San Elijo State Beach Campground, San Diego

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Amazon
• Pinterest

Having grown up in San Diego, I don’t think I’ve ever missed a summer of beach camping in my life. And it’s a tradition I have continued with my kids. Every summer we go camping at the San Elijo State Beach campground. It’s one of our most favorite summer traditions. And I know I’m not alone because beach camping in Southern California is extremely popular and downright difficult to get campsites. But I do have tips on how to improve your chances at booking a beach campsite.

If you haven’t ever gone beach camping, I highly suggest you give it a try. There’s not much better than relaxing at the beach all day and then falling asleep while listening to the waves crash just steps away from your campsite.

But there are some things you need to know ahead of time, like how to book a campsite at San Elijo beach.

San Elijo Campground Reservations

All San Diego beach campgrounds are very competitive when it comes to booking campsites, and San Elijo beach campground is no exception. Reservations are done on a rolling basis 6 months out from the date you want to go. What that means is that if you want to go on July 4, you need to book on January 4 at 8am.

To book a campsite at San Elijo, you’ll need to create an account on ReserveCalifornia. On the day you want to try booking, you should be logged in and ready to go by 7:50. You should see a countdown on the website, and at exactly 8am, you can try to secure your site.

Amenities at San Elijo Beach Campground

San Elijo has both hook-up RV sites and standard non-electric campsites. Campsites can accommodate RVs and trailers up to 35 feet, however, the max size varies by campsite. Be sure to check that information before you book so you can plan accordingly. When you book, there will be a dropdown that shows the max length.

There are restrooms and showers at the campground. Showers require tokens, which can be purchased from a machine near where you check in (cash only). There is also a dump station on site (for a fee).

The San Elijo State Beach Campground used to have a camp store and an on-site snack bar, but unfortunately those have been closed for a few years now. I hope some day they will come back. We loved walking up to the camp store for ice cream at night. And the snack bar served really good food all day long, making for a quick and easy meal option.

Why I Love Beach Camping at San Elijo

There are many popular beach campgrounds in California, but one of my favorites is San Elijo State Beach. There are many reasons I love camping at San Elijo. One, it’s convenient. That will obviously vary depending on where you are coming from, but regardless of how long it takes you to get to the campground, there are a lot of conveniences that San Elijo offers.

Parking in the Area

One perk is street parking just outside the campground. This makes it super easy for visitors to come hang out during the day and not have to pay $15 for a parking pass. You can’t park overnight on the street, but you can park until midnight or 2am. That’s plenty of time for guests to stay for dinner and a campfire before heading home.

Check out my tips on how to save a little money while beach camping.

Conveniences in the Area

Another convenience when beach camping at the San Elijo State Beach campground is the fact that there is a 7-11, a grocery store, some restaurants and a Starbucks just across the street. V.G. Donuts is also right across the street and is one of the most popular donut shops in San Diego.

Don’t feel like cooking even one of my easy camping meals? There are food options super close by–you can walk to pick up a meal or have it delivered.

The Seaside Market, where you will find the famous Cardiff Crack Tri Tip, is a grocery store with everything you might have forgotten at home. It also has an amazing food and bakery counter, making it worth a visit even if you didn’t forget anything. We love the Cali Breakfast Burrito, and make a point to get that anytime we’re in the area.

Another reason I like beach camping at the San Elijo campground so much is the fact that beach access is really easy.

If you are on the far south end of the campground, you are even with the sand and have no stairs or ramps to deal with. A little further up, you have a short staircase with three flights of stairs. As you go further north in the campground, the staircases get longer and longer. So if stairs are bothersome to you, you can strategize to get a campsite in the southern section of the campground and alleviate that issue.

Are Dogs Allowed at the San Elijo State Beach campground?

Yes, dogs are allowed at the campground. And if you have dogs, you might also enjoy the fact that dogs are allowed on the beach at San Elijo, but only on the far south end. This makes it so you don’t have to worry about having them contained back at camp for the entire day.

The Layout of the Campground

Another perk at of the San Elijo State Beach Campground (at least in my opinion) is the layout of the campsites. This campground has a center island in each section, offering even more campsites. This means that you might have more neighbors to deal with, but if you are coordinating with other families, you might be able to get campsites that are back to back with one another.

The San Elijo State Beach Campground used to have a camp store and an on-site snack bar, but unfortunately those have been closed for a few years now. I hope some day they will come back. We loved walking up to the camp store for ice cream at night. And the snack bar served really good food all day long, making for a quick and easy meal option.