Thornhill Broome Beach Campground at Point Mugu State Park sits at the northern end of the south coast and is backdropped by the Santa Monica Mountains. The 3 1/2-mile-long beach attracts more surf fishers than swimmers. Summer's water temperature barely reaches 62 Fahrenheit. Thornhill Broome has its perks: It is one of the south coast's two campgrounds that allow tents on the sand, and it's one of only two oceanfront tent campgrounds in Southern California where dogs are allowed on the beach. While the 25-site campground crowds most of the tent and RV sites together, you will have a fire pit for a beach bonfire after a glorious sunset. At time of publication, many of the park’s mountainside trails remain closed because of fire damage.
With 131 tent and standard RV sites in a sycamore grove, the campground at Malibu's Leo Carrillo State Park is less than a 10-minute walk to this classic Malibu Beach. The 1 1/2-mile Leo Carrillo State Beach beckons surfers, anglers, swimmers, tide poolers, and at low tide, sea-cave spelunkers. Dogs dig in the sand and chase waves in their designated beach area. Behind the campground, canyon and ridge trails provide a change of pace, but Rover needs to stay at camp. Nature walks, campfire programs and the in summer, children's programs, are offered. Hot showers, restrooms and an information center add appeal. Campsites, accommodating up to eight campers, run about $45 per night.
Pitch your tent on the sand at Doheny State Beach Park, and enjoy conveniences including hot showers, restrooms, snack stands and a shaded lawn. Of Doheny’s 112 sites, 33 are beachfront and cost about $60 per night. Tall shrubbery borders the campsites, and you can have a beach bonfire in your fire pit. Doheny State Beach attracts surfers. Other visitors swim, fish off the pier, explore tide pools, bike or play volleyball. During the winter, look for whales. The campground is adjacent to Southern California's whale-watching capital of Dana Point. For 18 consecutive years, readers of the “Orange County Register” declared Doheny “Best Camp Site.” In 2012, Crystal Cove's new El Moro Campground bumped Doheny to second out of 11 sites.
Moro Campground, which opened in 2011 on the bluffs in Crystal Cove State Park, provides tent and RV campers with ocean views of the park's beach. The 58 sites include 30 for tents and other low-impact campers. Crystal Cove State Park embraces backcountry and 3 miles of coastline with sandy coves, and all offshore water is protected as an underwater park. Directly below the campground, El Moro Beach offers some of the park's best swimming and bodyboarding, and is flanked by Abolone and Reef Points, which offer some of some of the park's best snorkeling and tide pooling. Tent sites run about $50 per night, and campers enjoy hot showers, restrooms and shade armadas at picnic sites. You'll need to bring a gas barbecue for the s'mores.
Three more oceanfront campgrounds perch on California's south coast. San Clemente State Beach's campground sprawls on a bluff above the beach. The tent loop with 160 sites provides hot showers, picnic tables and flush toilets. A steep, paved path leads to the rocky sand. The beach mainly attracts surfers and anglers. San Onofre Bluffs campground in San Onofre at the state beach of the same name has fire pits and vault toilets, and it packs campers in like sardines, but some here enjoy the backyard-barbecue atmosphere, and San Onofre's legendary surf awaits.
San Elijo State Beach in San Diego County's Encinidas provides bluff and beachfront sites to RV and tent campers, who get not only hot showers and flush toilets, but also a laundry room, convenience store, bodyboard rentals, and access to the El Howard Surf School. As with all Southern California beaches, be aware of rip currents.
