My favorite campground, hands down. It honestly bugs me that Yelp only has a one-to-five rating system, because sometimes five stars just isn't enough. This place deserves a 9.9 out of 10. Let me tell you about this hidden gem. First off, the name is almost misleading. Sun Outdoors Santa Barbara makes it sound like it's right in Santa Barbara, but it's actually about 15 minutes north of Goleta, in the El Capitan area -- and that name fits it much better. This place feels like a hidden piece of heaven. This is my third time being here. The first time was when I was in boarding school in eighth grade and we came here on a school trip. The second time was when I was married and stayed at the connected glamping resort. My ex-wife loved to travel, and we stayed at some very elegant places, but this was glamping at its finest. What I didn't realize back then is that the hotel and RV campground are connected by a little trail. You can walk from the RV side to the hotel area, visit their little convenience store, and continue down toward the beach. I'm currently in spot 818, all the way near the top, and it feels like I'm in the mountains. It's private, peaceful, and surrounded by nature. But just a short walk away, you have access to one of the most beautiful beaches around. It feels almost private. Absolutely stunning. For me, this RV campground is perfect. They have everything: a dog park where your dog can run off-leash, a kids' playground, hiking trails, a pool, a jacuzzi, clean and beautiful bathrooms, and well-kept grounds. Everything is maintained extremely well. The staff is also outstanding. Kathy runs the place, and she clearly runs a tight ship. Every staff member I've dealt with has been wonderful. They're never in your way, but they're always there when you need them. That's rare. Before coming here, I stayed at a very nice RV park in Malibu. Was it nice? Sure. You could see the ocean. But it felt more like being in a parking lot. Here, I feel like I'm actually camping in the woods. Then you walk a little ways and suddenly you're at this incredible beach. I started RV life in February, and this is my fourth place so far. To me, this is heaven on earth. I've been here for a month, and I have to leave on the 8th because a school rented out the whole property and everyone has to clear out. Honestly, I'm sad to leave. But it's probably for the best, because I'm supposed to be exploring the coast -- and if I didn't have to leave, I might never go. As Arnold Schwarzenegger would say: I'll be back. Thank you to Kathy and everyone at Sun Outdoors/El Capitan for making my stay so comfortable and wonderful. I rarely write reviews unless a place is either the absolute best or disturbingly bad. This place is something very special. If you ever get the chance to stay here, take it. read more

This is an amazing location away from the city and just nature around you. The staff are friendly and very helpful. We stayed in our motorhome and was a great experience. Our first time staying in camp ground, we had electricity hooked up which was very good. We stayed next to the pool and hot tub. My kids really loved going to the pool and hot tub. The showers/restrooms were kept clean. There are 4 showers where we stayed. The camp ground is huge and there's different places in the camp ground where you can stay. There's the RV and tent encampment. There's also El Capitan Canyon encampment which falls in the Sun Outdoor family branch where there's cabins and yurts. We are definitely coming back!! Definitely recommended. read more

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Great place to camp, this is our regular place to camp when up here in Santa Barbara. Great camp spots they have pull throughs but I prefer the back in spots. Plenty of shade lots of trees, pool, jacuzzi, clean showers and amenities. Really enjoy this place but it is rather pricey in my opinion. read more

Sun Outdoors Santa Barbara - Camp ground was amazing - Campgrounds Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Management went above and beyond to rectify the above for mentioned issues - very much appreciated read more

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This is a great RV Park, level, concrete pads and asphalt roads, my favorite stop to camp. read more

