We spent part of Labor Day weekend here, and there was almost nobody else there. The second night, one other pair of campers showed up. I found it super strange that more people didn’t take advantage of a campground on the river with availability. That said, there were a bunch of people who came in and used the cabins and invited large extended families during the day. They played loud music and had kids running all over the place, very festive atmosphere. It kind of felt like it was more appropriate for that kind of use. The camping areas were all on the lawn, and the owners were a bit uptight about which site we could choose (despite there being ample availability, and the person on the phone telling me that all sites were first come first serve). Just felt strange. We did enjoy taking evening walks through the town to the restaurant/bar on the water, but that was literally the only thing to do unless you have a fishing/crabbing license.

Great for RVers, didn’t see any tent campers while we were there. Lots of wildlife enthusiasts looking for moose, hunting rabbits and deer, and all sorts of fish from smelt to lake trout to land-locked salmon and even perch. Just beautiful surroundings. Friendly folks very attuned to the courtesy rules, generators, quiet hours, etc.

This is a pretty well appointed place to stay in Greenville, especially during the off season. We were there in October and it was not totally empty, but pleasantly quiet compared to what I imagine the summer months must be.

Looking at the prices, bear in mind that if you are self-contained either in an RV or in a car and tent, you can easily drive up into the woods and disperse camp . That also gives you direct access to the ATV trails in addition to more privacy and a better close to nature experience. Saw a lot of people doing this happily as I was exploring the logging roads north out of town.

This is such a cool option if you’re camping down the coast and headed through Crescent City. I’ve had some, uh, weird experiences camping on people’s private land before, but Jen has an amazing setup and is a wonderful host. You need to contact her directly to determine availability because there are only two dedicated spaces.

Some things to know: fire pits and picnic tables available (just like a “real” campground!), wifi from the house, hammocks, raised wooden decks, hot shower and potable water. You can purchase/rent pretty much anything you may have forgotten from them (including a dog crate; they have chickens, just saying) but the host is the real draw here. Highly recommend.

You are very close to Jedidah State Park. I’m not going to bombard you with photos of this space because the ones here are already perfect but get your camera out to kick off to the coast or the forest easily. It’s awesome.

I hiked through this campground, which was closed for maintenance at the time, but was AMAZING and I highly recommend coming back once it is open. Please keep an eye on the State Park website (on this site, correctly linked) so you are aware of its status. It should reopen around October 2022 and it’s open now for hiking only.

This is a gem of a spot. If you take a look at a the map, you’ll see that Highway 1 (on pretty much everyone’s roadtrip bucket list) curves inland through the forest and goes through the redwoods just a bit south of here. This park is accessible via local roads only and cannot accommodate RVs. You can hike in and tent camp, however. This makes it one of those most peaceful and tranquil places on the entire California coast.

Campsites are convenient to rocky shoreline where you can explore tide pools, search for sand dollars, see starfish and sea anemone. This is right along a gray whale migration path and you’re ideally situated to see them if you’re patient!

Pack in, pack out. Be prepared for no facilities. However - it’s worth it.

Wow, a hundred trips up and down highway 1, but somehow I never noticed this place before going on my own camping trip. It isn’t huge (12 RV sites, no tents) but it has the usual — full hookups, showers, laundry, accommodates up to 35 footers, and it’s only $25 a night as of this writing. It’s RIGHT on the highway and even though it’s small it feels very crowded. It’s also very shady, which I didn’t really like (you already have the fog working against you most mornings and making stuff feel a bit gloomy, and you don’t have to worry about it being too hot here, it’s temperate even in the summer). It was obviously very popular and full when I went, but I would pass, there are better options around Ft Bragg.

I love Pt Arena. The lighthouse is historic and has an incredible past; if you are anywhere near here I absolutely recommend stopping by and taking a tour (get ready for stairs). It’s only $5 a person, dogs are welcome on the premises if not inside the actual lighthouse, and there’s a great gift shop. You can also rent the lighthouse keepers quarters, which I’ve never done but seems like it would be a unique experience. I wish I had factored this into my trip, but of course you need to book them way in advance.

In Pt Arena, you are far from major towns but you have conveniences close at hand and a choice of directions to go, whether it’s down toward Sonoma Valley and the wine country, Point Reyes, or into Anderson Valley (underrated!).

Camping in this area gives you a special place to kick off into areas that most tourists don’t even know about, or don’t get to see through your eyes because they’re tucked away into posh $500/night B&B accommodations. I woke up early because I had to get back to San Francisco and I had Highway 1 almost all to myself. It was one of the most gorgeous, amazing parts of my entire drive.

