Camping in California only goes with the surf. How else could most surfers afford a weekend in Big Sur? I know I can’t afford a spa. I have camped many times in places where I could surf. Although there weren’t always waves, there was always a fire and some hot dogs.

As with any planned vacation, it can be difficult to coordinate a swell with booking a spot. When I finally know decent surf is on the way, many spots are already booked. Despite this, windows of opportunity appeared and we got a camping spot even after being informed by computer/phone/internet/signs that the place was full. It is often worth the risk to do so and hope that something is available. Just make sure you have a backup plan, like another nearby campground that is sure to have spots. So far, we haven’t had to pay for one of those expensive Bodega Bay hotel rooms.

We always try to pack light, as light as possible when carrying kids gear, camping stuff, and of course a surfboard. There seems to be a lot of room in a vehicle until you start filling it with your trash. We used to have a 1982 VW campervan that we kept prepackaged most of the time. It was good for weekend trips. We would stop and open the top. It even had a sink, stove, and refrigerator, although we rarely used these, preferring to cook outside. His main problem was that he was a slow old Diesel. 60’s VW love vans flew past us on Highway 1. We used a LOT of detours. It was great once we got there, but next time I’d buy the gas version without the stove and sink inside. It is faster and has more space. Where to go? The big question always depends on the swell, the wind and the availability of the site. These are some of the places I’ve been camping and surfing. Most have really nice places near or right on the beach.

Humboldt County

My wife and I left our tent in Trinidad because of the rain, so we rented a cheap cabin at Emerald Forest Campground. It was rustic, with a wooden bed, chair and small heater, perfect for rainy conditions and simple enough for us to wear our gear and feel like we were camping.

Along the way north to one of the beaches, I noticed some crystal clear waves breaking a mile away on a beach that turned out to be Dry Lagoon. Even though it was cloudy, the waves were crystal clear, head up and fun. I guess I caught it on a rare day that it didn’t turn off.

north county

My wife and I also went to Crescent City, somewhat financially depressed. It reminds me of my hometown of Pacifica, except the houses are four times as expensive back home. But Crescent City has potential, surrounded by ocean and redwoods. I surfed South Beach in a crosswind, and it was kind of fun despite being sloppy.

Sonoma County

Bodega Bay is the premier surf spot in Sonoma County, and Doran Beach is the most convenient campground, located directly across the street from the beach. We have stayed there many times and it is hard to beat for comfort. I just walk across the street to the beach and paddle out. Just make sure the tide is high and there’s enough swell to get to this south-facing beach. Nearby is Salmon Creek which can be fun when it’s not flown or big and out of control. If you go with the family, I would stay with Doran Beach.

Marin County

We stayed at the Olema campground, about 25 minutes from Drakes Beach in Point Reyes. The camp is a grassy meadow with a few trees, and the beach is somewhat like Doran Beach: sheltered, easy to paddle, and light sandbanks. I surfed it a couple of times almost completely alone with very fun, sunny, fast and somewhat short tides. A couple of other times I made the long trip for nothing. I got pretty close to the estuary at one point and decided to leave due to the potential for sharks. A northwesterly wind was strong offshore in front of the parking lot, which is at the end of the “wind funnel” valley. You can also drive to Bolinas… Oh, I forgot, no one is supposed to know where Bolinas is. If you can find it, say, with MapQuest or something, you can navigate this place. It’s generally cleaner and busier than other places. If you want really smooth slow rollers that are good for a longboard, walk down to the beach, turn right, past the smell of burning hemp and you’re there.

Santa Cruz County

Here we stay on the beach at New Brighton. It is a nice campsite with access to all the surfing in the city. We also stayed at Sunset Beach, also very nice with a huge beach. It’s fifty miles across Monterey Bay with several great surf spots. I caught it on a couple of windless days offshore. Not fun if it’s windy or too swelly. There’s also an RV park near the beach, but we felt a little silly staying there in our little VW truck next to all the huge RVs. The lady who stayed in her Honda Element made us feel at home.

Monterey County

Here we stay at a camp in the hills about five miles inland. We drove to Spanish Bay on an amazing day – perfectly shaped ten foot waves. It was fun until the grizzled, burly longboard team showed up. They pretty much dominated after that, and I broke a strap. I also had a great surf at Carmel beach. This place looks like Hawaii, only with cold water. Pearl white sand covers both Spanish Bay and Carmel Beach.

I’ve also had a few fun days at Andrew Molera. The hike to the mouth of the river is about a mile! A couple of times it was about 4 feet and it was clean and peeled pretty good, all good. A few other times I dragged the wife and kids out to the windy spot and we watched little waves crash for a few minutes before making the LONG walk back. I wouldn’t do the hike unless I know there is a decent sized southwest swell or west to northwest swell.

A good place to stay is Camp Ventana with its beautiful sites in the redwood forest. But there are several options nearby. If you stay further south on Plaskett Creek, you can surf at Sand Dollar Beach across the street and do a bit of a bluff walk. It has beautiful water, but the small rocky shoreline is not much fun for the family. Some young women next to our camp asked if we were there to pick up Jade. I guess that’s something else you can do there if you’re into that sort of thing. Willow Creek is another nice place nearby. It had some really nice waves that were way above your head when we were there.

San Luis Obispo County

Morro Strand State Beach is a beach camp near Morro Rock. I woke up at low tide closing when we visited, but found some surf near Montana De Oro State Park. I don’t know exactly where I entered on the way to the beach from the highway. I just stopped when I saw the surfboard racks on the cars. Ten minutes through the trees and voila, surfing!