Expert: Steve Summers - 9/6/2006

Question
Hi Steve,
I read the answer you gave someone else regarding the beach camp sites and found it helpful, but I think I need a little more help.  I really like the sound of Rincon & San Buenaventura, but I can't find a website that will tell me what the camping situation is and if/where I need to make reservations.  (the link you gave for Rincon wasn't working?)  I will be traveling with about 3 or 4 other adults, maybe 2 older children, and I would like to take my dog (a German Shepherd).  We are interested in a tent site within 2 hours from Los Angeles, near Santa Barbara or San Diego perhaps?  Now, here is probably the more difficult part: I wanted to try to go the weekend of September 15, but I know a lot of places are already reserved.  But basically that weekend midway through October.  Idealy, we would like beach camping, but a nice lake area is a good second choice.  Earlier this year we went to Lake Piru, which was ok and we've also gone to Cachuma a few times (but you can't swim there).  Thanks for any help you are able to extend!

Answer
Hi Clarissa,

Are you sure I recommended Rincon & San Buenaventura? They don't have any campgrounds there, so I couldn't have recommended them for camping. The four campgrounds in the area are McGrath, Carpinteria, El Capitan, and Refugio. You can check availability and make reservations at www.reserveamerica.com. (I checked the link, and it not only works, but the site has been greatly improved from what was a pretty good site to begin with). Of the campgrounds I mentioned, Carpinteria is the most popular (because it's the best, IMHO). Unfortunately, Carp is booked every weekend Sept 15- Oct 16 is booked. It's because the weather historically is still VERY nice there until at least the first week of October. Also, the Avocado festival is Oct 6-7. We were snoozing on that one ourselves, and missed out. If you want to book the SB coast in Sept or Oct, you have to make your reservations back in February and March. Sad, but that's the state of things. You can check the web site to see if there are openings in some of the other campgrounds, but weekends are pretty booked that time of year.

Good luck,

Steve