2016 on Pacific Coast

[leslie]

My husband and I will be celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary in Bar Harbor, Maine in June. We will leave Bar Harbor June 23, when we will start our trek to NW Pacific. We want to take our time and enjoy the trip.

Our granddaughter is also 10 now, will be 11 next summer. She participates in a lot of summer activities. I have trouble keeping up with it all. Mid to end of July will work fine.



Two weekends in July 2016 might work - Friday, July 15 - Sunday, July 17, or Friday, July 22 - Sunday, July 24. We are planning to be in NW Pacific area for about 3 weeks, so we could even look at the next weekend as well, July 29 - July 31.

We can take our time with this decision, but I think it would be a good idea to make our reservations as early as November, if possible. From what pinstriper says, Ft. Stevens might be booked up if we wait until March.

[ammobob]

Agree and will talk with better half tonight and pick a weekend. We'll be planning a 1-2 week camping trip through Oregon and Washington anyway so we'll pick a 3 day weekend and meet-up at Ft. Stevens.

by the way congrats on the 50th!

[ammobob]

[p]OK think I am getting a plan together for a 2 week camping trip next July. Some of these could be plus or minus a day.[/p][p]
[/p][p]15 July 2 nights at Crater Lake State Park[/p][p]17 July 3 nights at Silver Falls State Park[/p][p]20 July 4 nights at Ft. Stevens State Park[/p][p]24 July 3 nights at Olympic State Park, WA-may add a day here to make sure we get into Seattle[/p][p]27 July  Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park, CA-may lose a day here for Olympic SP[/p][p]30 July head back to Reno, NV [/p][p]31 July recuperate[/p][p]1 Aug back to work [/p][p]
[/p][p]Leslie, hope 22-24 July works for you at Ft. Stevens SP. I am working to firm this up so I can make reservations as early as possible and pick sites if I can.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Anybody who's been there can tell me if I am spending too much or too little time at any one of these Parks based on what you can see/do[/p]

[leslie]

July 22-24 should be just fine. I wonder about 3 days at Olympic State Park. My son is telling me to plan on a week. This is no problem for me since we are planning on spending at least 3 weeks in the Pacific NW.

Question for someone who has stayed at Ft. Stevens - what campsites would you revommend?



Now, who else can join us for the weekend of July 22-24 at Ft. Stevens State Park?

[ammobob]

[quote timestamp="1441119483" author="@leslie" source="/post/14752/thread"]July 22-24 should be just fine. I wonder about 3 days at Olympic State Park. My son is telling me to plan on a week. This is no problem for me since we are planning on spending at least 3 weeks in the Pacific NW.

Question for someone who has stayed at Ft. Stevens - what campsites would you revommend?



Now, who else can join us for the weekend of July 22-24 at Ft. Stevens State Park?[/quote]I thought I might want more time in Olympic SP so may do some rescheduling but will hold the dates at Ft. Stevens.

hopefully we can elicit some of the others that live local to join up at least for that weekend. If we had enough I would work on getting the group RV site locked down. It can handle 10 RVs and put us all in the same area. It's still early but I am working to firm this up in November (especially if we are working at getting the group site) or as early as they will let me.

[daplumbr]

July dates are looking good for my wife and I too. We have relatives on the southern OR coast (Gold Beach) that we plan to visit next summer. We'll keep track of where other Campliters will be and will plan to drop in for a cameo, or at least a supporting cast role, for a couple days at a relevant site on the coast. (Ft. Stevens State Park July 22-24 is fine!)

[pinstriper]

N loop is right by lake Coffenberry which is pleasant for strolls, walking, and walking the dogs.

I'm holding off committing because...well, mainly because I don't want to get roped into being the organizer. But as soon as the hive makes up its mind on dates we'll be all in. Once the fun kids commit, that is.

[leslie]

N loop is right by lake Coffenberry which is pleasant for strolls, walking, and walking the dogs.

I'm holding off committing because...well, mainly because I don't want to get roped into being the organizer. But as soon as the hive makes up its mind on dates we'll be all in. Once the fun kids commit, that is.

Wait a minute -aren't I one of the fun kids?

Also, since when are we organized?

[pinstriper]

The cool/fun kids know who they are.

[ammobob]

[quote source="/post/14776/thread" timestamp="1441157124" author="@pinstriper"]N loop is right by lake Coffenberry which is pleasant for strolls, walking, and walking the dogs.

I'm holding off committing because...well, mainly because I don't want to get roped into being the organizer. But as soon as the hive makes up its mind on dates we'll be all in. Once the fun kids commit, that is.
[/quote]OK I'll let you off the hook. I'll do all the leg work and make the reservations just working on the head count. I have us at tentative 4 campers right now. You, Leslie, Merlin and us. I'll hold off through October and see if others want to join us. By early November we can decide if we want N loop or want to try for the group site. In the mean time I will do some additional research as to amenities/services of the group site. I'll leave the adventures to those that know.

looks like loop H,I,L and M are the only ones with full hook-up.

[pinstriper]

[quote timestamp="1441165027" source="/post/14788/thread" author="@ammobob"][quote source="/post/14776/thread" author="@pinstriper" timestamp="1441157124"]N loop is right by lake Coffenberry which is pleasant for strolls, walking, and walking the dogs.

