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Places to Crash
List of places to spend the night and rest up for adventure!
San Onofre State Beach Campgrounds
34 reviews for San Onofre State Beach Campgrounds
34 reviews in English
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Review from fuck q.
Montclair, CA
8/25/2011
I LOVE THIS PLACE! its MAGICAL.
* private/intimate/quiet beaches
* beautiful cliffs with magnificent views of the ocean.
* nothing to glitzy or glamorous. this place is natural and surreal. it can make you forget that you're in southern california
* plenty of rocks on the beach to collect, toss at friends, stare into deeply, throw into the ocean and watch it skip once, twice if youre lucky
* very helpful camp rangers and travel brochures. make sure you pick one up cause they have this awesome map of all the campgrounds in california, for free. everyone loves free stuff. pick one up, seriously
: | (thats my serious face)
* far from city lights
* beautiful starry skies at night. I EVEN WATCHED THE MOON SET ON THE OCEAN'S HORIZON. YES, A MUDDAFUCKIN MOON SETTING ON THE OCEANS HORIZON! FIRST TIME EVER, AT SAN ONOFRE
* each campsite gets their own fire pit and picnic table
* coming down trail 5 from the bluffs to the beach is so much fun and once you get down to the bottom you feel like you're isolated to a whole new place.
* only $35 for a campsite. up to 8 people and 2 vehicles
* great place to take psychedelics
- campsites are too close to each other
- far from any nearby stores so make sure to pick up those swisser sweets before you make the exit
- not much shade. some spots have zero shade. no bueno, especially for all the very light skinned people who dont tan, but burn : \
- cant camp out at the beach after 10pm, nor sleep on the beach, or trip out on some magical mushrooms after 10pm. they got rangers patrolling the shores at around 11pm. if you do decide to try it just make sure you dont use any light source cause you will be spotted quickly and don't forget... the water level DOES come up so don't pass out too close to the water or you'll have an interesting wake up call -
Review from Geeta B.
Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2012
Camping here is like paying to be homeless for a night. You have the roaring I-5 about 30 feet to the east, while the beach is a good 1/2 mile to the west. Between you and the beach is a patch of land well-traversed by border crossers. Between you and the 1-5 is the Amtrak railway. Sleeping under a bridge could give you the same sense of calm and safety as this place does.
If you've driven the stretch of I-5 just south of San Clemente where the border patrol is, just think, the poor little campers at the San O campgrounds are about 50 feet away. Although I tried to convert the roar of the freeway and the railway into white noise (using active imagination during my "sleep"), the noise was undoubtedly that of 18 wheeler trucks and freight trains (and not crashing waves of the sea, or any such camping-like experience).
The "campsites" are simply a row of 7ft x 10ft plots of dust located about 20 feet from the 1-5/ Amtrak bluff. A long cement block (about 6" high) divides the parked cars from stated plots of dust. If your neighbors are more than a party of two, its very likely they will spill into your small square.
Although San Onofre State Beach is one of my all-time favorite places, the campgrounds have no resemblance to the State Beach and should be avoided at all cost. -
Review from Alexander T.
Playa del Rey, CA
8/28/2011
I have camped many times before but I will not be returning to this campsite.
Pros:
They allow dogs.
They always have sites available.
Cons:
Tiny campsites. They are literally side-by-side and right off the parking lot.
No shade.
Gravel and dirt/ash/cigarette butts...I felt like I was setting my tent up on an ash tray. Never had to clean my tent off after a camping trip before.
Outdoor showers like you find at the beach. I can do without showers but when you advertise showers you may want to mention they're outside!
Half mile/mile walk to the beach. Could not see water from campsite.
Closer to freeway than the water. Right next to the train tracks (which run hourly 24/7.
I love camping, but if you want to escape to the outdoors you won't find it here. The beer was good though (not included). -
Review from Sean R.
San Diego, CA
8/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
The Bluffs campsites have made their way into the Top 3 worst campsites ever. (Take note that the other two were both in Illinois, one of which had chopped down all the trees and replaced them with lawn). I truly cannot understand why any reviewers would give this more than 1 star.
You are basically staying on a little dirt plot next to a parking lot. We were barely able to fit our tent in the space, and it was right next to the picnic table of the site next door because the spaces are right next to each other. They could easily stop ripping us all off and turn two spaces into one, and they would still be fairly small. We were on the strip that included site #27 which is without an ocean view like some of the other sites have. Avoid these at all costs unless you want a view of a dirt wall on one side and a parking lot on the other.
Then there is the problem with noise. Trains run by throughout the day and night, but they are brief and not really too disruptive. The freeway is loud but if you think hard enough you can almost imagine it is ocean waves (pathetic, I know). Worst of all, there is a 24-hour weigh station along the freeway right where the campsites are located. All day and all night we heard, "Pull to the right.....Pull to the right.....get out your registration...." Absolute misery!
The walk down the bluffs to the ocean is nice, and the little beach areas are a lot of fun. That's what prevents this review from being 0 stars.
We had fun because of the people we were with, but the campsite itself blows. Go anywhere else in California. It cannot get worse than this. -
Review from Chupacabra S.
San Diego, CA
8/1/2011
This review is for the San Onofre BLUFFS...
I was really looking forward to camping here, but my experience didn't meet expectations. Some of it was in their control, some not so much- but here's our entire experience.
