Refugio State Beach
Refugio State Beach
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
129 reviews
Excellent
52
Very good
43
Average
19
Poor
7
Terrible
8
yalibrarian
San Antonio, TX349 contributions
Mar 2022
IMHO, the best of the three beaches along the Gaviota coast (Refugio, El Capitan, and Gaviota). Ten dollars entry (you can visit all three beaches in one day with one pass) and ample parking right near the beach. Clean restrooms. Very picturesque beach with only a little kelp (stay clear of the kelp flies). Head west along the beach to the rocky area and cliff for some more great pics. There's a nature hike right there, too, which has some nice vistas on top of the cliff. Very few people on the weekdays, which I love!
Written March 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marie F
Bakersfield, CA2 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
Great camping ground site and beach area. The surfers were riding the waves on the far west side of the beach.
Reserved the campsite online no problems at all. You can camp on ground or RV. Please read their specifications if using an RV (length wise).
They also have Day passes available to purchase if you are not camping.
Camp hosts on site, also a little souvenir store open from 8am to 5pm (can also purchase: ice bags, bundles of wood logs, water bottles, chips and ice cream). They have coin operated showers if you need it while camping or to rinse off if went swimming.
Put your food away at night (seen a squirrel trying to get in someone’s tent. (They had their fire going that’s how I saw the shadow of the squirrel trying to get in).
Reserved the campsite online no problems at all. You can camp on ground or RV. Please read their specifications if using an RV (length wise).
They also have Day passes available to purchase if you are not camping.
Camp hosts on site, also a little souvenir store open from 8am to 5pm (can also purchase: ice bags, bundles of wood logs, water bottles, chips and ice cream). They have coin operated showers if you need it while camping or to rinse off if went swimming.
Put your food away at night (seen a squirrel trying to get in someone’s tent. (They had their fire going that’s how I saw the shadow of the squirrel trying to get in).
Written August 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MTO
6 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Campground is run down. Showers are old but the water is hot and the water pressure is great. The beach itself is beautiful and a great place for the kids. Tide pools and great walking along the shore. Front row campsites are the best
Written August 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Morgan D
1 contribution
Jun 2020
I am very disappointing in our stay at this camp ground. I was there with my family this week celebrating Fathers Day. We decided to go for a beach walk but missed the " no dogs on beach" sign. I will admit this was our fault. We should have known to check the camp ground rules before we assumed. This (to me) seems to be a silly rule to begin with. With that being said, while walking back to our campsite we were approached by a so called "Peace Officer" wearing a bullet proof vest with a gun on his hip. He immediately was very intense with us about our dog being on the beach and acted like we were criminals. Never in my life have I been approached so aggressively by an officer like this. He was mean, aggressive and did not give us a chance to explain ourselves before he erupted into a an unwarranted and down right rude lecture. We were polite a cooperated with him the entire time while he treated us like we were about to be arrested. We were at a family camp ground and he made us feel like were at a prison camp, just for having our dog on the beach. A warning would have been fine. We didn't need the power trip lecture. There is no need for this type of interaction at a camp ground. We will not be back.
Written June 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robin V
Indiana657 contributions
Aug 2020
We stopped for a short stroll with out 24 year old son. The cost was $10 to enter. The beach park has several palm trees. The sand is soft and the beach is plenty wide enough. We were here on a Saturday morning and it was not very busy. With just a short walk we had the beach all to ourselves. We walked south for about one mile. We reached a point were the clift sticks out just into the ocean. My son and I climbed up on the point. While up there we saw a seal stick his head up out of the kelp forest. so cool!!! There is a store here but it was closed due to COVID. This would be a very nice beach to come spend the day at.
