RV parks and public lands dot the nation’s oceanfront real estate, but when it comes to the value and likelihood of a natural beachfront camping experience, it’s public parks that tend to provide the best opportunities to watch the local wildlife, enjoy the scenery, and not break the bank.
From small city parks to national seashores, here are some of the best places to camp ocean-side across the U.S.
Key Takeaways
- Public parks and national seashores offer the best and most affordable beachfront camping with wildlife, views, and plenty of space.
- Every U.S. coastal state—from Washington to Florida—features unique RV beach camping spots with stunning ocean scenery.
- Checking tides, airing down tires, and avoiding dunes are key tips for safe and stress-free beach camping.
These 8 States Have Free Entry to State Parks
Tips for RV Beach Camping
When you’re beach camping, these rules can make all the difference and keep you safe.
Scout Sand Conditions Before Taking an RV onto the Beach
Make sure the sand feels strong enough to support a vehicle. Loose sand often equates to stuck tires, and though the water may seem far away at any given moment, the difference between low tide and high tide can vary dramatically as the day goes on. Getting stuck is bad enough, but racing against the tide, hoping you can free your rig quickly, isn’t exactly a beachy experience.
Check Tides and Weather for Beach Driving
It’s important to know how high the tide will rise throughout the day—there are two high tides every 24 hours—or be aware of how an incoming storm may affect your ability to drive back off the sand.
Talk with Park Rangers About Local Beach Rules
If you’re at a state park, park rangers and staff will often make sure you’re aware of any particularly pertinent considerations, but if they don’t, it never hurts to ask.
Air Down Tires for Traction, Refill Before Pavement
While not always necessary, leave some air out of your tires to make it easier for your vehicle to get the traction it needs to get back off the sand. Just be sure to fill them back up as soon as possible once you’re back on regular roads, so you don’t damage your wheels or run into issues with braking.
Stay Off Dunes to Protect Wildlife Habitat
These natural barriers protect the environment and wildlife. Most areas post signage telling you to stay off of the dunes. Regardless if there’s a posted sign, stay off of the dunes.Â
Keep Beaches Clean and Follow Fire Guidelines
Don’t leave litter behind (and feel free to pick some up if you can). For beaches where fires are permitted, don’t burn items like pallets, which can leave behind nails.
Pack Recovery Gear for Sand (Shovel, Boards, Tow Rope)
If you plan on driving in sand, at a bare minimum you should have a shovel, tow rope, and boards in case you get stuck. It’s a good idea to also travel with a tire pressure gauge, air pump, spare tire, and extra water or coolant. Other safety items to consider include a flashlight, fire extinguisher, and bumper jack.
Best Beach and Oceanfront RV Camping By State
Washington: South Beach in Olympic National Park and Copalis River RV Park
Most of Washington’s beachfront camping occurs on the Salish Sea (the water that surrounds the Olympic Peninsula and the San Juan Islands), and Pacific Coast camping is at times separated from the water by natural dunes.
If you’re looking to camp directly on the sand—or as close to that experience as possible—stay at South Beach in Olympic National Park.
The Copalis River RV Park is a fan-favorite that may not put you right on an ocean beach, but it does put you on a beautiful river beach that’s a stone’s throw from ocean shores.
Oregon: Harris Beach, Nehalem State Park, and Scenic Highway 101 Access
Oregon has a spectacular beachfront, and the entire coastline is public property. But finding a spot to camp directly on the beach is difficult. Fires are permitted on most beaches, so camping a few minutes away from the water isn’t the worst tradeoff.
Harris Beach and Nehalem State Park are particularly good spots to see the full splendor of the coast, but thanks to U.S. Route 101, you can traverse almost the entirety of the state from north to south with the Pacific Ocean in view.
California: New Brighton State Beach and Emma Wood State Beach
With 840 miles of coastline, there’s no shortage of beachfront camping available in the Golden State. Whether you prefer the lonelier areas north of San Francisco or the guaranteed sunshine of Southern California, with a little planning, you’ll be able to find the perfect surf and sand for you.
9 Best Campgrounds for Beach Camping in California
For a trip up or down the coast, stay at New Brighton State Beach in Capitola in Northern California or Emma Wood State Beach in Ventura in Southern California.
Texas: North and South Beach in Corpus Christi
Texas has more beachfront camping than any other state except for Florida. Sure, it’s technically not oceanfront (given that Texas’ access to saltwater comes in the form of the Gulf of Mexico), but you can snag that perfect combination of ocean view and low cost. RV beach campers love North and South Beach in Corpus Christi.
Louisiana: Free Beach Camping at Rutherford Beach and Hookups at Burns Point Park
Louisiana is generous enough to put up campers on many of its beaches for free. Whether you have your eyes set on boondocking on public beaches like the free Rutherford Beach or the highly-recommended Burns Point Park (which has hookups), beachcamping the Bayou State has something for you.
Mississippi: Buccaneer State Park and Cajun RV Park Near the Gulf
With less shoreline than any other Gulf Coast state, it’s no surprise that Mississippi has fewer options for camping, too. Still, campgrounds like Buccaneer State Park will get you close (if you’re lucky enough to get a spot separated from the Gulf by a two-lane road), and plenty of other places, like Cajun RV Park, put you within a short drive.
