Flight of the Lasers
(EVENT RENAMED)
Flight of Newport Beach
50+ year old event. Flight of Newport is a Southern California sail boat race near Newport Beach, CA
Annual event; July
flightofnewportbeach.com
Flight of the Lasers
(EVENT RENAMED)
50+ year old event. Flight of Newport is a Southern California sail boat race near Newport Beach, CA
Annual event; July
One day event. Downtown, Porterville.
Chili Cook-Off and Car Show. Arts and crafts, live music, vendors and food. 22 years and counting.
Annual event; April
Porterville Chamber of Commerce
559- 784-7502
Every August Ragle Ranch Park in Sebastopol, California provides a beautiful location for an annual celebration of Sonoma County agriculture. The Gravenstein Apple Fair, sponsored by Sonoma County Farm Trails, showcases the best in arts, crafts, food, wines and brews, games, entertainment and farm life activities.
Annual event; August
707-837-8896
Northern Gold Country, Grass Valley is the home to this huge event. California WorldFest features several stages of music & dance from around the world; Camping with family & friends, workshops, international food, local crafts, yoga. Celebrate mid-summer under the pine forests of the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Nevada County Fairgrounds
Annual event; July
Big Bear City Airport host a one day air show in the mountains of SoCal. The hot rodders like to show up too. This event is not running every year, so make sure to check their web site for the latest info and dates.
Annual event: August
4WD clubs / 4×4 off road / 4×4 vehicles / 4×4 club
Off roaders (with running rigs) can enjoy pre-planned back road trips with various 4×4 Groups in California:
The very best place to start searching for 4WD routes inside California — is right here on Total Escape. After you’ve narrowed it down to a general location, then buying a decent topo map is a necessity. We have extensive sections devoted to California back roads, SUV interests, OHV Parks, off road tour guides, and of course, offroad trail maps.
Dole sponsors the Great Race – one of the largest running events in the Los Angeles area.
The Great Race, located in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Angeles suburb of Agoura Hills, California.
Celebration of running that features six races including: the incredibly scenic Cheeseboro Half Marathon (mostly) Trail Race, the Deena Kastor 5K, Old Agoura 10K, Triple Challenge 10.3 Miles, 15K Combo and a 1 Mile Run.
Annual event; April
877-478-7223
Los Angeles County Fair is held several miles from downtown LA; at the Pomona Fairgrounds (off Interstate 10). Concerts, carnival rides & games, exhibits, horse shows, home & garden shows, arts & crafts. Big event for the county of Los Angeles.
NOTE 2022:
The LA Fair has permanently moved to the month of May
Annual event; May
909-623-3111
The Camarillo Fiesta Street Fair is renowned for the wide variety of entertainment and attractions. Big, local event which includes carnival rides, a street fair, petting zoo, concerts, and even an art show.
Annual event; July
Below are developed campgrounds in California that have walk-in camp spots available. Vehicles are parked and you must carry your gear into the camp site (usually a short distance, but can be up to a half mile).
California Campgrounds with more than a 1-mile trek are not included in this list below. Areas such as – Catalina Island, Crystal Cove SP, Angel Island SP, Point Reyes National Seashore, indeed have many hike-to camps, but most are measured in miles (one way).
walk in campsites are perfect for –
Walk in campsites are often located away from car campers & RVs. Some camp sites may have more privacy, tucked away in trees, while others have shared community area with fire pits and/or barbecues. All camp sites will have picnic tables and a some kinda toilet nearby. Bear boxes may be available for storing food properly. Sharing these food storage boxes with neighboring campers is common practice.
Campgrounds with walk-in sites range in elevation from sea level marshlands to high altitude alpine lakes. Most of these camps listed below are located inside developed campgrounds with overnight fees. Many are small campgrounds, while others are large hubs of activity. Some may be smaller campgrounds, with just a few camp sites. The most popular places can be reserved, with the links provided.
Many parks can also have day use fees, so know where you park and what time span is allowed. Ask the campground host if needing assistance. Some campgrounds lock their gates at sunset and do not permit entry at night. Others may not allow campers to check in anytime after sundown. Know their rules before you make reservations.
If you plan on not making camp reservations; make sure to have a plan B or C choice camp – in case your desired campground is already full. Many popular destinations can fill up fast (by noon in the summer).
