Santa Margarita KOA

Superb camping experience! Wonderfully spacious campsites, clean bathrooms, crystal clear pool and fun activities for kids. This is a ways from Pismo Beach, but the tranquility was worth the drive for us.

THE STAFF was FANTASTIC. Everyone we dealt with was a delight. Every one seemed to be on the same page and very helpful. This was out first KOA stay, and we are excited to visit more in the future. The who place was CLEAN and WELL MAINTAINED. There are fun activities for the kids and cool jumping pad the kids love. Saw a fox at night checking out the campground. No problems with bugs or flies. Clean and beautiful! Thank you!

We have tried a couple of KOA camps in the past and recently we camped at the Santa Margarita site. This is a beautiful place. It’s little away from civilization, which is a must for me to get the feeling of ‘camping’. There are all types of accommodation options available here — tents, cabins, cabins with bathrooms, deluxe cabins etc. With these many choices of varied comfort levels, you are likely to find the one that suits your preference.
They offer a lot of activities to kids — hay ride, balloon fights, painting, and some more that we experienced. I guess, the type of activities depends on the season. There is a horse ranch adjacent to the camp site. Emu is an attraction in this site. There are barbecue grills, camp fire pits and many other things that one can ask for a typical camping experience.
It was dry weather when we visited this place. It was generating lot of dust as we walk. This is probably the case with any camp site in such a weather.
There is a lake nearby but, it is almost dried up now due to drought conditions. During the day, if you want to take off for a Beach experience and/​or ATV rides, Pismo beach is not very far from here.
What impressed me is the personalized service from friendly staff. They pay attention to guests needs/​questions in detail and have genuine interest in hearing from their customers. I had a lengthy chat with Karen who owns and runs this place. It is very admirable to see the amount of effort that she is putting in to ensure guests have a good camping experience.

Very friendly staff, beautiful drive through the oak tree covered hills, cute little wood cabins with swings.
Unfortunately the bugs are too much to bear — very large and aggressive mosquitos (that literally banged against the windshield of our parked car by the dozen to get to us!). Didn’t stay long enough to see the snakes and tarantulas but several other reviewers had encounters with them. I am an experienced camper, biked and hammock camped a thousand miles across a swamp so I am quite familiar with bugs, snakes, gators, bears, etc. but even I had no desire to get bitten up and spend uncomfortable nights here. Just surprised by the amount of bugs as on my entire trip through California I have barely seen any mosquitos elsewhere…

Cannot wait to revisit this KOA. With the exception of a tarantula, (which yes we did see one mid-​day), it was a wonderful visit.
It was a super hot last weekend of March when we decided one day in advance to look for somewhere local to camp. Hot showers, clean bathrooms, and a pool were big selling points (although the pool was being refurbished and not open during our stay). Surprisingly, even on a holiday weekend, when I called they had spots open and even offered to let us change sites if the one assigned wasn’t flat enough for our rooftop tent setup.
Friendly staff, large sites, and a locals discount! Will definitely be back.

If you want a more traditional camping experience, this is it… As opposed to other KOAs, you can essentially get away from it all.
On Day #1 — we got a tent site in the Fishbowl — nice location and quiet, albeit, the toilet and showers are about 5-​min uphill hike.
On Day #2 — we got the Yurt. Very much recommended — spacious, comfortable beds, and nice outdoor. Albeit, the toilet and showers are just a bit 5-​min uphill/​downhill hike.
The hosts were very kind and helpful. I’m a fan of this place.

Booked a campsite only a week in advance, the site was called Fishbowl. I liked that it had some shade and was not close to any other site and there was water access. We went in the summertime and there were a lot of bugs and flies so remember to bring the bug spray and fly traps. The bathrooms were clean and the showers had hot water. It’s also a dog friendly site, unfortunately at night my dog woke up and growled at every sound he heard. He’s definitely a city dog. They also have a small store if you forget some items, just remember they will hike up the prices. There’s also a swimming pool which we didn’t get to try because we had our dog with us and couldn’t leave him unattended.

