Nice beach but ultimately got too crowded for our liking. We were hoping for a relaxing day, but children were running around unattended, throwing rocks at people and at ducks, there were tourists yelling at the top of their lungs for their friends to take pictures of them, and letting their kids shoot strangers with water guns. What the hell? When we got to the snack shack, they were only serving hot dogs. So vegans and vegetarians beware, they might not be able to help you. Bring your own food. It was great that the employees set up your umbrella for you. Bathrooms are not luxury (as expected) so be prepared to rough it a little bit in that department. Overall wasn't our vibe because it was just too busy. read more

Johnson's Beach & Resort - Menu July 2026 - Resorts Near Me - Guerneville, California

If you've ever dreamed of paying resort prices to camp in what feels suspiciously like a crowded parking lot with a side of existential disappointment, Johnson's Beach Resort is the place for you. We booked two nights and managed to make it a whole 30 minutes before turning around and driving home, all the way back to Sacramento. The website (and a myriad of social media posts) sell a charming riverside camping experience. Reality? Imagine campsites packed so tightly together that you can practically borrow your neighbor's toothbrush without leaving your chair. The separation between sites appears to be measured in inches rather than feet. The glamping tents and tiny cabins on-site are also crammed together like someone lost a game of campground Tetris. Privacy is apparently considered an optional upgrade. As an added bonus, there was a large homeless encampment under the bridge crossing the Russian River right next to the tent camp sites. Along with it came the sounds, smells, and general atmosphere that definitely weren't featured in the promotional photos. The lodge rooms looked tired, run down, and in desperate need of some love. Calling this place "rustic" would be doing some Olympic level stretching. We arrived excited for a relaxing getaway and left 30 minutes later feeling like we'd been catfished by a campground. All of this, in addition to the cold reception of a locked lobby office door, and weird looks from sketchy people wandering around the "beach and resort". Yikes. 10 out of 10 would recommend... driving right past it. Save your money, save your vacation, and don't let the website photos or influencer posts fool you the way they fooled us. read more

We never go out to this area for a getaway and were just in awe of the beauty that we have missed out on. We booked a cabin at Johnson's Beach and Resort. This location is so convenient to town shopping, exploring, great eats, karaoke and the best Bloody Mary that I have ever had. (I mention this drinks, as it is a short walk from the cabin we stayed at to Rivertime Restaurant). We thought the cabin was so cute and very rustic. I could actually see the ground below through the floor slats and the windows did not have screens but opened up to allow a breeze. It was a little warm, but the ceiling fan helped a little. There is a small deck off of the cabin and it is a nice area to sit and enjoy the sounds of the water, laughter from the nearby campers and the rustling of the leaves from the canopy of trees. I was unaware of what I had been missing out on, by not exploring this area. The people in the town were all so friendly and personable. It was my birthday and we had an intimate dinner, karaoke and beverages. Everything was close by and there was no need to get into the car to drive. This was a walking trip. The check in process was so easy and quick. The check out process was even quicker. I look forward to sharing this gem with my close friends and we have already talked about scheduling another getaway. Great job Johnson's Beach Resort! Until we meet again.... read more

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This is a review on the river only. We were in the area and found this beach there was plenty of street parking. It's the Russian river that runs through here. The area before the water is Little Rock's there's not really sand. The water was calm when we went but can get a little rough. Theres really no safe so bring your own and no tables Or chairs. The place is pretty relaxing. I did notice there are little fish inside the water. There's a big bridge so your pictures come out really good. Overall it's okay to relax and take the kids. read more

Stayed in a tiny cabin on a whim and I was not disappointed. Quaint, cute and RUSTIC. All the necessities were on sight. Use earplugs OR use white noise because at 6AM a guest in another cabin right behind me was taking a business call. Her speaking woke me up. She wasn't loud but at 6am even a basic tone is going to seem loud and could wake someone up. I was that someone this time. After wondering how long she would continue, I simply said, "please stop talking so loud in the morning". I could hear her CLEARLY from my bathroom and through the walls that separated us. She stopped. Aside from this I will definitely use the accommodations again. Austin at check in was awesome and friendly. The other staff I encountered were friendly too. I tend NOT to use Johnson's Beach due to the crowds and lack of food options at the snack shack. There are so many other beaches to utilized that will be less crowded. Thank you Johnson's Beach for a great 1st time at your property! read more

