For our annual family camping trip, we switched up our usual favorites (Russian Gulch, MacKerricher) to try Memorial County Park, a spot a close friend has raved about for 30 years. We are so happy with our decision!The Pros:Amazing Staff: Tyler greeted us warmly and gave great information.Clean & Maintained: Campsites were pristine, bathrooms were clean, and the hot water in the showers was a huge plus (just bring your own towel).Kid-Friendly Nature: Surrounded by stunning redwoods, the kids loved spotting banana slugs, filling out nature activity guides, and wading in the clean creek.Great Atmosphere: It was wonderful seeing so many kids on bikes and scooters. There is no WiFi/cell service, which was a fantastic excuse to unplug (though you can get a signal at the learning center if needed). Since there were no weekday camp programs, we made our own fun playing charades at the amphitheater.The Cons:No Fire Ring: Our site in the Azalea loop didn't have one, which disappointed the grandkids. Luckily, the neighboring site was empty so we "borrowed" theirs.Departure Encounter: We had a brief interaction with a rude employee on our way out, which was a bummer after such a great trip.Overall, it was an excellent experience and we will definitely return! read more

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One of the most well maintained campsite amidst redwood trees. Bathrooms are clean, very cool, well stocked with soap and toilet paper. Love the summer programming of movie in the amphitheatre with free marshmallows and the wildflower hike. Wish the park can provide a place for their interns to stay the night instead of commuting three days a week esp with the high gas cost. Juliet and Jenny were really informative and passionate. Would highly recommend staying here esp for families. read more

Location was in the middle of beautiful big redwood trees about an hour away from home. Rangers at the park were professional and friendly. Restroom were clean campground was clean. Although the little store on site is closed, you are still able to buy bundles of wood near the entrance of the campgrounds. It was a nice warm day and the water was deep enough for the children to swim. 2 Full size tents are able to fit. Ring fire pit w/ability to BBQ. read more

San Mateo County Memorial Park - Campsite B27 - Parks Near Me - Loma Mar, California

We decided to check out this camp ground for group camping after reading all the great reviews. We wound up getting the Huckleberry #3 camp site which fit our needs perfectly, not too far from the bathroom and next to the on-site water supply. While the drive in was rather tortuous, lots of switch backs and hair pin loops, the actual solitude and cleanliness of the site makes the trip worth it. The group site does allow pets and the rangers do come and check. There was a bbq grill stand at our site, as well as a fire pit and a bear resistant food locker. Trashcan were on site with easy access. Showers and bathrooms were very well kept and the water was warm. If you're looking for a quiet internet free nature retreat this is the camp site for you, just be mindful that it is a bit of a challenging drive. read more

San Mateo County Memorial Park - Parks Near Me - Loma Mar, California

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This review is specifically for the huckleberry camp ground which is required to bring dog. Yes, they really checked. Was our home for 2025 memorial weekend. Stayed at huckleberry campground - dog friendly, doggy bags and garbage are easily accessible. A very nice well maintained camp ground, we really love it. Secluded and no WiFi, a good place to recharge and connect with nature read more

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Updating my review to talk about the Group Campground, specifically Redwood Flat #1. My kid's kindergarten class organized a group camping trip here and we had a blast. There was... - Tons of shade (in fact when I needed to dry out my shoes, I couldn't find a spot that had direct sun for very long. I had to keep moving my shoes every hour). - Barely any mosquitoes (end of May 2024). - No poison oak. - A fun creek - the best access is from a couple trails right by the amphitheater. - So many nice, flat campsites to choose from. - A large eating area (10 picnic tables, giant BBQ grill). - A bathroom with warm water, and showers! - Bathroom doors that did NOT slam, unlike another campground I went to recently where you would get VERY loud slams in the middle of the night. - Surprisingly never more than a 1-person line for the bathrooms, despite there only being two bathrooms for about 80 total people. - Arts and crafts and a movie night offered by the campground. - WiFi near the main office! Though not great if you want to disconnect. read more

