Lawson’s Landing

Super nice setting. Very overpriced for the accommodations. I would have been very happy with the lack of amenities for about $ 20 less a night. Perhaps now that the permanent residents have moved out, the owners will be more reasonable with prices. Sites have a table and fire pit, water and dump station on premises. No electricity or wifi.
Beautiful private beach, and sites right on the water, which is great except during times of high wind.

There are rude staffs that are CASH COWS! I went here with my friend. The place is dirty and its staff make it look like a 3^rd world country. They charge HUNDREDS (!!!), after you return something you rented!!! This place is not recommended to anyone, especially kids! Don’t come, I guarantee you that it will be a waste of your own money and time!

Love love love this Beautiful location !! We brought our bikes to ride around between bbq-​ing but definitely bringing the canoe next time to be on the water. Bring your wood as they supply a fire pit at each spot. Mini market on location incase you forget small items. Quick drive over the hill to Bodega Bay.
Can’t wait to go back

Awful customer service!!! The lady at the front check in counter was extremely rude, the bathrooms are dirty and the camp sites are way too small. This was our first and last time camping here, we do not recommend staying here.

Every time I stay at a private campground, I’m reminded that I’m more of a state campground kind of guy. The lady at the entrance gate was incredibly rude. We had two cars and said there was not enough parking for a second car. We even asked if we could pay extra for the second car — the answer was no. There was TONS of parking.
Campsites are incredibly close to one another — basically separated by a rope or a log. Lots of rowdy people up late at night. On the other end of the spectrum, families screaming outside at 6:30am.
I get it. It’s a family place. But if you’re an «in the woods» kind of camper, you’d be better suited elsewhere.

Stayed in spot 729 down on the sea wall
Drove through what looked like the set of The Walking Dead to get there. This was the permanent rv site in the middle of the campground that you can’t miss.
Facilities … Zero. Unless you count porta potties. Everything is either boarded up or broken, including the road.
Ambiance…not much and sites are way too close to each other.
Scenery… Impressive.
I don’t expect much from a campsite but this place is a hell hole.

We just starting going to Lawson’s Landing last year and have returned multiple times since. It’s an excellent location for camping and hanging out by a campfire under the stars chatting with friends. The beach is just a few steps over the dunes where you can enjoy the water or just the sunsets on the beach. Lawson’s Landing has definitely become one of my favorite destinations on the coast to camp.

Review for tent camping–
Great spot I imagine if you came in an RV and didn’t need to use their facilities. We tent camped for 2 nights on the sea wall and had no complaints other than the bathrooms. I would gladly pay $ 20 extra a night if they had decent bathrooms and a shower. The porta pottys are absolutely disgusting! I think I’d rather go out in the fields with the cows than use those bathrooms.

I’ve been coming to this place since 2014 and to be honest, my friends and I always have a great time! I can’t think of any place that lets you camp so close to the water. Granted– the entire place is a little run down, I still love it. They have port-​a-​potties that seem to be cleaned pretty regularly. The only problem is that some people come here and are incredibly trashy. For the most part, all of the neighbors I’ve had while camping were very nice, and respectable. This last time I came, our group was next to a rather large party-​they were very inebriated the entire time, which is fine. People go camping to get a break and I get it, but when it gets to the point that you’re urinating all over your campsites when the port-​a-​potties are literally 30 ft from your site– you need to have a morality check. We were lucky enough to grab a sea wall site which puts you up right next to the water and our neighbors were so drunk that both the men and women would just piss over the siding. The camp host did give them a noise warning the next day and they were a bit more quiet the following night but you can’t expect much when the sites are so close together.
All in all, if you bring everything you need, you won’t need to bother with the over priced store. The sites are a little cramped but honestly, if you’re looking for solitude, try and plan your trip earlier in the year around January or February.
My friends and I will definitely be returning to this place as often as we can!

We love to come out to Dillon whenever we have a chance! Camping in a grassy field is so nice and we love that we can reserve several spots close together with friends and not feel separated like at other campgrounds. I do not recommend tent camping at the Seawall, stick to the Meadow!
The property is owned by the Lawson family and they are actively working on improving the property… I sorta wish they would just leave it alone so that it doesn’t book up like all the other sites in the area.

We made reservations during the Easter weekend for a site near the water. When we arrived and saw the filthy, old beat up trailers, years worth of junk and garbage and a RV space in the middle of a gravel lot I couldn’t have been more disappointed! We asked to be moved to the meadow area, but the campground was full. If you do stay here… stay in the meadow area which is a good distance from what looks like an old beat up Mobile home park.