Sun Outdoors Santa Barbara - Sun outdoors RV resort - Campgrounds Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Bottom Line Up Front- This RV Park is very nice, high priced, and the restrooms need to be cleaned properly. Positives- The staff provides information and services (e.g. package drop off), the sites are level and well maintained, the laundry is reasonably priced, it is easy walking distance to the ocean and hiking trails, and there is a deli at El Capitan next door (about a 10 minute walk) on the way to the ocean. Neutral- The trails that are dirt roads that have basically no vehicle traffic. The staff provide directions though they have not done the hikes which became clear when hiking them. The Bill Wallace Trail has some posts though it is continuous only because of parking lots. The East Loop Trail has no markings but is easy to follow if you have experience hiking in such an area and the view at the large picnic table is beautiful. The Overlook Trail is overgrown and is suitable for deer so if you want to pick up ticks go for it. The Llama Trail is an easy excursion and is marked. Negatives- For the price (think like the RV equivalent of a luxury hotel using supply and demand pricing) the bathrooms should look like a luxury hotel inside, the outside does. When you have seen the same Hershey Slick on the commode for 3 days straight one wonders what cleaning is done, and there are only 3 clothes washers and 4 dryers that also are marginally cleaned. There are enough flies in the camp to be annoying. read more

This is our first time here and we love it! I'm not sure what others are stating that it is so expensive because to be honest it is cheaper than many other places we have been. Sure you can hear highway noise but not bad at all. It's beautiful and the hiking is nice. We would absolutely come back when in the area. The staff is nice and the campground is peaceful. read more

camping at this place is such a pleasure we have been coming for years and it just gets better and better. Thanks to the wonderful staff here we will definitely keep coming read more

The RV site is clean and spacious. Full hook ups which is great. Close to Solvang and wine tasting. Concerns: 1) does not have close beach access. It is a trek to get there and the beach is rocky- not much for sitting on.2) for some reason... the smell of feces is very prevalent. Not sure if people aren't hooking their stuff up properly but it's pretty gross. read more

This park first off is pretty large, has lots of spaces with hookups or tent camping. I don't like however there are no dumpsters so you have little trash barrels to throw your trash into. Which no matter how much they keep up with them are always full. Pool is a little smaller for how many people can be camping there. Loungers were nice. I feel though that the price tag of this place doesn't meet what they offer. Not a whole lot of activities for the kids. No live band for adults or Resturant on site. The staff was very nice that we did meet. They had a movie night for the kids and a pool party which was fun and my kids enjoyed it but it's far from everything else. Tons of ants and critters that constantly get into your trash and the barrels since they are open... The spot to park on is pretty small so you are getting in and out half way on concrete and then on dirt.. which for approx $160.00 a night is pretty steep considering the spot in which you are camping isn't raked and cleaned out. This place has more of a mountain feel than a beach feel. The sun outdoors in San Diego has many actives planned for kids and bike parades ... this sun outdoors doesn't have any of those amenities yet is the same price... No gym either.. read more

I want to give this campground 5 so bad. However, our peaceful weekend was continuly disrupted by a group of in considerate campers. The loud music and kids having fun can be excused but the three dogs constantly off leash rumning around the resort was a huge problem with our dogs who were either on leash or behind our dog pen! When we complained and we aren't complainers. The staff immediately responded but the group tried to put their dogs unattended in the dog park where they barked the entire time. Or when they leashed them they barked as well. So they just let them run all over the campground. Disappointing to say the least. The dogs were pooping everywhere and no one cared or cleaned up after them. It was a bit of a turn off to book future dates that rules were not enforced. Large sites, great dog park! read more

We used to love camping here when it was Ocean Mesa. The staff was great and the place was always nice and clean. It was a bit above average per site but it was worth it. We used to camp there regularly and sometimes with a group on holidays. Now that they have new owners, we no longer camp there because they raised their prices to the mid $200's during the weekends. Of the several camping spots that we camp at it is the highest priced campsite. Flying Flags Avila Beach is newer and the location is amazing with views for less. read more

Danger! DO NOT STAY HERE!!! l'll be honest, I wanted to love this place. The place was clean and well kept. The facilities were nice. However, when I went into my kitchen, I noticed something off about the gas. As I turned on the stove as I would at home, a huge flame erupted. Turns out there was a gas leak in my cabin and the stove was installed incorrectly. When I went to report the issue, the manager was not available. I went the next day, when I went to talk about the issue, he still was unavailable. The front desk told me he would call me, but he never did. I left unconvinced that they addressed the issue or even acknowledged what a safety hazard this was. I do not believe that this facility or its management ever addressed this issue, and I left feeling as though they were deeply negligent for the safety of their guests. I still don't know if they ever addressed the issue. I would not recommend staying here. read more

