PNW Island Camping

January 29, 2011 2:24 PM

What is a beautiful, awesome island campground on Puget Sound?

We're going on a short camping trip in Puget Sound.
We want a small campground that's hopefully not located next to an 'entertainment center', like Tillicum Village.

Requirements:
A fire pit and a view of the sound.
1-2 hours from Seattle.

We were thinking Anderson Island, because it's tiny.
The larger islands (Whidbey, Vashon) are intimidating, but we'd love to hear about any perfect spots you know about.

posted by kittensofthenight to travel & transportation around Puget Sound, WA (9 answers total)

Lopez is also a nice island for a camping getaway. You can get to it on the San Juan run. I've never been to Anderson, though, so I can't compare.
posted by hattifattener at 3:10 PM on January 29, 2011

Here are two I can speak to:

• Fay Bainbridge State Park on Bainbridge Island. Unfortunately, there's not much to do in the park itself, because it is so small. But it has camping sites right next to the beach, and they each have two Adirondack chairs which are awesome for just sitting and taking in the view.
• Deception Pass. If memory serves, few or none of the camp sites themselves have a view, but the rest of the park sure does. There are also lots of trails. Unfortunately, there are frequent jet overflights because of the Navy Airbase on Whidbey Island. It's not that bad, though. The pass itself is amazing.

posted by samw at 3:36 PM on January 29, 2011

Seconding Deception Pass.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:31 PM on January 29, 2011

South Whidbey State Park is really a nice campground, and Whidbey is a nice place; I'm not just saying that because I live here! The park is really great, and if you feel like venturing, there's free bus service all over the island; Langley is a cute little town, with antique shops and stuff, but not otherwise "touristy". Freeland and Clinton etc are all tiny, tiny towns. The Big City is Oak Harbor but "south islanders" avoid going there if we can possibly manage it, just as we avoid going "over the water" to the huge scary big city. If you'd like more info on Whidbey, please feel free to memail me. It's really not intimidating; it just looks big on the map because it's so long and wiggly, but really it's mostly farmland and woods.
posted by The otter lady at 4:36 PM on January 29, 2011

It's 4+ hours from Seattle and not really a beach, but any chance I get I got to the Olympic National Park. Hoh Rain Forest to be exact.
posted by I love you more when I eat paint chips at 7:34 PM on January 29, 2011

If you are going to Hoh at this time of year (gorgeous mossy forest but no ocean within miles) why not camp at Kalaloch campground near Forks? Right on the Pacific ocean. Love that place.

And the road into Hoh is 20 mins away.
posted by seawallrunner at 11:20 PM on January 29, 2011

Oh, and less than 3 hours from Seattle, via Aberdeen or Hood Canal.
posted by seawallrunner at 11:22 PM on January 29, 2011

Doe Bay on Orcas?
posted by Sublimity at 4:59 PM on January 30, 2011

We've settled on Camano Island. Thanks for the recommendations.
When this goes wonderfully, we'll go someplace further out. Now time to buy snacks.
posted by kittensofthenight at 12:14 PM on February 1, 2011