Review is for the beach only, they hold a Jazz and Blues Festival here every year that my friend goes to, and I had it bookmarked for the festival. We were trying to find somewhere with running water for the kids to play at and this was perfect early in the morning. You can easily find parking on the street and it's a very fast walk to the water. There were some people fishing and us, we made sure to move far away and the kids went crazy throwing rocks in the water and learning how to skip stones. They are at the perfect age now where even watching a stick flow downstream is fun and enchanting. You can go walk toward the bridge for a little change, there was no one else there and I always like seeing what's in the water at far off places. Overall, it's an easy to get to beach with entertaining running water. It's very small and I can imagine it getting crowded but it was perfect for our family and an early morning adventure to get your blood pumping. read more

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Our group stayed in both the Historic Bungalows and Tiny Cabins. Def recommended the cabins! They are stand alone so you don't really hear your neighbors vs the bungalow walls were pretty thin and there are slight gaps in the floorboards that you can see straight down to the carport. With the cabins you get a fire pit and you can purchase firewood for $10+tax at the office. We also spent time at the beach and had reserved umbrellas for $20 each because previous reviews stated they were strict about not allowing outside umbrellas. This was not the case and we saw pop up tents and umbrellas. It is easier to rent because getting your own umbrella staked into the rocks is a little challenging! Getting from the accommodations to the beach was so easy and a nice option to go back and forth to use the restroom on your own cabin vs the port o potty. Overall a nice comfortable stay. read more

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Upgrade your bathrooms!!! Johnson's beach has been in business for a long time so it's hard to understand why they haven't upgraded their bathrooms. The bathrooms are very uncomfortable to use and I hope this changes soon because it's unbelievable how these bathrooms are build. read more

What a cool river adventure this will be. I'm excited to go paddle boating on the Russian River. You can camp here or get a room which is kind of like camping. read more

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This was a hidden gem I just found on my 10 year wedding anniversary. We wanted to camp at Bodega Bay but we're unable to find accommodations. This place is less than twenty minutes away and has a totally different vibe and climate. Spent the day at Bodega too cold to swim and spent the afternoon at Johnson's swimming in the Russian river. This place is great for a one night escape or I can see myself staying for weeks. Free showers and also has laundry mat. read more

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Been camping here since childhood but, this is my first time coming since ownership changed. The bathrooms have gotten an upgrade since I last came and so have the campgrounds! We "glamped" in the canvas tents and I must say, it was quite lovely. The beds are heated, we had a fan in the tent and plugs for our devices. The area is wonderful as far as restaurants go... you really don't have to bring much with you. There's also a really good ice chest in the tent so... just bring your clothes and a flashlight and a couple of chairs and you're set! They even provide towels... it really was a lovely time. read more

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Love this place been visiting here since I was a child and now I bring my son here. We tent camp but it's nice how they have other options if that's not your thing. Clean bathrooms with showers for after swimming at the river all day. read more

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Stayed in cabin 68 (queen bed with balcony) and had a great time! It was clean, light, and airy. We happened to come during a rainy week and it was relaxing to read and hang out in the cabin, enjoy the greenery and the sound of rain from all the gorgeous old windows! Staff was friendly and very involved in maintaining the grounds which was cool to see. Can't wait to come back in summer! read more

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I love this beach! The smash burgers at the snack shack are so good and the staff is very friendly

We came here on a whim. It's been quite a few years since our last time. It was busy because of 4th of July weekend. Everything was sold out except umbrellas. We asked if we could hold a chair when one came open and they wouldn't since they were all booked yet there wasn't one time they were completely out because people leaving. The young kids there were helpful with putting umbrellas up, but that's about it. So for future, bring your own chair and food no alcohol. The snack shack line is always deep with people and you will wait awhile. Do not attempt to put up your own umbrella they will make you take it down and pop up tents as well. You definitely want something to sit on because the beach is all rock. There isn't shade so reserve online. They had canoes to rent but all out of kayaks but we've kayaked with them in the past and would do it again. Parking was $7 and worth it. read more

This was the worst place, Cabin was not worth the value. We were uncomfortable and left after our first night. Bed sagged and creaked. Deck furniture was dirty. We cleaned off dirt and bird poo that had been there for some time. read more

