| Camping in California just goes with surfing. How | | | | and out of control. If your going with the family, |
| else could most surfers afford a weekend in Big | | | | I'd just stick with Doran Beach. |
| Sur? I know I can't afford a spa. I've camped | | | | Marin County |
| many times in places where I could surf. Though | | | | We stayed out in Olema campground, about 25 |
| there weren't always waves, there was always a | | | | minutes from Drakes beach at Point Reyes. The |
| fire and some hot dogs. | | | | campground is a grassy meadow with a few |
| Like with any planned vacation, it can be tough | | | | trees, and the beach is kind of like Doran Beach - |
| coordinating a swell with reserving a spot. When I | | | | protected, an easy paddle out, and light on |
| finally know some decent surf is on the way, | | | | sandbars. I surfed it a couple of times almost |
| many sites are already booked. Despite this, | | | | completely alone on really fun, sunny, fast and |
| windows of opportunity pop up and we've gotten | | | | somewhat short tides. A couple of other times I |
| a campsite even after being informed by the | | | | made the long drive for nothing. I got pretty close |
| computer/telephone/Internet/ signs that the place | | | | to the estuary at one point and decided to leave |
| was full. It's often worth the risk to go for it and | | | | due to the shark potential. A northwest wind was |
| hope something's available. Just be sure to have a | | | | strong offshore in front of the parking lot, which |
| backup plan, such as another campground nearby | | | | is at the end of "wind funnel" valley. You can also |
| that will almost surely have spots. As of yet, we | | | | drive to Bolinas....Oh I forgot, nobody's supposed |
| haven't had to pay for one of those pricey hotel | | | | to know where Bolinas is. If you can find it, say, |
| rooms in Bodega Bay. | | | | with MapQuest or something, you can surf this |
| We always try to pack light, as light as one can | | | | place. It's usually cleaner and more crowded than |
| when lugging kid gear, camping stuff, and, of | | | | other spots around. If you want really mellow |
| course, a surfboard. It seems like there's a lot of | | | | slow rollers that are good for a longboard, walk |
| room in a vehicle until you start filling it with your | | | | out to the beach, hang a right, walk past the |
| crap. We used to have a 1982 VW camper van | | | | smell of burning hemp, and you're there. |
| that we kept pre-packed most of the time. It | | | | Santa Cruz County |
| was good for weekend trips. We'd just pull up and | | | | Here we stayed at New Brighton beach. It's a nice |
| pop the top. It even had a sink, a stove, and a | | | | campground with access to all the surf in town. |
| fridge, though we rarely use them, preferring to | | | | We also stayed at Sunset beach, also very nice |
| cook outside. Its main problem was that it was an | | | | with a huge beach. It's fifty miles across the |
| old and slow Diesel. 1960's VW love-vans flew | | | | Monterey bay with several surf spots. I caught it |
| past us on Highway 1. We used MANY turnouts. It | | | | on a couple of windless-to-offshore days. It's not |
| was great once we got there, but next time I'd | | | | fun if there's any wind or too much swell. There's |
| get the gas version without the stove and sink | | | | also an RV park near the beach, but we felt a |
| inside. It's faster and has more room. Where to | | | | little silly staying there in our tiny VW camper van |
| go? The big question always depends on swell, | | | | next to all the massive motor homes. The lady |
| wind, and site availability. Here are some of the | | | | staying in her Honda Element made us feel more |
| places I've gone camping and surfing. Most have | | | | at home. |
| really nice sites near or right on the beach. | | | | Monterey County |
| Humboldt County | | | | Here we stayed at a campground in the hills |
| My wife and I got rained out of our tent in | | | | about five miles inland. We drove out to Spanish |
| Trinidad, so we got a cheap cabin rental at | | | | Bay on an unbelievable day - ten foot waves with |
| Emerald Forest campground. It was rustic, with a | | | | perfect shape. It was fun until the grizzled, burly, |
| wooden bed, a chair, and a little heater - perfect | | | | longboard crew showed up. They pretty much |
| for the rainy conditions and simple enough that | | | | dominated after that, and I broke a leash. I also |
| we still used our gear and felt like we were | | | | had great surf in Carmel beach. This place looks |
| camping. | | | | like Hawaii, just with cold water. Pearl white sand |
| Along the drive north to one of the beaches, I | | | | covers both Spanish Bay and Carmel Beach. |
| noticed some glassy waves breaking about a mile | | | | I have also had some fun days at Andrew Molera. |
| away at a beach that turned out to be Dry | | | | The walk to the rivermouth is about a mile! A |
| Lagoon. Though it was overcast, the waves were | | | | couple of times it was about 4 foot and clean and |
| glassy, head high, and fun. Guess I caught it on a | | | | peeled pretty well - all rights. A few other times I |
| rare day when it wasn't blown out. | | | | dragged the wife and kids out to the windy spot |
| Del Norte County | | | | and we watched tiny waves breaking for a few |
| My wife and I also went to the somewhat | | | | minutes before making the LONG walk back. I |
| economically depressed Crescent City. It kind of | | | | wouldn't make the walk out unless you know |
| reminds me of my home town of Pacifica, | | | | there's a southwest swell or decent sized west to |
| except that houses are four times more | | | | northwest swell. |
| expensive at home. But Crescent City has | | | | A good place to stay is Ventana campground |
| potential, surrounded by ocean and redwoods. I | | | | with its beautiful sites in the redwood forest. But |
| surfed at South Beach in a sideshore wind, and it | | | | there are several options nearby. If you stay |
| was kind of fun despite being sloppy. | | | | farther south at Plaskett Creek you can surf |
| Sonoma County | | | | Sand Dollar beach across the street and a bit of a |
| Bodega Bay is the main surfing spot in Sonoma | | | | walk down the bluff. It has beautiful water, but |
| county, and Doran beach is its most convenient | | | | the small, rocky shore isn't much fun for the |
| campground, located right across from the beach. | | | | family. Some young women next to our |
| We've stayed there many times and it's hard to | | | | campground asked if we were there to collect |
| beat for convenience. I just stroll across the road | | | | Jade. I guess that's something else you can do |
| to the beach and paddle out. Just make sure it's | | | | there if you're into that sort of thing. Willow |
| high tide and there's enough swell to make it into | | | | Creek is another good spot nearby. It had some |
| this south facing beach. Nearby is Salmon Creek | | | | really nice waves that were well overhead when |
| which can be fun when it's not blown out or big | | | | we were there. |