What a beautiful RV resort! From the minute we arrived, we were greeted by the friendliest staff. Kathy the resort manager went out of her way to make sure everything was perfect for us. The pool area and the surrounding grounds were all clean and beautifully manicured. This is a definite must stay destination! read more

It's probably the most well-maintained full-amenity RV resort we've ever visited. The sites appear to be groomed after each party departs. The swimming pool and hot tub are clean despite heavy uses. The landscaping - large trees and shrubbery - are lush and full (without appearing to overuse water). The expanse of green meadow adjacent to the playground is such a wonderful place for kids to run around. In addition, it sits on a hillside above the Pacific Ocean that is close enough to benefit from its breezes and the view but slightly out of reach of the fog. Furthermore, the location is within easy drives of Santa Barbara to the south and Solvang to the north. We'd return here in a heartbeat! read more

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There is a pervasive sewer and rotten garbage smell throughout the campground, particularly on the upper road level. The showers and the laundry room never get properly cleaned. Most of the staff is abrupt and extremely rude. People that have camped at this campground previously say that the sewer smell has been present for years. I would most definitely go elsewhere. read more

A very relaxing, high-quality RV park. Staff went out of their way to be sure we had the best site available. Much appreciated!

This is a great RV park. Accommodated our Grand Design Solitude 5th wheel just fine. Cianne who works the front desk was kind, helpful and helped us have a very enjoyable weekend there. Dog park and sunset views were our favorite. Dog park could have used a trash bin inside the park. Make sure your screen doors are closed because of all the pesky flies. read more

Right when my family and I arrived to the campsite there was horrible wifi reception with the complementary wifi and it was the same thing with the 3rd party wifi that I had to pay $25 for... My autistic son who likes to play on his iPad and watch cartoons on the television had a breakdown because of the bad internet. On top of it they have only three washers and the coin machine was broken and I had to go back and forth to the office to try and solve the problem and they said they had no keys for the machines and told me they had $2 in quarters and that was it. Management here is unbelievable due to the fact they only have the keys and management isn't always there. read more

I have a 10 year old autistic daughter who enjoys playing games on her tablet and watching videos. I was under the impression that this RV park had decent Wi-Fi. They also hand out a slip of paper that has the information of a third-party Wi-Fi company that you can purchase Wi-Fi from. I reached out to the third-party company and paid $30 for five devices. None of the devices would connect to Wi-Fi not even our television. We couldn't receive any calls while we were in the camp. We are business owners traveling from out of town so we need to be able to make phone calls when needed. The laundry room was filthy. They only have three washers available and my daughter had a hard getting changed from the machine and the people in the office were very little help to her. The Jacuzzi water was green and it smelled like urine. I would not recommend this place. read more

Very bad smell of sewage. Very expensive...more than twice the price per night as our 21 ft. RV rental. But they did give us a nice credit when we complained about the smell. read more

Clean campground with really good amenities. There's bathrooms, showers, laundry rooms, a pool with a hot tub, and a small general store. However the store is really small. I suggest getting things prior to coming here or walking a bit further to the next general store on the El Capitan side, where it's a bit bigger general store. The general store on site isn't fully stocked. Really spacious and clean campground. However, the "dog park" is just a space with compacted dirt. And a rickety old love seat. If there was grass or even fake grass or turf, it would have been better. It has a small trash can with baggies on the outside of the fencing. But to be honest, you're better just walking your dog around with a baggie. Curfew is 11pm, which is nice. Ample electricity for the RV. Picnic table, large open mouth trash can, and fire pit at each slot. Also, Pokemon Go friendly, several pokestops here. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our Memorial Day weekend. Kathy (Manager)and her small but mighty staff continues to provide the highest level of loving hospitality. I'm always greeted at check in with "welcome home" and a hug. They represent the good at OceanMesa now branded as SunOutdoor. It's the people behind the brand that makes a positive difference. Kathy and her staff are the difference. Thank you always for the invaluable memories. read more