We were part of a large group for a wedding party, just after Labor Day. We had great facilities, a beautiful setting, and quiet restful beach time. We were all aware of the proximity to town activities including late night bars. It is part of the charm. We ate lunches at charming and friendly spots in town. We participated in Thursday night Street Fair. Our 20-30 something kids had a good time in the late night, and were able to safely come back to their beds at the resort. The facilities have been through a significant upgrade since any of us last stayed here. The public bathrooms are newly tiled & painted with all new fixtures. There is a digital code for "campers only" so outsiders are not able to vandalize as they once did. The grounds are clean & tidy, with compacted sand pathways cross-crossing the camp & tiny cabin areas. Some native landscaping has been added. The tiny cabins are magnificent! Self-contained with toilets, showers, kitchenette, shelves for storage, fluffy beds, pillows & upgraded sheets. You will not feel like you are camping! There are all levels of overnight options, from tent/RV camping, the tiny cabins, "glamping" tents (!) to old times but updated "Lodge" rooms (with covered parking!) The staff was very friendly & accommodating. But, keeping in mind that we had the entire resort, I think anyone who understands the nature of this "semi-urban" facility would have been happy. It's a lovely setting for "just barely" getting into the woods. The beach was full of "the general public" who we mixed with and appreciated. Everyone was respectful of the river, the environment, and each other. If you want a wilderness getaway, go away from the resort towns of this beautiful stretch of river. read more

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We stayed in one of the bungalows and it was perfect. Very clean and had everything you could need for your stay. We had our own shower, bathroom, deck and little kitchen You even get wi-fi! FREE! Host and his pup were super nice and around if you had any problems, which we didn't. Right on the beach and free parking. Will be there again next Summer for sure!! read more

Offensively expensive for the most bare bones accommodation I've ever experienced. One day I'll laugh at how bad our stay was. But for now I'm just really offended that I paid almost $500 for a tiny, rinky dink room with no AC, no insulation, exposed to hearing campers yell into microphones for most of the night and no shared kitchen facility. I couldn't even take a shower because the water went back and forth between cold and scalding. Lesson learned. I'll never come back. read more

What once was a great family getaway for the day has turned into an expensive day. $7.00 parking when it used to be free. $7.00 hotdogs, $10 cheeseburgers, and $7.00 hamburgers used to be cheaper by more than half easily. Beach umbrellas are the kicker. The facility used to have nice, large sidewalk cafe umbrellas are replaced with cheap smaller patio umbrellas that cost $15 bucks to rent! PLUS, now, the snack bar closed way too early! The place is far from being a value like it used to be. Just scratching for every penny. The old days of just grabbing a towel and going to the beach for the day are gone. HOWEVER, we really like the beach very much, it's just that we have to bring more food, beverages, chairs, stuff than before. It is still safe, clean, and no trouble makers. read more

Always a GREAT time at Johnson's beach rather we bring our tents or grab a cabin. We love the staff, the friendly service and always enjoy the beach and the canoeing up the Russian River. Come every year and we are never disappointed. Good Times read more

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Tip: go when it opens to avoid the afternoon crowd Great place to take the kids kayaking. canoe-ing, or just float along the river in your own floaties. They actually have a plug in pump for you in case you didn't bring yours, didn't want to pump yourself, or have a huge inflatable. The pedal boat is slow and not very efficient. read more

I had been so excited for our visit to Johnson's Beach. I had already had to cancel our $40 reserved beach spot earlier in the summer due to illness (no refund) but was willing to fork out *another* $40 to try again. We drove 2 hours and were greeted with what appeared to be a green meadow instead of a river. We asked the parking attendant if it was algae, and he said no, algae is microscopic. Yet when we pulled into the parking lot we saw signs posted that said beware of toxic algae, and here's what it looks like..and it looked just like what we were seeing. The signs explicitly said "this water does not meet state guidelines. Do not swallow water. There is an increased health risk for swimming and wading." It seems like the green stuff was not all toxic algae, but a plant growth that the Johnson's Beach people try to keep at bay by shoving it over the dam at the end of their property. Because they hadn't done so yet, the water was truly unswimmable. We went to the check-in attendant and he very graciously took our names and promised us a refund (which came through later in the day (this was yesterday Sep 12, 2021, same day as the review below that says they didn't get a refund. I hope that's been rectified). I feel that it is terribly unscrupulous to not post these warnings about toxic algae on the Johnson's Beach official website. My daughter can not be trusted to not drink the water, so I never would have brought her all the way up there if I knew that toxic algae was a possibility, and certainly would not have paid $40 for the privilege of swimming in disgusting water. read more

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This is a review of the campsites and Guerneville in general. The beach and river activities are great. The bathrooms are clean. Unfortunately, the campsite borders a *very* loud homeless encampment underneath the adjacent bridge. Our evenings were disturbed by very tense verbal altercations from this camp, yelling at each other about substances they are abusing while they play loud music and letting their dogs bark at 2am. I do not recommend this place for anyone looking to get away from the chaos and problems of San Francisco, they are in Guerneville too. In fact while I'm at it, Guerneville is as dirty as the Upper Haight. You have the dystopic choice of really, really expensive meals and very sketch characters wandering all over town. This town is not cute or appealing at all and the campsite at Johnson's is impossible to get a good night's sleep in. read more

Awesome weekend by the river. Nice area to camp and enjoy the small town vibes. The area have everything you need.

