Any ideas? I don't want to go further north than Mendocino, or further south than Big Sur. It would be on 3 weekdays later this month or next. So I'm hoping I don't have to worry about reservations. Thanks!

How do you feel about the south San Mateo County coast area, like near Año Nuevo? Costanoa has a beautiful property there offering tent cabins, real cabins, a lodge/hotel, RV spaces, or just pitch-tent sites.

http://www.costanoa.com/site.php

Also in that general area you could consider Butano State Park, which sets high up in the forested hills south of Pescadero, but not far at all from gorgeous stretches of the coast.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=536

Sea Cliff, Rio Del Mar, Sunset, New Brighton... these were my favorite camping spots as a child and my kids love them now. Good luck!

Thanks you too! Both are good ideas i will check out.

Get out your map and check Avenue of the Giants. It is off Hwy 101 just north of Garberville on the OLD highway. There are several beautiful campgrounds along Avenue of the Giants - state parks, I think. It's on the Eel River in old growth redwood forest with lots of gorgeous easy shaded trails. Great for strolling, bicycling, breathing pure oxygen, giving thanks to the trees...

Memorial Redwoods in Pescadero has an interesting old swimming hole and beautiful trees. Sort of camping, Montera Lighthouse Hostel is a magnificent ocean location. Costanoa offers good options.

Butano is one of my favorite parks in the area. I have not camped there, but have hiked and picnicked many times. I have wandered around the campground, and it looks good. I believe they have flush toilets, but no showers. A nice thing about Butano is that Pescadero beach is close by as well.

Portola Redwoods state park is another one in the area that isn't as well-known. It fills up on the weekends, but I think it is fairly empty on the weekdays. The campground is nice with a pretty stream running through it. I believe they have shower facilities there. I know they have flush toilets.

We went to Limekiln State Park a couple weeks ago - it may be a little farther than you'd like to go (approx 50 miles south of Carmel). I really recommend it though. We got there on a thursday and the campground was almost empty - maybe 5 occupied sites out of about 35. Thursday night was fabulous. It filled up on Friday though.

Big Basin is an obvious choice, but because it is so popular, I think even on weekdays they are pretty full in the summer. You might check it out though.