5 Staycation Ideas
Washington State Parks
March 13, 2022 at 6:43 p.m.
Sunsets over Joseph Whidbey State Park are some of the best in the west. Photo courtesy Washington State Parks -- www.AdventureAwaits.com
Beach vaycay, PNW style:
Cama Beach and Camano Island – Leave your bathing suit home for these beaches. Pack puffy jackets and wind shells. Sunrise and sunset feature alpenglow over Saratoga Passage and the Olympic mountains beyond. Have breakfast or brunch at the Cama Beach Café and take a beach walk to Camano Island State Park.
Joseph Whidbey,Fort Ebey and Deception Pass – You can’t go wrong with Whidbey Island beaches. Deception Pass features bluffs overlooking Puget Sound, a stroll across the famous high bridge, lighthouses and more. Timing is everything at Joseph Whidbey and Fort Ebey, where sunsets are famous when weather allows.
Walk among wildflowers:
Columbia Hills – Lupine and balsamroot carpet the hills, peaking in April and May, but often starting in March. Go on a midweek morning for easier parking. Check out nearby Stonehenge Memorial and Maryhill Museum in the Central Columbia Gorge while you’re there.
Future trip: If wildflowers own your heart, or you’re not free until May or June, put Ginkgo Petrified Forest and Fields Spring on your list. If you’re into blooming heritage gardens, pack a May or June picnic and visit Olmstead Place.
Soak up some Vitamin D on the eastside:
Fields Spring – Set in the Blue Mountains of Southeastern Washington, Fields Spring can retain snow into March, so pack snowshoes or arrange to rent them at the park office. Hike to epic views under big, often blue skies and book Tamarack cabin overnight.
Ride the trails or a wave:
Pearrygin Lake – The Methow Valley offers hiking, fishing and road biking, or fat tire biking in heavy snow years, and Pearrygin Lake is no exception. The campground is scheduled to reopen for spring April 5.
Westport Light – Surf’s up, but don’t forget your thick wetsuit, because the ocean is… refreshing! Warm up and sleep well afterward in a cabin at Twin Harbors or yurt at Grayland Beach a few miles away.
Snuggle up in a cabin (or yurt) and relax:
Kanaskat-Palmer – Pack board games, blankets and books, and let Kanaskat-Palmer’s forested yurts on the Green River near Auburn lull you into rest mode.
Use these tips to plan an unforgettable spring break and let us know how it went. -- This article and photos courtesy Washington State Parks. Visit Adventure Awaits, WA | Official Website for ongoing tips and information.
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