Essential Washington RV Blog:
A First-Timer's Must-List
Across the Evergreen State
by Suzanne Wright
One must be purpose-driven to visit Washington, wedged as it is in the farthest corner of the westernmost U.S. near the Canadian border. The entire state is a pilgrimage, home to snow-capped mountains, giant evergreens, forested islands, five active volcanoes, exceptional wine country, and one of the most creative cities in the U.S. The sheer number of things to do in the exceptionally scenic Evergreen State can be overwhelming. We think the best way to tackle a trip is to start with the top attractions—natural and manmade ones. It’s been our experience that a single excursion to Washington will result in a return visit, if not a lifetime love affair.
Greater Seattle
Cosmopolitan and progressive, Seattle occupies a narrow strip between Puget Sound and Lake Washington. The Emerald City has spawned a corporate who’s who: Amazon, Costco, Microsoft, Nordstrom and Starbucks among them. The cultural attractions are equally impressive. The Museum of Pop Culture fuses music, movies, and pop culture under one roof. Rising to 605 feet, the iconic Space Needle offers unparalleled views over the city and across the shimmering water. At Pike Place Market you can buy fish caught that morning, fresh flowers, vintage apparel, and much more. Beneath Pioneer Square are the remnants of the old city. Seattle Underground is a fascinating, subterranean time-capsule of basements, corridors, ruins, and storefronts. Absolutely make time for a selfie with the gargantuan Fremont Troll who resides under the Aurora Bridge. In trendy Capitol Hill, Elliott Bay Book Company stocks 150,000 titles. It’s a great place to spend a rainy afternoon.
Forty miles south in Tacoma, the Museum of Glass catalogues the acclaimed work of Dale Chihuly. The visually arresting Pedestrian Bridge links the museum to the vibrant downtown. Nearby Gig Harbor is a charming maritime village. The mud flats of Kopachuck State Park are littered with sand dollars, and you can clam, crab, and oyster. North about 30 minutes from Seattle in Mukilteo, the Boeing Future of Flight celebrates aerospace innovations.
Where to Stay:
Camping—especially extended stay—is at a premium in the Sea-Tac area, so reserve well in advance. Pretty Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothell has 184 paved sites with picnic tables and full hookups. There’s also laundry and shower facilities, free cable TV, a playground, Wifi, and lighted sidewalks. The Majestic RV Park in Puyallup is pet-friendly and offers 101 spaces with full hookups, free cable, a clubhouse, a heated pool, shower and laundry facilities, and a general store.
Olympic National Park & Hoh Rain Forest
Rugged mountains meet a lush, temperate forest at Olympic National Park in the northwest corner. Thanks to more than 140 annual inches of rainfall, the Hoh Rain Forest is an enchantingly green canopy of coniferous and deciduous trees, dense mosses, and ruffly ferns. In summer, brilliant wildflowers blanket Hurricane Ridge. Ranging more than a million acres, the park is home to bald eagles, black bears, deer, roaming elk and marmots. This coastal wilderness is also a fine place to tidepool, amble the pebbled beaches, and explore sea bluffs and sea caves. Port Angeles, the gateway to the Olympic Peninsula, regularly tops “best of small towns” lists.
Where to stay:
The Elwha Dam RV Park garners high rankings with full hookups, extra-long, pull-through sites equipped with fire pits and picnic tables, and 24-hour security. There’s also a camp store, laundry facilities, a vegetable garden (help yourself!), and pet sitting.
Lake Chelan
Washington produces more wine than any other state save California. There are more than 1,000 wineries across 19 AVAs (American Viticultural Areas). One of the best is at the base of the North Cascades at Lake Chelan, the third-deepest natural lake in the nation. Hiking and water skiing are popular summer pastimes, and if you’ve got kids in tow, Slidewaters will keep them busy with a lazy river, body slides and racers, and a huge stationary wave. Beyond wine tasting, a seaplane ride is a thrilling way to take in the incredible terrain. In the winter months, partake in Nordic activities like cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing under billowy clouds in a cerulean sky.
Where to Stay:
A less crowded and quieter alternative to the state park is boutique RV camping at the working Summerhill Farm. They can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet and offer full hookups. The agri-park is surrounded by pine trees and sagebrush.
Columbia River Gorge
The mighty 80-mile long Columbia River Gorge slices through the Cascade Mountains, dividing Oregon and Washington. One of the best ways to see the gorge, which plunges 4,000 feet at its deepest, is to drive along State Route 14, stopping off at the many scenic vantage points.
Where to Stay:
Timberlake Campground and RV Park offers good privacy between its 43 forested, full hookup sites. With commanding views of the gorge, Beacon Rock State Park sits at the foot of an 848-foot tall basalt core of an ancient volcano, and boasts freshwater shoreline access and more than 26 miles of multi-use trails. The 28 sites are better suited for tent camping or smaller RVs under 20 feet. Neighboring campgrounds within the park can fit larger RVs.
Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls is unquestionably one of Washington’s most stunning attractions especially for photographers. The falls, immortalized in Twin Peaks TV series, tumble from an awe-inducing 268 feet—100 feet taller than Niagara Falls! Hiking the trails on a gossamer-misted day is spellbinding.
Where to Stay:
The family-owned Blue Sky RV Park in Issaquah has wooded, pull-through sites with full hookups and room for slide-outs and awnings. There’s also a clubhouse, laundry facilities, cable TV, and Wifi. They accept weekly and monthly guests.
North Cascades National Park
More than half of all the glaciers found in the continental U.S. are in North Cascades National Park in Washington. Mt. Shuksan is possibly the most photographed peak in all of North America. The old-growth forest is habitat for grizzly bears, lynx, and gray wolves. In addition to hiking, there are excellent mountain biking trails during mild months.
Where to Stay:
Smaller and self-contained RVs will be comfortable in the park. Larger rig? Consider Winthrop/N. Cascades National Park KOA Holiday. Open mid-April through mid-October, it’s situated in the Old West mining town of Winthrop, which features galleries, museums, restaurants, and shops. Onsite, there are bike rentals, a kids’ camp, a heated pool, and Wifi.
San Juan Islands
Close to British Columbia, the four main islands that comprise the San Juan Islands off of Washington’s west coast are just a ferry ride away. You can kayak, watch Orcas frolic in their native waters from March through October, and gorge on outstanding seafood. Friday Harbor is the hub for dining, shopping, and sightseeing.
Where to Stay:
Overlooking Fisherman Bay, RVs of all sizes are welcome at the Lopez Islander Resort. Campers may use the heated seasonal swimming pool, Jacuzzi room, laundry and showers, and Tiki lounge.
Mount St. Helens
Located in Gifford Pinchot National Forest of southwest Washington, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, marks the site of the monumental 1980 eruption. The visitor center explains how the ecosystem has rebounded over time. The partially-imploded volcano offers summer hiking and winter cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. The Johnston Ridge Observatory provides spectacular viewing.
Where to Stay:
Located on Mayfield Lake between Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens, Harmony Lakeside RV Park has 30 pull-throughs with full hookups that can accommodate large rigs in shady or open sites. There’s cable TV, fire rings, Wifi, and a laundromat, and you can rent fishing and party boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards.
Mount Rainier National Park
That majestic peak you see from so many places in Seattle? That’s Mount Rainier. Rising more than 14,000 feet, it’s the highest mountain in the Pacific Northwest. In the Sunrise section of Mount Rainier National Park you can drive or hike for panoramic vistas. Mountaineering and glacier climbing are also popular pursuits. The Paradise section erupts with colorful meadow wildflowers during the short summer bloom. Among the wildlife you may spot are bats, moles, red foxes, mountain goats, snowshoe hares, salamanders, and toads.
Where to Stay:
If you need amenities, you’ll want to opt for a private campground outside the park. Open year-round, the Packwood RV Park and Campground has 40 sites that can accommodate rigs up to 40 feet with 30 amp full hookups. The town of Packwood has a coffee shop, a sweet little library, and a hardware store. The Pacific Crest Trail is among the hiking options.
Eastern & Central Washington
Seattle may get all the press, but Spokane, next door to Idaho, is gaining ground as a destination. The 100-acre Riverfront Park, home to the 1974 World’s Fair, is a scenic stroll. The John A. Finch Arboretum, the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, and Spokane Falls are perennial attractions. St. John's Cathedral, constructed in 1925, is one of the finest examples of classic Gothic architecture in the U.S. Quench your thirst at one of the many craft breweries in the inland northwest. The landscape east of the Cascades is much more arid than the rest of the state, so some of the best vineyards are found in wide-open Yakima and Walla-Walla. (And yes, those sweet onions you find in your local grocery store hail from Walla-Walla!) Though most folks don’t associate Washington with desert, captivating expanses are on full display on the 150-mile Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway. The Columbia National Wildlife Refuge is a mix of shrub-steppe: canyons, rugged cliffs, lakes, and sagebrush grasslands formed by fire, floods, ice, and volcanic activity.
Where to Stay:
A 10-minute drive off I-90 from Spokane, the Ponderosa Falls RV Resort in Cheney is a family-friendly, year-round option. There are 168 full hookup sites, plus an indoor pool, Wifi, a kiddie lagoon, and mini golf. There’s excellent fly-fishing and river rafting in central Washington. In Ellensburg, the peaceful Yakima River RV Park serves as a solid base for self-contained RVs.
