The best waterside campgrounds near Montecito, California

Camping waterside in Montecito means waking up to ocean mist or the quiet rush of a creek right outside your tent. With over 1,400 campsites that put you near water, you’ll have your pick—spots range from $45 to $130 a night on average. Anglers cast for trout at dawn. Swimmers take a dip when the sun climbs. Horseback riders follow trails that border streams and hidden ponds. Showers, pet-friendly policies, and campfire rings are common, so it’s easy to settle in. Tried-and-true favorites include Private Beach Farm (400 reviews), Arber-Moore's Ranch (339 reviews), and Harmony's Glamping (226 reviews), each with its own stretch of shore and local following. Montecito’s waterside camping isn’t just about the view—it’s about real access to the best of the coast, from tidepool rambles to late-night campfire chats with the waves as your backdrop.

96% (2.1K)

Top-rated campgrounds near Montecito

Camping waterside in Montecito means waking up to ocean mist or the quiet rush of a creek right outside your tent. With over 1,400 campsites that put you near water, you’ll have your pick—spots range from $45 to $130 a night on average. Anglers cast for trout at dawn. Swimmers take a dip when the sun climbs. Horseback riders follow trails that border streams and hidden ponds. Showers, pet-friendly policies, and campfire rings are common, so it’s easy to settle in. Tried-and-true favorites include Private Beach Farm (400 reviews), Arber-Moore's Ranch (339 reviews), and Harmony's Glamping (226 reviews), each with its own stretch of shore and local following. Montecito’s waterside camping isn’t just about the view—it’s about real access to the best of the coast, from tidepool rambles to late-night campfire chats with the waves as your backdrop.

96% (2.1K)

Top-rated campgrounds near Montecito

1. Arber-Moore's Ranch

93%

(563)

18mi from Montecito · 6 sites · Tents, RVs

Beautiful natural campsites in the Valley of the Moon (Ojai Valley). Our sites are within an eighth of a mile of walking, running, biking, and riding trails from Ojai to the beaches of Ventura. On many days you can experience Ojai’s famous pink moments. You can hike the trails above Ojai, boat, eat, or picnic at Lake Casitas. Travel to nearby Ventura to shop, fish the pier, or take a deep sea fishing charter or Island charter to Whale watch or fish around the Channel Islands. Please note the aerial view of the camping area recently placed by Hipcamp is NOT AT ALL REPRESENTATIVE of the current camping sites and shows a photo that is many years old when the site was merely land. That photo is without any of the existing amenities or improvements. The actual sites are all Larger than Federal Park and Statepark guidelines, with averages of 20'x30' for campsites and 20'x40' for a long RVCampsite. We have planted many young trees and continue to plant trees and native shrubs around and near the sites. We have picnic tables, table coverings, fire pits, and camping rugs/footprints. There is also an outdoor shower, a shower tent with hot water, and an upgraded porta-potty with a sink. Note: During times when high heat is predicted, we strongly recommend that our Hipcampers bring pop-up shade tents or canopies for their sites. The Hipcamp is adjacent to our working ranch, and any photos of old sheds, trucks, a wood lot, or other equipment are NOT on the Hipcamp, but you will drive past that property to get to the separate Hipcamp area. Wineries, Farmer's Markets, Craft Breweries, dispensaries, and more are within 10 to 15 minutes of our site. Our location allows moments when you may see Hawks, Owls, Geese, Swallows, Robins, Bluebirds, and more. We offer both tent and RV camping. The Majority of our Guests love it here: "Vivian and Dave were exceptional hosts! Easy to contact and find our way to their property. Also gave us a plethora of places to go and things to do in the Ojai area. The area was open and spacious, and many trees and upgrades were in the works to make future stays more user-friendly. Big pluses were the shower and toilet facilities—much appreciated !!"

2. Rancho de Granville

92%

(87)

19mi from Montecito · 6 sites · Tents, RVs

Midway between the ocean and Ojai, the ranch is 7 acres with plenty of trees, shade and grass. A sandy yard, a tent spot with privacy near San Antonio Creek ! Challenge a friend to game of horseshoes or darts. Your neighbors are the friendly horses and the curious chickens! This was the original stage coach stop between Ventura and the small community of Ojai . The old bunkhouse and barn remain! Please plan to arrive before 8pm.

3. Caravan Outpost - Ojai Oasis!

93%

(28)

22mi from Montecito · 1 site · Lodging

Tucked away at the outskirts of Ojai, Caravan Outpost offers an unique experience hosted in one of our 10 Airstreams or 1 Tiny House on Wheels. Learn more about this land: This listing is for one of our 10 Airstreams located in a plush, beautiful Oasis in Ojai, California. Caravan Outpost is a garden filled with Airstreams in Ojai, CA. One of the most unique places to stay in all of America. The Outpost is family-friendly and located on the Ojai Valley bike path. Ride one of our complimentary bikes, enjoy the beautiful botanical garden, eat at a local delicious restaurant, hike one of the many trails, listen to our vinyl collection - Relax and enjoy!