One of our absolute favorite places to camp. So close to home but you feel miles and miles away. Beware that the lower numbered B sites in Sequoia camp are near the waste treatment pump house -- the noise really takes away from the forest vibe. read more

Day trip to memorial was a blast so close to where we live is this beautiful place. Stopped at the market in Pescadero grabbed some sandwiches to eat , walked thru the redwoods to the trails to many cool places read more

We had our annual fam camping trip here. I'll list the positives and negatives of our trip: Positives: 1. Creek nearby for kids to play in 2. Beautiful redwood trees 3. Clean bathrooms 4. Showers (have to pay, bring quarters) 5. Close to beaches Negatives: 1. Red head/bearded park ranger was unprofessionally rude. He had that power trip mentality. 2. Lots of mosquitoes (even after using Off deep wood spray every hour) 3. Tree fell and had power outage so no showers or lights in bathroom for one of the days. Makes you think what other trees will fall nearby. 4. No dogs when most parks let you bring a dog on a leash 5. Zero cell service (although this can be a positive for some, we had a big family and it was hard with zero communication when traveling to beach. I also worry about emergency situations and kids being able to call for help). 6. Long windy roads the way we came in, but the way we took home wasn't as bad. All in all we ended up departing a day early because of the overall feeling there. Glad to have a family experience there but most likely will not go back. read more

The way in the mountains into the park is extremely hard to drive. While it's not worth it at all. The creek seems to be clear but actually there is a lot of dust and can be very muddy. The trails are difficult to walk, some places are even dangerous. read more

A hidden gem in the Coastal Redwoods. This park offers posh amenities and spectacular views. The bathrooms are top notch with locally purified well water from natural aquifers, good heat and water pressure in the showers, and it's amazing to drink. They really went all out on their own purification plant which you can view inside the park. Definitely worth the visit if you can get a reservation, or just stop by for a day pass and take a walk along the creek. read more

Beautiful. Fav place to camp. Staff has always been amazing and I love their little store.

I have been here as a kid a few times to camp, which helped solidify my love for a camping excursion. But this is "car" camping which means it really isn't roughing it, as you usually pack your car with a ton of supplies and just unwind. Eating well is usually in the equation as some leisurely hikes and just simply being amongst nature. Though I like it for the most parts, I still only use this spot primarily out of convenience. If I really want to get away and rough it, I'll go elsewhere. But this higher elevation park is on the edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and is filled with towering redwoods, so it has a look that I crave. But because it is a mere 40 minutes up the hill from Redwood City, it can bring a lot of people. The campsites are a mixed bag for me. It is too large for me, so often it feels you never really left the city-life. The camp sites can also vary. When it is nice, you may hear the babbling creek, and are more tucked into a corner. When it is not ideal for me, is when you are next to the main road and hear zooming vehicles/motorcycles roaring by. Also the din of a densely occupied area can be not ideal during certain peak times. Which is why I love coming out either early spring or early autumn, where the crowd is significantly thinner. But the air is very clean and the canopy of redwoods engulfs everything. There is lots of shade, so it is quite cool and sheltered. Awesome for a mid-day nap. A nice creek weaves through the park, and there are several spots to hang out shore side of the water. Nice mellow hikes are to be had, with a strong wildlife educational value. So in other words, very ideal to quench the energy of a youngster. It is also just 20 minutes to the coast. So you can experience another terrain on your trip. This versatility along with the convenience factor is why I'll be a return visitor, many times over. read more

