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CA camping options near Santa Barbara/Ventura/LA

HitIt

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Seems like camping in CA is going to stay ridiculously closed for a while and my family is ready to get out of the house and go camping. We just upgraded our trailer and are itching to use it for the first time. What are some creative options to get out there and use it? I am in Ventura and hoping to keep the drive under 3 hours for a short weekend trip. We don't have any off-road toys :(
 

BajaMike

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El Capitan and Refugio are great state park campgrounds on the beach just north of Santa Barbara.

I’ve stayed in both and they are great! I don’t know about reservations anymore.

 

gqchris

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Id just hit the desert even if you dont have toys. Its just as much fun. Campfire., quiet openess. Relax and just take in the scenery.

The older I get the less I am into the California Beach camping scene. Stacked in a parking lot and surrounded by all kinds of people.

Just hit the road towards Vegas and find some Mojave BLM land;)
 

TITTIES AND BEER

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Down to the Desert or mountain away from everyone bring a few guns for shits and 😉😎👍
 

rivermobster

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Lake Cachuma. They have some decent full hook up spots. Fishing is decent, but no body to water contact is allowed.
 

zbudman

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Make sure you c all to see if they’re open. Covid has everything shut down. State, County and private owned. I’m in Santa Maria and everything around here is shut down until end of the month.
 

HitIt

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All of the state and county parks are closed for covid. Same with most of the private parks. That was why I am hoping for some creative ideas. So far, BLM land looks like about it.
 

TITTIES AND BEER

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My back yard
 

Jefftowz

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Maybe KOA in Santa Paula or Ventura RV ( they nickel and dime you) Maybe ElCapitan private park.
 

HitIt

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All of the private parks are saying long term only. At least that is what I am being told. I would love to hear otherwise.
 

Groper

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Flying Flags in Buellton is our usual spot about 5 times a year, walk to restaurants, bike ride to Solvang, close to Chumash casino and short drive to Jalama Beach. Super clean and well maintained always.
This is a nice Park we stayed here one night after getting booted out of Jalama Beach for a rocket launch at Vandenberg.
The question I have is is the adult jacuzzi a swingers kind a dealio asking for a friend 🤔
 

Kbach

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Just made a reservation this morning at Ventura Ranch KOA for the weekend of 2/12.

Called Ventura Beach RV and they had spots available that weekend as well but for $120+ fees/tax a night I didn't want to worry about my sewer hose being stolen by the homeless pricks that live in the wash next door. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Ventura Beach RV but their prices are getting out of hand lately.
 

yz450mm

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Flying Flags in Buellton is our usual spot about 5 times a year, walk to restaurants, bike ride to Solvang, close to Chumash casino and short drive to Jalama Beach. Super clean and well maintained always.
Never been, but I'd like to check it out when everything opens up. Is there a certain area of the park you would recommend for a large 5th wheel?

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HitIt

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Jefftowz

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Never been, but I'd like to check it out when everything opens up. Is there a certain area of the park you would recommend for a large 5th wheel?

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All the spots are great, the newer premium spots and some of the end spots include, bbq and a fire pit.
 

77charger

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Id just hit the desert even if you dont have toys. Its just as much fun. Campfire., quiet openess. Relax and just take in the scenery.

The older I get the less I am into the California Beach camping scene. Stacked in a parking lot and surrounded by all kinds of people.

Just hit the road towards Vegas and find some Mojave BLM land;)
We use to hit desert in winter for camping hit other family to go was nice to go.Some of us did some shooting others relaxed and we had fires at night.
 

rivermobster

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Gorman maybe?

My personal favorite is Dove Springs though. Might be too far for you though.
 

HitIt

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I think the desert is going to have to be it. I think Gorman is closed for overnight. Dove Springs would work. Is that federal land?

My main issue with the desert is that I grew up riding and it would kill me to be there without any bikes!
 

rivermobster

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I think the desert is going to have to be it. I think Gorman is closed for overnight. Dove Springs would work. Is that federal land?

My main issue with the desert is that I grew up riding and it would kill me to be there without any bikes!

It's BLM land. Same as Spangler Hills. Just spent 5 days in Spangler. Some areas were packed. There was nobody around our site...

