Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
- You can reserve your campsite up to six months in advance on the California State Parks website or over the phone.
- If you are planning to visit during the busy summer season, it's a good idea to book well in advance, as campsites can fill up quickly.
- In addition to the main campground, there are five group camping areas as well as special hike and bike campsites for travelers coming on foot or by bicycle.
- If you're having trouble snagging a spot at El Capitán, you may have better luck at Gaviota State Park, a 15-minute drive down the coast.
When to Go
El Capitán State Beach offers year-round camping and pleasant weather throughout the year. If you want to swim and sunbathe, July through September offer the best temperatures, though you may find sunny days (with fewer crowds) well into October. Winters are mild, but do get some rain, and temperatures this time of year rarely drop below the mid-40s at night. Advanced surfers should consider coming in autumn or winter, when the swells are at their finest.
Know Before You Go
- There's a small store at the campground selling ice, fishing bait and tackle, camp supplies, souvenirs, and basic groceries. For a more extensive shop, head to nearby Santa Barbara, about a 20-minute drive from the beach.
- Check tide tables before walking on the beach, as large sections disappear at high tide, which can leave visitors stranded against the cliffs.
- Accessible features at El Capitán include 10 tent camping sites, accessible picnic sites, and accessible toilets and showers. There’s also a loaner beach wheelchair available for visitors to use.
El Capitán State Beach
Enjoy year-round camping at this Santa Barbara-area surfer favorite.
Just outside of Santa Barbara, El Capitán State Beach—affectionately known as El Cap—has long been popular among surfers, and while this state park gets some fantastic swells, even those who prefer to stay on dry land will find plenty to experience within the park's boundaries. The park’s 10-odd miles of trails weave through beautiful forests full of oaks, sycamores, and willows and there are plenty of viewpoints on the bluffs above the beach for taking in views of the Pacific Ocean. To spend the night at the beach, the year-round campground has over 130 sites.
Just outside of Santa Barbara, El Capitán State Beach—affectionately known as El Cap—has long been popular among surfers, and while this state park gets some fantastic swells, even those who prefer to stay on dry land will find plenty to experience within the park's boundaries. The park’s 10-odd miles of trails weave through beautiful forests full of oaks, sycamores, and willows and there are plenty of viewpoints on the bluffs above the beach for taking in views of the Pacific Ocean. To spend the night at the beach, the year-round campground has over 130 sites.
Activities in the park
1 campground in El Capitán State Beach
The lovely thing about all of the campgrounds in El Capitan is that they all have easy access to the beach. In addition to the 123 tent/rv/trailer/van sites, there are also 5 group sites (Portola, Ortego, Cabrillo, Drake and De Anza), one of which is handicap accessible. Nine of the tent/rv/trailer sites are specifically set aside as RV sites. Read more...
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Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
When to Go
El Capitán State Beach offers year-round camping and pleasant weather throughout the year. If you want to swim and sunbathe, July through September offer the best temperatures, though you may find sunny days (with fewer crowds) well into October. Winters are mild, but do get some rain, and temperatures this time of year rarely drop below the mid-40s at night. Advanced surfers should consider coming in autumn or winter, when the swells are at their finest.
Know Before You Go
Public campgrounds (book externally) —