Written September 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert K
Middletown, CA26 contributions
Mar 2013 • Couples
Stayed last night - couldn't get out of there fast enough.... when you pull in - it looks inviting enough... then you discover - smelly sewer, bad or no water pressure in "pay showers"... but the real kicker is the walk on the beautiful beach - just be aware - if you bare footed it will take you several minutes to get the oily gunk off of your feet - if your in shoes - good luck getting them clean.... what a poor representation of the California coast line -.---- shame on you California State park system - have you ever considered "A Posting" to warn folks of the horrible conditions....?????
Written March 13, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
a t
Huntington Beach, CA396 contributions
Dec 2013 • Couples
We stayed at the Campsite for 3 nights and had such a good time. We were in space 27 which is an ocean view site, but it is next to the sewage pipes, so every so often you would get a good whiff. It is conveniently next to the bathrooms and showers and general store. If I had my choice, I probably would move down the row a bit to numbers 23-25. The best prime spot however is number 34 on the other side of the little river. You not only get a view of the river and the ocean, you're on a corner space with tons of room. There is a basketball court, a volleyball court and tons of beach right in front of you. We were very lucky with the weather and many people were paddleboarding, fishing, and swimming. It's very quiet (even when the train went by at night) and they campground is very clean. The Camphost and park rangers are extremely nice and helpful. We can't wait to come back.
Written January 1, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christy G
Thousand Oaks, CA16 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
We camped at Refugio in July 2014 and had a great time. We were disappointed, however, to learn upon check-in that the March 2014 storms had wreaked quite a bit of havoc on the beach. It is now a rock beach, not a sandy beach, which was a bummer. That said, it is camping, and attitude is everything, so we had a great time!!
Bring your bikes - there are some fun bike paths with just a couple of steep hills. As for water play, there's a small surf break which is fun for surfers and boogie boarders. Those with tender feet may make good use of some aqua socks, as the rocks are a little rough on your feet.
As for the facilities, not too bad. The restrooms are always damp (it is the beach!) and I'd give them 6 out of 10 stars for cleanliness. Plenty of TP, but no towels and no soap. I've seen much, much worse. The showers have hot (not just warm) water and lots of water pressure, which is heavenly after a day in the ocean. There are no electrical outlets (not at the campsites and not in the restrooms), so come prepared for that. The camp-store is well stocked and has a friendly staff. Prices are fair for the convenience of not going back into Goleta. Oh, and the campsites here are much larger than they are at Carpinteria! Some have shade, some don't, so bring your easy-ups if you're looking for a refuge from the sun.
If you've camped anywhere along the coast of CA, you know there's usually a little bit of freeway noise and the occasional train passing. At Refugio, the waves are louder than the freeway, so you rarely notice it. The train... (shrugs)... what can you do? It is part of the experience of beach camping in So Cal. It doesn't really bother us.
My only other tip is avoid campsite 27. There is some kind of sewer smell there about 30% of the time. I didn't notice it anywhere else in that loop.
Bring your bikes - there are some fun bike paths with just a couple of steep hills. As for water play, there's a small surf break which is fun for surfers and boogie boarders. Those with tender feet may make good use of some aqua socks, as the rocks are a little rough on your feet.
As for the facilities, not too bad. The restrooms are always damp (it is the beach!) and I'd give them 6 out of 10 stars for cleanliness. Plenty of TP, but no towels and no soap. I've seen much, much worse. The showers have hot (not just warm) water and lots of water pressure, which is heavenly after a day in the ocean. There are no electrical outlets (not at the campsites and not in the restrooms), so come prepared for that. The camp-store is well stocked and has a friendly staff. Prices are fair for the convenience of not going back into Goleta. Oh, and the campsites here are much larger than they are at Carpinteria! Some have shade, some don't, so bring your easy-ups if you're looking for a refuge from the sun.
If you've camped anywhere along the coast of CA, you know there's usually a little bit of freeway noise and the occasional train passing. At Refugio, the waves are louder than the freeway, so you rarely notice it. The train... (shrugs)... what can you do? It is part of the experience of beach camping in So Cal. It doesn't really bother us.
