RV parks near Lakewood, Washington sit at elevations between 200-800 feet in the Puget Sound lowlands, characterized by coniferous forests and marine-influenced climate. Most campgrounds maintain year-round operations despite winter lows averaging 35-45°F from November through February. Camping options range from full-service RV accommodations to limited tent sites with varying tree coverage affecting satellite reception and solar charging capabilities.
What to do
Walking trails access: South Prairie Creek RV Park provides convenient access to the Foothills Trail, a 15-mile paved pathway suitable for biking and walking. "Pretty nice park for a quick stopover or base camp," notes one camper, though they mentioned "no picnic tables and only a small outdoor area."
Water recreation: Cove RV Park & Country Store offers proximity to Hood Canal for boating and fishing. "Nice location for hiking or boating in the Hood Canal area, a great store, and fantastic and friendly management made this a very pleasant stay," according to one reviewer. The park operates seasonally from April 1 to October 31.
Casino entertainment: Little Creek Casino Resort RV Park combines camping with gaming and dining options. "The casino is nice and has several restaurants, a gift shop, pool and a spa," explains a reviewer. Most visitors appreciate the convenience: "Heavy traffic prevented us from getting to our target destination. This was a nice place to stop for an overnight and the price was excellent for full hookup."
What campers like
Clean facilities: Sun Outdoors Gig Harbor maintains well-regarded restrooms and amenities. "The facilities and grounds are clean and well cared for," notes one camper who stayed nearly three weeks. Another mentions, "New laundry room almost complete, small dog run, exterior dog bath, clean restrooms, very accommodating staff."
Natural surroundings: Tall Chief Campground offers wooded campsites that provide a forest feel despite proximity to urban areas. "Tall Chief's biggest perk is probably how nice they keep the park. Bathrooms are usually found to be immaculate," shares one camper. Another adds, "It feels like you are deep in the PNW rainforest but you close to amenities and shopping."
Good value: Several rv parks near Lakewood provide affordable options for different budgets. "Stayed 3 months for work, perfect beautiful, CHEEP CHEEP, not too good to be true, just right. All hook ups included," reports a long-term camper at Tall Chief Campground. At Little Creek Casino Resort, dry camping is available: "I was charged $15 to spend the night in this lot."
What you should know
Site selection considerations: Cell service varies significantly across campgrounds. At Tall Chief Campground, one camper advises: "Make sure you arrive early so you can drive by all the sites while checking to make sure you have good reception if you need it. I'm getting 120+ mbs download on AT&T in my site right now, but several sites down from me, it can dwindle down to 5mbs!"
Restrictions: Age limits apply at some Lakewood-area RV parks. "Enumclaw Expo Center RV Park looks really nice but they don't allow drop-ins or vehicles older than 20 yrs," reports one visitor. This 27-site park offers water and electric hookups only, with no onsite dump station.
Reservation policies: Some parks have strict reservation systems. At Washington Land Yacht Harbor, a camper warned about discrepancies: "We called a month ahead and reserved a space for our 5th wheel for a month... we get there and were told, they don't have any month to month sites, we would have to rent week to week for $100 a month more."
Tips for camping with families
Limited child-friendly amenities: Not all Lakewood-area RV parks cater to children. At Sun Outdoors Gig Harbor, a visitor observed it's "Pet friendly, but not many attractions for children (no playground, no pool)." Focus on parks with specific family facilities when booking.
Consider proximity to attractions: Position yourself near family destinations. "We love Tall Chief because it is super close to a lot of great spots around the Seattle region. It's super close (like 7 min drive) from one of my favorite coffee shops, Aroma Coffee Co."
Off-season advantages: School-year camping offers quieter experiences at most parks. "Very quiet and low key. It is situated next to a H.S. stadium so the game nights get a little bit loud but really not that bad," notes a camper about Enumclaw Expo Center RV Park, which operates year-round with basic amenities.
Tips from RVers
Extension cords needed: Many RV parks Lakewood visitors use require extra-long connections. "All sites are back in. All connections are in the back so imagine hooking up at a parking lot at the concrete stoppers. Sewer and electric, make sure you got enough tubes and extensions," warns a Washington Land Yacht Harbor camper.
Site spacing varies: Privacy differences exist between parks and within the same facility. "Very nice small park with basic amenities and large private or cramped sites based on what you choose and pay for. Some have fire rings. All with picnic tables but you will be sitting right next to your neighbors if you choose the sites in middle section of park," explains an Enumclaw Expo Center visitor.
Parking limitations: Check for space to accommodate both RV and tow vehicle. At Little Creek Casino Resort RV Park, a camper advises: "Make sure you get a site that is large enough for both the RV and your vehicle as there is no extra parking. We picked a 50 ft site which allowed us to park the RV and still have room for our towed car."
