Between Santa Cruz And Monterey Is California's Rare Tent-Only Campground With Ocean Bluff Views

Monterey Bay along California's Central Coast is bookended by Santa Cruz, with its famous Beach Boardwalk, to the north and Monterey, with its world renowned aquarium, to the south. It's an incredibly beautiful and popular part of the world, with millions of visitors each year. That means it can also come with quite the price tag when you're visiting. If you're looking to save some money on accommodations, and you're someone who has the essential gear for camping, you might want to look into sleeping under the stars during your Monterey Bay vacation. Lots of campgrounds have places for RVs, but at the Manresa Upland Campground on a bluff overlooking Manresa State Beach, near the middle of Monterey Bay, there are 64 tent-only campsites for $35 a night.

This campground is about 15 minutes from the "Strawberry Capital of the World," Watson. And while RV camping can be fun, being a tent-only campground means you're generally able to avoid the sounds of generators and motors.You can't car camp here either. Everything has to be walked in, so it's less likely that you'll find someone's car headlights shining into your tent at night. Don't let the walk deter you. It's not that far from the parking lot to the camping sites, but as one camper noted on Yelp, if you can, bring a cart to help make moving your stuff easier.

The 64 sites are spread over three areas: Willow, Bay, and Lupine. Bay and Lupine have more shade, while the sites at Willow are more exposed but have more space between them, according to Hilltromper. Sites 13 to 18 in the Willow section are closest to the ocean, and they're the best place for a sunset view right from camp.

Each site at the Manresa Uplands Campground comes with a picnic table, fire pit, and food locker. There are bathrooms and pay showers (bring quarters) along with beach showers for rinsing off sand after a trip down to the shore. While the campground is on the bluffs overlooking the beach, there's a trail and stairs from the campsites down to Manresa State Beach. Along with pretty ocean views, you can spot all kinds of wildlife here. The uplands region is known for birding, while from the beach you might be able to see dolphins and sea otters, and even the occasional whale, out in the water.

One camper on Yelp raved about their experience camping at Manresa: "We especially appreciate the high quality of service and upkeep, including the informative attendant at the front gate, the well-maintained campground, and the helpful State Park day workers that we would run into occasionally."

There are some things to keep in mind, though. It's not remote backcountry camping; as someone noted on Yelp, you may be able to hear your neighbor's conversations. If you are planning a trip here, keep in mind that the campground is only open from April to October. And you'll want to book ahead as it's a popular spot; use ReserveAmerica.com to lock in your campsite.