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San Onofre State Beach
7 reviews
San Clemente, CA
San Onofre State Beach Campgrounds
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9 reviews for San Onofre State Beach Campgrounds
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.
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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.
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Some of the greatest waves I've ever caught have been at this location.
There are so many times I've surfed here and I'm the only one in the water with nobody in sight for an hour or two! (Weekends excluded).
Obviously San Onofre at Surf Beach has a better break. Surf Beach consists of The Point, Four Doors, Old Man's, Dog Patch and Socks.
I used to camp here in my teens and early 20's, when I was living in Arcadia but when I move to the South OC, I'm a lot closer now and haven't camped since.
The highlights of this place consist of untapped beaches, long trails, VERY few surfers, and good vibes all around.
Word of advice: Make sure you use the restroom before heading down the trail since it'll be a bit before you return.
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!
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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!
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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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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.
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.
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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!
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