I'm holding off committing because...well, mainly because I don't want to get roped into being the organizer. But as soon as the hive makes up its mind on dates we'll be all in. Once the fun kids commit, that is.
[/quote]OK I'll let you off the hook. I'll do all the leg work and make the reservations just working on the head count. I have us at tentative 4 campers right now. You, Leslie, Merlin and us. I'll hold off through October and see if others want to join us. By early November we can decide if we want N loop or want to try for the group site. In the mean time I will do some additional research as to amenities/services of the group site. I'll leave the adventures to those that know.

looks like loop H,I,L and M are the only ones with full hook-up.[/quote][p]The group sites in state parks I've been in have been dry hookups and more tent oriented. I'll look into the group sites at Stevens. Edit: I don't see a group site. I think we'll just have to book a bunch of sites together, individually.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Ft. Stevens have a 3-lane dump site.[/p][p]
[/p]

[ammobob]

[quote source="/post/14789/thread" timestamp="1441168294" author="@pinstriper"][quote source="/post/14788/thread" timestamp="1441165027" author="@ammobob"]OK I'll let you off the hook. I'll do all the leg work and make the reservations just working on the head count. I have us at tentative 4 campers right now. You, Leslie, Merlin and us. I'll hold off through October and see if others want to join us. By early November we can decide if we want N loop or want to try for the group site. In the mean time I will do some additional research as to amenities/services of the group site. I'll leave the adventures to those that know.

looks like loop H,I,L and M are the only ones with full hook-up.[/quote][p]The group sites in state parks I've been in have been dry hookups and more tent oriented. I'll look into the group sites at Stevens. Edit: I don't see a group site. I think we'll just have to book a bunch of sites together, individually.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Ft. Stevens have a 3-lane dump site.[/p][p]
[/p][/quote]I'll give them a call this morning and do some investigating. I did not see the group site listed last night either but know I read it on-line. They say they have 174 full hook-up sites including sewer in loops L, M, H, and I. I'll keep every one posted as to what I find out.

[ammobob]

[p]OK talked with a very nice lady named Mary who filled me in. They do not have a group RV site-God it sucks getting old. May have to change my middle name to Senile. [/p][p]
[/p][p]She highly recommends making your reservation 9 months to the day of your planned arrival starting in October. Apparently this is common practice and the parks starts to fill up within a day or 2. She told me if I plan to be there on the 20th of July 2016 I should make my reservations on the 20th of October. I know 9 months out is a long time to commit to but might be our best opportunity to get camp site close to each other.[/p][p]
[/p][p]The last 2 weeks of July and all of August are the prime camping season. August fills up with fishermen for the fish run on the Columbia river.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Full hook-up sites are $32 ($29 for electric/water only) a day with the reservation paid in full up front plus a $8 non-refundable reservation fee. You can cancel but should at least 3 days prior or you lose a days rate plus $8 cancelation fee. No matter what if you cancel you pay the $8.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Finally after looking at Goggle Earth and the site map I am considering loop M sites 34 through 50 with full hook-ups. Still close to the lake but the $3 a day for a sewer connection is worth it to me verses running to the dump site. Also Showers/washroom and firewood center loop.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Thoughts?[/p][p]
[/p][p]www.oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=main.loadFile&load=_siteFiles/publications/37058_ft_stevens100846.pdf[/p]

[leslie]

I think $32 a night for full hookups is very reasonable. (A stay in a Virginia state park was $46 for water/electric!) Actually, I would prefer FHU, considering what our travel plans will be. We could still manage without the sewer connection. So long as I can have my 2 dogs with me, I really don't have a preference as to which loop. I walk the dogs A LOT.

Ammobob, thanks for doing the research. I am thinking of arriving on July 21, so that means I need to make my reservation on October 21. Hopefully, the group will be ready to make a decision by then.

[jeeps]

[font size="3"]Ammobob - Did you happen to ask about their cancellation policy?  We will plan to make reservations to be there, assuming there's no cancellation penalty in case we can't make it.  We just can't commit this far in advance, but since we only live 2 hours away, we will definitely give it a try.  October 20 or 22?  Who's in charge of reminders? 


(Btw, since I don't know if I'm one of the "fun/cool kids" here, I must not be.)   B-|


Things to do near Ft. Stevens, off the top of my head:  

Check out the remains of the Peter Iredale wreck on the beach -- within walking distance of the campground.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Iredale

Visit the actual military Ft. Stevens.  Lots of WWII (and earlier) cool stuff. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Stevens_(Oregon)

Visit Battery Russell -- old abandoned military fort, fun for exploring -- creepy!  The kids will love it.  I did as a kid and still do. http://www.romantic-oregon-coast.com/ghosts-of-battery-russell-fort-stevens-warrenton-or.html

Climb the Astoria Column in Astoria, our small version of San Francisco.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astoria_Column   We tried to visit the Astoria column recently but it was closed for reno, but I would think they'll be done by next summer.  Then across the bridge, on the SW corner of WA is Cape Disappointment and a lighthouse.  (No offense to anyone, but IMO, Oregon does a better job with lighthouses.  Just saying.) 

The South Jetty is worth checking out.

Lewis & Clark's Ft. Clatsop (replica) is close by.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Clatsop

Seaside (immediately south) is Oregon's closest thing to the boardwalk of Atlantic City ...... although I've never been to Atlantic City ..... but it has the carnival-like attractions.  Bumper cars, rentable carriages and bikes, aquarium, shops, candy, elephant ears, a carousel, etc.  Take a walk on the prom and check out the charming old, little beach houses from about the 30/40s (or earlier?) that are worth millions today.
 
Go a little farther south (just a few miles) and visit Cannon Beach, one of my favorite coast towns.  Quaint and artsy plus the famous Haystack Rock is there.  And from Cannon Beach going south, the scenery begins .... hang on to your hat.  



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