Top 10 Campgrounds and RV Parks Salinas, California
Salinas is located south of San Francisco and about eight miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Because of its marine climate, it doesn’t experience the hot weather that’s common in other parts of California. That climate is a big reason why Salinas has a flourishing agriculture industry and is called the Salad Bowl of the World. Salinas is the hometown of Nobel Prize Laureate John Steinbeck who wrote many novels that are set in the city.
Since Salinas is close to the ocean, it has several long-term and resort RV parks that have excellent amenities. RV rentals are a convenient way to visit many recreational places on the coast and throughout California. Here are the top 10 campgrounds and RV parks in Salinas, California and the surrounding areas.
Marina Dunes RV Resort
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Marina Dunes RV Park has a fantastic location near the most interesting and enjoyable attractions on the Monterey Peninsula. It has first-class amenities, such as a beautiful clubhouse, heated pool, exercise room, sand volleyball court and outdoor barbecue areas. It is located on a dune preserve.
Why You’ll Love Marina Dunes RV Resort
The town of Marina is just four minutes away. There is also a park within walking distance, and so is the beach. Walmart is close by. Santa Cruz is 32 miles to the north, but the Monterey Peninsula has many attractions, including excellent restaurants, whale watching excursions, surfing-worthy waves, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, championship golf courses, Carmel by the Sea, wine tasting tours and more.
What People Are Saying About Marina Dunes RV Resort
“Quiet, clean, affordable, conveniently located. This is one of the nicest, cleanest friendliest campgrounds. We have stayed here nine different visits and have reservations for next year too.” – Jim, Google Review
Santa Cruz Monterey Bay KOA
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This Salis, California campground is an excellent place to stay while you’re exploring the California coast. It has a long list of activities and recreatiol opportunities on-site as well as easy access to the Santa Cruz beach. You will find basketball courts, bike rentals and a great dog park at this campground.
Why You’ll Love Santa Cruz Monterey Bay KOA
There are so many activities available on-site it might be hard to decide what to do next. Take a tour of the park on the KOA Express Fun Train, rent a bike, climb a coconut tree or play mini golf. There is an outdoor cinema and campfire at night and other things to do, such as building your own sundaes, making a tie-dye T-shirt or running in a zorb, which is a human-sized hamster ball.
What People Are Saying About Santa Cruz Monterey Bay KOA
“I love this place and revisit many times throughout the year. It is conveniently located, is just a short walk to the beach. The facilities and the staff are top-notch.” – John, Google Review
Salinas/Monterey KOA
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The Salinas/Monterey KOA is located on the Monterey Peninsula close to Monterey, Santa Cruz, Carmel and Pebble Beach. It is a full-service park in the Salinas, CA area that is suitable for a family vacation. It offers discounts when certain events are going on in the area, like the Laguna Seca Moto GP Race and the Artichoke Festival.
Why You’ll Love Salinas/Monterey KOA
This RV park has a great location on the Monterey Coast. It also has an impressive list of on-site amenities to help make a great vacation for children. It’s close to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the 17-mile scenic drive near Carmel. There are also amazing whale-watching tours available nearby.
What People Are Saying About Salinas/Monterey KOA
“Whalefest. Beautiful view, lovely people, fresh air and awesome food. One of my favorite places in California.” – Charlotte, Google Review
Moss Landing KOA Express
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Moss Landing KOA Express is located in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. It offers trails through one of the largest wetlands in California: Elkhorn Slough. It is a 15-minute drive from Moss Landing to Santa Cruz or Monterey.
Why You’ll Love Moss Landing KOA Express
The best feature of this trailer park near Salinas, CA, is its location. It is on the shore of Monterey Bay and at the mouth of Elkhorn Slough, which is considered one of the 10 best birding spots in the United States. It is also near several famous surfing destinations, like Moss Landing State Beach and Salinas River State Beach.
What People Are Saying About Moss Landing KOA Express
“A wonderful place to stay. Extremely well kept up. Close to several excellent restaurants to choose from within walking distance. Elkhorn Slough is a wildlife wonderland, there is a 1.5 mile or so walking path along the slough complete with cottontails darting across it. At the end, you can walk back to the beach.” – Sue, Google Review
Pinto Lake Park
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Pinto Lake Park is a Watsonville, CA RV park that is composed of 78 acres, of which 70 are water. It is a great place for boating and fishing, and it has a baseball diamond and volleyball court. You can bring your own boat, raft, kayak, canoe or inflatable watercraft or rent one at the campground
Why You’ll Love Pinto Lake Park
This Salis campground is an excellent place for boating and fishing. If you have a boat or want to rent one, you can have fun on the lake. The walking trails are mostly easy, and there is good bird-watching. It is a no-frills park that brings you close to ture. It’s also known to be a good place for children.
What People Are Saying About Pinto Lake Park
“It’s a chill medium sized park with a disc golf course, dog park, sports fields a slough with birds and stuff.” – Itai, Google Review
Sunset State Beach
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Sunset State Beach features a quiet RV park near Salis. Camping under the pine trees and picnicking on the beach are the main attractions, and it is open year-round. You’ll be able to enjoy spectacular views of Monterey Bay when you stay here.
Why You’ll Love Sunset State Beach
Just steps from a pristine Pacific Ocean beach, this is a campground near Salis, California, for getting away from it all. It doesn’t have hookups, but the location is fantastic. During the summer, you can participate in camp events, such as campfire gatherings, ture hikes, and Junior Ranger activities. This campsite also has a glider port for remote-control glider enthusiasts.
