California RV camping

San Diego (Campland on the Bay, Mission Bay area, state beaches), Orange County state beaches, the LA area's limited beachfront parks, Ventura and Santa Barbara county beaches, the Palm Springs desert resorts, and the mountain campgrounds around Big Bear and Idyllwild. Our Southern California guide compares them by region.

Yes — a limited number, mostly state beaches (Carpinteria, Doheny, San Elijo, South Carlsbad, Pismo/Oceano) plus a few private parks such as Pismo Coast Village. Most have no or partial hookups and book out six months ahead.

Yes, in several campgrounds with posted length limits (Upper Pines allows RVs up to 35 feet, for example) but no hookups. Full-hookup RV parks sit outside the park in Groveland, Mariposa, Oakhurst and Lee Vining.

More than most states. State-park sites are the value option; private coastal resorts and Southern California beach parks are among the priciest in the country, especially in summer. Rates change seasonally, so we link to each operator's current rate page rather than quoting a single number.

Coast: September and October (warm, less fog, fewer crowds). Deserts: November through March. Sierra and Yosemite: June through September, with July and August busiest. Winter is snowbird season around Palm Springs and San Diego.