The Best of Eastern Oregon

The Best of Eastern Oregon

Bend, Oregon, is a van life hotspot.  With ample National Forest camping, just a few minutes’ drive from an adventure-driven town.  It’s easy to get sucked into the Bend, Oregon, vanlife vortex.  This is a great place to begin your Eastern Oregon road trip adventure.  There’s plenty to do in the Bend area and we have covered that in other blogs that you can see here.  Bend is also a great place to stock up on supplies and take care of all your errands before you embark on a journey that few van lifers have taken.  

This Road trip will take you through obscure Eastern Oregon terrain, from geothermal calderas, hot springs, giant holes in the earth, and ancient dry lake beds. This is a road trip off the beaten path that you will not want to miss.  

Newberry Volcano - Hot Springs and Camping

The Newberry Volcano is basically a mini Crater Lake with a fraction of the tourists.  You’ll find plenty to do at this National Volcanic Monument.  While we were here, we hiked along the north shore of Paulina Lake to Paulina Lake Hot Springs.  These were some pretty sweet primitive hot springs on the shore of the lake.  We were planning on paddling our SUP out to the hot springs, but the water was too rough for paddling. But, taking a watercraft to the springs is always an option.  We only spent the day here, but if you wanted to there is a very nice campsite on the Eastern shore of Paulina Lake.  Also, the Monument has plenty of hiking; you can also drive up to the top of Paulina Peak for an amazing view of the crater.  

La Pine - Hole In the Ground/Free Camping

Drive South on the 97 through La Pine, Oregon, and make a right turn onto HWY 31 and head east.  You are now entering The Lonely Oregon Outback.  There’s not much to see out here but there’s plenty of solitude.  Drive a few miles down HWY 31 to the Hole in the Gound, while it’s just honestly a massive hole in the earth caused by a volcanic explosion.  The road in is rough but it’s not terrible and we’ve seen tons of vehicles make it up here.  This is also the location of Descend on Bend, a large van gathering.  We love this National Forest campsite and since we’ve been here a few times, we can tell you this is the best place for camping around the rim (43.403982, -121.200021).  We really enjoy the peace and quiet out here in the Oregon Outback and the night sky is just amazing since there is no light pollution around. 

Heart Mountain Antelope Refuge - Hot Springs/Free Camping

When you are on the road and you get advice from the older retiree folks, well you better take it! Because they know what’s up.  We had a hot tip at our Bend campsite from our good friend @yoterryh to check out Heart Mountain and we are so glad we jumped on this adventure.  The drive up to Heart Mountain is stunning and a majority of this journey is on gravel and dirt roads. You better fuel up in Paisley because you are about to get very remote and there are no services past Plush, OR. The Heart Mountain Camp Ground is way out there and I’m going to leave it up to the adventurous van lifer that you are to find this place yourself.  I’ll let you know that there is a pretty nice free campsite with drop toilets and fire rings and an awesome hot springs with a rock shelter and also a primitive hot spring out in the field.  We really had an amazing time getting here it was such a beautiful drive and we saw plenty of antelope. We will also note, it snowed on us in June.  This is a very special place and is rarely visited by others.  

Alvord Desert - Dry Lake Bed/ Free Camping

Our last stop on our obscure Eastern Oregon adventure was also recommended by @yoterryh and others, The Alvord Desert.  Getting here from Heart Mountain requires quite a bit of gravel and dirt road driving. So, we recommend lowering your tire pressure, once you hit the gravel on the way to Heart Mountain because you will drive a few hours on gravel from here on out.  The Alvord desert is a massive dry lake bed that is situated under the Steens Mountains, which makes it even more of a unique landscape.  When we visited the mountains were still snow-capped,  it was interesting seeing the snow-capped mountains while you were down on the desert floor.  It’s really a magical place.  We drove far enough away from anyone and enjoyed a very secluded campsite out on the desert.  Make sure you stake everything down because when the winds pick up they can really take your campsite with them.  We also recommend bikes to cruise around the “playa” and imagine you are at Burning Man.  The silence was amazing and the night skies were some of the best we’ve seen in America.  We highly recommend making the journey to the Alford Desert to experience true solitude.  

From the Alford Desert, we headed up to Boise, Idaho, to supply up and continue the journey.  From here, we will note there is still quite a bit of gravel and dirt roads to go. So, you’ll want to air down those tires for a smoother ride, we recommend keeping them lower.  There are plenty of stations once you hit the pavement to fill up the tire pressure.  

Castle Lake Free Camping - Best Camping in Shasta

Castle Lake Free Camping - Best Camping in Shasta

If you are headed up I-5 on your way to or from Oregon and are curious about what to do in the Mount Shasta area, we got you covered. Castle Lake is an amazing alpine lake with amazing views and very easy access right off I-5.  While there is a pretty nice paid campsite at the lake.  There’s more free dispersed camping with way better views than the paid campsite about a mile down the road here (41.242939, -122.382676).  There are toilets at the Castle Lake day-use parking area and we have camped at the day-use area in the past but wouldn’t recommend it as it was very loud in the morning with all the day-trippers coming to enjoy the lake.  

If you have and watercraft this is the best lake for them.  We have a SUP and an inflatable kayak from Aqua Marina that we really enjoy using.  They are pretty cheap and last we’ve had them for over three years and they are still going strong.  You can check them out here.  

Castle Lake has an awesome floating dock out in the center of the lake that you can get a view of Mt. Shasta and just relax and feel the power of the planet earth’s root chakra.  There is also a waterfall that flows into the lake that you can paddle right up to.  Also if you don't have any watercraft there is an amazing short hike to an epic lookout we have more on this hike here. This is one of our favorite stopovers on our way to and from Oregon if we are driving on I-5.  It’s literally 30 minutes off the road and is such a van life gem.  If you are reading this, consider yourself blessed to have found this obscure article buried deep in the depths of the inter webs.  Happy Trails!  

Pocatello Idaho Rock Climbing & Free Camping

Pocatello Idaho Rock Climbing & Free Camping

The best part of vanlife, hands down, is meeting all the crazy cool kookz along the way.  We met up with our van friends Josh and River aka @leashed_nomads in Pocatello, Idaho, where they call home base.  If we didn't know these guys, we would have blown through Pocatello and missed all the gems this place had to offer.  

