Searching for the best camping near Friday Harbor, WA? There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Washington camping adventure.
Deception Pass State Park is a 4,134-acre marine and camping park with 77,000-feet of saltwater shoreline, and 33,900-feet of freshwater shoreline on three lakes. Rugged cliffs drop to meet the turbulent waters of Deception Pass.
The park has 167 tent sites, 143 utility spaces, five hiker / biker sites, two dump stations, 20 restrooms (four ADA), and ten showers (four ADA). Camping is located at three locations in the park, 18 tent sites and two utility sites are at Bowman Bay, seven tent sites and 54 utility sites at Quarry Pond, and 147 tent sites and 83 utility sites are at Cranberry Lake. Maximum site length is 60-feet (limited availability).
In addition there are four campsites on Hope Island north shore bay, the pay station is near the east campsite, a vault toilet is in the woods 100-feet south of the campsites. The rest of the island is a natural area preserve and off limits to recreational use. Standard primitive campsite rules apply.
$12 - $40 / night
Set in a blue cove between Bellingham and Blaine, Birch Bay State Park feels private and secluded without being far from urban life.
Stroll along the rocky beach and take in dramatic views of the North Cascades Mountains and Canadian Gulf Islands. Or head up the Terrell Marsh interpretive trail to a rare saltwater and freshwater estuary teeming with birds and wildlife, including great blue herons.
Low tide reveals a wide mudflat with a treasure trove of clams and other shellfish that can be harvested in season. Bring out the pails, shovels, mud boots and licenses, and start digging! If you prefer to swim, Birch Bay is known for its relatively warm water, and if you'd rather be on the water, the park offers excellent crabbing, windsurfing, sailing and paddling.
Staying overnight? Birch bay camping has a basketball court and environmental education programs in summer ensure fun for the whole family. If you're looking for a side trip, the U.S.- Canada border town of Blaine and the fascinating Peace Arch State Park are only 9 miles north, and the lively university city of Bellingham is 20 miles south. You can always spend an evening in town and return to the beachy bliss of Birch Bay.
Campers may enjoy this scenic and historic fort at two delightful campgrounds with 80 campsites that may be reserved up to 9 months in advance. Both campgrounds have restrooms with showers. Maximum site length is 75-feet (limited availability).
Beach campground features 50 full-hookup (water, electric, and sewer) sites tucked between the bluffs and the beaches of Point Wilson. The sites are level, spacious, and open. Most sites have an amazing view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Upper campground features 30 partial-hookup sites with water, electricity, and a sewer dump station nearby. The campsites are mostly forested, some with privacy. They are fairly level, and quite long. This campground offers easy access to miles of trails.
Campsites are popular and fill quickly year-round. Reservations are highly recommended.
Campgrounds convert to winter water after Thanksgiving until before Presidents' Day Weekend (subject to weather). Insulated winter water sources are available in each campground during this time.
Lakedale Resort features a variety of accommodation options, including a 10-room hotel, real log cabins, canvas cabins for a fabulous glamping experience, and camping. Lakedale Resort near Roche Harbor and Friday Harbor is also a great destination for workshops, meetings and retreats, providing you with an inspirational setting to have fun and achieve your goals! Your group will enjoy the many activities that Lakedale has to offer including swimming, fishing, and canoeing on one of our three lakes. Or imagine taking over the lodge for your wedding and having your ceremony on a point in the midst of Neva Lake!
The Lakedale Campground is open from early May through September 30 and provides guests the opportunity to experience 82 acres of natural beauty outdoors while camping on San Juan Island. The Lakedale Campground is conveniently located four miles north of the ferry landing at Friday Harbor and four miles south of the Roche Harbor Marina.
220-acre Washington Park juts into Rosario Strait on the western edge of Anacortes, offering territorial views.
$30 - $37 / night
San Juan County Parks provides beautiful shoreline parks on the ferry-served San Juan Islands. Campgrounds offer waterfront campsites, beach access & scenic views and accommodate tents and smaller RV's (no hook-ups; check for restrictions) for a unique "island” experience. Restrooms, picnic tables, fire-rings, picnic shelters, boat ramps.
Odlin County Park is just one mile from the Lopez Island Ferry Landing, and three miles from Lopez Village. This 80-acre waterfront park features 8 campsites, a lovely sandy beach, a boat launch, hiking trails, a full-sized ball field and several picnic areas. Enjoy a hike or eat lunch in the picnic pavilion. There is also water, toilets, five mooring buoys and a day use dock.
This recreation area is part of Keystone Harbor
This was our first trip in a new trailer, and the park is close to home for us, so perfect for our maiden voyage. Shaded sites, some hookup (water/electric), but most unserviced. Water close by for filling our tank. Short walk to an amazing beach.
