San Diego area camping advice

awaywego

2008 NCV3 2500
Greetings Everyone,

I'm taking my family down to San Diego and we'd like to park/camp by a beach. I can't expect to avoid crowds but I'd like to. I'm not necessary looking for utility hookups. We use our generator for an hour or max two hours a day when camping.
We buy and carry drinking water as needed and we shall use campground showers when available.

It is still too cold to de-winterize and then winterize again upon returning to Montana so we will use the rv toilet with anti-freeze or water when down in San Diego and find dump stations along the way.

Ideally, I'd like to move between 2-3 campgrounds around San Diego in as many days and do the Sea World and SD Zoo type of activities during the day time and be near the beach later in the day.

Any suggestions will be gratefully acknowledged!
 

Camosun

Member
We were in San Diego early in February and stayed at Campland on the Bay. (http://www.campland.com/) They have a variety of rates starting at $44.00 per night for a dry site without hookups. They have a nice pool and hot tub set up, a small beach area, a store and of course washrooms and good showers which are included in the price.

We opted for the basic $44.00 dry site which provided us with a patch of black top and a pick nick table located among a number of large stored motor homes. We were only 100 feet or so from the beach. We found the location very convenient and within easy distance of most of the major San Diego attractions.

We did not make reservations but I would recommend doing so as the season advances.

I hope this helps.
 

islander619

New member
Campland is on Mission Bay. If you are thinking you want to be on the "Beach" their are only 2 that I believe that are close to the city. Silver Strand State Beach and Cardiff State Beach nothing fancy but right on the beach. Also the KOA in Chula Vista is not far from the city and is pretty nice, pool,laundry,playground,etc. If you have military privileges there is a RV park at Fiddlers Cove on San Diego Bay about a 1 mile away from Silver Strand and Camp Pendelton has one of the best campgrounds right on the beach. Good Luck.
 

awaywego

2008 NCV3 2500
Those are good tips islander619. I was told about Silver Strand by some friends who lived in San Diego. Looks nice.
But the overnight price of $65...yikes.
I'm not going to rule it out just yet but one of the reasons we RV is to avoid paying for overnight stays.
I do realize that there are some amenities that will come with the price. Hence, not ruling it out specially with a spouse and kid and dogs in tow.
Thanks for the tips on multiple locations!
 

RT.SS

Active member
Beach camping in Socal is expensive, the closer you are to the water the more expensive it is. Some state beach campground charges $50 + a night with no amenities, no hook up.

You have to make reservation way ahead as site availability is dwindling as we speak.
 

smcphc

Member
I'm retired military so I made a reservation at Admiral Baker RV park for our trip next month. On the reservation page, it says it's now open to the general public. I think the rate is about $30/night, don't know if that is a military rate or standard. I thought I read somewhere that Fiddlers Cove was closed for renovations.
 

bcislander

'07 Mercedes-badged Dodge
I'm retired military so I made a reservation at Admiral Baker RV park for our trip next month. On the reservation page, it says it's now open to the general public. I think the rate is about $30/night, don't know if that is a military rate or standard. I thought I read somewhere that Fiddlers Cove was closed for renovations.
My wife & I are contemplating a trip to San Diego in a few weeks. What was your experience at Admiral Baker RV? Was it very full? What was the rate?

I'm not retired military, so there would need to be some space available, if the general public really is allowed there. I tried to email the park using the address on the website to ask these questions, but the email 'bounced'.
 

Onefin

Well-known member
Cardiff is san elijo state beach
Carlsbad is carlsbad state beach
Both in north county San Diego, but need reservations, and both book 6 months in advance the day the month is released. June dates are available to reserve the previous December.
Total PITA to get a site now after they ditched phone reservations for the internet, but what can you do?
Surf is better at san elijo, bull taco sells good tacos out of the camp store and right across the street you can get groceries at seaside market, and there is a Starbucks if you like bad coffee.
We live a few blocks away from san elijo and go a couple times a year....it is most likely booked through the end of the summer.
But....people do cancel these reservations and sites pop up at strange times.
So worth a look on recreation.gov

I think fees are up to $50 a night with all the BS fees now.
 

smcphc

Member
My wife & I are contemplating a trip to San Diego in a few weeks. What was your experience at Admiral Baker RV? Was it very full? What was the rate?

I'm not retired military, so there would need to be some space available, if the general public really is allowed there. I tried to email the park using the address on the website to ask these questions, but the email 'bounced'.
It was pretty full when we went. We only stayed there for the night before moving up the coast. Try giving them a call to inquire about public access. It's not on a military installation. The park itself is more in line than with an RV park than a state park. What I mean by that is that the spaces are pretty close together, but not as bad as some of the other San Diego RV parks. We tend to use the RV parks as a place to sleep while we explore the city, so it's great for that. There is a golf course next to it if you're into that.
 

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