I used to live in the area and wish I had spent more time camping in and around the Point Reyes National Seashore. This camp has been open for generations but is still lightly used because it’s a bit out of the way and not friendly to big rigs (this is part of the charm, pack in and walk in). Tons of amazing hikes and you feel like you are really far away from the hustle and bustle even though the lights of San Francisco are almost visible on the horizon. I have a soft spot for waking up to fog first thing in the morning! (But on that note, be aware that fog is wet and you may want to use your rain fly and such!)

Russian River is a great getaway for people in the Bay Area. There are also people who just love rural Sonoma County and are kind of permanent campers here for the season. Weather is perfect in my opinion all season long (warm in the summer, rarely hot, cool in the early mornings, super snug in your sleeping bags, just the best). Although some places are open in the winter, would not recommend hedging your plans on this due to the frequent flooding in the area.

The information provided on the website very clearly says that same day reservations are not accepted, but in my experience this was the traditional first come first served experience where I could come up same day and they were more than happy to accommodate me. This is a light use campground. Very beautiful and reasonable price at $20/night.

I’ve loved visiting and driving across the Bonneville salt flats for decades. It’s a unique spot in the country (although not in the world, put Uyuni next on your list if you love endless stretches of white salt desert). The description is accurate that you cannot camp overnight on the salt flats, but it is surrounded by BLM lands and those are fair game. You can have essentially the same experience without damaging the unique and fragile environment at the actual site. The sunrises are phenomenal and more than worth the trip out here.

Okay, I will try to update this information on the Dyrt site, but I’ve had mixed success getting that to stick. So if you are confused about things like location, let’s knock that out first:

This campground is located near 2185 Putnam Pike, Chepachet, RI 02814. It’s by Bowdish Lake, near the Connecticut border. This is a cool area of Rhode Island that I enjoyed getting the chance to explore a little bit. Great Italian restaurant if you don’t feel like cooking (Mr Z’s By The Lake) and some historical sites like a very nice covered bridge to the northwest.

Full water and electrical hookup and a very unique and fun play area for kids. The lake access is excellent, obviously. Pay showers of varying degrees of cleanliness. Open to tents, but clearly preferred by the RV crowd.

Very different kind of campground super close to Las Vegas, this land is administered by Clark County and includes one of the greatest and largest shooting facilities in the entire country. Follow Decateur Boulevard north to the traffic circle as you’re leaving the city limits of Las Vegas and there you are, a not inconvenient distance to city comforts and attractions. In addition to rifle, archery, pistol, they have skeet, trap, and sport clay shooting. Needless to say, this isn’t really where you’d go for a peaceful quiet camping experience communing with nature, but it’s pretty unique and fun if this is your hobby/interest. Tragically, being southern Nevada, it can be devastatingly hot no matter what time of year it is…

I have always liked this area of Oregon, and it seems like most of the inhabitants at this RV park do, too. Most of the people I spoke to had been there for a period of several months although did not consider themselves permanent residents. It has enough amenities for you to feel comfortable and relaxed and enough nature around that you’re probably getting your fix of what drove you to the RV life in the first place.

Hot showers are available at no extra charge. There is no laundry on site, but there is a laundromat a couple miles away along the highway. Heading back toward civilization you can also find some restaurants, trails, a coffee shop, and (of course) beaches, but if you are mobility impaired it would be difficult to walk to all of this, especially things like the laundromat, if you didn’t have a smaller vehicle.

Wifi was included, and it actually worked at a semi reasonable speed - maybe only the second time I have seen this during a lot of traveling in the area.

Full hookups are available with power, sewer, water, trash service — 22 sites, two of which are pull through. If you are staying for more than a month then you pay for metered electricity and not flat rate. Pretty pet friendly, but they have a sizable list of rules to go along with it (as a pet owner I’m in favor of this, there are some really inconsiderate pet owners out there and it’s nice to find a park that doesn’t just ban them altogether).

Lots of signs and notes about how they reserve the right to refuse service to anyone at any time for anything. I suspect there have probably been some problems with this in the past. However, again, props to them for handling it, as irresponsible folks (or irresponsible pet owners) shouldn’t take away from everyone else’s experience.

Shout out to Lynden, WA for having an impressive number of parks for its size. This one is technically available for camping but ONLY for youth groups, e.g. scouts and the like, and they need to be reserved and worked out with the city well in advance. The city will provide all necessary rules and regulations (like, tents only) but they aren’t super relevant to the general public, as if you aren’t in a youth group with a reservation you have to leave at dusk. This is true of all the other parks in Lynden too, so be aware.

