At Doheny State Beach near Dana Point, you can camp near the ocean. In fact, some of the campsites at Dana Point are just steps from the beach. From the park and beach, you can get great views of the ocean and you can even see dolphins playing in the waves.
There is so much to do at Doheny Beach besides gazing at the sea. When you are not near your campsite, you will find tidal pools to explore and a visitor center with several aquariums. Or you could network and play beach volleyball.
Surf fishing is also popular. You can also visit the nearby port of Dana Point to rent a boat or go on a whale watching trip.
Swimming and surfing are also popular with campers at Doheny State Beach. The smaller waves make Doheny a good place to learn to surf. Lifeguards patrol the beach throughout the year. Lifeguard towers are staffed from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
Some people love camping at Doheny Beach because it is so close to the ocean. Others complain that it is too crowded. If you stay in campsites that are further from the beach, you may hear a lot of noise as trains pass. Others don’t think it’s clean enough. People trying to camp in tents complain about the noise RV campers make. It’s a confusing bunch of conflicting statements, I realize. The best way to decide if it’s right for you is to read some of the Doheny Beach campground reviews on Yelp.
What facilities are there for camping at Doheny State Beach?
Doheny State Beach has 16 RV sites for trailers and RVs up to 35 feet long. It also has 100 tent sites. All campsites are offline “dry camp” sites.
There are restrooms and showers available, and there is a dump for RVs. WiFi is available, but only at the food stand.
If you’d like to stay in Doheny State Beach but don’t have an RV, give Luv2Camp a try. They can deliver and configure an RV for you.
What you need to know before camping at Doheny State Beach
- California State Park campgrounds require reservations and navigating a reservation system that looks like it could have been designed by an evil mastermind. To get started, you will need to choose your date up to six months in advance. Our California State Park Reservations Guide will show you how. It’s so competitive that wasting a few minutes choosing the perfect site can be the difference between getting a spot and getting lost. To prepare to make that reservation as soon as they are available, check the camp map and sights ahead of time.
- The camp fee covers one motorized vehicle and one legally towed vehicle. You can register three vehicles (trailers and / or cars) for each camp. Additional vehicles pay an additional fee.
- Sites 37-94 are closest to the ocean and have direct access to the beach. Site 29 may appear to be on the beach and next to the water, but that is the San Gabriel River, not the ocean.
- People who own RVs with side slides say that some of the spaces are very tight. Find a larger place on the map if you need one.
- If you have a generator, you will need to turn it off during quiet hours at night.
- Some campers suggest bringing water shoes if you want to go to the ocean, to avoid hurting your feet on the rocky bottom.
- Dogs are allowed in the campground for free, but must be leashed and cared for at all times, and cannot go to the beach. Dogs should also be kept inside your vehicle or tent at night.
- The area fills up during the Doheny Blues Festival in late May.
How to get to Camp Doheny State Beach
Doheny State Beach
25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive
Dana Point, CA
Sitio web de Doheny State Beach
More camping in Southern California
You can find more beach camping spots on the Southern California coast with this guide.