Our first stop with the @leashed_nomads was the Sunnyside Climbing Area,  this is an awesome free outdoor climbing area that is basically a climbing gym.  All routes were bolted by the Public Access Fund for the community of Pocatello.  While most routes are sport-climbs, starting from 5.6 and up. This is a great place for beginners and advanced rock climbers to get outside and enjoy a nice free public rock climbing area.  We were so stoked on this crag, we wished every city had a rock climbing park like this.  There’s more climbing also on the other side of the park which is called Shadyside Climbing Area.  Every route can be lead climbed or top-roped making it a great place for all levels.  The climbs are short but the rock is solid.  Before you blow through Pocatello we highly recommend stopping over at this crag.  

There’s also plenty of open space around Pocatello providing plenty of free camping options. Two places we camped out were Blackrock Canyon and Goodenough Creek Campsite.  While Blackrock Canyon is closest to Pocatello, it’s worth the drive out to Goodenough Creek, which had more vegetation for shade, as well as, a creek.  Both campsites have drop toilets and fire pits.  

There’s also a good deal of Mountain biking in the hills around Pocatello but we didn't have time to squeeze that in.  Thanks to Josh and River we got to experience a little bit of what Pocatello has to offer.  We highly recommend making time for a stop over in this adventurous little Idaho town.

Five of the Best Free Camping Areas Near Grand Teton National Park

Five of the Best Free Camping Areas Near Grand Teton National Park

Are you planning a camping trip to Grand Teton National Park?  Having a hard time finding where to camp?  This is a busy park and campsites in the area book quick.  While there is camping available inside the park, it’s first come first served and we’ve seen people in line at 6 am waiting for campers to leave to nab their spots.  You can check camping options inside the park here, but don't be surprised if it's full and overpriced.  However, there is some good news for the desperate camper at GTNP.  There are tons of amazing campsites outside of the park; some are just 30 minutes out while others are an hour or so.  But it’s a National Park and usually to find camping spots around NPs requires a good deal of driving.  Here is a list of our favorite spots around Jackson and the Tetons. 

None of these spots have toilets; so be prepared with a shovel and dispose of your TP properly. I don't want to have to take this post down.  

Shadow Mountain - (43.70418, -110.62170) 

Camping at the base of Shadow Mountain provides incredible views of the Teton range.  All the campsites are at the base of the mountain.  Be careful if it has rained; it can be impassable.  We almost got stuck in some nasty mud leaving one day.  Here at Shadow Mountain, there are probably about 10 spots at the base, these spots will go the fastest.  It sometimes helps to carpool into the park and leave a vehicle at your spot. If you leave your spot it will be gone almost immediately.  There are more options up the mountain and these will provide better views, but the road can be treacherous so enter at your own risk. 

Free National Forest Camping - (43.76777, -110,54171)

This is dispersed camping fairly close to the north entrance of the Tetons.  It’s really just a large dirt lot with more options if you continue to follow the road.  We used this spot as more of a desperation camp when we left the park too late to find a good spot at Shadow Mountain or elsewhere.    The road in is manageable but can be very rutted out so larger older vans will have to take it easy. 

Buffalo Valley - (43.85031, -110,34161)

If you want to escape the madness of the National Parks in this area Buffalo Valley is a great place to boondock for a few days or even weeks.  This is a bit further away but you will be able to find peace and quiet as the other spots are quite overrun.  We stayed out here for a few days and drove into the NP at the north entrance and it was about an hour drive into the Park.  There are plenty of awesome spots; you can even score a spot right on the river.  

Curtis Canyon- (43,52167, -110.62763)

These dispersed campsites are closer to Jackson than they are to GTNP and is a great place to stay if you need a place to camp near Jackson, WY.  The road up to Curtis Canyon starts just east of Jackson and is fairly convenient.  We will note that it’s a very bumpy ride in here, so if you don’t live to take your rig on rough roads you may want to skip this spot.  There are plenty of spots and the views here are incredible. We posted up on top of the mountain for a few days and enjoyed the scenery and peace and quiet before we headed back to the park for some adventures.  We did camp a few nights in Jackson and had no issues, the town seems overran by vans and RVs anyways.  

Granite Creek - (43.31147, -110,45902)

This is an amazing spot worth checking out!  While it’s not really close to GTNP or Jackson, it was one of our favorite places to camp in the area.  The road up Granite Creek is very bumpy but it can be done in any vehicle. We saw plenty of RVs driving this road.  There is also a paid campsite with a hot spring at the top of the road.  We stayed at this place for over a week.  We stopped over after climbing the Hobuck Shield.  The Granite Creek area has lots of recreation options from hiking, fishing, and even kayaking.  We took our buddies pack rafts down the creek a few times and had a blast!  We highly recommend a stopover here just to unwind from the crazy scene that's going down in Jackson every summer.  

There are plenty more options for camping in this corner of Wyoming. We also highly recommend checking out Alpine, WY.  There’s a nice reservoir with plenty of options for camping.  We hope this was helpful!  See you kookz on the road!  

Bozeman Mountain Biking

Bozeman Mountain Biking 

Bozeman Montana is an adventure-driven town and a recommended stopover if you want to get on the trails.  We camped in Bozeman for over a week and never had any problems we found it to be a very van friendly town.  There are tons of bike trails in this area, and we narrowed it down to the best rides within 60 miles of Bozeman.  

Big Sky’s Mountain to Meadow 

There’s no need to buy a lift ticket to ride Big Sky Resort, thanks to the town shuttle that drives you back to the top after a screamer of a run down some premier downhill.  You’ll start by climbing next to the Ramcharger lift.  You’ll climb up for about 1.5 miles before you start a long flowy descent with berms and jumps all the way down to the town of Big Sky.  From here, you'll want to head to Fire Pit Park, where you can catch the free mountain shuttle back up to the Ski Area Base where you started.  You can lap this a few times since the uphill is fairly easy.  Make sure to grab a shuttle schedule or check it out here!   

Leverich Canyon

Just a few miles outside of Bozeman is one of the more popular trails in the area.  Leverich Canyon is a short drive from Bozeman.  The road up had been claimed to have been repaired lately but is pretty rutted out and is a sign of things to come.  If you are in a large camper van, you can make it, but it will be a bumpy ride up.  The climb up Leverich Canyon is pretty intense, but it’s worth every chain length.  Once you top out on this ride, get your seat belt fashioned because this is a fast and fun downhill section.  It will be over so fast you’ll want to ride it twice.  

Bridger Range

Just North of Bozeman is the Bridger Range.  There are quite a bit of out and back trails here where you can really gain some vertical and get a nice sweat going.  We rode a few fun trails out here and were even able to camp overnight at some trailheads.  These trails see much less use than the previously mentioned trails, and some of them have been recently built in the last few years, so they are in great condition.  

