Campgrounds and RV parks near San Rafael, CA

Day trips fan out in every direction. To the east, China Camp State Park has shoreline trails, a historic Chinese-American fishing village, and a well-known network of fire roads and singletrack used for mountain biking. To the west, Point Reyes National Seashore covers beaches, lighthouse overlooks, tule elk herds at Tomales Point, and the Bear Valley trail system. Olema Campground sits a short drive from Limantour Beach, with wildlife including deer and elephant seals nearby. Mount Tamalpais State Park and Muir Woods National Monument are reachable in under 45 minutes for redwood hikes and summit views. McNear's Beach County Park offers a bay swim beach and a seasonal pool. Travelers heading into San Francisco often use a ferry terminal in Larkspur or Sausalito to skip city driving entirely.

In San Rafael the summers are long, comfortable, arid, and mostly clear, and the winters are short, cool, wet, and partly cloudy. Late spring through early fall is the most reliable window for RV travel, with dry roads, warm days, and full access to coastal trails. Coastal fog is routine on summer mornings, especially toward Point Reyes and the Marin Headlands, and can hold into midday before clearing inland. Winter brings the bulk of the rainfall, with December through February typically the wettest stretch. Storms can flood low-lying roads in West Marin and bring down trees on park access routes. Early fall is often the warmest stretch inland, with September highs reaching near 80°F, but late summer and fall also overlap with peak wildfire season in California. Travelers in summer and fall should follow campground fire regulations, watch for Red Flag Warnings, and monitor local fire advisories before heading into the backcountry. Some West Marin trails close temporarily during winter storms and high fire-danger periods.

Roads in West Marin are narrow, curving, and slow. Drivers in larger Class A rigs and long fifth-wheels should plan routes carefully, particularly on Highway 1, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west of Olema, and the approach to Point Reyes. In-town parks near San Rafael are compact and oriented to highway travelers rather than resort stays, so expect tight site spacing and limited on-site amenities. Cell coverage is generally strong along the 101 corridor and weaker once roads drop toward the coast. Summer temperatures stay mild, but mornings can be cool and damp from marine fog, so pack layers even in July. Ticks and poison oak are common on West Marin trails, and dogs are restricted on most Point Reyes paths and prohibited on China Camp trails.