Andrew Molera State Park, Beach access, North Big Sur Coast
Anthony Chabot Regional Park, East Bay San Francisco
Aspen Grove Campground, Eagle Lake, CA
Austin Creek SRA, Armstrong Redwoods, Guerneville CA
Azalea Cove Campground, Union Valley Reservoir
Bear Campground, North Angeles National Forest
Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Santa Cruz Mountains
Black Rock Campground, Little Grass Valley Reservoir
Blue Lake Campground, PG&E 4×4 @ i80 Donner Pass, Truckee, CA
Boise Creek Campground, Six River National Forest
Bottchers Gap Campground, North Big Sur Mountains
Butano State Park, Pescadero, Santa Cruz Mountains
Butler Creek Camp, Prairie Creek Redwood SP
Carr Campground, i80 Donner Pass, Truckee, CA
Cherry Hill Campground, Butte Creek, Lassen National Forest
Chilcoot Campground, Frenchman Lake, Plumas NF
China Camp State Park, SF @ San Pablo Bay, San Rafael
Chula Vista Campground @ Mount Pinos, Los Padres NF
Clear Lake State Park, North Wine Country, Kelseyville CA
Cold Springs Campground, Mineral King @ Sequoia NP
Cool Springs Campground, PG&E Camp, Butt Valley Reservoir
Cottonwood Pass / Cottonwood Lakes
on Horseshoe Meadow Rd, PCT Eastern Sierra @ Lone Pine
Dark Day Campground, New Bullards Bar Reservoir, N Sierra
Donner Memorial State Park, Interstate 80 @ Truckee CA
Dry Lagoon Walk-In, Humboldt Lagoons State Park
Dry Gulch Campground, Sierra NF @ El Portal
18 mi from Yosemite Valley
El Capitan State Beach, North Santa Barbara Coast
Gaviota State Park Campground, North Santa Barbara Coast
Glory Hole Campground @ New Melones Reservoir, Gold Co
Granite Flat Campground, Truckee River @ Lake Tahoe
Gualala Point Park, 6 sites @ Gualala River, Sonoma Co Park
Half Moon Bay State Beach Campground, Half Moon Bay
Headquarters Campground, Salton Sea SRA @ Mecca CA
Henry W Coe State Park, Santa Cruz Mountains
(wilderness permits required)
Horseshoe Meadow, Cottonwood Pass trailhead, Inyo NF
Intake Campground, Bishop Creek, Eastern Sierra
Jackson Flat Walk-In Camp PCT @ Angeles NF
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Campground, NorCal
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur Coast
Kidd Lake Group Campground, PG&E @ i80 Donner Pass, Truckee, CA Kayak, canoe, hike-in camp sites
Kirby Cove @ Golden Gate National Recreation Area
5 tent camp sites on a bluff over the mouth of San Francisco Bay; reservations required
Klamath National Forest –
small campsites on a river
Lassen National Park – Southwest Campground 6700′ elev.
Liberty Glen Campground @ Lake Sonoma Recreation Area
Limekiln State Park Campground, Hwy 1 Big Sur Coastline
Lone Rock Campground @ Union Valley Reservoir
MacKerricher State Park Campground, Mendocino Coast
Macumber Reservoir, PG&E Camp, West of Lassen NP
Manresa State Beach Campground, Monterey Bay
Marmot Rock Walk-In Camp, Courtright Reservoir
Mary Smith Campground @ Lewiston Lake, Trinity River
McCabe Flat Campground BLM @ Merced River Yosemite
Merced Recreation Area, Merced River, Mariposa CA
3 small, developed campgrounds on dirt road
Briceburg, Yosemite Hwy 140
Mesa Campground, Silverwood Lake SRA, Cajon Pass (I-15)
Mill Creek Campground @ Bucks Lake, Plumas NF
Mill Creek Campground, Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP
Montana de Oro State Park, Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo
Mosquito Flat Trailhead Camp, One night limit! Camp is for backpackers heading into back country at the end of Rock Creek Road, Inyo NF
Niagra Creek Campground, OHV 4×4 trails, Stanislaus NF
North Battle Creek Reservoir, PG&E Camp, West of Lassen
North Grove Campground, Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Oak Bottom Campground @ Whiskeytown Reservoir NRA
(*wildfire 2018)
Onion Valley Campground, Eastern Sierra @ Independence, CA
Pantoll Campground, Mount Tamalpais State Park, Marin
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Campground, Big Sur Coast
Pigeon Flat Campground, Stanislaus River, Dardanelle CA
Pomo Canyon Walk-In Camp, Sonoma Coast State Beach
Portola Redwoods State Park, Santa Cruz Mountains
Prather Meadows Camp, Bunny Flat @ Mount Shasta
Providence Mountains SRA @ Mitchell Cavern, Mojave
Railroad Flat Campground BLM @ Merced River
Briceburg Yosemite Hwy 140
Redwood National Park, NorCal Coast
(no reservations, no fees. open all year)
Refugio State Beach, North Santa Barbara Coast
Rock Creek Campground, Eel River @ Standish-Hickey SRA
Roxie Peconom Campground, Bizz Johnson Trail, W Susanville
Rucker Lake Campground, PG&E @ i80 Donner Pass, Truckee, CA
Russian Gulch State Park Campground, Mendocino Coast
San Clemente State Beach, Orange County Coast
Sanborn Campground, Skyline County Park, Saratoga CA
Sand Flat Campground, Clark Fork, Carson Icerberg Wilderness
Sawmill Walk-In Campground, 9800′ elev @ Tioga Pass, E Yosemite
Silver Creek Campground, Truckee River @ Tahoe
Southfork Recreation Camp, south shore @ Lake Isabella, CA
Southwest Walk-In Camp, 6700′ elev @ Lassen Volcanic NP
Squaw Leap Campground, San Joaquin River, Auberry CA
Stillwater Cove Regional Park, N of Fort Ross, Sonoma Coast
Table Mountain Group Camp, Bishop Creek Canyon, Inyo NF
Tahoe National Forest
Donner Area Camping Lakes
NFS 530-265-4531
Toad Lake Walk In Camp, PCT @ Shasta National Forest
Tuolumne Meadows Camp, Yosemite National Park
(reservations & wilderness permits required)
Union Reservoir Walk In Camps, Arnold CA
Union Valley Reservoir – Eldorado National Forest
Van Damme Redwoods State Park, Mendocino Coast
Walker Pass Campground, PCT, East of Lake Isabella CA
Whitney Portal Trailhead Camp, Mount Whitney, Eastern Sierra
Willow Placer Campground BLM, Merced River Recreation Area
Briceburg Yosemite Hwy 140
Woodside Campground, Salt Point State Park, Sonoma Coast
Walk in campgrounds are considered ‘tent camping‘, as opposed to ‘car camping‘, which is literally camping next to your vehicle. This type of hike-in camping may also be referred to as ‘trailhead camping‘, as many ideal hikes begin at these prime locations. Boat-in, bike-in or hike-in camp sites are also available at some of these locations.