5 Best Hikes in Glacier National Park

5 Best Hikes in Glacier National Park 

Glacier National Park is one of our all-time favorite National Parks.  There are so many trails in this park that it’s hard to decide where to begin your Glacier NP adventure.  The trails in this hiking guide are all off the Going to the Sun Road, and most start at the Logan Pass visitor center, which is worth visiting on its own if you aren't going to hit the trails.  We will note that we started all our Glacier hikes very, very early, sometimes at dark.  This is a bustling park, and you will be glad you got up early and still barely snagged a spot at the Logan Pass Visitor Center parking.  

Also, on all hikes in Glacier National Park, you’ll want to carry plenty of water, bear spray, sunscreen, and sun apparel (hats, SPF shirts)

Dragons Tail (5.4 Miles - Dangerous, Difficult)

Dragons Tail is not for the faint of heart, and like many Glacier NP trails, people die on this trail almost every year.  Please consider that this is a very exposed hike where you will climb a ridge with a sheer drop on both sides.  With all that being said, this was by far our favorite hike in Glacier.  It’s shorter than the other hikes, and the scrambling and exposure are actually really amazing.  It’s one of the most scenic hikes we’ve ever been on.  For a safer experience on Dragons Tail, you can always hike up to the gap in the ridge.  You’ll know when you’ve reached it and turn back.  You can also combine this hike with Hidden Lake and knock out two hikes in one, making it about an 8-mile round trip hike.  You’ll start this trail at Logans Pass, and you will take the Hidden Lake trail till you see a climbers trail that takes you to either Dragons Tail or Mt. Reynolds Peak.  

Highline Trail to Grinnell Overlook (15.5 Miles - Hard)

The Highline trail is one of the busiest and most scenic hikes in the park.  The trail starts from the Logan Pass Visitor Center.  This trail can be made in so many different ways.  On a non-COVID Year, when the shuttles are running, you can hike it through-hike to “The Loop” and take the shuttle back to the car and make this a much shorter hike.  We did it as an out and back, and it really wore us out!  The highland trail is a must-do for everyone visiting Glacier National Park.  Even if you walk a few miles on it and turn around, you will be in awe the whole time.  If you are doing the Highline Trail, we recommend adding the additional climb up to the Grinnell Glacier Overlook. You won’t be disappointed. This is another mind-blowing vista that you come to expect at Glacier National Park.

Siyeh Pass Trail  (9.7 Miles - Hard) 

This trail starts off the side of the Going to the Sun Road, at “Siyeh Bend.”  You’ll find parking easier over there, and this is also a less used trail, but it still has its fair share of people on it.  Another Glacier gem, this trail meanders through a forest and continues to climb up through glacially vandalized valleys and peaks until you come to Siyeh Pass.  Once again, per Glacier NP standards, this hike delivers all that you would want and more.  Once you top out, you'll be high up in the alpine. The views are incredible! You’ll be looking at Going to the Sun Mountain, Siyeh Peak, and St. Mary’s Lake below.  If you get to Logan Pass too late to find parking, you’ll most likely be able to park somewhere near the “Siyeh Bend.”

Lincoln Peak (15 Miles - Hard)

The climb up to Lincoln Peak begins at the Lake McDonald Lodge. You’ll use the Sperry Chalet Trail to approach the summit.  This has been said to be a family-friendly peak, but it’s a fairly strenuous climb.  If you don’t want to make the climb up to the peak, the Sperry Chalet is a great place to stop for a snack.  The peak is just over an additional mile of climbing from the Chalet, but it’s more difficult terrain than you have been hiking on to get to Sperry Chalet.  It’s worth the climb. There’s an amazing view of Lake Ellen Wilson overflowing to a 500-foot waterfall that spills into Sperry Lake.  We were really happy we added Lincoln Peak to our Sperry Chalet adventure.  I will note that the hike up to Sperry Chalet is through a burn area, and there is little sun protection, so you will want to start this hike early to prevent sun exposure and overheating if you are here in the summer.  

Hidden Lake (2.9 Miles - Moderate)

If you have skimmed through all these hikes and they seem too difficult, or you are short on time.  A must-do shorter, moderate hike is up to the Hidden Lake Lookout.  This is an amazing short hike along a boardwalk that is littered with wildflowers and glacier valleys in all directions.  This was a very popular hike. When we did it, we started at dark and watched the sunrise and light up the glacier-carved peaks.  When we were here, there was a lot of bear activity. So, be prepared with Bear Spray and be on the lookout for mountain goats; we saw a few on this trail.   

We hope this helps you get a better plan together of how to plan your Glacier NP getaway.  We will note that all the other park areas, Two Medicine Hat and Many Glacier, were closed due to COVID, so we didn't get to explore these areas.  Happy Trails!  

4 Reasons why you Must Visit Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

We almost completely skipped out on Mount St. Hellens thankfully there were a few road closures in the area due to fire that forced us into its strong gravitational pull and we ended up absolutely loving this place!  Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument has much fewer visitors than its bigger sister Mt. Rainier and for this reason alone we really enjoyed the peace, quiet, and abundance of outdoor activities this National Monument has to offer.  

Lava Caves

Mount St. Helen’s fiery past has created some pretty cool geological features.  Easily our favorite adventure at the volcano was the lava tubes.  Ape cave is one of the longest lava tubes in the world!  You can walk about 3 miles total in this cave!  It’s dark and wet so bring a headlamp and a backup flashlight and proper outerwear.  Don’t forget to check out the Trail of Two Forest Interpretive Site on your way either to or from the cave.  We loved this little trail we highly recommend crawling through the lava tube off the boardwalk.  

Waterfalls

If you weren't stoked enough on the lava tubes well there’s plenty more in store for you here.  If you are into gushing waterfalls your in luck because the Lava Canyon Trail has a plethora of gushers.  This can be a pretty dangerous trail so use caution and if it’s wet forget about it.  There is a suspension bridge on the trail and it was closed at the time of writing this.  I will note that the trail after the suspension bridge really starts to drop off and become increasingly dangerous from here down.  

Hiking

This Volcanic Monument is jam-packed with amazing hikes.  If you are feeling up to it you can even summit Mount St. Helens but you’ll need to obtain a permit in the summer months before the expedition.  For more information on permits check here.  Other than climbing the summit there’s plenty of hikes that range from easy to difficult.  You can circumnavigate the entire ring of the volcano (Lowit Loop) or hike any spur trail that takes you to the trail.  We recommend Ape Canyon for a nice afternoon hike.

