Highest-rated campgrounds in the San Jose area by visitors

Written by:
August 27, 2025
chaogeng // Shutterstock

Highest-rated campgrounds in the San Jose area by visitors

Camping is a favorite leisure activity among Americans of all stripes. According to KOA's 2025 Camping & Outdoor Hospitality report, the number of camping households in the United States has increased by 67% over the last decade. As of this year, 1 in 4 leisure trips involves camping.

When planning a camping trip, many factors must be considered, including the amenities. Car camping usually means driving up to your campsite, which allows campers to haul a few more amenities to the campgrounds. These sites may offer electrical outlets, public restrooms (including showers), and a grill or fire pit for cooking. RV camping and cabin rentals may also have these amenities within their units.

On the other side, backcountry or primitive camping usually involves hiking into a campsite with few to no amenities. For example, at primitive sites, campers may need equipment light enough to carry to their campgrounds. They may also need to hang toiletries to keep wildlife away and treat their drinking water.

The National Park Service manages campgrounds inside 130 park units across the United States. Each state also manages parks with campgrounds, and there are a myriad of privately-owned campgrounds, too. According to the Camping & Outdoor Hospitality report, more than half of people tend to camp within 150 miles of their home, but there are endless options for where and how to camp.

People typically must reserve a campsite ahead of time—up to a year in advance for some of the most popular sites. To help you get a head start on planning, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated campgrounds in the San Jose area using data from Yelp as of Aug. 19, 2025. Rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see if your favorite spot made the list.

1 / 30
McAlpine Lake & Park

#30. McAlpine Lake & Park

- Rating: 2.5/5 (64 reviews)
- Address: 900 Anzar Road San Juan Bautista, California
- Categories: Fishing, RV Parks, Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30
Garlic Farm RV Park

#29. Garlic Farm RV Park

- Rating: 2.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 5878 Garlic Farms Drive Gilroy, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, RV Parks
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30
Thousand Trails Morgan Hill

#28. Thousand Trails Morgan Hill

- Rating: 2.5/5 (148 reviews)
- Address: 12895 Uvas Road Morgan Hill, California
- Categories: RV Parks, Campgrounds, Resorts
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30
Santa Cruz Ranch Campground

#27. Santa Cruz Ranch Campground

- Rating: 2.8/5 (41 reviews)
- Address: 917 Disc Drive Scotts Valley, California
- Categories: RV Parks, Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30
Santa Cruz Harbor Rv Park

#26. Santa Cruz Harbor Rv Park

- Rating: 2.8/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 135 5th Ave. Santa Cruz, California
- Categories: Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

6 / 30
Gilroy Garlic USA RV Park

#25. Gilroy Garlic USA RV Park

- Rating: 3.3/5 (63 reviews)
- Address: 650 Holloway Road Gilroy, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, RV Parks
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30
Betabel RV Park

#24. Betabel RV Park

- Rating: 3.5/5 (59 reviews)
- Address: 9664 Betabel Road San Juan Bautista, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, Venues & Event Spaces, RV Rental
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30
Smithwoods R V Park

#23. Smithwoods R V Park

- Rating: 3.5/5 (135 reviews)
- Address: 4770 Hwy 9 Felton, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, RV Parks
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30
Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA

#22. Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA

- Rating: 3.6/5 (324 reviews)
- Address: 1186 San Andreas Road Watsonville, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, RV Parks
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 30
Anthony Chabot Regional Park

#21. Anthony Chabot Regional Park

- Rating: 3.6/5 (118 reviews)
- Address: 9999 Redwood Road Castro Valley, California
- Categories: Parks, Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

11 / 30
Del Valle Regional Park

#20. Del Valle Regional Park

- Rating: 3.7/5 (468 reviews)
- Address: 7000 Del Valle Road Livermore, California
- Categories: Parks, Campgrounds, Fishing
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 30
Manresa Uplands Campground

#19. Manresa Uplands Campground

- Rating: 3.7/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 205 Manresa Uplands Road Watsonville, California
- Categories: Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 30
Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park

#18. Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park

- Rating: 3.7/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 4514 Roop Road Gilroy, California
- Categories: Hiking, Campgrounds, Parks
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30
Lupin Lodge

#17. Lupin Lodge

- Rating: 3.8/5 (89 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 20600 Aldercroft Heights Road Los Gatos, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, Hotels, Nudist
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 30
New Brighton Campground

#16. New Brighton Campground

- Rating: 3.8/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 1 Potbelly Beach Road Aptos, California
- Categories: Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 30
New Brighton State Beach

#15. New Brighton State Beach

- Rating: 3.8/5 (235 reviews)
- Address: 1500 Park Ave. Capitola, California
- Categories: Parks, Beaches, Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 30
Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Resort

#14. Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Resort

- Rating: 3.9/5 (242 reviews)
- Address: 4980 Highway 9 Felton, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, RV Parks
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30
Mount Hermon Christian Camps & Conference Center

#13. Mount Hermon Christian Camps & Conference Center

- Rating: 4.0/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: 37 Conference Drive Mount Hermon, California
- Categories: Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 30
Little Basin Cabins & Campground

#12. Little Basin Cabins & Campground

- Rating: 4.0/5 (68 reviews)
- Address: 21700 Little Basin Road Boulder Creek, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, RV Parks
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 30
Moss Landing KOA Express

#11. Moss Landing KOA Express

- Rating: 4.0/5 (107 reviews)
- Address: 7905 Sandholdt Road Moss Landing, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, RV Parks
- Read more on Yelp

21 / 30
Sanborn County Park

#10. Sanborn County Park

- Rating: 4.2/5 (169 reviews)
- Address: 16055 Sanborn Road Saratoga, California
- Categories: Parks, Hiking, Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 30
Redwood Christian Park

#9. Redwood Christian Park

- Rating: 4.2/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 15000 Two Bar Road Boulder Creek, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, Churches
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 30
Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area

#8. Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area

- Rating: 4.3/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: 18600 West Corral Hollow Road Tracy, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, Race Tracks
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 30
Mission Peak Regional Preserve

#7. Mission Peak Regional Preserve

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1824 reviews)
- Address: 43600 Mission Blvd. Fremont, California
- Categories: Parks, Hiking, Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 30
Redwood Resort

#6. Redwood Resort

- Rating: 4.4/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 150 Grove St. Boulder Creek, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, RV Parks
- Read more on Yelp

26 / 30
Big Basin Redwoods State Park

#5. Big Basin Redwoods State Park

- Rating: 4.4/5 (666 reviews)
- Address: 21600 Big Basin Way Boulder Creek, California
- Categories: Parks, Campgrounds, Hiking
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 30
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

#4. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (624 reviews)
- Address: 101 Big Trees Park Rd. Felton, California
- Categories: Parks, Hiking, Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 30
Mount Madonna County Park

#3. Mount Madonna County Park

- Rating: 4.6/5 (145 reviews)
- Address: 7850 Pole Line Road Watsonville, California
- Categories: Parks, Hiking, Campgrounds
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 30
Uvas Canyon County Park

#2. Uvas Canyon County Park

- Rating: 4.6/5 (278 reviews)
- Address: 8515 Croy Road Morgan Hill, California
- Categories: Parks, Campgrounds, Hiking
- Read more on Yelp

30 / 30
Sequoians Clothes Free Club

#1. Sequoians Clothes Free Club

- Rating: 4.7/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 10200 Cull Canyon Road Castro Valley, California
- Categories: Campgrounds, Swimming Pools, Hiking
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Madison Troyer, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 199 metros.

Trending Now