Our spot had trash in it when we pulled in. Loud partiers blasting music late night where we couldn't hear our tv and kids up at crack of dawn making lots of noise. Drinking loud parents allowing their kids to run wild and no one working there seems to take it very seriously. The pool was so crowded my son could barely find space to swim. Overall disappointing for the luxury pricing. We are rv park regulars and I would not book again. read more

This was a really nice park. Expensive but worth it! Super clean and quiet. Almost every site has a peek a boo view but a short walk and you can see the ocean or the beautiful sunset. Loved the spa. I am only taking away a star because we called about an overnight stay which you cannot book online. The girl said they had room and would take us I asked if she would honor the military discount on an overnight stay. She said yes but then said the computer wouldn't allow her to do it. Not her fault just think this is important. Bought some apparel and loved my sweatshirt and husband liked his t shirt. We will back and for longer next time. read more

Sun Outdoors Santa Barbara - Campgrounds Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We always love staying here. It's great for kids, dogs and everyone! The bathrooms, pool area are always very clean. The campground is also very clean! The staff is ready to help any way they can. They have RV hook ups and tent camping. The fire pits are clean and ready to use. They have fun activities for the kids to play by the pool area. You are close to many hiking areas, beaches, and activities to do. read more

We have stayed here many times when it was "ocean mesa" and we absolutely love it! Clean safe, quiet and beautiful camp ground with great amenities. We had an issue with the online booking, and the manager of sun outdoors Santa Barbara went above and beyond to help make it right. I'm so happy to see that since it has changed names the quality of customer service is top notch. We love it here and look forward to making many more family memories! read more

Sun Outdoors Santa Barbara - Great deal we were able to book for! Take add of their great discounts when you can, well worth it - Campgrounds Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Best camping ever and i have been all over the country! The sites are quiet with fire pits and picnic tables and views of the ocean. The store has delicious coffee and there's another store a short walk away with food. Hot showers, heated pool and jacuzzi round out the list of amenities. Short walk to the beach, hiking trails and llama farm. read more

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A great private campground, with tent and RV sites separated but both sharing very very clean restrooms, showers, self laundry, a huge grassy lawn with a children's playground, and pool. A small store is well stocked with cooking utensils, firewood, pool and outdoor toys, sodas, ice creams, and of course, great labeled wines and beer. While not a hardcore wilderness campground, this is well north of Goleta and close to El Capitan State beach, an organic farm and llama ranch and wide open spaces to the mountains. The tent campsites are well laid out, with good privacy between them, although on the busy weekend, which this was and the weekend after the peak summer period, it is noisy until 10-10:30pm. The skies were wide open and deep black on the nights here, and Saturn and Jupiter were bright and clearly visible to the southwest horizon. Most everyone was sitting on the north edge of the tent sites for the awesome glowing pink sunsets. Not having any surrounding forest, this place got windy. Weather said 7-14 mph variable winds, but I'm sure we had gusts 20-25 mph that I was sure would take our tent's rain fly if not the whole tent! Everything held though after 3 anxious windy hours! All in all, this is an outstanding safe outdoors camping experience, for families, adults and kiddos. The onsite staff is very helpful, friendly, and courteous. Of course we'll return for a 4th camping trip here! The always extra clean restrooms, showers, and pool are a welcome respite from the more barebones national and state campgrounds. read more

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This park made for the perfect quick stop on our tour of the West Coast. It was quiet and peaceful with beautiful nature all around us. Raylyn and Claire in the front office were angels. read more

Don't go there! Too expensive, too loud, not worth it. We stayed three nights here and spent almost $500 for a very disappointing experience. We travel the US and Canada since 2002 but this campground was the worst and most expensive. The campground hosted a large group of younger people which is ok. But if someone spends a lot of money for a campground with pool etc. it is normal that you would like to enjoy it, but this did not work out. The group was extremely loud and did not care about the other guests. Playing very loud music, starting at 8.00 am in the morning until 11.00 pm. No chance for sitting or dining outside. Our stay got completely ruined. If the management would have informed us beforehand we would have chosen another campground. But they took the money and ran. DON'T go there!!! read more

