Photos of San Mateo Campground — San Onofre State Beach

Real photos from real campers