Don’t be deceived – Deception Pass is well worth a visit!

A campground with walk-able access to 2 Beaches, a fishing lake with sandy beach and roped off swimming area, easy, beautiful hiking trails and a spectacular view – what more could you ask for!

Deception Pass State Park is located on the Northern tip of Whitbey Island in Washington, USA. It’s a scenic drive, easily accessible from the I-5 and nestled in the pacific northwest forest right by the ocean.

Deception Pass Bridge is a popular place to stop as it’s one of those ‘photo opportunities’ that you just can’t drive by without stopping to investigate further, but the park itself is worth a visit too. The main beach at the day use area is long and rocky but there is a sandy beach by the swimming lake for those who just have to build sandcastles! My kids love making forts out of driftwood and there’s plenty of material to choose from along this shore! Fishing seems to be popular here and there was quite the crowd of boats offshore as well as fishermen on the beach when we were there in early September so bring your rods!

The North beach is the quieter of the two as it’s as obvious to the day use crowd and it can easily be reached from the campground. Here you’ll find great tidal pools to explore as you walk along towards the bridge.

Deception Pass Bridge

Sites vary quite a lot in size, so if you are making a reservation, take time to read the site descriptions or you might find yourself perching on a ledge (many of the sites have the picnic tables lower than the car / tent pads which is a bit different.

Trail to the Beach

Our site was facing the swimming lake and it was a really beautiful spot: plenty of sun and shade with a  great little ‘den’ for the kids to move into (which they did, almost immediately, announcing that they were going to eat in there) and a convenient little access path that joined the trail to the beach area.

Only downside was that it was a quite a trek to the washroom block (showers and flush toilets – which were clean!) but considering that there were only 2 for the whole site, that’s not so surprising! More washrooms would be a plus but if you don’t mind the trek, it’s kind of nice to have  it further away from the sites! I would recommend that if you have smaller children, however, you keep washroom locations in mind when reserving a site!

The campground feels quite open despite the trees and plenty of sunshine can get through to most of the sites we saw which is nice – we get far too much rain on the West Coast!

Swimming area and sandy beach, just a stones throw from the day use area at the beach

Enjoy the beautiful sunsets

At the Day use area you’ll find a concession (nothing healthy here so be warned!) and a canoe rental shack, which was doing a roaring trade while we were there, so go early in the day if you want to take a paddle out on the lake!

We first came to Deception Pass on our way to Seattle one rainy day. We’d decided to take the scenic route of the old Chuckanut Highway followed by Whidbey Island and finally the ferry to Seattle (it makes a really refreshing change to go this way and the scenery really is beautiful) and we decided to stop at Deception Pass for lunch. I have to say that I felt so sorry for the campers on that very damp day in May and I suppose that put me off going back there until this year but I’m so glad we did and we’ll be back again for sure!

Camping in Kamloops – Paul Lake Review

Swimming in Paul Lake is a perfect way to spend a day!

Arriving in Kamloops, you’d be forgiven for thinking that camping here was going to be an arid affair but think again…

Paul Lake Provincial Park is located about 25 kms North of Kamloops and once you get off the highway, it’s rather a nice drive that makes you feel cowboys and wild horses would be appropriate! Ranches and fields of wild sage make up the scenery – we passed a rugged, wild mountain sheep who couldn’t quite decide whether to charge us or not – but once you take the turn into the Park it suddenly all becomes lush forest!

The sites are all pretty enormous and well spaced – we stayed at #72 which was particularly big, backing into the forest so quite private as well. The sites near the adventure playground are probably best for parents as it’s quite a large campground with steep hilly roads and if they’re going to want to play there, you’ll want to be closer! It’s not a good site for biking, thanks to the hilly roads, although it is large enough to keep energetic, older kids happy.

Paul Lake itself is beautiful, with wide grassy banks, plenty of picnic tables and a nice washroom facility – my girls loved swimming in the roped off area and the sandy beach was perfect for sandcastle building. Point to note however, is that the beach is not easy to get to. There is a trail leading down to it, but it’s a hike and has some steep sections – not ideal when you’re carrying lunch, inflatable toys, towels and sandcastle building paraphernalia! The road that leads down to the day use area is steep and winding – not ideal for biking with smaller kids and all of the aforementioned ‘baggage’ – so a vehicle is needed. If you are in a camper, like us, this can be quite disruptive as you have to literally pack up just to drive somewhere, however we did that to make the beach day more fun!

Paul Lake Beach is a gem!

The pit toilets within the campground are some of the worst I’ve ever seen and if it hadn’t been for a local who had come armed with fly killer spray, extra toilet roll and air freshener, I’m not sure that even I could have put up with it for longer than 2 nights – so go prepared and pre-warned!