My only other tip is avoid campsite 27. There is some kind of sewer smell there about 30% of the time. I didn't notice it anywhere else in that loop.
Written July 12, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SchmoeJoe
USA54 contributions
Refugio State Beach is a very old California State Park and is nestled in a secluded cove (as secluded as can be expected given the freeway and train tracks) and lined with towering palms. It's a no-hookup kind of campground but that's ok, the location more than makes up for it. Decent facilities otherwise. Coin showers. I've only camped here once but have been coming for 30+ years. It reminds me of coastal California in the 30's. Very non-commercial and very laid-back. Great place to hang out for a few days. I suspect kids would get bored after a couple days. No thrill rides or mall for them. Just a good place to reconnect with family and friends.
Anyway, the cove makes for awesome swimming and kayaking. It also is a natural shelter from the fog and wind. There is a paved bike path from Refugio a couple miles down the coast to El Capitan State Beach. It's a 15-20 minute drive to the nearest grocery store so be prepared.
Anyway, the cove makes for awesome swimming and kayaking. It also is a natural shelter from the fog and wind. There is a paved bike path from Refugio a couple miles down the coast to El Capitan State Beach. It's a 15-20 minute drive to the nearest grocery store so be prepared.
Written January 24, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brownybros
Montebello, CA52 contributions
I spent a weekend with family and friends in the large secluded section of the campsite, referred to Bouchard. The site is big enough for up to 80 people and has tons of room for everyone to enjoy their time in nature, especially the children.
The beach is just a 20 ft walk and the sunset is just glorious. The site comes with its own share of bathrooms and showers ($.25 per 5 minutes) that are maintained clean and stocked with toilet paper.
The 4-day weekend was spent very relaxing and I even took a stroll down the bicycle path and never had a dull moment.
Totally recommend the site for the big family or friend gatherings. It was really inexpensive if it's all split up by the adults attending. You won't regret your time spent in beautiful Goleta coast.
The beach is just a 20 ft walk and the sunset is just glorious. The site comes with its own share of bathrooms and showers ($.25 per 5 minutes) that are maintained clean and stocked with toilet paper.
The 4-day weekend was spent very relaxing and I even took a stroll down the bicycle path and never had a dull moment.
Totally recommend the site for the big family or friend gatherings. It was really inexpensive if it's all split up by the adults attending. You won't regret your time spent in beautiful Goleta coast.
Written July 22, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I was wondering if anyone has been to the hike in campsites. And if so, what are they like?
Written August 4, 2020
Is it possible to camp there with a 38 ft. toy hauler? if so, which site would you recommend?
Written May 14, 2018
Oh, I tried to include the link to their site, but Trip Advisor doesn't allow links in these answers....so I will list their info below
Phone Number
(805) 968-1033
Max. Trailer Lengths
Trailer: 27 Feet
Camper/Motorhome: 30 Feet
I would call and ask, they may let you if they have a longer spot available on your dates.
Written May 14, 2018
Are there ranger programs during the summer months? I couldn't find it online and the Reserve America people didn't have that info. Would like to try and book during program times if possible. Thank you
Written June 4, 2016
In the past there have been Jr. ranger programs at El Capitan State beach which is just 2 miles away. They have met on wed am and there is always an educational program (called a "campfire") on sat evenings. Look at the state park website specific to the park and there may be more info there. There were no Jr. ranger programs last year due to the oil spill.
Written June 4, 2016
Looking at camping a few days. How difficult are the spots for a 30ft. 5th wheel?
Written September 24, 2015
You should not have a problem. Depending on the spot you may need to unhook and park your truck next to your rig. Good luck!
Written September 25, 2015
are there any sites left for the 2nd of July through the 8. We need on for Motorhome 31Ft. and a travel trailer 18ft and one small tent.
Written June 25, 2015
due 2 recent oil spill u need 2 contact reserve America 2 get current info. highly doubt
Written June 26, 2015
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