There’s no shortage of fun family activities this summer at campgrounds, RV parks and resorts across San Diego County.
Many San Diego campgrounds have private beaches in sheltered locations along Mission Bay that are ideal for young children, while others offer hayrides, bounce houses and arts and crafts activities. Some campgrounds also cater to teens and young adults with rock climbing walls and laser games while others offer outdoor dances and live entertainment.
If you’re not quite sure what to do, consider staying at San Diego RV Resort in El Cajon. The park has its own Trolley Stop and has developed a five-day itinerary designed to introduce locals and non-locals alike to San Diego’s top attractions, from Sea World and the San Diego Zoo to Balboa Park, Coronado Island, Old Town and the culinary delights of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.
“You don’t even have to have a tent or RV to be able to enjoy camping in San Diego County,” says Debbie Sipe, executive director of the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, which hosts the Camp-California.com travel planning website.
Indeed, depending on where you stay, you can rent everything from a safari tent to rustic cabins to luxurious park models with full size kitchens and bathrooms. Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve even has lakefront park model cabin rentals as well as three floating cabins.
Here’s a sampling of activities, entertainment and accommodations that are available at campgrounds across San Diego County:
Campland by the Bay in San Diego: This family friendly campground has a private beach on the shores of Mission Bay with special areas for swimming that are ideal for children. The park also has swimming pools and a Jacuzzi as well as a skate park, a fitness center and an onsite restaurant. Activities include scavenger hunts, beach volleyball, kick ball, capture the flag, soccer, horseshoes and adult darts. Special events include live entertainment and dances, including periodic “Glow in the Dark DJ Dances” as well as talent competitions involving Campland guests. www.campland.com
Chula Vista RV Park & Resort in Chula Vista: This park’s amenities include a swimming pool and Jacuzzi as well as a fitness center. Activities include concerts, dances, parties and holiday events for adults and kids. www.chulavistarv.com
Sacred Rocks Reserve in Boulevard: This campground is located at the 3,500-foot level in the mountains about an hour’s drive east of San Diego. They do a lot of nature, artistic and meditation activities at this park, from stargazing activities to weekend workshops with water color painters, writers and poets. They also have a Native American drum circle and California’s largest labyrinth.
This park is also horse-friendly and accommodates people who travel with their horses. They also have park model cabin rentals and a bunkhouse that sleeps 10. www.sacredrocksreserve.com
San Diego Metro KOA in Chula Vista: This campground features a variety of organized activities from tie-dye t-shirt making classes to ice cream socials, pony races, hayrides, flashlight lollipop hunts and outdoor movies. The campground also has an outdoor laser game facility called a Surf Shack Shootout. Rental accommodations range from an African safari style tent that’s furnished to rustic cabins to fully furnished park models, two more of which were expected to be available for rent this summer.
www.SanDiegoKOA.com
San Diego RV Resort in La Mesa: In addition to having a heated pool and spa, state-of-the-art exercise facilities and a pet walking area, this park has its own trolley stop on San Diego’s Trolley Line. The park has also developed a five-day Trolley travel itinerary that includes visits to the San Diego Zoo, Seaworld, Balboa Park, Seaport Village, the Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, Old Town San Diego and the beaches of Coronado Island. www.sdrvresort.com
Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve in Santee: Operated by Padre Dam Municipal Water District, the Preserve has over 190 acres of stocked lakes and parkland as well as a 300-site campground with RV and tent sites as well as 10 fully furnished park model cabins with kitchens and bathroom facilities. Seven of the cabins are right on the water’s edge, while three of cabins are actually floating on the water. The cabins come equipped with air conditioning and heating as well as wireless Internet service and barbecues. Other campground amenities include swimming pools and a Jacuzzi, a water “sprayground” and regular playground facilities as well as a camp store that offers food and fishing tackle as well as canoe, rowboat and kayak rentals. Bicycle rentals are also available. Special events also take place at Santee Lakes from time to time, including a 5K fun run on Sept. 21, 2013. www.santeelakes.com
For other ideas on other exciting camping opportunities in San Diego County, please visit www.Camp-California.com and use the websites’ search function to identify additional campgrounds, RV parks and resorts in the areas of interest to you and your family.
----------------
Written by: Jeff Crider
Updated: April 2014
