We have stayed at San Onofre State Beach a couple times. The campground is on the bluffs, and nearby Old Man's beach has some of the best beginner's surfing waves in Southern California. The day use area gets crowded quickly during the summer, so be sure to arrive early. If you don't want to camp on the bluffs, consider heading a bit inland to San Mateo Campground, which connects to the beach via a 1 1/2 mile nature trail. It's a bit of a walk if you are carrying a lot of gear, but much quieter and more spacious.

We've been staying at San Clemente State Beach for more than 30 years now, and it's always an enjoyable time. The beach is great for surfing and boogie boarding, with the famous Trestles surfing spot located about 2 miles away. 

San Clemente State Beach is a pretty large campground with lots of commotion/activity, so if you're looking for peace and quiet, this isn't the place to go. Another thing to consider is that the beach is a bit of a trek, especially if you're carrying a bunch of coolers, chairs, umbrellas and boogie boards. Still, once you get down there, it's a great beach and very beautiful. 

If you want to go shopping, there's a Rip Curl outlet nearby that has a lot of good deals on surf clothes, supplies, etc. The Pier is about a 10 minute drive away, where you'll find several decent seafood restaurants.

We stayed at the American River Outpost campground for a rafting tour with OARS a few years ago, and it was such a blast! This was our first time whitewater rafting, and it was a great experience. The campground is in Coloma, which is in the heart of Gold Rush country. The guides were knowledgeable and friendly, and we really enjoyed the BBQ on site. If you have some extra time, be sure to check out Marshall Gold Discovery Park, home of Sutter's Mill, and the nearby wine country.

Open year-round by lottery, Camp 4 is a popular campground for rock climbers attempting the trek up El Capitan. Because of its popularity, its 25 campsites are hard to come by. Each includes a picnic table, fire pit and bear lockers (shared). There are flush toilets and potable water nearby. Tents only, and no animals allowed.

Yes, it's a parking lot, but you won't get any closer to the beach than this! Our kids had a blast staying here since it's right on the boardwalk and super close to the HB pier. At night, you can build a bonfire, which is really fun and one of the few spots in Orange County that you can do this.  

FYI - The campground is only open October through May since this lot is traditionally used for summer beach parking. 

One star is missing since this place can get pretty rowdy at night, depending on who your neighbors are.

We've stayed at Table Mountain several times. It's a nice, clean campground with lots of great hiking and mountain biking trails nearby. You also have the disc golf course and North Lodge run by Mountain High, which is in walking distance from the campground. The camp host was a little spacey, and ended up giving our spot away to someone else even though we secured the site early that morning and she promised it was ours. There is some firewood available for purchase and pit toilets, but no electricity/water hookups if you have an RV. There are water spigots however. About 5 minutes away is the village of Wrightwood, which has lots of cute restaurants and shops. I recommend Mile High Pizza, Blue Ridge Inn (fancy) and Evergreen Cafe for breakfast. Mexico Lindo is good too for margaritas and Mexican food. You can also go zip lining about 5 minutes away at the Ziplines at Pacific Crest. For hiking, I recommend the Blue Ridge Trail, which begins down near the stone tower at the nature center, and the JPL/Nasa road, located halfway up to the campground. A little further away, the Vincent Gap area takes you the Miner Vincent Mine or up to Mount Baden Powell.

We stayed at Cabin Flat several years ago, and it's one of the most difficult campgrounds to reach near Wrightwood in the Angeles National Forest. To get here, you need to take the Blue Ridge Trail Road from Inspiration Point off of Highway 2. This road is closed during the winter, as it traverses through Mountain High Ski Resort. That said, the campground itself is very basic. I would not recommend bringing an RV here as the dirt road to get down is winding and bumpy. Tent camping only.

We love going to Doheny, but it's hard to get a camping spot here. The campground is right on the beach, where you'll find some of the best longboard surfing in OC. Lots of places to rent kayaks and paddle boards, and the onsite Cafe del Sol has pretty good food and drinks. Keep in mind that this beach can get pretty rocky, so wear water shoes if your feet are sensitive. Great pathways for bikes and skateboarding, and lots of picnic tables if you're here just for the day. We love it here!

