Campgrounds and RV parks near Manzanita, OR

The area supports hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, fishing, crabbing, and clamming, with most activity centered on Nehalem Bay and the Pacific beach. The state park sits on a four-mile sand spit between the ocean and the bay, with shore pines and rolling dunes separating the campground from the open beach. A 1.8-mile paved bike path runs through the park with views of Nehalem Bay and resident elk and deer. The bayside boat ramp gives crabbers and clammers easy water access, and the marinas south of town rent boats, sell bait, and run crab rings on the bay and lower Nehalem River. Oswald West State Park, Hug Point, and the town of Manzanita itself sit within a short drive for coastal hikes, tidepooling, and a restaurant break off the campsite.

Nehalem Bay State Park campground is open year-round and accepts reservations up to six months in advance. Summer is the busiest window, with school-break families dominating the loops from late June through Labor Day; reservable sites typically fill far in advance, so booking near the six-month mark is the safest plan. Spring and fall bring lighter crowds, cooler temperatures, and intermittent rain. The bayside boat docks are removed October through May to protect them from winter storm damage, which affects launching plans for trailered boats during the shoulder and winter months. A seasonal beach restriction from March 15 through September 15 covers the area south of the main day-use zone for western snowy plover nesting, with foot and equestrian traffic permitted on wet sand only and other recreation prohibited. Winter is the wettest stretch on the north Oregon coast. Storm watching draws visitors, but expect reduced private-marina services and closures of horseback riding outfitters outside the main season.

Sites at Nehalem Bay State Park pack closely together with minimal screening between neighbors, though shore pines provide overhead canopy in most areas. Electric and water hookups reach all standard sites, and two dump stations sit near the entrance; the park charges a fee for dump-station use by guests dumping outside waste. Only one RV is permitted per site, and the angled outer-loop sites generally fit larger rigs better than the back-ins. Beach access requires a short walk over the dunes, which can be a slog when carrying chairs and a cooler. Coastal wind and fog are common even in summer; pack layers regardless of the forecast. The marina-based RV parks south of town offer waterfront sites geared to fishing and crabbing, with bait shops, cleaning stations, and boat moorage on premises.