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I'd give this a solid 3.5 if I could. It's quite beautiful and great that you don't have to go far out of the city to be amongst the redwoods. They have awesome programs like nature walks at night where the rangers lead the kids in games, and movies are shown in the amphitheater. I loved the swimming holes, the amazing camp store and delightful lady who runs it, the abundance of banana slugs and that all the camp sites have a firepit with grill, bear box and picnic table. Ultimately a great spot for families with kids. We were with a bunch of our friends and their cute kid so it worked for us, but if it were just me and the hubs I would probably pick another spot. We were with a large group and it was super easy to secure 4 spots next to one another. That said, they are RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. One side of our camp site was so close to a neighbors I could hear them snoring in their tent and didn't sleep all night. Had to obtain earplugs just to get sleep on night two. Certainly not the crickets and owls and soothing nature sounds at night that I'm used to. Snoring neighbors aside, the rangers do come by at 10 to insure any music is turned off and folks are keeping quiet at night which is nice. I'm more of a pee in the woods/shower at home kind of camper so I didn't need to partake in the showers but they were kind of terrifying. There's already a pic on yelp if you want to check. It's the green sheet metal that looks like prison. This is definitely family car camping at it's finest. In the mornings I'd often remark that I was surrounded by more SUVs than trees. read more

San Mateo County Memorial Park - Swimming hole - Parks Near Me - Loma Mar, California

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Ranger Steve Johnson was really special. So friendly, helpful, great customer service: walked around speaking to people about fires, played a quick game of frisbee with my son, answered our questions about the creek, where to play, which sites to visit. And the park is beautiful and well maintained. Huge trees everywhere, the large creek with several swimming holes, the Amphitheatre. Other campers were quiet at night. Bathrooms were clean. Bring quarters if you want to shower. No wireless (Yay! But get your groceries and send your texts from the closest town - Pescadaro). read more

I've been to this park several times before and had the honor and pleasure of returning again. And it's even better than ever! Just 1 hour south of SF, about 15 minutes inland from Pescadero, it's so wonderful to camp and commune with the redwoods, to hike the trails, visit the creek, listen to the birds, breathe the fresh oxygenated air, and be off the grid. I feel rejuvenated! read more

We've camped here (3 times now) and it's one of our favorite spots to unplug and just get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It's very pretty, some areas are completely canopied In trees, and the air smells crisp and beautiful. I almost want to write a 1 Star review and spread rumors that's it's terrible- just to keep people away ;) A few tips- the road in is quite curvy, so if you tend to get car sick easily you've been warned. The toilets are super huge and not the cleanest. If you have a little person, I advise bringing a little person's potty and you'll be glad that you did. The rangers drove around a few times, and it's nice to know they're keeping an eye on things. I don't want all of you to come at once, but I can't deny that this is a wonderful place to camp. read more

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I'm a little scared to write a good review about this place, just because all the Bay Area local hiking and campsites book up so fast. Memorial Park I'd have to say is truly one of the last hidden gems of the Bay. Located about a 15 minute drive from Pescadero in the redwood forest. Went on a weekday to go hiking by myself. Signage for the trails were not that great. I ended up getting lost for about an hour wondering around the actual picnic and campgrounds, when the trail was across the road from the main entrance....You're welcome for that tip. :) It is about 10 degrees colder than near the coastline. Wear layers. In the summer it appears that there is a little shop where you can buy snacks and camping stuff. We intend to camp here sometime. I checked out the showers, they don't look like the pictures on Yelp. Maybe there's been a remodeling since then? Cost to run is .25c for didn't see how many minutes? Day Parking is $6- you park on the picnic side Camping $35 per night read more

