A Little Help From The Locals Please

A

aquaman

New member
The wife (June) and I are going to Washington on a wandering camp vacation for a week or so, may 2 weeks. We will be leaving June 30. We plan to go to the factory for a tour and a few other touristy things. Can anyone give me some decent campgrounds in and around the Seattle are? All we have is the truck with a cab over so we don't need a huge area. Hook-ups will be nice though. Is there anything we "need" to do that we don't know about? Any big events for the 4th of July we should know about? June wants to see the Seattle underground and Pike Fish Market. Is there somewhere we can rent kayaks and hit the bays? Any info will be of great help.
Thanks, Larry & June
 
I first came to Seattle 7 years ago, (was it that long), and one of the first places I found that I really enjoyed was the Center for Wooden Boats on Lake Union - www.cwb.org , check out the web site for all the info.
Lots of parking in the area - especially for Seattle. A short walk from Wooden Boats are several nice places to eat, and , cant remember that name, but walking distance is a place that rents kayaks. We've rented kayaks and gone out to look at all the floating homes.
Cheers,
Tom
 
The kayak rental place on Lake Union is the Northwest Outdoor Center. If you want to rent kayaks on Puget Sound, rental places can be found in most places that you would want to kayak. The Northwest Outdoor center http://www.nwoc.com will be able to help you out with information on places and rentals. They are good folk. Robbi
 
I happen to think the Museum of Flight, located at Boeing Field, is a truly wonderful place to spend a few hours.

I always take visitors to the Ballard Locks and fish ladder, as well. Once there, you might as well check out the construction at Shilshole Bay Marina...the Port of Seattle is rebuilding it, bit by bit.

Finally, I usually find an excuse to take visitors up to Snoqualmie Falls and the railroad museum in Snoqualmie. But then...I like trains.
 
If you make it to Snoqualmie Falls, do not miss the Tap Room at the Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Company.

For more information click HERE. You will not be disapointed.
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Dave dlt.gif
 
I really like the ferry system. A trip to seattle with out a fery ride is half a trip. other then that the one thing I have not done in seattle is to ride the duck. I hear its a great tour. You start on land go into lake union back on land and then in to Elliott bay then back on land again all from the same vehical.
 
Here are some campgrounds in the Seattle area

http://www.nwsource.com/outdoors/scr/of ... rafields=&

The campgrounds near Lake Sammamish are just off I-90 about 15 minutes from downtown Seattle and easy access to park and rides.
In Seattle from Pikes Market you can take the elevator down into the parking garage, walk outside and across the street to the aquarium and all the waterfront attractions including Argosy cruises and the ferries. Lots of stuff to see and do around the Market. The buses in center city are free.
 
The State campground at Deception Pass park is a great place. It is about 70 miles north of Seattle. You can take the ferry to Friday Harbor in the San Juans. You can also stop at EQ Marine at Cornet Bay and see all the new CDorys.
I do think a ferry ride is one of the best tourist bargins.

Fred
 
there is a KOA campground about 5 miles from the factory . It is on 212 th st right near the Hawthorn suites motel where we hold our Seattle boat show and C-Brat gathering in January.
 
I'll second the recommendation for Deception Pass state park. It's a great place and don't forget to hike up to "Goose Rock" on the north end - beautiful views. In the middle of the summer, many of the parks are booked up on the weekend but you can make reservations at most of them.

Another favorite of mine is Nehalem Campground in North Cascades NP - it's about 3 hours out of Seattle on hwy 20. The scenery up there is spectacular and often it's sunny there while it's cloudy in Seattle.

Another place that rents watercraft (canoes and rowboats) is the University of Washington water front activity center . It's a short paddle from there over to the arboretum.

I'd also make sure to spend some time on the Seattle water front. The tourist trap store "Ye Olde Curiosity Shop" is a little like a museum and the water front is a fun place to hang out and eat fish and chips or catch a ferry ride.

A favorite trip of mine is the 3-ferry trip Edmonds-to-Kingston, drive to port Townsend - ferry to Keystone, drive to Clinton, ferry to Mulkiteo - that's a good long day but lots of fun things to see and do on the way.
 
tom&shan":5qf3xoqk said:
A short walk from Wooden Boats are several nice places to eat, and , cant remember that name,
Tom
Click to expand...

