Facilities

Club House

Laundry Room

Swimming Pool

Hot Tub

Fitness Center

Game Room

Rec Hall

Pavilion

Exercise Room

Restroom/Shower

Restroom Only

Shower Only

Restaurant

Groceries

RV Supplies

ATM Machine

WiFi

Dog Park

Cocktail Lounge

Dog Washing Station

Pit Toilet

Snack Bar

Play Ground

Sites

Water

20 Amp

30 Amp

50 Amp

Sewer

Cable TV

Services

Escort to Site

Self-Service RV Wash

Metered LP Gas

Firewood

Fishing Supplies

Pet Supplies

Onsite Rentals

Worship Services

Golf Carts

Fishing Guides

Onsite RV Service

Staffed RV Wash

Fishing Licenses

Complimentary Breakfast

Recreational activities in or near the park

Recreational Activities

Archery Range

ATV Riding

Biking

Boating

Body Of Water

Casino

Climbing

Dock

Driving Range

Fishing

Golf

Heated Pool

Hiking

Horseback Riding

Horseshoes

Kayaking

Lawn Bowling

Mini Golf

Paddle Boats

Pickle Ball

Putting Green

Ramp

Sauna

Shuffleboard

Snow Sports

Splash Pad

Swimming

Tennis

Wading Pool

Water Slide

Water Sports

Water Umbrella

Whitewater Rafting

Policies

RV Age Restrictions

Pets Welcome

Pet Restrictions

Pet Restriction on Quantity

Pet Restriction on Breed

Pet Restriction on Size

No Pets

Tent Camping Allowed

Folding Tent Campers Allowed

No Tents

No Overnight Guests

<h2>Overview</h2><p>San Onofre State Beach – San Mateo Campground offers a serene escape nestled in the rolling hills of San Clemente. Unlike the bustling, narrow beachside sites nearby, this campground provides a more <strong>spacious and tranquil atmosphere</strong> while remaining just a short trip from the Pacific. It serves as a vital natural link between the coastal bluffs and the inland wilderness, offering a <strong>true California state park</strong> experience for those seeking peace near the shore.</p><h2>Location & Surroundings</h2><p>Situated roughly a mile and a half inland from the shoreline, the park is surrounded by protected <strong>coastal sage scrub</strong> and vibrant natural landscapes. A dedicated 1.5-mile nature trail connects the campground directly to the world-famous Trestles Beach surf break. This location offers a unique blend of <strong>coastal canyon scenery</strong> and easy access to the scenic border between San Diego and Orange County.</p><h2>Amenities & Park Features</h2><p>The facility is thoughtfully designed for modern travelers, offering numerous sites with <strong>water and electric hookups</strong> for added convenience. Each individual campsite features a sturdy fire ring and a picnic table, perfect for evening gatherings under the stars. Visitors also benefit from <strong>hot indoor showers</strong> and well-maintained flush toilets, along with an easily accessible dump station located near the park’s main entrance for self-contained RVs.</p><h2>Nearby Attractions & Things to Do</h2><p>Surfing is the primary draw here, as the trail to <strong>Trestles Beach</strong> leads to some of the most iconic waves on the West Coast. Beyond the water, guests can explore the Spanish-style architecture of downtown San Clemente or take a sunset stroll on the historic <strong>San Clemente Pier</strong>. The area is also rich with miles of rugged hiking and mountain biking trails that showcase the beautiful local flora and fauna.</p><h2>Who This Park Is Best For</h2><p>This park is an ideal match for <strong>active surf enthusiasts</strong> who want proximity to legendary breaks without the constant noise of the Pacific Coast Highway. It also appeals to families and birdwatchers seeking a <strong>quiet, natural retreat</strong> that still offers the comfort of utility hookups. Because the sites are generous in size, it is a premier choice for RVers looking for a reliable, scenic base camp between Los Angeles and San Diego.</p>



San Onofre State Beach is a 3.5-mile stretch of beach located in San Clemente, California. It is located south of San Clemente and north of San Mateo Point. The beach is known for its surfing, swimming, and camping opportunities. It is also home to the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, which is located just off the coast. The beach is part of the California State Park system and is open to the public year-round.

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San Onofre SB-San Mateo

Experience San Onofre SB San Mateo in San Clemente, CA. Enjoy spacious RV sites with hookups and a nature trail to the world-famous Trestles Beach.

San Onofre SB San Mateo, San Clemente, CA

Good campground. Rangers are there and sell firewood which is nice. Only issue is you here motor rounds from Camp Pendleton. So your talking and boom. Don't feel it just hear it. Isn't that loud though.

One of our preferred campgrounds. Facilities are decent and clean (for a campground). Most spaces have bushes separating them for some privacy. They have smokeless type fire pits. And it's really close to town if you wanna hit up the grocery store for some extra inventory.

It’s advertising as part of the state beach but it’s not, walking to the beach is like 1 hour out. And there are coyotes so be careful with small dogs. But the worst part is. There are poles at each spot that make it super hard to park. The water flow is really really slow

Very nice campground, a little pricey #145 no electric, close to restrooms (no hand soap). Phone service spotty or none, diff to make calls or look up directions. NEED CASH to buy tokens for the showers! No convenience store. Employee ignored me, drove by when asked about firewood. 12 minute drive to beach or Walmart or Ralphs.

San Mateo Campground is one of those spots that quietly overdelivers if you know what you’re getting into. It’s not oceanfront, so if you’re expecting to walk out of your tent onto the sand, that’s not the setup. But if you want a clean, well-run campground with easy access to the beach without the chaos, this place nails it.

