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    Leo Carrillo Campground

    4.0 (63 reviews)

    Leo Carrillo Campground Photos

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    Marcella N.

    Such a cool spot! Nice shaded areas, where you feel tucked away but you're literally walking distance to the beach. Loved exploring the sea caves. Quiet at night and so peaceful. Such amazing wildlife, too. Their staff are also so friendly and nice. Bathrooms are excellent and clean. Flush toilets and running sinks!

    Campfire/grill
    Sunny M.

    Clean Family friendly Walking distance to kid friend beach Our site had lots of shade/trees Bathrooms were super clean/flush toilets Shower Only thing that we didn't like-ants. Ants galore.. They were everywhere and all over our things. But not too many flying bugs since near the ocean. Would definitely return. Maybe other sites would have less ants?

    Paula B.

    Dry campgrounds, literally! Hardly any water spigots! Also the vegetation is dry, yet they allow fires! The store is overpriced! The beaches here are beautiful!

    Camp ground
    Paula R.

    This is our second year coming here and we really like it here. We come in our pop up trailer with family and they have their pop up trailer too. The sites are plenty big with a fire ring which allow for wood burning. Some sites are dry camping but other have water and electricity hook ups. We bring our generator which you're allowed to use from 10am-8pm. They have a store on site with a few items like fire wood, ice, chips, ice cream, coffee, t-shirts and other miscellaneous items. Showers and restrooms are available throughout the campground as are water spigots. South beach is less than half mile and we walked every morning for low tide and to look at the tide pools. North beach isn't too far and is great for booogie boarding. Great time just watch out for the squirrels and yellow jackets.

    This is the place to camp if you want to invite 20 friends and blast your music and make your neighbor's life miserable. I never saw a Ranger, so there is no rule enforcement. Most of the sites are overgrown so leave your RV at home. Get the picture? San Elijo SB this is not! This is, hands down, the worst run park in the system! The mud damage from the rains of a few years ago is still a problem! If you like dirty bathrooms, you're in luck. Never again for me! I had a reservation in July for 4 nights and left after only one night. I'm retired and have over 20 reservations for camping, the condition of this State Park is unacceptable!

    In front of the store
    Amado O.

    Great place to camp! Quite and peaceful nights! We stayed at spot 5. It has electricity no water or sewer. There is a dump station near by if you need to dump and refill with water. The roads are wide enough to back in and park in your spot. When you open your trailer door you are not directly next to your neighbor, like in some RV trailer campgrounds. These spots are wide and open. Bad things, lots of dirt no grass. Be ready to sweep all day, at least you'll smile while sweeping. You are in a pice of heaven. It was windy when we went and it was blowing. Seemed to blow everyday. We were here the 3rd week of July. Lots of hiking trails or just beach trails. The beach is very rocky so bring water shoes if you don't want your feet to hurt the next day. Lots of creatures to see in the rocks once the tie goes out. This is a Photographers dream come true. Lots of good lighting and scenery. Also do not leave any food or trash unattended as there are lots of squirrels. We saw our neighbors table get ransacked by squirrels and birds. It happen so quick. Put everything away or they will find it. There was no dog poop bags supplies like most other campgrounds we've stayed at. We payed extra to bring the dogs but did not get the doggie bags. Gave it a five star cause even with the "bad stuff", it's a beautiful place and big wide camp spaces. It feels like wood and beach camping at the same time. We booked for January 2021! Can't wait to go back!

    Rafeek Y.

    We have been to this campground a number of times and enjoyed each one of our visits. The beach is a quick walk, or an even quicker drive from the campground. The bathrooms and showers are cleaned every morning (not sure if this is still the case with COVID). Bring some $1 bills to get tokens for the shower. If you forgot to bring something with you the store in the middle of the campground probably has it. Ice, snacks, cleaning supplies, some camping equipment, etc. Don't leave any food out or the squirrel will come visit your campsite.

    Leo Carrillo Campground, Malibu, CA (May 21-23, 2018)
    Jenni M.

    Leo Carrillo Campground is inside the Leo Carrillo State Park which is part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area near Malibu, CA. Emile J. writes that he can't "believe the bad reviews... don't listen to the cry babies." Usually I can side with this point of view. But when a park ranger zips past my trailer and truck as fast as he did flinging rocks and not being safe with children playing and riding their bicycles in the area, it pisses me off. Our fire pit was full to the brim with ashes and screws and nails. Having to pick up so much trash in our area was disappointing as well. Many sites are nicely shaded, but they allow camper trailers that are too big for certain spots. There are many pros... the beach & hiking opportunities nearby. Dogs allowed. On-site store that sells nice hard firewood bundles at $7.33 apiece. Token showers available. Electric hookups & dump station. Good for tent campers too. 2018 Challenge #96

    Bren L.

