Berkeley
Near downtown, this budget motel has a couple dozen good-sized rooms with platform beds, plus free parking. It's a good balance of budget and proximity to…
Must-see hotels in Northern California
Redding & Around
East of I-5 in Lakehead, at the north end of the lake, this very popular, family-oriented campground has cabins, a country store and a marina renting…
Marin County
This nicely renovated, clean, well-run motel won't wow you with creativity, but it's a fantastic deal, comfortable and conveniently located near central…
Limekiln State Park Campground
Big Sur
In southern Big Sur, this quiet state park has two-dozen campsites huddled under a bridge next to the ocean. Drinking water, fire pits and coin-op hot…
Northern Mountains
Clean but kind of barren RV park at the north end of the lake. There are cabins but all of them are for sale and it's unclear if any will be available for…
Marin County
Bayside marina motel with 36 rooms and a pool (unheated). When rates drop – Sunday through Thursday and in the winter from $150 – it’s one of the best…
Gold Country
Just off Hwy 4, half a mile from the center of town, this option has clean and modern motel rooms with a seasonal outdoor pool. Not so much personality…
Donner Memorial State Park Campground
Lake Tahoe
Brace yourself to camp near Donner Lake: this family-oriented campground has 138 campsites with flush toilets and hot pay showers.
Along Highway 101
Enjoying an unprepossessing location, bang in-between a gas station and Motel 6, this place is clean, if dated, with a 75ft pool, small fitness center and…
Brannan Island State Park Recreation Area Campgrounds
Sacramento & the Central Valley
A tidy facility in a protected wetland marsh provides drive-in and walk-in campsites. There's a hike-in log cabin with electricity that sleeps four; bring…
Napa
Impeccably kept rooms with generic furnishings in soft pastels. Ideal for conservative travelers. It's a 15-minute walk to downtown and has easy highway…
Redding & Around
Nice but tightly packed campground near the shore of Whiskeytown Lake. There's a parking lot for tent campers and you have to walk in a short distance to…
Carmel-by-the-Sea
With cheerful flowers decorating its exterior, this well-located motel across from Devendorf Park has cheapish rooms, some with gas fireplaces, and…
Sacramento
It's a kitschy treat to sleep aboard the Delta King, a 1927 paddle wheeler docked on the river in Old Sacramento. It lights up like a Christmas tree at…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
A first-come, first-served campground 15 miles east of Groveland. Each site has a picnic table and a campfire pit, and potable water and vault toilets are…
Russian River Area
Surrounded by pastureland 8 miles southeast in Valley Ford, this 19th-century, seven-room inn has good beds, great rates and a terrific roadhouse bar and…
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park Campground
Mt Shasta Region
The park campground has hot showers, bunk-bed cabins (bring your own sleeping bags) and campsites. It's open year-round, even when there's snow on the…
Central Coast
Dated two-story waterfront lodge with a kidney-shaped pool has an enviable waterfront setting inside the state park. Bicycle rentals available for guests.
Lake Tahoe
The closest campground is this nine-site, tent-only spot set among ponderosa and fir trees; amenities include flush toilets, picnic tables and fire rings.
Central Coast
Surrounded by peaceful gardens, this friendly East Village motel offers basic, tidy rooms, some with fireplaces and private creekside patios or balconies.
Mono Lake Region
The shady sites here are located among lodgepole pines. Amenities include vault toilets, drinking water, campfire rings, picnic benches and bear lockers.
Gold Country
An old-fashioned 1960s motel that offers a slice of highway life at bargain rates. It's a low-rise place with pine beds, TVs and barbecue grills outside.
West of I-5
A pleasant place to park the RV, with campsites beside the river bridge. It also rents travel trailers that sleep four people (bed linens not included).
Sacramento & the Central Valley
Right off the highway, this independent hotel isn't the Ritz but it's clean, serves breakfast and offers free bikes for guests. Rates double in June.
Northern Mountains
Enjoy all the standard KOA amenities: a playground, a deli and laundry facilities. It’s off Hwy 44 in Shingletown, about 20 miles west of the park.
Tuolumne Meadows Campground Reservation Office
Yosemite National Park
Go to this office near the Tuolumne Meadows campground entrance to check in or inquire about available sites.
Healdsburg
Four cute cottages tucked away on a side street near downtown Healdsburg. Ru's also has a three-bedroom farm worth checking out for bigger parties.
San Joaquin Valley
This secluded B&B, blending rustic character with luxurious comfort, is just north of town. Rooms with kitchens book up quickly in the summer.
Big Lagoon County Park Campground
North Coast & Redwoods
This county-run campground in a cypress grove beside Big Lagoon has first-come, first-served sites with flush toilets and coin-operated showers.
North Coast & Redwoods
A reliable low-budget option with spacious rooms, although they could do with a lick of paint. That said, the inn has the added plus of a pool.
Fremont Peak State Park Campground
Central Coast
A pretty but primitive 25-site campground with vault toilets (no water) is shaded by oak trees on a hilltop with distant views of Monterey Bay.
San Joaquin Valley
This is Fresno’s nicest option, with a lovely pool, big rooms and tons of amenities. Ask for a room with a fireplace to cuddle by in winter.
Central Coast
Stylish renovations have brought this two-story motel into the modern age. Every room has a gas fireplace, and it's a quick walk to the beach.
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
This quaint, white-shingled inn has a dozen tidy little rooms with pedestal sinks, high-end mattresses and country quilts covering the beds.
West of I-5
This clean family-run motel on the outskirts of town is a favorite with Pacific Crest Trail hikers and a good choice for anyone on a budget.
Mt Shasta Region
A good-value, locally owned motel with country charm. This is the best option near Lava Beds National Monument outside of Klamath Falls.
Central Coast
At this small, family-owned, 1950s motor court downtown, ultra-basic rooms mean prices that are almost as small as the outdoor pool.
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
A first-come, first-served campground 9 miles east of Groveland. It has vault toilets but potable water is only available in summer.
Best Western Plus Stevenson Manor
Calistoga
This entry-level business-class hotel feels generic, but has good extras, including a full hot breakfast and upstairs exercise room.
West of I-5
Great campsite for fishermen since it's right on the Trinity River. Sites have picnic tables and a fire ring but no potable water.