Tom, obviously you must be thinking of Hooters. (Well known for their hot wings!) You can view the Center For Wooden Boats right from their windows......or you can view ....vice versa..... :disgust

Seriously, Deception Pass and EQ Marine, so you know what we talk about up here. (Oh and I'm serious about the above comment as well. :wink )
 
If you get up to EQ marine and the state park at the pass, then you are close
to the ferry to the San Juan islands and could at least take a walk on
mini tour as the ferry stops at several islands and returns back to the
mainland. State has the roads to the ferry terminal well marked.
Don't forget the National Parks in Washington state either, good luck
and have fun.
Bob Heselberg Eatonville Wa
 
I agree that if possible you should make it up for the Deception Pass state park but call ahead for reservations. There is a new water tour that takes you out under Deception Pass bridge, always beautiful and sometimes exciting. :) The idea of taking a walk-on ferry trip out of Anacortes to the San Juans is great too. There are also a number of Sea Kayaking outfits in the San Juans. Check at Friday Harbor website. But enjoy yourself where ever you end up. There are other state park campgrounds on the West side of Whidbey Island where you would be able to watch the sea traffic and sunsets. Many people take the Mukilteo ferry over to Whidbey's southern part and drive up the island to Deception Pass.
 
The Snoqualmie Valley RV Campis a good one. From here you can hop down SR 18 to the factory, in I 90 to Seattle, and you are only a couple of miles from Snoqualmie Falls and the Taproom. Plus the rural setting on the riverbank is just a lot more pleasant than an urban hardscape KOA...
 
Larry and June: You will love the trip, bring light weight rain jacket and dry shoes. It is a wonderful part of our Country. As a frequent visitor to the area myself, you may want to consider the Lock & Dam Cruise by Argosy cruise lines. About a 3 hour gig and really fun... Even some of the locals had a good time on this during 07 Seattle Gathering events. Then... follow Fred and others advice, and get out of city Seattle, and visit Les @ EQ and the area up there. After the factory visit, (staying at the KOA SENSEI speaks of will be real close to the factory) you will need to find a dealership to put your boat together. The factory does not do that anymore, and Les and his crew have built/rigged/finished/upgraded many, many C-Dory boats....from a true users poinit of view, which is not always the case at some of the larger volumn dealerships, IMHO.

Wonderful trip for sure... Take some ferry rides as Tom and others suggest. Don't hunker down....but wonder about the area.
 
Wow, Thats alot of info!!! I guess I need to load up the truck and camper with some extra wine to bring to everybody. Do any of you like wine??? Red or White is the key question????? I will have many of both with me for the taking. I do work for the worlds largest wine company in the world. The bottom line is what is mine is yours!!!!!!! I will let you know where we are.
Larry & June
 
Larry and June -
Isn't this site incredible? Ask a few questions about a trip, and suddenly you have lots of good ideas presented, invitations, and friends waiting to meet you? Welcome to one of the nicest groups of people on Earth.
 
aquaman":22aack5f said:
Wow, Thats alot of info!!! I guess I need to load up the truck and camper with some extra wine to bring to everybody. Do any of you like wine??? Red or White is the key question????? I will have many of both with me for the taking. I do work for the worlds largest wine company in the world. The bottom line is what is mine is yours!!!!!!! I will let you know where we are.
Larry & June
Click to expand...

Like Wine??? Love wine. However, rather than taking yours, if your around the north end of Seattle on a Saturday, let me take you over to Woodenville to visit some of the better WA boutique wineries. We have some excellent cabs, merlots and syrahs in WA and I know a few of the local winemakers.
 
Well we made here to the Seattle area. All of you need to in thank us for bringing the California weather up with us. I was looking foward to cooler weather myself. We are at the KOA Kent and it is very nice. We went to the C-Dory factory yesterday for a tour and Rich Reynolds took us around. I can say we saw hull #1 of the new 29' Cruiser. Wow, June wants the 29 footer instead of the 22 footer but reality will set in when she sees the $$$$$ price tag.

Today we went to Pikes Fish Market and did the Argosy Locks Tour which was really cool. It felt good to be on a boat. Is there anything else we shouldn't miss? We leave here on the 6th and head to Friday Harbor for 4 nights.

Can anyone tell me where to watch the fireworks for the 4th? We have a long bed 3/4 ton truck so parking and mobility isn't as easy as at home. Any ideas? Give us a call. (209)993-9948

Thanks, Larry & June
 
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