It was surprisingly hard to find information on Ozette Campground before I went. There are a few mentions of it because it is actually within the Olympic National Park (not Forest) but not as much as, say, Hoh or Heart o’ the Hills or the Kalaloch areas.

There are actually 20 sites in this campground so it is not terribly small. The problem is that there is a lot of precipitation in this area year round (you know, what with the rainforest thing) and a lot of the sites are low lying or on slopes that cause them to either flood, or be prone to wash outs. So the campground itself feels a little like the NPS has given up on improving it and is content to just let campers figure it out as they go. That’s all well and good, but I would have been pretty annoyed to drive all the way out here for a first come first served site only to discover that it was not usable. I was not able to find anywhere you can obtain up to date information (even a call to the ranger was not very helpful, as the campground is also off their beaten track and they don’t necessarily know what it looks like on any given day).

$20/night. There is no potable water available in the off season although the campground remains open, so prepare to bring your own. Mosquitoes off the lake are also fierce and undeterred by citronella etc, but back off with the heavy duty DEET.

I love the concept of Roam Beyond and really believe they do a great job bringing the leave no trace, sustainable camping lifestyle to people who wouldn’t otherwise have the ability to seek it out (whether for lack of gear, planning time, experience, or whatnot). It’s just so expensive and predictable, I have a hard time justifying it for travelers like myself. I would absolutely recommend it for beginners who are curious about how living in a trailer could possibly be comfortable, or are not willing to sacrifice the creature comforts they enjoy at home, or are weary about finding a good spot and making reservations and towing a camper out there. Here at Roam Beyond Kalaloch they have done a great job anticipating whatever you’ll need and having it already available, so you can literally just roll in with your Honda Fit and a few changes of clothes and be all set. It’s definitely more unique than staying in a hotel, but… that’s the closest comparison I can draw for this level of glamping.

I have started to anticipate that these RV parks are for locals and regulars who begrudgingly tolerate the revenue from travelers. I didn’t feel that way at Sunny Point and it was actually a very welcoming spot for people passing through. Right off the bat they are clear about being able to accommodate either RVs or tents, so if you’re a tent dweller, don’t feel like you’re going to be in the middle of a sea of RVs — you’ll still be in the minority but there is a good variety of accommodation going on here. I loved their quirky orca decor, a testament to how frequently you can see these incredible animals passing by Point Roberts. Sites have picnic benches and fire pits and community oriented get togethers (distinct from the usual programming, these were very casual and a pleasant change of pace).

Dog friendly. Fees were a bit high ($50 with hookups in the off season, $55 in the high season, $35 with no hookups). Showers and public restrooms available for those who aren’t in RVs (and I guess those who are) at no additional cost. The beach was a bit rocky but beautiful and offered tremendous views of the mountains. I would have stayed longer if I could have.

This is such a beautiful and special spot for a campground. One of those places you wake up in the morning and can’t believe that someone had the foresight to set it aside for fellow adventurers who love the outdoors. It was a privilege to stay here.

Some highlights included the beautiful coastline along the Tsawwassen Peninsula, views over the Strait of Georgia, perfect location for boat launching, orca whales, crystal clear weather, much less wind than I had expected, great shell collecting, an actual sandy beach (rare in the PNW), very kid friendly with a nice playground and plenty of open green space. Literally a happy camper.

There isn’t much info out there on this place, so here are some additional notes that might help: It’s a seasonal campground (April through October) and reservations are available on the county website. There is also a picnic shelter available for rent. You can boat in or drive in. It’s right near Monument Park (where the first mile marker is for US/Canada Boundary Market 1).

The main campground has 30 sites, then there are a bunch of reservable group sites. Showers and toilets were clean and well kept. There is a ranger’s office on site but no camp host. Main campground was paved and could take RVs/vans/cars, but group sites need to park and walk in.

This campground has been around for awhile, but is under new ownership. It’s a really unique spot right on the shores of Loon Lake in Washington State. It’s a bit remote for one night, but if you’re planning a family reunion over a long weekend or something, this would be a great spot.

They’ve got a variety of accommodations — RV spots for those that use them, plus more permanent structures like “vintage cabins and retro apartments” (this sounds a little suspicious, but I swear, they’re good enough as long as you bear in mind that this is a campground. They even have a cafe and a little store so you only have to rough it solo as much as you want to.

They have a little marina with boat slips if you have your own, or you can rent from them and take advantage of everything the lake has to offer. Due to the remote location compared to other lakes closer to the Washington State metro areas, there aren’t a ton of people on the water here at any time of year, even during holidays.

I’m not sure how tent camping would work here, I’m sure they would find a way to accommodate it if you wanted to try, but if I was in a group sans RV I’d probably splurge on a cabin and call it a day.