Our favorite place is SeaCliff State Beach in Aptos Ca. You can book out 6 months early. For the summer months you have too. They sell out with in minutes of 8:am. They have some dry sites at $55 a night and some with hook ups for $65. You do not need to belong to anything. Go to Reserve America. Keep in mind that you can book a whole week. So if you want the 4th of July. You should book on Dec 1st. for a June arrival, Pick the last day of June and you can carry over for the 7 days thru the 4th.
they also have a lottery at 12:30 each day for any empty unreserved sites.
The non hook up sites at SeaCliff are 10 feet from the sand and look directley at the ocean. The hook up sites are back in with a small sand pad for a patio also 10 feet from the sand. No dunnes.