I m going camping with my roommate for Thanksgiving and we d appreciate any suggestions from local campers!
Lots of folks head out to the desert this time of year and at the Top of that list is Joshua treehttp://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htmAnother place I recommend is Blue jay campground in the Cleavland national forest off the ortega hwy in Orange Countyhttp://www.fs.fed.us/r5/cleveland/recrea��Some of the best views I ever had for camping was at lake and table mountain campgrounds up by wrightwood.http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/cleveland/recrea��Keep in mind it s Thanksgiving weekend and if it s a reservable campground you ve probably missed out. Joshua Tree inside the park has a lot of first come first served sites but you need to be there by Wednesday to get one. Blue jay is also first come first served but it s real close to town.Another option is camping in dispersed areas there are a lot in the San bernadino national forest and on BLM lands south of Joshua tree off the 10 freeway there is no cost for dispersed camping other then the adventure pass. but no facilities either.Good luck to you
Where do you think you are going to get a campsite? All the best campsites were booked in May! Near is a relative term. There isn t much in and around LA proper, since real estate is much too expensive. Within 100 miles, you have a selection of campgrounds for tent camping. Try some of these campgrounds, listed roughly north to south). State campgrounds can be reserved at www.reserveamerica.com: Jalama: This is for those who like to get away from it all, and like to take risks. It is first-come, first-served, but if you DO get in, it��s incredible. Located in SB County, south of Vandenberg Air Force Base, near Lompoc. If you want to camp at a remote beach, this is the place. Nothing here but the store/restaurant, and some RR tracks. Can be a bit windy. The main reason I don��t camp here too much is because I don��t want to make the drive all the way there, only to find it��s full. www.jalamabeach.com. Gaviota: No reservations required, but I rarely see anyone here. Not much more than some parking spots by the side of highway 101. Refugio State Beach: North of Santa Barbara about 15 miles. This campground is right on the beach level, and has some spots just a few feet from the water. It��s a nice place, and it��s not too far from SB. However, one drawback it the freight trains: It is located at a bend in the RR tracks (most state beaches are right by some RR tracks, BTW), and the longer ��piggyback�� cars screech when they make the turn. It��s not a pleasant sound, but it only happens a couple times a day. El Capitan State Beach: Practically next door to Refugio, 2 miles south. El Cap is on the bluffs above the beach, with many trees around the campsites. However, the trains here are much less obtrusive, because there��s no crossing (so no blasts from the horn), and the train is slightly below ground level at this point, as the tracks are dug into the hillside. This is my second-favorite campground.Carpinteria State Beach: 12 miles south/east of Santa Barbara. My favorite beach is Carpinteria, which is rated at The World s Safest Beach . There is plenty of beach for swimming or body surfing. There are some excellent tide pools on the south end of the beach. Also, there are plenty of places to explore in the nice little town.McGrath State Beach, Ventura: This is a nice enough beach. Technically, you are on the beach, but it��s almost ? mile to the water over the dunes. And no trains to worry about.Point Mugu State Park: Near Oxnard, it consists of two campgrounds: Sycamore Canyon and Broome Beach. Sycamore Canyon is nice enough. My dad used to love it here. There was a fire about 15 years ago which destroyed the campground, but it��s grown back nicely. Broome beach is a windswept parking lot just off PCH. Not much in the way of amenities here.Leo Carrillo State Park, Malibu: Note the name. Most people call it Leo Carrillo State Beach, but it��s on the inland side of PCH, and you can walk under PCH to get to the beach. Since the beach is covered with large rocks, it��s low on my list of favorite campsites.Newport Dunes: Located in Newport Beach, it��s the Cadillac of RV parks. You can tent camp here as well, but the park caters mainly to RV��s. The prices are 2-3 times that of the state parks. If I wanted to spend that much, I d get a hotel room. www.newportdunes.com. Doheney State Beach, Dana Point: This is one of the few campgrounds that have actual beachfront sites. There is a VERY nice park next door, and you are within walking distance of the Dana Point Harbor and shops. Just across PCH and the RR tracks, there is a condo development where you could pay hundreds per night to stay. Or, you could pay twenty bucks and camp right on the beach. The choice is yours. This is another one of my favorite spots for tent camping.San Clemente State Beach: Located in the beach town of San Clemente, it is located on the bluffs overlooking the beach. San Onofre State Beach: Unless you are a HARD CORE surfer, this is not a good place to camp. I camped here once, but never again. You are 10 feet from the RR tracks, 20 feet from I-5. If you re lucky, you get to be right next to the border checkpoint, with flashing lights all night. And it s ? mile walk to the beach. There are loud teens and twenty-somethings up late, and no ranger enforcement of quiet time. Great if you re a college-aged person and want to surf and party, but rotten for families.South Carlsbad State Beach: Close to Legoland in north San Diego County. Located on a strip of land on the bluffs above the beach, it��s great for whale watching during migration season. San Elijo State Beach: Located in Leucadia, in north San Diego County. Same as South Carlsbad, but with a few hookup sites if you have an RV. Campland on the Bay: Private campground on the north end of Mission Bay, close to Sea World. Excellent location, lots of organized activities, but you pay for it. Full amenities here, like Newport Dunes.Note that the campgrounds in Angeles National Forest (Chilao and Horse Flats) are closed for the winter. And Angeles Crest Highway is still closed, anyway.
Some of the best campsites near Los Angeles could be in the Angeles National Forest. Also, Castaic Lake is real cool for camping.
los padres foresti went there once it was nice, but im not the camping person