    Went camping here and it was pretty cool. The camps are close to each other so you can hear when someone is being loud. The hiking was awesome. We went before the fires so everything I shot was distroyed in the Woolsey Fire. I love camping here. You're pretty close to the beach so you can just walk, what? 1-2 miles and you're on sand. I loved the sunrises and the sunsets were amazing. I definitely recommend. There are bathrooms and showers. And not the hotel kind. There a little store in there in case you forget something or need something. You can also drive out of camp and go to Starbucks down the road or to the grocery store. We had a weird chipmunk issue. Those little rascals ate through some rubber covers and tried to get to our snacks. So leave nothing outside. Put everything in your car if you're gonna leave your camp. Zip EVERYTHING up if you leave or else you're gonna get one of those fuckers eating your stuff. We took a mosquito candle and left it near the fire. We also brought a sage bundle to ward off some critters. Over all I had a great time. Enjoy!

    Ben A.

    As roadside campgrounds go, this one is one of the better in the state. Considering it's proximity to greater Los Angeles, the insular effect of the Santa Monica Mountains create the illusion of wild out here along the Pacific coast. Still, the secret is out, and this place is almost always at capacity. Campsites tend to be large, with parking for two or three vehicles each. There is partial shade at just about every site, along with a fire pit. As with all campgrounds, certain sites are more preferable than others. Despite being so close to civilization and the beach, for that matter, this campground has a wooded feel to it. Maples, sycamores, oaks, and other shade trees create a symphony of wind and leaves when the afternoon breezes hit the canyon. Songbirds, lizards, and snakes join an ever-growing population of ground squirrels. Early risers might enjoy spotting a mule deer, coyote, or mountain lion... although these larger animals tend to stay away from the noise of camp. That said, keep an eye on your pets, especially at dawn and dusk. The camp has a small store in the middle, along with flush toilets and shower facilities. If you don't have a lot of time to get away, and can manage to find a reservation for a spot, this is not a bad alternative for a quick turnaround overnight on the weekend. Summer is pretty impossible, but there are occasionally sites available in the off-season if you don't plan ahead like me. With just a short walk to the beach, and longer walk/hike opportunities in the adjacent mountains, this is a nice spot to take your significant other who has not yet found their inner appreciation for the outdoors. Don't worry, Cochise, you'll change her mind on camping yet.

    Excellent grill that swung out for log placement
    Niki T.

    Took my adult daughters and their children here for an inaugural camping trip. The showers and bathrooms were awesome. Fully stocked with toilet paper and some even had mirrors. The fire ring had a very workable grill and the trees provided more than adequate shade. A very nice water spicket provided cold clean water at every site. It was so close to the beach that we could have walked had we not brought so much beach equipment. Word to beachgoers. It is very windy so do not bring umbrellas or beach tents. We lost a tent when a support snapped due to wind. It is also very rocky so be sure and wear beach/swim shoes in the water. Those who did not got cut up on the rocks. The campground was very clean and had trash receptacles close by. We will be back for sure! Great place to bring families. Only wished the noise rule was enforced. We had loud drunk parties next to us that lasted until midnight. Would really have like some quiet after 10 pm.

    Leo Carrillo space 127

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    Love nature and serenity! A Beautiful place on earth to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city!

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Leo Carrillo Campground

    Do they allow camp fires there? And do they have campfires there?

    Wood campfires are allowed and the have fire rings at each site. They also sell firewood at the store if you forget to bring your own wood. It's just a few bucks more to buy it there.

    Does anyone know when the campgrounds are scheduled to reopen? They were temporarily open for the week leading into Memorial Day 2019.

    Hi Peter, I just went to Leo Carrillo on Friday. The campground looks great considering how badly damaged it was. It is only open for the Memorial Day weekend and will reopen hopefully around June 8th, according to the park rangers.

    View All 5 Questions

    Review Highlights - Leo Carrillo Campground

    The camp store is pretty well stocked with the basics and the prices are pretty reasonable for the area.

    Mentioned in 17 reviews

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    Zuma Beach  - The beach

    Zuma Beach

    4.4(517 reviews)
    6.8 mi

    Zuma has always been my tried and true. It's easy to get to, there's loads of parking, and the…read morebathrooms are pretty decent for public beach restrooms. Waves are great, lifeguards are present and plenty of beach space to picnic. There's really no bad time of year to come, though in the summer months it definitely gets more crowded. I wish there were more trash cans present on the beach part as well as some sort of food options available. I know there used to be some small food stands, but they have since closed. Love coming here with the family for a beach picnic. Love that the bathrooms have showers to rinse off after a day of playing in the sand.

