Bay Meadows

Summer means camping season. It’s a time to reconnect and bond with friends and family around the firepit; a time to griddle bacon and eggs in cast iron and roast sticky s’mores on the open flame, to make shadow animals on tent walls, play horse shoes and take hikes to beautiful vistas. San Mateo’s ideal location offers easy access to the SF Peninsula coastline and a myriad of camping options for you to enjoy. Whether you’re an experienced camper or first-time family campers, here is a list of camp sites we love that are only a hop, skip, and a jump away from Bay Meadows:

Half Moon Bay State Beach: This little gem is a 4-mile stretch of four beaches on one beautiful strand. The convenience of having surf right out the tent door can’t be beat. Approx. 15 miles from Bay Meadows.

Kirby Cove Campground: No beach in the world has a view like this. Descend through a grove of cypress, eucalyptus and pine to a one of a kind view of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay looking east to a stunning panorama view of the city. Approx. 28 miles from Bay Meadows.

Butano State Park: With 40 miles of hiking trails through redwood forest and chaparral, this is a great place to go backpacking. Redwood-shaded campgrounds and natural play areas make it a standout kid-friendly destination. Approx. 36 miles from Bay Meadows.

Camping in The Great Park: If you’ve never spent a night under these huge, ancient trees, you’re in for a treat. The primeval feeling of a redwood forest makes for a magical camping experience. Approx. 40 miles from Bay Meadows.

Samuel P. Taylor State Park: Most of the park’s campsites lie beneath majestic redwoods, where you can spend the day splashing in the creek, pedaling along a smooth section of the Cross Marin Trail, or exploring hiking trails. Approx. 52 miles from Bay Meadows.

Uvas Canyon County Park: The park is formed around Swanson Creek, featuring six miles of trails, half-a-dozen waterfalls and a 25-site campground shaded by Oak and Bay trees. This hidden canyon full of waterfalls is well worth the visit. Approx. 56 miles from Bay Meadows.

New Brighton State Beach: This Capitola beach features picnic areas, swimming, fishing and a nearby forest of Monterey pine and coastal live oak. The camping area is on a bluff overlooking northern Monterey Bay. Approx. 57 miles from Bay Meadows.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park: Your pick of four waterfalls is the payoff for tackling the roller-coaster trails that fan out under gargantuan old-growth trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The park has more than 80 miles of trails. Approx. 58 miles from Bay Meadows.

Point Reyes National Seashore: From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, Point Reyes offers 5 campgrounds to choose from. Approx. 58 miles from Bay Meadows.

Henry W. Coe State Park: This is the largest state park in northern California of wild open spaces and a hiker’s dream, with 87,000 acres of grassy hillsides and ridges dotted with gnarly oak trees. Approx. 60 miles from Bay Meadows.

Salt Point State Park: Camp with an ocean view. With 20 miles of hiking trails and an underwater park, you can enjoy a variety of picnicking, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, skin and SCUBA diving, and camping. Approx. 117 miles from Bay Meadows.

Big Sur State Park: More than camp sites are situated on or near the Big Sur River. Streamside camping is available in the Big Sur Valley and oceanview, bluff camping is available in the southern end of Big Sur. Approx. 124 miles from Bay Meadows.

Walkscore.com rates Bay Meadows high on the list for walkable locations to live on the San Francisco Peninsula and for good reason!  Bay Meadows has a high Walkscore because it is steps from shopping, groceries, parks, Caltrain, a farmer’s market and a few short miles from downtown San Mateo with its burgeoning restaurant scene. Discover Midurban life. Check out life out and about at Bay Meadows by following us on Instagram.