One of the unique things about San Francisco is that despite being a densely populated urban area, it has thousands of acres of open space both right in the city and nearby. That includes hundreds of some of the best campgrounds in California.
Peak San Francisco camping season is usually spring to fall (and some campgrounds are only open then), since the winter can be somewhat rainy and cold. Holiday weekends in the summer tend to be the busiest, especially if the park also hosts day-hikers and visitors. Many campsites have to adjust their opening and closing dates based on weather, so be sure to check before you go.
While there isn’t much free camping near San Francisco, most of the campgrounds are run by regional, state, or national parks and range from just $7 to $30 per campsite. The majority of camping is tent-camping—both hike-in and with parking nearby—but there are also some RV parks.
Because it’s such a popular destination, getting reservations to camp in the San Francisco Bay Area requires some advance planning or flexibility. Check for weekday availability to increase your chances. But even if you are limited to a popular holiday weekend, there are often late cancellations or no-shows. Many campgrounds—like the ones run by the National Park Service in Point Reyes—also hold a few sites for same-day camping that you can reserve in the morning before heading out.
As you plan your next Bay Area camping trip, here are some of the best campgrounds near San Francisco.
Best San Francisco Camping Spot for Families
Back Ranch Meadows Campground, China Camp State Park
How and when to book: Reservations can be made up to six months in advance by calling 1-800-444-PARK (7275) or going to Reserve California.
Top tip: China Camp State Park provides camping along the bay in San Rafael in Marin County. The park was once home to a large number of Chinese immigrants who built and lived in a small fishing village, which now houses a small museum. It’s popular for hiking and biking—kids will enjoy the mellow mountain biking along Shoreline Trail. Swimming in the summer is at your own risk at China Camp Beach near the old village. Campgrounds are all relatively close to parking spots, about 50–300 yards, and require you to carry your stuff in. There are toilets and potable water at the campsites. More information and events run by the Friends of China Camp. (Runner-up for family campgrounds a bit farther from San Francisco: the Lake Del Valle Family Campground in Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore.)
Best San Francisco Camping Spot for Scenic Views
Kirby Cove, Golden Gate National Recreation Area
How and when to book: Reservations open three months in advance at 7 a.m. on recreation.gov; sites book up quickly, but last-minute cancellations also open up on the reservation site.
Top tip: Kirby Cove, in the Marin Headlands of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, may be the most coveted campground near San Francisco because of its location right on the beach with amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge. You access Kirby Cove from Conzelman Road and can hike or drive down a dirt fire road to the campsite. (Campers are given a code for the gate so they can drive, but hikers regularly make their way through the trails.) Kirby Cove, near the historic Battery Kirby, has five campgrounds and a reservable day-use area. It’s typically open in the spring (around March) through the end of November and closes for winter. Kirby Cove is tent-camping only and you’ll have to carry in your own water.
Best San Francisco Camping Spot for Glamping
Dome Campsite, Slide Ranch
How and when to book: Reservations for the glamping tents are available on Hipcamp, or you can rent the whole site for events.
Top tip: The nonprofit private campground maintained by Slide Ranch is a less-impacted (but more expensive) scenic alternative to many of the park campsites—and it comes with its own tents and beds. Slide Ranch operates educational youth programs at its organic farm tucked away on the rocky Marin County coast in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. To help fund its programs, the farm rents out its site. While the group campsite overlooking the beach is typically only included with event rentals, the glamping tents can also be rented for private camping. The white canvas tents each include one or two beds, with linens, and are situated in a small meadow overlooking the ocean. Wheelbarrows are provided to carry in your gear from the parking area, and a dome at the campground provides a place to fill up water and store your food.
Best San Francisco Camping Spot for First-Come, First-Served
Bootjack and Pantoll Campgrounds, Mt. Tam State Park
How and when to book: No reservations
Top tip: There are dozens of popular campgrounds throughout Marin County on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge, including the easy hike-in campsites at Hawk, Haypress, and Bicentennial in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. But many of the most popular campsites require making reservations months in advance. If you can’t snag one of those spots, the Pantoll and Bootjack campgrounds at Mt. Tamalpais State Park are first-come, first-served. Both offer camping under the trees—take a long hike down to Muir Woods—and are about a half-mile apart. (Pantoll campground is just off the well-used Pantoll trailhead and parking lot.) Water and toilets available; small RV camping in the lower parking lot at Pantoll. Check in at the ranger station at the trailhead, but know these spots are quite popular and in the summer can fill up by noon on a Friday. Because of traffic, the best camping spots are those located farther from the road.
Best San Francisco Camping Spot for RV Camping
Anthony Chabot Family Campgrounds, Anthony Chabot Regional Park
How and when to book: Reservations can be made on Reserve America up to 12 weeks in advance.
Top tip: The large family campground at Anthony Chabot Regional Park in the East Bay is one of the most popular San Francisco RV parks, situated on the ridge above Lake Chabot. There are picnic tables, fire rings, restrooms, showers, water, fishing, and plenty of hiking and riding trails. The campgrounds, just a short drive from San Francisco, have 53 drive-to tent sites, 10 walk-in tent sites, and 12 RV campsites with full hook-ups. These RV campsites are among the few Bay Area campgrounds for RVs tucked away under trees. RVs up to 35 feet are allowed, but the roads getting in can be winding and narrow.
