Greg’s Getaway: Spontaneous Camping and Road Trip

There is nothing like a well-organized trip, with everything charted, paid for, and packed away nicely. But there is also something to be said for a last-minute, spontaneous getaway, where you throw your backpack and tent in the car and just drive with no specific location in mind. The latter is what I opted for this week and boy was it fun.
My getaway began last Tuesday morning, when a friend and I loaded my Jeep with a sleeping back, tent, fire wood, canteen, California maps, and an ice chest full of hot dogs and snacks. We then gassed up the vehicle and headed west from Pasadena to the coast near Malibu in search of a campsite that could accommodate a couple last-minute travelers.
To keep things adventurous we decided to take a new path to the coast. I remembered seeing a road off the 101 Freeway near Westlake Village that pointed to Malibu, so we took it. It was State Route 23 and it winds beautifully (and dangerously) through the mountains for about 15 miles until it reaches Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu.
Along the drive we past fields of cactus, a hidden lake, vineyards, multi-million dollar estates and sprawling horse ranches, all replete with gorgeous views of the Santa Monica Mountains. As the road neared coast, we also got incredible vistas of the Pacific Ocean sparkling in the distance.
After about 40 minutes the road winded into PCH and we turned right to find Leo Carrillo State Park. This was the first stop on our beach camping map and it paid off. We were able to squeeze in without a reservation. The cost was a $45 for the night, which seemed a bit steep, but we were so excited to find an opening on our first try, we shelled out the dough and made our way to campsite #83, where we set up the tent and some chairs and relaxed under a big sycamore tree.
With camp set up, we walked about across the park and followed a dry streambed under a bridge to the ocean – a total of about 400 yards. Here we found a beautiful, 1.5-mi-long sandy beach beneath the cliffs of Malibu, teeming with tide pools, rock formations, coastal caves and surfers. We then spread out a blanket and laid on the sand and played in the water as the sun set.
Back at camp, I filled the fire pit with wood and lit a fire to cook dinner. With hot dogs and soup cooking on the grill, we played cards on the picnic table, while listening to the wood crackle in the fire and breathing in the unmistakable outdoor aroma of a camp side fire. After dinner, we sat by the fire and were joined by a large hawk that landed on a branch above our tent. We then washed the dishes at a nearby water spigot and hit the camp’s coin-operated showers.
In the morning I lit a fire and fried up some eggs and sausage, while my friend got coffee from the Leo Carrillo camp beach store. We then explored one of the campsite’s signature hikes into the Santa Monica Mountains.
Leo Carrillo State Park located 28 miles northwest of Santa Monica on Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1). For more information on camping at Leo Carrillo, visitwww.reserveamerica.com or call 800.444.7275 or 310.457.8143.

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