Easily Book Campgrounds and RV Parks in Salinas, CA

Fans of John Steinbeck may already be familiar with Salinas, a town located south of the Bay Area and popularized in the Nobel Prize winner’s fiction. Salinas is a vibrant city situated 80 miles west of the Pacific Ocean. The marine climate here makes it a perfect location for outdoor and coastal camping enthusiasts. While there are no Salinas campgrounds within city limits, there are several RV parks near Salinas in adjacent towns.

Central California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (which means “dry lake” in Spanish) is a 2.238-mile long track with a 180-foot elevation. It’s primarily used for motorcycle and auto racing and is known for its downhill corkscrew. Laguna Seca is about 12 minutes southwest of Salinas. RVers come from all over to see several major racing events throughout the year. It’s a good idea to make reservations at campgrounds near Salinas well in advance of attending a race here.

Santa Cruz, on the north coast of Monterey Bay and about an hour north of Salinas, has some of the best camping spots around. There are campgrounds with views of the Santa Cruz Harbor, sites surrounded by Redwoods, Bay views from wooded bluffs, and other amazing locations.

Monterey, on the south coast of the Bay, is just over 30 minutes southwest of Salinas. This is the location of California’s first theater, first public library, first public school, and newspaper. Today, it’s a haven for artists. While there are a couple options for on-site Monterey camping, towns close to Monterey, like Carmel (home to former mayor, Clint Eastwood) and Marina, California, also have extraordinary campgrounds with spectacular ocean and bay views.