California is home to many amazing attractions, including iconic parks like Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Death Valley as well as several located in the state’s cities. As you probably know, RVing and national parks go hand-in-hand, but many don’t consider urban camping when planning a trip to see the big cities of California. This is too bad because urban camping in California is a fantastic way to experience RV travel.
Ready to explore Hollywood, check out the Golden Gate Bridge, and soak up the sun in San Diego? Here are the very best California urban camping spots.
Urban RV Parks in California
San Francisco North/Petaluma KOA
San Francisco North/ Petaluma KOA is only 34 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It offers great access to the beaches and to giant redwoods and is, of course, convenient to the city of San Francisco.
The park has a pool, a store, a snack bar, propane, bike rentals, a camp kitchen, a playground, a ball pit, outside games, a bounce pillow and even a petting zoo. There are seasonal activities as well.
Things to do in San Francisco include:
- California Academy of Sciences
- Alcatraz
- exploring Chinatown
- Japanese Tea Garden
- checking out the Golden Gate Bridge
Chino Hills State Park
Chino Hills State Park is a nature preserve in the Chino Hills foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains and is near Los Angeles in the northern Orange County city of Chino Hills. It has 14,102 acres of varied biomes that are home to both resident and migrating wildlife, and it is a link to the Chino-Puente Hills Wildlife Corridor.
While in Chino Hills State Park, you have a good chance to see some of the more than 200 species of animals and birds, thousands of insects and invertebrates, and numerous amphibians and reptiles. Many of these species are rare, like the coastal cactus wren and the California gnatcatcher.
Things to do in nearby LA include:
- The Getty
- Griffith Observatory
- visiting one of the theme parks the city has to offer
Campland on the Bay
Campland on the Bay is located on Mission Bay in San Diego and provides waterfront camping. The camp has been offering family recreational fun for more than 50 years and continues to add new features to its already numerous amenities.
Recently, the camp added an Open-Air Study Hall, which is equipped with Wi-Fi and distanced tables and chairs for kids to use while completing schoolwork. The RV park also has a marina, a pool, a hot tub, a restaurant, and watercraft and bike rentals as well as outside games and sports and scheduled live entertainment.
Wondering what to do in San Diego? We recommend checking out:
SacWest
SacWest is near Sacramento and offers easy access to this large urban area. The park has family-friendly amenities that include a heated pool that is open year-round, a recreational room, train rides, grills, a dog park, bike rentals, a laundry, Wi-Fi, cable, propane, movie rentals, and more.
On top of that, weekend activities are planned throughout the year. These include ice cream socials, campfires with s’mores, bingo, a monster waterslide, arts and crafts, and holiday-themed events.
As far as Sacramento attractions go, make sure to see:
- Crocker Art Museum
- California State Capitol Museum
- California State Railroad Museum
- Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park
Where to Urban Camp in California
- San Francisco is an excellent place to do some urban camping in California while still maintaining the ability to easily visit natural areas like Redwood National Park.
- Another good spot for urban camping with easy access to nature? The area around Sacramento. This is a good escape in summer.
- San Diego has several RV parks available and the year-round warm temperatures make it a great escape for snowbirds.
- Urban camping in Palm Desert is an awesome choice during the winter because it is nice and warm and a short distance away from Joshua Tree National Park.
- We recommend urban camping in LA if you want to see several famous attractions in one trip.
Ease of Urban Camping in California
California is RV-friendly in some spots, but not so much in others. There are many areas where free, legal overnight parking is not available, so you shouldn’t plan on staying in parking lots, especially in big cities. There are also mountainous areas with lots of steep grades as well as some places with low clearance bridges and many downtown areas with narrow roads that are not suitable for big rigs. Nevertheless, as long as you go in with a plan to stay and use a trucker’s atlas or an RV navigation app to plan your route and you’ll do just fine.
With an RV rental, your urban vacation will be a little more comfortable! After you’ve spent a long day exploring the city, you can relax around the fire at your campsite. Then, retire inside to enjoy all the comforts of home onboard your RV. Plan your perfect urban getaway with an RV rental from RVshare.