Scenery: Forest, Canopy of Redwood Trees, Creek Difficulty: Easy Distance: Elevation Gain: Duration: Route Type: Good for Kids: Yes Strollers: Would not recommend Bikes: Dogs: Parking Fee: $6 This past weekend, we decided to take a day trip to check out the campsites, explore, and hike with the kids. We parked in the day use parking lot, pass the store. I'm not exactly sure what trail we were on, (Sequoia, Wurr, Creek) but it was a perfect trail for my little 17 month old. At first, he looked confused and amazed as he starred up at the sky to see nothing but leaves, but then, he accepted his surroundings and began to explore. I watched him as he hiked up the mini switchbacks and tried to independently run down the hill on his own. Furthermore, we took many stops to look at every banana slug we came across. Believe me, this place was crawling with them, so lucky for my husband and I, (who are not in the greatest of shape), it was a leisurely hike. Further down the trail, we crossed the creek and continued on towards the campsites. The campsites had a stone fire pit, picnic table (some had 2) and were very spacious. In addition, most of the campsites also had logs to sit on. I noticed the best campsites to camp in were in B & C, just because the sites in A were close to the road and you can hear the cars driving by. On a good note, sites in A were close to the creek! We were really excited about reserving our campsite here, however, the rangers told us the creek may be dry this year because of the drought. Either way, this place is great, especially for kids. read more

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Don't be fooled by the name - it's not a cemetery. But it is my favorite family, car-camping spot in the Santa Cruz range. Situated in a grove of large coast redwoods, it offers over 150 separate sites, with bathrooms and potable water stations situated strategically throughout the area. Where most campgrounds offer a mix of "good" and "bad" sites, Memorial is well-designed: it's hard to get a bad spot. Campsites are all relatively flat and well-spaced. The fact that you're surrounded by trees a hundred feet high doesn't hurt either. One of the nicest features of the park is Pescadero Creek, which winds through the park and is easily reached by trail. In warm weather, you'll find roving groups skipping rocks or just cooling off. There is even a swimming hole. (The only thing that's missing is the rope swing). My recent trip here was a dads and daughters overnighter. Once we set up camp, the girls roamed, explored and got a little soiled (as expected); meanwhile, dads drank beer, snacked on apps, and prepped dinner. Everybody was happy. A win-win. Other factoids/tips: - It's less than an hour away from the lower Peninsula - The on-site camp store may save you from the curse of forgotten items - Eight miles of hiking trails is enough to stretch the legs - It contains a beautiful outdoor amphitheater, which can be reserved on line. - Each site has latch-able metal boxes to keep critters away from your food while you sleep - Bring extra shoes for water play. Nobody likes putting on wet shoes in the morning read more

San Mateo County Memorial Park - Typical campsite - Parks Near Me - Loma Mar, California

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As far as I can tell, Memorial Park is essentially the picnic & campground annex of the adjacent and much larger Pescadero Creek County Park just upstream. Why they don't just make them one park (and throw in Sam McDonald while they're at it (and, in fact, just merge them all with Portola Redwoods to form a truly impressive, 12,000+ acre state park)), I don't know. Thus, most of the visitors are here for the picnicking, and in fact the campground was far busier than I expected for a modest little place with 10 Yelp reviews--it must be the cult following of summer shade-o-philes. The only real hike Memorial Park has to itself is the Mt Ellen & Pomponio trails, a 4 mile loop up into the hills on the north side of Pescadero road. It's a pleasant, if generic, walk, and on a misty day the views look more like Canada than California, thanks to the abundance of evergreen forest. read more

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Whenever we have out of state guests, I try to take them here. Not just to see a 1600 year old giant sequoia and fine coastal redwoods, but for any kids to have an hour or so to play in the hollow fallen tree. Between the Legion and Creek Flat picnic areas, the old tree has a rough window in the side, a hole cut in the roof, a big tunnel entrance at one end, curvy roots at the other, plenty of toe holds for climbing, and gives kids that wonderful experience of adventurous exploring while parents sit nearby. What better way to enjoy a visit to California than a memorable afternoon in a redwood park? It's less than an hour's drive on 84 from Redwood City, not far from Alice's Restaurant, and it's on the road to Pescadero, which is another great place to take visitors. Day use fees are $6 or so, just stuff into the 'iron ranger' if nobody is at the gate. :) read more