Alabama: Gulf State Park and Bay Breeze RV on the Bay
Alabama boasts a shoreline that’s slightly longer than Mississippi’s, with a similar lack of places to camp directly on the beach. But a handful of private RV parks and public campgrounds make it possible to camp at least within walking distance of the Gulf of Mexico. Book a stay at Gulf State Park or Bay Breeze RV on the Bay—both are highly rated campgrounds.
5 Scenic RV Campgrounds on Alabama’s Gulf Coast
Florida: Bahia Honda State Park, Plus St. Andrews and Long Key
While the primary camping options in Florida can make it a little daunting if you’re used to flexibility, with a little effort, there’s no place better to enjoy a traditional beach camping experience than the Sunshine State.
If you manage to get a reservation, Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys is a quintessential beach camping experience. Or check out other state parks like St. Andrews or Long Key.
Georgia: Jekyll Island County Park and Tybee Island Private RV Options
The majority of beach camping in the Peach State is restricted to tenters; options are largely limited to a county park on Jekyll Island and a private RV park on Tybee Island, neither of which are directly on the water.
South Carolina: Edisto Beach and Hunting Island State Park (no alcohol in state parks)
A string of state parks along the South Carolina coast provide beach camping. Edisto Beach offers spots adjacent to the dunes separating your RV from the water, and Hunting Island State Park provides shaded camping near a pristine sandy beach. South Carolina’s state park system doesn’t allow alcoholic beverages in any of its parks.
North Carolina: Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores
North Carolina’s best beach camping happens near its two national seashores: Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout, also known as the Outer Banks. Tourists flock to the area for the public lands where you can spot shorebirds, feral horses, sharks, and more.
Virginia: First Landing State Park and South Thimble Island Stopover
Virginia is known for hard-to-reach beaches on the Atlantic side, but there’s ample opportunity to camp on the Chesapeake Bay (typically at private RV parks). Expect most beaches to be just across the street or a little ways from your actual campsite, like the sites at First Landing State Park Campground in Virginia Beach. You can also be adventurous and camp for free, in a parking lot, halfway across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on South Thimble Island.
Maryland: Assateague Island National Seashore Oceanside Campground
A huge swath of available beachfront property is part of Assateague Island National Seashore. You won’t find a more beachy experience than camping in the park’s Oceanside Campground, and an accompanying state park to the north provides even more options.
Delaware: Cape Henlopen and Delaware Seashore State Parks
Destinations like Rehoboth Beach and Bethany Beach are popular for beachgoers, but camping options are severely limited for those who’d like ocean views. Two state parks, Cape Henlopen and Delaware Seashore, offer beach camping opportunities.
New York: Long Island Camping at Montauk and Shinnecock East
If you want to find the ocean in the Empire State, you have to drive through New York City or its surrounding freeways. Should you make the trek across the skyline and onto Long Island, you’ll be rewarded with several opportunities for waterfront camping—though many of these campsites require fully self-contained units. Look at Montauk or Shinnecock East county parks for reservations.
Connecticut: Hammonasset Camping Within Walking Distance of the Beach
While actual beachfront camping is unheard of in Connecticut, a few state parks—including Hammonasset—are located within walking distance of the beach.
Rhode Island: Fort Getty Campground Near the Water
Despite its 400 miles of coastline, beachfront camping is a rarity in Rhode Island. There are a few notable exceptions, such as Fort Getty Campground.
Massachusetts: Race Point ORV Beach Camping and Winter Island Park
The Bay State offers a good chance at finding some truly great, sand and sun-filled camping in the New England region.
For those that meet the regulations, Race Point ORV Beach Camping features rubber in the sand, salt spray on your windshield, and epic ocean views. To stay here, you need a fully self-contained vehicle (no trailers) and a permit. You’ll also need to air down your tires, dump your tanks (full or not) at specific intervals, and meet minimum tire size regulations. The full list of rules can be found on the NPS website for Cape Cod National Seashore.
For those looking to avoid the traffic to Cape Cod, Winter Island Park is a solid city park option in Salem.
New Hampshire: Hampton Beach State Park on the Oceanfront
If you want to experience the oceanfront boardwalk towns in New Hampshire, Hampton Beach State Park promises waterfront camping along sandy beaches.
Maine: Acadia NP Plus Schoodic Woods, Blackwoods, and Seawall Campgrounds
The islands north and east of Portland and Freeport, Maine, are served primarily by private RV parks, but local and national public campgrounds exist from Boothbay to Bar Harbor, including those at Acadia National Park.
Here are a few other coast-centric spots to park it: Schoodic Woods Campground, Blackwoods Campground, and Seawall Campground.
Beach campsites can be stunning, but the heat? Not so much. SoftStartUp lets you power your A/C even with limited shore power, making coastal RVing a breeze. Learn More
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Countless beaches offer epic RV camping across the U.S.—and this list doesn’t even include the beaches of the Great Lakes, which boast national lakeshores and camping near just about every stretch of water.
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