San Juan Island Camping

OK.  This wasn't a "glamping" trip, but a good old fashion regular car camping trip.  Not quite the "dig your own outhouse" kind of camping, but rather a loaded car with every conceivable piece of REI gear.  It took me two days to gather all the stuff together, pack and ready the food.  The trade off for all this effort is a little gem of a camp ground called San Juan County Park on San Juan Island's west side.

A 1.5 hour drive from Seattle to Anacortes, and an hour ferry ride, dropped us in Friday Harbor with our fully loaded swagger wagon and roof harnessed kayak.  We've been coming to this camp site for nearly 15 years, and although once seemingly unknown, it has been discovered.  Reservations now need to be made 90 days in advance, and still it is a typing race at midnight to submit an on-line reservation.  I'd never go through all this if it wasn't worth it.

Setting up camp took us about 1.5 hours. This is a stark contrast to the 10-15 min. with "glamping".  But once we were done, I happily grabbed my beach chair and book and walked 50 yards to a grassy bluff overlooking the Puget Sound & Vancouver Island.  It's a muli-million dollar view.

Sunset View from San Juan Camp Ground

Wildlife is spectacular there.  We spotted foxes, dear, multiple bald eagles, oyster catchers, seals, river otters and the majestic orca whale.  From our camp site, we can literally see orca swimming by about 100-150 yards off shore.  However, 2 miles south at Lime Kiln Light House, the orca usually come within 20 yards of shore and can be seen closer than from a boat!  (current laws forbid any boats or whale watching cruises to get within 200 yards of the orca)

Photo of ocra I took just off Lime Kiln point

This trip didn't disappoint.  We were very lucky to see 6-8 orca, including a new baby, feeding just of Lime Kiln's point within 10-15 yards of the land.  We could actually see them swimming under the water.  Here's a video clip.

Nate sunset paddle

The following day, I was lucky again and was kayaking when a pod of orca came through.  Although I tried to stay the legal distance away and was fairly close to the shore line, one female circled around and came within 12' of my kayak swimming parallel to me.  I was able to watch her swim under water and surface again a few feet away.  I'm kicking myself for not bringing the camera.

Cole at sunset

Beautiful sunsets, great weather, spectacular views, camping with friends, and amazing wildlife encounters made this a fantastic camping trip.  Yes... there was a lot of work involved.  But the work paid off in spades.

Sam & Madeline

Olivia & Annalise

 

Newport / Waldport, Oregon

After our Astoria KOA experience, we headed south on Hwy 101.  This is one of the most beautiful stretches of coastal highway on the west coast. 

Oregon Coast Highway

Ecola State Park Beach

We stopped for a few hours in one of my favorite towns, Cannon Beach.  The weather was not ideal, but that didn't stop us from enjoying a few hours of beach time at Ecola State Park.  In the late afternoon, we continued south to Tillamook where the kids got a brief education on how Tillamook cheese is made and packaged on an assembly line.  As it was getting late in the day, our road trip dinner consisted of taster bites of cheese, Tillamook pepperoni sticks and ice cream.  A dinner for champions.  While camping, I take a more relaxed approach to meals, throw the whole  4 food groups out the window and consider "organic" a foreign concept.  Obesity doesn't happen in a 4 day camping trip,  nor will it stunt the kid's growth.

Inside the factory.

Tillamook Factory

View of bridge from kabin

From Tillimook, we continued south to Newport / Waldport.  Our KOA camper kabin was right on a bluff overlooking an inlet and the historical Waldport bridge.  This time we opted for the camper kabin with a bathroom and shower.  We were told it was the "honeymoon" suite, and  although heat, running water and indoor plumbing is not overrated, I'm afraid I'd have to call into question the entire relationship if my spouse took me to a KOA for my honeymoon.  A weekend away with a great view, yes.... honeymoon, no.  But maybe that's just me.

Given our leisurely pace down Hwy. 101, we didn't arrive to until dusk, so our second dinner was grilled hot dogs in the dark.  With the turn of a dial, and the push of a button, I was grilling hot dogs in 2 minutes by flashlight on my portable BBQ.   It may not have been romantic, but the upgrade to the "honeymoon" kabin, rounded out our fun day with hot showers and clean kids.

