The Avenue of the Giants is one of my favorite places in the whole world. Burlington camp ground is basically right in the middle. It's right next to the ranger station/visitor center and just a few minutes away from Miranda, where you can pick up some last minute supplies. The biggest problem I have with this campground is that it's situated right next to the main road, so there a lot of traffic moving through. It's a slow speed limit, so it's not super loud or anything, but it does break the serenity a bit. The rangers are very knowledgeable, which is great if you're looking for things to do/places to see on you're trip. If you forget your firewood, you can pick some up at the ranger station. Each site is provided with a fire pit and bear box. You definitly want to use the near boxes, it's not uncommon to spot a bear while in the Avenue.
The campground is your typical KOA. there's a store, pool, pond, bathrooms, cabins, disc golf etc. The electric scooters are pretty fun, and the paddle boats too. The ground themselves arent really anything special though. It's open, very little privacy. Honestly it's kinda like a massive group site. No real walking trails or anything. Getting to the campground is easier in the summer because there is a bridge that goes over the river, making it a shorter drive. In the winter, the bridge is removed, so you have to go through the town of Cloverdale and back track, adding about 15-20 minutes to your trip.
I've been to Liberty Glen 3 times, and even in peak season the campground is never full. If you talk to the the ranger at the gate, most of the time they will let you drive around the grounds and pick any open site. This is great for groups, especially if you have a few loud people in the mix because you can pick a more secluded site. Check their website for the latest update on if they have potable water on site, it can vary from year to year. Bathrooms are decently clean, with access to paid showers. Bring everything you need, the closest store is in Cloverdale, 20 minutes away. Overall the campground is scrubland with scattered oak trees throughout, the area near the amphitheater has more tree cover than the outer sites. There is also a playground on site, with multiple trails. When hiking in the area be aware of the local wild boar problem. Due to overpopulation, bow hunting of wild boars in the Lake Sonoma area is legal most of the year. There is also an archery range at a nearby area of the Lake. Check their website for the latest check in information, sometimes they want you to check in at the ranger station across the street from the Fish hatchery, sometimes you check in at the booth at the campground.
Lake pinecrest is beautiful. The campground is in the wooded area. The lake is awesome for swimming, boating and fishing. In the summer, the chellet and little lake front stores offer a chance to pick up anything forgotten. We rented a pontoon boat and explored. There are so many hiking trails. Our favorite was Cleo's Bath. It's between 4 and 5 miles long, with a bit of rock climbing, but at the top there are georgous pools and a natural waterslide formed by the snow melt on the mountain. The water at the top is very cold, but crystal clear. The views are stunning. Some nights, they even play family movies at the little theater/gathering place. Excellent family campground.
It's a KOA. It's pretty much exactly what you might expect. It's beautiful hinder the trees, with an excellent location to make beach access pretty convient too. Being so close to the beach though, it gets COLD at night. We usually rent a cabin. The cabins have heaters with is definitely nice. They also have beds, but the beds are really uncomfortable, it's just a pad on top of a slat wood frame, remember to bring a foam topper. Store/pool/hot tub. Perfect location to set up and use as a base of operations while you explore up and down the mendocino coast.
Great price, simple, utilitarian camp ground. Glad we were there on an off weekend though, Idk how many more dirt bikers I could handle. Everything they did was loud. Could use another bathroom.
We've staid here several years in a row now, and we always book the same site. Most of the sites under the trees are a bit close, but there are a few along the outside off the lower loop that open out to this amazing valley. Each year something big has happened. One year we had a (roughly) two year old bear about 60 feet from our camp, just hanging out in the apple tree, eatting apples. This year there was a star gazing party and and astronomy club brought high powered telescopes and showed us all several beautiful things in the sky. The bathrooms are well maintained too, which is always a plus. This is currently my favorite camp ground.
The camp sites felt a little close together, but the grounds as a whole were beautiful. Warning for and campers with disabilities, even a lot if the handicap sites are very steep and rugged to get from your vehicle to the actual site, so just be careful.