If you're looking to road trip to one of the most popular destinations in the United States, look no further than Los Angeles. As one of the most-visited cities in California, the most-visited state in the country, Los Angeles lives up to the hype. The city and surrounding areas are bustling with attractions and natural beauty.
Whether you're interested in city accessibility or natural splendor, Los Angeles has a campground for you. This blog explores the best campgrounds in the Los Angeles area.
9 Best Campgrounds in Los Angeles
Whether you’re staying close to the city or up in the mountains, you’re sure to have an amazing RV vacation in Los Angeles. Here are the top campgrounds in Los Angeles County to choose from.
1. Malibu Creek Campground
The Malibu Creek Campground is situated in the Malibu Creek State Park within the Santa Monica Mountains. Though it is just 25 miles from downtown LA, the first thing you will notice is the breathtaking views of volcanic rock gorges, scenic pools, and the Malibu Canyon. The location is also rich in Native American heritage, with abode ruins to visit.
At Malibu Creek Campground, you are surrounded by peaceful sycamore and oak woodlands that are ripe with numerous hiking trails. In fact, the trails are so good that they host the annual Bulldog Ultra 50k Marathon. The area also offers fantastic rock climbing and horseback riding for the more adventurous among us.
The campground itself holds 56 sites for RVs, tents, and trailers. Comprehensive amenities include restrooms, showers, picnic tables, fire rings, and a dump station. The park is open all year round, but availability and prices fluctuate with the seasons. It is best to contact the park directly for booking details.
2. Hollywood RV Park
The Hollywood RV Park is a family-owned business that has been open since 1976. The park is designed to have the feel of a movie studio, with murals and artwork all around the site. With its central location, close to Burbank, Hollywood, and downtown LA, the park is popular with traveling nurses, movie industry professionals, and sightseeing tourists.
The park comes with a gym and a game room, but the real standout feature is the on-site Hollywood Playhouse. Here, you can see live entertainment like standup comedy shows, musical performances, and much more.
The park is home to 185 campsites, all of which have Wi-Fi access and full hookups with 50-amp power. The daily rate starts at $79 + tax. Weekly rates are offered from $513 + tax, but these rates are unavailable from May 1 to October 1.
3. Arber-Moore’s Ranch
Arbor-Moore’s Ranch is a small campground, holding just six campsites for tents and RVs. This means that you'll be guaranteed a secluded site surrounded by stunning nature. In fact, the area is famous for a magical natural phenomenon known as the “pink moment.” Just before sunset, the Topatopa mountains are illuminated with awe-inspiring shades of pink, with streaks of orange and red, as the sun prepares to set.
Set in the Ojai Valley, the park has even more to offer than its unmatched natural beauty. Arber-Moore's Ranch campground sits opposite a working ranch and is close to several wineries, farmer’s markets, craft breweries, and dispensaries. You’ll have no shortage of options to stock up on supplies to take back to your campsite.
While the campground is small, it does not lack amenities. Toilets, picnic tables, fire pits, camping rugs, water hookups, and electric hookups are all available, depending on your chosen site. Prices range from $69 to $79 per night for up to four guests.
4. Manker Flats Campground
Sitting at 6,000 feet of elevation, Manker Flats Campground offers a serene, high-altitude RV camping experience. The campground is adjacent to Mount Baldy, giving you prime access to the Mount Baldy Bowl trailhead and the Devil’s Backbone to reach the summit of the mountain. If you feel like more of a leisurely stroll, you can take an easy 1.4-mile hike to see the stunning 75-foot San Antonio Falls.
The campground is usually open from May to September, but this may change due to weather conditions. There are 21 sites available for tents and small RVs. Sites cost $12 per night with an additional $5 per extra vehicle. The sites come with a picnic table and a fire ring. There is also access to flush toilets and potable water, but there are no showers or dump stations.
5. Sycamore Canyon Campground
Positioned in the Point Mugu State Park, the Sycamore Canyon Campground offers immediate access to 70 miles of hiking trails. Located near the ocean, the campground has stunning ocean views, as well as a rare combination of easy mountain access and beachfront living. Amazingly, all of this beauty and seclusion is just 32 miles from LA.
Sycamore Canyon Campground is typically open year-round. Prices start at $45 per night with a $10 surcharge for additional vehicles, but prices are subject to change, so it is best to check before booking. The sites are suitable for smaller RVs and trailers (up to 31 feet), but hookups are not available. Guests get access to fire rings, picnic tables, flush toilets, showers, and potable water.
6. Leo Carrillo State Park Campground
Leo Carrillo State Park Campground is located 28 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, just northwest of Malibu’s Zuma Beach. This is the perfect RV trip for beach lovers, as the park provides 1.5 miles of the iconically steep beach for activities. Explore the coastal caves and reefs, and go tide-pooling or beach combing. More adventurous types can get out on the water for excellent surfing or windsurfing. The campsite itself is set in the forest, so you get wonderful shade from large oak trees.
This large campground offers 130 sites that are suitable for RVs, trailers, and tents. Fees start at $45 per night or $60 for an electric hookup. Modern amenities include flush toilets, hot showers, picnic tables, and fire rings. You also have access to the camp store, where you can purchase supplies.
7. LA RV Resort
Located in the Soledad Canyon, the LA RV Resort offers all of the benefits you would expect from being surrounded by mountains and in nature. However, if you are also interested in Los Angeles' major tourist attractions, this is the campground for you. Disneyland Park, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Universal Studios, and several Museums in Los Angeles are all a short drive away.
The campground itself also offers a multitude of facilities to keep you busy. It has a swimming pool, volleyball and basketball courts, tetherball, horseshoes, and even its own convenience store. The large group retreat center at the campground makes it ideal for family reunions, school trips, and other group get-togethers.
The campground offers 24 sites for tents that cost between $53 and $60 per night. There are also several locations for RVs which start at $65 per night and go up to $164.50. The opening dates vary so it is highly recommended to make contact with the campground early to check availability.
8. Monte Cristo Campground
The Monte Cristo Campground is located in the San Gabriel Mountains, giving you the unique opportunity to experience a high-desert climate. The uncommon atmosphere brings with it uncommon animals to watch out for. The mountains are home to the endangered Nelson’s bighorn sheep, California condors, California mule deer, and California black bears.
Monte Cristo Campground offers 19 campsites in total, two of which are double sites designed for groups. Sites cost $12 per night and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are not accepted. The site can hold an RV up to 30 feet, but no hookups are available. You do, however, get access to vault toilets, picnic tables, and piped water.
9. Amazing Stargazing & Panoramic View (Hipcamp)
This off-grid campground gives a back-to-basics camping experience that is fully immersed in nature. The facilities at Amazing Stargazing & Panoramic View are kept to an absolute minimum. The campground does not offer water hookups or electric hookups. There are also no toilet facilities or potable water. This lack of facilities is all in order to give you the most natural camping experience possible. It specifically means that there is no light pollution, so campers can fully enjoy the amazing stargazing of the area. The sunrises and sunsets are also absolute must-sees in this remarkable area of natural beauty.
Through the spring months, the campsites are covered with millions of wildflowers. This makes for stunning views and a truly unique camping experience. Because the individual campsites are not demarcated, campers are given exact GPS coordinates to find their spot. There are 16 campsites, each costing $30 per night for up to four people.
Go RV Camping with Cruise America
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