The best camping near Seacliff State Beach

Just outside of Santa Cruz on California's Central Coast, Seacliff State Beach is a popular spot for swimming, fishing, and generally hanging out. The star attraction is the SS Palo Alto, an old tanker that was built toward the end of WWI and never made it to service. It was instead grounded at Seacliff and repurposed as a tourist attraction, and while the ship is no longer safe for visitors to enter, it can be admired from the pier. There’s no tent camping at Seacliff, but the park's RV-only campground features 26 full-hookup and 37 non-hookup sites with direct views out over the ocean.

1. Sites at Seacliff State Beach can be reserved up to six months in advance on the California State Parks website or over the phone.
2. There are no tent sites available at Seacliff State Beach, and only self-contained RVs with their own flushable toilets are allowed here. If you are looking for tent camping, you may want to check availability at the nearby New Brighton State Beach Campground or book a Hipcamp in the area.
3. The maximum length for RVs in the campground is 45 feet for hookup sites and 35 feet for non-hookup sites.

Seacliff State Beach is at its busiest and warmest during the dry, warm summer months, though campers are likely to get pleasantly warm weather without much rainfall well into October. Winters can be a bit wet, with an average of eight days of rainfall from December through March. While the weather this time of year is generally cool, temperatures rarely drop below the low 40s, even at night.

• Seacliff State Beach is right in the town of Aptos, and there are plenty of spots in the immediate area to stock up on groceries and other supplies.
• There are no fire rings at the campground, but campers are welcome to bring their own. However, fire rings must be raised off the ground to protect the asphalt.
• There's no dump station at Seacliff State Beach, but there is a fee-based dump station available at New Brighton State Beach next door.
• Campers can fish off the pier without a license, but you will still need to follow limit guidelines laid out by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.