Camping

Outside of the National Volcanic Monument is National Forest land which you can disperse camp on.  We found some awesome campsites here with incredible views of the peak.  We even got some late summer snow and got to see St. Helens get a snow cap crown while we were there.  

The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is a must-do stop over on your PNW journey.  There was so much more here than we were expecting and we are so glad we were able to experience this amazing place.  

Oregon’s Best Free Camping Near the Highest Hike in Mt. Hood

Sometimes the best campsites are at trailheads.  This sounds odd, but this particular Trailhead/Campsites is one of the coolest places I’ve been to in Oregon.  Up on top of Cloud Cap Road sits Cloud Cap Campground.  The Cloud Cap was an old hotel that now serves as an epic car camping spot.  There’s plenty of access to amazing hiking and mountaineering from the Cloud Cap Camping Area.  We ended up camping out for a few nights here.  It gets crazy on the weekends so you’ve been warned we had the place to ourselves until Saturday morning.  

Aside from the awesome camping site with volcano views and milky way dust, there are some awesome trails right out your slider door.  Our favorite trail was Cooper Spur.  This is a 5.5-mile hike with over 3,000 vertical feet of climbing.  The climb is worth it.  The turn around for most people is once you get on top of the Cooper Spur.  We saw lots of people backpacking up here on the weekend and there are some amazing sites up on the spur and below at the rock shelter.  If the campsite is full throw your tent in your backpack and head on up the mountain.  

Big Sky Country - Free Camping, Mountain Biking and Fun Easy Hikes!

Montana has some amazing open spaces and offers plenty of opportunity for Overlanding and getting lost on a forest road.  Or,  You could park up at Big Sky Ski Area for a few days and enjoy some flush toilets and mountain activities.  We were told by an employee at Big Sky Ski Area that we could camp up to four days in the parking lot. So we did a nice parking lot shuffle for a few days and found some nice things to do to keep us entertained.  

Beehive Basin

Beehive Basin is a 7.1 Mile Moderately Trafficked Out and Back through some pretty cool terrain and has a really cool alpine lake at the end of the trail.  It has some pretty sweet views up here as well.  It’s one of the more busy trails in the area so hit the trail early to ensure a parking spot.   

Mountain to Meadow Mountain Biking

From your campsite in the parking lot, you will be able to ride your bike over to the lifts.  However, there’s no need to buy a lift ticket to ride Big Sky Resort, thanks to the town shuttle that drives you back to the top after a screamer of a run down some premier downhill.  You’ll start by climbing next to the Ramcharger lift.  You’ll climb up for about 1.5 miles before you start a long flowy descent with berms and jumps all the way down to the town of Big Sky.  From here, you'll want to head to Fire Pit Park, where you can catch the free mountain shuttle back up to the Ski Area Base where you started.  You can lap this a few times since the uphill is fairly easy.  Make sure to grab a shuttle schedule or check it out here!  

Lake Levinsky 

On your down days you can bring your van a stone’s throw away from your previous parking lot down to Lake Levinsky for a relaxing day by the lake.  If you have a SUP this is a good place to take it out there is also portable toilets at the lake.  

Black Rock Desert - Nevada's Best Free Camping

Nevada’s Black Rock Desert aka “Black Rock City” is one of the coolest places to camp in the United States.  If you can be blessed enough to spend just one night out here on a cloudless moonless night you will never forget the display mother nature put on that night.  The Black Rock Desert isn’t just good for tripping out and being in an obscure remote area. 

There’s miraculously some geothermal hot spring activity in the area.  The premier hot spring and the only one worth going to check out is the Black Rock Hot Spring.  If you are trying to find it just look for the black rock to the north and it’s directly underneath it.  It’s a fun journey heading out to the spring and it’s a very large hot spring too.  You can camp up to 14 days on BLM land and always pack out your trash and let’s keep these places pristine.  

Also, it can get very dusty out on the Playa so be prepared for a few dust storms. We had a few dust storms that lasted all day.

Free Camping in Stanley Idaho on the Salmon River

Free Camping in Stanley Idaho on the Salmon River

Stanley Idaho, Population 63 is a rugged mountain town situated right smack dab in the middle of the Sawtooth Mountains.  This town has a lot going on from white water rapids to picturesque mountain lakes, and plenty of hiking and backpacking for the more adventurous type.  Per usual, we were here to do it all, and most importantly spend as little money as possible.  Luckily there are tons of options for free camping in Idaho, most sites even have drop toilets to really make you feel like a 5-star dirtbag.  We found this awesome little site right on the salmon river (44.171831, -114.905370).  It was just a few minutes ways from Redfish Lake a camping hotspot that’s expensive and overran with Grizwald kooks!  

We spent a few days at this free river campsite while we enjoyed all the splendor that Stanley has to offer.  We paddled around Little Redfish lake for a day with our van friends.  We also went on a nice short easy hike to Fishhook Creek. This is a very chill hike that takes you to an amazing viewpoint of the Sawtooth Mountains, we recommend this short hike it was very quiet on the trail.  

The highlight of the Stanley experience was soaking in the Boat Box hot springs.  This is one of the coolest Hot Springs we have ever been to.  So nice that we went twice!  This spring is situated on the Salmon River in a large steel bowl that holds about 4 people, you can control the temperature pretty easy and if it gets too hot you can take a dip in the cold Salmon River.  If you hit the springs in the summer expect to wait your turn as it’s a popular spot.  We took our vans and waited on the side of the road and made breakfast while others soaked.  Stanley can get pretty crazy in the summer so stick to the kookz tips to avoid the Grizwalds out there. 

Oregon and California Coast Road Trip - Two Week Itinerary with Free Campsites!

We embarked on this coastal journey with little or no research so we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.  We’ve been doing this vanlife gig for quite a while and somehow have never explored the stretch of coast from Seaside, Oregon, to San Fransisco, California.  We knew a few things before we embarked. One, being that we don't pay for overpriced state park campsites and two, that September/October usually delivers lots of seldom seen sunshine on this stretch of what some call the Rain Coast.  If you are lucky enough to come across this post, you will not only learn where to camp for free all along this stretch but also, some hidden gems along the way.  The journey began in the hipster capital of the world Portland, Oregon where we’re stocked up on organic veggies and grass fed meats.  Once we overloaded the trucker fridge, we filled up with the last of the cheap diesel and hit the road. 

We like to make it easy for you. So, here is a nice itinerary for those of you who like to plan their trips. We broke it into day spots and camping spots.  The coordinates below are for the sleeping areas only. They are  where we parked overnight.  

