Half Moon Bay State Beach's Francis Beach Campground is the town's state park campground, with electric hookups at more than half its sites. Around it are a full-hookup RV park, a big county campground among the redwoods at Loma Mar, and a lodge-and-campground resort down the coast at Pescadero. Butano State Park's campground, southeast of Pescadero, has been closed since the 2020 CZU fire.
Half Moon Bay camping at a glance
| Campground | Who runs it | Sites | Hookups | Max RV | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Beach (Half Moon Bay State Beach) | California State Parks | 52 ($35–65) | Electric at more than half | 40 ft | Year-round |
| Pelican Point RV Park | Private | RV sites and dry sites | Full (water, sewer, electric, cable) | 40 ft | Year-round |
| Memorial Park | San Mateo County Parks | 126 | None | 35 ft (some sites) | Azalea Flat all year; Sequoia Flat late May to Oct 31 |
| Costanoa (Pescadero) | Private | Tent sites, RV sites, tent bungalows | Full at RV sites | — | — |
| Butano State Park | California State Parks | — | — | — | Campground closed indefinitely |
Francis Beach Campground (Half Moon Bay State Beach)
Best for: camping by the beach close to the Bay Area. The campground sits at Francis Beach, the main hub of Half Moon Bay State Beach, at 95 Kelly Avenue.
- $35 a night without hookups, $50 with electric (30 amp), $65 for a premium oceanfront electric site. The premium and tent-only sites sit on the bluff close to the ocean.
- 52 sites, each with a picnic table and fire ring. Most take RVs and trailers up to 40 feet; sites 36, 36A, 37 and 38 are tent only (no RVs, trailers or car camping).
- Electric hookups at more than half the sites; no water or sewer hookups. A dump and potable water station is on site: water is free, dumping costs $10, card only.
- Restrooms with hot showers (50 cents for 2 minutes, quarters only); firewood $10 a bundle, cash only, from the camp hosts.
- Accessible sites require a DMV disability placard or plate.
- Rental RVs can't be dropped off or picked up at the park.
Booking and rules
- Reserve on ReserveCalifornia.com or at 1-800-444-7275, up to six months ahead. Every stay needs a reservation, and same-day openings are very rare; call ReserveCalifornia to check.
- Stay limit: 7 nights in a row from May 1 to October 31, 15 from November 1 to April 30, and no more than 30 nights a year in the district.
- Check-in after 2 p.m., check-out at noon; you can't switch sites.
- 8 people and one RV per site. One vehicle is included; up to three are allowed, with a $10 extra-vehicle fee (a legally towed vehicle counts toward the three but isn't charged).
- Generators off from 8 p.m. to 10 a.m.; quiet hours 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Dogs on a 6-foot leash, never left alone outside, inside a vehicle or tent at night, and never on the beach.
- No fires on the beach.
Hike and bike and group camping
- Hike and bike sites are for long-distance hikers and cyclists on the California coast, one night only, first come from 2 p.m. at the Francis entrance station, $7 per person, with shared tables, food lockers and fire rings. Not for anyone arriving by vehicle.
- Sweetwood Group Camp, 2.5 miles north between Venice and Dunes beaches: a field in a cypress grove for up to 50 people and 12 vehicles, $165 a night, tents only, pit toilets and no running water.
Around the campground
The paved Coastside Trail runs about 3 miles along the four beaches (Francis, Venice, Dunes and Roosevelt) and allows leashed dogs. The visitor center at Francis Beach is open Saturdays and Sundays when weather and volunteers allow, and summer programs (Memorial Day to Labor Day) may include Junior Rangers, guided hikes and campfire talks. Day use is $10 per vehicle.
Half Moon Bay RV park: Pelican Point
Best for: full hookups. Pelican Point RV Park, at 1001 Miramontes Point Road, is open all year, a five-minute walk from the beach. Every RV site is back-in only, takes rigs up to 40 feet, and has water, sewer, electric and cable TV.
- Listed rates: $106 plus tax a night (up to 6 people), $134.20 plus tax for a premium view site, and $82.50 plus tax for a dry camp site (up to 4 people).
- Pets $2 per pet per night, two dogs maximum. Wi-Fi $5 a week.
- Reservations by phone at (650) 726-9100; the park says sites book months in advance. Cancel at least 48 hours ahead. Check-in from 1 p.m., check-out by noon.
Memorial Park: camping among old-growth redwoods
Best for: tents under the redwoods. San Mateo County's Memorial Park, on Pescadero Creek Road in Loma Mar, has 126 sites in two family camping areas: Azalea Flat, open all year, and Sequoia Flat, open Memorial Day weekend to October 31.
- 8 people per site; a limited number of sites take RVs up to 35 feet. No hookups; the dump station is open with Sequoia Flat.
- On-season fees (second Sunday in May through October 31): $40 for a tent site for San Mateo County residents and $45 for everyone else; $45/$50 for a small or large RV site. Two vehicles included; one extra vehicle $10 a night, parked in overflow parking; $7 online reservation fee.
- Book online up to 6 months ahead or by phone at (650) 363-4021, Monday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Holiday weekends need at least three nights.
- Huckleberry Flat has sites where you must bring a dog: six family sites for up to 12 people and 3 dogs, plus one for up to 30 people and 5 dogs, booked by phone only.
Glamping near Half Moon Bay: Costanoa (Pescadero)
Best for: glamping or full hookups on the San Mateo coast. Costanoa, at Pescadero, mixes a lodge with camping:
- Tent sites in two villages, Lighthouse Grove and Ohlone Grove, with communal water and shared electricity; up to 6 people, 2 tents and 1 car per site. No pets in the tent areas.
- RV sites with water, electric and sewer; ask for pull-through or back-in when you book.
- Tent bungalows (glamping) that sleep 2 to 6; every bungalow type is listed as pet-friendly for a fee.
- Pets: $75 per stay in lodges, cabins and tent bungalows (up to two pets of 50 pounds or less) and $25 per stay at RV sites.
Book RV sites on Costanoa's reservations site; tent sites book through Campspot, linked from Costanoa's site.
Closed or no camping
- Butano State Park: the campground is closed indefinitely after the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire damaged its water system, and the park has no drinking water. The Butano Trail Camp is open to backpackers with a reservation (through the Santa Cruz Mountains backcountry trail camp page).
- Año Nuevo State Park and San Gregorio State Beach have no camping.
Before you go
- Book early for summer weekends; Pelican Point says its sites book months ahead.
- The ocean is very cold all year and rip currents are strong; swim with caution, and keep dogs off the sand at the state beaches.
More of the California coast: Mendocino camping, Big Sur camping, Morro Bay camping, Santa Barbara camping and our California camping guide.
