Best Glamping near Marysville, WA

told macdonald is super cute park and campground! they offer the typical primitive campsites with fire pits and picnic tables, as well as yurts and shipping container conversions for those who want more of a "GLAMping" outdoor experience. the campground, park and trails are very well maintained and they even provide you with garden carts to help you get your stuff across the bridge. great spot for steelhead + salmon fishing. we've fished steelhead and pinks out of the snoqualmie river in the past. it's located right smack in the middle of carnation so on a nice sunny day you could walk out of the park to get pizza, ice cream or even mexican food. the suspension bridge is pretty cool, but hold onto your phones tight because it could slip through the holes into the river below. i would rate this place as 4-5 star park / 3-4 star camping since it's not even close to roughing it. those bucolic woods are our backyard.

Partnering with Wanderlust, there are now glamping campsites in the south end of Moran State Park and they are amazing. We got to "peek in" and see them right when they launched and they look amazing. Unfortunately, there is a waitlist to obtain one of these 5 beauties.

Each site comes with a nice canvas tent, queen size bed, dresser, big chairs to sit by the firepit with basic amenities - coffee - water etc provided.

Note the tents are not on the lake like other sites but tucked in the woods with glimpses of the lake.

We are already planning our trip next summer - just need the waitlist to open soon!

(photo courtesy of wanderlust)

What a beautiful place! The campground is in 500+ acre Tolt-McDonald Park, far enough away from any busy road so that there is no traffic noise, just the sound of the Tolt River rapids. All the RV sites are drive-through, with water and 20, 30, and 50-Amp service. (There is a privately-run RV dump on the way to the park.) The sites are wide because of the driveway. No trees between sites, but some bushes between sites offer some privacy for the back half of the sites. The 17 RV sites are around a huge lawn, with the restroom building at one end, and a path down the middle that is part of a long, level, paved bike/walking trail. There is a shower in each restroom, so the whole building is heated (which was really nice, since the lows were in the 30s in April, 2022) Access to both rivers is at the South end of the RV loop. There are tent-only sites to the North, and also yurts and more tent sites across a picturesque foot bridge over the Snoqualmie River. There are carts available to roll your stuff over the footbridge.

Campground Review:

A two hour drive from Seattle will land you at the Anacortes Ferry Terminal where you'll be just a boat ride away from beautiful Orcas Island. The Doe Bay Resort & Retreat has several options for camping including cabins, yurts, space for campers and tents. You can camp out in the woods and see the local wildlife (lots of deer and otters!) and there are plenty of trees to hang your hammock. There's also a restaurant, and a concert hall on site. If you're lucky enough to be there during a show it is life changing. Don't forget you are in Wa. and it rains more often than not, so come prepared with tarps and rain gear. All in all this is an amazing spot to camp and I highly recommend checking it out.

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Product Review:

During my camping trip at Doe Bay I used the Eno DoubleNest® Hammock and Atlas™ Straps for my relaxation in the woods. The Eno Hammock is super easy to set up (goes up in a matter of seconds), comfortable to nap, lounge, or sleep all night in, and doesn't swing too much if you tend to get sea sick! It comes in a variety of colors and there's a single nest option as well on Eno's website. The material is durable and comfortable to lay in by itself, or cozy up with a blanket! Give one a go if you're looking for a lightweight and comfortable way to lounge.

I love this place! Camping right at the water or off in the woods. Lots of biking and hiking. A small bar is on site with good food, craft beers, and cocktails. A pier into the sound. Crabbing, bouy anchors. Fort and battery tours. a real gem in Washington.

This is one of the most popular locations in Washington State and easy to see why. Both fresh and salt water experiences are within a few steps away with amazing sunsets and breathtaking views. Plenty to do for each family member. The only downside is the cramped feeling in most of the sites and the difficulty of monuverability for trailers and campers.

This is our go-to family camping area for october-June trips. It is never too cold and it has a lot to offer. The campgrounds are within walking distance to a beautiful sandy beach complete with tide pools! We also like to hit up the local drive in movie theater for a little classic entertainment (Blue Fox Drive-in) and cheap greasy cheesy fry delicacies ;). Beautiful views and small hikes along the coastlines. Definitely an iconic Washington coastal camping area, but without the long drive to the penninsula.

Do not believe the cautions about the worst road in Washington; there road is paved and beautiful.

I love this area and would have given 5 stars but for two things. The website says water is available - the water pump worked once in three days. I only saw one set of restrooms (vault) they were... unusable.

Maybe I will try again later in the season, when the summer campers put their tents away.

Visited on a beautiful spring day. No idea how I always get so lucky with washington weather. We went during the tulip festival at Anacortes nearby so that was a definite plus. The bridge is very scenic, so this is a great place to visit even if only for the day. I should've done some research into why they named it deception pass because it was exactly what I expected. There are multiple recreational water activities to do, but I didn't do any as I found the Springtime sound a little too cold for my liking.

I was a volunteer camp host for this park for a month. It’s a busy place on the weekends especially. The system in Washington is sometimes showing how overwhelmed and understaffed they are, and this park is so severely understaffed it’s sad. Many folks do not understand how to cleanup and leave no trace. As volunteers, we learned a lot about the area, the fight with the Tulalip Tribe to have the land, the desecration of indian burial grounds, the full sale of the land by a private owner to the state because of a haunting and a family curse... there’s a ton of local drama in these lands. If you’re a ghost nut, this place is for you - ask the campground staff for the history.

