Beach Camping in Socal?

[patrickski]

on the road right now, potentially headed to socal to hang out/surf. we are looking for a place to camp, ideally on the beach- whaddya got???

[liv2ski]

Use this link to make a reservation. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1023 Places I like to stay and surf are, San Elijo, San Onofre.

[Viva]

San Elijo is by me. PM me if you're in the area.

[hutash]

Great beach camping in Ventura and Santa Barbara. Best book ahead but week days might not be too bad. We are past our best winter surf, but still some good days to be had with a little luck.

I am not a surfer, but live in Ventura if you need a place to crash or a shower.

[Hugh Conway]

Homeless guys used to sleep on the Pierpont beach.

Hope that helps.

[TheDingleberry]

south carlsbad state beach in northern san diego county has camping. and a couple decent breaks.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=660

[COUTCA]

Be aware that a lot of the beach campgrounds have the train tracks around/right behind them. Can you say Amtrak at freaking 2:00 AM? SUCKS!

Have fun.

[Alaskan Rover]

If you get there well after dark, you can fairly easily camp on most road-side beaches in southern cali...provided that the camp is not visible in car headlights or cop-searchlights from the road. It helps to have a bivy or just a sleeping bag instead of a full-tent.

The cops will often sweep a beach with their searchlights from the parking lot, but won't bother to get out of their patrol car most of the time. Unless it is on a populated beach like Malibu or Laguna.

I've found Cali cops to be some of the most polite cops I've ever encountered, and nine times out of ten will just tell you to move along.

I spent about a month backpacking down the california coast...all we had were bivy sacks with mosquito netting and a ground-cloth and our guitars (okay, we had plenty of weed, too). We did NOTHING but free beach camping/'trespassing' and were only hassled twice (just told to move). One cop even told us about a BETTER beach that we could camp for free on.

Of course, it was EASIER for us, as we didn't have a car in the parking lot!! Obvious sign of beach camping/partying to cops. No car...no problem. Bikes are good too, as you can easily haul them off onto the beach.

In short...you don't need to spend a dime to beach camp...screw the winnebago-filled sanctioned beach-camping areas!! Just find a beautiful beach out of view of the road and you will rewarded with peace and tranquility....just be willing to "de-camp" early, as california beach joggers arive EARLY and so do beach patrol!!

[Platinum Pete]

....just be willing to "de-camp" early, as california beach joggers arive EARLY and so do beach patrol!!

This is nice for your beach naps in the afternoon.
Also, watch out for sharks - California waters are filled with man eating sharks.

[Bodhi]

If you have made no reservations as of one month ago, probably not going to find a whole hell of a lot availability...State Beach campgrounds book up fast for the summer and often six months in advance for the weekends (San Elijo, So Carlsbad, San Clemente, San Mateo, Huntington)...you might be able to find some spots during mid-week (maybe) and still a few on the weekends for the more expensive or crappy spots (like at San Onofre)...the system is sort of annoying as thousands of people reserve the cheap spots online and never show up...the campsites are often empty, but because a reservation was made, it was paid for, so the sites go unused many times and the campgrounds still get their fees...

Tip: If you bike into the state beach campground or hike in (park somewhere off-site) they always reserve one spot for hikers/bikers...but it is only good for one night (you have to move on) and the site is sharable with other bikers and hikers (but only a $3 fee) who come along...you might have the site to yourself, or be sharing it with 5 others...can be cool either way...

peace,
D.

[hutash]

Also, many state beaches have overflow camping, mean you arrive after 5pm? and leave by 8am? You get to camp in a dirt lot, no tables or fire pits, just a place to park.

Not all beaches offer it, but I think they are list on the state beach website.

[Alaskan Rover]

This is nice for your beach naps in the afternoon.
Also, watch out for sharks - California waters are filled with man eating sharks.

Naahh...we never had a problem of being hassled during thye day. Just make sure your night camping gear is put away out of view. Beach patrol doesn't know you from the vanagon-driving "turistas" in the parking lot. We stayed at one beautiful beach for 3 days one time...just using the public facilities a mile down the beach for sanitation...cooking and setting up camp after dark and the beach gestapo left. We had 3 days of great sunsets, sunrises and music sessions. Like I said, no car...no problem. If we had a car in the parking lot, we wouldn't have been able to do that. Free-camping is an art-form, and pays in dividends of beauty.

We never saw a shark in all the weeks we traved the Cali coast.

[Tippster]

San O crappy? The campground yes, the beach no.

Be aware that you have to walk ~3/4 mile down a path through the cliffs to the beach from your tent.

[Bodhi]

San O crappy? The campground yes, the beach no.

Be aware that you have to walk ~3/4 mile down a path through the cliffs to the beach from your tent.

Just meant some of the spots at San O...some are okay, many are not that good...I agree about the beach, and you cannot beat the naked ladies sunning at trail 6 either...

[Joey Bag O' Donuts]

San Clemente State beach campground is OK, but you have access to some good breaks around there. In front of S.C. state campground, is a break commonly referered to as Calafia a.k.a Towers. Just North of Calafia is Riviera (Both These spots can get heavy when the sand bars are in the right condition). Just South of Calafia is Cottons Point (It can get big there), so be carefull. The spots I named have a good local contingent, so be respectfull.

If you want to Camp on the Beach, call the parks/ranger station at San Onofre, and ask them if the Echo Arch campgrounds are available by trail one. You will have to hump all your gear down the cliffs, but you will be on the beach, and there is no train noise.

[patrickski]

hey guys- thanks for all the help!

ended up camping at san elijo and it was great! booked the day before without issues, although it was mid-week. definitely heard the train going by at night, but not a big deal. plush living for camping- showers, bathrooms, taco stand, right by a great grocery store...

[Bodhi]

Hopefully you got to try Yogi's (great Tri-Tip) and the Krakken...

peace,
D.