Mission Bay RV Resort's rules run to several thousand words. Most of it is sensible and unsurprising — but a handful of items genuinely catch people out, usually on arrival day when it's too late to do anything about it.
This is a summary of the ones worth knowing in advance. It is not the rules themselves — see the note at the bottom.
The times
| Check-in | 2:00 PM |
| Check-out | 12:00 noon |
| Quiet hours | 10:00 PM – 8:00 AM |
| Visitor hours | 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM |
Quiet hours mean TVs and amplified sound off, and voices down. Between 8 AM and 10 PM music must not disturb anyone else, and the resort asks that language stay "clean and radio-friendly."
Late arrivals after 10 PM are handled, but with noise restrictions — you may get a basic hookup, or alternate no-hookup parking for the night.
The 10-year RV rule
This is the one that ends trips before they start.
All incoming RVs must be less than 10 years old and pre-approved by resort management. Park models, tiny homes, buses and vans are not permitted unless a conversion meets ANSI codes or carries a RVIA sticker. A non-conforming RV will not be allowed in.
If your rig is older or unusual, get approval in writing before you book anything else.
You also can't sleep in a passenger vehicle, truck bed, utility trailer or under the stars. One sleeping vehicle per site.
5 mph, and it applies to everything with wheels
The speed limit inside the resort is 5 mph for all wheeled vehicles — bicycles, e-bikes, skateboards, rollerblades, scooters and golf carts included.
Two related rules people miss:
- Asphalt roads only. Wheeled transport is prohibited in buildings and on sidewalks, walkways and curbs. The shortcut across the grass isn't allowed.
- Lights after dark. Riding at night requires a forward-projecting light and rear reflectors. Helmets are required for cyclists.
Gas-powered skateboards, go-peds, ATVs and remote-control toys are prohibited outright.
Golf carts specifically
- $10 per day, or $50 per cart per month, for a cart brought to the resort. (The fees are on the resort's rate page, not the rules page.)
- Declare it at check-in — the resort issues a tag for each cart, e-bike and motorcycle.
- Shut down by 10 PM.
- Licensed driver only, and the cart must be quiet with no excessive smoke or exhaust.
- Golf carts are the one exception to the "all gas-powered vehicles must be street-legal" rule for on-site use.
The resort does not rent carts itself — we covered the options in does Mission Bay RV Resort rent golf carts?
Vehicles and parking
- Every vehicle and trailer needs a valid pass.
- Two vehicles per site — one sleeping, one passenger. One more is allowed for a fee: the rate card lists a second passenger vehicle at $20 a day, and extra vehicles at $125 a month.
- Trailers and 5th wheels must be backed in, hitches facing the street.
- Campers may not park in the public parking lot — that's for public beach access, and you may be towed by local enforcement.
- Parking in unauthorised areas or blocking a site means towing at your expense.
- No washing vehicles at campsites, on grass or on pavement. Approved vendors only, and "NO SOAP, please."
Pets
- Written approval required, and only approved house pets.
- Three pets for daily and weekly campers; two for extended stays.
- Leashes no longer than 6 feet, retractable included.
- Never left unattended anywhere except inside your RV — unattended pets can be impounded at your expense.
- Restricted breeds: Pit Bulls, Staffordshire and Bull Terriers, American Bullies and Bulldogs, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Wolf Hybrids, Mastiffs and other breeds the resort considers aggressive.
- Not allowed on the public beach, except service animals under Civil Code § 54.1.
- Designated dog walk areas; pick up after your pet. Don't feed anyone else's animals, strays or wildlife.
Fires and BBQs
- Approved portable fire pits only, on your own rented site.
- Flames no more than 12 inches above the pit.
- Pit installed 6 inches above the ground or asphalt.
- No fire pits on grass.
- Hot charcoal and ash go in fire rings or Hot Coal Containers — never the trash.
- Never leave a fire unattended. Stacking pallets for a bonfire is prohibited.
- Fireworks and firearms of any kind are prohibited.
Alcohol
Permitted in responsible quantities within legal age limits, but:
- Drinking games — beer pong and the like — are prohibited.
- No intoxication in public areas, or while operating any vehicle. That includes a golf cart, and off the property it's also California law.
- Alcohol, marijuana and medication must be kept in secured containers not accessible to minors.
Things that are simply not allowed
- Drones — under any circumstances, by campers or guests.
- Ham and CB radios.
- Sheds, fences, clotheslines and tying anything to trees or fences.
- Storage under, behind or outside the RV — boxes, tools, ladders, paint cans.
- Repairs and remodeling on site. If your RV needs work, it leaves the resort for that work.
- Yard, patio and moving sales.
- Subleasing or assigning your site.
- Spa pools on campsites.
- Windows covered with foil, sheets, blankets, plywood or newspaper — genuine window coverings only.
- Indoor furniture used outdoors on the patio or yard.
Wildlife
Admire, don't handle or feed. Do not feed the ducks, stray cats or wildlife. The resort notes that harming, harassing or disturbing wildlife is a felony carrying a fine up to $20,000 and/or imprisonment. Drive carefully and yield.
Cancellations
| When you cancel | What happens |
|---|---|
| 72+ hours before arrival | Full refund, minus a $30 fee |
| Within 72 hours | Charged for the first night |
| Within 24 hours of booking (if booked 72+ hours out) | Full refund, no fee |
Extended stays (30+ days)
A different rulebook applies, and the numbers matter:
- Orientation required in your first week, plus RV registration, insurance, driver's licences for all drivers, and a site inspection.
- Maximum four people per campsite.
- Vacate completely for at least 24 hours every 90 days — 30 days in summer. You must be out by noon on the 90th day and can't return until after 2 PM the next day, and you must sign the 90/24 log book before leaving or you get no credit for it.
- Maximum 268 days in any 12-month period, and no more than 90 consecutive.
- Two pets. No tents, ever — "NO EXCEPTIONS."
- Firewood stacks limited to a 4' × 4' area.
- You can't use the resort's address on cheques, licences, registrations or government documents, and regular US Mail isn't accepted (Amazon, UPS and FedEx are; collect within 10 days).
- Sites get unannounced inspections. One "aloha" warning, then 7 days to get the site back in order before eviction.
Two things worth reading twice
The resort is not a secure facility, and Hospitality Rangers are not police. You're responsible for your own property and safety. Lock valuables and bicycles. If you're threatened or in danger, call 911 first, then a Ranger (858-203-5600, 24 hours).
Using the beach, waterfront and amenities is at your own risk. The resort disclaims liability for injury there, and notes that ground off the authorised pathways can be uneven, rocky and hazardous. Carry a flashlight after dark.
Please read this bit
This is a summary written by Beach Mode Rentals for convenience, not the resort's official rules. We are not affiliated with Mission Bay RV Resort.
We've condensed a long document, and summarising means leaving things out. Rules also change — resort management reserves the right to amend them at any time — and this was written in July 2026.
We take no responsibility for any error or omission here. Do not rely on this page for anything that matters. Mission Bay RV Resort has the final say on its own rules: read them in full at missionbayrvresort.com/rules, and call the resort directly if anything is unclear before you travel.
We rent street-legal golf carts and deliver to the resort, which is why we follow their vehicle rules closely — but nothing here is a statement on the resort's behalf.
