The entrance to Cama Beach could well be a doorway to an earlier time. Set on Camano Island, an hour north of Seattle, the original family resort had its heyday from the 1930s to the 1950s. This place has retained the feel of a bygone era, with rows of cabins, a park store and a large campfire circle for evening socializing. 

The current state park also features a great hall and café, as well as boat-building classes offered by The Center for Wooden Boats on scheduled weekends in the boathouse. 

The porch of your west-facing cabin is the perfect place to spot a marine mammal, watch the sunset and gaze at the stars before turning in for the night. Traveling in winter? The cabin’s front window offers prime storm watching over Saratoga Passage, along with a cozy escape from the rain.

When morning comes, breakfast aromas beckon sleepy guests to the Cama Beach Cafe, where omelets, baked goods and lattes await (open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in fall, winter and spring; daily during the summer).

While the park invites you to slow your pace and unwind, you will still be engaged at Cama Beach. Between boat rentals, interpretive programs and events, you and your family will be busy. The historic cabins provide a built-in social life, like the camp resorts of old, with kids playing and riding bikes and families gathering for beach exploration and card games.

Need solitude? Take a hike along the bluff, have a swim or find a fishing spot and cast out your line. Make sure to soak up this remnant of the past before heading back to the modern world.

Cama Beach Historical State Park

Close to Seattle but a world away, Camano Island State Park offers a mellow, less bustling, but equally friendly alternative to its busier neighbor, Cama Beach State Park. 

Forest loop trails provide cool, tranquil hiking, while shoreline strolls offer birding, shell and rock exploration and sweeping views of Puget Sound, Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier. 

Are you happiest in or on the water? Go boating, crabbing, saltwater fishing and sailboarding in Saratoga Passage. Curious about the restored 1930's fishing resort at Cama Beach? Hike the 1-mile trail to check out this neighboring state park. 

After a fun day exploring the trails or cavorting in the water, you will probably want to kick back in your forested cabin, pitch your tent or get cozy in your RV. There, you can cook up the delicious crab you have caught, or your dinner of choice, and enjoy a bit of sublime R and R before heading back to the world. 

State Parks Tagged With: Camano Island