South Carlsbad Sunset

Camping at Southern California beaches in the late 1960s and early ’70s felt a lot more spontaneous than it does today. You could pack the car (or stick out your thumb if you didn’t have a car), head for the coast, and often find a place without planning months ahead. The gear was simpler, the campgrounds felt less crowded, and there was less emphasis on reservations, regulations, and schedules. A beach weekend could be as uncomplicated as a tent, a cooler, a camp stove, and a few friends.

Today, many of those same beaches are still beautiful, but camping there can feel more organized and competitive. Reservations disappear quickly, campsites are busier, and there are more rules to navigate. Some of that is understandable—Southern California has grown enormously, and the beaches are enjoyed by far more people—but something was lost along the way. Those earlier trips had a freedom and informality that is hard to reproduce now, and that may be why camping at the beach back then remains such a good memory.