Such amazing place! The air felt fresher, so secluded indeed. We were there on Jul 4th (mid-week holiday) for just the day, and it was such a retreat. Pros : 1. Amazing weather, even in the middle of hot summer, it was pleasantly cool here (humid-air). Lots of redwood trees (I'd prefer this place over Muir Woods, just because this is less crowded), easy parking, just less people! I'm sure you will cherish this place and keep coming back! 2. Though there's no cellphone coverage (AT&T at least wasn't available), they have a decent free wifi near the office by the entrance, which is nice (just in-case). 3. Very calm and quiet. Even on 4th of July (I wonder how it'll be on regular days/weekends). Cons : 1. Lack of good trails. There's Mt. Ellen summit trail and that was it. The other trail was closed due to a collapsed bridge situation, but even with that open it is just ~5 miles total. Trail is narrow and not kid-friendly. 2. They have plenty of day-use picnic tables /spots; but many are not usable due to algae formations on potable (I wish they did a better job of cleaning them for 6$ they collect. 3. Though it is ~1 hour from San Jose, the road is quite twisty and may cause motion sickness. read more

I camp long weekends 6 times a year. This is the park that sets the standard for all the other campgrounds I visit. These are the pros that one can't find in every park: -Beautiful redwood forest, with hazelnut and oak trees dispersed. Banana slugs, ravens, blue jays, and squirrels. For the past few years there have been no raccoons, but in years past it was kind of scary how many raccoons pillaged the sites at night. I think they were relocated. Yeah, 4 years ago, it was quite the challenge to make nocturnal visits to the restroom. It's been so much better in the past few years. -Less than an hour from my home -Running water. -FLUSHING TOILETS (yes, there are some campgrounds with pit toilets!) -Pay showers. -Camp Store for wood ($10) and ice ($6) and emergency items (expect to pay $12 for a small can of propane, and $8 for a small canister of Folgers ground coffee! $4 for marshmallows) -Each campsite has at least one picnic table, a food locker, and a grill/fire pit. -Most sites have enough room for 2 vehicles to park, and there is ample overflow parking for additional vehicles. -The creek is interactive, meaning that there are access points for wading and splashing. This can provide hours of fun for kids. -There is a small selection of trails in a variety of competencies. -During peak season the visitor center is open, nature hikes are coordinated, and crafty activities are scheduled for families. There is also a weekend movie night in their amphitheater. -If they don't have sufficient vegetation to make the site private between sites, campsites do have bushes and fallen logs placed in such a way to define the borders between sites. -In my experience the park has been increasingly more conscientious about keeping the restrooms/showers clean and well stocked. Still, it never hurts to pack a roll of TP and and a bar of soap for the restroom. read more

My family's favorite place to get away from the rest of the world. We come here at least once a year for 2-4 days, and we go back home feeling refreshed. I personally love how isolated it is but close enough so that you can go to a diner or to the beach just a few miles down the road (drive there, don't walk). I love coming here every year, great place to really be cut off from the rest of the world - because you get no cell phone reception at all and there are not electrical outlets at the lot - and ladies please leave your make-up you really don't need it out here.. You'll get a real camping experience without having to dig a hole to do your business while having clean running water. You definitely get feel of fauna here mainly skunks and birds, a few deer here and there, but none are aggressive. They will mind their own business as long as you do too. And please never leave food out or you'll only set yourself up for massive clean up. Each camp site allows for 8 people at $21/night , two car maximum ($8 extra for that second car), and each lot has enough space between each other for privacy. 8 am to make your noise, 10 pm to be quiet - so don't bring any inconsiderate people with you. You also get a table or two, a fire pit or bbq grill and a make-shift pantry to put your food in so the animals don't get to it. Each lot is very close to a restroom but so far there is only one designated area where they have showers - from what I remember they are building a new one closer to the entrance. So far there are 3 shower stalls, $0.25 per 2 minutes of water so don't forget to bring change. There is also a general store located by the park entrance that sells rice, fire wood, hot dog buns, lighter, gas, ice cream, milkshakes, ice, ramen, etc. if you forgot to bring them with you. We always come here at least twice a day, owned by a really sweet Korean couple! Lots of activities for you to partake in at Pescadero! Hiking, bicycling, guided tours, movie nights at the big outdoor amphitheater (you can also participate in talent shows here), night hike, small museum, etc to name a couple of things! Their policies have now changed: you need to call ahead to make reservations (650) 879-0238. You could also just come here for a day to have a picnic! read more

