For our July Best Campgrounds Series, we asked Monica from Just 5 More Minutes, Tiffani from Weaselmouth and Tom from Travelin’ Light to share with us their favorite place to camp in the Pacific North West. Be sure to check out their blogs!
West Beach Resort – Eastsound, WA
My pick for favorite campground in the Pacific Northwest has to be West Beach Resort on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington State.
From the Anacortes ferry landing, enjoy the picturesque 45 minute sailing to Orcas Island complete with a wildlife show in front of your eyes. This show will feature sea lions bathing on salt and barnacle encrusted rocks to bald eagles soaring above. If you’re lucky, maybe even an Orca whale sighting. You’ll never know until you go.
West Beach Resort is the only RV park on Orcas Island and offers up water and 30 amp power. There is no sewer dumping here but a dump station is located nearby so you’ll want to make sure you arrive empty and conserve. But all of that extra effort will only reward you with a one-of-a-kind Pacific Northwest experience you won’t soon forget.
Each RV site is rated for three guests with a maximum occupancy of six. West Beach Resort allows up to one medium-sized tent in addition to the RV in a single site. Pets are welcome. There is a picnic table and a fire pit in each site as well.
There are free showers within the clean, yet rustic restroom facilities located across from the RV sites. The kids can enjoy the rope swing or a game of volleyball. Ping pong tables live outside and there is an outdoor hot tub as well.
There is a Marina at West Beach Resort that offers up boat rentals, general store, kayak and canoe rentals, and a seasonal activities kiosk and beachfront food service. They’ve got great espresso and ice cream for the kids too.
If you go, here are some must see and do activities:
Hike:
Turtleback Mountain for sweeping views
Cascade Falls, Moran State Park
Obstruction Pass State Park
Eat:
Doe Bay Café
New Leaf Café
Buck Bay Shellfish Farm
Inn at Ship Bay
Misc.
Visit downtown Eastsound and visit the local boutiques
Orcas Island Farmer’s Market
Schedule a whale watching trip
Schedule a kayaking trip
Schedule a farm tour with Farmer John and take a tour of Maple Rock’s fields.
For more ideas on what to do on Orcas Island, visit Just 5 More Minute’s blog
– Monica, Just 5 More Minutes
Cape Blanco State Park – Sixes, OR
It’s really hard to pick one favorite campground in the Pacific Northwest–there are so many beautiful ones to choose from! After some back and forth, we managed to pick Cape Blanco State Park in Oregon as our favorite. The park has 35 full-hookup sites situated on very wooded, cliffside peninsula — the westernmost spot in Oregon. The sites are well spaced, very shaded and mostly private. There are miles and miles of walking trails through some beautiful Sitka spruce trees, and a direct trail to the ocean, so walking on the beach is a must, as well as checking out the amazing rock formations. The lighthouse is beautiful as well, so if you need a dose of local history, tours are given daily. Overall, this park has it all — forest, ocean, privacy, pet-friendly, campfires, hikes and a nearby town to do laundry! What more could you ask for? – Tiffani, Weaselmouth
Wanapum State Park – Wanapum State Park
Our favorite spot so far in Washington State is Wanapum State Park in Vantage, Washington. It is right on the Columbia River just over the mountains off of I-90. It is a petrified forest and was designated as a national historic preserve. We love the view, the desert like terrain and the proximity to the Gorge Amphitheater where we see the Dave Mathews Band, but are out of the craziness of the Gorge camping area. There can be high winds at night off the desert and river, but it ensures clean air and beautiful days. The sites are very well maintained and have pull throughs as well as back ins. You can sit and watch the river or dip your toes in, or watch the majestic clouds pass over especially in summer storms. It is very quiet at night and not very costly at all.
Wanapum State Park has 50 full hook-up sites and two restrooms. All sites have full hook-ups. Maximum site length is 60-feet (limited availability). Tenters are allowed to use the sites but must pay full fee. – Tom, Travelin’ Light