First off the website for choosing a camping plot is fairly misleading. They use epic two bit graphics that your 8 bit Atari in the 80s put to shame. The graphic is green, for presumably grass, black line for the road, and numbers for the camp site. This is incredibly misleading as they show no detail- not even where the trails are (had to use Google maps satellite view to choose a site near a trail). Moreover the green makes you think that you're camping in some grassy lush area. They should have colored it poop brown, read on to find out why..
You're essentially camping in a parking lot. There is a long straight road, and campsites are numbered. Your "camping area" is 99% of the time a 20 ft patch of dirt, most had no shade trees. Neighbors are jammed together so if you were looking to "get away from it all" prepare to have runaway babies running through your campsite. I really could not get over the fact we were camping in a parking lot with a tiny dirt lot. No privacy, no shade trees- bring a canopy. It actually felt a little like living in a trailer park. Maybe you guys could kind of, do some landscaping. Plant a few trees.
You get 2 parking spots per campsite which is fairly common. What is not common is that anyone who pays extra to bring their car in can NOT keep it overnight. Parking is for day time only, and you must vacate by 10pm. This is fairly thoughtless as anyone who is staying overnight but isn't in one of your 2 spots has to drive up and park in san clemente. And then you have to load up their stuff in your car- it means many extra trips for no reason. The daytime parking is not even close to capacity when we went. There is no reason, for $15, you cannot keep your car overnight. This is a policy they should look into correcting, just to be seen as a more friendly camping area.
The designers did not think to put general/day use parking in front of many trails leading down to the beach. This means in many spots you have to load your car up with all your surfboards, drive to get closer to the trail you want to take, unload, walk quite a distance, and then many of the trails seemed like 10-15 min walks down to the beach. Some were quite steep and during a rainy season would be unsafe.
The surf was kinda terribad when we went. It was waist high but choppy and lots of rocks just under the waterline if you went too far south. And the longshore current dragged you south very quick.
Water was extremely cloudy, couldn't see farther than my hand while snorkeling.
Toilet houses were smelly and had plastic port a potties instead of real toilets. The people who used the bathrooms were animals- there was paper thrown all over the floor. And there was wet stuff on the floor also making you wonder if it's just salt water or if they're that bad of aim. The seats were frequently messy. The TP was that single ply super cheap fall apart kind. Bring your own.
Showers were outdoor and would not stay on unless you continually pushed them.
Sinks had no soap, bring your own.
They have fire rings although the white trash before us left carcinogenic stuff in it like water bottles, plastics etc. Thanks, white trash tapout bro buddies.
And of course while camping this is to be expected but there was wildlife. If you leave food out at night a gang of skunks will come by and tear through your trash and leave a gigantic mess. Lock everything up which isn't claw proof before you go to bed. The skunks are so brazen we had one run through our camp site at dusk. One drunk tattooed idiot who had been guzzling beer and looked like he watched nascar and tapout chased the skunk around. Like what are you gonna do if you catch it? Make it tap out, no doubt...
And now the good/interesting:
They sell firewood for $6 a bundle at the ranger station, cheaper than the grocery store. Given how bad everything else was this was a very welcome benefit. The logs are quite thick so bring an axe.
The site is dog friendly so if you have a furry one you can bring em'.
The view from our site (once you hop over a fence and can see over the bushes and cliff) was fairly picturesque. Surprisingly so, as you feel like you're camping in some white trash mad max alternate future if only you look at is the campsite and parking area.
My friend was fishing while we surfed and he caught a 10-12" baby shark. I think it was a leopard. He put it back. After finning it for soup. JUST KIDDING.
They had reservations available when everything else was booked.
I would love to be optimistic here and maybe give this a second chance some day, but really, it was a pretty bad campsite. I had a great time but only because a lot of good friends came. The campsite grounds themselves were very lackluster. -
Review from Jon T.
Santa Monica, CA
8/21/2011
They get 2 stars for proximity to the beach (you can wake up and walk down to the beach and surf) but that's about it.
Its camping on a patch of dirt in a parking lot next to the freeway for $35 a night - no joke. -
Review from Ryan C.
Griffith Park/Los Feliz, Los Angeles, CA
7/5/2011
This review is for The Bluffs campground. We camped in site 50 over the 4th of July weekend. This review is a bit mixed, because if I was to rate it based on the quality of the campground alone, it would be in the negative. Truly the worst campsite I have ever been to. The area is ridiculously small, there is no shade, you are crammed in with your neighbors, and directly behind you is a train track and the 5 freeway.
That being said, there are a few positives. The beaches are fantastic- they have a very secluded feel and the bluffs are a beautiful backdrop. We went to the bottom of trail 6 with our pup (trails 1 and 6 allow dogs) and some friends and it was a great way to spend the day.
Even though the campsites were ridiculously cramped, we lucked out with our neighbors and it ended up being a really nice time. My friend brought his 2 kids and they immediately found some playmates- the parents all kept an eye on each others' kids, we borrowed cooking supplies and chatted- an overall good vibe. Trail 4 was a few spaces away from our site and it was a great spot to watch the sunset.
To sum up, if you're looking for a nice campsite, avoid. Comically bad. By the time the 5th train barreled through all you could do was laugh. If you happen to get stuck next to some inconsiderate campers it could be even worse. But if you're just looking for a place to sleep next to some great beach access, it might be for you. -
Review from jane s.
Los Angeles, CA
7/14/2011
Truthfully, the only reason why this place gets three stars is because we lucked out with campsite neighbors.
