Campsite Review: San Onofre Beach Campground is on Camp Pendelton, along the beach south of San Clemente. This is a military-only campground.
The nearest city with services is San Clemente. The campsite has 118 campsites for RVs and tents.
To get to the campground, the primary way (and usually the only way) is to enter Camp Pendelton at the San Onofre Gate on Basilone Road then take the first right turn after you pass the gas station, on Beach Club Road which leads to the campground.
Occasionally the gate between San Onofre State Beach and the campground may be open and the primary route closed. Call ahead for instructions.
Here is our post discussing when we stayed at San Onofre Beach. Camping at Camp Pendleton…. Departing the Beach and San Onofre Sunset
Details
Website: San Onofre Beach
Address: Beach Club Rd, San Clemente, CA 92672
Link to Google Map for the area: San Onofre Beach
Phone Number/Reservations: (760) 763-SAND (7263) and (760) 763-SURF (7873)
Reservations will be taken up to 3 months in advance. Reservation Policy
Here is the link to an article on authorized patrons: Who can stay at military campgrounds?
Dates stayed: January 27 – February 3, 2018, and January 2 – 29, 2019
Comfort: Temperatures were nice. Cold at night. Always moist — right next to the water.
Elevation: Zero, beachfront, sometimes waves on the road in front of the RV
Season: All Year
Price Paid: $25 partial (winter rates)
Our Site: 27 also site 96
Hook-ups: Full $30 full (winter rates)
Dump station: Yes
Restrooms: Yes, not recommended, usually dirty, always sandy.
Shower: Yes, not recommended, usually dirty, always sandy.
Laundry: Yes
Potable Water: Yes
Water to fill your RV storage tank: Yes
Cell service: Verizon – Good Signal / AT&T – Good Signal
Observations
Campsite Review: San Onofre Beach Campground insider info:
San Onofre Beach is on Camp Pendelton, at the north end of the base, next to Interstate 5. The correct term for this is a campground – not an RV Park.
San Onofre Beach is one of the few places you can camp facing the Pacific Ocean. The campground is divided into two basic areas, each distinct by elevation. Surfers, Palm Tree and Beach are on the lower level, right next to the water.
The Bluff area is above the Beach area. The problem with the sites on the upper terrace is the train noise. This is also true for all the campsites but especially true for the upper sites. The sites at Surfers also have lots of train noise.
The campsites in Palm Tree Lane have full hookups. Not true for the other areas. The spaces are divided into four sections, the campsites at the north and south are best for shorter RVs.
Our site on Palm Tree Lane was enough room to wander around all sides of our RV, but not the back which was against the hillside.
Some sites have a fire ring. Not all sites have fire rings. We don’t use fire rings due to the smoke.
The area designated Beach does not have a road between the sites and the water, however all these sites are very small.
There are three places to camp at Camp Pendelton. All three locations are military recreation areas and require base access to utilize. All three locations have sites with full hookups.
Camp Pendelton has two other locations. Here are links to the full description of Lake O’Neill and Del Mar Beach (also right on the ocean).
Bonus
If you surf San Onofre Beach campground is ideally situated for three well-known and historic Orange County surf breaks. Trestles, Church, and Old Mans.
Plenty of room around the campground for walks, up and down the beach, well beyond the campground. To the north, you can walk to Trestles a historic California Surf Spot. To the south, you can walk to and past the now decommissioned San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant.
Caution
Do not confuse the campground with San Onofre Bluffs Campground or San Onofre State Beach.
Layout & Satellite Views