To me, Paul Lake, as far as the campground goes, lacked character. I had actually read this comment in my Jayne Seagrove Bible ‘Camping British Columbia’ but unlike Jayne, I feel that it comes not from any kind of ‘clinical’ regimentation but rather a lack of it. The lake and day use area is beautiful but the campground has a dramatically different feel which is a bit too much like ‘Twilight‘ for me! The forest setting is a little oppressive to my mind and you feel almost too isolated, thanks to the large, well spaced sites and hilly roads (and I like privacy!). However, it’s a good stopover on the way up to either Clearwater or Jasper, or further into the BC interior, given it’s easy proximity to major highways but I think there are better, friendlier options around if you are looking for a family vacation spot! (Herald on the Shuswap for example)

Wildlife on the way into the park

Otter Lake – Old Fashioned Camping in Tulameen, BC

BC Parks says, “If you’re looking for privacy in a natural setting, Otter Lake is ideal for old-fashioned camping” Old fashioned? What does that mean? asked I…

The answer is, I’m not entirely sure except maybe to say that if you’re looking for a campsite where you won’t see a Park ranger until it’s firewood selling time then Otter Lake it perfect for you! It feels as if you are being allowed to camp in the forest and there just happens to be some places marked out for you – like a wilderness site with paved roads! I say that because it doesn’t feel like a Provincial Park. You turn off the road, right into the campground and it doesn’t feel remotely regimented, patrolled or watched over. There is a ranger who comes round in the evening to check that everyone has paid but other than that you feel decidedly left alone. It’s not a particularly large site but it has flush toilets, lake access, a boat launch, a nature trail and a pretty cool mountain bike jump area in the woods so it’s not as if it’s backcountry or anything, but it doesn’t feel as if it’s trying to entertain or educate you in anyway like some of the bigger parks do – it’s just ‘camping’.

Our site – #33 – was pretty large, level and had a little trail that went down to the lake which was cool and made swimming easy for the kids (too cold for me though!) Despite these pluses, it wasn’t very private and we could see (and hear) all of our neighbours most of the time. Thankfully, the rainy weather conditions put most groups to bed early so it wasn’t too much of a problem as it turned out!

Tulameen, once known to the Hudson’s Bay Company as campement des femmes (women’s camp – the First Nations men would go off hunting, leaving the women at this lakeside camp) is now ATV country. Once a mining community, the tiny town has an ‘out in the sticks’ feel to it and every house has either an ATV, quad bike or ski doo parked outside (in some cases – all 3!) and I think you need them! The remote town of Tulameen is about 33km north of Princeton on a precariously winding road (the kind I wouldn’t want to drive in the winter!) so stock up in Princeton before you head out to Otter Lake because once there, you won’t want to  nip out to ‘run errands’ even if there was somewhere to go! This is the kind of community that lives out on the edge, out of choice.

The old Kettle Valley Steam Railway line runs along the opposite shore of Otter lake (this section is disused now) which is great for ATVs and mountain biking (we didn’t go because the weather wasn’t awesome and the trail starts 5km, a steep and winding 5km at that, from the campground which means packing the camper up and driving just to get there, because there’s not much room for bikes on that road with all the pick ups taking it at full speed!

The Lake itself is great for fishing, apparently, and we saw lots of families out on their boats, rods in hands. Although not a huge lake, it’s big enough to feel like one, as opposed to a large pond which would better describe some lakes I’ve seen (Alice Lake being one of them!) and surrounded as it is by the local greyish rock, it feels like you’re perched on it’s banks, exposed to the water. It’s not a picturesque lake, like the Okanagan, but it has a certain historic charm and you can almost imagine the old steam trains thundering by the industrious mining town as it once was.

Word of caution should be applied here. Otter Lake is in the mountains so despite hot sun in the day it cooled down by quite a few degrees the moment the sun disappeared, feeling quite chill in the evening and early morning, so pack warmly!

Otter Lake is very out of the way and I feel that I wouldn’t drive the 3 1/2 hours from Vancouver just to visit it again but if you’re coming back from the Okanagan, as we were, it’s a good place to stop en route and experience some “old fashioned camping”!

4 reasons to love camping at Fintry Provincial Park

Fintry Provincial Park is a fabulous place to get away from it all and here are 4 reasons why you’ll love camping there!

1. It used to belong to an eccentric Scottish Laird possessed of great taste!

The house, now a wonderfully odd little museum, lends gracious charm to the campground. Open for the public, the house, it’s lush garden and substantial grounds are fun for the kids and adults alike to explore while staying at the site! (My girls loved seeing the late laird’s many hunting trophies that are on display in the house, including, rather surprisingly, a kodiak bear!) The house has a labyrinth (a replica of one at Chatres, France, and deceptively, lots of fun for the kids!) and what can only be described as a bat village! Bat boxes are everywhere and so are the bats at dusk! (they’re harmless and easily mistaken for small swallows)

The laird was quite the visionary and you can hike up to see the waterfalls that he harnessed into a power generator as well a great view of the Okanagan valley – a nice, easy walk from the campground but be prepared for some stair climbing when you get there! 

In the laird’s footsteps, you can meander down the beautiful paths in the evening that surround the house and imagine that you are in Italy or Greece – the soft breezes blowing through sweet smelling pines, sand underfoot, tantalizing glimpses of the lake and the vineyards on the opposite shore between the trees, cicadas chirping….breathe in, ah, deep sigh…glass of valpolicella…

2. Large sites in a variety of settings, all with great views

Whether you’re in the meadows (where we were camped this time) or overlooking the lake (where the playground and camp host are located) you really can’t go wrong. All the sites are open to the sky but some have trees that provide shade during the heat of the day (it can get pretty hot here in the summer – temperatures in the low 30s are normal) however there always seems to be a breeze blowing off the lake and evenings were comfortable.

