Camping near Palo Alto

The heart of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto is most famously the headquarters of some of the biggest names in technology, and home to Stanford University. A bastion of innovation, Palo Alto also offers cultural attractions and plenty of options for enjoying the outdoors. Several open space preserves offer hiking, biking, horseback riding, paddling, fishing, and birding, including at top west-coast birding spot, the Baylands Nature Preserve. The nearby Santa Cruz Mountains offer trails, redwoods, and wilderness, and beyond, the Pacific coast. Numerous parks and recreation areas in the broader Bay Area offer a wide range of overnight options for all types of campers.

Palo Alto and San Francisco Area

Head to the Foothills Nature Preserve for woodland trails, wildlife, fishing and non-motorized boating, and seasonal tent camping at Towle Camp. To spend the night in the Santa Cruz Mountains, hike or bike up with your tent to the Black Mountain Backpack Camp. RV campers can park their rig seasonally at the Coyote Point Recreation Area or year-round at RV parks around the peninsula, including near Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, while groups can stay at the Presidio of San Francisco.

East Bay

The East Bay Regional parks offers a wide range of recreation and more than a dozen campgrounds, including at Coyote Hills Regional Park right across the bay from Palo Alto. For water fun and tent, RV, and cabin options, head to Del Valle State Recreation Area. Hike, bike, horseback ride, and camp in the East Bay hills at Anthony Chabot Regional Park or tackle the slopes of Mount Diablo State Park and stay at one of three campgrounds.

South Bay Coast

Head over the Santa Cruz Mountains to the coast and a string of pretty beaches and towns, including Half Moon Bay State Beach, where you can camp for the night. Hike and camp among the redwoods at Butano, Big Basin, Portola, and Henry Cowell redwoods state parks. Chase the surf at Santa Cruz and camp for the night at a state park campground along Monterey Bay.

North Bay

Head north across the Golden Gate Bridge to explore California wine country. Camp under the redwoods at Samuel P. Taylor State Park and Bothe-Napa Valley State Park or near a lake at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. For hike-in and boat-in options, head to Point Reyes National Seashore or stay at a rustic cabin at Mount Tamalpais State Park. For beaches, trails, and backpacking camping, head to the Marin Headlands.

The weather in Palo Alto is generally mild year-round. While spring and fall are ideal for general outdoor recreation, summer is the best time for water activities. Numerous community events and festivals are held over the summer, including the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts in August. Birding can be enjoyed all year though expect to see the most shorebirds from September to April. While many campgrounds are open year-round, some are closed over the winter.