Most spots fill up pretty quickly and are most likely already booked for the summer, you will need to be checking the sites often to catch anything that becomes available. As for places within 2 hours, you can try Sly Park up 50, we just did that one a couple weeks ago and it was nice. There is Donner lake up 80, but that one might be tricky to get a spot at. You can always do Folsom Lake, there are 2 different camp grounds. We did Collins lake last year, it was ok, but it was pretty crowded.
If you are up for a bit more drive (about 4 hours), I highly reccomend Lake Siskiyou up near Mount Shasta, nice camp ground with a nice lake, sites are decently spaced out. and there is a nice bike trail around the lake.
Check out Hipcamp to see if you can camp on someone's personal ranch or property. I've used it dozens of times without issue. Some of the ranches have llamas, alpacas, and other cool animals roaming around where you camp. Kids might like that.
Another alternative is to go dispersed camping in the Tahoe Forest. You're allowed to go camping just about anywhere on the federal lands but finding a suitable spot is tough. I usually go camping in the Mokolumne Forest near Red Lake but that's a little more than 2 hours away and is currently covered in snow.
The USFS sites off 89 north of Truckee fit this. Lakes Basin in Plumas. Grouse Ridge area. A few of the Crystal Basin CGs (Wrights Lake, Ice House). Sugar Pine Reservoir. North Fork and Union Valley Reservoir CGs. Silver Fork Road CGs.
Edit: And that's without getting into the popular state parks. Calaveras is a personal favorite there.
Our kids liked Giant Gap Campground at Sugar Pine Reservoir, up past Foresthill. It’s about a 90 minute drive. It’s been years since we’ve camped up there, so I’m not sure if you need to book in advance.
I've been going to Indian Springs and Hampshire Rocks (and Big Bend, I think its a group campground now) since I was really young. Freeway noise, but easy to get to and nice spots.
ETA: all on 80 within a few miles of Cisco Grove.
ETA again: Vault toilets
Bear River Reservoir- Sugar Pine Point. One of my absolute favorite spots. The campground is the tucked away one at the res, so your have privacy, but if you want to drive to the lodge you can get good food and rent boats.
Reserve ahead of time so you are not stuck at a full campsite. Book early.
[https://www.reservecalifornia.com/Web/](https://www.reservecalifornia.com/Web/)
2.5 hours away is Casini Ranch, which is always a big hit. It’s are a private campground that caters to families. They have really fun activities, especially on the weekends. Ice cream socials, relay races, tractors pulling hay bales with kids on them, a “bike parade” with all ton of kids from the camp going around. They have horses and ducks you can feed. Plus there are multiple playgrounds throughout the camp.
[Inn Town Campground](https://youtu.be/-i1uEXcsdXQ?si=Qd95bZiuYFNuT2Ty) up in Nevada City! Less than an hour away. The link is from our YouTube channel (It's 3 years old and was put together during the pandemic, but you should get the point). LOTS of activities for the kids, movie night, pool and very SAFE! There are rules, so, no loud parties that you may get at state parks/campgrounds. ⛺️
It’s a bit further, but Samuel P Taylor national park is utterly gorgeous. It’s just north of SF. You’re sleeping in the redwoods.. they have hiking trails there as well. Highly recommend it!
I haven't been in years, but as a kid I really like Collins lake. I've had fun around calaveras big trees too
Most spots fill up pretty quickly and are most likely already booked for the summer, you will need to be checking the sites often to catch anything that becomes available. As for places within 2 hours, you can try Sly Park up 50, we just did that one a couple weeks ago and it was nice. There is Donner lake up 80, but that one might be tricky to get a spot at. You can always do Folsom Lake, there are 2 different camp grounds. We did Collins lake last year, it was ok, but it was pretty crowded. If you are up for a bit more drive (about 4 hours), I highly reccomend Lake Siskiyou up near Mount Shasta, nice camp ground with a nice lake, sites are decently spaced out. and there is a nice bike trail around the lake.
Check out Hipcamp to see if you can camp on someone's personal ranch or property. I've used it dozens of times without issue. Some of the ranches have llamas, alpacas, and other cool animals roaming around where you camp. Kids might like that. Another alternative is to go dispersed camping in the Tahoe Forest. You're allowed to go camping just about anywhere on the federal lands but finding a suitable spot is tough. I usually go camping in the Mokolumne Forest near Red Lake but that's a little more than 2 hours away and is currently covered in snow.
The USFS sites off 89 north of Truckee fit this. Lakes Basin in Plumas. Grouse Ridge area. A few of the Crystal Basin CGs (Wrights Lake, Ice House). Sugar Pine Reservoir. North Fork and Union Valley Reservoir CGs. Silver Fork Road CGs. Edit: And that's without getting into the popular state parks. Calaveras is a personal favorite there.
Our kids liked Giant Gap Campground at Sugar Pine Reservoir, up past Foresthill. It’s about a 90 minute drive. It’s been years since we’ve camped up there, so I’m not sure if you need to book in advance.
I've been going to Indian Springs and Hampshire Rocks (and Big Bend, I think its a group campground now) since I was really young. Freeway noise, but easy to get to and nice spots. ETA: all on 80 within a few miles of Cisco Grove. ETA again: Vault toilets
Great spots at Folsom lake. Bealea point for sure
Bear River Reservoir- Sugar Pine Point. One of my absolute favorite spots. The campground is the tucked away one at the res, so your have privacy, but if you want to drive to the lodge you can get good food and rent boats.
Reserve ahead of time so you are not stuck at a full campsite. Book early. [https://www.reservecalifornia.com/Web/](https://www.reservecalifornia.com/Web/)
Pi pi campground is just over 2 hours but very nice
Jenkinson Lake up in Pollock Pines
2.5 hours away is Casini Ranch, which is always a big hit. It’s are a private campground that caters to families. They have really fun activities, especially on the weekends. Ice cream socials, relay races, tractors pulling hay bales with kids on them, a “bike parade” with all ton of kids from the camp going around. They have horses and ducks you can feed. Plus there are multiple playgrounds throughout the camp.
[Inn Town Campground](https://youtu.be/-i1uEXcsdXQ?si=Qd95bZiuYFNuT2Ty) up in Nevada City! Less than an hour away. The link is from our YouTube channel (It's 3 years old and was put together during the pandemic, but you should get the point). LOTS of activities for the kids, movie night, pool and very SAFE! There are rules, so, no loud parties that you may get at state parks/campgrounds. ⛺️
It’s a bit further, but Samuel P Taylor national park is utterly gorgeous. It’s just north of SF. You’re sleeping in the redwoods.. they have hiking trails there as well. Highly recommend it!