Camp ground it just what you would expect from a KOA camp ground clean with friendly staff. We chose the KOA because you know they are a safe bet when you never been camping is the area. This KOA I was very pleased the site we chose is very big we feel like we are alone we have no neighbors and on a hill that over looks most of the camp grounds.

I love this place! It may be in the middle of nowhere but it was more than what I expected it to be.
My friends and I stayed there for my birthday weekend. First of all, the workers at the office are super friendly and helpful. Second, the campsite that was given to us was perfect. It was a little bit up the hill and we have more land area than what we can ask for. We have one BIG tent and one regular one and 2 cars and there’s still a whole lot of area to ourselves. The restroom/​bathrooms are just down the hill from our area and it was super clean and not too crowded. Very good place to camp.

Awesome place for camping. Not very crowded unlike some other camp sites. Bathroom and showers are clean. I love how I can see lot of stars at night.
I made a reservation at a short notice so I had to take whatever was available. Which was a RV site with no sewer hookup. When i realized that was not going to work for our family, I called (day before the arrival), the man who was on the phone was very patient and helped me as best as he possibly could. When we finally arrived, we had another change in our request and they were very helpful to accommodate it.
On the day of the arrival, our 2 wheel drive SUV with camper in the back was stuck on the hill and one guy who works there came to help us out.
Yes! There were bugs! There were tons of flies when the sun came out, but that is because of the drought. Bring bug zappers, fly swatters…
They have jumping pillow which we didn’t get to use during our stay but we are definitely looking forward to return to this place in the future.

Good place to stay in between destinations. The bounce pillow was under construction after some idiot slashed it on 4^th of July :(If it was working, that would have been a really cool thing for the kids! The nearby lake has such low water level but is peaceful and has a playground. The campsite had everything we needed. A few too many bugs though! Bring a fly trap.

I stayed at the Santa Margarita KOA for two weeks in early June, as the first leg in our year long RV Adventure, traveling across the country. We thought the experience was pretty awesome!
Now I’ve been to campgrounds where everything is manicured and precise. This is not the case — if you are looking for this then find another campground — can’t compare the two. However, if you want to be ‘camping’ in a semi-​quasi wilderness setting then this place is incredible.
The Santa Margarita KOA offers something for just about everyone looking for this type of environment. Tent sites, Cabins and RV Camping — its all here. As far as I could tell every spot has it’s own fire ring and BBQ. The tent sites and most of the RV sites are rather large and private. Lots of privacy around the cabins as well.
What I especially remember as being a huge plus was the topography of the campground — it includes several hills with winding roads and trails to navigate with lots of mature Oak and other tree varieties.
We don’t have kids traveling with us, but there is lots for them to do including a large playground with a big bounce pillow that they all seemed to really enjoy and burn up some energy. There is a large pool area as well that is always welcome on a hot summer day.
The staff was pretty incredibly awesome as well. Very friendly and accommodating of any special requests.
The camp store is small but well stocked with all of the essentials you’d hope to find in a camp store. There is a laundry facility, but we went into Atascadero because of the clear warnings that the high iron content of their well water may stain your clothing — so anyone who claims to have stained their clothes just was not paying attention its in the rules on the Guest Guide every camper is given plus there are signs clearly posted. so in my opinion, the negative reviews because of this are from morons who just don’t read and have expectations that everything is perfect — next time they should book a room at the Hilton or something, perhaps.
If you are looking to have dirt under your feet, trees over your head, and a kazillion stars to look at at night then the Santa Margarita KOA is for YOU! If not, don’t make yourself miserable, go to a hotel and let the those who want to camp enjoy themselves — this is the place! ! !

