Another year, another great trip! We planned this trip last minute as we usually do. We were able to snag a last minute reservation and got a pretty decent space. We didn't get our top pick which was 29, but we got 58 which is nice as well. Not too many people around us either which was a nice surprise. We brought our pup this time and he's been having a blast so far. Bathrooms in the middle section need the token machine replaced but other than that, everything is great! read more

See all

Oil covered beach. Off shore drilling near by. Hard to tell when you first get there, but oil accumulates and your feet/shoes read more

El Capitan State Beach - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

LOVE LOVE LOVE El Cap. Have camped here a handful of times, and it has always been fantastic. The drive in to the campground sets the tone. Lush narrow roads overgrown with wilderness. The sites are clearly labeled, and far apart enough from each other. There is really not a bad site in the campground, as you have sweeping views of the ocean, and a beautiful trail to walk along and enjoy these views. Bathrooms and showers are good enough and not stinky. Campers here have been quiet and respectful of others on each of my trips here. One two separate occasions that I camped here, it was raining. What better place to read and nap away a rainy day than in a site overlooking the gray, cloudy ocean with the low glimmer of the de-commissioned oil rigs in the distance. El Cap, you are a stunner! read more

El Capitan State Beach - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

The beach is great place for hiking and enjoying the ocean! It is adjacent to the campsite as well. The bathrooms are in good shape and there is ample parking. The beach itself is well kept, though perhaps not the most picturesque compared to others in the Santa Barbara area. However, this also means it's much less crowded than other beaches! As of 7/7/24, part of one of the trail is washed out but still passable with a two foot drop them climb on the other side. You can also circumvent this by walking along the beach. There is a $10/car entrance fee for day use. read more

See all

This review is strictly for the camp host Kirk what a great guy.. We rode our bikes over, and he was absolutely the best at explaining everything . Thank you so much for your kindness . The Atilano's that road from refugee on their bikes read more

El Capitan State Beach - Awesome awesome awesome camp host - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

This state beach is worth the $10 entry fee. Clean bathrooms, a store (open during the summer season), paved walkways leading along the shoreline, and so much more. My husband and I spent a pleasant warm afternoon here in November, with the place almost to ourselves. Gone is the summer crowd, with very few campers in the campground which is also packed during the summer. We walked down to the tidepools and walked the trail through the woodland with its huge sycamore trees. It is very peaceful and quiet on the beach, with great views of the Channel Islands and along the coastline on a clear day. Picnic tables line the beach, which is filled with cobblestones, except for a few sandy stretches. There is a bike trail leading up to the campground as well. read more

El Capitan State Beach - Restrooms day use - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

I really thought about giving this place one star... But only to make a feeble attempt to keep people from coming here, giving me a better chance of getting a reservation. Then again, that's really not what yelp is all about, so here is my honest assessment of El Capitan State Beach. As beaches go, it's one of the better ones in Southern California I suppose... A couple of miles of sand some parts of the year, and when the sand my grades down the beach with seasonal currents, it's a cobblestone shoreline as far as you can see in both directions. For the casual wave whomper, This is a fun little beach to goof around, body surf with the kids, maybe push your daughter on a boogie board or something. There always seems to be a couple of guys trying to surf, but nothing like the point breaks up and down the line. Many times throughout the summer and spring, there's a lot of eel grass, seaweed, another vegetation in the water. If you are a surf fisherman, this gets very frustrating. You've been warned... Better bet is to head down the coast to Goleta, or up to Refugio to try your hand for surf fish. For the day use visitor, there is a big parking lot, a kiosk to pay, and at certain times during the year, there's a little beach store near the bathrooms and showers. When we come this far, we generally camp, and it's a reservations required sort of thing. There are several loops, with some of them having better views of the ocean than others. There is also the long Shoreline Trail whose name escapes me, but when it's not washed out from rain, it's a really cool way to ride your bike or run up and down the coast with one of the best jogging views around. There are picnic tables along the shoreline also, if you'd like to eat next to the sea. Camping here is like a lot of places in California state beaches - a picnic table, a fire ring, a little piece of dirt, and an asphalt pad to park your car or small camper. Quiet hours are observed and enforced, which is a nice thing... Nothing worse than looking for a little peace and quiet on the weekend and ending up next to some group playing music with a lot of bass into the wee hours of the morning. That ain't happening here. There's a little bit of nature here too, if you're into that sort of thing... Leave your cooler out on the table, and the local raccoons will help themselves to its contents. Occasionally there's a snake or a skunk scampering around, and plenty of birds from hummingbirds to see calls to turkey vultures and everything in between for the casual birdwatcher. It's not exactly roughing it, but it's a nice way to get away for a weekend. Showers and flush toilet bathrooms are on the older side, but mostly functional. It's not Redwood national Park, but it's not Doheney beach either. read more