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WYRD

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This is a nice Park we stayed here one night after getting booted out of Jalama Beach for a rocket launch at Vandenberg.
The question I have is is the adult jacuzzi a swingers kind a dealio asking for a friend 🤔
What's the story
 

Shady

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Seems like camping in CA is going to stay ridiculously closed for a while and my family is ready to get out of the house and go camping. We just upgraded our trailer and are itching to use it for the first time. What are some creative options to get out there and use it? I am in Ventura and hoping to keep the drive under 3 hours for a short weekend trip. We don't have any off-road toys :(


We are in the same boat. Had reservations in San Clemente cancelled for next weekend. Did some quick searching and found some cool looking places on hipcamp.com being private land they all seem to be open. We found one in Jolon, outside of Paso Robles. No idea if its good, bad or ugly, but its gotta be better than sitting at home.
 

77charger

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I think the desert is going to have to be it. I think Gorman is closed for overnight. Dove Springs would work. Is that federal land?

My main issue with the desert is that I grew up riding and it would kill me to be there without any bikes!
Grew up riding too but when we head to calico we go shooting even though not much at times as you can relax or even hike and explore.
 

gqchris

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If you can go next weekend, you are welcome to join our small group that is going to Stoddard Wells Road or Copper City in Barstow. Sometimes its nice to be in a communal camp with other like minded individuals. Plenty to do and if we go to Copper City, its a shooting haven.

I get it though, sometimes hard to convince the wives to love the desert if they consider the Beach Glamping Scene to be "camping". Its TWO totally different events in my book.
 

HitIt

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If you can go next weekend, you are welcome to join our small group that is going to Stoddard Wells Road or Copper City in Barstow. Sometimes its nice to be in a communal camp with other like minded individuals. Plenty to do and if we go to Copper City, its a shooting haven.

I get it though, sometimes hard to convince the wives to love the desert if they consider the Beach Glamping Scene to be "camping". Its TWO totally different events in my book.

Thank you so much for the invitation! I will let you know how things evolve.
 

gqchris

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Thank you so much for the invitation! I will let you know how things evolve.
Looking forward to it. I just sold my Canam X3 so will be in the more relaxed mode as well. I just tug out my Honda Trail 90 and Suzuki Samurai for camp putts this season.
 

Meaney77

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We did a few weekends at Flying flags over the summer.

We also did Cava up in Paso. A newer place in the Central Valley- several wineries all close by. Naci is close by too. If they are booked you can also check out Wine Country RV.

If you stay in Cava I would look at spots in row 305-330, they are back in spots and have a nice grassy area behind where you can chill and pay games, etc..


 

HitIt

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We also did Cava up in Paso. A newer place in the Central Valley- several wineries all close by. Naci is close by too. If they are booked you can also check out Wine Country RV.

I hear good things, too. I would love to try it out but they are also saying they are only open to long term stays due to COVID restrictions.
 

rivermobster

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I'm cruising to Dove at the end of the month. Great spot at the bottom of the Sierras!

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Call or text me when you get a chance. I have a top secret spot out there I can share with you.
 

Mr. C

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Flying Flags in Buellton is our usual spot about 5 times a year, walk to restaurants, bike ride to Solvang, close to Chumash casino and short drive to Jalama Beach. Super clean and well maintained always.
Damn now I'm hungry for a Jalama Beach hamburger and some onion rings. :)
 

DC-88

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Check to see if Refugio is open . I got up real early last Sunday when the swell came up and went down to surf Naples. We stopped by Refugio on the way back because the weather was so nice and paid the 10 bucks for a day pass, hung out , and a couple of my longboarder buddies stopped by who had been down at Campus point and we traded time on their logs out there at the point from our little tailgate party. It looked like some people were camped on the North half of the campground. The South half looked closed for sure.
 

cxr

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Drive a little further south... Campland was considered essential and open during all the lockdowns.
 

lantz

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Drive North to 154 and head towards Lake Cachuma. Wife and I tented it on a trip one weekend to visit a kid at UCSB back there. I don't remember the name of the specific camp ground we stayed in, but it wasn't more than a 15 minute drive to Cold Springs Tavern for dinner, and we spent a day driving around the lake/area and there are quite a few places to camp.
 

Boatymcboatface

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We’ve done wine country rv in Paso Robles for the mid state fair it’s a nice clean park and has a winery you can walk to. It had a couple pools one adult only spa and nice amenities. We’re planning on doing that again when/if the fair ever happens again and they open the water park right next door.
 
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