Camping on the beach in southern CA

Airborn805 wrote:
Thorn hill broom- northern Malibu-dry camping
Emmawood-Ventura-dry camping
Sewall-Ventura-dry camping
Carpinteria-Santa Barbara-full hook ups
Refugio- Santa Barbara-dry camping
Gaviota-Santa abatabara-dry camping
Jalama-Santa Barbara-dry camping
pismo coast village-pismo-full hookups
Moro dunes-Moro bay-full hookups

There's a few more just have to look around and explore

Jalama County Park has some sites that have electric hookups with water available just not at sites. Hooked up to spigot with Water Thief and filled fresh water tank without moving RV

Thorn hill broom- northern Malibu-dry camping
Emmawood-Ventura-dry camping
Sewall-Ventura-dry camping
Carpinteria-Santa Barbara-full hook ups
Refugio- Santa Barbara-dry camping
Gaviota-Santa abatabara-dry camping
Jalama-Santa Barbara-dry camping
pismo coast village-pismo-full hookups
Moro dunes-Moro bay-full hookups

There's a few more just have to look around and explore

Wow this is a pretty cool search result California Beach Camping

Someone mentioned Camp Pendleton. I was told by the Marines that we can't actually go in the water due to the barbed wire littering the bottom. That is a pity, if it is true -- the waves at that campsite are really excellent.

Are you coming down during the summer time? If so most of this campgrounds are already booked solid.It is going to be hard to find a spot.You just have to watch for cancellations (that rarely happens)

missourijan wrote:
bikendan may have lived in CA for 55 years but he is not correct about Pismo being the ONLY place to camp on the sand. There are 5 in Ventura County, Emma Wood State Beach, no facilities whatsoever, no bathrooms, hookups but right on the water. It can handle big rigs if you can back it up. Also, there is Rincon, a Ventura County park that's right on the water but can't handle bigger rigs. The sites are a certain size and you can't go past the lines. There are 2 other Ventura County parks right on the water Hobson and can't remember the other name. Google Ventura County parks and call them. They are small parks, no big rigs, have some partial hookups. There's also Thornhill Broome state beach, right on the water, none of these have any hookups. I think Thornhill has a bathroom and may be in north Los Angeles county.

Well, I have surfed at all those other places you mentioned. In fact, I lived in Ventura County for 17 years and know them quite well.

Apparently you didn't understand what the OP is asking.

All the ones you mentioned are NEXT to the sand, not on it.
And there is no Ventura County park called Rincon. Rincon is a famous surf spot, not a park.
There is Faria and Hobson campgrounds in the Ventura County park system. They both are right above the beach but you aren't on the sand like you can at Pismo.

The difference between the lists people are making and Pismo: in those you can camp right next to the beach. On pismo you drive on the sand. It really isnt a campground at all - just a place you can park your rig on the sand.

Yes, Thornhill is in LA County, quite near county line. It is part of Sycamore Canyon SP.

Other CGs where you can get very close (at least in some sites) - Carpinteria SP, Doheny SP, Morro Bay Strand SP, and Silver Strand SP(so much sand in that CG you will think you are on the beach). There are probably others.

I have also lived in CA 55 years and I have a mobile home in Pismo, so I am there a lot.

missourijan wrote:
bikendan may have lived in CA for 55 years but he is not correct about Pismo being the ONLY place to camp on the sand. There are 5 in Ventura County, Emma Wood State Beach, no facilities whatsoever, no bathrooms, hookups but right on the water. It can handle big rigs if you can back it up. Also, there is Rincon, a Ventura County park that's right on the water but can't handle bigger rigs. The sites are a certain size and you can't go past the lines. There are 2 other Ventura County parks right on the water Hobson and can't remember the other name. Google Ventura County parks and call them. They are small parks, no big rigs, have some partial hookups. There's also Thornhill Broome state beach, right on the water, none of these have any hookups. I think Thornhill has a bathroom and may be in north Los Angeles county.

I have to agree with bikendan,and I have lived here longer than him :B

The other places that you have mentioned all CAMP on asphalt and step out onto the sand.
Emma Wood

Rincon

Hobson

Faria beach

Thornhill Broome

As opposed to PISMO where you CAMP ON THE SAND!

Pismo

bikendan may have lived in CA for 55 years but he is not correct about Pismo being the ONLY place to camp on the sand. There are 5 in Ventura County, Emma Wood State Beach, no facilities whatsoever, no bathrooms, hookups but right on the water. It can handle big rigs if you can back it up. Also, there is Rincon, a Ventura County park that's right on the water but can't handle bigger rigs. The sites are a certain size and you can't go past the lines. There are 2 other Ventura County parks right on the water Hobson and can't remember the other name. Google Ventura County parks and call them. They are small parks, no big rigs, have some partial hookups. There's also Thornhill Broome state beach, right on the water, none of these have any hookups. I think Thornhill has a bathroom and may be in north Los Angeles county.