See all

Beautiful location, and amazing hikes and sights! Campsites close to the train tracks are noisy and the raccoons at night are a nuisance. read more

See all

I absolutely loved this place! We did overnight camping and the next day stayed by the beach. Restrooms and hot showers available (quarters) , the sites have fire pits where you can bbq too or you can bring your own grill. Walking distance to the beach which was very clean and calm waters for the most part. You can do a day picnic by the beach and bring your grill as well. There's lifeguards on duty and there's even a little store where you can get ice, firewood, water, snacks, some essentials and souvenirs! All the staff everywhere is super friendly and professional. They even had programs at night by a small amphitheater. We went to one where they had two rescue owls and their handlers and rangers gave a really nice and professional program even with slide show! It's definitely one of my favorite spots. Tip, for last minute camping reservations, the website releases camping sites available at 8am every day, but they don't last long so you gotta reserve quick! They will always have something available. Reservecalifornia.com read more

See all

This is a great place to go if you enjoy the outdoors but you don't want to drive forever and a day to get somewhere that is away from the city. This campground reminds of the San Clemente SB campsite in that it sits at the top of a bluff and is close to the freeway. I made it a point to hurry up and leave this review as to not compare my experience to other trips I have planned, but I must say that camping near the 101 outside of Santa Barbara is much less of a nuisance as is camping outside of San Diego near the 5. There are good chunks of time where you don't hear cars doing 80 mph past you as you sleep and can actually hear the soothing sounds of the ocean. Aside from the winds (out of anyones control) and the ashes in the fire pit, I don't have any complaints about the trip. It seemed as if there were weeks worth of fire wood ash in the pit and having that blow around while trying to enjoy our own fire kind of sucked. The facility and site was otherwise well maintained and made for an awesome first camping experience for the fam. read more

See all

It's a great beach for camping, hiking, biking, and just spending a day on the ocean. read more

See all

It's a nice park with beautiful views. The RV park and tent sites are closed until January due to storm damage. The CCC is working on it. They have a small store (El Capitan and Sun Outdoors have stores in 10-20 minute walking distance, the former a deli). The staff is friendly. Walk or bike in free, drive in $10. There's plenty of parking. There is a large campground that looks like it will be awesome when re-opened that includes multiple shower houses and a laundry. There is a bike trail that connects two parks about 3 miles apart. The hikes around El Capitan and Sun Outdoors are nice and all three places co-operate. A few staff don't care for the public. read more

We did not stay at the campground but just stopped by on the way up the 101 to look for a campsite for a future stay! We came through around 1030am and stopped at the entrance station. The woman working in the entrance station definitely either needs a new position or some personality skills classes. Definitely not the best customer service skills. We also asked if we could drive through and look at the different sites but were again floored when she made us pay the $10 day use fee! I am very surprised the upkeep in the park isn't really done. Several areas were very overgrown with weeds and lacked simple clean up. read more

At the entrance you need to pay $ 10. It's not clear what you're paying for. There is nothing special on the beach. A toilet, a shop with beach paraphernalia and souvenirs, and one working lifeguard booth. The beach is narrow, there is not enough space, plus if you go further there are a lot of stones and generally nowhere to lie. We were on a weekday at 3 pm and there was practically no place. I do not recommend this beach, just throw away 10$ read more

See all

Solid beach ,wish the seaweed would be cleaned a bit better because we have to pay $10 to enter but besides that the restooms where clean and the selection at the store was solid. read more

