Tentsite Over Topanga

96%

41 reviews

· Topanga, Los Angeles, California · 11 acres

Hosted by Peter A.

Tent site

· 6 guests max

Hike-in

Hike-in to this Hipcamp.

Welcome! Our 'Tentsite Over Topanga' is a lovely private campsite high above the magical Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon. You will be treated to a sweeping view of the verdant Topanga landscape. Our host, (Peter Alsop) will meet you in the parking lot of the world-renowned Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum, show you where the bathrooms are, and together hike up 300 steps to the camp site. (Campers must be fit enough to make this climb!) Under the support posts of our former tipi, there is a 20 foot circle where 2 or 3 tents can be set up. We have a picnic table there for your convenience. Of course no fires of any kind are permitted, (including 'no smoking' please!). You may want to bring pre-made or delicatessen food and drinks, and come prepared for very warm days and cool nights. It's a very short path from the Tentsite up to the trail's end at the 'big rock overlook', and that's where the trail ends! There are many other wonderful hiking trails throughout Topanga in the nearby Santa Monica Mountains State Parks, ... and the Pacific Ocean beaches are only a :10 minute drive to the South. Many campers come specifically to see one of the fantastic shows at the Theatricum Botanicum, and then head back up the hill behind our outdoor theater and spend the night with family, friends or a special loved one sleeping under the stars over Topanga. This 2024 season we are presenting 5 plays: "Wendy's Peter Pan", Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "A Winter's Tale", Moliere's "Tartuffe" and a new play by Paola Aguilar, "The Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latine Vote". You can look up "Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum" on you browser and they will have ticket information and dates. We also have a small bakery on the grounds, where one can find excellent baked goods and coffee for sale on most Sunday mornings. Families with young children love seeing the lizards, butterflies, woodpeckers and other small wildlife they spotted around the site. Because a theater operates on the premises , no pets are allowed, and as for your trash, ... we ask that if you 'pack it in, ... please pack it out too!' We seem to have good telephone reception for almost all carriers, but we do not have wireless access. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: There really is only one small public transportation vehicle available. It's called "the Beach Bus" and it goes from San Fernando Valley, through Topanga to the beach and back again several times a day. Not really sure of their schedule, but you search for it and find out if you are interested. Most people have their own vehicles. MEETING UP? Peter will contact you and make plans to meet with you at the Theatricum and walk you up to the Tipi in the afternoon, (before showtime if you have reserved your tickets. You can come back down and visit to one of Topanga's many local restaurants for lunch or dinner, or just stay at the Tipi and chill. HIKING Our 'Tentsite Over Topanga' has been a pristine area for a very long time. If you'ld like to hike in Topanga, the Topanga State Park is only a couple of miles away. Leave the theater going south, headed toward the ocean. After about a mile and a half, you will see Entrada Road on your left, which will take you along the edge of the park. There is the Dead Horse Parking lot almost as soon as you turn onto Entrada, and a main entrance at the top of Entrada. Dogs are not allowed in the park. And you must be careful about wild life.This hike-in tentsite is located uphill from the world renowned Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum. After a day of playing at the beach (7:min away) come back into Topanga and hike up to your private Tentsite get-away overlooking Topanga Canyon. This is a great way to surprise a loved one or take a solo trip to experience the beauty of this pristine area. The Theatricum is closed from mid-October thru March. Please note that the hike up to the Tentsite Over Topanga is 300 steps so please plan accordingly! The Theatricum has just recently changed our CoVid Safety requirements to require that all adult staff, actors and audiences are vaccinated, ... so that rule will also affect the campers who come onto the property. Please only book this site if you and the adults in your party have been vaccinated. Thanks!

What to expect

Tent site

You'll have this Hipcamp all to yourself.

6 guests max

Toilet available

Flush toilet. Toilets are available at the Theatricum before you hike up to the Tipi.

No campfires

Absolutely NO FIRES in this area!