What People Are Saying About Sunset State Beach
“This is one of my favorite beaches in the area. It is a little out of the way, but it is wilder than many beaches and a lot of tural beauty. If you want some solitude and tural beauty, this is a good place to go.” – Lansing, Google Review
Betabel RV Resort
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Betabel RV Resort is a top-rated Good Sam RV park near Salinas, CA. It is located in the quiet countryside but convenient to the activities and cities of the Central Coast. It offers long-term RV parking near Salinas, CA as well as RV sites that you can use for shorter stays and vacations.
Why You’ll Love Betabel RV Resort
Betabel RV Resort combines a relaxing countryside location with many resort amenities. It has everything you need for a comfortable stay and provides easy access to local attractions. The top nearby attraction is the historic San Juan Bautista Mission, which is the oldest continuously in-service Spanish mission in California. The resort is near Highway 101, which will take you to the beach.
What People Are Saying About Betabel RV Resort
“Very secure, clean and comfortable. Surprisingly convenient to many destinations while feeling out in the country with a beautiful hillside setting.” – Sherides, Google Review
Saddle Mountain Ranch Campground
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The Saddle Mountain Ranch Campground is located on 89 acres of forestland. It is surrounded with oaks, Monterey pines, and redwoods. It is a quiet place that is suitable for a relaxing vacation.
Why You’ll Love Saddle Mountain Ranch Campground
The ocean is 15 minutes away, and all the Monterey Peninsula attractions are nearby. This Salinas camping site is also a good place for an RV weekend getaway for those who live nearby. There are many excellent restaurants nearby and 5 miles of hiking trails. The 2.5-mile hike to the top of the mountain offers a great reward with 360 degrees of views of the Carmel Valley, Big Sur, and the Pacific Ocean.
What People Are Saying About Saddle Mountain Ranch Campground
“There are a lot of good reasons for choosing this location. It is quiet, the internet is good, and it has a pool. The grounds are really clean. One thing to consider when booking is that the spaces are really small.” – Daniel, Google Review
Carmel by the River RV Park
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Whether you are planning to play golf at Pebble Beach, attend the races at Laguna Seca, go wine tasting or shop, Carmel by the River RV Park is your best choice as a place to park your RV. It is 5 to 10 miles away from all the major attractions of the Central Coast. The park has been family-owned and -operated for more than 40 years.
Why You’ll Love Carmel by the River RV Park
The premium sites have paved, private patios. The grounds are professionally landscaped for a beautiful environment with trees and shrubs for privacy. This RV park near Salinas has a club room with a full kitchen and a lounge where you can play Ping-Pong and billiards, and each site has a private charcoal barbecue.
What People Are Saying About Carmel by the River RV Park
“The setting is beautiful, nestled up in the hills. Very green and lush with flowers and tall shrubs for privacy between sites. The owner and staff are all very friendly. They offer a decent cash discount.” – Greg, Google Review
Santa Cruz Harbor RV Park
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Santa Cruz Harbor RV Park is one of the top destinations in the Santa Cruz area for RVing. It is located in the North Harbor and is convenient to beaches, restaurants, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and downtown Santa Cruz. There is a free water taxi that goes from the RV park to Harbor Beach during the summer and on holidays.
Why You’ll Love Santa Cruz Harbor RV Park
This is a small park with few extras, but it is the best place for an RVer who wants to spend some time in Santa Cruz. There is an extensive walking trail that goes around the harbor. Santa Cruz Harbor is the gateway to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
What People Are Saying About Santa Cruz Harbor RV Park
“Very good RV spot at a reasonable price for California. Excellent location for walking around Santa Cruz. No Wi-Fi, cannot use satellite TV due to bluff blocking southern sky.” – Daniel, Google Review
In Summary
Salinas is perfectly located for visitors who’d like to enjoy the many attractions and recreational opportunities of the Monterey Peninsula. To visit the Santa Cruz area, Santa Cruz Harbor RV Park is probably the best place to stay. There are other parks with more amenities that are less than an hour’s drive away from Santa Cruz. Carmel by the River RV Park is close to most of the activities on the Central Coast.
Saddle Mountain Ranch Campground, Pinto Lake Park, Sunset State Beach and Moss Landing KOA Express are your best choices for outdoor activities such as hiking and boating. If you want a top vacation resort, Marina Dunes RV Park, Santa Cruz Monterey Bay KOA, Betabel RV Resort and Salinas/Monterey KOA all provide the types of amenities and features that create a first-class family vacation. With so many options to choose from, you’re sure to find an RV park near Salinas that will suit your needs.
Explore other Campgrounds & RV Parks near Salinas
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to camp in Salinas, California?
How much does it cost to camp in Salinas, California?
The top 10 campgrounds we selected all show daily, weekly and monthly rates for you. Pricing will vary.
How much does it cost to RV park in Salinas, California?
Pricing will vary. The top 10 RV Parks we selected all display daily, weekly and monthly rates for you.
How long can you stay at an RV Park in Salinas, California?
Staying at an RV Park for a long period of time will vary on the campground & RV Park you choose. View our post for more information.
Are there pet friendly RV Parks & Campgrounds in Salinas, California?
Yes. The majority of campgrounds we selected in this blog allow pets.