Many of the ocean-view RV campgrounds along the West Coast have beautiful views, but they resemble a paved parking lot.

Trisha Kraker wakes up in the morning, opens her door, walks down her stairs and steps right into sand. She looks up and there it is — the Atlantic Ocean. For this, she pays less than $40 a night.

There's no shortage of waterfront campsites, but finding a site on the Atlantic is quite a trick. State tourism officials from Maine to Florida helped us sort through countless campgrounds to identify ...