April 2016 - Port Townsend or Port Angeles, WA

[RoadXYZ]

We are planning a trip in April 2016 from McMinnville OR area to Port Angeles via Olympia/Tacoma area.

Not only is this to visit with family, but also to tour Port Angeles area for a week or so .. no dog or cat .. need Verizon signal, showers and secure weekly place to site our 28 ft. travel trailer, need 30-amp power, and cable TV not necessary. We do not have membership in Thousand Trails or any other club except Good Sam. Do have both Washington State as well as Oregon State park passes .. and are Washington State residents.

Have looked at Park Reviews, and there are a number of state as well as private campgrounds. Know the cost of amenities is always factored into nightly rates, so therefore will be paying for those thru the rate.

Plans are to go from here near McMinnville to Tacoma area to see Hubby's brother (last time we stayed at Puyallup Fairgrounds RV Camp) then on up towards Port Angeles area.

Will be going from Port Townsend over to Kingston (Fort Casey)via Ferry ... then Sedro Woolley area (Grandsons), and over Highway 20 to Winthrop, possibly Leavenworth, to continue sight seeing on our way home to Pasco/Kennewick area.

Would like recommendations based on where y'all have stayed in the April time frame ...

[lasttruck]

Bigdog wrote:

MT Pokets wrote:
The Salt Creek WA Campground in Port Angeles was one of my favorite CGs ever! The view of the straights is awesome - you look across toward Canada - freighters and boats of every size glide below you. It's a county park CG. The reservation system was strange though. You have to make reservations by mail, so you really have to plan in advance. I had to walk to the top of the hill to get Verizon reception. It was worth it. Close by is Olympic NP.

Thye only problems with Salt Creek, besides it's being an awesome view, are that it is extremely popular and is kinda out of the way for most exploring. Other than that, you can now make reservations online and there is a place that you can make calls from down by the lower steps to the beach. There is a handlettered sign on the fence. The closest tower is on Vancouver Island and it doesn't tell you that you are international roaming till you get your bill. Verizon credited my entire charge from the Canadian company.

You have to be careful along the entire north Olympic Peninsula coast. Very easy for your phone to flip over to a Canadian provider and if your data is turned on, you could run up some heavy charges

Even north of Sequim, overlooking the Dungeness Spit, our AT&T phones switched over (with a text advising us).

[Bigdog]

MT Pokets wrote:
The Salt Creek WA Campground in Port Angeles was one of my favorite CGs ever! The view of the straights is awesome - you look across toward Canada - freighters and boats of every size glide below you. It's a county park CG. The reservation system was strange though. You have to make reservations by mail, so you really have to plan in advance. I had to walk to the top of the hill to get Verizon reception. It was worth it. Close by is Olympic NP.

Thye only problems with Salt Creek, besides it's being an awesome view, are that it is extremely popular and is kinda out of the way for most exploring. Other than that, you can now make reservations online and there is a place that you can make calls from down by the lower steps to the beach. There is a handlettered sign on the fence. The closest tower is on Vancouver Island and it doesn't tell you that you are international roaming till you get your bill. Verizon credited my entire charge from the Canadian company.

[MT_Pokets]

The Salt Creek WA Campground in Port Angeles was one of my favorite CGs ever! The view of the straights is awesome - you look across toward Canada - freighters and boats of every size glide below you. It's a county park CG. The reservation system was strange though. You have to make reservations by mail, so you really have to plan in advance. I had to walk to the top of the hill to get Verizon reception. It was worth it. Close by is Olympic NP.

[rarintogo]

The campgrounds at Fort Worden, of which there are two, are operated and maintained by Washington State Parks. Reservations however are handled by the Port Townsend Public Development Authority (PDA) and they charge a one-time camping reservation fee. Fort Worden, in its entirety, is a state park and it is within the city limits of Port Townsend. Camping fees are more expensive ($35-$45) in the "primetime" season, May through September, and are cheaper in the "shoulder" season of October-April ($30-$40). Also, camping fees vary depending on whether the campsite is premium, basic, or economy. The lower beach campground is the most popular and there is a mixture of pull-thrus and back-ins and all sites offer FULL hook-ups with 30/20 amp service ( 4 sites with 50/20 amp only). The campsites are quite wide and the views of Admiralty Inlet, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Point Wilson lighthouse are fantastic. The upper campground is in a forest setting, sites are much closer together than the beach, and all sites offer 30/20 amp electrical and water. No sewer, but there is a dump station. And, there are no views of the water.
In April, be prepared for unpredictable weather. Normally, it can be very windy and rainy. The upper campground offers a little more protection from the wind.

Point Hudson RV Park, at the end of Water Street in Port Townsend, has some great views and is convenient to restaurants and the downtown area. It too can be quite windy as it sits out on the "Point". Depending on your site, you should be careful when deploying your slide lest you hit your neighbors slide and it does take some forethought when positioning your RV.

The SKP park in Chimicum, as someone mentioned, is very nice. For $40 annual membership, full hook-up sites are normally available for around $22/nite. Plus there are SKP parks located in various locations in the country.
Regardless of where you camp, have fun, be safe.

[RoadXYZ]

Bigdog wrote:
Personally I'd stay in Port Townsend as there are two nice places there. We usually stay at Point Hudson Marina and RV park as there are three restaurants on site and it's an easy 5-6 block into the downtown area..

Thanx Bigdog ...

[Bigdog]

Personally I'd stay in Port Townsend as there are two nice places there. We usually stay at Point Hudson Marina and RV park as there are three restaurants on site and it's an easy 5-6 block into the downtown area. Yes the sites are gravel, but who cares with the view. Fort Worden is our other favorite place,especially the lower campground. I would make reservations NOW for April and even then you may have to change sites if you're going to be there a whole month. In Port Angeles, I would agree with the Elwha dam campground. We have stayed at both Rainbow and Gilgal in Sequim and they are kinda in between P.A. and P.T.
It doesn't really matter which place you go to, the weather is gonna be pretty much the same.

[2gypsies1]

I agree with the Escapees park. That's where we always stayed. 🙂

RE: Fort Worden - If a private RV park is $40 and Fort Worden is $40, we'd choose Fort Worden.

[lasttruck]

2gypsies wrote:
Fort Worden State Park at Port Townsend is very nice as is the town. I'd take it over Port Angeles. However, April can be iffy - weatherwise.

Ft Worden is now concession run and is pushing $40 per night.

If you were an Escapee ($40 annual membership), you could possibly stay at Evergreen Coho SKP Park near Chimacum, south of Port Townsend for $140 for a week. 30 amp, tax and Clubhouse Wi-Fi included in the price.

[2gypsies1]

Fort Worden State Park at Port Townsend is very nice as is the town. I'd take it over Port Angeles. However, April can be iffy - weatherwise.

[TyroneandGladys]

Stayed here and would recommend this dam rv park

[downtheroad]

When we get into that area we usually stay in Sequim.
We stay at Gilgal Oasis RV Park as a base. It's not a wilderness experience, but is very clean, well kept and in the center of town.

Take a look here.....>>>LINK<<<

And make sure you click on "photo Gallery" in the link to get an idea of what the park is about.
Have a good trip.