It's not the worst place in the world, but this is not camping. We stayed at site 50 at The Bluffs, which was definitely not the worst site. I feel bad for the folks who stayed at the *really* awful sites. The campgrounds are cramped, noisy, and filled with squirrels. You are on top of your neighbors, you basically camp in the parking lot, and rather than sleep to the sounds of crickets, you're lulled to sleep by the freeway and freight trains.
There are some good points though: The staff is friendly and helpful and you can't beat the proximity to a pretty awesome beach. This place also seems to attract really friendly campers, which is fortunate because you'll be sleeping on top of them. Added bonus, is you can bring your dogs to the beaches off trails 6 and 1. Also, they wisely put the bathrooms far enough away from the campsites that no sites are overrun with stench.
If you just want a place to drop your stuff after a long day at the beach, this is fine, but don't be fooled into thinking you'll be communing with nature. -
Review from Sebastian K.
Portland, OR
7/22/2011
I like this park, and think it's a bit underrated. I used to hate this park as a kid, due to the same reasons a lot of people hate it (no hot showers, nasty restrooms, small lots). However, as I have grown older and less picky, I actually really enjoy this campground, especially if you want to spend a day surfing or sitting on the beach. It is commonly known as the campground where if you didn't get reservations for San Clemente or San Mateo, you are stuck here. Here are some pros and cons of this campground:
Pros:
1. Close to the beach. The walk down to the beach on the many paths is not very difficult.
2. Good surfing spot. I see surfers here all the time, beginners to experts.
3. Not crowded. Due to it's unattractiveness, a lot of people go to San Clemente or San Mateo instead. You can get spots here nearly any time of year without worrying about it being overbooked.
Cons:
1. Trains and Freeway: If you are easily awakened, this is not a great place to camp. I am a very deep sleeper, and yet even I can be awakened by the loud freight trains that pass right by the camp.
2. Small Lots: If you are a large family or want a ton of space, these spots are not for you. However, if you are by yourself or with a friend or two, it should be just enough space.
3. Nasty Restrooms: Showers aren't hot, and the toilets stink and are those crappy low flow toilets. This can be solved by a quick trip down the road to San Mateo to take hot showers.
While this campground doesn't hold a candle to San Mateo or San Clemente, I still get enjoyment out of it every year and it does its job. I recommend it for weekend camping or quick trips. -
Review from Jen D.
Mission Viejo, CA
10/25/2011
San Mateo Campgrounds on San Onofre Statebeach in San Clemente CA.
SPOT #135
This is our second time here. We stayed during late September of 2011. The weather was very nice, be sure to bring an ez-up style shade covering. Each spot had table and fire pit.
We also brought our bikes and rode to the beach which is about 1 mile away. The bathrooms were cleaned daily and very close to our campsite. This is a family place even though we do not have kids, we enjoyed hearing the seeing the kids play. Everyone was respectful and it was generally clean. At night we saw the planet Jupiter! Great location! -
Review from Amber S.
San Diego, CA
9/17/2011
This place is awful. Whoever said it is "Magical" was clearly on something. The rangers are nice and you are close to the beach BUT CLOSER TO THE 5 FREEWAY, train tracks and lights of the truck weight station. Unless you like to feel the rumble of the train every hour and hollers of the weight station operator ("pull forward please") I'd forgo making arrangements to stay here. There is nothing rustic or private about this campsite and if California is looking to cut costs this is the campsite that should be closed. AWFUL.
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Review from Dangerous S.
Long Beach, CA
9/13/2011
I wish I could give this 0 stars.
Train runs all night. Also the border patrol / truck weigh station pulls cars over all night. You are setting up camp next to train tracks and a parking lot. Bathrooms are DISGUSTING! I've been to campgrounds with no running water that had cleaner restrooms. "Showers" are outdoors, cold water only and no privacy. Some of the sinks for washing your hands are broken. Camp sites are tiny and on top of each other. -
Review from Diann B.
Ventura, CA
7/25/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I can't wait! Not much longer until we arrive.
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Review from Jeff L.
San Diego, CA
8/3/2010
Pretty decent campground. We camped at the Bluffs site 28. Make sure you read the fine print when you reserve, as some spots have more room for tents than others and you may end up pitching your tent on the pavement. Just bring a sleeping pad and you'll be fine. Oh, and some sites don't have a very good view (if any), so be sure to book early! You can always cancel for only a small penalty later.
Dogs are only allowed on the beach at trails 1 and 6, so if you have a canine companion, be sure to get a spot closer to one of those trails.
It can be pretty noisy, even while trying to sleep. Not because of the campers, but because of the highway. There's lots of road noise and the weigh station on the 5 can be heard telling trucks to slow down, stop, back it up, etc.
Trail #3 down to the beach is quite treacherous, but most physically capable people shouldn't have a problem. I wouldn't bring my mom on that trail though.
Surfing was great. Definitely beats the spots down near San Diego. The beach is a bit short at high tide though.
Park Rangers were pretty cool. We saw another campsite get cleaned out for underage drinking, so kids, please don't come here. Try to carpool, as each additional car at your spot will be charged $15 per night.
Fire ring was great to cook on, site was clean, drinking is allowed, as were dogs.
I would recommend this campsite again. Next time, I'll be sure to bring earplugs though. :) -
Review from russ s.
