Gaviota State Park Campground California
Gaviota State Park Overview
Gaviota State Park is another one of California’s great State beaches and located about 33 miles north of Santa Barbara on U.S. Highway 101. The campground has 39 single-family (mixed-used) campsites for tents, trailers and RVs. All are short walk to the ocean, beach and pier. Access to the beach is via a trail under the iconic Southern Pacific railroad trestle that crosses Gaviota creek above the day-use parking lot.
The campground also has a camp store, drinking water, flush toilets and showers. Each campsite has a table, fire ring and grill. Firewood is also available for sale from the campground host.
Gaviota State Park Info
Gaviota State Park has a variety of outdoor recreation activities to enjoy. At the ocean you can beach comb, swim, surf, kayaking and explore tide pools. The pier is also open for fishing. Other activities include hiking, biking, picnicking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing. Two nice hikes include up to Gaviota Peak (1,325 feet in elevation) and also to the Gaviota Wind Caves (actually sandstone formations).
El Capitan State Beach is just 13 miles to the south.
Make a Reservation for Gaviota State Park
Amenities
- BBQ Grills
- Boat Launch/Ramp
- Camp Store
- Campsite Tables
- Cell Service Fair
- Drinking Water
- Equestrian trail
- Fire Pit
- Fire Rings
- Firewood Available
- Fishing Pier
- Grills
- Ice
- Pay Phone
- Pets OK
- Picnic Tables
- Pier
- Ranger Station
- Recycling Center
- Restrooms (Flush Toilets)
- Showers
- Snack Bar
- Trash Collection
Activities
- Beach
- Beach Access
- Beach Combing
- Biking
- Bird Watching
- Boating
- Boating (non motorized)
- Body Surfing
- Creek
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Kayaking
- Kite Surfing
- Mountain Biking
- Nature Trails
- Ocean
- Photography
- Picnicking
- Scuba Diving
- Skin Diving
- Snorkeling
- Stargazing
- Surf Fish
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Walking Trails
- Whale Watching
- Wildlife Viewing
Goleta, California 93117
805 968-1033
Lat / Long:
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Campsite Types
- ADA
- RV
- Tent
- Trailer
# of Campsites:
39
Campsite Vehicle Size:
UP to 28 feet.
Season:
Year Round
Elevation:
15
Gaviota State Park Comments & Reviews
Visited Gaviota State Park Campground lately? We'd love to hear about your adventure. Did you find us useful? Did we forget something? Anything our community should know before heading out to Gaviota State Park?
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First time visiting Gaviota last week and we loved it. Met great neighbors and loved the showers and beach. Thanks to the host and State employees.
The beach is awesome but it’s way too windy at the campground once the sun sets. 30 to 50 mile per hour gusts. Tents will not hold up! Every other camper with a tent left within hours of setting up. We stayed but our tent is ruined & didn’t sleep at all. I wish we were warned prior to or at least what sites were better for tents.
Hi Anne,
Sorry about your experience at Gaviota State Park. It can get windy up in that area and when it does the sites further from the beach would probably be best for tents but even those would get some strong wind gusts.
DO NOT COME HERE. winds were absolutely crazy and it broke our high-quality tent after only 2 hours of being up. every other person camping in a tent left the camp site by 10pm due to the strong gusts of wind. Upon leaving, we were throwing out some things and there were 3+ broken tents in the dumpster. Only the people in the RVs were able to stay, but even they just stayed in their RVs. I talked to a person at the local grocery store and he said this happens all the time and many people end up booking hotel rooms at local inns after having their tents broken. i repeat: DO. NOT. COME. HERE.
I have camped at Gaviota State Beach back when it was a county beach. Many changes over the years have taken place at the beach and campgrounds, yet the beach its self has survived all man and nature can throw at it. The pier has been destroyed, the original campground with mature trees to beak the wind was bulldozed following a natural flood and new modern campsites were constructed without trees to calm winds in the campground. The picnic pavilion has been torn down, and the oak wood BBQ pits are gone. Cars no longer park under the train trestle as fewer people visit the once popular beach. And if not camping in a hard side RV, bring a sturdy canvas tent with heavy duty stakes. Rip stop nylon will become rags when windy. I met my wife now married 46 years there. A beach to love and a place to fall in love.
Unless you enjoy camping in a tornado, I would NOT recommend this site. We are avid campers and we had to leave due to the wind. The middle of the campsite smells like sewage from the bathrooms and the outer camp sites are next to a sludgy creek. Book at your own risk.
Along with a few friends we camped at Gaviota for 3 days last week, it wasn’t windy, no smell and the creek inhabited by tiny fish was not sludgy (whatever that means?). That said, it can get windy, check the weather forecast before going. We have been lucky, very windy one in four times.
What I don’t like. The beach is only about 250 yards wide and when the tide rises it’s dangerous to walk below the cliffs. The not destroyed pier is closed. Rattlesnakes are common. I saw one maybe 30 ft. from our site. Be aware with children and pets.
Gaviota State Park CA is truly a hidden gem! The stunning coastal views, diverse wildlife, and peaceful hiking trails at Gaviota State Park CA make it a must-visit destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. It’s the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, offering a serene retreat that will leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Trust me, Gaviota State Park CA is like no other – an experience you won’t want to miss!
When did everyone become so sensitive and believe nature had to accommodate them. I remember camping here for 10 years straight and yes the wind is crazy but hey it’s the risk you take when your outdoors met a lot of cool people there mind you this was from 95-05 simpler times when the beach use to be packed and you had to reserve a spot months in advance. Went back this past year was sad to see things from my childhood no longer there but hey nothing lasts for lever just thankful for the memories