Camping around Santa Cruz, California, gives you three main choices: camp near the coast at a state beach, head into the Santa Cruz Mountains for forest and redwood country, or stay at a developed RV campground with hookups and more amenities. The right choice depends on what you want outside your campsite and what your setup needs once you get there.
This guide compares the best places to camp in Santa Cruz and the surrounding area, including options around Capitola, Aptos, Felton, and the Monterey Bay coast. You’ll find out which campgrounds work best for beach access, redwood trips, RV camping, and family weekends, along with the practical details.
TL;DR
- New Brighton State Beach is a strong all-around choice for coastal camping, with a wooded bluff setting, beach access, and sites for both tents and RVs.
- Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is a good fit for campers who want forest scenery and easy access to hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
- Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA works well for RVers and families who want hookups, developed amenities, and more campground activities.
Santa Cruz Campgrounds at a Glance
Santa Cruz camping ranges from bluff-top state parks to forest campgrounds and full-service RV parks. Use this comparison to narrow the choices by setting and camping setup before looking at each campground in more detail.
| Campground | Area | Best for | Hookups | Setting | Key amenities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Brighton State Beach | Capitola/Aptos | All-around coastal camping | None | Wooded coastal bluff | Beach access, restrooms, showers |
| Manresa State Beach | La Selva Beach | Tent campers near the coast | None | Coastal bluff | Walk-in campsites, beach access, restrooms |
| Sunset State Beach | Watsonville | Quieter beach camping | None | Coastal bluff | Beach access, restrooms, showers |
| Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park | Felton | Forest camping and hiking | None | Pine and oak forest | Trails, restrooms, showers |
| Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA Holiday | Watsonville | RVs and families | Full hookups available | Developed campground | Wi-Fi, heated pool, hot tub, playground, store |
| Beach RV Park at Pleasure Point | Santa Cruz | RV basecamp near the coast | Full hookups | Developed coastal RV park | Wi-Fi, hookups, proximity to Pleasure Point |
Best Beach Campgrounds Near Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz beach campgrounds range from wooded bluff sites to tent-only coastal camping. The main differences are beach access, RV suitability, and how close you want to stay to Santa Cruz.
New Brighton State Beach
Best for: A balance of beach access, wooded campsites, and proximity to Santa Cruz
New Brighton State Beach sits on a wooded bluff above Monterey Bay, with campsites for tents and RVs and a trail down to the beach. Campers also get restrooms, showers, drinking water, and a dump station, while some RV sites have hookups.
The tradeoff is that most campsites aren’t directly overlooking the ocean, and larger RVs need to pay attention to site length. Campendium reviews can help you compare individual sites, spacing, and recent camper experiences before reserving.
Manresa State Beach
Best for: Tent campers who don’t mind carrying their gear
Manresa State Beach offers seasonal, tent-only camping on the coastal bluffs above the beach. Sites are walk-in, so you’ll park separately and carry your camping gear to your site.
That setup makes Manresa a better match for tent campers than RV travelers. In return, you get a campground centered more on the coastal camping experience than RV amenities.
Sunset State Beach
Best for: A coastal campground farther from central Santa Cruz
Sunset State Beach sits south of Santa Cruz on bluffs above Monterey Bay, with sites for tents and smaller RVs. Campers have beach access, restrooms, showers, and drinking water.
Its location works well for travelers who don’t need to be close to downtown Santa Cruz, though some sites can be tight or uneven. Check recent Campendium reviews for site-specific details before choosing one.
Best Redwood and Forest Camping Near Santa Cruz
Camping in the Santa Cruz Mountains trades immediate beach access for forest trails, cooler shade, and more time among the trees. These options make the most sense for campers who want hiking and a quieter mountain setting to be the focus of the trip.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Best for: Easy access to redwood country without staying far from Santa Cruz
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is the most convenient choice for combining forest camping with a Santa Cruz trip. The campground accommodates tents and RVs and provides restrooms, showers, drinking water, picnic tables, and fire rings, with hiking and biking trails accessible nearby.
