Camping Near Lake Vs Beach

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I had someone ask me yesterday if I prefer camping near lake or beach more. That’s a super tough one–I love them both! And I grew up beach camping every year, so for most of my life, that was all I knew. There are pros and cons to both, but mostly pros in my opinion. If I had to choose only one to do for the rest of my existence, I think I would have to choose camping near lakes. However I know my husband would choose beach camping without hesitation. Here’s what I feel are the biggest pros and cons to both.

Beach Camping

Pros

Relaxing – I’ll start with everything I love about beach camping. When we go beach camping, we basically sit on the beach for the entire day. The kids play in the sand, boogie board, surf… whatever else they feel like doing. We always enjoy some good beach game competitions, like Over The Line, maybe some SpikeBall, BottleBash and KanJam competitions as well.

It’s a typically a pretty long day at the beach, followed by showers, dinner and beautiful sunsets. Then an evening of our favorite camping games. It’s super nice and relaxing for the most part.

Convenience – Another perk of beach camping (although some may definitely see this as a negative) is that the campgrounds are typically in a city, so you have options for ordering pizza, grabbing coffee, running to the store, etc. This might make for some easier nights for dinner, and I love getting a Starbucks in the morning. But for people looking to get off the grid a bit, this might not be exactly the vibe they’re seeking.

Cons

There aren’t a whole lot of cons when it comes to beach camping, so I will just share what I think the cons are specifically in comparison to lake camping.

Access – Beach camping sites are very hard to get. It’s hard to coordinate with a large group because the chances of all getting sites at the same time and next to each other is very tricky. There are way more lakes in comparison to warm and sunny beach campgrounds, so while some popular lake campgrounds definitely book up six months out, they don’t book up in a matter of seconds like beach campsites do, so it’s slightly easier to coordinate.

Road Noise – Many beach campgrounds are located right off of main roads, so there is often traffic noise that comes along with that. There are also a lot of walkers, joggers and bicyclists that use those roads in the morning, so you can hear many of their conversations if your campsite is street-side. In addition, many California beach campgrounds also have a train that goes by (although this has gotten WAY quieter in recent years due to new noise ordinances).

Party Vibes/ Theft – I know that campsite parties can surely happen anywhere, however I have a lot more experiences with groups coming for a night of partying when we’ve been beach camping. Also, because of the easy access to the campgrounds, theft seems to be more of an issue at beach campgrounds than more remote campgrounds. There are often signs warning of people stealing bikes, generators, and even coolers. Again, theft can happen anywhere, but it’s definitely something to be aware of, especially while beach camping.

My Favorite Beach Campgrounds

• South Carlsbad State Beach Campground
• Jalama Beach County Park Campground
• Thornhill Broome Campground
• San Elijo State Beach Campground
• San Clemente State Beach Campground
• Doheny State Beach Campground

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Camping Near Lake

Pros of Camping Near Lake

Relaxing – Like beach camping, camping at the lake makes for some really relaxing days by the water. We trade in our boogie boards and surfboards for paddle boards and kayaks. Just to note, we don’t own a boat, so the only lakes I seek to camp at are ones that are swimmable for the kids. I would choose beach camping any day over a lake that I can’t even get in.

Areas to Explore – Many of the lake campgrounds I’ve been to have nearby hiking trails that either go around the lake or into nearby mountains. I love a good hike, so the ease of being able to get out and explore more of nature is very appealing to me.

Wildlife – While the beach is absolutely beautiful, it doesn’t necessarily have the same vibes as tall pine trees, large boulders, abundant wildlife, etc., that lake camping has. When we go lake camping, we love seeing deer at night. Sometimes we even see beers.

Cons of Camping Near Lake

Again, there aren’t a lot of negatives about relaxing at the lake all day. But the following issues might be a negative to some.

Bear Boxes – Camping with a bear box isn’t a big deal (although maybe the risk of seeing a bear is big deal to you), but it can be a bit of an inconvenience. Having to dig around in the bear locker or taking the cooler in and out every time you want a drink can be a bit of a nuisance.

Lake Access – Because lakes are round and the campgrounds don’t often go around the lake (or at least not in my experience), sometimes the lake can be a bit of a trek to access. If you are bringing heavier toys down there, like SUPs and kayaks, this can be a challenge.

In addition, a lot of California camping lakes are non-contact, meaning you can boat on them but you can’t swim. My kids love to be in the water, so we prefer lakes with a swimming section. The Mammoth Lakes campgrounds are beautiful but are one example of lakes you’re not allowed to swim in.

Lake Tahoe, on the other hand, has a ton of campgrounds to choose from. And many are right on the sandy beaches of Tahoe, like Nevada Beach campground. The water will be freezing, but my kids still love to splash around.

My Favorite Lake Campgrounds

• Pinecrest Lake Campground
• Meeks Bay Resort Campground at Lake Tahoe
• Oh Ridge Campground at June Lake
• Spring Cove Campground, Bass Lake
• Bass Lake Campgrounds