Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
  • USA
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Navy UDT-SEAL Museum – Fort Pierce, Florida
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, Florida)
      • Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Vacation
      • Monhegan Island Maine
      • Two Days in Acadia National Park
    • Nevada
      • Planning an RV Trip to Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • Tennessee
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Eats in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • Internet Solution(s) for Full-Time RVers
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • Learn How to RV Full-Time
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Maintenance Tips
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • Roadmap to Financial Freedom
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report April 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report May 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report June 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report July 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report August 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report September/October 2018
    • RV Purchasing
      • Benefits of Renting an RV
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Why You Should Attend An RV Show
      • Florida RV SuperShow 2018
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • Videos
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us
    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

January 21, 2020 by Julie Leave a Comment

Free Camping in Florida

Not many people know this, but you can camp for free in Florida. And I’m not talking about in the Walmart parking lot. I’m referring to several peaceful, dry camping and boondocking areas in natural surroundings found across the state of Florida. Most of the websites refer to it as primitive camping which means they offer very limited (if any) services. However, these campsites are located across the Sunshine State and the price is right!

Public Lands in Florida

There are both federal and state managed public lands in Florida that offer camping. Examples of federally run dry camping are the National Forests such as Apalachicola National Forest where you can camp at the Wood Lake Campground. In Osceola National Forest, you can camp at the Ocean Pond campground for only $8 per night (for primitive sites) with access to the two-mile wide lake with a sandy beach, restrooms, fire rings and picnic tables. 

Camp at Osceola National Forest's Ocean Pond campground for a nominal fee.

One Florida state agency that manages free campgrounds is the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Camping at any of their locations is free, but does require a permit which can be obtained online.

Many of these campgrounds are based on local hunting seasons, but there are a few that offer year round camping. In the southern part of the state, Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area’s Hammock Camp is named for the area’s oak hammock that provides plenty of shade for its 10 RV and 7 tent camping sites. Up in the panhandle, the Escribano Point Wildlife Management Area hosts the Bayside Campground (also known as Grassy Point). It has 12 sites, all free with no hook-ups.

Escribano Point Wildlife Management Area offers free camping in Florida at the Bayside Campground.
Photo by Exploring the Life

The bulk of the free camping in Florida is under the purview of the state’s five Water Management Districts. Each one runs its own website with camping information.

  • Northwest Florida WMD
  • Suwannee River WMD
  • St. Johns River WMD
  • Southwest Florida WMD
  • South Florida WMD

Just down the road from Tampa, in Thonotosassa, Florida is the Washburn Equestrian Areain the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Primitive camping sites with Sites picnic tables, fire rings and/or grills set among 16 miles of multiuse trails.

Free camping near Tampa is located at the Washburn Equestrian Area in the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve managed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Photo by Our Epic Field Trip

One of the highest rated free camping areas in the state is the Dupuis Management Area not far from Lake Okeechobee. It has a butterfly garden, a partially covered fishing pier, a boardwalk, and 22 miles of hiking trails. The the DuPuis Nature Center and the Treasure Coast Astronomical Society host free Astronomy Nights to educate participants about stars, nebulas, planets and neighboring galaxies.

Free camping is available in Florida at several wildlife and water management areas.

See more of this campground and others in the video below where our friends Liz and Dennis at Eat See RV share their quest to find free camping across the state.

Free Camping on Private Land

There are two different membership programs with plenty of sites in Florida to enjoy short stays. Our personal favorite is Harvest Hosts, which offers RVers a network of farms, breweries, wineries, and museums to overnight at for an annual membership fee. Harvest Hosts currently offers 18 locations in the state of Florida from Tallahassee all the way down to Miami and they are adding more all the time. Sign up here and use code HHFRIENDS15 at checkout for a 15% discount.

Camp for free at Florida's wineries, breweries and farms with a Harvest Hosts membership.
Photo by Harvest Hosts

Another option is Boondocker’s Welcome. This is also a membership program, but it is with private landowners that are willing to allow overnight stays on their property. There are currently 88 properties listed in Florida with several offering 3-5 night stays.