Staff isn't friendly, you cannot bring your own shade, you have to rent an umbrella. Someone hit and run our car in the parking lot, we were told there are cameras in the parking lot, but when we went to speak to the office, they just told us to call the sheriff. We won't be back. read more

Johnson's Beach & Resort - Resorts Near Me - Guerneville, California

I went here just for the kayaking. The online rental was quick and easy. $87 for two single person kayaks and parking for the whole day, which seemed a bit expensive as we only used them for a couple hours. Still, I had a lovely time on the river with a friend. We had some close encounters with some local ducks and a friendly cat lounging on a private dock. Even with the high price, I'd gladly do it again. The 2-person kayaks are cheaper than renting 2 single kayaks. The staff said we'd have my fun controlling our own kayaks, and we both agreed afterwards that was a good decision. read more

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There is nothing like spending a summer day at Johnson's Beach- play in the river, get some quality beer, delicious soft serve ice cream and a ride in a canoe/kayak. I couldn't get my 7 year old out of the canoe, he loved it, and the beautiful view of the river and surrounding redwoods read more

Johnson's Beach & Resort - River and food/beer/soft serve truck - Resorts Near Me - Guerneville, California

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This review is for the beach only, as we didn't stay in the resort! We came for a couple days in July 2020. I reserved spots online a couple weeks in advance; there were no "front row" spots available at that point, but plenty of 2nd and 3rd row spots. FYI you are not allowed a shade structure! I thought I read all the rules very carefully online but did not see this one. Apparently they are liable if the wind whips it up and hits someone. They do enforce this. You are allowed four people per reserved spot; they do NOT enforce this one, which really bothered me. No dogs, no outside beer (which is clearly stated online). However, they don't check inside your cooler or look inside your cups ;). People are generally good about social distancing, but can't help but walk within 6 feet of some spots if you are going to the water. No one wore masks - understandable, as it's outdoors and people are going in the water. People are also pretty clean, I didn't see any littering. read more

My first camping trip was a SUCCESS! Yes, Yelpers! The Yelp Queen aka Diva went camping and I made it back alive; whoo! After two years of bailing on my Camping Meetup Group, I finally decided to pack my car up and head to Guerneville to try out camping. Johnson's Beach is a PERFECT first time camping trip for anyone! Why? Well, I have 6 good reasons: 1. Bathrooms 2. Spacious 3. Nice beach view 4. Safeway is walking distance 5. There is a phenomenal nightlife 3 mins away from the campgrounds 6. You can camp or stay in the cabin...Pick one! I wasn't fortunate to snag a cabin, but I also didn't mind getting the camping experience. The weekend we went was perfect weather! I was able to snag a spot (#15) in the back where it was perfect with a beach view and was quite. If you are interested in getting a lovely view of the beach, make sure you go with spot 15 and 4! Now, I've learned that camping is all about comfort. So, I made sure that I was extra comfortable. I imagined that my tent was my bedroom and made sure to bring not only my airbed, covers, clothes, and snacks...but I also brought my mirror (a sista' needed to make sure my face was FAB at all times!) and a seating chair (in the case I had any visitors!). You know EVERYONE was laughin' at me all weekend. ::Shrugs:: The weekend we went was a perfect weekend for getting out in the water and playing with the water toys. Many of the camping buds brought paddle boats, tubes, kayaks, and other water toys to play in the water. The beach was PACKED with families, singles and kids. I loved that the beach was clean and all the staff were friendly. They serve food and ice cream on the beach as well as an option to rent the kayaks/canoes/and any other beach rentals. For my first time camping, I truly enjoyed Johnson's Beach! I have to say that it has set the standard for other beaches and campsites. I would absolutely recommend this place for first-timers! read more

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Overpriced. Yes u are right there in town and near the beach and yes very clean and quaint with cool kitchenette but... I get it's a 1920s house but still: can hear everything through walls and floor (including neighboring kids who are awake at 6am or crows outside), water was running between hot and tepid throughout my shower, missing another ring to towel holder (so hung on door). Also not a "cabin " as they are called!! Misleading. even though slightly separated by width of a wall they are still part of larger building so don't think u are alone in cabin beautifully spaced apart as scenically implied in photo or like the tiny house... not worth the $476(with fees) for 2 nights. read more