I’ve been vacationing in Dillon Beach with my family since I was a toddler, but I’d never stayed at Lawson’s Landing. Being coastal camping enthusiasts, my husband and I thought we would finally try this place. Mind you, we’ve camped up and down California and Oregon, car camping and backpacking. We checked in (the lady at the front was super friendly and lovely, which makes me feel a bit bad about leaving a one-​star review) and started driving through the campground to find our site. Holy moly. RV’s everywhere, crammed into every available space. Lots of the trailers are permanent and totally run down. When we found the «tent» camping, I was convinced it was a mistake. It was literally a patch of grass sandwiched between two dirt/​gravel roads. No fire pit, not even room to park our car AND pitch our tent. It honestly looked like a tent city. Permanent bathrooms were closed down and only portapotties were available (again, we go backpacking, I’m not opposed to roughing it, but I do not appreciate unsanitary toilets to be my only option). We got out of our car, looked around, and got right back in. We spent the day at Dillon Beach instead and decided to just drive home instead of staying the night.
This place is not a campground and is not designed for people who enjoy the peacefulness of tent camping. It’s an RV party town, as far as I could see. If you’re looking to enjoy tent camping, give your money to support the National Parks Service and try Coast Camp in Point Reyes across the bay or make the extra drive to MacKerricher in Mendocino.

Great camping right on the water! It was quiet and has two dump stations with water. Cows are everywhere so watch where you walk…

It disgusts me that this place makes SO MUCH MONEY, and does not fix anything! The roads are ridiculous, like a 3^rd world country! tHE ONLY THING TO CHANGE SINCE THE 80’S IS THE PRICE!
The camp sites are super close together, and not private. iF YOU GO ON A WEEKEND, BRING EAR PLUGS, AND A BREATHING MASK!
Bring $ 1,000,000.00 in case you forget anything, because the stores in the area charge so much for stuff it should be illegal! a $ 10 wal mart ozark trail sleeping bag will set you back $ 50 + tax if you need it! t Everything is at least double. Just a small site that you share with the cows, and RVs will cost 40/​night on a week-​day! (not sure about weekends)
Whoever owns this property has a serious CASH COW, and there not giving it up to the state (to make it better), or fixing anything, or improving anything! Its the most ghetto nice area ever.
The dock has been the same since about 1980, and is shakey. Rails are short, and not safe for kids!!!
Some (actually most) of the trailers are permanent parked residents, and just look like something out of the 8mile movie in the trailer park. (not a great beach scene)
When we showed up there power was out, so they said we had to set up camp (and our chosen site was ok, and available), and come back at 5pm to pay (too lazy to right it down), then when we return at 5, they said our site was taken, and we had to move! They made us pay for 2 nights to make sure we would have it (bare in mind this was a wed. and they were only 10% full), so we pay for 2 nights @ 40/​night. In the morning we decided it sucked, and wanted to leave by 7:30am, and they refused to refund the 2^nd night. (I would understand if it was packed, but it was empty) –they made us pay for 2, then at 7:30 am said «sorry no refunds». We feel like we got jacked!
Every time you enter, or leave you will have to get out of your car, open a gate, drive through, and get back out, and close the gate because of the cows! THEY CAN AFFORD A CAMERA SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE YOU SHUT IT, BUT CANT AFFORD A AUTOMATIC GATE???
It pisses me off that this is a beautiful beach, and area, but because the owners are too greedy, and lazy, its a complete waste of land!
IF YOUR READING THIS OWNER PEOPLE «SELL IT TO THE STATE, PLEASE, YOUR DEPRIVING THE PUBLIC OF A GREAT BEACH, YOUVE MADE ENOUGH CASH, RETIRE!»
If you want to visit Dillon beach after dark, you must pay to camp here (40) and walk ½ mile back to the beach. This area is all Jacked up! Wasted potential… Sucks
This is a last resort vacation.

First of all this is a camper ground, not a camp ground. Meaning, camper trailers and RVs, not Tents.