Best San Francisco Camping Spot on an Island
Environmental Campsites, Angel Island State Park
How and when to book: Reservations can be made on Reserve California and camping spots open six months out.
Top tip: Once an army post and later an immigration processing center (akin to New York’s Ellis Island), today Angel Island State Park is the largest natural island in the bay and is home to some of the best campgrounds near San Francisco. To get there you have to catch a ferry from Tiburon or San Francisco. Once on the island, you can visit the museum, rent a bike, or take a tram tour. There are 10 hike-in campsites, including one that’s ADA accessible, and one group campsite primarily for kayaking in. The Ridge sites have the best views, but all the environmental campsites offer secluded spots just across the water from San Francisco. All the campgrounds require hiking one to two miles from the ferry drop-off at Ayala Cove; many visitors will carry in their gear in a wagon or cooler along the perimeter road. Bring warm clothes for the wind and chill on the water.
Best San Francisco Camping Spot Right in the City
Rob Hill Campground, Presidio
How and when to book: Reservations can be made six months out at 7 a.m. on recreation.gov.
Top tip: One of the few places you can legally camp in the actual city of San Francisco, the Rob Hill campground in the Presidio is highly coveted. It sits among the trees above Baker Beach, at the high point of the Presidio, and was originally a lookout spot for the U.S. Army. This San Francisco campground has four group campsites for up to 30 people and is typically open from April 1 to Oct. 31. It is tent-camping only but has running water and restrooms. Each site also has four parking spaces, a fire ring, picnic table, and food boxes. You can bike, walk, drive, or even take the bus here to camp right in the heart of San Francisco.
Best San Francisco Camping in Cabins
Steep Ravine, Mount Tam State Park
How and when to book: You can book up to five nights at Reserve California; they open at 8 a.m. six months out and fill up very quickly.
Top tip: Built on a bluff in 1938, these cabins provide one of the most picturesque and cozy camping options near San Francisco. Each of the 10 cabins sleeps up to five people on hard wooden benches; bring your own sleeping pads and bedding. Each cabin also has a picnic table, wood stove, and grill. There is no electricity, but there is a shared outhouse with toilets and potable water. Near the cabins are also seven tent campsites. These are among the most coveted reservations in the entire California State Park system, so be ready to reserve right at 8 a.m. If you can’t get a cabin at Steep Ravine, try the relatively new and lesser-known Madrone Cabins at Samuel P. Taylor State Park.
Best San Francisco Hike-In Camping Spot
Coast or Wildcat Camp, Point Reyes National Seashore
How and when to book: Reservations can be made at recreation.gov; campgrounds open three months in advance at 7 a.m., with additional sites opening up 14 days before, and then one site at each of four campgrounds open at 9:30 a.m. for same-day camping.
Top tip: There is no car or RV camping in Point Reyes National Seashore, but the hike to your campsite (which can be up to a few miles) is part of the experience. This is backcountry camping just an hour’s drive from San Francisco. Point Reyes is the only national seashore along the West Coast, with a 71,000-acre designated wilderness area and more than 70 miles of trails. There are four backcountry hike-in campsites and one boat-in group camping site on Tomales Bay. Of the four, Coast Camp might be the most popular because of its location next to the beach and its easy two-mile hike from the trailhead. Wildcat and Sky Camp arguably offer the most breathtaking views, though they require a longer hike. Picnic tables, locked food boxes, toilets, and water are available, but know you’re in nature and follow all best practices for wildlife and litter.
Best San Francisco Summit Camping Spot
Juniper Campground, Mount Diablo
How and when to book: Reservations can be made at Reserve California; open at 8 a.m. six months out.
Top tip: At 3,849 feet, Mt. Diablo can be seen from around the Bay Area, sticking up east above Danville and Walnut Creek. The summit provides views for hundreds of miles; from the Diablo Valley Overlook you can see all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge. To enjoy the view, head to one of the 32 campsites at Juniper campground by the Summit Visitor Center. It can get cold and windy above the clouds, so pack appropriately. The road up the mountain is also long, with many switchbacks, and is a popular cycling route. You don’t have to reserve a campsite ahead of time, but it is recommended for busy weekends. Campgrounds have toilets, but water has been limited in the past due to drought. The Live Oak campground on Mt. Diablo also has 22 additional campsites.
Best San Francisco Camping Spot Among the Redwoods
Portola Redwoods Campground, Portola Redwoods State Park
How and when to book: Reservations can be made at Reserve California or by calling 1-800-444-7275; reservations open at 8 a.m. six months out.
Top tip: With Big Basin Redwoods State Park temporarily open for limited day-use only, Portola Redwoods State Park offers the best camping in the vast, redwood-filled open space south of San Francisco. The park is a bit over an hour’s drive from San Francisco, nestled in the quiet shady redwood valley next to Peters Creek. There are 52 family tent campsites, a few small RV sites, four group campsites, and four walk-in sites that require a short walk set slightly away from the main campground. It’s typically open from April to October, but the campsite has been known to close in August due to drought. The large family campgrounds have pay showers, toilets, and water.
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Ready to head into the great outdoors? There’s nothing quite like sleeping under the stars—whether that’s RV camping, backpacking, coastal camping, or glamping in a luxury tent or Airstream, there’s a reason it’s so popular in San Francisco and throughout California.