This was one of the nicer KOA’s we stayed at while on our road trip. Pet friendly, full hook ups available, easy to find, clean showers/​bathrooms, and a nicely stocked store if you forgot anything. This location is just a few miles from the lake. If you just want to view the lake, they’ll let you in for 15 minutes without paying. We were camping in a 22ft RV.
I’d highly recommend staying in one of the cabins or the locations near the top of the grounds, as you’ll get the most privacy and the best views. It may be hard to get an RV to the top of the grounds, as this location is on a fairly steep incline. Maybe only cars and tents up there?
The only reason this isn’t five stars was due to an incident that occurred while we stayed over for one night. There seemed to be several longer term RVs that were set up there and one of the longer term guests had a huge domestic fight. It was so loud that we were concerned for the safety of everyone involved. We didn’t want to get caught up in the incident, so it forced us to cut short our evening around the campfire and go back inside. Totally outside of the control of the KOA, but still something that affected our stay. If we’re ever in the area again, we’ll stay here.

Nice campground for CAMPERS. So many reviews on here make it seem like the visitor was expecting a five-​star resort, not an outdoor campground, which (naturally) is subject to the elements. I have been to campgrounds that are true bare-​bones, and some that have a bit more «sheen» to them than this one, and that is how I chose my rating of 4-​stars.
We stayed on a September 2014 weekend, and the weather happens to be very hot and dry right now in California, partially due to the drought. That being said, the campground is located about ½ hour inland and does not receive much of any breeze. It gets H O T during the day, especially in the direct sunlight. Also, we rented a basic, one-​room cabin, with literally no shade throughout the day, so we did end up «getting away» during daylight hours. Tip: Request a cabin with trees overhead /​some kind of shade. We could not have enjoyed that space if we wanted to in that heat. They also have house-​like cabins too… So a wide variety. I think a lot of folks are complaining about the grounds themselves though — But again, it is a CAMPGROUND!
When I woke up in the morning, I was lucky enough to catch deer running by on the hill next to ours — so beautiful. I hope you all get to enjoy the nature there!
As I mentioned, we got away doing the day and found some fun things to do. A great plus about not only this location, but the surrounding areas as well, are very (VERY) dog-​friendly. We ended up finding a great beach spot, and drive up the coast back to camp. There are numerous wineries and restaurants where you can bring pets too. We kept to the beach as the weather was perfect there.
We will definitely be back. I have recommended it as a big family vacation! When that happens, I will write another review!

My brother and I were able to grab a site here last minute. The host apologetically offered us one of the «remote sites» but we found it to be gorgeous! In my opinion it is certainly the best site for two guys looking for a quiet place without screaming kids.
I heard a lot if coyotes in the middle of the night very close to us but we find this to be exciting and not a turnoff… If we wanted to camp in an environment without that type of excitement, we’d stay in our backyard!
Yes the the remote sites were up a dusty, windy, road but we navigated it both at day and night in a rented Ford Focus with no difficulty.
My only gripes with the campground are as follows: if you were to get a normal site, plan on being very close to other campers and plan on getting the early wake up call of screaming kids with parents that have no regard for anyone else outside of their 15×15 foot world. Also, the showers need attention. The owners need to periodically take the curtains down and bleach them in the washing machine. There is no excuse for cloth curtains with mold spores. Also, the walls could use a scrubbing. It’s pretty easy to get soap scum off a wall. It should not be neglected.
So, if you don’t mind a remote sight, grab one, head into town, have a beer at the brewery and then, have a campfire. If you can’t get a remote site… skip it.