Also check out the shorter version of this article here : 15 Free Campsites along the Oregon and Cali Coast

Short Sands Beach and Oswald West State Park (45.744721,-123.960908)

The first day brought us to one of our favorite gems on the north coast Short Sands Beach aka Smugglers Cove.  This was a go to surf spot for us back in our Seattle days, and if you surf you could find yourself sliding across a green wedge where the pine trees meet the sand.  This is also a great beach for a picnic or a day of exploring and relaxing.  There are plenty of easy trails all throughout Oswald West S.P. and it is a great place to either begin or end your coastal journey.  Once you have had your fair share of sun, sand, wind and rain, which can all happen in one day around here, head to the Neahkahnie Viewpoint for your first night right off the highway. Also, get used to these highway stop-over camping spots in Oregon, unless you want to fork over $35 to the State Parks.  There are no toilets here but have no fear there are plenty of options for your #2’s in Manzanita just a few minutes down the hill.  

Pacific City/Brain Booth State Park (44.520991,-124.069295)

Once you begin your journey south from here there are heaps of options on our two favorite camping apps iOverlander and WikiCamps.  We recommend heading along the coast and cruise through the surf town of Pacific City.  If the tide is working in your favor you can park your rig right on the beach and enjoy lunch on the sand and explore the Cape Kiawanda Headlands.   If the swell is looking good have a surf or head to the Pelican Brewery and have a craft brew on the deck.  From here you have plenty of options as you head south there are plenty of roadside vista points and cozy beach towns.  We decided to head down a bit to Brian Booth State Park.  Although this is a day use area you will have to use your best judgement on whether or not you wish to stay here.  We camped on the east side of the park near the river access and had no trouble there are pit toilets here as well so that makes life easy in the morning.  

Cruising the 101’s vista points / Whiskey Run Bike Trails (43.218854,-124.342054)

Waking up earlier is always a good idea when you are poaching the day use areas.  We got on the road and headed down the 101 stoping at as many scenic overlooks as possible.  Our first stop was Seal Rock.  We spotted people collecting mussels so we grabbed a bag a knife and walked down to the tide pools.  We grabbed around 20 mussels and headed down to the next day use area cooked them and headed on our way.  There’s some fun stop overs along the way and a few day use spots where you could easily stealth camp.  We were there in the low season and a lot of these areas seemed too remote and not very busy and seemed to have lower ranger activity so we felt they could be prime for a night.  We checked out the sand dunes, and a few other beach areas.  If you are into organic produce there is a Natural Grocers in Coos Bay and the fridge was restocked.  We headed to the Whiskey Run Bike Trails up in the hills and per Oregon standards there was a no overnight parking sign but as usual we ignored it and stayed the night here.  We rode the trails in the morning and had a blast if you have a mountain bike and want to ride some nice professional built flowy trails this is right off the 101 and  you will be stoked you stoped.  

Bandon Beach / Bandon Beach Streets (43.110550,-124.432711)

Just down the road is the majestic shores of Bandon Beach.  Upon arrival you may think you have arrived to a beach on a far away land.  the sun was shinning the weather was sweet so we decided to slow down the pace and explore the beach.  We recommend taking a cruise along this beach and check out all the caves and rock formations.  There is not a restroom at the main Bandon Beach parking area but just a bit down the way at Face Rock State Park there is a Restroom and a nice picnic table and beach access as well.  We noticed while in Bandon that most of the homes are vacation rentals.  So we thought no one would know that we are camping on their street.  Since it seemed to be low season we just stealth parked the rig above the beach on a parking space with quite the overlook.  In the morning we headed to Face Rock State Park to use the clean and nice bathrooms and headed out of town.  

Samual H. Boardman / Indian Sands Trail (42.157399,-124.361562)

The Samual H. Boardman State Park is an incredible state park and a the most photographed area on the coast.  We explored the area the whole day two short hikes that are wort checking out are Secret Beach and Indian Sands.  We ended up staying in the Indian Sands Day Use parking lot and once again had zero issues.  

Brookings / Smith River Camping (42.157399,-124.361562)

We headed into Brookings after seeing there was a farmers market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  Unfortunately this market was nothing to write home about so we headed to town to the local Grocery Outlet and Fred Meyer.  We recommend gassing up at the Indian Casino south of Brookings before you get raped by the California gas prices.   We went to the Oregon welcome center and the nice folks recommended checking out the Smith River.  We found a nice spot via iOverlander right on the Smith River with access to a nice swimming hole.  We made a fire met a Basque traveler @laidagoe who joined us for some kooky adventures.  

Stout Grove / Lost Rocks (42.157399,-124.361562)

If you venture into the Smith River area we highly recommend checking out Stour Grove in  Jedidiah Smith State Park.  We drove the long way into Crescent City on the 8 mile dirt road and it was well worth it.  From Crescent City we continued on down the wooded coast to Lost Rocks where we would spend the next 2 nights.  There are picnic tables and fire pits on the beach and we really enjoyed our stay.  We also went climbing in the Promontory just about 1/4 mile up the beach.  It was an amazing setting for a climb and to be able to wrap it up with a day on the beach was magical.  We gained another traveler this night and headed south after two relaxing nights at the beach.  

Moonstone Beach (42.157399,-124.361562)

We heard about Moonstone Beach from our friends who live in Arcata so we went to see what the hype was all about.  Upon arrival we were pretty stoked with the scenery of the beach with the Little River meeting the surging tide.  It was a great place for a swim as well as top rope climbing.  We ended up staying here two nights as well right in the parking lot.  Although people told us that we cant camp there we did and had no issues.  Just clean up your mess and be a good neighbor,  

Avenue of the Giants / Big Tree Grove (40.350409,-123.991959)

We headed into Mckenlyville as soon as one of our new favorite grocery stores opened Eureka Natural Foods we piled the cart full of the freshest greens and produce we’ve seen in a while and plenty of Organ Meats to keep the mitochondria thriving.  From here we headed to the Avenue of the Giants and on to the Big Tree Grove where we would stay for the night.  Here in this grove is where you will find the tallest trees in the world.  The redwoods are powerful and we soaked up as much of there energy as we could store and headed on our way. 