Hooray for state parks! Support them whenever you can. This is a lovely place for hiking -- there are several trails of varying but relatively mild difficulty to choose from. Parking for the day is just $6, and you can borrow a nature guide from the gatehouse to help you identify local plants and animals along your way. Camping is available too, but we've only been here for day hiking so I can't comment on that. They have a park store on the grounds where you can purchase firewood, ice, and other essentials (ice cream too, but that goes without saying because that is an essential). Our hike was pleasant, scenic, and most important of all, solitary. We had the whole trail to ourselves and didn't encounter any fellow hikers. Sometimes you just wanna be alone with the redwoods! The only bummer is that we could still hear a certain degree of traffic along the way. Kinda takes the gild off the nature experience, but I'll let that slide :) read more

Excellent spot for family camping, just minutes away from the Peninsula. Which works for me, because that's where I live. Have been to Memorial Park for 3 years in a row now, and the little ones can't get enough. Riding bikes/scooters in the campground, meeting other children, finding banana slugs, playing creekside or in the swimming hole... there is so much for them to do that they fall asleep exhausted and happy. And there are so many grand redwoods at the park which provide shade all day. And besides, these trees are a hundred feet tall and everywhere. How amazing is that?! Lots of great campsites in a couple different loops. If you have the time, I recommend going out for a day trip ahead of time to scout the campground before making a site-specific reservation online. Of course if you are planning to camp midweek, you probably won't need to do that. Creature comforts include coin-op showers (a quarter for a couple minutes), clean-enough restrooms (it is camping after all), good facilities for washing dishes, potable water, a good camp store, and friendly rangers who are happy to help. A short drive away from Duarte's, Pescadero Country Store, Phipps Country Store and Farm (berry picking!), Arcangeli's Market, and Pescadero State Beach. Once you're on the coast, Half Moon Bay is a quick 14-mile jaunt north if you want more civilization. All in all, Memorial Park is a wonderful place to bring the family. We'll continue to visit every year. read more

Beware of bold raccoons! It was probably in the disclosure forms when we made reservations on-line (a very cool system itself), but these little guys come out in packs from lots of gaps in the fences and hover looking for scraps and crumbs and even our toiletry bags or anything else that might hold something to scam. Once we got used to our neighbors and their scrounging interests, the place is a great, close by campground to get away to for a night or two in the Bay area. I don't know my way around the regional parks system enough to do much comparing but I liked the size of the sites, distance between sites and the creek complete with watering hole near by. I also like hearing from friends and associates that they have been going here for years. Its nice to feel like you are part of an institution. read more

Nothing but shade. Giant redwoods and the occasional visit from the racoons. It is peaceful if you go during the week but does get packed on the summer weekend. sound does travel and you hear all the screaming kids everywhere in the camp ground, but come 10:00 not a peep. The men's restroom have the no flush setup and in the afternoon you will need a gas mask to enter the restroom. we seen the ranger clean the restrooms on Friday and on Monday, with the exception of the stupid camper who has not tought their little ones how to use a public restroom this area was clean. The rangers are most helpful. There is a small store to pickup some minor things you may have forgot, and they are most helpful. AT&T cell phone users are out of luck I got no signal (witch made this trip that much more relaxing). read more

Great family campground! lots for kids to do. A hidden gem in the redwoods. Great areas to hike and explore for all ages. Roads are cemented great to bring bikes and scooter for little ones. The most amazing Areas to swim. Some water holes are shallow and others are 9feet deep. Water is so crystal clear. FYI there is no cell service and showers cost, BRING QUARTERS. read more