There are no words for this place. (At least not very many nice ones)
Pros:
— Saw a California condor and some friendly goats in a neighboring field
— Has cabins/​yurts. Building some nice new ones.
— Water pressure in shower (if you can stand the nasty shower)
Cons:
— Insects, huge beetles, tarantulas (some will see these as a ‘Pro’)
— Steep curvy dusty roads w/​o cautionary signage. NO ONE should be driving those in the dark, especially if you’ve not been there before!
— Cliffs/​ledges. If you have kids, be warned! The upper tent sites are nothing but talcum like dirt and ledges. They are atrocious and I can’t believe they rent them out. We camp quite a bit so I’m not a prissy camper.
— Disgusting outhouse for the upper sites
We booked WAY ahead and were given the worst spot on the grounds. We got there after the office was closed so we didn’t meet the hosts. So, we navigated to the site assigned to us (Yikes!!!) The next morning when we left, EARLY, we saw better spots available in the lower level. Why we were assigned to the insanely disgusting and dangerous upper level that is half way to hell?
Tips:
Don’t tent here!
Don’t come in the dark!
Camp map doesn’t show all of the roads so you may take wrong turns, with nowhere to turn around, if you’re navigating in the dark. Then you have to back out and, if you’re on the upper level, hope to not go over an edge. Two of us had to get out and shine flashlights so the driver could see where to go… or not go!
In the dark, we couldn’t tell if something was a road or a site… or, in the case of our site, a dead end that drops off to nothing.
Bathrooms are pretty gross. In all fairness, looks like they’re possibly building new ones
We didn’t know the area but figured that since it isn’t far from the coast that it would be ‘green’…or kind of woodsy. NOPE! The road to the place was, but the grounds are very desert like.
If you stay here, stay in an RV, cabin, yurt, etc. Don’t tent here. And be sure to check your unit thoroughly! About 15 min after we got there we had to drive down to a bathroom (another nerve rattling trip on the roads!) and there was a group of college kids looking at something. Turned out to be a California tarantula.
I give it one star because I have to… and because the goats were adorable. :-/

Say Hello to Scott and Rex, awesome people.
This place is very beautiful. The staff is wonderful, helpful, and friendly.
My first time visiting, greeted by Scott. Scott was friendly, professional, and funny.
The store is small, unlike most K.O.A.s, but the layout of the property is beautiful.
My son required medical attention and Scott was quick to respond and getting the necessary help needed. Scott showed concerned as did Rex.
Their Kabins here are super cute. small quaint studio with a homey invitation. I will reserve the kabin with the shower next time.
My friend stayed in the Yurt, kind of cool. Large spacious area with 2 bunk beds (4 bedding) and a full/​queen bed .
The bathroom is a walk, so put on sneakers/​tennis shoes/​cross trainers.
The state park lake is very low, not looking like a recovery will be possible. There is a pool at the park camping area.
I am pleased with my visit here and will return.

Well it has been about ten years since I’ve gone camping, and now I have 3 kids of my own. I have always had good experiences at KOA, and I must emphasize that the staff there are GREAT. Scott was very helpful and accomodating. We had a large group of people so we had 5 regular sized cabins and 1 delux cabin.
The deluxe cabin was perfect! It was clean and very comfortable. The regular cabins however stunk! I mean literally.smelled.
My two biggest gripes: The play ground was a big letdown for me, it was just two swings, a box of dirt and a pretty cool jumping pillow thing. Lastly, the bugs were too much to bear! NON STOP! and yes, just like the other reviews stated, there are wasps, spiders, and snakes! and lots of them. e I am glad we onlly stayed two nights because my baby (11 months) was NOT having a good time.
OH.and the washing machines stained our clothes due to the high iron content in the water. boo

Great place ! We stayed at tent site #27, which was at the top on the hill, kind of private site… Awesome kids playground !!! (With a huge huge jumping pillow)… Recommend taking a walk to the Star Gaze Hill at night, without any light, stars and the moon are just amazing !
Heard weird noises at night… Woke up with a bunch of ants on the tent (thank god no ants got into the tent)… There are ticks…
The ground is rough, make sure to bring plenty of soft padding for under the tent/​sleeping bag (s)…
The holes that you notice in the ground; tarantula holes/​homes !!! DO NOT POUR water into the holes, it’ll piss off the tarantula (s) and they will jump out at you out of their hole/​home.
We saw deer with her babies not far from our tent… Wild life was awesome.

This place was a really nice surprise! My friend dragged me in here and I really liked it. All the sites are kind of spread out throughout the hills around the complex. All of the people that worked there were really cool and extremely helpful about everything and even went so far as to deliver our firewood because we were on motorcycles.
I love reading peoples’ reviews complaining about bug while camping… that’s adorable! Everyone understands that camping takes place outdoors, right? Or is that an old fashioned idea.
…everyone line up their 50 foot RV’s… crank up the TV and the generator! We’re «camping»!