Garberville Farmers Market / Roadside pull over HWY 1 (39.694736,-123.798595)

After a morning of mindfulness and good conversations we headed down the 101 to only accidentally stumble upon a farmers market this was the Gaberville market we bought some clams and some more greens and headed to HWY 1.  Once we made it to HWY 1 we were ready to prepare some food so we pulled over on one of the first pullovers we saw that was empty and we cooked some dinner (chicken hearts) and passed out.  We woke up to beautiful sunny weather the next day and tried not to launch our van off the road as we cruised the rig south.  

Glass Beach / Point Arena Lighthouse (38.943371,-123.732553)

We spot our good buddy Niel’s van and pulled over and started a new caravan soon Van Jesus was there as well and the band was back together!  We cruised down to Glass Beach where we hoarded as much of the pebbly sea glass that we could fit in our vans.  In the parking lot we checked iOverlander and found a nice spot down the road.  We stoped at some pull offs before arriving at Point Arena Lighthouse.  Here we would stay 3 nights and enjoy the iconic view of a historic lighthouse erecting out of plateau where the land meets the sea.  There is plenty of opportunities for whale watching here and if you look off the rocks the seals will be living the good life laying out absorbing some vitamin D.  

Sonoma Coast Road Side Pull Off (38.489223,-123.189684)

From here south it’s going to get tricky on finding free campsites.  The camping here is harder to find and is more likely to be roadside pullouts but there are some nice ones.  Just North of Jenner we found an amazing hill side pull out where we spent a afternoon and night watching the wales migrate while the sunset did it’s thinning the Next day we headed down to Goat Rock Beach, 

Goat Rock Beach / Jenner Roadside Camping (38.452503,-123.128298)

After a peaceful and amazing night overlooking the ocean high up on the bluffs we headed down to the small town of Jenner about 5 miles.  We spent the day at the Goat Rock Beach Parking lot enjoying the sunshine and amenities at the beach.  We did some yoga and then headed up to the upper parking lot for the night.  Here we were asked to leave by the police around 8pm and we found a last second campsite just right outside of the town of Jenner on the side of the road.  Not an ideal spot but we had no issues here.  

Goat Rock Climbing / Palomarin Trailhead (37.930389,-122.742040)

We were able to find some fun and mellow rock climbing and bouldering at Goat Rock State Beach.  While all these climbs are short we had a good time enjoying the views and sunshine wile we climbed around the small rocks here at the Park.  Once we were done climbing we made the treck one of our longest rides of the trip down to the small quant beach town of Bolinas.  Here you will find one of the most amazing organic farm stands on the coast.  The Bolinas Farm Stand is an honor system produce stand with all the produce you could imagine.  We stocked up on all kinds of organic treats and headed to the Palomarin Trailhead.  This is not by any means a free campsite and you have to be a seasoned van lifer to pull this one off without getting in trouble with the authorities.  Park Rangers came by about 3 times per day but no one patrolled the area at night.  Just don't let them catch you in the morning they will give you a ticket.  We just did the vanlife shuffle moving the van form one lot to the other to trick the park rangers.  There are many trails here to enjoy.  We enjoyed our bounty of organic food and stayed two nights here practicing Yoga and meditation while we enjoyed the silence that the Palomarin Nature had to offer us.  

Stinson Beach / Roadside Pull off Hwy 1 Near Muir Beach (37.870438,-122.590238)

After two peaceful days at Palomarin we headed down to Stinson Beach for the day. Then that night we just found another road side pull over just a few minutes from Muir Beach which would be out destination the next day. 

Muir Beach / Sausalito Parking Lot #3 (37.857649,-122.480807)

We woke up early and got to Muir Beach very early right after sunrise.  This was a good thing because the parking lot packed out at about 9am.  We got a premier spot right at the front of the beach.  We enjoy the whole day we cooked gourmet food left over from the Bolinas Farm Stand and enjoyed an amazing sunset.  From here we moved on to meet our good friend Phil aka @Sprinter_on_the_move.  He showed us a promising spot to camp for the night.  Not the most legal but we got away with it for the night.  From here we headed back up to Auburn to the shop to finish our Sprinter Van project.  

This was an amazing trip and the weather was great for us we only had 2 days of rainy weather and the rest of the trip was full of sunshine and tranquility.  This is just an outline of our itinerary all in all I think it was an over three week trip and we linked up with multiple different vanlife friends along the way.  It was a an amazing experience that we were glad to finally check off the bucket list.  We hope this helps make your coastal trip easier as we found it very difficult to fins free campsites along this stretch.  To keep places like these free and un paroled please clean up your mess and be a good neighbor.  

The one bit of advice we can give you in most of these “campsites” since they are all day use only is to get up early and act as if you arrived in the morning then the authorities can’t really do anything unless they catch you in the act of sleeping at night.  We only had the one issue at Goat Rock which we expected but we were feeling brave that night.  

Happy Travels!

Ladder Canyon, California's best Slot Canyon

This is another California desert gem that we weren't really expecting to be as amazing as it is.  Ladder Canyon is dubbed California’s best slot canyon it’s the first we've seen in Cali so we give it two thumbs up!  If you are looking for Ladder Canyon just google it and it will lead you in the right direction no need for 4WD to access the trailhead we did it in a 2WD VW Vanagon so anyone can make it.  Ladder Canyon is on BLM land so there is a 14 day camping limit, there are drop toilets on site but they are a walk so bring a shovel.  We decided to camp right at the mouth of the canyon and it was a great place to spend a few days exploring the area.  

The Ladder Canyon hike is a 4.5 mile hike that can be done in a loop.  When starting the hike keep a keen eye to hikers left where you will begin the journey up the first slot canyon.  Navigating this section requires a bit of rope climbing and there is what I would call a V0 bouldering problem that some in our group struggled with.  With a boost and a hand we were on our way past this section.  Once you top out of this canyon you will very exposed to wind and sun above the eroded desert landscape, this is where ample water and sun protection will be needed.  We were here in February and needed plenty of water along this stretch of the hike.  If you are here in the summer it’s going to be a scorcher so be prepared!  

Once you top out you can hike to the summit for amazing views of the desert or you can begin navigating your way down ladder canyon.  You will drop down into a canyon and eventually come up on a series of ladders to help you get down into the slot canyon this is where the canyon gets the most narrow and really gives you that Utah/Arizona slot canyon feel.  You will exit back into the large canyon you started in.  There are more off shoots all around this area and you may need more that a day to explore all this area has to offer.  

Remember when camping to pack it in, and pack it out.  Lets keep these amazing BLM areas natural.  Happy Trails! 