We've been coming to the Islander since about 1992 and have always enjoyed our time here. It's a safe, gated RV Resort with plenty of activities, including pickle ball, corn hole, fishing and a nice resort-style swimming pool. You can launch your boat right from the marina here, and there are a few little coves that are perfect for swimming if you don't have a watercraft. The main office sells a variety of snacks, RV supplies and souvenirs. Summer is a great time to come if you enjoy waterspouts on the river or Lake Havasu, otherwise Fall is extremely popular for snowbirds especially.  One of the resort's newest additions is the Boat House Grill, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner Thursdays-Mondays.

Nice family resort with lots of amenities, shady campsites with trees, and a nice pool. This particular area of San Diego isn't my favorite, but it does the trick as a base for touring the area. It's about 20 minutes from Sea World, 15 minutes to Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo, and 20 minutes to Coronado. While you're here, don't miss a stop at Tacos El Gordo, easily one of the best, most authentic taco joints in the area!

First, let me say that Hemet isn't exactly a destination that we seek out. But we were visiting family and needed somewhere to stay. Wow, what a beautiful surprise! Golden Village Palms was an immaculate resort with an absolutely gorgeous pool with multiple spas. Our campsite had a citrus tree, and it was a nice private area. We arrived right after all the snowbirds had left, so we literally had the whole place to ourself. Not much to see outside the resort, but there is a Target across the street for provisions, and plenty of chain restaurants along Florida Avenue (including a Tommy's Original Burgers!). If you're in the mood to gamble, Soboba Casino is just up the street.

We've stayed at Newport Dunes many times, and it's great for a last-minute beach vacation especially when most state beach campgrounds are booked out way in advance. 

There's a nice bike trail that circles around the bay, which is great for kids. Also, lots of amenities for families, including playgrounds, water toys, movie nights and fire pits. The convenience store sells RV supplies, snacks and beer/wine. You can ride your bike to Balboa Island across PCH, spend a day at Fashion Island shopping center, or drive to the beach. 

A few cons: The beach is not exactly close. You will definitely have to drive. And the bay can sometimes get stingrays. Finally, the campsites do feel a bit like a concrete jungle with few trees and very close proximity to your neighbors.

If you find yourself up near Santa Barbara, this luxury RV Resort and Campground is a real splurge. The grounds are beautiful, overlooking the ocean, and connecting to the El Capitan Canyon glamping resort, which offers yurts and safari tents. We enjoyed exploring the property's hiking trails and the heated pool was really nice. 

If you don't feel like cooking, there's a really cute little deli and gift shop called Canyon Market that sells a nice selection of California wines, craft beers and BBQ kits for grill-your-own meals. Their breakfast burritos were really good, and they also serve tacos, burgers, sandwiches and salads throughout the day.

El Capitan State Beach is about a 20 minute walk away, so keep that in mind if you have a lot of beach gear. 

My video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djcr_GYf1kc

Our family has been going to Camp James for over 10 years, and it's easily our favorite campground in California. The campsites are clean, shaded by trees, and it's right on the riverfront. During the high season, it's fun to watch kayakers and whitewater rafters screaming down the rapids. But our favorite time to go is in late July and August, when you can float down the river in an inner tube. There is great trout fishing right off the property, and the bathrooms have always been well kept and clean. I love all the little streams running through the property too, which gives it such a peaceful vibe. They do rent cabins as well. Staff has always been attentive and friendly. There is a small store on the property that sells fishing gear, snacks and other goodies.

I made a video about the campground here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz3l6VbZz14

This is a beautiful luxury RV resort in Borrego Springs, a desert community in San Diego County that's known for its unique metal sculptures, golf resorts, and beautiful hiking trails. We really enjoyed our stay at the Springs, especially the pool area and multiple hot mineral baths on the premises. They also have a little fishing pond, golf course, pickle ball and a wellness center where you can even get a massage. As a Designated Dark Sky Community, this is a great place to do some stargazing as well. While you're here, I recommend a day trip to Julian, a little ghost town that's known for their fabulous pies!