This is one of two campgrounds at Fort Worden, which I prefer over the upper (Forest) campground. This is one of those campgrounds that gets big points for its location and views, and not so much for its privacy or beauty. It's a long, flat, open area along the beach and mixed in with the beach vegetation. The sites are pretty close together, so you don't get a lot of privacy. You do have the beach, lots of trails, a scenic lighthouse and that salt sea air. You do get lots of fog in the morning sometimes, and a pretty steady breeze off the water. You need a Discover Pass for day use. These are required at pretty much all county and state campgrounds in Washington State. They cost $30 per year.

I said lovely in the summertime even though I was a bit chilly! Tropical girl in the north. Despite the cooler temperatures at night the weather was just wonderful when we stayed at Deception Pass. There were so many activities. Some trails walking distance from the campsite to gorgeous beaches while others we drove to get to other trails and scenic lookouts. I loved every minute staying there. We spent two nights at Bowman Bay right next to the beach. The facilities are nice and well maintained. I really appreciate the Washington state park system and their nice campgrounds. We walked across the Deception Pass bridge and hiked up Goose Rock which is the highest point in the park. Just a heads up for anyone afraid of heights, the bridge is super thrilling!! And the views! Even I felt butterflies walking across.

Another day we explored the tide pools at Rosario Beach and went paddle boarding close by. We saw seals and sea otters playing. Really one of the highlights of the trip!

Even though I grew up on Orcas Island, Moran State Park remains to be my favorite state park in Washington.

It offers so many different things from miles of hiking trails to swimming holes, cliffs to jump from, fishing, boating spectacular views and so much more!

There are three loops you can choose from; North End, Midway, and South End. Every loop is well kept, and has its own perks. My favorite is the South End due to all of the sites being on the lake with private water access! But you truly can do no wrong with whatever site you end up with!

If you have a chance to explore Morans beauty, I highly recommend you do so.

Do remember before booking a site that there is an hour long ferry ride to Orcas from Anacortes. You will need reservations in the summer. The camp ground is about 40 minutes drive time from the ferry. No worries though, plenty of sites to see along the way.

Campsite Review: When exploring the San Juan Islands in North Eastern Washington I suggest you definitely take a moment to visit Deception Pass State Park where camping might seem a little pricey, but your park admission is included in the cost of the campsite. This is a great location to start of your trip if your spending time up in the North Eastern portion of Washington. This campground is composed of several different loops with setups on both sides of the pass for every type of adventurer. There are over 300 different campsites and several that are hike/bike in only, as well as your standard drive up and RV. These sites are spread into different areas of the park, and we stayed in one of the lower loops of the Cranberry Lake campground where many of the sites have open drive ways, but then are really set into the old growth trees. Ours was a drive in which was a little uphill and then set back into the underbrush so you were nicely separated from your surroundings and felt pretty immersed in the forest. You get a decent flat area for your tent(s) with a standard picnic table, and fire ring. We checked in a bit later than expected and were in need of a shower. Thankfully there are pretty decent showers at this campground, though some restrooms were much nicer than others. Make sure to check out a couple before you decide which one to use. We found that the ADA showers were much cleaner and nicer than the regular shower by our site (#172). In order to use the pay showers you have to use a token (2 for a dollar) instead of quarters or dollar bills like most other places. You can get the tokens from the rangers or they have some vending machines on the side of the little camp check in area. There are plenty of excellent hikes you can access throughout the park and watching the fog roll in and out can be pretty awesome.

The one thing that you’ll probably read over and over again is about the jets from the nearby base…. Yes, there are jets and yes, they are loud, very loud. Bring ear plugs. Even if you’re a heavy sleeper, the way the noise bounces around through the valley makes them extremely loud. You never know how late they’ll hang around so just be prepared. They stopped fairly early (around 9:30pm) when we visited, but the flyover time seems variable.

Amenities: standard picnic tables, fire rings, flush toilets, potable water, & Pay Shower Prohibited: pets off-leash

Nearby Hikes: Goose Rock trail and Deception Pass Bridge and Beach Trail

We used this campground to not only hike around and explore the park, but also as a jumping off point to kayak around the island (where we picked up a hitch hiking baby harbor seal) and to head out on some whale watching trips. This is a really incredible area with lots to explore.

Gear Review: As a Ranger for The Dyrt I sometimes get the opportunity to test out products and what kept me warm as explored the northern waterways was the Coldpruf Zephyr crew top and pants. Coldpruf has designed their clothing to own the cold and yes, they do. I was kept quite warm with these base layers on. The only drawback I had with this gear was the length of the pants, not in the legs, but in the back rise… While they fit perfectly in the waist and leg length was perfect, the pants still came a up a little short in the back and I could not pull them up and prevent plumber’s crack while wearing them. I have other pairs of ColdPruf base layers which fit perfectly but these pants just came up a little short…Some of the features that I did like about this specific design was:

• How lightweight, and unrestrictive the top felt. Really strong sturdy seams and didn’t mess with my mobility as I was paddling the kayak.
• A really breathable base layer with the vented mesh underarm sections. This is usually a breaking point in wearing a base layer when doing activity as you can’t cool off the areas you need to while still staying warm.
• I really liked the length of the top, this really helped to sort of counter the shortness of the pants.
• The stretch of the material in both the pants and crew top were great for hiking and kayaking.
• Designed and Knit in the USA!! Awesome.

I give the ColdprufZephyr crew top and pants 4/5 Stars!