When everyone seems to be doing everything outdoors during these days why not just avoid indoor stays and comforts and just go camping instead:) El Capitan is one of my favorite places to come to when you want to hear the ocean breeze and you don't want to pay SB hotel prices. I go here over Refugio any day as that place gets way too booked and the think the campsite here is more spread out and private. I also like the more rustic beach which you can use while you stay hear. I'm totally in the minority in this but I suggest camping here without a tent to get the best overall experience. The stars here are absolutely spectacular and it will make you appreciate beyond our earth and maybe pick up some insights peeking at that Milky Way that shows through or Orion's Belt during the winter months. Weather is never that cold but then my bod has a good thermostat. You can make a reservation online or pay when you show up. In the Summer months reservations are best but most other months it's easy to get in. If you show up after 8 pm there is no one meaning the gate. But don't not worry you can drive into the grounds and find a space and just pay when you leave. Lastly be aware that the showers are pretty rustic here and clean but a bit smelly. I'm not one to use them and I jump in the ocean instead as I go au natural with salt water cleaning effect. Lastly be reasonable with the neighbors. I did go to a big big diving event here where we were kind of loud and I've had times where people want to party late but it's pretty rare. This place is so dark most people just turn in pretty early so you are good. Don't bring an alarm clock as you will be woken to the wonderful sunrise in the early AM.. If you want an easy one night camping experience and your coming or leaving Santa Barbara this a fun stop to come to. They have a day pass to the beach but I don't think that is worth paying for as the beach is not anything better than what you find with the free options in SB. Enjoy :) read more

El Capitan State Beach - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

We booked a campsite here in the lower section near the creek. The campsite was nice at first sight but in the evening and throughout the night the frogs in the creek got super loud. Loud enough to where you couldn't even hear the train or traffic driving past on the highway. It was ear piercing! I didn't sleep all night. The bathrooms and showers nearby are filthy too. There's bird crap all over and even on top of the toilet stall doors. It's disgusting and unsanitary. I didn't even want to be in there to use the toilet let alone to shower etc. I was really disappointed. This state park needs to be cited or something because it was just ridiculous how unsanitary the bathrooms were. read more

Newbie camper and first timer at El Capitan State Beach. Overall, it was a fun experience. The beach was nice and clean. And the views were very pretty from the campsite. We stayed at the loop D area. The restrooms were outdated and it got dirty and smelly. Some people just don't know how to clean up after themselves. Each camp space comes with a fire pit/grill and a table. We also stayed closer to the freeway, which can be really loud at night due to non-stop cars passing by. If you like sleep, try to pick a space further from the freeway. I understand they're upgrading the campsite next year, looking forward to coming back when it's upgraded. read more

See all

This state beach was our first time camping at a state beach up north from Orange County. It's definitely different than the beaches down in Orange County, but its beautiful in its own way. We got a nice spacious campsite, but that train that runs through really late at night had me cringing because it makes you feel like the Hogwarts Express is about to plow into your campsite. We came and camped alongside a few other families and we took up about a block of sites so we were all together. The old lady that drives around in her little golf cart is incredibly rude. We had our speaker up around 6pm and had it loud enough for the other campsites that we were camping with to hear it, she came barrelling by and yelled at my husband to turn it down. It was literally 6pm and it was was completely suitable for children to listen to and she told us to turn it down, she said that it would bother the neighbors and we said that our friends in the neighboring campsites on the block were our friends. She rudely said "I don't care! Turn it down!" We just turned it off and seriously just wanted to go home. The previous encounters with her were also not pleasant, I might add. It would be nice if the beach warned beachgoers of the excess amount of tar that they have on their beaches over there. I came back with ruined sandals from the tar and the thought of myself exposing my daughter to those chemicals is upsetting. PSA: Make sure to throw your trash away/put away any food that you may have out at night. This includes bags of chips that are still sealed and unopened bags of graham crackers. I woke up in the middle of the night and saw a party of raccoons getting into little bags of chips and our box of graham crackers. They have no shits to give and will not run away even if asked to leave/throwing things at them. They also don't share these snacks with the skunks and that in turn causes skunk to spray at mean raccoons. Think The Great Outdoors scenario. Showers cost quarters, I really thought the bathrooms could have been cleaner/the lights in the showers could have been better. Overall, it's such a beautiful area to be in regardless, I just wished that the people that worked there were happier/more pleasant. read more

Beautiful place. Great for family. I will definitely come back. The cabin needs some maintenance though.

