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One Day in a City > Destinations > United States > California > Camping in Malibu and a Super Moon

Camping in Malibu and a Super Moon

March 25, 2021 By Gina
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One Day in California, This Happened…

The Super Moon Makes an Already Fun Malibu Camping Trip Unforgettable

Camping in Malibu: Not a shabby view from inside the tent.
Camping in Malibu: Definitely not a shabby view from inside the tent.

Malibu is the land of celebrities and the uber-rich. It’s not a place one usually thinks of for camping, and until a few weeks ago I didn’t know that camping in Malibu – make that oceanview camping – could be done. Thanks to my friend planning a birthday extravaganza, I found out about camping in Malibu, and I learned about a little phenomenon called the super moon.

Read More: Best Places for a Girl Weekend in California

The beginning of the super moon.
The beginning of the super moon.

The Malibu Beach RV Park is a private campsite in Malibu that offers both RV and tent camping. The campsite has an arid feel to it, void of the normal trees and forest one expects from camping, but the cliffside location has the same spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean as the multi-million dollar homes on the bluffs just down the road.

Camping in Malibu: The steep hill next to the campsite looks straight to the ocean below, which is just a short walk to access and swim in.
The steep hill next to the campsite leads straight to the ocean below, which is just a short walk to get to and swim in.

The views make up for the fact that the campsite doesn’t allow campfires, which makes for a decidedly non-camping like feel, but there’s good reason: Malibu has been the victim of many wildfires, the last widely devastating one in 2007.

The Malibu Beach RV Park has campsites for tents in the Malibu hills with great ocean views.
The Malibu Beach RV Park has campsites for tents in the Malibu hills with great ocean views, however the location means there are restrictions on campfires.

Luckily we didn’t have to worry about not having the light of a campfire. It may as well have been the brink of dawn all night, thanks to the…duh-duh duh-duh…super moon!

Super moon right at dusk with a dark blue sky.
The super moon right at dusk with a dark blue sky.

Upon arriving at the campsite, the birthday girl kept gleefully talking about the super moon. Having never heard the term before, I thought she’d made it up, but it is in fact a scientific term for when a full moon happens at the same time the moon is at its closest distance to earth. Our vantage point on the cliff overlooking the ocean gave us campers a stunning view of moonlight on ocean. The moon was so bright and the light cascading over the ocean so vivid that it seemed as if it were a muted sun we were looking at, not the moon.

The super moon in a black sky as night descended upon Malibu.
The super moon in a black sky as night descended upon Malibu.

Sitting around the picnic table playing games that night (before the grumpy camp attendant came around shortly after 10pm to tell us to use library voices – this is not a campsite to head to if you want to party into the early morning hours), my friends’ faces bathed in moonlight as if it were silver sunlight, I marveled at the magic of the universe and that normally I would have been inside on a Saturday night oblivious to the magic unveiling in the sky. Who knew I’d find that bit of magic just a couple hours away from my home on a last minute camping trip to Malibu?

Camping in Malibu may not be your typical camping experience, but who cares with these views?
Camping in Malibu may not be your typical camping experience, but who cares with these views?

When I stayed, oceanview tent campsites at Malibu Beach RV Site were $47 during the week and $60 on the weekend. See current rates and request a site by visiting the online reservation form. Parking is extra per night and is located just down the hill from the tent campsites. Wheelbarrows are provided to get your camping equipment from the parking lot to your site. There are also bathroom facilities with several bathroom stalls and showers. Though bonfires are not allowed, there are grills on each campsite for cooking with charcoal.

About Gina

I'm a former travel agency marketing director turned freelance travel writer. My editorial and copywriting work has been published on and in USA TODAY, Travel + Leisure, the Travel Channel Cities app, TripSavvy, and many more online and print publications. I especially love sharing my knowledge of traveling with limited vacation time, making the most of cruise ports of call, and vacationing with kids. I also enjoy sharing my favorite travel gear and products to make traveling easier!

Comments

  1. Los Angeles RV Parks says

    November 12, 2013 at

    Wow very beautiful place for camping, I want to visit this place

  2. Los Angeles RV Camping says

    September 30, 2013 at

    The camping in this area is very entertaining to stay a few days.There are some oteher places in california for camping.

  3. Charu says

    July 7, 2013 at

    What a gorgeous, peaceful place! I am not much of a camper…more a glamper, but I think Malibu would be the place to do it. And extra congrats on catching this supermoon…that must have been special!

  4. Monica says

    June 28, 2013 at

    Looks gorgeous! I love a good camping trip.

  5. Hogga says

    June 26, 2013 at

    camping in malibu? jealous!

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