We have been coming here for years. The current staff is rude and very inconsiderate! Do not bother coming here. Take you business elsewhere. There are other areas to access the river. Go elsewhere! read more

The option to drive up & park ($7) by the river was nice. You're going to pay for everything else. The BATHROOMS-absolutely disgusting!!! At best it's rustic with 3 cramped stalls. Toilets had not been flushed for hours or more. Full of seat covers, toilet paper, & body waste (#2 included). Toilet paper was not attached anywhere. While full rolls of toilet paper where on the ledges above the stalls including the ones that had previously dropped onto the wet, muddy floor, some were on the floor & one was in a toilet. Absolutely disgusting & inexcusable! Aren't there health code standards for this? read more

I know my three-star rating is based on the comparison of how it used to be to how it is now. I have been coming to Johnson's Beach for years. What used to be a fun, cheap family day at the river has turned more expensive without any real benefit. I didn't have a problem with how things were going before so to pay double or 100% more... just not fun. We knew that our family could go with $20 in our pocket and get lunch and an ice cream. Made it nice for spur of the moment trips. Before new owners: Parking $0 3 chicken burgers $12 3 ice cream cones $6 BYO umbrella $0 Total $18 Now that same impromptu trip would be: Parking $5 3 chicken burgers $16 3 ice creams $11 Umbrella, cuz you no longer can bring your own: $10 $42 Obviously none of those are necessary and you can circumvent the parking by walking. Also, I understand the rule about umbrellas is based on their insurance and liability. It's just a bummer to have such an increase. As said, I see that there are some upgrades like the signage or new paint and maybe new trash cans but overall, those don't make the place worth the increases. So we will come back because it's a great place to hang out with friends, do some kayaking/swimming, and have a good time at a maintained beach on the river. read more

Johnson's Beach & Resort - Birthday kayaking - Resorts Near Me - Guerneville, California

This beach has been absolutely ruined by privatization. The amount of rules they have implemented is out of control. 1. No outside alcohol as they want you to buy from them 2. No outside umbrellas. The workers watched us set up our umbrella and once set up, they came over to tell us we had to take it down and rent from them. We go over to rent one and they tell us all the umbrellas are reserved. 3. No dogs 4. Very strict parking management. Even though there were open spots in the parking lot, they refused to open the gate to allow you to park due to concern about too many people flooding the parking lot (which was a dramatic reaction as there were only 3 cars) The rules just went on and on. Frankly, it's not nice enough of a beach to deal with these rules. There are so many public beach access areas around guerneville that are so much better. We ended up finding a much more fun spot and had a great day! Will never be going back to Johnson's beach. read more

Unfortunately our experience camping at Johnson's Beach was horrific... the campsite has a homeless encampment next to it and we were woken up at 1:30am with people walking around the campsite, very close to us yelling about killing each other, profanity and drug use. It was very disturbing, we left without finishing out our weekend there. read more

Parking close to the beach made it easy to get the kayaks in. There was no fee to launch you own kayak. Parking is 7.50 and having a beach boy put your umbrella up makes it so much easier than having umbrellas flying around the beach! Concessions were a hot dog cart (very good) and a beer and chips stand. The more permanent stand had not been installed for the season.. read more

Definitely not a resort. Far from it. Do not go here. For starters they make you pay for your reservation in advance. We showed up and there are signs that say toxic algae. The water was absolutely disgusting. What a scam!! No chance of a refund. You you have to cancel two weeks prior for a beach reservation. That is just obnoxious. Please do not give these people your money... it should be considered fraud if they know there is toxic algae in the water and they are charging people money in advance to go to their beach!! read more

I don't know where to start it's dirty noisy an the camp host is ridiculous I've seen fights first hand an a group even burn a tent ... Chris did nothin an can't even refund I don't recommend this place at all ! read more

This review is for the beach portion only as we didn't stay in the resort. Lucky us didn't have to pay $5 for parking because we found some on the street. Here are some tips for first timers like we were: *The beach is rocky so bring some water socks or water shoes so that you can get in and out without cringing in pain from your bare feet walking in the pebbles. Ahhhh, we learned this the hard way. *Bring floaties so you can float in the river and indulge in one of my favorite things-- being lazy.. Nothing like cool water with your legs dangling in the river and your head resting on a cushion while ducks swim alongside of you. *Of course bring all of your beach essentials-- towels to lay on, picnic stuff if you want to eat, umbrellas for shade. Food is available here for purchase but we didn't buy any so I can't comment on prices. *Lots of sunblock because there is no shade anywhere. If you're like me, you'll have your UV blocker umbrella. read more

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