The Don’ts of Beach Camping

Whether you’re into RV travel, van life or tenting – scoring a beach camping spot is perfect for summer vacations.

We’ve beach-camped at many campgrounds across the country and we think you should start planning your own beach camping trip, too.

Today we’re sharing 5 very important “don’ts” when it comes to your next waterfront camping trip. Trust us – we learned these lessons the hard way!

Let’s dive in.

Don’t Pay a Premium Price for Your Beach Campsite

Did you know there’s free beach camping in America? In fact, most of the time we camp directly on the beach, we don’t pay a dime.

Free camping (also known as boondocking) takes place on public lands. Quite often on federal lands, but sometimes on state and county parks, too.

We’ve camped for free on American waterfronts at the following places:

• Lake Hattie (Wyoming)
• Padre Island (Texas)
• Flathead River (Montana)
• Magnolia Beach (Texas)
• Snake River (Wyoming)
• Quincy Lake (Washington)
• Trinity Bay (Texas)

Additionally, if free camping isn’t your thing. You can score pretty sweet beach campsites at state parks without paying too much.

Waterfront RV parks will charge a premium, though.

Don’t Forget the Tides

Keep in mind, if you’re camping on the beach, tides are always changing. The water may be 30 yards away when you set up camp, but at your doorstep later that night.

Even if the beach you’re visiting doesn’t have tides (lakes & rivers), heavy rain can seriously raise water levels.

Always beware of rising water!

Don’t Finish the Camping Trip Without a Wash Down

Salt water can destroy your vehicle or RV. In fact, it can even ruin your camping equipment.

Give everything a thing a thorough rinse before returning to normal life.

We’ve noticed considerable rust on our truck, trailer and generator after beach camping trips…even after rinsing them down.

Don’t Make a Mess

We like to follow the rule, “leave it cleaner than you found it.” This especially applies to free beach-camping.

Beach vibes are great for drinking, cooking & communing with friends. Just remember, pick up your trash.

Quite often waterfront campsites are also windy. Don’t let your cans & bags blow away into the water.

Don’t Forget Your Beach Camping Accessories

Want to bring a kayak, canoe or paddle-board…but don’t have the room? We recommend folding & inflatable versions of these water sport accessories.

Many of our camping friends travel with inflatable kayaks. We prefer our folding Oru tandem kayak (it seems much more sturdy and is the size of a suitcase).

Regardless of your preferred water sport, there’s probably a folding version you can easily bring with you. In fact, take a look at our YouTube channel for all the most recent camping gear.

Free Camping is Located Across the USA – Not Only on Beaches

To be honest with you, we hate paying for camping. There are so many free campsites in America (with complete privacy). You should give it a try! A matter of fact, these free campsites are yours.

Every time you pay federal taxes, you’re contributing to these lands.

Here’s our list of the 20 Best Free Campsites in the USA.

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