State parks are prominent features along California's coastline from the North Coast to San Diego County. The parks are as varied as the landscape, offering numerous recreational opportunities such as wildlife viewing, swimming and skin diving.
Keep in mind that not all of the state parks allow for year-round camping, so plan ahead. Reservations are made through Reserve America can be made online or by phone and can be made up to seven months in advance. Summer holidays, such as the Fourth of July or Labor Day, usually get booked quickly. April, May, September and October are good months in which to camp for there are usually available campsites, and the weather is still comfortable.
There are campgrounds that operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Keep in mind that these sites are usually full by Friday on a long holiday weekend. Two such state parks that don't require reservations for camping are Tolowa Dunes and Humboldt Lagoons, both on the North Coast.
Primitive beach camping is available at Tolowa Dunes State Park in Crescent City, an hour and half north of Eureka. An hour south of Tolowa Dunes is Humboldt Lagoons State Park in Trinidad with environmental campsites that are nestled in undisturbed natural areas and furnished only with a tent clearing, a picnic table and a rustic toilet.
Sonoma Coast State Park in Bodega Bay on Highway 1 is open year-round and offers four different campsites, two for RV campsites with access to hot showers, and two environmental camps that only offer primitive campsites with fire rings and pit toilets. Sonoma Coast, an hour and a half north of San Francisco, is also home to a seal community and, in winter, is a prime whale-watching site.
South Carlsbad State Beach in Carlsbad and accessible via Interstate 5 has more than 200 sites for RV and tent camping overlooking the beach. There is also a dump station for the RVs, a convenience store and laundry facilities. The park is open for year-round camping. South Carlsbad, just a half hour north of San Diego features surfing, swimming and skin diving.
Campsite check-in is anytime after 2 p.m. on the first day of your reservation and check-out is by 12 p.m. on the day of departure. Family campsites can accommodate no more than eight people, and group campsites can accommodate groups from nine to 100 depending upon the state park. Camping fees are based upon the amenities chosen by the guests, and there is a parking fee for each park. Dogs are allowed in the park but not on the beaches.