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Some friends and I did a last minute camping trip here for my boyfriends birthday (no reservations) but they still had plenty of campsites open. We got a nice mostly secluded area surrounded by our own ring of trees (well the whole area is filled with tons of tall redwood trees). It was about an hour and a half drive from where I live (well longer since we got lost) but a beautiful one, so I didn't mind too much (= There's a nice creek (water was EXTREMELY cold though, minus) which led into a swimming hole. The swimming hole even had a rope swing which you could use to jump into the water with! It looked like a lot of fun but there were too many people there for my not-so-sober behind to try and stumble across. Everyone else seemed to really enjoy it though. The campers were nice, and it was a pretty quiet place overnight (Minus the kid screaming "MIDNIGHT BROWNIES" at the top of his lungs). It was pretty darn hot that day, but luckily there were a lot of shaded areas so it didn't feel too bad. It was reallly cold in the morning though so I suggest that people bring extra blankies. Overall it was a good place to camp and I plan on coming here again..except maybe on a weekday when it's not as crowded. read more

Just got back from 3 nights of family camping. Our family had a great time! The park is about an hour out of San Jose and it is quiet there. Some kids screaming from time to time, but at night it is quiet. The creek is a fun area. Some deep spots, but you can see them. The water is chilly and clear. We were there during the week so the traffic was down. We will be going again. Kids found banana slugs and millipedes. We saw some poison oak so be on the lookout. Mesquites were also around, so wear your protection. Our site was semiprivate so not an issue. some areas are more crowded than others, if you don't know ask the rangers. They are nice and helpful. So if you want to family camp, give it a go. If you want to party, stay away, it's a family place. ;) read more

It's pretty but that's about all its got. NO DOGS? Yea leave your best friend at home while you camp. No showers because of drought? The drought is over and they maintain the current level of restriction. And of course the price stays the same even though you're using no water. Again, no dogs! Not cool. read more

A girlfriend and I came up camping for the weekend. We made our reservations over the phone (they can also be made at eparks.com) the Monday before we went up, and we got the last spot! It was a little chilly at night, it got down to 45 on our first night, so bring a hat! We bought firewood for 8$ a bundle, which was semi-dry. They have an amphitheater where they do skits and play movies on sat nights. The watering hole looked great, water however was snow run-off cold. There were plenty of little ones playing on the water tho. They also have natuarlist lead activities like Hikes, crafts etc. There are also an abundance of trails for the little ones, all the way up to seasoned hiker. Also The town of Pescadero isn't too far (7 miles) so if it's freezing, drop by arcangelli's and pick up some delish garlic bread! All in all it was a great trip. The campsite was good sized (8 people 2 cars to our site) neighbors were nice. Overall good time. We'll be back. read more

We just found this gem! We took our popup trailer here for its maiden voyage. There are no hookups, but they do have a dump station. The hot showers where nice. It took about 0.50$ for a good shower but an extra 0.25$ helped warm you up on a 45 degree morning! We took our kids on the trails and they loved it. Lots of places to "explore" with our little guys. There are lots of other families that stayed here with kids. We didn't know about paved roads, lots of kids had scooters and bikes. The only real drawback is no pets. Tips: bring cash! The camp store is awesome! They had milk, ice cream for the kids, a screwdriver I needed for our rig and firewood! The sites are pretty well spread out. The beach is only about a 15 minute drive away and Half Moon Bay was close enough for a trip for an in town dinner. No problems with theft either. Great place. read more

This is a great place for car camping! It's quiet and most of the campsites are choice. I loved the campsite we chose. It was a secluded from the other sites and we went during the week so we only had a couple neighbors off in the distance. The other people camping seemed friendly and made small chat which was nice. You can hear a bit of traffic in the morning, but it was no biggie for us. Peaceful and quiet which is what we were looking for. The rangers were helpful and friendly which was a huge plus! Damn our drought though....I HATE porta potties. Some dumb fool kept missing the urinal which let to pee on the floor constantly. Hence the 4 stars instead of 5. Huge plus is that there is potable water around though!! I'd come back again. It's a nice break from reality! read more

