San Onofre Bluffs Campground

San Onofre State Beach is a great place for road bikers and mountain bikers to get their fix of two-wheeled action. Most of the fire roads here have fairly steep climbs, so come prepared to pedal it out and enjoy the views. As for road biking, the Pacific Coast Bike Route passes directly through San Onofre. Those out for a leisurely ride can go for about 7 miles, while those with a photo ID and a mission can go beyond that.

San Onofre is home to some seriously classic California surfing spots . The state beach has three different spots, making it ridiculously hard to pick where you’re going to put your board in. The first location is the Lower Trestles, located on the south side of the San Mateo Creek rivermouth. The Lower Trestles brings long, steady waves to the table making it a popular practice spot for performance surfing. Then there is Old Man’s, which is north of the nuclear plant. Old Man’s has softer, slower waves, meaning it is a great place for up and coming surfers, although you will find no shortage of skilled wave riders there! Last but certainly not least is Trails. Trails has fair waves that are a little bit more aggressive than Old Man’s. This is the southernmost and most popular area of beach. No matter where you go at San Onofre, though, you’re bound to hit some good waves and consequentially a great time.

Old Man’s at San Onofre State Beach is a great, relatively calm place to head for a swim. Old Man’s is a clean, sandy beach making it easy to brave the ocean floor with your bare feet. Once you’re in, the Pacific provides Old Man’s with some gentle, rolling waves that are perfect to splash around in.

Between Eucalyptus trees and brush-covered slope, this state beach is teeming with wildlife. The Eucalyptus trees are home to migratory monarch butterflies in the winter while the brush is shelter for gray foxes, coyotes, ground squirrels and opossum. If you aren’t impressed at the thought of running into one of those furry friends, consider that San Onofre is home to ten endangered or threatened species including the San Diego fairy shrimp, western snowy plover and more.