We camped here over the weekend in our Airstream - first time boondocking. The D loop is quite nice. We were within a minute walk to an overlook view of the Pacific Ocean. Several walking paths provide access to the ocean floor. Our pad was fairly level (#121) and on concrete. The surrounding part of the campsite was dirt and included a not quite level table that has seen better days, and a fire pit. Activities include your typical beach relaxation as well as fishing. For the latter, there is a good abundance of seaweed along the shoreline so your line may be more successful brining in seaweed than fish. However, looking at the ocean from the high overlooks, we spied many large fish in these waters, so they are out there for fishing folk. There are nice walking paths around the campground. An overall very relaxing environment. This our second ever back-in site. We were positioned and in place within 10 minutes. This is also a no hookup campground and there is no dumping option. As we were only here from a Friday evening to Sunday morning, the short trip did allow us to experience and learn about preparedness for boondocking (which we apparently were not). Our RV battery ran dead by Saturday evening. So this type of camping will bode far better with access to a generator. We had to re-attach our truck to bring our electric awning back into the Airstream. The campground provides several restroom facilities - and at least some of these have showers. A few notes of interest: Picnic table was not level - so having shims for an extra camping stove would be handy There is some noise from cars on the adjacent 101 freeway - but I found this more like white noise which was easy to disregard Ants - they are ever present at this campground, so bring some borax or other eco friendly ant deterrent. If camping in an RV, place around every tire, jack and anything that touches the ground which is connected to your rig. Navigation: Be careful on your GPS. We typed in El Capitan into Waze for directions. However, the app instructed us to get off about 3 exits too early. You will want to get off at Exit 117. read more

El Capitan State Beach - Overlook near loop D at El Capitan State Beach Campground - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

Great views!! We had spot 87 somewhat small we had 8 people and 4 tents. One of our tents was on an incline kind of annoying but the whole park was booked so it is what it is. The wind at sunset was insane I would advise to get there as early as possible. Walk to the beach was nice views are incredible! I think spot 85 is the best spot but if u have an rv it's spot 107. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because the major racoon problem they snuck into my tent and stole my mini cake lol. They were really bothersome at night while trying to sleep they were trying to get in our tents they also got ahold of our smores stuff that was in a tote. read more

El Capitan State Beach - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

***El Capitan Campground Review** Visited from July 9th to July 11th in site 120. Tent camping.  Back in April I stalked the reservation site for last minute cancellations and stumbled on these dates. Good luck! My favorite beach campground yet (we have camped at South Carlsbad, Leo Carillo, Doheny, Crystal Cove, Carpinteria you get the point etc). The good: clean bathrooms, clean showers, a good number of trees, stroll down to beach (5min walk), camp store, beach showers, and decent sized lots. There are walking paths and TIDEPOOLS. The tidepools were a BIG hit with our kids, water shoes would be a plus. Google low tide for the beach and the pools are located to the left (if you are facing the ocean) of the camp store. It is posted. Great for the kiddos. The parks personnel were constantly driving around and enforcing camp rules and I appreciated that! Yes, there is tar, we spent 3 days there and swam often and only found tar on my sole (sharpie size dot) of my foot. The rest of my family was fine. It is naturally occurring in the area (like the La Brea Tarpits). I actually saw tar at Newport Beach 2 weeks ago. Yes, the Amtrak train is very close. It passed 3x s in the evening, but it didnt bother us. The 101 is near as well and you will encounter some noise, but for $45/night and a staircase away from the ocean, we endured just fine. At night we could hear the lull of the waves and the occasional seal bark. It was wonderful! Truly a beautiful campground. The forest and beach meet at this campground. Driftwood on the beach for natural building blocks for the kiddos. Plenty of walking paths and lookouts. Our site had an ocean view. Bring quarters for showers! No tokens here. Water was hot in the shower. Worth the 2.5hr drive. Go see for yourself read more

See all

So lovely! Clean campgrounds. Roomy campsites with beautiful views. Great location & my family loved exploring the different paths and trails. Gorgeous beach we even got to do a little tide pooling late one afternoon. Looking forward to camping here again in the future :) read more

Quiet time starts at 10 pm. The campsites are near the freeway so you can hear the cars and train. Lots of raccoons and skunks. Came for my sisters birthday but park ranger came by around 10:30 pm to tell us that "he can hear us from across the camp sites" and we had no music on. We were just sharing ghost stories and laughing here and there, the park ranger's name was Brad Meckel and he told us to "laugh silently" and when we asked him to elaborate he said "we just don't want to have to call 911." After that we felt uncomfortable and we are definitely never coming back to El capitan. We have been coming for years and this was the fist time we ever had any issues. Brad was condescending and it was too bad that we wanted to continue staying up to chat since we were actually trying to spend time as a family but had to stop for fear of being too loud or having the cops called. Brad may have well just told us to go to sleep. Moral of the story, don't go to El Capitan if you want to spend time with siblings and family after 10 pm around the camp fire. Felt like we were targeted for camping while brown. read more

Went there today with our 98 year old Grandma. Ryan working the check in went above and beyond to get us a beach wheelchair. My grandma's heart has never been happier. Volunteer's Shelly and Kirt were just the sweetest. I tried to ship them! The only negative is the lifeguards wouldn't take their shirts off. 10/10 still would recommend! read more

