Where to Camp on the Beach on the Pacific Coast – California, Oregon & Washington

One of my favorite travel memories ever was the night we spent on the sandy beach at Point Mugu State Park in California right in front of the Pacific Ocean! It inspired this list of where to camp on the beach on the Pacific Coast! The list below is split into “camping on the shoreline” locations and places to camp along the ocean that are within a few minutes walk from your tent.

If you are road tripping up the Pacific Coast Highway it won’t take you long to realize the views are absolutely breath taking. What better way to enjoy the view than actually go to sleep and wake up with that view in front of you!

Location is everything in regards to your camping experience!

As an important side note, location is everything in understanding your camping experience! California will have the most beach campsites and be more RV friendly, but many will be very close together with plenty of people due to its population size (which also means more noise!).

Oregon will have much fewer and further between campsites but with less people and more tidal pools. And Washington will be more “off the beaten path” camping with little to no desire to actually swim in the water – and you’ll need to be more physically fit to access many of these campsites which may require hiking in – but they come with prettier views and wilder nature.

The locations below are listed by “Dig Your Toes in the Sand” where you are literally camping on the sand at the ocean’s shoreline, and “Close Enough to See or Smell!” where you may be a 1-3 minute walk from the beach but close enough to be considered beach camping.

Camping on the Beach – Dig Your Toes in the Sand!

1. Thornhille Broome Point Mugu in Point Mugu State Park – California

Camping in Point Mugu State Park has to be the absolutely easiest pull in, pull out on-the-beach camping we’ve ever experienced – for both tents and RV! Technically the camping area is called Thornhille Broome Point Mugu, but the area is literally just open sandy beach.

There’s not a lot there except for a port-a-potty and a few picnic tables so make sure you bring in your own water and supplies. Although the port-a-potty was well stocked and clean when we stayed, I always recommend keeping toilet paper on hand just in case!

You’ll need reservations before you go, but once you’re there you can just pull right in! I was surprised how close to the road it was! You’ll definitely hear the noise of cars passing through the night on the highway, but you definitely can’t beat the view, and for us the cars weren’t too loud throughout the night so we quickly forgot about them.

One thing I’ll caution here is don’t get too excited to sleep on the beach like I was and pitch your tent too close to the shoreline! Make sure to check the high tide time and set up camp far enough off the shoreline! Another really cool thing we noticed during our stay is that the sand is magnetic! When traveling with kids, this is the best spot to camp on the beach!

2. Dockweiler RV Park Beach Campground – California

This incredible beach campground in California I added to this list because although the parking area for your RV is a paved area, you’re as close to the sandy beach as you’re going to be in an RV! You can literally just walk right out in front of your RV and dig your toes in the sand! Unfortunately there are is no tent camping allowed here.

3. Emma Wood State Beach – California

Unfortunately this is another no-tent campsite right on the beach. Probably because there are no restrooms, water or electricity! This is a primitive camping area that is not completely paved and can be very noisy between the ocean, the highway, and the nearby railroad tracks. During very high tides the campground can be closed. The sites are located right off of the highway and may not be level. You can explore an old World War 2 coastal artillery site though, or what’s left of it!

4. Second Beach (in Olympic National Park) – Washington

While you can stay overnight on Second Beach (located in Olympic National Park), you’ll need to acquire a Wilderness Camping Permit. It’s easy to get and worth staying right on the beach sand in this quiet location. Be careful not to set up camp too close to the shoreline though – you’ll need to make sure your tent is pitched above the high tide area.

It’s a great spot to watch for the whale migration from spring to October. This is an area for raccoons and bears so make sure you take proper care of your food and garbage. While you’re in the area, La Push is a great place to visit!

5. Rialto Beach – Washington (Olympic National Park)

Another great spot to camp at in Olympic National Park is on Rialto Beach, which also requires a Wilderness Camping Permit. You’ll definitely want to check out some of the coastal rocks here including “Hole-in-the-Wall”. Don’t forget to properly store all food and garbage due to raccoons and bears and be certain of where you pitch your tent in regards to the high tide lines!

Camping Next to the Beach – Close enough to smell or see!

1. Half Moon Bay Beach State Park – California

Another one of my favorite camping spots along the Pacific Coast is at Half Moon Bay Beach State Park! While not technically on the beach sand, you can get to Francis beach with a quick 30 second walk! It doesn’t take but a few seconds to get your feet nice and sandy!

