Lake O'Neill has been a destination for me and my family since 1983. Unfortunately, like many military MWR programs, it has seen a decline in visitors and overall usage over the years. That said, this place is amazing. If you have access to Camp Pendleton, it's absolutely worth the visit. The improvements over the past few years have been impressive from the RV campground and miniature golf course to the well-maintained sports fields and picnic areas. The entire park is clean, and it's obvious the staff takes pride in maintaining it. The employees are always professional, friendly, and welcoming. They do an outstanding job keeping the grounds looking great. It seems like Lake O'Neill has been somewhat overlooked since the Naval Hospital closed, but I'm grateful that commands continue to hold events and celebrations here. We recently celebrated Spouse Appreciation Month at the park, and it reminded me why this has been such a special place for our family for decades. Whether you're looking to camp, fish, host a gathering, or simply enjoy a peaceful day outdoors, Lake O'Neill is one of Camp Pendleton's hidden gems. If you have base access, I definitely recommend checking it out. read more

See all

Beautiful, Peaceful and Clean. Campsite has fire pits and hookups. Great time spent there! read more

See all

This place is way over priced and it's not even that nice of a campground. It's on base and it should be free to active duty members! What a joke! You're better off staying somewhere off base with a nice view! read more

It's my first time here (3-31-2023), and it's already hot in the late morning. There are breathtaking views of the mountain ranges and fairly quiet. The lake has a calming presence, and apart from some of the mud caused by the raining, it's beautiful. It feels like a day-trip or mini-vacation driving here. There's wildlife (squirrel, fish, birds [Canadian geese?]) here and there that I encountered during my walk. Thankfully, not too many bugs. I'd recommend this to nature-lovers and those who want a little getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. read more

Lake O'Neill Recreation Park - the lake - Lakes Near Me - Oceanside, California

See all

"Empowering Marines and their families through comprehensive programs that strengthen their resilience and overall well-being, ensuring they thrive both on and off the field" - the mission statement of MCCS....but that's only the case for a few of their employees here at Lake O'Neil. To those few I am grateful for you, and out of fear of retaliation towards them I will leave their names out of this; I am sorry that your dedication to the Marines and their Families is being stripped away from you. I can not access a directory of names of MCCS employees easily, however I believe the woman's first name is Ann. She is having her employees enforce rules in which don't exist, threatening to have patrons removed for not abiding by said made up rules, going as far as threatening to call PMO and wreckers, and creating a hostile and quickly diminishing crowd here at Lake O'Neil, is simply the tip of the iceberg to the grossly unprofessional behavior by this dictator of a supervisor. I'm disgusted that MCCS as an organizations has allowed this to continue after numerous complaints submitted due to the negligence of this particular individual. Additionally, this has been a reoccurring experience while partaking in the extended stay program offered by MCCS here at Camp Pendleton and I am disgusted that our service members are being subjected to this kind of treatment, when the idea of MCCS is to make Marines lives easier. read more

Had pavilion availability and rentals of anything you could need. Had our own fishing gear but they had bobbers for my kids and we also rented a pedal boat that fit 4. read more

First time taking my RV out and I love this campsite. It is my second time staying here last time we did tent camping in August and were eaten by mosquitoes. This time was much more pleasant no mosquitoes and lots of squirrels. There are two fun playgrounds which were amazing for my two children. The campground is quiet which I absolutely loved!!!!!!! My kids were probably the loudest you can hear a pen drop here and the lake is so peaceful. I loved the Rv sites the restrooms are far but there is good lighting and it felt like a safe walk to use the restroom any time of day. I highly recommend to other family and fellow yelpers! read more

See all

Yikes. Huge office mistake making my family and I camp in an RV spot when we were suppose to be tent camping lakeside. The walk from our site to the lake is ridiculous. The closest thing next to us is abandoned RVs/ trailers that are super sketchy looking (NOT SAFE / NOT FAMILY FRIENDLY), & the pit given to us was at the edge of the map, literally in a field . When we made the reservation we were told we would be tent camping next to other tents by the lake. They never told us our spot number because they told us we had to check in first. It's NOT okay to assign people horrible spots and not tell them . We would have never ever PAID to camp on an abandoned dirt patch. The person who made our reservation should have told us that the lake was a mile away. We would have NEVER paid, we would have declined and found another camp ground with actual views ... customer service obviously can't do anything because they are fully booked and didn't let us stay on nice green grass in front of the office because it isn't a "designated " spot" ... but some how it's okay to throw us near the dumpster and abandoned trailers by sketchy views... :) read more

