Anchor Bay Campground

A local favorite, this campground is ideal for those who are focused on spending time on the beach in Northern California. The northwest wind protection is key for sunny days, and it helps to keep the beach much warmer than nearby options. There are tons of activities in the ocean or on the beach. The speardiving, kayaking, abalone diving, fishing and crabbing are some of the best in this area! The Stellar Sealion rookery just offshore on the island of Fish Rocks is a sight to see and hear by kayak. Hundreds of sealions gather here to haul themselves out of the water and loaf on the rocks. In the recent years a few elephant seals have also been spotted in and amongst the other pinnipeds.

Fishing for rockfish in the bay is excellent, including vermillion, ling cod, gopher rock cod, China cod, and black rock cod. In 2013 a record ling cod was speared off the rookery by a brave woman who free-dove to nearly 40 feet and shot the 39-pound fish! Fishing from a kayak or stand-up paddle board is a little safer and is still very productive; this is recommended due to the presence of great white sharks that hunt off the rookery. Though there haven't been any attacks in the area, occasional sightings are reported. That said, it's fun to swim in the shallows of the beach, and locals bring their kids to this safe, sheltered cove to enjoy hours of bodyboarding and frolicking in the gentle waves. 

The eastern half of the campground is full of RVs, and many are there year-round. The western half of the campground is closer to the beach and has less permanent sites for camping or visiting RVs. Anchor Bay Campground has a great commons area with picnic tables, a barbeque, a kitchenette, and a grassy lawn. Add to this some hot showers, a fish and abalone cleaning station, a wetsuit washout zone, and friendly staff, and this campground can keep ocean going campers completely satisfied.