New Jack City Camping and Climbing

We got the opportunity to jump on board a climbing trip with Lee (@freedomthevanbulance) and Steve (@freetired) there was no way we were going to turn this adventure down.  New Jack City (aka Sawtooth Canyon) is a sport climbing playground just a few miles outside of Barstow, California.  New Jack City has over 450 sport climbs varying from 5.6 to 5.13 on a volcanic like metamorphic rock.   All the climbs are found in clusters of awesome formations poking out along the high desert of California.  Since we are beginner climbers this was a great area to get our feet wet.

Prior to this trip we solely top roped, thanks to our talented climbing friends leading all the routes.  But this trip was different thanks to the expertise of Steve and Lee we were going to learn to top rope, clean, and repel.  I don't think the atmosphere could have been more perfect we were able to park our van right at the base of a 5.6 and get lessons out our front door.  Most of the routes here are short and exposure usually isn't an issue so it was a great place to learn without being absolutely petrified.  

One of the highlights of the trip was climbing “The Crooked Dick Spire” which was our first ever spire to climb and at 5.9 it wasn't too difficult to the whole crew got to top the spire.  One of our favorite things about New Jack City is that every zone had plenty of climbs for the whole crew to do.  Another good wall for learning was the “Boy Scout Wall” which had climbs of varying difficulties from 5.7 to 5.11c all the climbs on this wall were fun solid climbs and we couldn't recommend New Jack City more for camping and climbing.  

The camping here is also as awesome as the rock climbing.  There are shade structures at most the campsites along with pit toilets.  This is on BLM land so there is a 14 night limit.  We really enjoyed climbing right outside of the vans every morning after it warmed up.  We came in early march and it was still a bit chilly mid 50s but that didn't stop the kooks from crushing some routes.  

Best Views of Shasta Just minutes off I-5 | Castle Lake Overlook

If you have ever driven up I-5 form California to Oregon there’s no way you missed the overwhelming beauty of Mount Shasta.  Shasta is a massive strata volcano that juts out of the earth to an elevation of 14,179 making it the tallest Volcano in California.  Lucky for you we have an easy way to get amazing views of the Volcano just 15 minutes off of Interstate 5.  

The Castle Lake overlook is a short out and back around 3 miles long to one of the most rewarding views considering how short the approach is.  

Park in the Castle Lake parking lot from here you will take Little Castle Lake Trail (#4W02) after just under a mile the trail will split off to the Castle Lake Overlook trail.  You have to have a keen eye to see the turn off.  You don't want to hike to far on the Little Castle Lake Trail otherwise you will end up on the wrong side of Castle Lake and be on your way to Little Castle Lake.  Just remember that you want to be on the ridge lookers right while you are hiking up the trail.  If the kooks figured this out so can you.  

On the way up there is also an amazing photo opportunity on the right conditions at a reflection pond, here you can test your photography skills and snap a beautiful shot of Shasta’s peak reflecting off the glassy water in the tarn.  Once at the top of the overlook you will feel very rewarded for the short hike you just conquered.  Take a few moments here snap a few memories and head back down about 1.5 miles to the lot.  

Depending on time of year camping is ok as well in the parking lot we stayed for a day in October and enjoyed amazing fall colors on our drive out.  There are pit toilets at the lot and I would imagine kayaking or SUPing would be an awesome activity on a calm day.  Also as always pack it in, pack it out!  Let’s keep these places free and wild!  

If you are driving up I-5 and are looking for a great day activity, or a place to crash this is an amazing place to spend the day there are more hikes in the area so do a little bit of research and you could find yourself on a backpacking adventure.  

Free Camping Near Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and the 9th deepest lake in the world.

The lake is contained within a Caldera created by a volcano that erupted and then collapsed in on it self. The lake is not a typical lake, filled by rivers or streams. All the water that is inside the lake came from rain, snow, or snow melt, which makes it one of the cleanest large bodies of water in the world. I always knew this fact, but it wasn’t until I got there that I found out that you could actually hike down to the water, touch it, and even swim in it if you wanted, via Cleetwood Cove trail. But beware, Cleetwood Cove trail is known to be steep and strenuous. The hike back to the top is equivalent to climbing 65 flights of stairs, so it is marked for hikers that are pretty physically fit. This trail is open mid-June to October. There are vault bathrooms at the start and bottom of the trail. 

While there are over 90 miles of hiking trails in the Crater Lake National Park, you can also chose to drive the rim of the crater, if hiking isn’t your thing. There are plenty of easy trails and or look outs along the East and West Rim Drive. Plaikni Falls seems like a pretty chill walk thru an old growth forrest to a waterfall that is also fed by snowmelt, not Crater Lake, as one would expect. 

We chose to do the Garfield Peak trail. It is a 3.6 mile (round trip) rocky hike to the top of Garfield Peak where you will have panoramic views, above the crater, at summit. Most of the hike gets more and more scenic, the higher you go on the trail. We are moderately fast hikers and it took us 31 minutes to summit and 40 minutes to get down. The hike recommends allowing yourself 2-3 hours for the entire hike.  

Difficulty of this hike:

It is marked as “Strenuous,” which, I think, keeps most people off of the trail. We saw maybe 10 people on the trail, which is a stark difference from the groups of tourists we saw getting off buses near the Crater Lake Lodge and Gift Shop. 

While this hike climbs 1,010 feet in elevation over 1.7 miles, I didn’t think it was too strenuous. Maybe it was my racing the sun attitude, as we decided to jump on this trail pretty late in the afternoon, as soon as we spotted Garfield Peak. However hard it was, the reward at the top, seclusion along the trail, and the views all along the trail definitely made any difficulty or struggle worth it. If that sounds good to you and you are still worried about the “strenuous” label, there are plenty of pull-offs, with rock benches to sit on and take in the view and catch your breath. 

Free Camping Near Crater Lake:

There are no free campsites inside the National Park, but the Sno-park’s on the North and South entrance of the boundary is free camping in the Summer months. There are vault toilets at each spot. 

We camped at the North Crater Lake Trail Head Sno-Park, which is also apparently a PCT parking lot. There are vault toilets here and picnic tables. There are no views as it is amongst the trees off HWY-138, but it is so quiet. We were there with two other vans, but you could hardly tell as we all had our own little tree coves to pull into. 

We checked out the Annie Creek Sno-Park, the South Entrance free camping, off of the 62, going into Crater Lake National Park. There were a couple of 5th wheels and tents at the end of the huge parking lot. It looked to have views, if we were headed back south, we would have stayed here for the views. 

