San Elijo State Beach Campgrounds

Best beach camping in SD. Unfortunately we were there when they were pumping up the wash pits all day. Sounded like they were pumping concrete all day. We booked 6 months in advance and luck of the draw it was time to clean out the wash pits. We stayed on the south end of the grounds, so no stairs to climb to the beach. Would have gave them 5 stars if we didn’t have to hear the racket all day.

My ideal vacation is living in board shorts on the beach, surfing and sleeping! San Elijo is the best campground in San Diego to live that out. Great for families and friends or if you’re like me, great to go solo and unplug. Lots of restaurants and shops near by and the surf in front of the river mouth is ideal for long boarders. Aloha!

Yes I’m a fan. I have been camping here on and off for about 20 years. You can not beat the price for a great campsite with a view (some) of the sea and easy beach access. Most of the campsites are of pretty good size. We have only tent camped here so far. I can tell you that we have been able to fit one 8 man tent and 2, 2 men tents at every campsite so far. It is a good place to take a family vacation. You can walk across HWY 101 and find a small grocery store and eateries too. I think that is a big plus. You can step out of the camping environment and take a clean breather. The sites tend to feel dusty. If you are okay with that, okay. We like to bring a roll or two of artificial grass it just makes for a cleaner less dusty stay. The only reason I am rating this gem of camping destination a 4 is because of the boys and girl rooms and shower areas, it would nice if they were keep up on a little more. I have just gotten use to it, but feel like it would be just dandy if they were keep up on a little more.
Go to Reserve America to reserve your stay. During the summer months this campground is in high demand. If you want a chance to secure a spot call at 8am on the 1^st of the month, 6 months prior to your stay. Be prepared to redial. Good luck!

It’s a fun place to camp and there’s a lot to do in walking distance, but the train is incredibly loud all night long and the rangers are really unkind.

Worst campground I have ever stayed at! The park rangers at the gate were unfriendly and this should have been my first clue. Absolutely no privacy in our camp site. I should have just asked the people in the next camp site to join us since they were 10 feet from us. The road was 20 feet from us and everyone who walked by stared at us. They couldn’t planted a few drought tolerant plants around the campsite for privacy. The worst was when the train went by and blasted their horns every 30 – 60 minutes until 1:30 am right by our camp site. It was so bad we packed up and left early. I really hated this place and would have rated it a zero if I could have.

Our favorite campground of all in So Cal. Such a great place that my wife Gayl and I have become Campground Hosts from March 1^st through July 1^st each year. Such a relaxing campground with a wonderful beach for surfing, fishing and swimming. It also has the neatest old town Cardiff By The Sea right across Highway 101. A great Seaside Market, a great restaurant called Pipes where you can sit outside and watch the ocean and another Mexican Restaurant called Lourdes with terrific Chicken soup with home made tortillas. Best of all, for those who like San Diego, it is only about 25 minutes South on Interstate 5.

Whats not to like?
Looks like there are some reviews that are negative because of things that are obvious and beyond anybodys control…
Yes, you can hear the traffic going down Encinitas Blvd but remember that this campground is right next to the street. Same thing with the train. It goes by throughout the day and night (who knew that trains run at night lol). But whatever you get used to it and its a small price to pay.
Yes, you are steps away from the beach! And yes, depending on where you are, it could be as many as 120 steps (20 steps x 6 levels). But its not that bad, its probably good for your legs, and if you can’t walk up and down some stairs then maybe don’t go to the beach.
Campsites are great! We always get the same one. Facing the ocean (because you gotta do surf checks multiple times a day), and we always get the same one next to some stairs. Yes, its next to the rinse shower, but we always throw a tarp wall up so that we don’t have to watch people rinsing off and they dont have to watch us doing whatever.
* As of summer 2015 the rinse showers are all turned off due to the drought.
Bathrooms are as clean as they get at a campsite. Are they the greatest? No. But they’re better than a port-​o-​potty! The hot showers are pretty hot, so be ready. A token gives you 2 minutes of shower btw.
Camp store might be pricey but that can’t be too surprising. They’re seriously super nice and friendly though, and they have a good selection of candy!
Bull Taco is always pretty good. Long lines during peak times so plan carefully.
This campsite gives you access to some of our mellowest waves between Swamis and Cardiff Reef. Water is shallow for a good distance so if you have kids they’ll be fine.
Lots of ants so keep your food locked up.

Its on the beach =one Star. Dog friendly, (on the beach even !)=another. Decent «amenities» like hot ($ 1 =4minutes)showers ‚
Bull taco café, and other bars, restaurants,
& 7 – 11 convenience store, within a short walk.
BUT — that’s as nice as I can be — it’s crowded, difficult to reserve ahead, and almost impossible to «walk — up“and secure a spot without having to move around everyday — takes the fun out of camping.
AND THE LOUD TRAINS !! All night! And the DING DING gate for the train!!! Awful! And the highway noise is also hard to ignore .
Hey, did I mention the scads of homeless you will have to walk thru, if you go to
Nearby restaurants??? which also means they are «encamped“near your camp.
«Inland «/​cheap spots are$ 35 a nite, but ocean –facing sights go for as much as $ 65nightly– ouch.
I can think of better places to camp
in So.Cal.

