Bullards Beach State Park, just north of Bandon, OR, is another massive RV parking lot. And if that is the kind of camping you do, you'll love it. If you tent camp, probably not so much.

But...a pod of Orca Whales lives year round in the Bandon Bay which is walkable out of the camp which makes the reality of the park irrelevant. A POD OF ORCAS!

There are actually three known pods but two of them migrate for a big part of the year. However, the third has learned that the bay is a great place to feed. The odds aren't always in your favor to see them so close  in the bay (one local told me he hadn't seen them in four years), but sometimes you get lucky. Sometimes you get into a staring contest with a California Grey Seal while sitting near the lighthouse on a melancholy afternoon, and when he or she decided the game is up you turn around and see five of the biggest fins you've ever seen. You may think to yourself, "Wow, those are some big f@#king dolphins!" before you realize what you are seeing.

The campground has all the amenities. Hiker/Biker sites have REI sponsored storage boxes with USB charging station. There are hot showers, and a Welcome Yurt with donation based hot coffee and tea until 8pm.

Wildlife is abundant. Despite it's location near town there are regular bear sightings. Birds flit about, and some of those birds may be gnats and mosquitos that have just taken steroids. There are also red ants, which considering how sandy the ground is are good to look for before pitching camp.

The Hiker/Biker area has shared fire pits and picnic tables, shade cover and no established sites. The main campground area is big, and some loops are literally just fields. Stick to the outside of a loop if you want a tree in your site.

The campground is fine. It's fine. It will be fine. And none of that matters because you could see a whale. The opportunity to see a whale takes this from a three star to a 4 star. Plus nearby Bandon has a great coffeeshop, some cool art, and the beginning of the glorious Oregon Coast starts getting even bigger, and even beautiful-er.

Amenities include: 

• Hot Showers & Flush Toilets.
• Welcome Station with hot coffee/tea
• Storage Boxes & USB charging stations (Hiker/Biker)
• Bike Racks
• Kids playground, Adults playground with "bags" or "cornhole" depending on your region.
• Active ranger programming with a nightly class, Saturday/Sunday group bike rides and organized hikes.

*Pro-Tip 1: Bandon Coffee has good coffee, and a great staff who will make you feel at home.

**Pro-Tip 2: There is a lighthouse out by the beach/dunes. It looks like a lighthouse.

***Pro-Tip 3: Plan to spend some time wandering the coast on the Bandon side of the bay. That first three miles of coastline is beautiful and has numerous spots to have a picnic lunch.