El Capitan State Beach - El Capitan Beach - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

Nice pit stop on our way back to Huntington Beach Not sure if this is exactly where we stopped but we had a great time getting out of the car and taking some pictures and checking out the scenery read more

See all

El Capitan Beach State Park might seem like it is fairly nice from the highway, but keep in mind... that highway is right next to beach access as well as all of the camping spots. The buzzing of tires and engines can be heard all day and all night - even from the semi-sandy, rocky beach. PROS - sunsets... I worship the sun. - Restrooms are near the stairs down to the beach - beach was mostly clean (they've done a decent job considering this year's oil spills, etc.) - camping is available (no full hook-ups for RV, though) - watching the surfers is fun (you gotta do a little walking to get to where they go) CONS - continuous highway noise - $10 per vehicle to enter (but if staff isn't present they expect the honor system...) - Kevin O. said it is "pretty run down in general." Agreed. - the campgrounds were just okay to me... not very private & nothing particularly special - it's not a great beach for toddlers especially the younger walkers (too many slippery rocks, etc.) - it gets windy in this area TIP - daily passes to this beach will also get you into Refugio SB and Gaviota SB up the road Review #421 Yelp challenge 102 read more

See all

Jacob needs some improvements on better customer service. He should ensure he treats every single customer with the same courtesy as everyone else. Courtesy and kindness go a long way. All I will say is Never judge by appearances. You never know who exactly is pulling up to your front desk. One detail I will mention is that Asking how can I help you with a tone as if customers are trespassing is not the way to greet someone at the entrance. Customers pay for good quality service not a condescending tone as if they are trespassing at the gate. The fee they pay covers your salary so work on your greeting skills Jacob and ensure everyone gets the type of treatment that you would give your own family or best friend, whichever you treat better. Treat everyone as special and important regardless of appearances. read more

We took our daughter camping here for her first time and it was such a fun time! Very clean and beautiful! Beach was only a few minutes away from our camping spot. Lots of very pretty scenic views!! read more

See all

A group of us went camping this past weekend and we had an awesome time!!! We had some issues with booking the campsite but it all worked out..blessed! This camping trip happened to land on our 2 months wedding anniversary so it made the trip a lot more meaningful for us. heheh We got to the campsite before sunset on Friday, set up campsite, our friends came a little bit later, got a fire pit started, cooked bomb food...and chilled for the night. The next day we had to move to a different campsite but that was OK because it was a lot bigger and had a spot to put up our hammock!! OMG...hammocks are friggen awesome!! so much fun!! lol Anyways, we set up, and then headed to the beach...thankfully the tides were low so we were able to hang out there for a bit...it was so beautiful at some parts...the tar kinda made it ugly..lol. but overall...it was beautiful beach trip! Pro tip: wear water shoes or sandals so you don't get tar on your feet! :) The water was so blue and the rocks were just gorg! My husband never looked more handsome under the sunny skies and blue water..eheheh Had an awesome time hanging out with friends and hubs. Headed back to the campsite, hung out...eat...drink..campfire, smores...it was a good time. The bathrooms were really clean..they cleaned it pretty often. $45/night for 8 ppl (they're not that strict), first car free (3 car max), and $10/additional car. Overall, I recommend this campsite..even tho i wish we could have stayed at the beach for a little bit longer.... =x read more

El Capitan State Beach - our campsite! :) - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

See all

Beautiful location but lacking updated restrooms for the number of campsites. RV and trailer campers beware there is NO DUMP STATION. For the most part, campsites are large and clean. Lots of stickers that stick to your fury dogs. Our Poodle was a magnet. read more

El Capitan State Beach - Campsite 119 - Parks Near Me - Goleta, California

This review is for the beach only, not the camping. $10 parking or you can park outside and make trek in. The beach was pretty busy for a weekday afternoon. They have a gift shop outside that sells snacks and drinks. We found a quiet place to ourselves and enjoyed the day. The only downside is the tar. That was the first time stepping on tar at the beach and we had no idea wtf it was. It took a good scrubbing at the hotel to get rid of it all. read more

Just saying. So we travel up the coast quite often and wanted to take a look for future reference at El Capitan State Beach campgrounds. Upon arriving we politely asked if we could see the park for future reference. Now, we are aware of the $45 fee for day use. $45 to stay and use the park facilities. But all we wanted to do is to drive through and see what this location had to offer in the way of camping and services. $10.00 please. I don't think that's right at all. The park exists for citizens to use. Deciding to use it depends on what it has to offer. Decide to use it, pay the fee. But to take a look, where's the courtesy in that. What's wrong with this State of California? Everything. It can't operate within a budget so the obvious answer is to raise fees and taxes on anything and everything. Because I could not drive through, I won't stay there. read more