I stayed at T9 via Airbnb in July 2024. Upon booking I sent a message ensuring that there is wifi due to working remotely,o as their listing states as an amenity, never heard back although saw it was read same day by“Justin”. The listing had this amenity listed so figured it was ok. The day of arrival I get a message saying wifi is not“guaranteed”. I expressed that if WiFi is not working I’d need to cancel as I’ve expressed upon booking I needed this for work, so it was important to me. The owners, Tim and Rachel, were extremely dismissive and condescending. Saying they will not refund for“one small amenity” and they“are not renting a wifi booth”. I expressed that this was important to me and it was in their listing. They were extremely difficult to deal with and caused A LOT of stress. Like other reviews stated, they take something wrong with their property and act like it’s the guests fault. I 100% agree that these are those kinds of people. The location is beautiful, although crowded with spots so close to each other but that’s in the pictures, so to be expected. Bathroom is a dirty pit toilet and had no toliet paper the first day, but known ahead of time it’s a porta potty. I would have considered booking again due to beach views but not with these owners. I’ve reported them to Airbnb, who confirmed they violated policy, offered me a partial refund, and sent them a message of their violation. I do not recommend unless there are new owners. They updated their listing with the WiFi issues, which clearly shows they know it’s a problem, but that was not there on my listing. Do not recommend unless new owners take over who care about their customers and take accountability.
We usually travel with a pop-up camper and tend to prefer USFS campgrounds or dispersed camping. But we are currently travelling in a rented 30' RV during a holiday week, so we decided to give this KOA a try.
I was pleasantly surprised! We stayed in site 130 for 2 nights, and it was quiet and peaceful, despite the proximity to hwy 101. We arrived late at night and had no problem getting checked in and finding our assigned spot. We opted for a site with electric and water hookups. It had a picnic table and a fire ring, but we didn't get a chance to use them because we were constantly on the go. Our site was $63.99/night.
They have Wifi, which was a nice feature that we weren't expecting. There is a picnic pavilion, horseshoes, tetherball, a swimming pool, a playground, a game room, and these really cool looking big wheel things that you can rent for $5/30 minutes. There is also a nice little general store that offers most things a camper could need. The folks who work there are very friendly and helpful. They offer free showers and a sink with hot water for washing dishes also. There is a large laundry room, but we didn't use it. We refilled on water and propane and we used their dump station before we left.
Overall, this KOA was clean and quiet and offered many amenities. I definitely recommend it if you're looking for "camping" with all the luxuries of home.
My husband and I visited the Bowman Bay campground to celebrate our second wedding anniversary and it was one of the best camping trips we've had! This campground was lovely, a smaller campground right on the beach with great hiking trails to Lottie Point and Lighthouse Point. If you are going to camp at this campground, get campsite 279! It is by far the best one in this campground! It is not RV accessible however.
It's a large site that is a bit more elevated than the rest, with a wall of foliage behind it and no immediate neighbor campsites (the nearest on is on the other side of your parking spot, but your parking spot is beside your campsite and not near it.) It's a really lovely campsite.
Our recent camping trip to Moran State Park's South End campground provided an idyllic escape into nature. We spent two nights of lakeside bliss and refreshing swims in Cascade Lake. The South End campsite, known for its spectacular views and proximity to the water, offered a perfect base for our outdoor retreat.
From the moment we arrived, the South End campsite impressed us with its well-spaced sites and direct access to Cascade Lake. Each site had enough room for our camping gear and offered a personal slice of the park's stunning natural scenery. The lake's close proximity meant that taking a swim was as simple as stepping out of our tent.
Swimming in Cascade Lake was undoubtedly a bonus that enhanced our camping experience. The lake's water was crystal clear, making it inviting at any time of the day. Early mornings were especially magical, as the still water mirrored the beautiful sunrise, creating a perfect setting for a peaceful swim.
The campground boasted clean facilities and accessible amenities, including a nearby restroom with showers maintained impeccably throughout our stay. Evenings were spent around the fire ring, where we cooked meals and shared stories under the starlit sky, the gentle sound of the lake providing a soothing backdrop.
Our two-night stay at the South End of Moran State Park was nothing short of rejuvenating. It combined the rustic charm of camping with the leisure of lakeside relaxation. For anyone looking to unwind and enjoy the beauty of the San Juan Islands, this campground, with its exceptional swimming opportunities, comes highly recommended.
Deception Pass State Park is huge and beautiful, perfect for families and photographers. The campsites are open and surrounded by forests, with clean facilities, fire pits, and picnic tables. The staff is super friendly, and our son loved sitting in their golf cart. The hike to see Deception Pass Bridge is awesome. We visited in the fall, and the weather was cool but nice. It’s a great place to explore and take pictures. We had a lot of fun and recommend it to everyone!
Easy to pay and very clean bathrooms. It was very windy and rainy the night I stayed. I slept in the back of my old 4Runner and it felt like I was on a boat at times from the rocking of the car in the wind
We stayed with several families at the group site with a mixture of trailers, tents, and tents on cars. The trailers ranged in size from 22’ to 36’ and we found ample space for each.
This site has close access to the bathrooms shared with those staying in the cabins. Peekaboo views of the water between the trees.
The site has several campsites that branch off of the road through the site which is also a trail. It has a central gravel area for a large group or trailers next to a large field area. There is no kitchen shelter, just picnic tables, fire pits, and a grill.