San Ramon, CA
8/27/2011
Ok,here's an honest review from a avid camper.. site 12and 112 are great,nice views of ocean...I've stayed at both. It can be crowded. You pull into rows of assigned parking and set up right at the edge of the parking lot,picnic tables and fire rings are there. Walk to beach is 15 mins on trail. Beach is littered with stones along shore,not good for laying out..waikiki style waves,good surf 2-3 ft the day I went. U need a wet suit. On a scale from 1 to 10 I give this place a soft 6. Price is 35 a night for camping,15 for day use. Cash only. Check out by 12 noon.. showers and bathrooms as well as sinks to wash up are close to every site. So-so as far as I'm concerned. Would I come back? Probably not,I think there's better places out there. But I'm not complaining. My gf wasn't all that uncomfortable and she's a princess :-)
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Review from Jon E.
New York, NY
6/30/2010
This is a review of the BLUFFS CAMPGROUND.
I went during Memorial Day Weekend and stayed with a group of friends at group campgrounds 50 and 51.
There isn't really anything positive to say about the bluffs campground except that it's right over the ocean. You'll be treated to some stunning views at sunset, so have the cameras ready.
Mother always said if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all...but this is Yelp, so here goes.
(1) Camping in a Parking Lot: The campsite and the parking lot are literally right next to each other. I wasn't expecting a hike, but there is no separation between the two. The campsites themselves are hard gravel rocks (which look like pulverized concrete). The proximity to the cars gave the impression that you were camping out in the parking lot.
(2) Small campgrounds: There is no space whatsoever. We had between 18-20 people for two group campsites (which hold roughly that many people) and we barely had enough room for all of our tents (a lot of 3-4 person tents). Envision midtown Manhattan, now imagine it made of tents; that's what the group camping area looked and felt like. We had it easy. The individual campsites (for like 4-5 people) had a gravel strip about two car widths long and 4 feet deep (from the parking to the fence line). Yikes.
(3) Overcrowded: It didn't feel like camping with that may people. See midtown Manhattan reference above. At the very least there are quite a few (clean) bathrooms and areas to rinse off. If you're looking for secluded nature on the beach, this is NOT your place.
(4) Freeways and Trains: the campsites are about 500 yards from the 5 freeway. Thankfully it wasn't terribly loud, but it was far from tranquil. There's also a train track that is about 300 yards from the campsites. The Surfrider and several freight trains pass through with regularity. Thankfully they pass quickly, but again this isn't camping.
(5) Parking: Horrendous parking situation. Group campgrounds only allow 2 cars per site and only 1 is included in the camping fee. The other costs $15 a day. IF you have more than two car loads of people you are shit outta luck. We had to park cars in San Clemente and shuttle people back and forth. If you're coming with a large group, insist on carpooling. There's also no overnight parking to be had outside of those two spots.
(6) Shitty Beach: It's kind of a sandy/rocky beach. Not much going on, just your typical beach. The water is cleaner than in L.A. but the amount of people on the beach really does remind me of being on Santa Monica Beach. Also the trails to the beach are either too long (trail 4) or are death traps (trail 3). Speaking of trails, they're too long to get to the comfort and relaxation of the beach, but they are also far from "hiking" trails. If anything they just serve as an annoyance.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone unless you come in an RV (which isn't real camping anyway). If you're taking kids camping then pick somewhere that might actually feel like camping. This felt like a beach bonfire with the bros, that's it.
On the plus side we got to see La Migra patrol the campground. -
Review from Katie Z.
Buena Park, CA
7/17/2010
Horrible campground, great view.
1. Parking really sucks. On http://reserveamerica.com, it states that you can have up to 8 people and 3 cars (paying for the extra two because one is free). When we arrived on Friday, we were told that any car after the 2nd one would need to park in San Clemente, which is a 10-15 minute drive away. So, if you have more than two cars, you would need to pick up the 3rd person...
2. Site size: MAYBE 20x20. My boyfriend and I had a smaller 3 person tent. It took up nearly half the site. We had to move the table in order to make room. Your neighbors are super close and, as I experienced, can hear and see everything you are doing and saying.
3. Park Rangers: I have camped at the San Clemente State Beach campground since I was a toddler. Generally, the rangers have always been friendly. Apparently, they send all the d-bags to San Onofre. The one young idiot, in particular, was incredibly rude to my boyfriend and I.
Needless to say, I paid $78, for two nights, and left after just one. I will NEVER camp here again.
Check San Clemente, San Mateo, Doheny, San Alejo first. -
Review from Jeffrey N.
San Diego, CA
8/7/2010
We also camped at Bluff's Camp Site 28.
We had reserved two sites, but they ended up giving us two sites about a mile apart from each other. Luckily we were able to keep squeeze most of our group at 28 and the rest at site 105.
When I signed up for beach camping, I was picturing camping on the beach or within a few hundred yards from it, Site 28 was more like camping in a parking lot. There is enough room for 3 cars, with sites right next to you on either side.
Definitely bring an air mattress or a sleeping bad.
The weigh station was really annoying. It wasn't so much the noise of the trucks, it was the weigh station attending telling the truckers to slow down, back up or come in side.. at all hours of the night that was pretty annoying.
The fire ring / pit was nice to sit around the fire as well as to cook on. I've camped outside of Jullian (and you aren't allowed to have fires there)
Trail #3 walking down the beach is pretty steep and definitely geared toward the more athletic hiker. (Though I might not want to try it in bad weather). Our friends brought their dogs down to the beach before too long a life guard came by and told us we had to take the dogs to Trail 1 and Trail 6. No Alcohol on the beaches either.. The beach wasn't too crowded, it was a little rocky and was definitely narrow at high tide..