San Elijo is more like an extended overnight beach slumber party than actual camping, but what a stellar location for a few days of outdoor enjoyment. If you get the right campsite you’ll be on a low cliff over the beach with unbeatable views of the sunset and the coastline stretching South all the way to La Jolla. To the East just across Coast Highway are all the amenities you’d ever need in case you forget something or you don’t want to cook. The campsites themselves have the stock picnic table and fire pit. It’s true there’s not a lot of trees in between for privacy, so you’d better be ok with a communal living feel. The bathrooms can be spotless or feel very well used depending on when and which you choose, but it beats pooping on the ground. The showers are hot and we’ll worth however many quarters you pump in to get all the sand off you at the end of the day.
The beach area is great for families. It’s one of the most mellow breaks in the area, and very shallow for twenty yards where the surf meets the sand. Kids love it, and moms are quite comfortable too, which allows dad to relax and enjoy the day. It’s a good spot for an extended beach getaway if you don’t mind semi-​roughing it.

This is one of our favorite campgrounds. One side of the campground is high on the cliffs and access to the beach is by stairs, and the other is down at the beach level. We stayed at the beach end and loved it. Easy to go back and forth to the beach. Also being at the end, there was very little campground traffic by our site.
There is a road, train track, and a railroad crossing signal next to the campground. Make sure you go with the expectation that there will be some noise. We got used to it and it didn’t bother us even though our site was next to the road. If you think this will be a problem, don’t stay here… that makes it easier for the rest of us to make reservations!

Views are great close walking distance to swamis breakfast dinner other amenities. if you wanted to walk. Shortest walk is 60 minutes and you can walk up to a half an hour to markets and everything.
However generators have to be off at 8 PM and can’t be turned on till 10 AM. Kind a nonsense especially when you’re camping with kids. There’s a reason you buy a RV. The other amazing part is we book this over year ago and he always tell us it’s full however there’s 8 open spots today

Five full days of a clean 5 – 7′ swell and a level, full-​hookup RV site with an unobstructed ocean view… it doesn’t get any better than this, folks. David Geffen may have Malibu but I got San Elijo. And I’m not even rich!
P. S., The park store is a tad pricey so get your food, firewood & firewater in town. Don’t worry, this town’s got plenty.

Camping at the beach doesn’t get any better than this. Spacious ocean front campsites boast unobstructed views of the world class Cardiff Reef surf break. It is all about the location baby, even the fanciest restaurants in Encinitas lust for the views enjoyed from San Elijo campsites.
Amenities abound, you won’t be roughing it during your glamping trip at San Elijo state beach campgrounds. A camp store sells food, clothes, souvenirs, beer and ice. But you don’t have to cook if you don’t want to. This campground even posesses it’s own gourmet snack stand, Bull Taco! Their specialties include inauthentic flavors of tacos and burritos, salads and breakfast goodies too. Seaside Market is right across the street and they sell fresh produce, meats, seafood and ready made delicacies too. VG’s donuts is sure to be a big hit with any kiddos in your group.
The glorious weather lends Sal Elijo to numerous activities including surfing, bike riding, running, climbing stairs, beach walks, skim boarding, boogie boarding, sun tanning, body surfing, SUP, beach yoga, building sandcastles, and even whale watching from your camp site. Whatever floats your boat, you can’t go wrong.
Each and every campsite has a picnic table and a fire pit, and the park is equipped with faucets every few sites as well. Friendly campers bring bikes, tricycles, and skateboards and it is easy to meet your fellow campers. There is even an outdoor amphitheater perched right above the beach with an ocean view for everyone to enjoy.
I have spent many precious evenings with great friends and cherish the good times that are now memories of San Elijo.

Fantastic camping spot. Great family and surfer vibe. Friendly staff and convenient stores just behind the train tracks.

On the cliffs of the ocean with great surf! This is an awesome place to camp and surf. The surf is a reef and point break with small crowds surfing. I been coming here for over 20 years and this is one of my favorite places to camp with family and friends. Try to get the camp reservations early since this place is always packed. They have a store onsite along with stores across the street. Some sites have full hook up and others don’t! Tip: avoid sites near the street! Transients walk the area looking for opportunities and the Train runs early and late.