Our two days in Newport / Waldport consisted of agate hunting, beach time, walking around historic old town Newport, and enjoying the beaches in nearby Yachats.  We splurged and dined out at one of our favorite lunch spots in Newport, Local Ocean Seafood.  They buy their seafood right off the fishing boats in the harbor, and do a great fish and chips.  Unfortunately, we didn't have time to visit Newport's aquarium, (which we've done in the past, and it's a great aquarium).  But when the sun is shining, it's hard to stay away from the beach.

The kids sitting outside our kabin with a spectacular view.

Glamping was fun and easy.  Being a stay at home mom, I like to take my kids to fun places in the summer within a day's drive of home and not break the bank.  Staying in the KOA camper kabins allowed for us to enjoy some of the fun outdoor experiences we get with camping (making smores over a camp fire, eating outside, enjoying parks, beaches, and the outdoors) without all the extra work and backache of sleeping on the ground in a tent, hauling water, and hauling all the extra supplies tent camping requires.  I made it easy with the food choices, and used my electric kettle to make hot water for tea and instant oatmeal.  We ate bagels, fruit, sandwiches, and BBQ for dinner. This was a fun trip, and I plan on doing more research on other great places to "glamp".



www.cannonbeach.org
Ecola State Park: www.oregonstateparks.org/park_188.php
koa.com/campgrounds/waldport/
aquarium.org/
localocean.net/
www.tillamook.com/cheesefactory/index.html
www.yachats.org

Astoria, Oregon

Three kids, a mini van, and my swagger wagon packed, we headed southwest to Astoria, Oregon on June 21st.  This was to be our first "glamping" experience staying in KOA camper kabins.  Like a yurt, the kabins take the place of a tent, but with the added comfort of a mattresses, electricity, and heat. Therefore, packing was very easy for this camping trip:

1. Clothes
2. Sleeping Bag & Pillow
3. Towel
4. Portable Gas BBQ
5. Cooler ( I have a Coleman plug in cooler I can plug into car adapter as well as cabin)
6. Cooking Tools
7. Paper Plates and Plastic Silverware
8. Plug-in Electric Kettle
9. Beach Chair 

I am all about ease, so I'm not shy about eating with plastic and paper, and meals are quick and simple.  With hot water, we made instant oatmeal for breakfast and cup-o-noodles at lunch. Dinner was BBQ.

The trip to Astoria was only about 3.5 hours from Seattle.  We were delightfully surprised to find it across the street from Ft. Stevens State Park.  When we arrived, my kids burst out of the van with excitement, yet paralyzed with choices; beach, pool, bouncy inflatable, bikes, playground.  The fun choices were numerous, but I set my hook immediately and reeled them back to reality.  Oh... to hear the agonizing shrills of despair  as we took a whole 10 minutes to unpack the van and set our things into our KOA camper kabin.  Each kid took their sleeping bag, duffle bag and pillow into the kabin, and voila...we were done.  With electricity inside the cabin, I moved the cooler inside and plugged it in.  This proved to be a super easy way to travel with our food.

During our short 24 hour stay, the kids managed to fit most everything in from playing at the beach, bouncing on the inflatable, to swimming in the indoor heated pool.  The next morning, we did one quick load of laundry while we ate a free pancake breakfast, then took 20 minute to pack up and reload the car for our next glamping experience.  On our way out of town, we stopped by Ft. Clatsop, Lewis & Clarks' National Historic Park for a great education on Lewis & Clark and their winter fort on the Pacific Coast.

Check out the the following links for more details on these great locations: koa.com/campgrounds/astoria/ and www.oregonstateparks.org/park_179.php and www.nps.gov/lewi/planyourvisit/fortclatsop.htm

Ft. Stevens Park - Beach

KOA Camper Kabin

My daughter in our Kabin

Bouncy Inflatable at KOA

Old Ship Wreck on beach at Ft. Stevens State Park

My son raising flag at Ft. Clatsop

My kids outside replica of original Ft. Clatsop