Overall it was a great experience. I'd definitely go back, just maybe not on a peak weekend. I'd also avoid any sites near the weigh station.. -
Review from Lan T.
Oahu Island, HI
8/6/2007 2 photos
Wow, I can't believe I've lived within an hour drive from here for most of my 30 years of life and I've never camped here! San Onofre is especially known for Trestles Beach, a premiere surf break. Its located immediately north of the Nuclear Power Plant, aka "The Giant Boobies". However, the campground is about 3 miles south and reservations are available the first of each month for 7 months in advance! So you have to plan real early!
I camped at Trail #6 at the Bluffs which is at the very south end of the beach. This is not the San Mateo campground which is closer to Trestles. Once you park, you have to take a little hike down the bluffs to the beach. Once you see the beach, its totally unreal! Its unbelievable that you can have 3 miles of secluded and unspoiled beach in Southern California! And the best thing is that the surf here is perfect for beginners!
I just went a couple of weekends ago for my 30th birthday weekend and the water was so warm. The water is always 1-2 degrees warmer in San Onofre because of the Giant Boobies...I know, its a bit sketchy...but I don't care if I'm trunking it in the water.
The only thing that sucks is that the actual campground is about 40 yards away from the Interstate 5 freeway so you can hear traffic all day and all night long. And at night, if you are suddenly awaken freaking out that some giant truck just crashed into your tent, don't worry, it's just the train passing by!
But that doesn't bother me because I was at the beach all day long surfing and sunbathing. It was such a wonderful getaway from the Spring Break crowds at Huntington Beach.
Oh, did I mention the nude beach right next to Trail #6? Wait, wait, wait! Don't jump in your car just yet! Nude beach fantasies are never what they seem to be! Its never the people you want to see naked! They are all middle-age hippie looking folk with body shapes you could never imagine! Wow, I've never seen so many flying balls in my life - you wouldn't believe it! Playing smashball, frisbee, and mountain biking! Yikes! (However, I do kind of admire them that they can be so free and not worry what others think - maybe I'll go for it in another 10 years)
Also, if you didn't plan early enough to camp, you can always get a day pass for $10. So bring your board and binoculars! :)
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If you love San Onofre as much as I do, please go here http://www.savetrestle.../ and read more to stop the toll road!
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Review from Joel J.
San Clemente, CA
Updated - 7/6/2011 2 photos
As far as camping goes...Definitely NOT the greatest campground because you have trains that roar through the site all day and a few that pass during the night. If you keep that in mind and the fact that that your sleep won't be at it's very best -you'll be fine.
The vibe there is extremely friendly. Most campers are from out of town (Inland Empire, San Gabriel Valley, Riverside, Los Angeles County, etc. with a few that are from out of state or out of country), but still the vibe is really friendly.
You'll notice kids playing around, teens doing what teens do, and adults just having a relaxing, social and friendly day.
Technically, you're not allowed to bring dogs on the beach at all...Except for Trails 1 and 6 and at Dog Patch (located at San Onofre State Beach and YES there's a difference b/t the SO State Campgrounds and the SO State Beach). With that said, people still bring there dogs down to the beach, which is fine with most locals and State Park reps, granted these conditions:
Dog Rule 1. Keep your dog on the leash!
Dog Rule 2. Pick up after it defecates!
If someone sees that you're dog is off it's leash or that you're failing to pick up after it, it'll be quiet and then about 10-20 minutes later, someone in a uniform will ask you to leave the trail or beach and may even issue a citation. Don't come back here saying I didn't try to warn you!
You'll notice amongst the locals vibe and I'm referring to the crowd that surf there on a regular basis. You'll notice that following these 2 rules will gain you much respect and chatter. You'll also notice that both these rules will give you respect but of the two rules stated. rule 2 is more important, because it relates to general behavior:
Local Rule 1. Pick up after yourself! This means cigarette butts, plastic paper, plates, beer and soda cans, etc. etc.) Technically, alcohol and glass containers aren't allowed on the beach for any reason, so if you're going to drink, use the red or blue Solo cups and don't openly flaunt your drinking to the crowd. You'll be appreciated for your discretion and chances are you won't get that expensive alcohol ticket.!
If you fail to pick up after yourself and a local sees you, they'll be very quick to let you know that they swim in the ocean or run on the sand on a regular basis and will ask you to be 'more aware'. This type of behavior by the more shier locals is preceded by the ole 'stinkeye'. These passive aggressive types transfer that energy into the sand as they 'accidentally' kick sand on you or your towel and/or food, ruining the friendly experience you would have expected if you had done the right thing in educating yourself before stepping foot on the beach. This type of weird energy from local can also be seen in the water as you wonder why you're constantly being snaked (cut off) when trying to catch a wave and damn near hit by all types of boards while in the water. These snake charmers will usually say 'Sorry, I didn't see you were there' but in your soul you'll be wondering how he/she couldn't see you the other 20 or so times that they cut you out. Sending you back to the sand in shame and onwards to the long trail hike back to the bluffs.
HOWEVER, even if you didn't catch a word of what I said and only accidentally littered or are from a place where there is a lack of educational awareness, if you can successfully complete this last rule -ALL OF YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN!
Local Rule 2. "Be excellent to each other."
***Don't be surprised if you're doing your own little beach clean-up and a local comes over to 'thank you' in the form of a surfer or other watermen or any of the State Park representatives (lifeguards and rangers included)!***1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/26/2009
Some of the greatest waves I've ever caught have been at this location.
