Best Campgrounds Near San Carlos
20 hand-picked camping destinations curated for families visiting REI San Carlos. Each campground selected for quality, scenery diversity, and memorable experiences.
Showing 20 campgrounds
Featured Picks
Portola Campground
Closest classic redwood camping to San Carlos with shady family sites, creek splashing, and easy loop hikes for a first forest getaway.
Francis Beach Campground
Super convenient oceanfront car camping with bluff-top sites, direct beach access, and flat coastal trails and bike paths ideal for families.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Campground
Combines towering redwoods with river access and kid-friendly trails, plus proximity to Santa Cruz for an easy day-trip style family campout.
Kirby Cove Campground
Iconic views of the Golden Gate and a small protected beach reachable by a short hike, giving families a memorable wow camping experience close to the city.
Liberty Glen (Lake Sonoma)
Best blend of lake access and hilltop views within weekend range, offering hiking, swimming, and boating-style adventures around Lake Sonoma.
Gerle Creek
High-rated Sierra spot with creekside sites, swimming holes, and trails that give families a true mountain-camping experience.
More to Explore
Steep Ravine Campground
Unique cliffside environmental sites above the Pacific with nearby redwood hikes, perfect for adventurous families seeking a dramatic coastal setting.
Wright's Beach Campground
Rare true-on-the-sand camping on a wild Sonoma Coast beach, great for tide watching and nearby bluff hikes.
Bodega Dunes Campground
More sheltered alternative to Wright's with dune-protected sites, easy beach access, and lots of room for kids to explore.
Manresa State Beach Campground
Wide sandy surfing beach with bluff-top campground, good for families who want a classic Santa Cruz beach weekend without a long drive.
New Brighton State Beach Campground
Clifftop sites overlooking Monterey Bay with a walk-down trail to a generally calmer, family-friendly swimming beach.
Samuel P. Taylor State Park Campground
Redwood valley camping along Lagunitas Creek with flat trails and bike paths, ideal for younger kids and first-time campers.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Campground
Diverse terrain from oak woodland to ridgelines, with waterfall and creek access plus stellar stargazing, giving families a varied weekend basecamp in Sonoma.
Black Miners Bar Campground
Lakeside camping near Lake Natoma with easy access to paddling, swimming coves, and bike paths, great for hot-weather water play.
Meadowview Campground
Shaded forest campground a short walk from Pinecrest Lake, a very family-oriented mountain lake with swimming, boat rentals, and an easy shoreline trail.
North Grove Campground
Sleep among giant sequoias with short, educational loop trails that are perfect for kids and visiting relatives.
Pantoll Campground
Simple, centrally located Mt Tam campground with instant access to redwood canyons and ridge trails that drop toward Stinson Beach.
Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground
Full-service Big Sur campground along the river with redwoods, swimming holes, and many classic coastal hikes a short drive away.
Main Campground
Closest mountain-style campground to San Carlos, with rock formations, viewpoints, and short but adventurous family hikes.
Union East Campground
Granite-shoreline lake camping in the high Sierra with hiking, fishing, and swimming, ideal for families who want a paddle-and-swim focused weekend.
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