We went to this park for one night of car camping this past weekend. Overall, we had a terrific experience. The park itself is gorgeous. In a southern-Utah-holy-cr*p kind of way? No. But in a this-is-really-90-minutes-from-San-Francisco kind of way? Yes. We stayed in spot D15, a nice little plot nestled right up next to the creek (admittedly it's about 100 feet up from the creek, so tread carefully). The bathroom facilities were about 50 feet away and were well maintained. There was no shower and the water's cold but it's just what you'd expect in a park. The people there were very nice and quiet (at least the night we were there). The rangers were terrific - very chatty and deeply passionate about the park system. For the price and the convenience, I'd definitely recommend it. Bear in mind that, unlike state and national parks, you can reserve spots online up to a year ahead of time and, at $30 per night, it's still quite a bargain (they evidently raised their prices from less than $10 over the past few years to make up for budget shortfalls). read more

Loved this place! A group of friends came here to camp and we reserved 3 sites next to each other. They were close to the bathrooms, but not too close. The water spigot was right at one of the sites, so that was really convenient. The bathrooms were pretty clean - I'd say the cleanest I've seen of any campsite I've been to so far. And they have WARM WATER at the sinks! That was a surprise. I only noticed it when I accidentally pulled up the lever close to the middle. I never expected warm water, so I never thought to try it. Nice short hike inside the campgrounds and water holes for the kids to play in. The water was cold though, so just be prepared. (Weather is also relatively cold.) They also have movies at night at their outdoor theater and a general store in case you forgot something. Overall, nice campsite and I'd definitely go there again! read more

Very beautiful out there. Went camping for the weekend and its close to home which is nice. The camp site is fun, we brought our bikes, rode around, and took a hike by this little river. Down side: NO DOGS! What the heck? So we had to leave our dog with a friend for the weekend. Also the raccoons are vicious. While we were still awake and up they came within 3 feet of us to try and get our food! Then after we went to bed they got into our locked cooler and ate 6 new york steaks of ours! And... ripped apart one of my uggs! If you don't have a dog and you want to lock your food back up in your car even when your still awake, then this is the place for you! It really is beautiful, just has a few downfalls. read more

Home again and unpacking my camp stuff after another 2-day campout at this wonderful FAMILY campground. After all, it is summer and the kiddos are out of school, so there are a lot of them....a minor thumbs down if you are looking for a peaceful, relaxing get-away. However, if you review the campsites, there are plenty of sites that are private enough in the middle of summer. If possible, plan your visit midweek for the most privacy....every 2nd or 3rd site was occupied. The ranger staff are friendly and helpful. During the weekends in the summer, there are ranger-lead family activities; arts & crafts, hikes, and outdoor movies, complete with a campfire and marshmallows. Those kinds of activities are great introductions to camping for kids who are otherwise "plugged in" to computers and such. Kids will be kids, so parents should remind them to pick up wrappers and food around their campsites. The 'coons are BEASTS as I found out at 5:00 a.m. when one grabbed my shoe left outside my tent. They even rustled my tent... I was freaked out! I learned early on from Scouts not to have food in tents, so maybe I stepped in something in my campsite. Since last summer, there have been repairs to the creek bridge and improved signage. Also, many, if not most of the rotting wood food lockers have been replaced with the metal lockers. The stone cooking areas were clean and swept of ashes from previous campers. Made me feel welcome...might as well leave a mint on my fluffed pillow! Oh yes....please visit the lovely Korean lady and her husband who operate the little store. They have always made our visit pleasant and my son and his friend look forward to saying, "hello," while enjoying their ice cream. They sell bundles of firewood....up to $9.00 now. read more