There are so many times… Read more »
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Review from Ana M.
4/25/2009
You know when you're little and you go camping in your backyard? Camping here is about a step up from that. Much like the old adventures in the back year, you can rest assured that there is a clean, well lit bathroom just a few yards away. In every direction you look there is development and you can hear the roar or the freeway as you toast s'mores.
If you looking to do some legit camping - this is not the place for you. If you're looking for a place you can kick back a few beers next to a campfire and walk to the beach durign the day, come on down! -
Review from Richie C.
National City, CA
7/7/2009
It's easy to forget how beautifully the ocean can capture your attention. This campground helped me to remember how happy I am to live in Southern Cali. My favorite part of the whole place was the cliff view points with 180 degree scenery. Like, whoa.
It's a small, downward hike to the beach. Actually, it's more of a five minute walk down a bunch of stairs. I stayed in the # 40's grounds and had easy access to the beach.
The beach itself is full of battering rocks which sounds amazing as the water flows back into itself. Try to think of a waterfall of dripping rocks. But this sucks when you're trying to get INTO the ocean. There isn't a whole lot of sand on the beach or in the immediate shore. You may want to bring closed water shoes if you don't want to bleed.
The campgrounds is as you can expect a car-camping trip to be. Exceptions include a noisy train passing by during the day and the echo of the I-5. If you're driving south on the freeway, this campground is within eyeshot. The facilities were fine but not spectacular: firepits, tables, bathroom, sinks and the beach shower.
My group and I rented 3 spaces so we had plenty of room to move about since we were eight deep. I'm sure we could've fit in 2 but it's nice to have room to shake your booty. -
Review from J B.
San Diego, CA
8/29/2007
This was my first California camping experience, and it was a good one. At first I was a bit surprised - as you drive in to the campground, you see that the tent/sleeping area is only about 50 feet from the access road. The campsites themselves are not very large, however we managed to fit four 2-person tents in without much trouble. Two parking spots, a picnic table and fire pit are provided.
To access the beach area, you have to hike. Beware - this is not hiking for the faint of heart. The trails are very steep and rather long, but the end is worth it - the beaches are beautiful! We went on a Saturday afternoon and had a large area to ourselves. I'm not sure if they allow dogs, but the lifeguard drove right past us and our puppy and didn't stop, so you might be able to get away with it. I didn't surf, but the guys in our party liked the water and the waves.
Tips? Bring toilet paper. Also, there is a shower and hand sink located at each restroom but you need soap - none is provided. Also, bring a flashlight - neither the campground nor the bathrooms are lit at night. And if you are a light sleeper, you may have trouble with the loud trains that rumble past at all hours of the night (the train tracks are only about 100 yards from the campsites). And, the campsites are on gravel, so bring an air mattress of some sort or you'll probably be pretty uncomfortable.
In summary, if you're not super picky and looking for an easy camping experience, this is for you. If you're looking for backwoods rural camping, try somewhere else. Overall, if you're well prepared and know what to expect, this will be a great camping experience for you. -
Review from Marissa L.
Moreno Valley, CA
6/28/2011
The campground was nice, the beaches were awesome and there were trees for privacy between campsites at San mateo campground. Problems were our firepit was missing the metal grill so I went to the kiosk and got rolled eyes and an attitude from the asian guy working. He did nothing for us and said no one really cooks on those, so find an empty site and cook on that one. So we did around 7pm and while we are the people for that site show up mad and go tell the guy so they come back saying he doesnt know what we are talking about and never told us to find an empty site lol Oh well... There was attitude from other staff encountered but I did love my trip and would go again. It would have been 5 stars if not for staff and broken grill
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Review from Ryan J.
Los Angeles, CA
6/26/2009
I'm going to start by admitting that I'm very torn on how to review this. If I was just rating the beach, I would give a much higher rating. But this review is for the campground. So all I will do to preface is say ouch. ouch ouch ouch.
Went down to San Onofre state beach campgrounds for a friend's bday weekend. First off, we got down there, and the campsite was so small that it was difficult to pitch one tent, let alone two. If you're going here, you should really have an RV or something. Secondly, the site was about 10 yards from a railroad track... and a train came by every 45 minutes, 24 hours a day... and the 5 freeway was 20 yards away. Needless to say, I didn't sleep at all the whole weekend. Terrible.
The facilities were disgusting. They were shared bathrooms for the beach-goers and also for the campers, so they were absolutely terrible. And no showers, which meant that I was a stinky boy all weekend.
It was nice that each of the campgrounds had a fire pit and a picnic table. We built a gnarly bonfire... attracted the attention of all of the neighbors, some of whom were some rather unsavory characters. The benefit to the unsavoriness was that we had a drum circle going until about 3am with no complaints.
Other than the sleeping arrangements, the beach was very nice, and it was a pleasant walk through the cliffs to get there. The beach was wide and flat with packed dirt... perfect for an impromptu softball and subsequent football game. And it was such a long beach that we were able to establish our own zone, where we could blast our music and get ridiculously liquored without bothering anyone. Getting to the water was a pain in the ass, though, because there were large loose rocks over which you had to stumble.
All in all, a fun weekend, and a cool beach, but a terrible campground. Since this review is for the campground, I give it 1 star... the worst campground to which I've ever been. Small spots for tents, bad facilities, and zero possibility of sleep. -
Review from Victor R.