San Diego Vanlife: 5 Best Daytime Van Spots around San Diego

We spent about 2 and a half months in our van in San Diego. It really brought us back to our early days in the van, beach bummin’ around Australia. The good vibes were high in San Diego it was a hard place to peel our selves away from. Here are five of our favorite spots to hang out in the van during the day. 

#1 - Law Street Beach, PB

Law Street in Pacific Beach, if you were looking for us, you could probably find us here. We would get up at 5 am to get our choice of the perfect parking spot here. Why was this our favorite spot?

The Beach is at your doorstep, yoga is at your door step, the Tuesday Farmers Market is right down the boardwalk away, you have your choice of two laundry mats that are both a walk away (so you don’t have to lose your parking spot). Too many reasons to name why this place is awesome.  

• Surf at Law Street BeachOne of which is that Law street Beach has Parallel Waterfront Parking for about 15-20 cars. So, get there early. This is a local surf spot. So people come here all throughout the day to surf and check the surf. Neighbors will arrive by golf cart when it is looking good to squeeze in parking anywhere. If you don’t know how to surf, there is the San Diego Surf School that gives lessons if you are into learning to surf. 

• Yoga on the Cliff with @namasteveyoga

If you do get one of those parking spots on Tuesday’s, Thursdays (@10am), Saturday, and Sunday’s (9am) @namasteveyoga puts on a “by-donation only” Yoga session on the grass overlooking the water down below. It is probably my all time favorite yoga class I have ever been to! He says things like, “Yoga poses are simulated stressful events, if we can learn to breathe in stressful poses, here, we can learn to breathe in stressful situations in life. This is a practice.” 

• Pacific Beach Tuesday Farmer’s Market

On Tuesday’s, on Bayard St between Garnet and Grand, from 2pm-7pm, year-round, rain-or-shine, Farmer’s Market goes down with some yummy local delicacies. 

• Laundry

Laundry is a thing that we van lifers do during the day so why not make it near a cool beach where you park your car next to your other van friends, right? Well this one is about a 8-10 minute walk from Law Street. There are two laundry mats, one next to the Little Caesar’s and Cass Cleaners, on the corner of Cass St and Loring St. That one has the best wifi chill area and their Laundry machines take debit and credit cards! No more scrounging for change in the van! 

The other laundry mat, across from Java Earth Cafe, next to the 7/11, there’s that one, but it is a standard laundry mat, change nothing special to say about it other than it is close to your Law street parking. Change only. 

#2 - Ocean Beach, San Diego

• Dog Beach in OB

If you own a pup and live in your van, this place is great! There is a dog beach where all the dogs can run wild, dig holes, chase balls, hump other bigger dogs, show em who’s boss, you know dog things. They can do them all here, just remember to pick up after your dogs, unless they bury it! I’ve seen that and I’m alright with that catlike behavior ;)

• Volleyball

There are heaps of sand volleyball courts here. I don’t play volleyball, but there were heaps of people out playing for fun on a weekend day. 

• Cafes and Shops: 

There is a Apple Tree Supermarket on Newport. If you need re-stock on some food items and don’t want to lose your parking spot, you can hit this place up. This OB area is also one of those places where if you get a spot, and good one, keep it. You can walk, bike, skate anywhere you need. There are heaps of cool little beach shops and vibey little shops along Newport, as well as some great bars for Live music. 

• Farmers Market Wednesdays

If I am in the San Diego area and I am not at this Farmers Market, I am either blowing it or I am at the Carlsbad Farmers Market, another one of our favorites. But, OB Wednesday night farmers market has heaps of endless samples for your Vanlife empty belly. There is live music and at the end of Newport, on the grass before the beach, there is a drum circle that goes until 10pm. There are fire spinners, hula hoopers, dancing children, slack liners, anything and everything self expression. This is probably one of my favorite things to do on a Wednesday in San Diego. So many things going on in OB on a Wednesday. There is usually a live music Show at Winston’s after the drum circle is broken up, if you want to keep the party going!

•  Sunset Cliffs Natural Park 

If you want to go a little farther past OB, there is awesome area called Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. There are little parking lots off to the west side of Sunset Cliffs Blvd. Many people chose this area for quick awesome weddings. We’ve seen a few. While you are there, check out Sunset Cliff Cave and Cabrillo National Monument!

• Mission Bay- Slack-lining, waterfront Van chillin, community fire pits, and Van Meetups! 

Mission Bay this place was another place we chilled at a lot. Bonita Cove, Mariner’s Point Park, Mission Beach, Fiesta Island. There were really too many places to name where we felt like home. 

Some of the highlights in this area include: Slack Lining, Waterfront Chillin’ with plenty of nearby public restrooms, Fiesta Island Van Meet up.

In Bonita Cove, there is a pretty legit sand pit with poles for rigging up some slack lining. Lots of really talented people slacking it up. 

If you are a van lifer or interested in Vanlife, there is a sweet meet up that happens every other month, on the last Saturday of the month at Fiesta Island. It is put on by @theladiesvan, from Instagram, and tons of people show up! Fiesta Island is also an amazing place to pull up on to mission may beachside and chill all day and cap off the day with a fire pit chill session. 

Almost every beach in Mission Bay has a community fire pit. If you are trying to stay warm outside of your van, there are plenty of welcoming people you can share a fire with or make your own!

#3 - Carlsbad, CA

We love us some Carlsbad chillin. We usually park on Carlsbad Blvd overlooking the water and again, walk every where that we want to go. 

One place in particular we always want to go is the Carlsbad Wednesday Farmers Market on State Street, from 3-7pm. There is live music, great samples, and local yummy foods. 

Don’t forget to hit up the Choice Juice Container! That place has amazing raw food, smoothies, and smoothie bowls. 

#4 - Swami’s Sunday Drum Circle in Encinitas,

So if you went to the Farmers Market In OB and enjoyed the Drum Circle, there is another Drum Circle at Swami’s in Encinitas. Smaller more intimate drum circle than the Ocean Beach Drum Circle. Jump in, dance, hula, juggle, self express!

Swami’s is also a notorious local surf break. So bring your wetty and board and be ready to hit some all time waves with awesome coastal views. 

#5 - Blacks Beach, San Diego

Blacks Beach is a great place to Surf (not exactly for the beginner tho), watch the sunset, or  watch paragliders taking off and flying around like kites in the air. When we were at this particular beach for the first time, there happened to be some music and vendors in the Park. There were people twirling ribbons, dancing and having fun until the sun went down. 

On another particular time, we were at Blacks Beach and we saw some Bio-luminescence in the water at night. Needless to say Black’s Beach hasn’t let us down and has been quite manageable!