Happy Tales Camping

I very much regret not reading the most recent review in Feb of this year!! The site seems abandoned and is more of a trash dump than a camp site. The one redeeming quality is we did have a porta potty style toilet to use (we were tent camping). We attempted to call and text the number given (no voicemail set up and said via text we had the wrong number so phone number likely changed). And we messaged the host directly in Hipcamp and got no response. Can’t tell if anyone lives in that area but it was erie and full of junk. Probably have not had guests in months if not longer.

Aubrie F.

2 reviews

Not recommend

· February 2025

Scam?

21 ft Class C ·

We couldn’t find the place and have still not been contacted by the host. Asked locals and they hadn’t heard of it so thinking it might have been a scam or no longer running since all other reviews are from years ago. Having to call made it difficult as we didn’t have a US number, I used two strangers phones and both times went straight to voicemail . We ended up having to rough it and were shot at during the night which was not the best experience.

Hattie B.

9 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· December 2023

Desert boondocking

30 ft Class C ·

We had a great stay here! We got to see some puppies and a bunch of farm animals. The host was very friendly and we enjoyed hanging with him. We spent 2 days there and did some dirt biking across the road at Ballinger canyon.

Bart S.

2 years on Hipcamp

Not recommend

· November 2023

Communication not good

30 ft Class A ·

Because we arrived and it was dark, it was really hard to find the place. Found ourselves in the middle of an orchard after we drove exactly as we were told. I tried calling the host three times from my phone and also texting him from the app but he didn't reply. Only the fourth time. While I tried to call through the hip app, I was able to get a hold of him. Also, by that time I was able to find the place. We were greeted by a very nice gentleman that showed us around and also welcomed us in the morning. He let us feed the animals which was nice. Overall the place is not being taken care of. Underwhelming but if you need a place to stay a night, it's relatively okay. Communication wise it wasn't the best experience after driving in the dark, it would have been nice if he would have picked up the phone or the texts.

Katia S.

5 reviews

Recommends

· August 2023

16 ft car ·

What a beautiful place to escape the city and catch a meteor shower. Very simple but exactly want we needed, a table and BBQ for cooking, a bathroom and place to pitch a tent. An added bonus of being able to feed the deer located on the property. We even got to interact with the boss of the property Gertal, she sure is sassy haha. Our favorite part was laying out on the platform next to the boat seeing all the stars and meteors. What a magical place.

David B.

6 reviews

Recommends

· June 2023

Unique and unforgettable!

16 ft car ·

Had the pleasure of doing some car camping out here Memorial Day Weekend. Stars everywhere and animals everywhere. The animals will follow you around. You are definitely roughing it a bit and it’s about a 20min drive into town so be prepared!

Alex G.

2 years on Hipcamp

Not recommend

· June 2023

Not what it seems.

16 ft car ·

This site is most definitely a work in progress and does not look anything like the pictures posted here. I ended up camping in the monument instead.

Andrew D.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2023

Chasing wildflowers

Tent ·

Thomas is wonderfully helpful- he explained to us that the money he makes from camp rentals goes back to the property, which he’s working on restoring. He gave us advice on where to find current blooms and even offered to have us plant a tree on the property. The nearby town of New Cuyama is really cute- the coffee shop/diner is worth stopping at! Take a drive down Soda Lake Rd to enjoy the San Andreas fault, Soda Lake, and Corrizo National Monument. That being said, this is definitely roughing it/a place to sleep and enjoy a nice fire. It was cold at night in early May, but Thomas was nice enough to accommodate us with a futon, bedding, and a pillow, which was really helpful. The wildlife is up close and personal here, so expect to fall asleep to coyotes in the distance and grasshopper mice scurrying through the brush. The full moon was magical, but I wish we could have seen the amazing stars we heard so much about.

Miranda J.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· April 2023

Tent ·

Tipi was cool! Beautiful view of the stars ✨ Can get a little chilly so bring enough bedding / sleeping bags… Also, lots of farm animals (they’ll hang with you a good bit) — Some white deer / stags, dogs, goats, pigs, chicken and horses… Overall loved our stay there, also having an outdoor shower was nice!

Connor K.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· March 2023

A really enjoyable stay!

16 ft car ·

We had a great time at Vincent's, we especially enjoyed feeding the dear grapes. The picturesque setting was lovely and we had a wonderful time. Would definitely recommend staying here.

Olly W.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· March 2023

16 ft car ·

While I ended up staying in the national Monument, Vincent was communicative, friendly, provided insights to local things to see, and it had great energy! I definitely plan on staying with them the next time I'm down there.

Marissa M.

4 reviews

Recommends

· June 2022

Tipi Camping with the Animals

With kids ·

This was by far the most unique leg of our trip, and the most little CED by my 8 year old daughter. The deer and chickens and pig and dogs being the main draw for her. My objective was to get her under the night sky with no light pollution, and that was certainly delivered. Lots of talk about the area and what goes on Made it super interesting for me. Two comfy beds but bring your own light, camping stove, food and sleeping bags as it can get chilly.

Matthew B.

3 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2022

Tipi camping with wildlife.

Vincent's land is an awesome spot. We arrived late, but fortunately Vincent walked us through the check in process prior to our arrival. The stars lit our path to our tipi. Inside was a cooking pit, and a clothing rack. There was also so much wildlife on site - chickens, horses, dogs, deer, and a lot of birds! There was only 1 of 4 potential Tipis available when we were there. Once they all go up, this campsite has a lot of potential for large groups or families.

Eli C.

13 reviews

Recommends

· May 2022

Stars, horses & deer

Beautiful land with friendly horses and deer. The stargazing is out of this world.