Learn how to camp for free at over 2500 locations with this amazing low cost membership!

So How Do You Camp Without Hook-Ups?

I know we first got our RV I never planned to dry camp. Even now, I’m more of a glamper than a camper, but I’ve learned to love boondocking too. Especially now that we’ve upgraded our power system and added solar to the mix. Click here to learn more about how we manage our resources when dry camping.

Are Full Service Campgrounds More Your Style?

If you’re looking for campgrounds with full hook-ups and amenities, check out our article on the best campgrounds in Florida. We share our favorites and even include recommendations from our readers.

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Learn where you can camp for free in Florida. Save money on your next RV camping trip by staying in one of several free campsites across the state. There is plenty of room for big rigs and motorhomes, and the whole family will enjoy the space for their travel trailer and small campers.

Filed Under: Campground Reviews Tagged With: Florida campgrounds, free camping

July 19, 2019 by Julie Chickery Leave a Comment

Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)

The Aspen campground is one of the most popular national forest campgrounds in Arizona and for good reason. It is located less than a half mile south of Woods Canyon Lake on the Mogollon Rim. This campground is one of seven in the Rim Lakes Recreation Area. offering 148 campsites with lots of space and quick access to lots of fun activities.

The Aspen campground is one of the most popular national forest campgrounds in Arizona and for good reason. It is located less than a half mile south of Woods Canyon Lake on the Mogollon Rim. This large campground offers 148 campsites with lots of space and quick access to lots of fun activities.

Location

The campground is located in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, which is actually about 35 miles outside of Payson off of highway 260 in East Central Arizona. It typically takes between 2 – 2.5 hours to get to the campground from Phoenix. Access to the campground is very easy for all vehicles and RVs on paved roads all the way to each campsite.

The campground is located in amongst tall pines and near multiple lakes. The weather is very nice here in the summer due to its elevation of 7,000 ft. The temperatures can the upper 80’s to lower 90’s in the summer. Temperatures do drop down at night and can get pretty cold outside of the hottest times of the year. If you plan on doing any tent camping or simply want to spend a night out under the stars, make sure you have a good sleeping bag that’ll keep you warm.

Amenities

All campsites in the campground allow RVs and tent campers, but they don’t have hook-ups. Each site includes a picnic table, fire ring, and campsite grill. The campground also offers vaulted toilets, a fee dump station, potable water, as well as an outdoor amphitheater. Solar can be a little tricky because many of the sites are under trees, but generators are allowed during the day and early evening.

There is also a full-service store located at the marina. The store offers quite a bit from basic groceries, camping gear, to boat rentals. For the most part, this general store will have your basic needs covered. So don’t worry, if you forget something, there is a good chance you can find it there.

Reservations

This is a very popular campground, sites fill up quickly so it’s recommended to reserve a site early. Of the 148 sites, 27 are walk-up/first come first serve sites. So if you can’t get a reservation you could still find an empty spot when you arrive (I wouldn’t count on it for holidays or most weekends throughout July).

There is a nightly fee of $25, which covers one vehicle and eight people per site. Sites are half off if you have the America the Beautiful Senior or Disability Access Pass You can make a reservation by calling 1-877-444-6777 or online at recreation.gov. You can reserve campsites 6 months in advance. If you are wanting to camp here on a holiday weekend or really anytime throughout July, I recommend reserving them as early as possible.

We stayed at the Aspen campground over the 4thof July weekend and we made sure to reserve a campsite as soon as it became available. These campsites fill up quick and during the busy season and you probably won’t have much lunch trying to find a walk-up campsite. We definitely recommend reserving a campsite online as soon as you can.

Nearby Activities

Woods Canyon Lake

Less than half a mile from Aspen campground is Woods Canyon Lake. This is a beautiful lake in amongst the pines that offers lots of activities. At the lake, you can fish for trout, swim, boat, and simply enjoy the outdoors. Boats are limited to electric trolling motors only so you don’t have to worry about anyone flying around the lake in a speed boat.