4. Los Padres National Forest

95%

(452)

762 sites · Mission Canyon, California

From beach to mountain, California's second largest forest offers recreation in diverse ecosystems.

Pets

Toilets

Campfires

5. Angeles National Forest

92%

(228)

791 sites · La Crescenta Montrose, California

Experience the beauty of nature without having to stray far from Los Angeles.

Pets

Toilets

Campfires

Public campgrounds near Montecito

P-Bar Flat Campground

5.7mi from Montecito · 4 sites · Tents, RVs · in Los Padres National Forest

83%

(3)

Middle Santa Ynez Campground

5.7mi from Montecito · 13 sites · Tents, RVs · in Los Padres National Forest

Mono Campground

6.3mi from Montecito · 3 sites · in Los Padres National Forest

Rock Camp Campground

7.7mi from Montecito · 2 sites · Tents, RVs · in Los Padres National Forest

View from Upper Oso via Andy Sternberg: https://www.flickr.com/photos/revolute/

92%

(9)

Upper Oso Campground

11mi from Montecito · 19 sites · Tents, RVs · in Los Padres National Forest

100%

(3)

Sage Hill Campground

12mi from Montecito · 5 sites · Tents, RVs · in Los Padres National Forest

Los Prietos Campground is pleasantly shady and a great site for those newer to camping.

83%

(7)

Los Prietos Campground

13mi from Montecito · 38 sites · Tents, RVs · in Los Padres National Forest

100%

(3)

Paradise Campground

13mi from Montecito · 15 sites · Tents, RVs · in Los Padres National Forest

Great view once you get out from under the trees.

100%

(2)

Fremont Campground

13mi from Montecito · 15 sites · Tents, RVs · in Los Padres National Forest

Holiday Group Campground

21mi from Montecito · 1 site · Tent, RV · in Los Padres National Forest

94%

(48)

Wheeler Gorge Campground

21mi from Montecito · 67 sites · Tents, RVs · in Los Padres National Forest

100%

(8)

Pine Mountain Campground

22mi from Montecito · 6 sites · Tents, RVs · in Los Padres National Forest

Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community

A

Artsiom

November 2025

18 ft Class B

With pets

1 night at Arber-Moore's Ranch

good place, worm shower, have all needed connections of water and electrisity

C

Conor

November 2025

18 ft pop-up camper

Weekend Trip to Arber-Moore's Ranch

We ended up having to leave late and so arrived to the campsite much later than expected. Vivian was extremely accommodating. The outdoor shower was hot and just what we needed after a day of surfing too. It was a beautiful site in general

A

Andres

November 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Arber-Moore's Ranch

Location is incredibly convenient to Lake Casitas, Ojai and Oak View, but still feels remote and secluded. Site was spacious, clean and beautiful, but could definitely use some improvements. More restrooms and showers, for one, and definitely a line of trees to block out the noise from the main road would be major upgrades. We were lucky to be the only group there that weekend, but I could imagine it being frustrating trying to schedule bathroom/shower time if the sites were full. From my brief conversations with the the owner, Vivian, however, it sounds like they're actively working towards those things already. Other than that, the toilet and shower were both very clean and functional. Shower was hot and pressure was good. Light pollution from Ojai is visible on the horizon, but the property itself is very dark and conducive to star gazing. Host was friendly, helpful, accommodating and communicative, but pretty hands-off otherwise.

l

ly

November 2025

Tent

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Rancho de Granville

Catherine was such a wonderful host. She made sure we were comfortable and let our kids explore her ranch. Our kids loved the horses. It was really quiet at night. We will come back.

B

Ben

October 2025

20 ft Class B

Weekend Trip to Arber-Moore's Ranch

Great spot in a beautiful setting. Would return and recommend for others.

Mark

October 2025

30 ft travel trailer

With kids

3 nights at Arber-Moore's Ranch

Nice spot! We enjoyed our stay. Was nice to have water and electricity. There’s a bit of construction going on with the property but didn’t really bother us at all. Nice views and cool to be able to have fires as well. Definitely recommend!

V

Virginia

October 2025

20 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to Arber-Moore's Ranch

I have been staying at Vivian’s property for several years now and I always enjoy my stay there..