See all

Not a very friendly staff.. spent the evening installing our new FXW fence. Apparently this goes against their "homesteading" rules as I got a loud knock on my door at 9am telling me it needs to be removed.(find it very odd as they allow toy haulers with "fences") Just warning future customers that were thinking of bringing your fur babies here, I just wouldn't. The campgrounds are filled with the sticky burrs & fox tails, and the trend seems to be not to pick up after your dogs, as if the bug problem isn't bad enough I also wouldn't buy any firewood from the camp store, as the bundles we bought were filled with large black ants that had eaten most of the wood. read more

Lake O'Neill Recreation Park - Fence we purchased specifically made for camping... - Lakes Near Me - Oceanside, California

Easy Fishing spot,Mini Golf is always fun an the park though a little on the smaller side is always clean. read more

Lake O'Neill Recreation Park - Only went Fishing on the back side next to camp/ Did NOT camp caught the most amount of fish I ever have in 20 years in 1 night. - Lakes Near Me - Oceanside, California

Lake O'Neill Recreation Park is located right behind Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital. I came here with my former boyfriend (Rudy) who is an Marine Corps Officer to visit Lake O'Neill Recreation Park. We did a lot of walking at Lake O'Neill, this lake is really nice and beautiful. Their is also a miniature golf course, plus picnic tables and some barbecue pits. We both enjoyed spending the time just relaxing and playing miniature golf. Lake O'Neill Recreation Park is a great place for families, friends, and If you are in a good relationship (Dates) to hang out at. read more

We are retired. We're looking into buying a Travel trailer and took a drive through Lake ONeil yesterday. Today I called 760-725-5611 and spoke to a very patient and professional lady, by the name of Lily. If she is any indication of how this campsite is run, I give it 5 stars. She gave me all the info I requested and was very nice and pleasant to talk to. She made suggestions that I haven't even thought of, when it comes to buying a travel trailer or RV. I am amazed, so you should be prepared to be amazed at Lily. What a beautiful soul. By the time I got off the phone, I was so excited about booking with her. MWR was what I remember as an active duty family but rarely ran into nice MWR employees. Please acknowledge her and give her a raise, if you are her boss. Job well done Lily!!!! Keep on smiling when you speak on the phone. I can see your smile. read more

Been here a few times over the last couple years, but seems to be getting worse each time we come. A lot of the sites have trees that provide adequate shade but also interrupt satellite reception for television viewing. They have free wi-fi that minimally allows you to use your internet. If they would invest a little to upgrade their system, I wouldn't mind paying a couple bucks to be able to surf the web. As it is now, you would do better to have your own wi-fi. There is one section of the park, like 26 or so dry camping sites, that in my opinion are totally unusable due to the amount of squirrel holes that are there. If you walk the field the potential for injury from stepping into one of those holes is pretty high. So be forewarned. On the upside, they have a pretty nice playground area for the kids. It looks fairly new and it is fenced in. There are two restroom/shower areas. One appears fairly new, the other is drawn down a little and could stand to be renovated. They do have security onsite, but I think they only hang around until about 2200, that's 10:00PM for you civilians.... All in all, for the value it's an okay place to stay. read more

I was helping my parents move cross country to live near me. They are living in an RV temporarily until they find a home. I called the lake 3 weeks in advance asking about availability for camping. The woman said no problem, they will definitely have something long term so I called off all campground searches. I called a few days before they arrived and they are booked solid through July. WTF. Now my parents are hopping from campground to campground. It's been a nightmare trip for them and it's all thanks to Lake O'Neill. My mom is stressed out of her mind when this was supposed to be a happy move to be closer to me. read more