I’m going to go average for this campsite. I don’t disagrees with the other reviews, but…
Pro’s:
I was there in December and the camping was pretty much empty.
If you stay in the ‘parking lot’ (the ground is dirt and gravel) campsite the view is epic and you are feet away from a beautiful shoreline and the ocean.
Great access to crabbing and clamming.
They have fresh water spigots — a lot of campsites don’t these days because of the drought.
They have port-​a-​potties (sorry everyone else but even epic campsite don’t have toilets. Get an RV or stay in a hotel if this is a priority).
I found the people with whom I spoke, Willy, and another guy that seemed like an owner, helpful and friendly. Got a great clam cake recipe from the ‘other guy.‘
I actually had 4G coverage.
Con’s:
The high winds, but that’s not their fault — get a weather forecast. I had to tie my tent to my car, the picnic table and the fence because the sandy nature of the parking lot didn’t hold stakes well.
The parking lot nature of the site, but I’ve seen worse in Half Moon Bay.
The fire pits were in disrepair. No grates on them, bring your own; plus a wind break or forget making a fire.
The snooty local beach parking lot run by Dillion Beach Resort charges $ 8 to park.
The store and entire Lawson’s Landing area were pretty run down.
The permanent RV’s were dumpy but I camped far enough away from them that it didn’t bother me.

Keep driving: The tent campgrounds are covered in cow dung! it was totally uncool to arrive on a Friday night with a big group of kids and step around these piles. Lots of RVs with noisy generators running past 10pm and outhouses for «washrooms». The campgrounds are not labeled very well and there are no fire rings. The «welcome» at the entrance was barely civil and they charge $ 20 extra per car (watchout for small print!). You can enjoy great beaches on the Pacific Coast without having to deal with this mess.

Made a reservation online this morning for tonight. We made it out there and the weather conditions were terrible and windy.
The lady at the front wasn’t overly friendly but friendly enough.
We managed to finally find our campsite at the end where the sea wall is. I stupidly thought this was like beach front but it’s not at all. It’s a gravel parking lot basically. We pulled in, decided to drive to the beach and watch the sunset.
We never went back to the campsite. It was so ugly and like a parking lot that we decided we would rather drive 2 ½ hours home instead of camp there in our tent.
At least we got to see the sunset?

Great beach camping and awesome crabbing! Love the meadow with grass camp sites and the dunes to protect you from the wind. Wish there were hookups but bring your generator and you will be fine. Premium pull through sites are large enough for a huge trailer, 2 cars and 4 to 5 tents. Yes, there are cows depending on time of year that you go. Was there in August last year and didn’t see a cow or a cow patty. Went this year at the end of September and we had cows and cow patties. Make sure to bring a shovel so you can shovel cow poop out of your site! And, put your food and snacks away or the cows will walk into your sight in the evening/​after dark and eat your goodies!!!

It’s such a beautiful area, but do not go there to camp. They give priority to Huge RV’s and do not separate out the two from each other. We literally had to sleep between two massive RV’s with generators — at least they have quiet hour after 10, but that doesn’t work well if you have kids that need to go to bed before then.
It was extremely sad to witness they chose $$ and loud RV partiers, over what could be an amazing and beautiful get away spot.
I would return to go back for a day pass to put kayaks in the water or to rent a boat from the landing area, but camping there is out of the question. Never again.
In fact… let me add, because I probably have not really been harsh and honest enough here, that this is hands down the worst car camping experience I’ve every been through. The filthy portapotties, and the fact that this is such a pristine amazing location right at the mouth of Tamales bay, it just makes no sense.
They need a new owner, or someone that has a clue about what it means to enjoy the outdoors, and how to take care of the environment they should be protecting.
There was actually a Semi on the meadow 4 campsites down from ours. I should have taken a picture… but really, who wants to take a picture of a Semi 4 doors down from their campsite.

Fun place to camp but the A-​holes who run the place are rude! Nothing worse than giving your money to trash who treat people with disrespect for no reason.

Came to Dillion Beach to camp for the weekend for as much as they charge they should have better amenities porta potty which the gentleman piss all over gross out hmmmm no hot water it call dry camping next time I will go with anyone it had to have water cleaner bathroom & showers yup yup… If it was to celebrate my Sis Birthday I would have come… MGMT here friendly but come on consider what sanitary for the kids that come… Please look at review before coming, I will never be back I go to Santa Cruz Beach Area

The Positives
The staff was friendly and let us change our camp site. Dillon’s Beach is pretty; great for walks, exercise, and playing in the water.
The Negatives
It is camping in a cow pasture. Cow pies everywhere and cows roamed thorough the camp site. Cows start roaming at 6:00a and is quite unsettling.
Do not choose camp sites near the Marina (V). Permanent campers/​Trailer park makes for over-​crowding; you feel like you’re in a parking lot.
The Meadow camp sites are better but still cowpies, cows, loud neighbors, and weather — the wind blew 20 – 25 mph which doesn’t make for fun camping.
Parking fees of $ 20.00 per night are excessive. You can have 10 individuals per camp site but only one car. That’s not reasonable.

