I like my beach camping close to funky towns and good Mexican food. South Carlsbad always hits the spot!

We enjoyed the campground but road noise was a bit annoying. Also be aware 1000’s of foxtails everywhere 6/13/2020

Nice campground try to get a spot on the ocean side. The road side is louder... showers and bathrooms are available. Long walk downstairs to the beach.

We lived less than a mile from this campground and would bike there almost every night for years. Always a friendly, peaceful, and beautiful place to visit.

I get that this is some people's idea of amazing camping... it's just not mine.

The sites are overpriced in a major way.  $50+ and I'm sorry but it's ridiculous that they charge $20 for a second car when it can easily fit within the confines of your site.  And the sites have so little privacy between them that we wanted that extra car simply to create a barrier from noisy neighbors.

It's great that sights on the west side overlook the cliffs, but there's an ugly chainlink fence that makes it feel ghettoy to look out over the water.  When you have to watch a beautiful sunset through a fence, it's a bit less magical.  They need to tear it down and put up a low-sitting wood barrier.  It's a shame.  

That being said, we got the site on the far south side and because of that we didn't have neighbors on one side.  BUUUT we did have people playing kickball in the little cul-de-sac next to us that got really annoying really fast.  

Save your money, go to the woods.

Super beautiful but sites always full

Title says it all.

I loved coming her through my childhood and into my adult life. It’s pricey for a site but it’s hard to beat for a beach camping site

This campground sits on the busy coast highway.  It's fine if you are on the beach side, on the bluffs.  The surf cancels road noise on the beach side.  On the road side it is noisy.  Campsites are generally very close together. Vagrant/transient foot traffic can be a problem.

October, January and February are the best times to camp if you don't want crowds otherwise there never is really a bad time to be at the beach, at least not in my book.

This campground is right above the beach in Carlsbad. Half the campgrounds are on the bluff right above the beach and the other half are just across the street. Outstanding ocean views and easy access to the beach below. Love everything about the place except the showers are just ok. Highly recommend this campground and we love going there for our ocean fix. We had a full hookup site but there are only about a dozen of those so you need to reserve up to 6months in advance.

This is one of our go to campgrounds for our camping trips in SoCal.  Beautiful ocean views!  Next to Coast Hwy which is busy but not totally annoying.  Stores down the road for any necessities.  Beach is accessible by stairs--nothing at beach level.  Basic and RV hook-up sites.

Disclaimer: When I camp, it's to get away from people.

That being said, this park is clean, there was a small store offering treats, plentiful bathrooms and places to park and camp (with reservations made well in advance). We met friends in Carlsbad who managed to secure a lovely spot with close proximity to the beach. We woke up early each morning to enjoy the few quiet hours (before our late-nate neighbors woke up) to drink our coffee and watch the dolphins swim by.

Plenty of activities to keep kids busy until they drop… if you plan ahead. The breeze can be quite chilly, but there are plenty of sun-covered rocks to warm yourself on.

Downside: people, people, people.

Nice campground overlooking the ocean from a bluff! A few spots have hookups, but most are dry. Short walk to the beach

This campsite fills up fast. My friends had reservations for the weekend and we had a great time. When everyone left on Sunday afternoon the site just about emptied out. I decided to stay since the reservation was through Monday. I was able to back my back my suv up in another empty site and enjoy the sounds of the ocean all night!

This is our favorite place to camp. I wish they had more hookup sites though!

Beautiful view of the ocean with access stairways. The sandy shore is littered with rocks washed out from the hillside. We watched surfers and played in the waves until the kids tired out. Fires are permitted and firewood available onsite. The breeze kept the bugs and beach heat at bay. Bathrooms were fairly clean and non-pottable water spickets also available for rinsing after the beach visit. It was our first time camping beachside and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Only drawback is tents and campers were intertwined so you might hear generators running outside of quiet hours.

Arrive early as this popular campground fills up early for the weekend.  Many spots are reserved ahead of time. Campsites are sparse and compact, but this is a good place to park your gear while you spend time at the beach or nearby attractions.  There is little shade and you will hear highway and train traffic occasionally. Nice view overlooking the ocean.

This was my first California camping experience. South Carlsbad State Beach makes camping easy. The beach is close by and the facilities are clean. It's been a few years since I've been, but I don't remember a lot of trees. It's very convenient and easy to camp with your family, especially if you enjoy the beach. A lot of people around us had campers. We were tent camping, so although it was easy to set up the ground was a little hard when putting in the tent stakes. We were there during the summer, so the day time can get a little hot. But when it gets hot, head to the beach to cool off! Aside from the hard ground and minimal trees, it's still a great place to camp and quite a popular one as well.

Gorgeous oceanview campground! Clean restrooms and showers. Nearby grocery store. Beautiful visit to California coast!

If you’re headed to San Diego, be sure to stop and check out Carlsbad just off of the 5. this awesome beach town is quintessential Southern California beach awesomeness and it is absolutely gorgeous. Camp right off of the beach as well as have access to local shopping and restaurants. While you camp, you’ve got to check out Carlsbad cliffs for some stellar views. There are also loads of beach activities like whale watching, kayaking, surfing, fishing, and paddle boarding! My secret spot for the best fish and chips EVER is close by in Oceanside called “Harbor Fish n’ Chips.” Be sure to check this place out!

Best spots are on the South end if you are tent camping, there are only cliff side. camping spots and none on the bluff side all it's way less busy and crowded. You can look through the pictures of the camping spots to find ones with more bushee separating the spots if you want more privacy. The ocean is so loud it covers up most conversations and traffic so even though the spots are close together it's still a very relaxing place! The camping store is decent. Highly recommend bringing bikes, it's nice to ride around the campground and even bike up to of the local bars if you feel like it.

South Carlsbad State Beach is extremely crowded (like many coastal campsites in Southern California), but has very easy access to your own space on the beach below the cliffs.

We scored a last minute site because the weather was cold and windy on a Saturday in February, otherwise BOOK IN ADVANCE.

There are lots of RVs, kids riding their bikes, and dogs galore, all of which are fun, but if you’re looking for a private site, look elsewhere!

Fire Pits and a picnic table at each campsite and plenty of area to park your car and set up a table/easy up/etc.

If you book on the West or Ocean side, only a chain link fence separates you from the beautiful sunsets the Pacific Ocean has to offer!

Campsites are right on top of each other and provide no privacy. But, the location is excellent and the beach is beautiful.

we go here often and it's always a great experience. most of the campsites have a great ocean view from our roof top tent. facilities are always clean and working well. great family spot! the campsites themselves are on top of the bluff so you are overlooking the ocean and there are a few staircases leading down to the water. it's not a sandy beach, there are a lot of soft stones like riverrock. perfect beach for flying kites and surfing.

Beach camping isn't quite like your typical camping adventure. This campground is always packed but always a blast! You can't beat a full day at the beach followed by cooking dinner over a campfire watching the sunset over the ocean! Bring all your beach toys!! I just wish dogs were allowed on the beach and not just in the campground.

Bring water toys. The beach is perfect for families. Trees between sites. Very clean and nice.

So amazing. Coming from the northern Rocky Mountains, I wanted to take my pre-teens to the ocean for the first time before middle school started and Carlsbad State Beach was the perfect place to go! Parking was easy enough to find. The clean city and beach are very family friendly! There were perfect little waves for my family to adventure body boarding for the first time as well. I would definitely recommend this beach to anyone looking for a great day near the ocean