Best Campgrounds Near San Jose
20 hand-picked camping destinations curated for families visiting REI Saratoga. Each campground selected for quality, scenery diversity, and memorable experiences.
Showing 20 campgrounds
Featured Picks
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Campground
Short drive from Saratoga to big redwoods plus the San Lorenzo River, with excellent reviews and a full mix of hiking, biking, swimming, and kid-friendly fishing – ideal as a first family camping trip.
Main Campground
Very close to REI Saratoga, this Castle Rock area campground gives families dramatic sandstone formations, big views, and great hiking and biking without needing a long drive or complicated logistics.
Manresa State Beach Campground
Highly rated beach campground near Santa Cruz where families can camp on bluffs above a wide sandy beach, combining easy coastal hikes, surf-side play, and shoreline fishing in one day-trip-friendly spot.
Basalt Campground
San Luis Reservoir adds a warm-weather lake option within day-trip range, with rolling hills, wildlife-rich wetlands, and well-reviewed sites that work well for families interested in fishing, hiking, and learning basic reservoir camping skills.
Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground
Iconic Big Sur experience in a family-friendly state park, with redwood groves, riverside swimming holes, and miles of trails, making it a perfect first big weekend away on the Central Coast.
Gerle Creek
One of the best-reviewed Sierra campgrounds in range, offering shady forest sites right by clear creek water with swimming, fishing, hiking, and biking opportunities that introduce families to classic high-country camping.
More to Explore
Portola Campground
Close-to-home redwood campground with cooler temperatures, creeks, and a big trail network, giving families a quieter alternative to Henry Cowell plus options for hiking, biking, and wading.
Family Walk in Campground
Short walk-in redwood campsites let families practice backpack-style camping while still being near the car, with access to Portola’s waterfalls, creeks, and kid-friendly trails.
Francis Beach Campground
Bluff-top camping right above Half Moon Bay’s sandy shoreline and coastal bike path, ideal for families wanting easy ocean access, sunset walks, and surf-side fishing without a long drive.
Steep Ravine Campground
Spectacular Marin headlands setting where sites perch above a small cove, blending redwood-lined ravines, dramatic cliffs, and standout reviews into a bucket-list but still family-friendly overnight.
Juniper Campground
Mt. Diablo’s Juniper Campground adds a dry, high-view mountain experience with sunrise and sunset panoramas and plenty of hiking and biking, contrasting nicely with the coastal and forested options.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park Campground
Well-reviewed Sonoma foothills park that mixes oak woodland and ridge hikes with creek-side exploring and family biking, plus dark skies that make it popular for stargazing weekends.
Limekiln State Park Campground
Big Sur’s more intimate coastal campground where redwoods, a waterfall-fed creek, and a small beach cove sit side by side, giving families a compact but dramatic ocean-and-forest experience.
Wright's Beach Campground
Hard-to-beat oceanfront sites set just steps from the surf on the Sonoma Coast, offering rugged beach walks, nearby coastal trails, and great storm-watching for families comfortable with strong ocean conditions.
Liberty Glen (Lake Sonoma)
Hilltop campground above Lake Sonoma with views, access to boating and swimming, and strong reviews, ideal for families who want a lake-focused weekend with hiking and biking on nearby trails.
North Grove Campground
Calaveras Big Trees brings giant sequoias into the mix, letting kids camp among enormous trunks, explore easy interpretive trails, and fish or wade near Big Tree Creek.
Meadowview Campground
Shady forest sites within walking distance of Pinecrest Lake provide classic Sierra boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, and even biking, making this a very versatile family base camp.
Los Banos Creek Campground
Warm, inland reservoir setting where nearly every site is near the water, giving families an easier shoulder-season spot for fishing, paddling, and swimming amid rolling golden hills.
Gerstle Cove Campground
Sonoma coast campground next to a marine reserve with rocky tidepools and kelp forests, well suited to families interested in coastal hiking, wildlife viewing, and exploring a different kind of ocean shoreline.
Indian Grinding Rock Campground
Oak woodland and meadow campground attached to a rich Miwok cultural site, combining short hikes, biking, and educational exhibits that help kids connect nature with California Native history.
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