If your kids are chill tent camping is fine. It does get windy but if you park your car next to your tent your fine. Great crabbing. Great people run the campground and bait shop. My wallet fell in the ocean about two seasons ago while I was crabbing. About a year later Lawson’s landing sent it to me in the mail. Apparently a diver had found it. It just shows what great people they are.

Expensive for what you get. Would go back only if I was certain of the weather and light crowds.
On a nice day it’s a very convenient location to experience Dillon Beach — which is awesome on a clear day.
But as other reviewers have noted, this is not the place for a quaint, charming car camping experience.
We drove in on a foggy fri afternoon with a little hesitation because you have to pass a few trailer camps on the way to the shoreline spots. And yes, the cows. The cows and raccoons were roaming and foraging for food in the early morning (so don’t leave anything out.)
Fortunately it wasn’t packed but the majority of guests are driving huge RVs and trailers which means generators are running and it’s going to be noisy as they spend the time setting up their trailers.
People are friendly though so don’t judge by perception.
Also no bathrooms/​showers. Just portable toilets which they cleaned regularly.
Note also that this is way out in Tomales Bay so your not going to get very good mobile signal and you’re phone will drain out fast.

If you like «parking lot camping» with smelly porta potties and disgusting, reeking, overflowing garbage bins… well this would be your place. Oh wait, I forgot the cow pies everywhere and dilapidated residential trailers that you have to drive through to get to your spot. I don’t understand how anyone could possibly call this camping… We stayed at the sea wall spots and that’s all that it is a «spot» the sites are so crammed next to each other that it’s just like being in a parking lot, only worse because you have to pay for it. These owners pack in the campers like sardines and could certainly afford to put in a decent restroom instead of the disgusting porta-​potties that are conveniently located next to the smelly trash. I never used them, but could certainly smell them! This family owned business apparently feels they are above the environmental law and the garbage flows straight into the ocean. There are no camp hosts that monitor anything or anybody.
I forgot to mention the music… Loud, dueling campers, music… And barking dogs everywhere! Won’t be camping there again ever… The only thing good I can say about this place, is that the woman that checked us in was nice, perhaps the rude people that others have posted about, were sick that day. That’s it. The rest is disgusting. Not camping at all… Not even close! You’ve been warned… Stay away, don’t waste your money… it’s disgusting,

As others have noted, this SHOULD be one of the most beautiful spots in California to camp. It really COULD be, if it wasn’t woefully mismanaged.
We arrived around dusk, and quickly realized we’d have to weave around massive cow patties as we set up the tent. Everything we did — where we stored the firewood, where we sat, where we pitched the tent — revolved around the poop minefield scattered around every inch of these camping sites. That was disappointing (and gross) enough, but once the fire was going, beer was flowing, and sea breeze rippling through the camp, we decided to let all that go and reset.
Until our midnight visitor. At almost exactly midnight, a massive cow mooed right next to our tent. I don’t know if you’ve ever had a cow moo directly in your ear with nothing separating you but a centimeter of plastic, but trust me it wakes you up. BIG TIME. We spent the next 30 minutes shooing the cow away. As we did, we realized people all around the campground were still partying and paying no heed to the quiet hours.
We managed to somehow go to sleep and in the morning, we woke to a scene that took me back to my trips to India. Cows everywhere. Right next to our tent, in the road, meandering through campsites, nuzzling through trash.
It’s disappointing. This place could be exceptional. It has all the components: amazing scenery, close proximity to the city, space, privacy, etc. If it was maintained better (and de-​cowed) I am certain it would be sold out every weekend all year long.
As it is, moooooo-​ve on. Sleep elsewhere, even if you have to tuck newspaper in your jacket and sleep in an alley.

First time here crab fishing and although we weren’t successful, it was pretty fun. Dungeness crabbing season started a couple weeks ago and wish we were able to catch more. Some guys yesterday caught several big Dungeness but overall the inventory was a little low this weekend. We were able to catch a couple perch that were about 2 ft long.
This is a nice spot but it does get crowded so get here early to secure a nice spot!

