New Brighton State Beach Campground California
New Brighton State Beach Overview
New Brighton State Beach campground has 111 single family campsites set on a bluff above the beach offering spectacular views of Monterey Bay. The campsites accommodate tents, trailers and RVs up to 36′ in length. Each site has a table, fire ring and grate.
There are 9 large ‘premium’ campsites (closest to ocean – great views: 73, 75, 76, 78, 79, 82, 87 and 88), 9 sites with water & electric hookups (46-50, 52, 53, 54 and 56), 4 tent-only sites (66-69), and the rest are standard. Group and hike/bike campsites are also available.
Firewood is also available for sale from the camp host (for use in campsite fire rings). Please do not gather firewood at the park. Beach bonfires are also allowed, but only at certain times of the year and in state-provided fire rings. Cell service/coverage is good in the area.
Area Recreation & Activities
New Brighton State Beach Campground has paved roads and parking spurs, an RV dump station and snappy restrooms with flush toilets & hot showers. The popular park also has a group picnic area, day-use parking for 235 cars, and almost one mile of shoreline. Outdoor activities include camping, picnicking, surfing, swimming, beachcomber, sunbathing, surf fishing, hiking, biking and wildlife viewing.
Seacliff State Beach campground is another option in the area. It is about 3 miles from New Brighton State Beach.
Make a Reservation for New Brighton State Beach
Amenities
- BBQ Grills
- Camp Store
- Campground Host
- Campsite Tables
- Cell Service - Good
- Drinking Water
- Dump Station
- Electrical Hookup
- Fire Pit
- Fire Rings
- Firewood Available
- Golden Age & Access Passports accepted
- Grills
- Group Camping
- Group Pavilion
- Pets OK
- Picnic Tables
- Restrooms (Flush Toilets)
- Showers
- Visitor Center
Activities
- Beach
- Beach Access
- Beach Combing
- Biking
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Kayaking
- Mountain Biking
- Nature Trails
- Ocean
- Photography
- Picnicking
- Snorkeling
- Stargazing
- Surf Fish
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Walking Trails
- Whale Watching
- Wildlife Viewing
- Wind Surfing
Capitola, California 95010
831 464-6329
Lat / Long:
Upgrade to Campsite PRO Membership
Get 20% off availability alerts, entry to prize drawings, and enjoy an ad free experience!
New Brighton State Beach Availability Alerts
New Brighton State Beach sold out? Get an alert when a campsite becomes available at New Brighton State Beach!
Create Campsite Availability AlertBest Campsites
Become a Pro Member to See a List of Best CampsitesRegions
Campsite Types
- ADA
- Electric & Water Hookup
- Group
- RV
- Tent
- Trailer
# of Campsites:
111
# of RV Hookup Campsites:
6
Campsite Vehicle Size:
Up to 36 feet.
Season:
Year Round
Elevation:
80
New Brighton State Beach Comments & Reviews
Visited New Brighton State Beach 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 New Brighton State Beach?
campingworld.com
campsitephotos.com
3-more weeks and we will be at New Brighton Beach!
Santa Cruz here we come
hi will be coming Monday Are there any restrictions as far as using propane to cook with.And can we bring wood for fire pit or do we buy it there, Reservation is under Becky Moreno
Hi Cathy,
Campsitephotos.com is not associated with the parks/campgrounds listed on our site. We provide the photos of each campsite and additional information. Fires are allowed at New Brighton State Beach in the campsite fire rings and firewood is available for purchase from the camp host. Please do not gather firewood at the park. Beach bonfires are also allowed, but only at certain times of the year and in state-provided fire rings. There are no restrictions on propane use.
Any reason there isn’t a picture of site 043? That is the site we have reserved and I would love to see a pic!
Hi Lisa,
We photographed New Brighton State Beach in 2017 and at the time sites 35-43 were being cleaned up so the photograph did not get the shots. Sorry about that. I’ll see if wee can schedule a photographer to get those photographed in March and will post to the site.
Hi Lisa,
We are camping there in June and I wondered how the campsite was? The pad states 18 feet which is really small. We are taking a small trailer and are a little nervous we may not fit.
Would like to consider a second night as we were a walk in, no reservations in around midnight, what does a night or day run?
Hi Lucy,
New Brighton State Beach campsites are $35 per night (walk in). If you use ReserveCalifornia – there is an additional $8 charge.
What are your daily fees for a travel trailer 17 ft long? And are there any full hookups? And are the fees higher for full hookup? Thinking about an October camping
Hi Mary,
You can click on the ‘Make A Reservation’ button to check availability, pricing and make a reservation at New Brighton State Beach. After you click on the button, simply enter ‘New Brighton State Beach’, and the dates you’d like to camp.
Do you get cell phone reception there? Specifically Verizon?
Hi Jessica, Yes – New Brighton State Beach campgrounds has good cell service/coverage, including Verizon.
Hi,
If you have to choose either one of site #108 or 109, which one would you pick?
Campsites 108 and 109 are similar. Site 109 has more shade and is closer to restroom (convenient but closer to foot traffic, noise and smell). Campsite 108 has more of a tent camping area. I guess it is what you would prefer.
I currently have site 109 but possibly opening 61 and 98 for a last minute switch. Which would you suggest for a tent trailer and 2 tents?
Hi Jen,
All three have enough room for a popup trailer and 2 tents. Of the three, site 109 is smaller but has more shade. They are all about the same distance from the beach trail, with 109 being furthest (if that matters). Site 61 looks to have more privacy (nobody behind you). Hope this helps!
Hi, Were you able to get any photos of campsite 43? We will be staying in June and the pad length on the listing is 18. I wanted to know if that was accurate?
Hi Jessica,
We do not have photos of campsite #43 yet. We are going to get a photos of sites 35-43 in January. ReserveCalifornia has some misleading pad sizes from time to time. Site #43 has a pad length of 36 feet.
Do you know how long the pad is at campsite 6. Reserve California says 26 but I know some are longer than stated length?
Hi Bonnie,
Shoot – I was just there yesterday updating some photos. Wish I spotted this comment sooner and I could have walked of/measured the site. I’ll do a little research and get back to you.
Can you hear traffic or trains from this campground?
Hi Michelle,
Trains no longer run on the tracks the pass by New Brighton State Beach – so no train noise. Highway traffic noise is minimal (if at any). It’s a pretty quiet campground!
Is it true they have closed the trail from the campgrounds to the beach? So there is no direct access? It looks like it on google maps but its hard to tell. I know the storms last year were horrendous… any info on how they affected the campgrounds/beach?
Hi Michelle,
The trail from the campground – down to the day-use parking area and on to the beach was open when we updated the photos last month. Not sure if a storm after mid Feb (2024) caused any damage to close the trail. The notice regarding storm damage on the California State Park page is somewhat dated (Sep 2023).
Just checking to see if you ever got back to site 6 to check the length. Hoping to use it in July.
Campsite #6 has a parking spur length of 26-27 feet, and you also have additional overhang out the back (beyond curbs).