My family has been camping at Lake O'Neill twice now. The first time wasn't great because either mortars or artillery were going off ALL night long, but our second trip, which was last weekend, was very nice. This campground offers dry areas for tents and hook-up spots for RVs. Dry areas are only $10/night. There are two playgrounds and they both have mesh shade tarps over the play area. Each dry spot has a fire pit and picnic table. Pros: - It's cheap. $10/night is a bargain. - There is a mini golf course and paddle boats on the other side of the lake. - There's a shower in the bathroom - There's a fishing pier right next to the S1 dry spots. - It's very pet-friendly. There are walking paths that border the lake and doggie bags at the information boards throughout the campground. Cons: - Spots are very close toghether. It's hard to have any privacy when your neighbor is about 20 feet away. - There is no convenience store. I would love to have a shop to buy firewood, ice, snacks, sunscreen, etc., but you have to go down Rattlesnake Road for a couple miles to get to the nearest MCX to purchase these things. read more

Everyone has different expectations and preferences for what they like in an RV park. So, if you like a "rustic" feel with just the basic amenities--this is the place for you. Very few full hookups. Not sure there are any facing the lake. The space we had was rocky dirt with some patchy grass, a picnic table and fire pit. We didn't have a shade tree but a few did. The restroom and laundry were surprisingly clean and updated. There are a couple play grounds and a mini golf. Not sure if the lake "toys" were available yet. Didn't see anyone using anything. No dog park.. which considering the amount of land seems like it would be a nice simple addition. We had 2 dogs which would have loved to run a bit. Woke up the first morning to machine guns and the next to PT screaming. And of course, helicopters constantly.It's a base, so it should be expected. But if you are thinking a quiet lovely lake view, think again. read more

Great park where you can enjoy a nice adventure run around the lake. Also, they do have a mini golf course and a recreation center where you can check out outdoor gear. Good place to hang out if you want to be out. read more

Very well maintained, tons of great outdoor activities for kids to do. Prices are super reasonable. Hours are a bit limited, I wish it was open later but overall a great place! read more

Water visibility is so bad you would have to smack a fish in the face with your bait for them to see it.

Problem with this place is everytime you stop some old guy wants to chit chat about Vietnam, I don't mind but I'm just trying to fish. Also the fishing sucks. read more

Open camp site surrounding a beautiful (man-made) lake. $10 a spot/night. Very cheap! The spots are marked by the numbers on the fire pit and they're fairly close to each other so the privacy isn't that great. It's not too bad though. Overall, the quiet, relaxing, and calm. I think it's a great camp site and I can't wait to come back. read more

Lake O'Neill Recreation Park - Lakes Near Me - Oceanside, California

See all

The customer service is the worst! We made a reservation for Thanksgiving Day and arrived at 8:10 a.m. to find the offices closed. A note was posted to contact security when they arrive at 4pm. They had to find another place to stay. No email or warning stating holiday difficulties. We called the next and the attendant Chris and Jessica were both rude and condescending. They hung up on us while explaining how awful it was for my elderly parents. Totally not worth it. read more

I've been coming to Lake O'neil on and off for many years, more so now that I have an new motor home RV. This lake is a hidden gem of a location however, I've notice a slight deterioration of basic things that could easily be fixed to bring this place up to par with other low rate camp sites. On the positive side; the staff is super nice and courteous, they are very helpful and professional. The rates for camp sites are very reasonable $10. For dry camping $20 for water and electric. Very good walking trails. Nice fishing piers with boat rentals. Well maintained baseball fields and cabanas. Secure area with roving security guard. The negative; the restrooms are in need of some serious cleaning or better still they need to be remodeled. The volleyball court in the campsite area needs care, weeds and squirrel holes have taken over along with the horseshoe pit making it unsafe. Overall the campsites are very well taken care of fire pits are cleaned after each visitor leaves, the lake is beautiful and this is an ideal location to get away for a weekend or a week or two. If management reads this, why are we limited on the number of total days we can spend here? I live in 29 Palms and come here to get out of the heat but, I was told as a retiree we are limited on the number of days we can spend by a new MCO, please reconsider this policy. read more