Love it here. We were very lucky to get a spot over labor day weekend. Although there are no hook ups, there are nice bathrooms across the way. To cool off, it is steps down to the ocean. Weather you are here in a tent, camper, van, trailer or R.V. it is just beautiful. You can ride your bikes all around & even carry them down to the beach. read more

See all

A hidden treasure waiting to be discovered by all... Located just 17 miles north of Santa Barbara this state park is stunning. One of the best unplanned surprises of my last trip to this area. Open from dawn to dusk there's a lot to explore here. Miles of trails, wildflowers, sandy beach, rocky tide pools, sycamore and oak trees with endless ocean views in all directions. Take the many stairways that provide access from the bluffs to the beach. There's also plenty of picnic areas for a really nice meal on the beach or overlooking it from above. Entry fee is $10 and you can also camp here but my review doesn't involve that part as I didn't stay overnight. read more

See all

A nice place to camp with family and friends whether in an RV or traditional mallet to stake tents. Lots of trees for shade, benches and tables and nearby bathroom and shower stalls. This visit we were unfortunate to have had no running water for showers and sink clean ups for dishes and had to drive 2 miles to Refugio beach campsite to shower. A slight inconvenience but the newer shower stalls were worth it after being at the beach all day. El Capitan is beautiful with many rocks and driftwood washed ashore. We found ourselves making zen rock art while the kids boogie boarded, made sand castles and walk in forts out of large driftwood. You can even find a few fisherman trying their luck. The sad part is that you'll find some washed up tar and even small residue sticking to your feet from the oil rigs you'll see far out in the ocean. There has to be a way to keep our beaches clean from all this. We capped the nights off with warm bonfire and s'mores and all in all has a great time being away from the city. read more

See all

Spent last weekend here July 12th-14th. It was our second time camping here but first time being on the bluff, first visit we were down on the lower level in site 30 I believe. Reserved site 110 about a month before by constantly checking for cancellations and availability, this was the only site that came up that I was interested in for my dates and checked almost everyday day. Let's start by talking about the site. It was pretty bad. Absolutely no shade, no privacy, and on a slant. I knew there was no shade booking it so that's on me, so if you're going in the summer I'd advise you to do research and get a spot with shade. If it wasn't for my ez up it would have been horrible during the day. Site 109 was to the left of us and though there were bushes there was a huge gap, which is a bit of a shame because you can see the ocean from it but also are looking straight at your neighbors chilling. At the back of the site there was another huge gap that went straight into site 104. We pitched our tent which we had to be careful about because If we went farther back we would have been in their site, it's on a slant so it's awkward. In front of the site is the road then right across is the group sites. Huge mistake. Don't ever book a site straight across from the group camp unless you want to hear teenagers and people making all sorts of noise straight into 1am. There was a park ranger patrolling but I guess noise like that is normal. Another issue with site 110 is we were right next to the bathrooms which was convenient but during certain times of the day it smelled so bad. The lights from the bathroom also were so bright our site didn't get as dark as others which is good and bad depending. The grounds were kept clean, bathrooms were stocked and the showers worked. The walk from our site to the beach was very easy and better than when we stayed at the lower sites. Not too much tar, after swimming for two days there was only little specks on our feet. There was tons of seaweed in the water, not sure if it's just the beaches on this part of the coast but It's not like that in laguna or new port. I love staying here but I will make sure to get a spot with shade next time and a more secluded one. Sites 99, 103,105 looked the best and 106 having the best view but no shade. read more

See all

Rocky beach! There is no sand here!! I wouldn't go if you are looking for a beach experience. It's basically just a camp ground. Too rocky and cold to enjoy. Lots of tar!! No dogs allowed on beach either. read more

So here's the cool thing about El Capitan. You can be heading to Santa Barbara to see a show or meet up with Pals, and have an awesome spot to stay that doesn't cost you a ton of money. Or, you can really be wanting to enjoy the ocean and a pretty nice campground that has trees and generous spaces for each camper. We have a trailer and sometimes park on the asphalt parking lot because there is a green space directly in front where you can see the walking path and ocean. The downside here is that there are no picnic benches and the bathrooms have been closed for some time due to "drought/water Conservation". Alternatively there are some very nice ring spots sooner in the campgrounds that are also very nice. read more