San Elijo State Beach

Amazing site in a little town with all you need for a weekend getaway… just at the sea, nice food, great beach and surfing possibilities for the entire family. Best of all, the staff of the Camp is so friendly and helpfull. Thanks

Really fun campground, right along the beach, and right across the street from plenty of places to eat and shop. Rangers are really nice and helpful, showers are clean, a little worn out but high pressure and REALLY hot. You buy tokens from the ranger.

 Dump station isn’t free for campers, it’s $10 or$15, payable by credit card at the dump station. There’s potable water to fill your tanks at the dump station as well. Dogs are not allowed on the beach, but they are allowed south of Tower 16, which is at the south end of the campground. They must be leashed here. 

Good cell reception for ATT and Verizon. There is a mixed recycling bin here as well as a bin for food compost. Would definitely recommend a site along the water, even though it’s $20/night more than the roadside sites, it’s so much nicer.

Fun beachside campground in Cardiff by the Sea, California. Not quiet or remote at all. Nice local market and lots of restaurants nearby. Great surf spot. I’ve dry camped here many times and have always enjoyed it. Dog friendly beach! *on leash

Beach views possible on West row, semi private with greenery around spots, staff was friendly and helpful, beach access is a long staircase. Very affordable but no Wi-Fi and Verizon signal was bad for us at least. Quite a bit of noise from the road and train if you are on the east row.

This campground sits adjacent to the Pacific in Cardiff. Amazing sunsets and very popular with the surfers. Try to get an ocean view site further from Highway 101 so you don’t hear the traffic as much. This was a challenge for us because many of the ocean view sites were empty during our stay but unusable because they were reserved by no shows.

Hot showers are available. 1 token is 50 cents and gives you 2 minutes. Purchase tokens from the Ranger’s office at the entrance.  Hopefully they've fixed the shower that ate my tokens and didn't produce any water by the time you stay!

The campground is walkable to a descent grocery store as well as cafes across the street if you don't want to cook over the campfire. For yummy eats, be sure to check out Ki's or Las Olas just to the south of the campground, both have outdoor seating and takeout options.

A few open spots when got in after 10pm tool a spot with no hook ups right next to restrooms clean, little road noise

Good if you want to surf. Plenty of kids around. Good beach when the tide is out. Sunsets can be beautiful. 

Very busy place. Not for someone who wants peace and quiet

It is very nice to hear the waves while falling a sleep, and feeling the ocean breeze while sitting on a folding chair in shade. But it would be great if there were electrical outlets on every other campsite and soap dispenser in the restrooms , otherwise it is so very nice and relaxing here and looking forward to many trips here .

You are there to surf. From Swamis to the north and Cardiff Reef at the south end this is my favorite surf campground in Cali. Not a quiet serene spot, it is packed and near the busy highway and a train track. Non surfing families love it for the beach access but I would recommend other beach campgrounds for simple beach activities. My only complaint; some campers are messy and do not observe noise regulations. I would like to see better enforcement.

Beautiful view on the cliff overlooking the sea. A bit loud and lots of kids here, but the bathrooms are very clean. Felt very safe here.

Great campground, on the bluffs above the beach, with stairs descending to it. At night you can hear some of the traffic on the road, and trains run late into the night. They honk their horns at night and it can disturb your sleep.

Be prepared to jump on a reservation the second they become available. Reservation have a 6 month rolling availability. Plan ahead.

Bathrooms and showers are fairly clean. Token showers for .50/ 2 minutes. Staff has always been friendly. Camp store at the park for anything you need.  Family friendly camp. Lots of kids. Tent and RV spots. 

The sites are up on a bluff so you'll need walk down about 25 feet of stairs to the beach. Pacific Coast Highway is on the other side of the camp spots. But traffic does quite down some at night.

But, there are train tracks next to PCH and the camp grounds.  The train comes through several times a night and blows its horn loudly each time.  So don't for get ear plugs.

But great place to camp if you can get a spot.

The San Elijo Campsite, SoCal is an awesome destination for everyone. Especially, camping beginners, family camping with kids, and surfers of all levels.

The campsites are located atop a beachside bluff for some spectacular sunsets, checking the surf and people watching. The rangers are awesome and super friendly. The campsite store is convenient but if you need something you can drive to a Ralph’s grocery store in 5 minutes.

Facilities include: bathrooms, showers, hookups, etc... this place has it all.

Have fun. Go surfing

Campsites can get pretty packed, although some sites offer more privacy than others. Bathrooms are stocked and the whole campground is well taken care of. Need to book far in advance most of the year but you can get a site in the fall/winter fairly easy. Across the street there is shopping, seaside market, food spots and shanty or office for evening drinks.

So many awesome memories here!! We just camped here and it was empty, no one was there. The views are unreal. It doesn’t get better than this.

We liked this campground because the beach is literally right there under your nose! Just a few steps down the stairs. There are showers to wash the sand off your feet. We camped on the ocean side so listening to the waves at night was lovely. It is a crowded campground with spaces so close together you can hear everything from your neighbor. Fun location as just across the street is the charming community of Cardiff. Amazing swanky Seaside Market, quirky thrift shop and great VG's donuts.

It's classic California beach camping. Spots are fairly close together, and it's more like a parking lot than a campground. That said, the beach is great, and the river mouth is great for surfing. Walk across the street for groceries, food, etc. The worst part is trying to get a spot secured.

