Best Campgrounds Near Carlsbad
20 hand-picked camping destinations curated for families visiting REI Carlsbad. Each campground selected for quality, scenery diversity, and memorable experiences.
Showing 20 campgrounds
Featured Picks
South Carlsbad State Beach Campground
Classic bluff-top beach camping just minutes from REI Carlsbad, with ocean views, stair access to wide sandy beaches, and a full mix of family activities (biking, surfing, fishing, tide play) backed by strong reviews and popularity.
Paso Picacho & Cabins
High-rated Cuyamaca Rancho State Park hub that gives families a “mini Sierra” forest experience under pines and oaks, with easy summit hikes, nearby Lake Cuyamaca fishing, and the option of cabins for less-experienced campers.
Borrego Palm Canyon Campground
Top-rated desert campground in Anza-Borrego where families can hike from camp into a real palm-oasis canyon, stargaze in dark skies, and bike quiet park roads—an ideal first desert adventure within a reasonable day-trip drive.
Dogwood
One of Southern California’s most-loved family campgrounds, offering a cool high-elevation pine forest, quick drives to Lake Arrowhead and Lake Gregory for boating and swimming, and lots of nearby trails and bike routes.
Jumbo Rocks Campground
Iconic Joshua Tree experience where kids can scramble on giant granite boulders right from camp, explore desert trails, and enjoy some of the region’s best night skies, all in a very highly reviewed, family-favorite loop.
Santa Cruz Scorpion
Channel Islands adventure camping: boat-in access, coastal hikes, snorkeling and swimming from nearby coves, and abundant wildlife viewing make this a unique, highly rated national park island experience for adventurous families.
More to Explore
San Elijo State Beach Campground
Nearby bluff-top beach campground with strong reviews, easy access to surfing, swimming, and biking along Coast Highway, plus a reef that’s great for tidepooling—perfect for a close-to-home weekend.
Rv Campground
Heavily reviewed coastal campground perched above a long beach popular with beginner and intermediate surfers, offering full beach-day fun—hiking the bluffs, fishing, swimming, and biking—for both tent and RV families.
Palomar Mountain State Park Campground
Closest true mountain-forest escape from Carlsbad, with shady pine and cedar forest, cool summer temps, kid-friendly trails, and Doane Pond for easy trout fishing, making it a great first mountain camping trip.
Moro Campground
Well-loved coastal campground combining ocean views, a tunnel walk to the beach, and immediate access to Crystal Cove’s canyon trail network and paved bike paths, ideal for active families wanting both beach time and hikes.
Burnt Rancheria
High-elevation Laguna Mountains campground with excellent ratings, cool summer weather, big pines, and access to Pacific Crest Trail viewpoints, giving families a classic mountain-camping feel within day-trip distance.
Green Valley Campground
Family favorite for hot-weather creek play, with easy trails to Green Valley Falls’ cascades and pools plus oak-and-pine forest camping, offering a different, more water-focused Cuyamaca option than Paso Picacho.
Quail Campground
Lakefront-style campground within day-trip range where families can swim, paddle, bike around Lake Perris, and fish for bass or trout, making it an accessible warm-weather water-sports base.
Round Valley Campground
Small, highly rated backcountry campground in Mount San Jacinto’s subalpine forest, ideal for families ready for a tram ride plus hike to a quiet high-mountain meadow camp for an intro backpacking experience.
Green Valley
Well-reviewed small-lake mountain campground where kids can swim and fish at nearby Green Valley Lake and then retreat to shady forest campsites, offering a quieter alternative to Big Bear’s busier shores.
Pineknot
High-rated family base right above Big Bear Lake, with direct access to hiking and mountain bike trails and a short drive to marinas for paddling and fishing—great for active weekend getaways.
South Fork Family Campground
Intimate, forested campground along the Santa Ana River, giving families an easy way to explore riverside trails, fish nearby, and enjoy a quieter alternative to the larger Big Bear-area campgrounds.
Belle Campground
Smaller, quieter Joshua Tree campground with big Joshua trees and sculpted boulders, offering easier-to-find solitude for families who like stargazing and short desert hikes but want less bustle than Jumbo Rocks.
Canyon Campground
Well-rated coastal canyon campground across from the beach, combining shady creekside sites with quick access to tide pools, sea caves, and surf, plus hiking and biking options in the surrounding hills.
Glenn Camp Campground (Hike Or Bike In 7 Miles)
Hike- or bike-in San Gabriel Mountains campground along the river, with fishing platforms and trail access, chosen as a more adventurous option for families with older kids looking for a multi-mile approach and a quieter setting.
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