No pets

Potable water available

Bottled water or jugs

Bins available

Trash bin. Pack it in, pack it out please!

Picnic table present

There is a small table and 2 chairs under a nearby Manzanita tree.

No showers

There are sinks in the Theatricum restrooms, but no facilities to bathe.

Cooking equipment absent

ABSOLUTELY NO FIRES ALLOWED IN THIS AREA!! No cook stoves. Pack in prepared food and beverages.

No wifi

Hot Tub absent

No playground

Things to know

Getting there

Check in: After 2:00 PM

Check out: Before 11:00 AM

On arrival: Meet with Host

Access: Hike in

Cancellation policy: Super Strict

Minimum nights: 1 night

Accepts bookings: 9 months out

No wheelchair access

Max 1 vehicle

During your trip

Follow the

Leave it better

Inclusion policyWe have a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination at Hipcamp. We are committed to helping our Host and Hipcamper communities be inclusive.

Reviews

96% Recommend56 ratings · 41 reviews

Julie B.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· August 2024

A serene tent site with a view!

Tent · Group trip

We loved this campsite! Peter was very friendly and a great communicator, and the tent site was exactly as described. The view was incredible and the atmosphere very serene. We will come back :)

Daniel H.

8 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2024

One of a kind experience

Tent

Peter was a fantastic host. He met us at the base of the mountain and hiked us to the campsite. He’s really fun to talk to and has a very joyful personality. Peter recommended we see a show at the will greer botanicum which is at the base of the mountain. We saw the show Tartuffe & it was fantastic! Peter is great at communicating ahead of time, and reminded me a few times to call him if I needed anything at all. The campsite itself is very beautiful & private, overlooking the Topanga mountains. Truly a special and memorable experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique camping experience!

Connor S.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2024

Tent · With kids

We had a wonderful weekend at this lovely campsite high above the magical Theatricum Botanicum. Peter was the ideal host, communicating all the details before phone before our trip and taking us on an extensive tour of the property before showing us the site. The setting of the campsite is incredibly beautiful, perched atop a low mountain with views of the verdant landscape every direction. The space is rudimentary but well set-up for basic tent camping. It was hot during the day and cold at night, even in the end of June, so definitely come prepared for both temperatures. But also come prepared for a fantastic show at the theater (if you’re seeing one), hungry for excellent baked goods and coffee at the cafe on the property (check hours first, they are only open certain days), and a night of sound sleep under the stars. We came with young kids and they loved it too - especially the lizards, butterflies, woodpeckers and other small wildlife they spotted around the site. If you’re a light sleeper, bring earplugs for the occasional sound of cars on the mountain road far below. And don’t expect a vast area of trails to explore - those are all just a short drive away, as is the beach. Come for a wonderful camping experience at a unique property with some of the nicest and most welcoming people around. Highly recommended!!

Lucy R.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2023

Tent · Group trip

Peter is a great host! He was communicative and very welcoming. He greeted us and even helped carry our gear up all the stairs. The site itself is nice and has a great view. The hike up the stairs is tough but manageable— pack lightly. You can hear some noise from the nearby road at the site but it’s negligible compared to the great bird songs and nature around. We had a great time and would recommend.

Greg R.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· June 2023

Shakespeare in the Oaks

Tent

This is one of the most unique places in the US to camp. It is such an incredible experience to enjoy a Shakespearian style play in a splendid outdoor theater and then retire to a secluded campsite above Topanga Canyon. Peter is a wonderful host and really makes this an immersive cultural experience.

Mk C.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· June 2023

Tent

The history of the property is amazing. The views are tremendous. You do need to be in shape to walk vertical stairs, and then some. But well worth the walk. Very interesting history, a part of the T he’s just something he’s just something he’s just something his or something Topanga Canyon culture.

Location

Topanga, Los Angeles, California, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Chumash, Tongva (Gabrieleno), and Fernandeño Tataviam First Nations according to

Native Land Digital.

To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking