California State Beaches are prime real estate, but are they worth it for RVers? I am in San Diego and drove down a couple of days ago to the Silver Strand State Beach south of Coronado. There weren't too many RVers there. I'm not sure if it is not quite the right season (and not a weekend) or the price. The nightly camping fee- no hookups, but right on the beach- is $50 a night! The State Park system considers this a premium site and charges a hefty fee. Just a few years ago, it was only around $20/night. I checked rates at the Chula Vista RV Resort, located on the bay (no beach or bay swimming). Winter rates are from $47-$61, with hookups and resort amenities.
California's rates are quite high for their state parks, but they get what the market will bear. There rates vary by location and type of site. You can check prices at particular parks and beaches here. On the other hand, plenty of RVs are parked along the highway at state beaches that do not charge a fee. You have to move your RV at night, but you can enjoy the beach.
Camping rates in Oregon, in contrast, have been quite low. Up until August of this year, the most expensive site with electric has been $18. Oregon is raising their rates for hookup sites to $20 and $24, depending on location. Here are the old rates, by park. Click on the link on that page for prices for next season.
Many state park systems are a bargain. They are often in scenic places with excellent recreational opportunities at low prices, some with full hookups. In fact, we'll have a followup post in the next few days by David Davin, who recently updated his directory of state parks.
Is it worth $50 a night to park on ocean front property, smell the salt air, fall asleep to the sound of waves crashing, walk on the beach and collect shells? Or, perhaps see long pieces of giant kelp, big and strong enough to play crack the whip? That's a value judgment you'll have to make.
At the Silver Strand State Beach, there were less than a dozen RVs. Four of those were camphosts with hookups. Now that's the way to go! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak
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