The site feels very private but you have people passing on the trail/road, which runs through the middle of camp, at regular intervals.
The park is full of steep hills which can make those with mobility challenges or kids wanting to ride bikes tough. The road to the beach is very steep.
Bring bug spray as mosquitoes were vicious as well as the yellow jackets.
Beautiful park, we stayed on Forest Loop area of campsites and the sites there had lots of big trees and shrubbery that helped privatize them. Wonderfully varied terrain between the beaches with beautiful island views (saw an otter on the beach once), Hoypus Point hiking trails through traditional northwest forest/swordfern landscape, and Cranberry Lake with its roped-off swimming area. There were planes from the Air Force base that circled overhead practicing, so not the quietest park, but surprisingly they didn’t bother us - in an rv - though normally I’m noise sensitive. If you plan to visit other WA parks, just get the yearly Discovery Pass state park pass as all the WA parks seem to require it or a $10 parking/entry fee.
Lots of space between sites. Forested. Quiet unless the nearby navy planes are running touch and goes 😀.
We arrived late and found a great pull through site. The park staff were super helpful with our late evening questions. Convenient to the ferry for the morning line up! Nice hike up to the gun battery along the bluff.
Our family of four continued our trek out to the peninsula and made a base camp out of Whisky Creek, and we couldn’t have been more blessed with a better place! Beach access, gated community, rec area, fire pit, and picnic tables! Not to mention one of the most beautiful views we’ve ever seen! And if you still need to be connected to the modern word… Wi-Fi access is available and fast!
Cozy, safe, easy to navigate to spot. Hot showers and nice restroom facilities. Was with friends, but would camp here as a solo female traveler.
So loud. Kids on electric scooters, bikes, running through our site. Dogs barking kept us up late and woke us before dawn. Two bathrooms, one was filthy. Broken paddle boats on a dirty pond. In the middle of a residential neighborhood. Would not return.
We stayed here 2 nights with our rpod. Our site was big enough for our friends with a tent to pitch it next to us. We had a site on the end of a grouping. Some sites are way too close together, but others are more spacious. We were happy with ours. We brought our inflatable boat with us and had a nice cruise around the lake, even went swimming!
Nice and quiet (occasional wave sounds). Very clean campground. No real privacy by the spots are spaced quite a bit apart. Restrooms are very clean. Showers require tokens. We will definitely be back.
Upper Oak Bay CG: A nice day use play park for kids. I vault toilet. No showers. One potable water spigot. Rest are for washing.
There is NO path down to the lagoon other than a precipitous dirt chute requiring a rope to climb back up.
Nice view from a few frontal sites.
Lower Oak Bay CG is wide open, so better for RVs and Vans. Easy shoreline access for small boats.
The sites at this campground are pretty close together but you can find a few that have some foliage in between. Luckily since we went during the winter we were able to find a spot without neighbors. In the summer I’m sure it is packed and you’d be very close to everyone.
The campground is close to lots of great trails. The beach is a short walk away and has nice picnic areas and super clean bathrooms. Firewood is available for purchase for $7/bundle. The camp host, Marshall, was very friendly and helpful during our stay.
The one complaint was the dump station was closed and the winter water spigot was not working well, neither of which was reflected on the state park website. Fortunately we were able to use the winter water spigot, it just took a long time and sprayed water everywhere because it had been broken and they were still working on repairs.
There are some sites with beautiful views of the water (7-10 I believe), which I would recommend if you can get them. Overall, nice campground.
Clean little campground. Decent spacing between sites. If there’s a storm in the forecast be ready for some wind. The view is great and the old military fort is fun to explore.
First come first serve. Get there early to get a site.
No complaints had a blast here and in the area
Great campground this was hands down one of our favorite thousand trails in Washington you will enjoy this campground Great location great campground would go back
The ranger was very friendly and helpful. The campsite was a good size and most seemed to have a sense of privacy. Hot showers and great scenery.
Well maintained. Only real complain was the worker with the leaf blower. But the noise was fairly brief. And beside it wouldn’t be well maintained without the maintenance.
Hello everyone, I recently traveled around Washington and our guide directed us to the Lira River. I took some beautiful photos and one long video. I can upload it to vimeo, but for that I will need to convert it from mts to mp4 format. A friend suggested this site to me, and I was able to convert the video.
We have a car camping setup. This parking pad worked great for us, and offered lots of space behind the truck for our tarp shelter and dog run. The privacy is very good on 3of4 sides. The trail system starts right at the back of camp, but the access is a little vertical, so not easy if mobility limited! A short walk from the restrooms. This is a busy campground, so there is a little noise, especially on weekends, from people and dogs doing their thing. The bathrooms were very clean. The showers are token operated and the vending machines were out of service.
Has no hookups what do ever but you can have your generator from the hours of 8am to 9pm that a plus and depending on the month it 20 nights stay or 10 nights
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Friday Harbor, WA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Friday Harbor, WA is Deception Pass State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 100 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Friday Harbor, WA?
TheDyrt.com has all 36 glamping camping locations near Friday Harbor, WA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