Nasty. Cows roaming over all the sites with cow poop everywhere. And baby that’s just the beginning. Barely marked sites so close you wouldn’t believe. In addition no one enforces the rules so music and partying go on all night. If you expect these yahoos to self monitor forget it. Dogs running around without leashes, people barfing in the bushes and loud music at a lot of campsites all day and all night. There are about 5 families with us who had been coming here for years. Never again.
We can’t believe what this place has been turned into. Generators running half the night, why have rules when no one enforces them? Barking dogs…
I guess they are looking for the 20 something partying people. Good luck with that. This is one of the worst places we have ever camped at… ever. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Not often I go out of my way to write a negative review.
But Lawson Landing went above and beyond to ensure the information that I impart here.
Actually, I signed up to Unilocal so that I might share this information with others.
Last night, while on a small bicycle tour, my girlfriend and I cycled over an immense amount of hills to get to Dillon Beach and camp at Lawson Landing.
We were exhausted when we got there, and found out that they had no showers.
Because they were the only game in town, and we weren’t about to pedal the mass of hills back to Highway 1… I figured we’d just bite the bullet and pay the $ 30.00 to tent camp.
That might have been the end of it had we not been delivered to what was little more than a patch of garbage-​strewn dirt equipped with porta-​potties (or the choice of long walk to dilapidated bathrooms) without showers.
I wouldn’t have even written this note had it not been the fact that we had to spend the entire evening watching styrofoam, plastic bags, bottles, and cardboard from the campgrounds overflowing dumpsters blow straight into what is otherwise the pristine waters of Tomales Bay.
When we mentioned this to the folks at the gate, (Whom I might add, were less than friendly) … they just shrugged and said, «we had a really busy weekend.»
Which to me translates to «we are either too lazy» .or… «We are more interested in profits than keeping the area clean.»
Whatever the case… there is absolutely no excuse for allowing overflowing dumpsters to send garbage into Tomales Bay.
I’m sorry, but that’s just unacceptable in most anybodies book.
Honestly, if your reading this, I’d discourage you to stay at Lawson Landing until they clean up their act.
Honestly.
To the people running this campground…
C’mon folks. You have such a great little strip of land in such a unique and environmentally sensitive area.
You can do better.
Seriously.
r

This was my first time camping here in over 10 years. I love the area, and we lucked out on really good weather!
I am giving it 3 stars because it isn’t necessarily the nicest campsite I’ve ever been to. I feel like they should upgrade and get some bathroom facilities or showers instead of porta potties. This place is always packed! It’s not like they can’t afford building one!
That leads me to my next ughhhh moment, the camp sites are so small it’s like you are stacked on top one another. And since we like to listen to country music and drink until late night, that wasn’t really happening there because we would disturb neighbors.
Overall, I would go back again. Just because it’s right by the beach and the beach is so pretty. However, they could make some improvements to the site.

What a stinking dump…$ 35 for a tent site and this list of disgust.
IF I COULD GIVE MULTIPLE NEGATIVE STARS I WOULD-​****
*Bathrooms filthy (outhouses) Looked like it wasn’t cleaned for days and days.
*Clean Water source questionable.
*Cesspool around water source.
*Rude staff and maintenance man.
Uncaring if there was a health hazard at the water source area which was surrounded by filthy grey water that smelled like a sewer.
DON’T GO HERE… KEEP DRIVING… RUDE UNCARING EMPLOYEES.
I am reporting them to the Marin County Health Department.
Update will follow.

I’ve loved this place for so many years, and was delighted to find it just as magical as I’d remembered! We stayed for one night in M17 (awesome they have designated sites and an online reservation system now!) and our camp was lovely, clean, and surrounded by delightful neighboring campers a comfortable distance away. I brought my boyfriend and my daughter, who were both first-​timers to Lawson’s Landing, and was excited to share one of my favorite spots with them. I have to admit, since it’s been a few years since my last visit, the negative Unilocal reviews made me raise an eyebrow — but I kept the faith, and so glad I did! It’s still super fun, friendly, and beautiful! :-D

This place isn’t what it used to be. My family spent four nights camping here. So my perspective is from camp sites N7 and N8. When we first drove up were very disappointed. We are lucky that we got there early because our site didn’t have a fire ring or a table so we were able to poach those pretty easily. There are burn rings everywhere because people are able to move the rings where they want and if there isn’t a ring they want you to just burn on the grass so the site has a ton of chared areas. They have closed off massive portions of the area and are no longer aloud to camp in those areas. If you haven’t been there since the change I recommend a day trip to check out the sites to see if your still interested in staying.
On a positive note, the portapotties are actually pretty clean. The beach is still beautiful and isn’t the worst place I’ve camped.