This review is for the new mini-golf course and the paddle boat/row boat/outboard boat rentals. The location on the map will take you to the camping grounds; the mini-golf and boat area is about 1/2 miles south as the crow flies (or as the fish swims, since it's across the lake). The mini-golf course is newly renovated with 18 holes of heart pounding excitement; a little dramatic, yes, but it is a really nice mini-golf course. The course is fairly basic (no windmills or moving obstacles to get in your way), but they do have water hazards, which is interesting. about half of the holes border the water with no curb to keep your ball dry. There are plenty of nets to fish your ball out, and the ball float, which is super helpful. There are a couple of interesting holes of note: a bridge (without guard rails) directly over a river; a race track style hole that has a horizontal loop; and a concrete ramp that jumps to the hole (hole 17). The best part, besides that it is brand new, is the price. I have two boys under 5 and it cost $2.50 per child (for those without calculators, the grand total was $5.00). Kind of beats driving to Boomers and taking out a small loan to take the kids mini-golfing. Boat rental. I don't recall all of the boat prices (I have a photogenic memory, not a photographic one), but for the 4-person paddle boat, it was $5.00 per hour. The row boat was $8.00 per hour, and a small outboard was $10.00 per hour. The boats are nice for putting around the lake and enjoying the day. I haven't seen the paddle boats before, so i assume this is a new thing MCCS is doing. Once you are done boating, there are plenty of BBQ pits around the area where you can grill whatever you want. Overall, I think this is an awesome place that seems to be a well kept secret (ha ha, not anymore). I like how much effort MCCS is putting into family entertainment. No, it doesn't have arcades, or batting cages, but for those that would like to enjoy a quiet day on the lake and play some mini-golf, this place is for you. read more

Attended a cook out with friends, enjoyed the lake views and would have loved to have had a chance to go out on a paddle boat. I will have to return on a day that is much cooler than the blazing sun and heat. read more

Great place to go camping with the family!! The restrooms are in good condition but make sure to take showers at around 2-5pm or 5am!! it gets really packed! oh and bring one of those mosquito lotions because they come at night and love to bite! read more

Nice place to camp, but not much else for the older kids to do unsupervised! They have pedal boats, mini golf (kinda pricey for an on base establishment), motor boats and other type boats for the lake! The lake is off limits to the human touch so it's not really that fun (can't touch the water). They do have some nice playgrounds for the younger kids so if you have younger ones it would be great! Kinda boring for my teenagers. Approx 30 minute drive to the beach so that's not that bad! No onsite store so you have to use the on base stores and mini marts so you have to be in a certain dress code to enter or you will be questioned as I was! As far as the campsite it was mostly dirt and had plenty of space between rvs! Overall we liked it but it definitely wasn't our best camping experience! read more

There is a nice walking/running trail around the lake that is well maintained. Be aware of the mud run though, they prepare for the event weeks ahead. read more

You have to pay $10 if you are active duty, retired, or a dependent to fish for carp. They say the money is to stock the lake and maintain it but it is supposed to be stocked in march and it is now august. They drain the lake every year instead of draining a little at a time and all the birds eat all the fish. Huge waste of time going there this year. Better off fishing for spotties in the bay. Also if you just plan to go and hike or have a picnic bring plenty of bug spray because there are no fish to eat all the insects read more

Nice for a day trip or a weekend. Cheap. Not a place for any form of long term stay. If I could leave no stars I would. This place has so many rules and is not even the nicest campground on base. They frequently and systematically attack pet owners with ridiculous rules (the latest example now you can't leave your pets in the rv if you're leaving the immediate area, unless you want them to impound you dogs for maltreatment. Not sure how they expect you to be able to have pets and stay at this campground for any length of time with that rule.) The lake is disgusting, with fishing being catch and release only. The hiking trail around the lake is horribly unkempt. The only have one "section" of full hookup with no option to go from full hook up to full hook up when you're staying on a month to month basis. There is constant noise from helicopters since its right next to the air station. There is also an assortment of machine gun noise and artillery going pretty much 24/7. To top it off the management staff are rude, save yourself the frustration and take your money and go somewhere else. Not to mention it's in the center of base and from this point it takes 20+ mins just to get off base and onto the 5 freeway. read more