This is my 300^th review, so I decided to review a place that has become dear to me over the last 5 years or so. My family is from Denver, but we come here once a year to camp with family that lives in the San Diego area. We’ve missed a year or two but I have been here at least 3 times in the last 5 years.
Reading through other reviews, people are pretty dead on about the experience here. The pros and cons are a matter of personal choice especially when it comes to the trains, cost of the sites and effort to book online 6 months in advance. Here’s my list:
Pros:
— Perfect for families and kids. So many kids riding scooters and bikes!
— Easy beach access.
— Restrooms are cleaned daily, though it’ll never be like at home it’s nice knowing they are cleaned regularly.
— Campsites are good sized. We always cram at least 2 – 3 tents plus a medium sized RV into one spot, and we’re always pushing the capacity for number of people allowed per site; therefore making the nightly cost much easier to swallow.
— Fire pits and a picnic table at each site (bring a table cloth as those tables are pretty grimy).
— Easy to walk/​drive to Cardiff for a quick market visit, cup of coffee, etc.
— It is absolutely gorgeous here! Beautiful sand, never a hard time finding a spot to claim as your own on the beach, and life guard station 16 is right there.
— Bull Taco is an awesome option for «restaurant» food. Though the wait can be a bit long.
— Store on site is great for ice, sodas, ice cream, beach toys, etc.
— Most people are considerate of «quiet hours».
— Never concerned for safety, though keep your valuables out of sight and food put away.
— You can hear the ocean waves, even if you’re not on a beach facing site.
— Easy 30 minute drive from San Diego airport.
Cons:
— $ 1 for a six minute shower?! Geez CA, your debt/​water deficit is that bad, huh? Used to be 3 minutes per $.25. At least they’re warm with good flow.
— Crowded, most sites are usually booked through the summer.
— Bathrooms can get pretty gross by the end of the day. Campers and day beach goers using them all day make them pretty nasty.
— Train. Yes it’s loud and frequent, but surprisingly you can easily sleep through it as it becomes part of the background noise, like the ocean waves. And little kids are fascinated by it every single time.
— Limited shade in most sites. Bring a canopy.

This campground is great for families and kids. Lots of fun stuff to do nearby and plenty parks within walking distance. If you have a sweet tooth hit up VG’s bakery across the street.
You have to reserve your spot 6 months in advance and have a hair pin trigger keystroke to actually get the spot… because it is THAT fun staying here.
We stay in a travel trailer that holds lots of water so I can’t comment on the bathrooms or tent life. The train is loud but you can get use to it and the waves on the beach side muffle the noise.
If you have small children the South side is a bit easier in terms of stairs to the beach. You can load up your wagon and walk down the the far end. You can bring a dog onto the beach at the South end. They have to be kept on a leash and the lifeguards patrol that. The little lagoon on the South end is also fun for kids.
You can eat out nearly every meal when you stay here. Bull Taco (next to the camp store) is delicious, but the line is sometimes long. Sea Side Market is across the street and you can buy groceries or hot/​cold meals at their deli. The clam chowder is delicious. You have to stop in a grab some treats at VGs.
I also recommend driving or walking up to Encinitas and eating at Honey’s for breakfast. Very fast, friendly service and a great coffee selection.
We love staying here. We are lucky enough to stay at least 5 times a year.

Positives:
— Friendly staff
— Large camping spots
— Decent shade in some spots
— Hot showers
— Running water and electrical hookups
— Fire pits
— Beautiful views from the oceanside spots
Not so positives:
— Expensive!
— Dirty bathrooms
— Super primitive (maintenance buildings yards away, traffic noise from PCH)
— Walk-​up spot availability isn’t updated online

1:34 am and still awake– car horns blaring, engines roaring by, random people walking and muttering to no one in particular, freight trains blasting. I slept for about 40 minutes– right btwn 9:49 when I very humbly and apologetically asked the campers in the next lot to be a little quieter (my little ones still weren’t asleep after nearly 2 hours of hysterical piercing screams and herniating cackles of 2 stout 50s-​ish women) and just after curfew when one witch decided to broadcast her iPad playlist for us.
Most campers come here with RVs and I won’t come back without one either. Walls beat nylon for sound absorption every time.
My boys and I love tent camping, but the whole point is lost at this site. The sounds of nature are drowned out by cars and trains; there is no sense of escape; Leucadia Pizzeria cars are whizzing by dropping off pies every 5 min; and I just don’t think neon should be in view when I’m camping.
That said, the beach is amazing! Gorgeous views, perfect SoCal weather, great waves, easy access to great food regardless of taste or budget, clean bathrooms. We will be back and often– just never to sleep. Luckily we’re close enough for day trips.
Great site for 20somethings who want to vacay by the beach cheap, or older folks with huge RVs and/​or older kids. Not for tent campers with young kids who want to be lulled to sleep by the sounds of waves and crickets– which I am actually listening to at 2:08 am. Damn– a car just raced by at 40 mph inside the campground by our tent, followed by motorcycles revving down PCH.
Must book in advance for good spots facing the sea. Be on the computer at 8 am on the 1^st of the month, 6 mo ahead. The back/​roadside row where I am now –sucks. Bad night, but now I know I won’t make this mistake again.

You know what they say about location? Well you can’t get better than San Elijo State Beach Campgrounds. Reasonable prices to camp as well. If you are aiming to camp on a holiday weekend be forewarned that if you haven’t reserved months in advance you need to show up at O dark 30 to try and snag a cancellation.
Restrooms and showers are in pretty close proximity to every campsite. If you don’t feel like cooking there is Bull Taco right next to the camp store. If you forgot something there is the camp store. Camp store is also good for the early morning caffeine fix. Sometimes they even have donuts.
I could go on and on about the ammenities but it really just comes back around to the location.