The Oakland Black Cowboy Association is best known for the Black Cowboy Parade & Festival, the only celebration of its kind in the U.S.A. This parade is held in memory of the black cowboys that helped to settle the American West.
Annual event; October
One day event
Mid summer in Northern Cal & the small town of Gasquet, near Klamath River, is holding its annual rafting celebration.
Race or not. Decorated rafts, floating, paddling the middle fork of the Smith River, all the way from the Horace Gasquet Bridge to Shady Bend Park. July is the time for fun in the sun & the water, with BBQ, local breweries featuring their stuff, craft vendors, plus tons of fun for the families. 52+ years running!
Gasquet Raft Race
707-457-3064
Annual event: July
Tulare is located in the California Central Valley (the “bread basket”) – so summers can still be quite warm, or should we say HOT, even in September.
Big county fair for this farming region. Agriculture shows, auctions, destruction derby, exhibits, competitions, 4H livestock, parade, rodeo, tractor pull and much more. Don’t miss the delicious Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler Cook-Off and the Tri-Tip Cook-Off. Carnival rides and carnival games too.
Annual event; September
Tulare County Fair Assoc.
620 South K St.
Tulare, CA 93274
559-686-4707
Annual event: December
Calistoga, CA
707-942-6333
Lighted Tractor Parade is an old-fashioned, small-town Christmas celebration in Napa Valley’s wine country. Family fun for everyone!
This event is held twice a year & sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce. Held in Downtown Lodi, this is a one-day event focusing on food and vendors.
The Street Faire takes up a 14-square block area of Lodi. Over 500 vendors participate in this bi-annual event, selling antiques, arts & crafts and commercial items.
While shopping, visitors can satisfy their appetite with their choice from 25 food vendors offering everything from hamburgers, to hot dogs, sausages, to pizza. Mexican, Chinese and Filipino dishes are also available for those craving a more international fare. And, no faire is complete without sweet treats and cold drinks.
Bi-annual event; May & October
209-367-7840
This event has been running over 25 years now. This Original Lobster Festival has become a tradition to over thousands of festival goers annually.
The event combines local popular artists, Swing, Salsa, R&B/Motown, Decades 70s/80s Dance Bands. Plus tons of Fresh Live Maine Lobsters steamed in the World’s Largest Cooker prepared and served by a Master Chef for that mouth watering taste, giant food court, children’s area, dance floor, two stages and beach bars to create the largest Lobster Festival outside of Maine.
Fountain Valley Sports Park
16400 Brookhurst Street
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Annual event: September
562-495-5959
San Diego hosts a Latin American Festival to celebrate Hispanic culture. People can take in a variety of demonstrations, entertainment, & feast on Mexican cuisine at this free weekend event.
Bazaar del Mundo’s annual festival presents one of the nation’s most extensive collections of authentic Mexican folk art, traditional clothing and textiles, colorful collectibles and dazzling jewelry, plus entertainment and Mexican cuisine.
Annual event; August
619-296-3161
Bazaar del Mundo
Old Town San Diego
This long running beach block party is always held on the extended Memorial Day Weekend – kicking off the summer months. 3 days of live music, art, food & fun.
Annual event; May
Calabasas Pumpkin Festival is a lively street fair along Lost Hills Road; Games & Rides at Juan Bautista De Anza Park, 3701 Lost Hills Rd, Calabasas, California
Annual event; October
818-222-5680
This cycling event has now morphed into multiple events at various locations.
Annual charity bike ride where folks ride a few hundred miles over days, learn about clean energy, support a great cause, and have fun cycling. Bike route changes every year.
San Francisco Bay Area / Santa Cruz Mountains
Redwood Glen, Loma Mar, CA
Annual event: May