Greg H.

10 reviews

Recommends

· April 2022

Teepee and Stars

With pets ·

My family and I enjoyed the experience of sleeping in a teepee. We were the only camper on the day we booked. The property was peaceful and private spot. Stars at night was phenomenal. Horses roam free and the kids love the farm dogs and deer on site. Highly recommend if you like roughing it when camping. BYO gear for your teepee. Myo (sorry if I mispelled) gave us a couple of recommendations for nearby spots. So extra stars for that.

Patricia O.

5 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· April 2022

Unique Chumash teepee experience

With kids ·

What a fabulous time. The teepee experience is great, and the site is in the stunningly gorgeous Cuyama Valley, with tons of geological and historical stuff to explore. Hosts were incredibly welcoming, as were their sweet dogs. We got to pet and feed the horses, deer, pigs and chickens! Such a fun and memorable weekend. To note that this is definitely camping, though - with exception of a tent (since you've got the teepee!) Hipcampers should be prepared to bring everything else they would need.

Ashley C.

5 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· January 2022

Campsite with a nice view

9 ft car ·

Chumash Tipi Village - Family Tipi

Vincent is really a nice host. He took some times to explain me the road to come to his camp. Then when I arrived he introduce me to his animals (horses and deers). He had a really nice campsite the view is beautiful and you can see the stars at night. I recommend this place

Auriane M.

3 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· December 2021

A unique and interesting experience

Group trip ·

My family enjoyed this very unique experience. Here is the list of pros and cons. Pros- Vincent, our host, was very attentive and helped us quickly whenever we sent a request. He built a fire in the center of the tipi and it kept us very warm. The tipi we were put in was HUGE! We brought two cots, had the two full beds and still had room for all 4 camp chairs and a card table. We also brought our Coleman stove into the tipi and cooked inside. They had many mats on the floor that kept our feet and tipi from keeping too dirty. It was a wonderful way to have family time. We loved the three friendly blue heelers. We fed the deer grapes and the horses apples. The stars were absolutely gorgeous and clear. We saw the milky way. Cons- Vincent really tried to help us, but the tipi's flap kept on closing and making the tipi very smoky. There is a pit toilet. It didn't smell bad at all. But it didn't have a door and the wall had some wood missing , so we didn't feel too comfortable. There is no potable water, which we were aware of but there was no spigot, no water at all available. Vincent provided some water for us and we brought a lot of water too. You are an hour and a half from fun places. Taft and Maricopa are very, very small towns. You are really in no-where-ville, so be prepared to drive. Bittercreek Nature preserve is not open and the Lakeview gusher is, well, a pile of dirt. Just be advised, this is camping, with a tipi and some beds provided. This is NOT glamping. This is really roughin' it. It was an amazing experience, but definitely an experience.

Michaela M.

4 reviews

Not recommend

· September 2021

Chumash Tipi Village - Family Tipi

The place was beautiful and the host was friendly, but the tipi was very messy and the bed dirty it wasn't very clean and definitely not worth $140 per night

Arnoud V.

4 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· November 2020

Vincent’s tipi is a cool and unique place to stay. We brought our own sleeping bags and slept on the ground in the spacious tipi. If you’re visiting in winter, I’d suggest watching the weather and packing accordingly. We underestimated how cold it would be and did not bring enough blankets. That being said, Vincent had a fire started for us when we arrived that we were able to maintain to stay warm while awake. Overall a fun stay that I’d recommend for any camper who wants to try something different!

David M.

2 reviews

Recommends

· October 2020

Powerful land, kind host, rustic co

Star Ship Ihwinmu

Powerful land, kind host, rustic conditions

Sari S.

2 reviews

Recommends

· September 2020

A perfect getaway.

Group trip ·

Staying here was such a great experience and getaway! The host was so nice and welcoming and I will be back there soon!

Katie C.

5 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2020

moonshine

this place is a diamond in the rough... so much potential. if getting back to nature is your thing, this is the place. the night sky was unobstructed and the sunset amazing.

Danielle S.

8 reviews

Recommends

· July 2020

Great place for relaxing and seeing the ski at sunset and the start, we got to see the comet while there. Great place to get away from the noise.

Jc R.

5 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2020

High desert & clear skies!

Great site! We arrived in the afternoon. All communication between us & the host was clear. We arrived mid-afternoon in mid-July, so it was a little hot, but nothing severe--and it seemed milder than July Vegas weather! We had a great say!

Christopher P.

5 years on Hipcamp

Not recommend

· September 2019

We didn't

Happy Tales Camping

The site was bleak and open, dry, no shade. Host had several days of stubble, strange demeanor, my wife was uneasy so we decided not to stay, accepting that we would not get a refund. We went to Aliso Park (Los Padres National Forest) for a nice, shady, cool camp.

Doug J.

6 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2019

The sunset, the stars, the quiet

Our stay at Road Warriors was just what we needed. We were looking for a campsite to get some rest in later in the day and came up on this very affordable dry campsite. Although it was a bit further than we expected as we couldn't see the address until we had booked, the site was pretty clean and we pulled up to a picturesque desert sunset. We also got incredible sleep with the quiet nature of the space and had an amazing viewing of the stars after dark. The host was very friendly and came up right away to greet us. We even got to introduce our puppy to the group of dogs he has on the property. If your looking for a dry camping spot for a remote and very relaxing evening, this is the place. Also there was an awesome new cafe and coffee shop right up the road for our morning travels.

Mia B.

3 reviews

Recommends

· August 2019

Great camp ground! Look forward to my next visit.

Charlie O.

3 reviews

Recommends

· June 2019

Group trip ·