San Diego, CA
8/7/2008
The campsite has a picnic table and a round fire pit about two or three feet in diameter. My tent only site came with two parking spots; one is free and the other costs $10. If you have visitors for the day, they can park in the day spots for $10. There is no additional overnight parking available and you can't use the day spots for overnight parking, so you either have to ask a neighbor if you can use their extra spot or park your car somewhere outside the campground.
The campsites are very, very close together and this campground seemed to have more riff-raff than usual, but the rest were mostly parents with kids or church groups. Pets are allowed at the campsites and on the beach. There are toilets to poop in and sinks to wash up with. The showers are outside and resemble the ones you use to rinse sand off your feet at the beach. I went to the 24 hour fitness in nearby San Juan Capistrano to shower. There's also a Ralph's in town for all your shopping needs.
It was pretty cloudy while I was there for Fourth of July weekend, but it usually burned off between noon and two. Pets are allowed only on certain trails. Some trails are easier to hike down than others, ask the rangers. Watch out for rattlesnakes on the way down!
The beach is really nice as is the ocean, but there is one really, really unpleasant aspect of swimming here. In between the beach and the ocean there are hundreds upon hundreds of cobblestones. Every time the waves come in, the cobblestones roll in as well. Every time the waves go out, the cobblestone roll out with it. Be warned, while you cross this natural gauntlet, your feet will be pummeled by cobblestones relentlessly. Once you get past it though, the ocean is wonderful and the sand is pretty much cobblestone free. Oh, and sometimes during low tide the stingrays like to come out and party.
Head south past trail six and you might see lots of naked people of all shapes, sizes and pairings. They're usually just sun bathing or enjoying a rousing game of volleyball. They're supposed to start cracking down on nudity at this beach sometime soon though, so enjoy it while it lasts.
At night you'll enjoy the soothing sounds of the Metrolink and Pacific Surfliner whizzing by as well as the five freeway. There is also a wonderful view of the giant boobs, if it's not too foggy. -
Review from Rachel R.
Mission Viejo, CA
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I would give this place 5 stars, had it not been for a few things. First, this is somewhat difficult to find, so make sure to follow the signs once you exit the freeway to be sure you don't end up going to the beach only and not the campground. The site rangers at the post were very friendly, attentive, and inviting. This is a very long site, instead of a loop or legged style camp ground. In our case, we were close to the end. Although the site had stated it was for RVs, we had booked a site for our tent camping. The sites for the RVs have a nice amount of space in between sites. I noticed however, these are VERY close quarters for the people who booked in time to get a tent specific site. You are LITERALLY on top of your site neighbor. On a good note, there are I believe 5 access routes for access to the beach. Two of which are dog friendly paths, and the remaining paths are varied in terms of difficulty of the hike itself. The grounds were well kept, and the campers were friendly. They do not list that there are showers, however there are outdoor showers for those who would still like to only stink a little ;)
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Review from Geoff R.
Anaheim, CA
Updated - 3/5/2011
NOTE: This review is for San Onofre State Beach's THE BLUFFS CAMPGROUND.
Well, while I gave SAN MATEO campground 5 stars, I'd have to agree with some of the other reviewers and only give THE BLUFFS only 2.5-3 stars.
OK, first - the good: Being located on top of bluffs overlooking the ocean, the campground has a very pretty view in many spots. The sunsets are usually amazing from this location. And it's got EXCELLENT access to one of the best beaches in SoCal. The beach is very beautiful, has good surfing, and has a nice, short, scenic (but sometimes strenuous) hike to and from the campground.
And now - the bad: Many of the campsites are very small and crowded. They don't have any shade, for the most part, and they are right next to the parking area. And worst of all, they are a stone's throw from the noisy freeway and railroad line. Lastly, unlike SAN MATEO, which has private hot showers, THE BLUFFS only has cold outdoor showers. So basically, your "shower" is more like standing there in your boardshorts for a cold rinse (but hey, at least the showers are free). Additionally, there always seems to be tons of yellowjackets swarming around the showers for some reason...but they usually mind their own business; I've been surfing (and rinsing off) at San Onofre for years and I've never been stung by one them. But if you're creeped out by bugs, then heads up! If you have an RV or trailer, this would probably be a GREAT spot for you since you'll probably have plenty of peace and quiet in bed at night and a shower of your own (in fact, I usually see tons of RVs here when I go surfing at San Ono). However, if you are in a tent, be prepared for small, cramped, noisy sites with no shade and no real showers.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/26/2011
NOTE: This review is for San Onofre State Beach's SAN MATEO CAMPGROUND.
This place is great! It's… Read more »
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Review from Jenna L.
Los Angeles, CA
7/14/2010
I stayed here for my FIRST and ONLY time this past weekend. This campground sucks! Stupid bluff parking lot claiming to be a campground. The spots are really lame. Most of the area is on cement which we used to fit the two cars we brought. Our 5 person tent barely fit on the tiny dirt area we were alloted. The bathrooms were abundant but GROSS. And there are no hot showers here...you have to drive to San Clemente State Beach Campground to shower. To top it off, our spot (146) was right next to the freeway and amtrak tracks so it was ridiculously loud to try and sleep next to. Bite me bluffs campground!
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Review from Lana P.
