Campspot’s top camping spots in North America include 6 California sites
Campgrounds are bustling with activity during the summer months, when kids are out of school and families take advantage of the extra time to go camping and roadtripping. However, the cooler weather and fewer people make it much easier to find a tent or RV site in a beautiful park or private campground in the fall. Casini Ranch on the Russian River or Lake Siskiyou near Mount Shasta are two examples.
That’s exactly what camping enthusiasts thought, according to the 2023 Campspot Awards.
The private campground booking site nominated sites in a dozen categories, including best family campgrounds, best glamping, best for ages 55+, and — my personal favorite — best for spontaneous campers, based on user reviews and bookings. (This is far more polite than calling us “failed-to-plan-ahead campers, now you’re cranky that everything’s booked.”) The site’s visitors then voted for their favorites.
Sun Outdoors in Paso Robles, which has swimming pools, fire pits, a wellness center, a dog park, and wine tasting, ranked first for weekend camping and second for best RV experiences.
Casini Ranch in Duncans Mills came in second for weekenders and couples, fourth for pet lovers, and fifth for tent campers.
And Mt. Shasta City’s Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort ranked first for tent campers and camping couples, and third for spontaneous campers and weekend adventures. (Please keep in mind that the lake’s inflatable water park and restaurant close after Labor Day, but the hiking trails, cabin rentals, and camping sites remain open until the end of the season.)
All Campspot award information can be found at www.campspot.com. Here are the winners from California:
Paso Robles Sun Outdoors, Paso Robles
San Dimas’ Bonelli Bluffs RV Resort & Campground
Duncans Mills Casini Ranch Family Campground
Mt. Shasta City’s Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort
Mountain Center Campground, Lake Hemet
Julian Lake Cuyamaca Recreation and Park District
