A gateway to stunning beaches and secluded, coastal camping that can’t be beat.
Long Beach has everything you’d expect from a SoCal city, including great surf and golden shorelines. But as predictable as those top-notch features are, this city is nothing like nearby Los Angeles in that it flies under the radar as a top-tier camping destination. Long Beach RV parks abound, as do tent camping sites. The Pacific Ocean offers plenty of water-based recreational activities like diving and surfing, while nearby trails to the north and south provide hikers with unparalleled natural beauty. Toss in options to visit one of the area’s botanical gardens or bike paths and you’ll have more than enough ways to enjoy this coveted stretch of California Coast.
Looking for beach RV camping near Long Beach? Head 30y minutes south to Bolsa Chica Beach, a state beach in Orange County with a campground, fire rings, picnic tables, and full hookups. While tent beach camping isn’t allowed, it’s a great place to hang for the day (and maybe take a shower) while enjoying the cresting waves this area is known for. The three-mile shore is much less crowded than Long Beach, and with a nature reserve attached, you can see rare wildlife, too. Lastly, we love that this beach is handicapped accessible and is pet-friendly.
About 90 minutes from Long Beach, San Bernardino National Forest is an adventurer’s haven. You’ll find some dedicated tent sites here, as well as group camping options and cabins. Like many other national forests across the United States, you can usually find dispersed camping here, too. Many campers enjoy visiting Big Bear Lake, a stunning body of water that boasts recreation throughout the year, while Castle Rock Trail and Pine Knot trails are popular hiking routes around the water. Heart Rock trail features a unique waterfall.
To enjoy the rugged, natural beauty of the Long Beach area, check out San Onofre State Beach in San Diego County about an hour’s drive south. This state park is one of the top-visited parks in California, with options to surf, kayak, sunbathe, fish, or watch whales and dolphins. There are a few main areas: the bluffs, the surf beach by the sea, and San Mateo Campground, which boasts water hookups, RV sites, a dump station, and its very own waterfront with some of the best surf on the Pacific Coast.
Long Beach is gorgeous for camping throughout the year, with nighttime temperatures never dipping below 50°F in the winter months. That said, California’s state parks are much busier during the summer, so you might have better luck avoiding crowds if visiting outside of the peak months of June, July, and August. The best chances for seeing gray and humpback whales is January through April.