Newport Dunes Camping
Check out the RV and tent opportunities at this popular Newport Beach, CA resport
If you like non-rustic, resort-style camping, then Newport Dunes Camping might be just right for you!Newport Dunes is set in the beautiful oceanside Southern California town of Newport Beach. This Orange County city, part of the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, is quite the posh suburb. Large, expensive homes dot the hillsides, beautiful landscaping is everywhere, and you can shop for car brands like Rolls Royce, Bentley and Jaguar within minutes of your campsite!
In fact, there are many reasons you'd WANT to camp at the Newport Dunes RV Resort...and not very many reasons why you WOULDN'T. The resort is full of amenities. It sits on a lovely, waveless bay. There is a gated entry, and security personnel "on the watch" 24 hours a day. Winter campers will appreciate the fact that Newport Dunes is set down in a "hollow," which means that the always-blowing ocean breezes (which get quite chilly on winter evenings) just don't blow past the campsites here, as much as they do at other California beach campgrounds. Newport Dunes is also quiet---no trains passing by nor planes zooming overhead, as is the case with some of the other Southern California beach camp spots.
On the minus side, camping at Newport Dunes is expensive. Plus, if you really had wanted on-the-ocean camping, you won't find it at Newport Dunes. This RV resort sits on a BAY, not on the Pacific Ocean itself. Another minus is that, when compared to mountain-style camping, the camp spots are "squished together." (On the other hand, compared to all the other beach campgrounds, the "packed like sardines" nature of the experience isn't any different at Newport Dunes than anywhere else in Southern California.)
Newport Dunes Camping -- Hefty Fees!
You're probably used to seeing information about a campground's rates at the END of an article...along with other details such as addresses and phone numbers. Well...in the case of Newport Dunes, the camping fees and prices are so far out of kilter with other Southern California beach camping alternatives nearby, that you really need to know how much you'll be expected to pay BEFORE you get all excited about this camping ground's wonderful amenities. There's no way around the fact that camping at Newport Dunes can be outrageously expensive.Since most people think about camping in the summer months, I'll start by listing the Newport Dunes prices for the "high season" months. (These are the daily rates.)
*Small Sites, (22 ft. x 25 ft.)...$64 and up. These are the sites which you MUST select if you're using a tent. These are located the farthest away from the bay front, and back up to a fence (beyond which is a mobile home park.) You can see an example of a small camping pace in the photo (below on this page) of a tent sitting in its campsite.
*Large Sites and Preferred Sites, (both 25 ft x 40 ft.)...$89 to $95 and up. What they call "large" and "preferred" camp sites, I simply choose to call the "regular" campsites within the park...those which actually make up the bulk of the camping sites.
*Partial View Sites, (25 ft x 40 ft)...$130 and up. These sites are no bigger than other campsites; they just catch a glimpse of the bayfront.
*Beachfront Sites and Supersites, (both 25 ft x 50 ft)...$180 and up. Note that this price is for one night only, not "per week." So, you see, that if you truly want to enjoy some beachside camping at Newport Dunes, you'll be shelling out as much (or more) money as if you had gone to a nice motel or hotel elsewhere.
Make no mistake, though: People ARE clamoring to camp at Newport Dunes, despite the high camping fees. Very few empty spaces can be found at the Newport Dunes Camping Grounds on a typical summer evening. I'd strongly urge you to make reservations if you'll be visiting Newport Dunes during the busy summer months.
*Small RV or Tent Camp Site, $55 and up
*Large/Preferred RV Camping Sites, $59/61 and up
*Partial View RV Camp Sites, $81 and up
*Beachfront RV Camp Sites, $91 and up.
You may also want to consider using the park's monthly camping rates, which will lower your camping fees considerably if you desire to stay for a longer period of time. You are allowed to stay at Newport Dunes Camping Park for 5 1/2 months at a stretch without moving your vehicle. After this length of time you must move your vehicle away from the campground for at least 7 days before coming back. All vehicles must be maintained in rust-free condition (which is surprisingly hard to do when living at the beach...) and must keep current license plates and registration.
Newport Dunes Campsites
In the photo to your left, you see one of the prime, bayfront camping spaces at the Newport Dunes RV Park. Typically, these spaces are rented by rich campers in late-model, class A RV's...which makes sense. Considering that there are a limited number of bayside sites...and that the prices for these campsites starts at $180/night in the summer high season...only those who don't care how they spend their money will take them. Yet, there are plenty of rich folks around, because these waterfront campsites are indeed popular.If you subscribe to RV camping magazines or buy RV campground directories, you may have already seen a photo of a Newport Dunes campsite which looks very similar to this photo that I took. That's because, of course, these plush camp spots are the very ones that Newport Dunes wants to show off...and the very spots that give this camping resort the money to take out the many ads that they do!
In the photo to your right, you see what an "average" camping site at Newport Dunes looks like." There are several hundred spots (out of their 376 campsites) at Newport Dunes which look just like this one. No, you may not have seen a photo like this in one of the Newport Dunes ads...because, while they're not bad campsites, they're not camping spots that a resort would particularly want to show off.