Less than half a mile from Aspen campground is Woods Canyon Lake. This is a beautiful lake in amongst the pines that offers lots of activities. At the lake, you can fish for trout, swim, boat, and simply enjoy the outdoors. Boats are limited to electric trolling motors only so you don’t have to worry about anyone flying around the lake in a speed boat.

Our kids really enjoyed being taken out on the lake on a paddle board and kayak. This is a very family friendly area and there tends to be a decent number of families around the lake.

Biking

There are a lot of trails right around the campground and lake that are great for leisurely biking. We brought bikes for our older two kids and they had a lot of fun riding around the campground and near the lake. There were a handful of other kids riding bikes around the campground as well and all the kids ended up having fun.

Woods Canyon Lake Trail

This a nice easy hike around woods canyon lake. It’s only about 3.5 miles but offers nice views of the lake and a chance to see some wild life. We ended up seeing a couple of bald eagles while we hiked around the trail. At times the trailed can be a little hard to follow as it isn’t well defined but it’s hard to get lost if you stay close to the lake.

Mogollon Rim

The Mogollon Rim is one of the most scenic locations in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. There are some great sprawling views on the road to Aspen campground from highway 260. There is even a Mogollon Rim Visitor Center that you can visit, where you can learn more about the natural history of the area. The Mogollon Rim offers some great opportunities for some selfies or family pictures.

The Mogollon Rim is one of the most scenic locations in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. There are some great sprawling views on the road to Aspen campground from highway 260. There is even a Mogollon Rim Visitor Center that you can visit, where you can learn more about the natural history of the area. The Mogollon Rim offers some great opportunities for some selfies or family pictures.

Author Bio:

Scott Woodruff loves camping and being in the outdoors with his family. He blogs regularly over at Tents n Trees and offers families tips, advice, and product recommendations with the goal of making it easier for families to get out, go camping, and grow closer. He believes that if more families spent time together camping there would be fewer problems in the world.

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Learn why the Aspen Campground in Arizona's Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest is the perfect camping destination. It is located less than a half mile south of Woods Canyon Lake on the Mogollon Rim. This large campground offers 148 campsites with lots of space and quick access to lots of fun activities.

Filed Under: Campground Reviews Tagged With: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, Aspen campground, camping in Arizona

June 19, 2019 by Julie 4 Comments

Best Campgrounds in California

In a state as large and diverse as California, it is hard to choose the best campgrounds. We’ve been traveling around the state for several months now and still haven’t seen it all, so we asked our friends for their top picks too. 

This list represents some of the best national, state, and county parks as well as privately owned resorts, KOA franchises, Thousand Trails membership camping resorts, and a few military campgrounds. Our hope is that it will include something for everyone to put on their bucket list. 

Crescent City / Redwoods KOA

This KOA in Crescent City, California near Redwoods National Park was our favorite of the year! With pull thru full hook-up sites as well as cabins and tent sites nestled among 10 acres of redwood forest, there was something for everyone. It was the perfect balance between the amenities you’d expect from a commercial campground with the natural beauty of a state or national park. 

Mt. Lassen / Shingletown KOA

Like the one mentioned above, this is also a small KOA with around 60 sites, but it was so pretty. The entrance is lined with beautiful pine trees and a split rail fence with manicured lawns, flower pots and artisan wood carvings to greet guests. It definitely has a campground feel with a large wooded area on the southern half of the property that features a walking trail, bike path (complete with graded hills and jumps), benches scattered throughout and a large tire/rope swing. 

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Anyone else ready for a cozy Friday evening? #KOACamping

A post shared by KOA (@kampgroundsofamerica) on Nov 16, 2018 at 5:37pm PST

Hendy Woods State Park

Our friends at Travel Small Live Big have visited some of the best best state and local parks without the state of Florida that I just had to ask them to share a couple of favorites and Hendy Woods was on the list.

Check out their YouTube channel for more recommendations across the state.

Yosemite National Park 

You can’t talk about camping in California with out mentioning Yosemite. In fact, it is so popular that getting a spot can be tricky. In the video below, Park Ranger Marea Ortiz gives an overview of what camping is like in Yosemite, and advice on how to get a campsite.

