Where to camp in Big Sur: 7 BEST Big Sur van and RV campsites

Wondering where to camp in Big Sur in a van or RV? A few weeks ago, I drove the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) through Big Sur in a 21 foot campervan. And with the free-spiritedness of most van lifers, I didn’t plan much of anything—including where I was going to sleep at night.

Turns out this is a HUGE problem in Big Sur, where freedom (dispersed) camping is impressively restricted. And by restricted, I mean 100% illegal everywhere in Big Sur and punishable by a $1,000 fine.

I discovered this rather nasty surprise on my first day when—cruising over the breezy bluffs overlooking the Pacific, windows down—I stopped about an hour before sunset at a gorgeous pullout and started cooking dinner.

Figuring I’d be smart to double check that it was okay for me to sleep here, I did a quick search on the freedom camping laws in the area while I made a bubbling pot of Japanese curry with crispy fried pork and watched the sun go down. Within 10 seconds, my peaceful bubble burst! They are not playing with freedom camping restrictions in this area, and I read several horror stories before spazzing out for an hour frantically trying to book myself into a campground (which was hard, because apparently they book up months in advance!).

So learn from my mistakes, friends! Whether you’re looking for Big Sur RV camping with hookups, camping on the beach, or a simple, affordable, spot to park your van for the night, you’re in the right place.

These are 7 fantastic campsites for vans and RVs near Big Sur, how to book them, and one of my best tips for avoiding having to book an official campsite altogether!

Where to camp in Big Sur (campgrounds for van life and RVs)

Before we jump in, you should know that a Big Sur roadtrip has its quirks and I made a TON of mistakes. Be sure to read and bookmark my previous blog, “How friendly is Big Sur for van life? EVERYTHING I wish I’d known about driving a campervan on the Pacific Coast Highway” so that you don’t run into the unexpected and unpleasant surprises that I did!

Los Padres National Forest campgrounds (no/limited amenity options)

These are some affordable options for RV and van life in Big Sur inside Los Padres National Forest!

While there is some freedom (dispersed) camping available in Los Padres National Forest, it can be really hard to find a good spot that’s actually legal. Illegal freedom camping is an expensive fine (up to $1,000!), so what you’re really paying for is legally existing overnight in Big Sur without worrying you’ll get moved at 2 AM.

Kirk Creek Campground (about $45 a night, best place to camp in Big Sur in my opinion!)

The big draw of Kirk Creek is the ocean-view bluff camping. There are a few amenities (pit toilets, picnic tables, trash bins, fire rings) and trail access to the coast, but it doesn’t have showers, hookups, dumping, or potable water. If you’re in a self-contained vehicle and just want an affordable and beautiful camp spot (almost every site faces the Pacific on open grassy bluffs above the ocean), Kirk Creek is it! Book it here.

Plasket Creek Campground (about $45 a night)

Plasket Creek is a shaded forest campground across from Sand Dollar Beach. It’s comfier than Kirk Creek with actual flushing toilets, drinking water, sinks, picnic tables, fire rings and grills, and a short walk to the beach. Again, you don’t have access to hookups, showers, or dumping, but you have beach access and lovely grassy sites. Book it here!

Big Sur State Park campgrounds (limited/some amenity options)

Limekiln State Park (about $35 per night)

Limekiln State Park is one of the most unique campgrounds in Big Sur because you get both towering redwoods and beach access in the same campground. The campsites are tucked along Limekiln Creek beneath huge redwood trees and have flush toilets, drinking water, picnic tables, fire rings, grills, and even hot showers (rare in Big Sur campgrounds!). There are also ocean-side sites closer to the beach trail. You still won’t have hookups or dumping, but you’re within walking distance of Limekiln Falls, the historic lime kilns, and the beach. Book it here!

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (about $50-60 per night)

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is the classic Big Sur redwood campground experience and probably the most popular campground on the coast. The campground sits beneath massive redwoods along the Big Sur River and has flushing toilets, drinking water, picnic tables, fire rings, grills, a dump station, and coin-operated showers. Some sites are even right along the river. You still won’t have hookups at most campsites, but you’re close to hiking trails, swimming holes, and the main Big Sur village area with cafés and stores nearby. Book it here!

