Campgrounds and RV parks near East Palo Alto, CA

Day trips fan out in every direction. To the west, Half Moon Bay offers tidepools, beach walks, surfing at Mavericks, and the harbor at Pillar Point. To the south, the Santa Cruz Mountains hold dense redwood forests laced with hiking trails. Portola Redwoods State Park protects roughly 2,800 acres in San Mateo County, where Peters Creek and Pescadero Creek converge and about eighteen miles of trails wind through old-growth groves and shaded canyons. Closer to the bay, families can ride the Bay Trail by bike, tour the Stanford campus, or visit science museums in Mountain View and San Francisco. Big Basin Redwoods is open for day-use hiking through a limited reservation system as the park continues post-fire recovery.

The Peninsula has a Mediterranean climate with wet winters and dry, mild summers. Peak season for coastal and mountain campgrounds runs from late spring through early fall, when rainfall tapers and trails dry out. Bay-shore and coastal RV parks such as Trailer Villa, Half Moon Bay RV Park, and Pelican Point RV Park generally operate year-round, though coastal fog is common from June through August and can keep daytime temperatures cool right at the shoreline. State-park campgrounds operate on a more limited window. The main campground at Portola Redwoods is a seasonal facility, typically open from spring into mid-autumn, and the park can close during severe winter weather. Big Basin Redwoods remains in long-term recovery: traditional campgrounds in the old-growth core have not reopened since the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire destroyed most park structures, and only limited interim camping is available on the coastal Rancho del Oso side. Confirm status directly with California State Parks before relying on Huckleberry.

Expect a sharp contrast between commercial bay-side parks and state-park campgrounds. Private parks on the Peninsula and coast generally offer full hookups, big-rig access, restrooms, showers, and laundry. State parks are far more basic. The main campground at Portola Redwoods has 55 family sites with no hookups, and only sites 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 19 accommodate RVs, with a maximum length of 24 feet for motorhomes and 21 feet for trailers. Flush toilets, drinking water, pay showers, fire rings, and bear-proof food lockers are provided. Cell reception is unreliable in the redwood canyons, so plan navigation, water, and dump-station stops before leaving the Peninsula.