San Onofre San Mateo Campground is located in northern San Diego three miles south of San Clemente off the I-5.
San Onofre State Beach is 3.5 miles of gorgeous sandy beaches with two campgrounds; San Mateo, and the nearby San Onofre Bluffs. The campground is connected to Trestles Beach, a premier surfing location, via the 1.5-mile Nature Trail.
There is a fire pit and a picnic table at each campsite. RV full hookup sites are available with water and electricity. There are also flush toilets, heated indoor showers, and a dump station that will cost $10.
Pets are allowed on leashes within the campground and parking lots, however, they aren’t allowed on the trails or beach.
Note that at the time of publishing, this campground has no cell service. You’ll have to hike uphill for about a mile until you get Verizon.
There are 157 sites in San Mateo, with campsites #1 to #67 offering full hookups.
San Mateo has sites that are relatively close together, but certain sites on the fringes of the campground are a little quieter than most, like:
Standard sites are $40 while full hookups are $65. You can book up to six months in advance at San Onofre State Beach Campground Reservations or call (800) 444-PARK (7275) between 8 am and 6 pm. If you plan to make a reservation here, be sure to do so in advance, especially during the summer.
Ensure you have the following information to make a reservation:
There is one group campsite available in San Mateo, and another in the nearby San Onofre Bluffs. The San Mateo tent-only group campsite at the south end of the campground allows for up to 40 people and 8 vehicles. Note that sleeping in vehicles is not allowed at the group site.
Online cancellations are possible, as well as phone cancellations at (800) 444-PARK (7275). The hours of operation for this service are 8 am. to 6 pm. Note that a $7.99 cancellation fee per reservation will be charged.
Pull Through Spots
An alternative to San Mateo is the other San Onofre campground - San Onofre Bluffs. There are no hookups in the San Onofre Bluffs campground unlike in San Mateo where campsites #1 to #67 offer full hookups. Prices are the same for standard sites for no hookups at $40.
The Bluffs campground only offers cold outdoor showers while in San Mateo, there are coin-operated warm showers within a building. The Bluffs is closer to the beach than San Mateo, which is located about a mile inland. ** **
Carlsbad recently added 13 sites with full hookups costing between $60 and $100 depending on the site, while San Mateo charges a flat rate of $65 across all their 67 sites. Their standard sites are priced similarly, with San Mateo charging $40 and Carlsbad charging between $35 and $50.
Carlsbad State Beach campground is located right on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean while San Mateo is tucked away a mile inland.
Like Carlsbad, San Clemente State Beach is located on a hill with a view of the Pacific Ocean. Both San Clemente and San Mateo offers full hookup sites at $65 and standard sites at $40.
San Clemente offers two group sites for up to 50 people while San Mateo only has one.
Doheny State Beach campground doesn’t offer any hookups. Their standard costs $40 while their oceanfront premium sites cost $60 compared to San Mateo’s flat $40 fee.
This campground is located right on the beach, with some sites only steps away, while San Mateo is located a mile inland.
Doheny is also a dry campground that doesn’t offer any hookups and only 16 sites that are meant for RVs and trailers, while San Mateo has 67 sites with full hookups at $65.
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