San Benito RV & Camping Resort 

Our friends Brian and Julie of the Wandering Gants recommended the San Benito RV & Camping Resort, a Thousand Trails Membership Campground in Paicines, California. They said, “This campground has abundant wildlife, is surrounded by rolling hills, and is a short drive from Pinnacles National Park. The resort itself has two pools, a lounge and camp store, tons of space to walk, and wonderful views of the night sky. It’s a fantastic place to stay if you want to get away from it all!”

the San Benito RV & Camping Resort, a Thousand Trails Membership Campground in Paicines, California

See more campground reviews on the Wandering Gants YouTube Channel.

Yank’s RV Resort 

Yanks RV Resort is a perfect place to stop in Monterrey Wine Country. This resort is beautifully landscaped with large paved pull-thru sites with full hook-ups, cable tv and wifi. They also have one row of back-in sites and 100′ pull-thru premiere sites. All roads throughout the park are paved.

Yanks RV Resort is a perfect place to stop in Monterrey Wine Country.

While staying at the park we enjoyed the heated swimming pool, hot tub, and fitness center every day.

We choose it for the convenient location off of Hwy 101 close to the west entrance of Pinnacles National Park and a little over an hour’s drive to the stunning coastline of Big Sur.

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Back in California for a month! We drove down the Pacific Coast Highway south of Monterey through Big Sur. The entire drive was just gorgeous! So fun to think we’ve traveled from sea to shining sea in our RV now. #rvtravel #coupleswhotravel #emptynesters #californiacoast #roadtrip #rvliving

A post shared by Chickery's travels (@chickerystravels) on Jun 6, 2019 at 4:38am PDT

Sequoia National Park 

James Ian at Travel Collecting shared his experience with the Lodgepole Campground in Sequoia National Park. He said, “There are several reasons to love this campground. First, it has the best location in the park. It’s just a short distance to the Giant Forest which has the best hikes in Sequoia National Park like the Congress Trail, General Sherman Trail and the Big Trees Trail, as well as the Giant Forest Museum.”

Lodgepole Campground in Sequoia National Park

“In addition, the campsites are lovely, surrounded by a lot of trees and with a little space between sites. National Park campsites can sometimes seem overcrowded, but the site I stayed at was under trees and near a drop off, so it was really lovely. There’s also a fire pit to make a campfire, which makes a great spot to hang out after dark.”

Wine Country RV Resort 

Located on the Salinas River in Central California halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Wine Country RV Resort in Paso Robles is a great destination for RVers. As the name suggests, this first class RV resort is in a terrific location to enjoy all that the Paso Robles Wine Region has to offer. The resort offers tours from their property to 3 different local wineries. This 4 hour journey through the Paso Robles Wine Region allows you to enjoy the area (and wines) without worrying about who will do the driving. 

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There's not much like the glow of lights on an almost summer night. #WineCountryRVResort #RVLife #RV #TravelPaso

A post shared by Wine Country RV Resort (@winecountryrvresort) on May 24, 2019 at 5:30pm PDT

Flying Flags RV Resort

Our friends, Kyle & Olivia Drivin’ and Vibin’ recommended Flying Flags RV Resort in Buellton, California. They said, “It is one of the most amazing RV parks we’ve ever visited. The list of amenities is endless and has something for all ages.” Some of those amenities include a café, general store, dog park, soccer field, basketball court, fitness room, and multiple pools & hot tubs.  

No RV? No worries? This resort has vintage trailer and cottages for rent too!

Rancho Oso RV & Camping Resort 

Our friends Lauren and Aaron of the Wanderpreneurs recently visited this Thousand Trails campground near Santa Barbara. They said, “Rancho Oso is an RV park that is also a working ranch. It is situated on 310 gorgeous acres, and offers tons of activities including horseback riding. You can stay in a cabin, tent, RV, cottage or even a teepee!

If you’re looking for a place to disconnect and enjoy nature, this place is perfect for you. You could easily spend weeks just exploring the ranch and surrounding areas.”

