Best places I would take someone who says they hate camping

I would not try to convert them with a miserable, dusty, "this is real camping" weekend. I would pick a place where the view does some work, the logistics stay easy, and the whole trip feels more like a good outside evening than a test.

San Clemente State Beach bluff and ocean view from an easy developed campground

Comfort firstScenic payoffEasy exit

My Rule

Do not make camping the point. Make the view, food, sleep, or water the point.

Best Win

San Clemente because ocean sunsets forgive a lot of campground compromise.

Arizona Pick

Fool Hollow if they need showers, town nearby, and a campground that feels easy.

Avoid

Exposed dispersed spots, long dirt-road approaches, and any place where bad sleep is likely.

Do not start with the hard version

Some people hate camping because they have only done the annoying version: bad sleep, bad bathrooms, cold food, too much dust, and somebody insisting that discomfort is the point. I would rather stack the deck in the other direction first.

The first goal is not to make them love camping. It is to remove enough friction that they can notice what is good about being outside.

Best Easy WinSan Clemente State Beach is developed, obvious, and carried hard by the ocean view.

Best Arizona ComfortFool Hollow Lake is not rugged, which is exactly why it belongs here.

Best Quiet SurpriseLakeview at Parker Canyon has enough calm and water nearby to make camp feel gentler.

What I would optimize for

A view or water feature that makes the trip feel immediately worth it.
Bathrooms and services that do not become the main story.
A short enough commitment that leaving early does not feel like failure.
Good chairs, good food, and a sleep setup that is not an afterthought.

What I would avoid

Dispersed spots where the whole trip depends on finding the right pullout.
Windy, exposed sites that make every small task irritating.
Trips where the bathroom plan requires confidence they do not have yet.
Anything that turns "I hate camping" into "see, I told you."

The real pitch

I would sell the trip honestly: one night, good food, a real view, comfortable sleep, and no heroic expectations. If they still hate it, fine. But at least they hated a fair version of camping, not the punishment version.