Although campsites seem close together we had nothing but quietness when we visited! Bathhouses were easily accessible and they even had bike and camp spots for overnight bike riders. This was my kid’s favorite spot to camp on the beach!

2. Gold Bluffs Beach – California

If you’re looking for an “out in the wild” experience of camping that feels more secluded from daily life, Gold Bluffs Beach has you covered! Although it can be windy here, this campsite comes with some serene views of the Pacific Ocean!

3. Pismo State Beach – California

Pismo State Beach actually has two different campgrounds to stay at! Be forwarned one of the campgrounds does flood quite a bit if there is a lot of rain so make sure to check the weather before heading out there in a tent especially! However, you can even drive on the beach here which is pretty awesome!

You’ll also find a fantastic pier which is perfect for fishing! Double check your campsite’s location in regards to the beach trail if you want to be close by.

4. Doheny State Beach – California

You can see the view from each campsite here or watch this video. There are no hookups of any kind here (electrical, water, etc.) but there is a dump station for RVs. Believe it or not this was actually California’s first state beach! So either way it’s a cool place to camp on the beach.

5. San Elijo State Beach – California

San Elijo State Beach is another stunning view of a campground on the California coast! Near San Diego off of Highway 101, you’re practically a staircase away from dipping your toes into the Pacific Ocean! If you like snorkeling make sure to check out the nearby reef! While you can bring your dog to the campground, dogs are not allowed on the beach.

6. Leo Carrillo State Park – California

The great thing about Leo Carrillo State Park is that it’s not only there on the beach but you can also find tidepools, coastal caves and reefs! The campground is cool and covered with giant sycamores! About 30 miles Northwest of Santa Monica on the Pacific Coast Highway, there is is also dog friendly beach which is a big plus! Make sure to plan ahead as there are no water or sewer hookups here.

7. South Carlsbad State Beach – California

While not on the beach sand, this camping spot sits at the top of the bluff looking over the Pacific Ocean with stunning views – right from your campsite! You’ll need to be able to hike down the staircase to actually get down to the sand, but it’s a great way to fence young kiddos from just running down to the water while you are prepping your meals!

8. Refugio State Beach – California

While technically not right on the sand, the campground and parking is right next to the beach so you just have to walk through the parking lot for some good salt spray! They even have beach wheelchairs for those that need to use them at no additional cost!

9. Seal Rock’s RV Cove – Oregon

Alright, so technically this campground is across the street from the beach, but it is still worth mentioning because of the location and beach access. The video above gives you a great view of the campground and beach access.

Some of the areas at this campground are very steep for setting up camp, and if you’re tent camping you may have a short wait for the showers since there aren’t many. But we would definitely stay here again.

10. Harris Beach State Park – Oregon

Camping at Harris Beach State Park is another one of those “close enough to the beach to make the trail worth it”, but you’re not directly camping on the beach. However there are some sites that come with stunning ocean views – so make sure to check out the campsite views before you reserve your spot!

11. Tillicum Beach Campground – Oregon

With beautiful beachfront views and the water a very short walk away, tent campers have the most luck here with the beautiful ocean views! Sites with hookups, while still a great spot, do not come with the ocean view. While there is water available at this campground, there are no showers. It’s a great place to look for whales though, and only a few miles from Cape Perpetua!

12. Cape Disappointment State Park – Washington

This truly wild 2000+ acre location looks down the mouth of the Columbia River. You can find breathtaking views of the North Head Lighthouse, interactive exhibits at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, as well as all of your other camping regulars (boating, variety of camping styles, etc.) They even allow metal detecting & dogs on leashes! This is the perfect camping location for those that want to not only enjoy the ocean but also hike and explore the forest.

13. Kalaloch Beach & South Beach – Washington (Olympic National Park)

Kalaloch Campground is situated on a bluff of varying heights with a quick walk down the stairs for beach access. They do also have cabins and a lodge if you prefer something a little more lush. While Kalaloch is open year-round, South Beach is only open in the summer for camping.If you want to visit the famous Hoh Rain Forest, it is about a 45 minute drive.

As you can see there are plenty of places to camp on the beach or near by when traveling the Pacific Coast Highway in California, Oregon or Washington! If you know of another sandy hotspot that I’ve missed leave a comment below and let me know!