Big Sur RV parks with hookups, dumping, & amenities

I stayed in all 3 of these holiday parks on my roadtrip in the van from San Francisco to Big Sur- be sure to take a look at my DETAILED 6-day itinerary here, including the best things I did in Big Sur and Monterey!

Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA Holiday

The Santa Cruz KOA Holiday Park was great location-wise for starting and ending the trip. I flew in and out of the San Jose airport (and it’s still respectably convenient if you’re going in and out of SFO) and needed to return the van in the morning, so why not make it easy by staying close to the airport?

They have a nice big camp store if you need to grab anything you may have forgotten, and were running a little cookout event when I arrived, so if you’re looking for a bit of “atmosphere” this park had it! Otherwise, the bathrooms were clean, it was perfectly quiet, and the site itself was exactly what I needed.

Marina Dunes RV Resort

If you’re driving South from San Francisco, Santa Cruz, or San Jose on your way to Monterey or Big Sur, Marina Dunes RV Resort is a beachy holiday park in a convenient spot. It’s quite fancy (read: expensive), though, and truly felt like a “resort” with a staff in collared shirts, a small but polished store with snacks and drinks, and less than 5 minutes from the beach—which is honestly the only reason why I chose it in addition to its convenient location.

I was in a major pinch with limited options, otherwise this place would have been out of my budget ($100ish a night) and way overkill for my needs.

This place has it all if you’re looking for more amenities and a luxury RV camping experience: wifi, a gym, a swanky bath and shower situation, laundry, EV charging, fire pits, a playground, and a lot more. Again, it was massive overkill for me as a solo traveler in a van just looking for a safe place to park close to the beach for the night, but if you’re looking for an upscale vibe, this is the place for you!

Big Sur Campground & Cabins

I loved camping at Big Sur Campground and think it’s the best place to camp in Big Sur! There’s nothing like camping in the shadow of the redwoods, and my spot was on a cute little creek near the entrance to the campground. Mornings were really scenic here, with sun filtering down through the redwoods and the sound of the river babbling.

It’s sparse on amenities compared to the other holiday parks on this list (you won’t find a pool, playground, etc here), but the price reflects that. However, if you want wifi in this place, know that it’s inconvenient and expensive. It’s $20 for your whole stay and only accessible if you’re sitting outside the camp store near the entrance. But the location is absolute *perfection* and the nostalgic feeling of this place made it my favorite spot on the trip. They also have complimentary coffee and hot chocolate out in the morning, which was lovely to grab on the way in and out.

CHEAPEST way to camp in Big Sur (Alternative to booking campgrounds!)

If you want to skip the frenzy of refreshing for spots in the state park, I highly recommend becoming a member of HarvestHosts, which is like Airbnb for vans, RVs, and campers!

You pay a membership fee (annual), and can reserve a spot on someone’s property: farms, wineries, etc! If you do campervan or RV trips often it’s totally worth the membership price and you don’t have to book so far in advance. Like AirBnb, certain properties may require 48 hours notice before you show up in the same way AirBnb might require a minimum number of nights that you stay, but in general this is an easier and more flexible option in my opinion!

I wasn’t able to use it on this trip because I needed a place the same day and there wasn’t much available by the time I realized that I needed to reserve a spot. If you’re going to rely on HarvestHosts, be sure to check the map in the app to make sure there are some properties around before you get there!

Can you camp for free in Big Sur?

In a van or RV, you really can’t unfortunately. Even car camping is strictly illegal and heavily enforced in Big Sur (as well as access roads, beaches, etc on Highway 1), and trust me: trying to stealth camp isn’t worth the fine or 2 AM wakeup call to police flashlights.

To camp for free, you’ll have to brave narrow, steep, winding and rocky roads into Los Padres National Forest. Primitive dispersed camping is permitted in designated areas, though you will need rugged, high-clearance vehicles to access the high-altitude ridge roads.