G

Gary

September 2025

35 ft travel trailer

Weekend Trip to Arber-Moore's Ranch

We never actually made it there, due to unexpected events. However, we had a really good feeling about the place and what it would be like, especially after our conversations with Vivian, as we engaged with her about other aspects of the trip: planning, problem solving, cancelling the reservation. We genuinely hope to make the trip to visit with her at another time soon.

Eric

September 2025

16 ft car

With pets

3 nights at Arber-Moore's Ranch

Vivian’s ranch was a great experience to host my family’s first camping trip with kids. It was close to services and pizza for the little ones, was quiet, had lots of birds and nature sounds, and the facilities were clean and in working order. Their ranch has a lot of potential, and I’m excited to see how it improves over time with all of the hard work they’re putting into it and the trees they’ve been planting.

M

Matthew

September 2025

23 ft Class B

1 night at Arber-Moore's Ranch

Beautiful property with great stargazing! Good sized sites and great amenities!

d

david

September 2025

Tent

With kids

2 nights at Arber-Moore's Ranch

Great location for some family camping! Would definitely recommend.

K

Keila

September 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Arber-Moore's Ranch

Had an amazing time definitely coming back. Our host were amazing and it was peaceful and we had a great time they gave wood for sell there so it’s a plus!! Shower was clean a few stores around for last minute things:))

Sandra

August 2025

25 ft Class C

With pets

Weekend Trip to Arber-Moore's Ranch

Pros: hosts were awesome, decent area for camping, hot and clean shower area, fair porta potty Cons: Lack of privacy. You can hear other conversations right across from you, as well as their movie. It played pretty loud past midnight.

Daniel

August 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Rancho de Granville

Has a really nice time camping at The Ford. The site is large and has lots of shaded, usable space. Tons of greenery and birds. It is close to a road and cars can be loud at night. Bring white noise or earplugs. The chickens were really fun to have nearby, and the frogs and crickets go crazy at night. Bugs are present, but not aggressive. Had a really nice stay.

C

Christian

August 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Arber-Moore's Ranch

Really enjoyed the tent camping I did on this land. The hosts clearly care about providing their campers with a comfortable experience. They maintain a clean environment, provide a really nice shower/restroom, and have plenty of space to accommodate large groups! Plus the location is very accessible and you can be back in the city in no time. Huge thank you to Vivian and David for making our trip a great experience. Definitely recommend this for future hipcampers!

M

Marquita

August 2025

15 ft travel trailer

3 nights at Rancho de Granville

Perfect little camp. Nice location close Ojai and Ventura. Also near the Ojai - Ventura Bike Path, great for biking and walking/running. If wildfire conditions weren’t so bad we could have enjoyed a camp fire. Friendly horses and a dog. A rooster will wake you up in the early morning. I would visit here again.

K

Kevin

August 2025

Tent

Group trip

Weekend Trip to Arber-Moore's Ranch

We wanted to take our friends camping for the first time and this was the perfect place to do it! Site #2 was nice and open, and was super convenient to stay at, with wood on premises to buy. The bathroom was clean and the shower stall was the best shower I’ve used at a campsite ever. Highly recommend this site if you want an Ojai adjacent place to stay. Vivian and her husband were wonderful hosts and we had a relaxing weekend!

L

Luke

August 2025

20 ft campervan

With pets

1 night at Arber-Moore's Ranch

Vivian was very welcoming. This is a nice place to stay off the beaten path. It's a bit dusty but the views are beautiful. We had never been to this part of California and were Amazed by the beauty all around us. Spots themselves are a bit Dusty and watch out for the burrs . Hey , it's camping! We did a little trouble with directions and Vivian was very prompt in her response. The views of the mountains are very nice and the place is very peaceful . A great host!

D

Dabney

August 2025

21 ft campervan

With kids

1 night at Arber-Moore's Ranch

We enjoyed staying at Vivian Lee's because it was spacious, private, and we had everything we needed. The host was super helpful when I was needing assistance getting oriented when we first arrived. She had sent me an email a few days before with arrival instructions, but since I hadn't seen the email, and it wasn't on Hipcamp, I wasn't sure exactly where to go. In no time, she texted me a map with detailed instructions. We enjoyed a nice sunset walk up the dry river bed, looking at rocks. The site was just as described, on a ranch, private with beautiful mountain views and a safe and good place to pull up for the night. If you're sensitive to noise, and sleeping outside in a tent, you might want ear plugs as there are neighboring dogs who occasionally bark at night -- kind of what you'd expect for a rural setting.

s

shannie

August 2025

10 ft travel trailer

Weekend Trip to Rancho de Granville

Catherine was a lovely host! We stayed at the Ford tractor, which was beside a clear creek with tons of wild watercress. The sound of crickets and frogs at night was so soothing. Just to note: expect cell service to be limited, although we didn't mind unplugging for a few days. Will definitely be coming back!