There is one important expectation to set before you arrive: you won’t actually camp beneath Henry Cowell’s famous old-growth redwoods. The campground is in a different section of the park among ponderosa pines and evergreen oaks, while the redwood grove is a short drive away.
Santa Cruz Mountains Camping Options
Best for: Campers who want the forest to be the destination
Farther into the Santa Cruz Mountains, options such as Portola Redwoods State Park and Butano State Park offer a more forest-focused experience. Expect hiking, smaller campgrounds, fewer developed amenities, and more restrictive access for larger RVs than you’ll typically find at private RV parks around Santa Cruz.
Best RV Parks Near Santa Cruz
RV camping near Santa Cruz involves a different set of tradeoffs than the state parks. Private RV parks generally offer more hookups and larger-site options, but location matters: you can stay close to the beach, choose a family-oriented resort farther south, or head inland for a redwood setting.
Beach RV Pleasure Point
Best for: RVers who want full hookups within walking distance of the beach
Beach RV Pleasure Point is a small, 16-site RV park near the surf and beaches of Pleasure Point, with full hookups, Wi-Fi, showers, laundry, and a dog park. Sites accommodate everything from vans to RVs up to 43 feet, but the park is upfront about its compact layout and tight fits, so matching your rig and slide configuration to the right site matters.
Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA
Best for: Families and RVers who want a developed resort-style campground
Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA is the amenities-heavy option, located about 11 miles south of Santa Cruz. It offers full-hookup RV sites, including pull-through options, along with a heated pool, hot tub, large playground, bike rentals, dog park, store, and organized recreation. Some sites can accommodate rigs up to 90 feet.
The tradeoff is that you’re staying outside Santa Cruz and choosing a busier, more developed campground experience. For families who expect to spend time enjoying the campground itself, however, that can be exactly the point.
How to Choose Where to Camp in Santa Cruz
The best campground near Santa Cruz depends less on finding one universally “best” place and more on matching the location to how you want to spend the trip.
- Choose beach camping if: Beach access, surfing, Monterey Bay scenery, or family beach days are priorities. New Brighton, Manresa, and Sunset keep the coast close, but most offer fewer RV services than private campgrounds.
- Choose redwood camping if: Hiking, forest scenery, shade, and mountain recreation matter more than waking up near the ocean. Henry Cowell and other Santa Cruz Mountains campgrounds work especially well for tents, vans, and smaller RVs, while the coast remains within driving distance.
- Choose an RV park if: You want full hookups, Wi-Fi, laundry, larger-rig accommodations, or family amenities. Private RV parks can also make Santa Cruz easier to explore from a comfortable basecamp, particularly for longer stays.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main choices are beach, redwood, and RV camping. New Brighton State Beach, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, and Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA are strong options for each.
You can camp at designated coastal campgrounds such as New Brighton, Manresa, and Sunset. Camping directly on unrestricted stretches of beach is not generally permitted.
Free camping is limited near Santa Cruz and the developed coast. Use Campendium to look for legal free or public-land camping farther inland, and confirm current rules before staying overnight.
Don’t assume street parking allows overnight vehicle camping. Santa Cruz has parking restrictions that vary by location and vehicle type, so check current city regulations before planning an overnight stay.
Book as early as possible for summer, weekends, and holidays. Check ReserveCalifornia for current availability and reservation windows at California state park campgrounds.
Find Your Santa Cruz Campground with Campendium
Camping near Santa Cruz can mean spending the day among redwoods or settling into an RV park with full hookups and plenty of amenities. Start with the experience you want, then compare location, campsite type, rig limits, amenities, and recent conditions before you book.
Browse Santa Cruz campgrounds on Campendium’s maps to compare nearby campsites, camper reviews, photos, amenities, cell coverage, and other details that can help you find the right place for your trip.