First thing, it’s organized. Campsites are clearly laid out, and you’re not stacked on top of the next group like some of the tighter beach campgrounds. There’s enough space to actually relax without feeling like you’re part of someone else’s trip. You get a mix of tents, trailers, and RVs, but it still feels balanced.

The bike trail to the beach is a big win. You can ride straight down to San Onofre State Beach without dealing with traffic or parking headaches. That alone makes this campground worth it. You get the beach experience without paying beachfront chaos prices.

Facilities are solid. Bathrooms and showers are actually clean, which is not something you can say about every campground. You can tell they maintain it regularly. There are fire pits and picnic tables at each site, and everything feels functional instead of worn down.

Now, real talk. It’s near the freeway, so you’re going to hear some road noise, especially at night. If you’re a light sleeper, plan for that. It’s not terrible, but it’s there. Also, depending on your neighbors, it can get a little lively on weekends. Not out of control, but not silent retreat vibes either.

The crowd is a mix. Families, surfers, weekend campers. Generally respectful, but like anywhere, you’ll get the occasional group that forgets other people exist. Comes with the territory.

What makes this place stand out is consistency. You show up, everything works, nothing feels neglected, and you can actually enjoy your time without dealing with a bunch of nonsense.

Bottom line, if you want a reliable campground in South Orange County with beach access, decent space, and clean facilities, San Mateo Campground is a strong choice. Not perfect, but it delivers where it matters.

A great camp ground. We are here during this time and it’s raining but we love it. The camp grounds is almost empty except for the few who are braving it through the atmospheric river 😆. The hike to the beach is amazing, about a good 4 miles round trip, great exercise for you and your dog, my husky loves it. Dogs not allowed but still worth the hike. Pretty huge camp ground with lots of sites. One of favorites to date. The drive to go into town is not long either, San Clemente is a cute little beach town.

All the Rangers are great!
Camp hosts are out and about and very helpful.
$10firewood bundles
$10RV Dump fee
Tokens available for operating showers, cash only

Very pretty, but far from the beach, loud and uncontrollable kids running around and our camp area had ONE SINGLE shower because all the other ones were closed. This was majorly inconvenient as there are probably about 200 people within this area that have to share 1 shower.

The trees here get five stars but everything else was just okay so three stars overall. The sites are nice size and the trees on either side give the illusion of privacy from your camp neighbors. Unfortunately, noise here goes completely uncontrolled even though there are strict policies in the paperwork you are given about keeping noise contained to your own campsite regardless of the time of day. My husband and I booked a full RV site Thursday through Sunday. Thursday was lovely actually, not too many people and we were able to enjoy sitting outside peacefully. All that changed on Friday when the campground filled up. Tons of kids running around screaming (yes playing, but still screaming uncontrolled) into the later hours of the night. Camp hosts just kind of shrug and say hopefully they'll stop soon. The other issue is once you've walked around the campground or taking a bike ride around it, there's really not much else to do. The 1.5 mile trail to the beach is so steeply inclined at various points that it becomes a real hike on a hot day, there and back. We brought old school pedal bikes with us not knowing, no way you can make it without an e-bike. You definitely need an e-bike or a vehicle outside of your RV to get around and really do anything fun. For $70 a night, we did not feel we got our money's worth. We would have if we had been able to sit out at our campsite and enjoy a peaceful nature experience without all the noise, but that was not to be.

The campsites themselves are clean, spacious, and there’s plenty of parking, which was great. However, the facilities were a big letdown—especially over Labor Day weekend when you'd expect everything to be fully operational. Out of several shower stalls, only one was working across all the loops, and more than half of the water stations were out of order. On a positive note, the one working shower had excellent water pressure. Just be aware that showers are token-operated (50 cents per token, good for 2 minutes), so come prepared.

Bathrooms lacked hand soap. Fair warning.

Grill and picnic table was provided and there's almost enough parking space per lot for three sedans on average.

Also fair warning, SOME of the sites seem a little inconsistent in their sizes for setting up tents. Some lots looks to have room for only one or two 3 person tents.

Very short walk (from the campsites numbered 68-100 at least) to the nearby trail to the beach and beyond.

Weather wise, it would have been better in just about any other month besides winter.  With the heavy fog and overcast sky, not as scenic as it was when I hiked the nearby trail months and months ago.

The dogs had a nice stay at San Mateo Campground 🐾 Lots of trees & greenery give it a nice “campy” feel ~ sites are a decent size and manage to seem fairly secluded from neighbors!  The facilities, bathrooms & showers, were super clean!  Water was good and hot!  The dogs really enjoyed their walk over the hills, under the highway, and almost to the trestles….which is where the “no dogs on beach” sign became our turn around spot! The trail started at the amphitheater in the campground, where they had a scooper bag station and trash can.  It was about 1.5 miles from there to the turn around spot at trestles, which seemed just about perfect for the dogs 🐾

Good spacing between rigs. I was on space 6. It’s next to the dumpster and bathrooms. Street noise can be heard during day time but otherwise it’s a good stay.

So far so good. Only complaint is the Marine training. All hours of the day rapid firing and big booms going off which drives the dogs crazy. They think people are knocking on the door. Otherwise, great sites and great people.

Peaceful and quiet campground. I love the space you get between your neighbors and the smart layout of the place. The trail to Trestles beach is a nice walk of 1.5 miles. The trails are scenic and my dog loved walking each day.

It was pleasant and secure. The amenities  were adequate and working. I would camp there again.

It's a parking lot. Sadly, couldn't really go out in the water unless it was super low tide and I'm definitely not that great of a Surfer to maneuver around all those rocks! It's a small little Campground but it was quaint and I would go back again, but definitely know you are on top of your neighbor!

Reviews

San Onofre SB-San Mateo