Canyon Country, CA
7/12/2010
Some friends and I spent a weekend in late June at the Bluffs Campground in Space 128. Having read the reviews of the campground here, I was expecting to be disappointed or at least sleep deprived. In reality, the 5 of us were not bothered at all by the close proximity to the train or freeway. We barely heard any trains at all, and the freeway noise actually lulled us to sleep like a white noise machine. Four people were in 2 tents and I was in my car w/ the back door open to my car-tent. However, I would definitely agree that most of this campground is better for RVs than tents. We did have room for two 2-3 person tents in the small dirt area at the campsite but barely. Since 2 of the 3 tents we brought were very large we ended up pitching them on the asphalt next to our cars. I remember seeing something from the campground website that said you're not suppose to pitch tents in the parking spaces but I saw quite a few people doing this throughout the campground. Some of the spaces are better suited for tents than others and some are tent only/no RVs allowed. You might want to check out a website like http://www.campsitepho...
to get details of the sites.
I do agree that the parking situation sucks. We were only allowed 3 cars at our site ($15 extra for each car), even though we could have fit 4, and you're not allowed to park overnight in the Day Use lots.
We enjoyed the rather-long hike to and from the beach on Trail 6 and the beach itself was quite nice.
The restrooms were clean but there are no lights (just a skylight) so use a headlamp for late-night restroom journeys. The outdoor showers and sinks had quite a few bees buzzing around them but none of us were stung.
We saw a lot of dogs along with a mixture of families, groups, surfers, young folks & middle aged couples. Everyone was very nice & we didn't see any problems with attitude, noise, etc. The only troublemakers were the raccoons who raided our neighbors' food in the middle of the night.
Overall we, as a group of 40-somethings, really enjoyed our weekend at the Bluffs. I might try the San Mateo campground next time just to be among some trees, but I'll probably come back to the Bluffs as well. -
Review from catherine w.
San Diego, CA
11/9/2009 6 photos
san onofre camping inspired haiku:
been camping here twice
much to explore by sunset
took my breath away -
Review from kim c.
Fountain Valley, CA
11/7/2010
if you can sleep through freight trains and weigh stations throughout the ENTIRE night you "might" find this a tolerable experience. this was my first real camping experience. let's just say that if i had been wise enough to check yelp before coming here i would have NOT chosen this place.
i was expecting to be on the bluff with nice ocean views. instead i was in the parking lot looking at a dirt mound and listening to trains constantly.
the weigh station was open and talking on this very loud speaker to the big rigs ALL NIGHT!!!!! we had a few campers playing the digaree do and congo drums way past respectful hours. we couldn't reach the ranger by phone. the answering machine was full. my friend had to get out of the tent in the middle of the night to drive to the ranger station to complain about the annoying campers.
we were constantly having to shoo away embers from landing on our tent because space was so limited.
we were at bluff 28. -
Review from Kristin C.
Irvine, CA
9/8/2009
Stayed here for a night over the Labor Day weekend and i had to say I had an awesome time camping out - but it was definitely the company that made this trip and not the campgrounds itself. Definitely can't beat the location being only 35 minutes from Irvine and the easy access to the beach...but whether it was the amtrak passing through or the weigh station attendant on the freeway belting out orders, my campsite (#24) was just too noisy. big plus for flush toilets, sinks, and an outdoor shower to rinse off the ocean water though! also alcohol is permitted on campsites (if you are of age of course) and we definitely had no issues with 60 miller lite cans in plain site. there is no local grocery store/market anywhere nearby on the grounds - you'd have to go into town for any last minute supplies which i thought was inconvenient since the campgrounds are a few miles off the freeway. thank goodness for latecomers to the group for picking up our missing necessities! overall if you feel like escaping the city for a day or 2, this is still a fun place to camp and hang with friends!
Listed in: Weekend Getaways
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Review from Pamela s.
8/19/2008
went camping here this past weekend with a couple friends and mostly family. i love it whenever my fam bam gets together for occasions like these. as my cousin alvin would say, "a family that drinks together, stays together."
i think it would've been ten times better if we got to camp right on the sand, but since my uncles are retired and the actives get first pick, we got stuck all the way in the back. which isn't to say that we were far from the water by any means. a trip down the stairs, and there we were.
one thing i will complain about is that we were almost kicked out for being too loud. i guess the fact that we took up three campsites, we are a huge family and we can get a little rowdy does play a little part. but come on!!! who doesn't like to have a "couple" beers, play some cards, the guitar, sing by the fire, etc.?!?! we got a warning saturday afternoon, saying that we had 4 complaints already (people just don't know how to party like us, don't be jealous! they were probably envious of the smell of our food too: some kahlua pig, bbq galore, fried rice, spaghetti w garlic bread, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, hot dogs, and other homemade filipino dishes, mmmmmm) and that we had to be quiet by the time 10pm hit, otherwise they'll have the mp's (their version of po po's) come escort us out. mind you that quiet hours are from 11pm-6am. ain't that some bull?! we were a bit less noisy that night, but it didn't stop us from having the time of our lives. a couple of my cousins slept on the beach with their sleeping bags saturday night, and the same dude who told us to be quiet by 10pm kicked them off the sand. it was around 630am sunday morning, and he got pissed, and came back to our campsite to talk to my uncle again. hahaha, my uncle laughed in his face and said, are you kidding me?! they woke up early to watch the sun rise, muahahahahaha.
if there's anything that i don't like, it's stupid rules and the idiots who enforce them to a freakin tee, as if they have nothing better to do with their lives. let people relax, have fun, and enjoy their camping experience.
other than that, we had fun, playing volleyball on the beach, getting some hawaiian shave ice from the cart, playing some cards, bones and mahjong, eating and drinking.
just beware of the rocks you have to pass to get into seaweed filled water. if the water was clear and those rocks weren't there, it would be perfect!
