San Onofre Bluffs Campground

Primitive asphalt RV parking w/ no hookups. Close to I-5 freeway & train tracks so the ocean sounds are drowned out by traffic & trains 7/24. RV sites in our section were roomy but can be far from primitive restrooms - flushing RV-like toilets are not bad but only skylite no electric lights, cold water faucets & outdoor beach-type showers. Tents are pitched on the trail above the parking space. Fire rings & rustic wood picnic tables on a dirt/gravel patch besides parking. Trails 4 &5 were closed so no beach access (although a couple surfers jumped the fence). Trails 1 & 6 allow dogs; trail 1 accesses a beach w/ sand; trail 6 accesses a rocky beach. Great surfing beaches but not very good for swimming & wading. Bluffs are beautiful &3 mile long flat road a great bike ride. Dump station cost $10 as of June 1st. Getting a ‘beach’ camp site in SoCal is very challenging so this place can be your best chance. But it’s best as a short-stay stop on your way elsewhere unless you are looking for a surfing destination.

First Thing to know, the campsites are close, it's a 1/4 mile walk to the beach, it's by the freeway, the military flies around in helicopters/planes, and there's friendly bees around the outdoor showers.

Second thing to know, seeing more than 30 people on the beach (surfers included) is a crowded day, the view from the bluffs is stunning, the people are usually chill surfers or beach lovers, and be brave just take a shower the bees will buzz aside.

We sleep in our camper so the freeway noise isn't bad, especially with earplugs. We get solid Verizon coverage in the campground and most places on the beach. I use my phone as a hotspot and can work on my laptop.

The ocean breeze is great for cooling the evenings down in the tent/camper. They clean and stock the bathrooms every day. There are dumping stations for campers with fresh water too.

There is a nude beach to the south end of the beach but they're just enjoyng the sun and you don't have to go past the military fence if you don't want to see bare parts of anyone.

Surfers, beach lovers, and happy families come here to enjoy a chill time at the beach. You won't be alone, it won't be totally quiet, and you will have to walk a ways to the beach including a hill. It is not be the spot for someone with troubles getting around.

We camp here at least once a year, usually more. It's close enough to San Clemente for everything you need, plus restaurants, drinks, shopping whatever. We love the town of San Clemente from Avenida Del Mar to the Pier!

The campground is over 2 miles long. Tents and smaller campers in the North end, a mix of everything in the middle sites, and larger sites to the south. It takes about 10 minutes (speed limit 15 mph) just to drive through the campground. So pick your site accordingly! We use the south end for our camper size.

This is a great place if you love uncrowded beaches, friendly people, don't mind bees, can wear earplugs at night, and walk a ways to the beach. A burden for some people and perfect for others - like us!

I know this place isn’t getting good reviews but we enjoyed it. If you looked at the location on a map ahead of time you had to have known there would be noise from the freeway, and I was t too bothered by the noise. We stayed right on the beach and had great cell coverage, full hookups for $35 a night, clean facility and laundry close by. We typically like to stay in dispersed sites, but this place was fine and we got to entertain my son and a few of his Marine Corps friends for Thanksgiving. I would stay here again!

We checked in and fully set up our trailer only to pick up our phones and find that we had absolutely no cell service for calls, texts, or data. So no internet, streaming, etc. This might work for a weekend getaway, but definitely not for me as a small business owner as I must have internet and phone access every day. Also there are no views to speak of. It is a 1.5 mile walk/drive to the beach/ocean, so it is a misnomer at the least to call this beach camping. On the plus side, most of the sites have tall shrubbery around them that provides a bit of privacy. I left due to the cell service issue after only an hour, so I don't have photos to share. Expect dry desert, dirt & asphalt sites, no view, lots of shrubbery.

You’re close to other campers and like the other reviews say it is close to the freeway and train. BUT I love this place! Super dog friendly, cool trails to the beach. Just depends on what you’re wanting. If you want to be secluded right on the water you’ll be disappointed! If you’re more realistic you’ll appreciate how close everything is :) certain spots have a better view of the water, when booking take a look at the pictures! We already booked to go back next month in our motorhome.

Not a bad spot, not a great one either....

Pretty loud as it runs parallel w/ the 5 fwy and in seems to attract a party crowd during the popular months. There is a group of sites that are protected from the freeway noise however, they are a bit more crowded in regards to the size of the spots. Pretty sure the site numbers are low 70's to high 80's.

Decent surf (Very tide dependent) and even though it's known to be sharky, I have never ran across one. "Knock on wood."

There is little to no crowd in the water as everyone is just north where the surf is better.

Vault toilets, no showers....