Unsanitary! Stay at your own risk. This 'resort' has a sickening sewer smell and what's even worse is that and managment doesn't fix it, they hide and lie about it. First time here we thought it was a fluke, second time, it ruined our stay. Go to Flying Flags or Ventura if you need hook ups and a relaxing getaway, or across the street to the beach. read more

Best. Campground. Ever. Full hookups or tent camping, either way, you'll enjoy the beauty, amenities, and trails. We spent two nights here with a few other friends. The kids rode bicycles around safely and ran around independently. The pool was heated, so we spent hours in there and the jacuzzi hot tub. The kids had a blast! It feels like a kids dream neighborhood with everyone running around and having fun. The store is cute and fully stocked, bathrooms and all buildings are clean and modern. Twinkly lights, grass fields, a dog run, a trail to El Cap, and the llama tour top off a fun-filled family adventure! read more

Sun Outdoors Santa Barbara - Campgrounds Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This was a tough review to write as I really wanted to give it four stars. Nice location, friendly people and the goat farm was awesome (short walk). There are definitely issues. Lots and lots of noisy dogs. But the big issue is they apparently let people with old RV's that live in them camp here. The row they put me on looked like a L.A. homeless shelter. Lots of very old campers that people were obviously living in, including a re-purposed horse trailer. I mean really? This would be forbidden in most RV camp spots. After a few days most of them moved on and the place started to grow on me Summary? My wife liked it better than me so would stay there again with some prodding. But another 30 minutes away is Flying Flags which is much nicer. read more

What a joke this place is!! $700 dollars for 3 nights and that is with a discount. Smells of sewer at all times and RAT inflation. Can't leave your BBQ pit outside overnight without finding RAT SHIT inside it the next day. You can see the RATS running rampant through the bushes at campsite, dozens of them at a time. Can't even sit outside for a nice dinner at your site due to the RATS . Bushes overgrown and grounds need attention. Went to office and told them the issue and was told " you're in the wilderness " that's how it is, we will let maintenance know and they will put traps at your site. No traps were placed. I have been camping for 40+ years and never had this problem at a site like this. The owner needs to clean house and get a fresh team that takes pride in their work. If I could have gave it a 1/2 star I would have!! read more

This place sucks. This is a party campground. People are noisy and they are allowed to blast music. Quiet time is from 10-9 which tells you a lot. As I am sitting here, the jerks next to us are blasting music. My travel trailer is vibrating. I called her front desk and asked them to intervene. The girls says, I'm by myself and I can't do anything about it. Completely useless. Another thing-why is the slide on the playground so high off the ground? Weird! Bottom line, if you want to go to a campground and actually sleep at night, don't come to this place. They don't enforce their own rules and you will be miserable. We will never stay here again. read more

Beautiful place. Great amenities BUT..... be ready to listen to the freeway all night and be up by 5 am due to the road noise. No water at the camp sites. read more

We stayed at Sun Outdoors in Santa Barbara and really enjoyed our experience. When we checked in the staff was very friendly and helpful. Syanne (not sure on spelling) was great in giving us recommendations for restaurants. We were able to pick up some items we needed at the store they had on-site. It was well stocked with a variety of things you might need. Our RV site was clean and had plenty of room for our vehicle. The campsite looked beautiful and well maintained. The amenities like laundry, showers, pool (and hot tub) were great and clean. Some people forget that camping means critters like squirrels. We weren't bothered at all. We kept our food put away and just enjoyed watching them. We recommend this campground and are planning to visit again soon. read more

Fabulous place to camp and enjoy. Sites for rvs all include full hook ups. Nice tent sites available too. So many rv campgrounds are just a sea of pavement but this one has lots of trees and vegetation between sites to create comfortable private spaces. Restrooms, pool, laundry are all well maintained and clean. Basic Wifi is free and excellent. You also have the option to upgrade the wifi service for a small fee which was great for working on site. There are some great hiking trails which seem to go on forever. You can also walk down to the ocean to watch the sunset or look for a starship take off from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Highway is close but trees really dampen the sound. Would definitely come back. read more

Severe ant infestation. Management made excuses and does not care about this serious safety concern. read more