    A beautiful stretch of beach that's always a must. Along the famous highway 1, it's a nice big…read morebeach thats for perfect day outing. Parking wise, there's street parking along PCH, paid parking lot on PCH, street along the beach as well as another paid lot on the beach. Depending on the time, parking is a bitch as it's always full. It's a pretty wide stretch of beach so there's plenty of spaces for laying out and so on. One side has all the volleyball court. We arrived around 11:30 and luckily found street parking along the beach. It was nice out, sunny and a good amount of people along close to the water. We found a spot and made ourself comfortable. There was a good half dozen or so school buses parked where the volleyball courts are. Either a summer camp or school is back in session and it was a beach day. The odd thing, after an hour we arrived, the clouds started to roll in. Within minutes, it went from sunshine to overcast and gloomy. Stayed like that for a good hour and half. Even looking out to the hillside, it was so gloomy that you couldn't see down the beach. When the clouds burned off, it was back to beautiful beach weather. Lifeguard towers were in full force. We did notice that security on four wheelers were patrolling. They did questioned some people. It's a beautiful stretch of beach if you haven't been. The water was beautiful and looked clean but the waves were on a different level. They were pretty massive so lifeguards were on full force. People did go in the water but not a lot. To make it more magical, there were schools of dolphins swimming close by the shore. Even more fun, you could see them basically surfing the waves. That brought everyone on their feet trying to get the perfect picture. There's a good amount of restrooms and showers. It was actually clean which is a major plus. There's also a little lagoon that's a hangout for all the seagulls and pelican. Sand was soft and hot. Beach was clean, water was clean so it's was a good experience. It's a must if you haven't been.

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    Fancy car meet up vibezzzzz va-Roooooommmmmm

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    Chasing sunsets!

    Zuma Beach  - Ahhh My Goodness!!!

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    El Matador State Beach - Sunset through the rocks

    El Matador State Beach

    4.4(514 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    So be warned that parking is limited and also expensive, even if you want a quick little stop. We…read morewent super early on a week day so there was no one else there. Also the porta potty had no toilet paper. So not sure what the parking fees are upkeeping. Anyway, the beach itself is really pretty. The walk down is a little touch with stand on a steep slope so you have to be careful. But it's worth it for the views. It's a very romantic spot.

    El Matador Beach is truly one of the most beautiful spots along the California coast, and it never…read morefails to impress. Walking along the sandy beach, surrounded by dramatic rocky cliffs and sea caves, feels like stepping into a postcard. The ocean views are breathtaking, the sound of the waves is calming, and there are so many little hidden nooks to explore. It is also an amazing location for a photo shoot if you have a permit, with the cliffs, natural arches, and golden sunsets providing endless opportunities for beautiful shots. The only reasons I gave it three stars are practical. Parking is expensive, which can be frustrating when all you want to do is enjoy the natural beauty. If you want to do professional photography, you also need a paid permit, which adds to the cost. On top of that, there are lots of stairs to get down to the beach, so it can be challenging for anyone with mobility issues or small children. Despite these drawbacks, I keep coming back because the scenery here is truly unmatched. Whether it's strolling along the sand, exploring the rock formations, or just sitting and enjoying the view, El Matador Beach captures the essence of California's coastline. It's a stunning, iconic location that I would recommend visiting at least once, just be prepared for the stairs and parking fees.

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    Lechuza Beach - Gorgeous!

    Lechuza Beach

    4.1(52 reviews)
    5.3 mi

    Absolutely stunning beautiful Beach. Many beautiful rocks and the sand is super soft and a…read morebeautiful off-white color. I usually carry my wagon with me with blankets and pillows and the necessities so after observing how many stairs there were to get down to the beach decided to go elsewhere. But if you have very little to carry, I recommend this stunning beach. Not too crowded at all.

    There seems to be a ton of misinformation regarding this beach. Perhaps the MRCA which owns and…read morecontrols it should do a better job of signage and use instructions. First, read the California law on beach's. Not all beaches are public. The public may walk below Ho tide line- which basically means wet sand but above that may be private property and trespass laws apply. Don't believe it? The Malibu sheriffs will explain it quickly. The entrance at East Sea level IS a private road and gated community. Pedestrian beach access was granted but if you attempt to drive through and park you will be towed. It is a very long walk to LaChuza beach at this entrance. You will pass a sign half way telling you that entrance is a Private beach ( above hi tide line) so walk alllll the way down to the end to the stairs. If you decide to stop on the lawns for lunch and photos you are trespassing. The stairs and entry at Broad beach road is the best access. Parking is limited on broad beach and if you block a driveway or lawn, or litter you will be cited buy the Sheriffs. LaChuza has strict rules about use: Only service animals on leash. The MRCA rangers Will cite you. No alcohol. No smoking or drugs. No fires. Closed at 8:00. If you chose to use the stairs , the beach is at the bottom to the RIGHT. The beach area to the left is Private above the high tide/ wet sand and you will be tresspassimg and they will call the police. LaChuza looks lovely but it can be dangerous. No life guards. No toilets. If you pee or poop-you will be fined. The water is so nice- sometimes but there are strong currents and rips and NO life guards. Very Rocky with many submerged jagged rocks. In winter when the sand is low the water has many mor obstacles- wires- pipes- concrete pilings that can be dangerous. Swimmer beware. During hi tides sneaker waves cover the beach sending all your stuff to Japan. How do I know? I go knocked down and swept out by one. During hi tide the waves cover the entire beach. There are better beach options like Zumba or Leo Carrillo.

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    Lechuza Beach - Happy people

    Happy people

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    Leo Carrillo Campground - beaches - Updated May 2026

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