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Our biweekly newsletter went out today to our blog subscribers! Included this week was our latest 2 articles on our time at the Grand Canyon and our Sedona stay. + + We also shared a discount code for a membership to RV Repair Club! We create content for them, so you’ll have to check out some of our videos and articles on their site. + + We actually did quite a bit of shooting today and finished the b-roll footage for two new videos we will be submitting to them soon! + + I’m also working on an article for our personal blog about the renovation we did on our RV. I’d say it was a productive day, as we also did some homeschool activities which included a hike. (I ❤️ hiking) + + Productive days make happy hour even more special! (These views don’t hurt either 😍) Cheers to Wednesday and finishing up the week strong as we move toward the weekend!

A post shared by The Wanderpreneurs (@the.wanderpreneurs) on Apr 10, 2019 at 5:01pm PDT

Joshua Tree National Park

Michelle, The Wandering Queen, said “One of the best campgrounds in California is the Hidden Valley Campground located in Joshua Tree National Park. This campground is first come first serve and is in constant high demand. I recommend trying to obtain a campsite on Thursday or early Friday Morning.” 

What makes this campsite so special is that it is a climbing epicenter. The campground is surrounded by huge boulders and natural towers where climbers can easily hop on the crag and climb. Even non-climbers can enjoy the campsite by hiking up to the tall standing boulders for sunrise and sunset is always a fun activity. The Hidden Valley campsite is one of the most unique and beautiful campgrounds in California, and it shouldn’t be missed.

Santee Lakes

Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve is less than 20 miles from La Jolla beaches and the San Diego Zoo but feels like it is in a world of its own.Even better, you don’t have to worry about traffic. You can leave the car or truck at the campsite and ride your bike to the trolley for a trip into the city. The park itself is huge, with mature trees, and water everywhere. Owned and operated by Padre Dam Municipal Water District, it is a popular fishing and kayaking spot.

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Beautiful day glamping!

A post shared by Amber Glassman (@amber.glassman) on Apr 7, 2019 at 5:50pm PDT

Nathan Jones said, “We are loving everything about this place. Even though its considered an urban campground, it doesn’t feel that way. It has all the resort amenities, a pool, multiple playgrounds for the kids, club house, lakes for fishing and paddle boating and in driving range to all your favorite restaurants and theaters and amazing places to have fun or just relax. If you’re in the area check it out.” 

Military Campgrounds 

There are several terrific campgrounds in California. Below we’ll share a few recommendations. If you’re wondering about the eligibility requirements, check out our Guide to Using Military Campgrounds.

Sea Breeze RV Park on Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station

This is a beautiful little campground on a navy station just south of Long Beach, California. We stayed here a month and it was a great central location to visit several area beaches, Hollywood, Disneyland, and Universal Studios.

2 Campgrounds at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton 

This military base has two campgrounds, San Onofre and Del Mar. Our friends, Nick and Julie recently stayed at both. Both are right on the ocean, but at San Onofre your site is on the pavement and at Del Mar your site is right on the sand. 

Adjacent to a state park, they loved watching the surfers every day at San Onofre.

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Loving our new location ❤️ Watching the waves and surfers every day….so relaxing 🙏🏻🙌🤗 #surfersbeach #sanonofrebeach #californiadreaming #fulltimerv #rvnomads #livingourlifeadventure

A post shared by 𝑵𝒊𝒄𝒌 & 𝑱𝒖𝒍𝒊𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍 (@werlolarv) on Feb 18, 2019 at 8:20am PST

And here’s their windshield view from Del Mar. 

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Good Morning 🌞 Better get out and enjoy the day….more rain coming tomorrow 🙀#rainraingoaway #beachgirl #beautifulday☀️ #blessed🙏

A post shared by 𝑵𝒊𝒄𝒌 & 𝑱𝒖𝒍𝒊𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍 (@werlolarv) on Feb 12, 2019 at 9:07am PST

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Looking for the best campgrounds in California? Check out this list of some of the best national, state, and county parks as well as privately owned RV resorts, KOA franchises, Thousand Trails membership camping resorts, and a few military campgrounds. There is something for everyone to put on their bucket list whether you travel by RV, rent cabins, or tent camp.

Filed Under: California, Campground Reviews Tagged With: campgrounds in California

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