We try to come here as much as possible. Great beach spot close to everything. I could do without the train. And watch out for the sting rays

Great place, family has camped here for 24 years. Upper camp area: on the bluff, less populated and a little more quiet than lower camp area. Lower camp area leveled shoreline and can get very crowded.
Flushing toilets and hot showers. Some sites are: big, medium and small; right next to each and a little distance; and beach side or inland. Keep in mind, train runs by, and while it is across pch, inland sites can hear the train roar!!

Great place to surf as well in both directions!

Great restaurants, across the street and in town. Great gourmet grocery store across the street too!

San Elijo is located on a bluff overlooking the beach. There are over 100 sites available that range from hookups to dry. The price is from $55 - $75 a night. The bathrooms and showers are clean. The only downside is the proximity to pacific coast highway and the train tracks. Although I didn't hear the train at all at night.

Cell Coverage: Excellent

The good. Pick a spot - $75 gets you on the bluff with hookups $50 gets you on the bluff but no hookups $35 gets you on the other side Trash, recycling, and sewage disposal ($10) nearby. Water quality at the hookup sites smell fresh.

The not as good. Although ocean bluff spots cost you the elevation angle of the site lot or vegetation may impede or restrict your view. There’s also a metal fence.

The bathrooms Bring soap. No dispensers near the sinks. Toilets are cleaned but not necessarily clean.

Stuff to know- If you’re towing a vehicle it has to be literally towed onto the property. Don’t disconnect and go get groceries prior to entering or you’ll have to pay $15 a night for the vehicle once you enter (Or take your rig back out back out and tow it in)

Noise and such.

You’re near tracks and you’ll hear trains. Next to US 101 you’ll also hear cars. It’s a busy area so don’t expect to hear just the crickets.

Recommendations There’s an excellent grocery store (Seaside Deli) about 1 mile away. It’s not cheap but the deli uses culinary experts to prepare the cuisine.

Philz Coffee a couple miles north. It’s the best coffee on earth bar none. Get the “Tesora”. Addiction guaranteed.

The Union restaurant a couple miles north also a good spot for Sunday brunch. Wine Wednesday also gets a recommendation.

Also just north in Encinitas- Plumeria Thai has some of the best vegetarian Thai I’ve ever had.

To the south a couple miles in Solana Beach in Cedros is Carruth Cellars winery. It’s dog friendly so bring your good boy/girl! I recommend the “Unicorn”. Tasty red. Drink with one hand while petting a dog with the other…

This spot is awesome. Especially if you score some good surf. The facilities are always clean. All types of camping are welcome here. Whether that be RV, tent, bike packing, or out of the back of your truck which is my personal favorite. The sunsets are out of this world and the beach is clean. Tends to be very busy especially in the summer months. My tip is to book way ahead in advance.

Spent our first night in our van here. Had to make a reservation. Couldn't get a beach side site. There's a north side and a south side to the campground. The south side is busier. There's an amphitheater at the south end. The sites also seemed closer together on that end. On the beach side, there is plenty of space, but not so much shade. The highway side has more trees, but some sites seem smaller and packed in. You really need to look around for a good site because a lot of gems were mixed with OK sites, but I would start on the north side. Being close to the highway, there will be a lot of traffic noise if you are in a tent. Plenty of access to a stairway leading to the beach. Shower and surf rack at one access. Campground is up on a bluff, overlooking the Pacific ocean. Camp store seemed stocked. Plenty of stores nearby if you need anything not there. Plenty of restaurants, coffee shops and quaint stores up the highway in downtown Encinitas.

This is one of our favorite beaches & near my families fave surf spot, ‘Pipes’! Bring earplugs & a pillow o er your head. Or better, bring an RV & a portable mouse machine. ALSO YOU NEED TOKENS FOR THE SHOWER!

Showers worked decently. We were close to the street where starting at first light people are walking dogs and chatting. You can hear the train go by too. We are good sleepers so it was fine for us and the price and location can’t be beat!

If you are looking for wilderness camping, this isn't it. If you are looking for a chill place to camp, walk to restaurants and surf. This is your spot. Very close to your neighbors with not much privacy, can hear traffic noise and squirrels steal your smores. :) Books up fast so plan ahead!

Campground is situated next to the highway and train tracks.  No shade. Friendly beach crowd. Taco stand. I arrived on a Thursday and the campground was already filling up for the weekend. I was riding a recumbent trike and paid $10 to camp for the night.  If you just need a place to pitch a tent for the night or park an RV while you hit the beach or explore nearby cities, then this is your spot.

This is a great campground for those that want to be along the crowded beach with very minimal privacy. It is fun for families and large groups and there are restaurants right across the street as well as an awesome specialty food market in case you forgot any supplies. The view is gorgeous and the beach is awesome but not if you want to be in a desolate spot. The campground is great for kids to ride their bikes and there are multiple paths to the beach. Watch out for the squirrels though!

Doesn't get better than this. Perfect location. Close to the train tracks is romantic but loud

I live in the area, but since we love camping, we will sometimes camp down the street because it's fun. This isn't the type of experience where you get away from it all...the campground is on coast highway, there's a taco stand within the grounds and a strip mall across the street. However, if you love the ocean and want to hang at the beach all day, you'll love it here.

Our camp site was on the street side, the beach side is better, but we took what we could get in the summer. There are rings and a table, the bathrooms and showers are nearby and well maintained. Be advised that there is a lot of concrete so you won't be tenting it on the sand. This campground is always full and crowded, but you can't beat being right on the beach.