You'll note that each camp site is surrounded on both sides and to the rear by other campsites. If you choose a spot like this one, you'll find that the chain-link fencing lets you see through to the next campsite easily...or that your neighbors might hang towels over the fence, which will end up on YOUR side, as well!
Your site will come with a picnic table. There are no fire rings or fire pits in the Newport Dunes campsites.
In the photo to your left, you can see an untypically ugly campsite at Newport Dunes. No, there aren't too many ugly campsites, but they do exist, and you might happen to get one....so, you might as well know about them.
One advantage to this particular spot, and many of the other ugly campsites at Newport Dunes, is that they have a bit more privacy than the other camp sites. Because of the berm of earth at the back of this campsite, there's no neighbor there!
You can also see in this photo that there's no concrete slab at this campsite. While the bulk of "regular" sized camping spaces at Newport Dunes do have concrete parking slabs, it's another feature that adds $$$ to the price of the campspace, without making much difference to your actual comfort. Since all of the spaces at Newport Dunes Camping Grounds are flat as pancakes, and raked to remove large rocks, the extra step of adding concrete slabs, while attractive to look at, doesn't necessarily add much to the "feel" of your stay at this camp.
Finally, in the picture below, you can see what a tent camping site at Newport Dunes looks like. Tents are relegated to the "short" camping spots only. (Smaller RV's can take these spots, as well, in order to save money; they do have hookups.) Tenting rules at Newport Dunes include the fact that you can NOT use tent stakes! Only dome-style tents which are self-supporting can be used here. There is also a "time restriction" for tents; tent campers may only stay at Newport Dunes RV Resort for a total of 14 days within a 3 month period.
However, if you pay for an RV campsite, you MAY set up ONE tent within that camping spot...no matter where that spot happens to be.
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Newport Dunes Camping -- Other Amenities
Of the many amenities at the Newport Dunes RV Resort, the most charming is its natural bayside setting. You'll be able to enjoy the clean waters of Newport Bay. You can swim, kayak, sail, use a peddle boat, etc. (Newport Dunes does have a boat launching ramp and equipment rentals.)As you can see in this photo, there's a nice stretch of clean sand on which you can relax and take in the sun.
The Newport Dunes beach could be called "semi private." The beach is open to the public; it's just that not too many non-campers choose to use it. There are miles of ocean beaches on either side of the campground, so there's simply no need for "locals" to choose this particular beach to enjoy. Those who do, come to kayak or participate in other water sports, so they don't loiter around on the sand (taking all the room away from the campers!)
In the photo to your right, you can see one of the beachside picnic areas at Newport Dunes.
Other amenities at Newport Dunes include:
*Paved, relatively wide interior roadways
*Full hookups for RV's including 30/50 amp electricity
*WIFI internet access
*Heated swimming pool and spa
*Laundry facilities, plus shower and restroom buildings
*Camp store for groceries and sundries; and ATM
*Recreation hall, game room, fitness center and a roster of planned activities (especially full of "things to do" in the summer months)
*On premises restaurant, the Back Bay Cafe
*Boat ramp and water-fun equipment rentals
In the picture to your left, you can see some of the beachside playground equipment that your kids can enjoy at Newport Dunes.
In the photo to your right, you can see some of the boats at the small Newport Bay Marina.
In the image below, you can see one of the very attractive Spanish-style buildings at the Newport Dunes campground. All of the buildings at Newport Dunes are beautifully landscaped (including night lighting) and are well-maintained.
In addition to the "regular" amenities, the staff at Newport Dunes can help you plan group events and get-togethers.
Newport Dunes Phone, Address, Maps, Directions
The Newport Dunes RV Park address is: 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660.The Newport Dunes phone number is: 949/729-3863. This is the "local" telephone number through which you can reach the Newport Dunes Campground office. If you wish to make reservations for Newport Dunes campsites, you may call the toll-free Newport Dunes telephone number at 1/800/765-7661.
Directions to the Newport Dunes RV Campground from PCH: The Newport Dunes Camping Resort is located at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Jamboree Road in Newport Beach, California...just a "stone's throw" from Fashion Island Mall. You can easily see the Newport Dunes campground from Pacific Coast Highway, because the campground sits down in a hollow, and the road is higher than the camping area.
You can reach the Newport Bay Marina from the Pacific Coast Highway, but NOT the camground itself. (From PCH, it APPEARS as if Bayside Drive heads into the RV Park; it does not.)
To reach the campground entrance, you'll have to turn onto Jamboree Road; go one block from Pacific Coast Highway, and turn onto Back Bay Drive at the stoplight.
To get a better mental picture of where you'll be heading, you may use the following link to see a Yahoo map of the Newport Dunes Camping area of Newport Beach, California.
Directions to Newport Dunes Campground from I-405: If you're driving along Interstate 405 or California Freeway 73, you can take the Jamboree Road exits off of these freeways and travel towards the Pacific Ocean about 5 miles, and you'll also reach the park this way.
Newport Dunes Campground Website: Naturally, if you're interested in planning a stay at the Newport Dunes Camping Resort, you'll want to study their website carefully. You may use the following link to view the
Newport Dunes RV Resort website, www.NewportDunes.com.
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