We stayed at site #72 which I will definitely try and reserve another time – it was enormous, well spaced from neighbours, shade giving trees kept the camper cool in the day, had a fantastic view of the large meadow and dairy barns and only minutes from the lake.

3. Kid approved

Aside from the flush toilets (which, much to the delight of my girls, look like pit toilets – but they’re NOT!!) sinks and large, clean showers there are lots of flat, asphalt roads going around the whole campground which provides great entertainment for the kids. There’s a playground, a 400m beach with roped off areas for swimming, a dock for fishing off and as previously mentioned, a labyrinth, bats and a crazy odd house filled with stuffed animals!

 

4. The fabulous Okanagan Lake 

Famous for it’s clear waters, the Okanagan Lake is perfect for swimming in, but it’s also extremely picturesque. Flanked on both shores with vineyards, fruit orchards, tall pines and sage grass, the lake is 135km long and around 5km wide. Fintry, is located on a small spit of land and the view is quite different from one side of the campground to the other. (You can also enjoy the sun all day long depending on which stretch of beach you choose!) A number of trails lead down to the beach from the campsite, providing easy ‘come and go’ access to swimming and sunbathing – one tip: don’t forget to take inflatable chairs and mattresses with you – Fintry is blissfully secluded (the busy town of Kelowna is a 35 minute drive away) but that means no stores selling tourist paraphenalia (including lake toys!) 

Fintry is a truly delightful place to camp if you like to get away from it all and do nothing but pretend that you’re in Italy for a few days (like me!) It’s close enough to the big box stores and chain restaurants of Kelowna if you fancy a change of pace or just need to pick up some supplies (Ice and firewood are sold at the campground) The perfect lakeside getaway for kids and adults, you could easily stay here for 5 nights, Fintry is a secret that you’ll be tempted to keep to yourself!

Point Roberts Camping Review

What an absolutely fabulous weekend we’ve just spent in Point Roberts: Orcas, super moon, great friends, great weather and my birthday to top it all off!

Point Roberts (Lighthouse Marine Park is on the far tip)

Belonging to Washington State, Point Roberts is a tiny peninsula, separated from the continental US, thanks to the 49th parallel (Canada got Victoria on Vancouver Island,  in exchange!)  Perched on the edge of Canada and only accessible by crossing the border in Tsawassen, Point Roberts has a distinctly island feel about it; Life has a slower pace there, the ocean is all around you, houses are spread out creating a feeling of open space and there is a noticeable lack of jostling crowds. In short, heavenly.

Site #7

The campground we stay at is called Lighthouse Marine Park and it’s located on the South Western tip of the peninsula. Run by Washington State Parks, you can make reservations but not through their online service. The only way is to call the ranger at the weekend between 1 and 4pm. Minimum stay for a reservation is 2 nights but, as we found on this latest visit, you could easily stay for 3 and be perfectly happy. Nightly fee for non residents is $30 CDN so not cheap, but remember location, location, location!

Lighthouse Marine Park has a rocky beach, some wooden picnic shelters, a boat launch and plenty of space for walking, playing games and taking in the ocean views! Right across the road from the park gate is the campground. Designed in an open rectangle with a woody ‘island’ in the centre, all sites consist of grass with a picnic table and fire pit and hard standing space for a camper, smaller RV or a couple of cars. Camping on grass is a treat for campers used to the gravel sites of Provincial parks and one which is always welcomed by the kids. There are plenty of shade providing tress on each site that don’t overhang too much, allowing the sun to shine through, which I appreciate, especially in the mornings! Choice sites are the larger corner sites of 9 and 10 but most are big enough and if your neighbours are considerate, they’re all fine. There is a resident camp host, located in the huge RV next to the washrooms in case of any issues and they do a good job of keeping the shower and toilet facilities clean during busy weekends.

Walking across to the beach in the evening to watch the sun set is one of our traditions and this last visit we were lucky enough to see orcas taking advantage of the salmon run! This incredible sight was new for us but over the weekend we saw them a couple more times and it was truly breathtaking to watch them gliding gracefully through the ocean. Lighthouse Marine Park is located at a convergence of currents and porpoises and seals are often sighted from the beach, whales less frequently but even humpbacks have been spotted here, so take binoculars!

Groceries and supplies can be found at the International Market on your way to the campground including firewood, wine, beer and beach toys but it’s not far to go back there if you discover that you forgot something!

On this last visit we stopped at Brewsters for lunch which was fabulous. They have a great selection of fresh, local produce including their own home grown salad and locally caught fish. (I had salmon tostadas with mango and cilantro lime dressing and they were absolutely delicious!) Wine and beer selection is great, beautiful patio out behind their well stocked store and friendly service. If camp food is not doing it for you then I can highly recommend this place for a change of scene!

The border wait can sometimes be long thanks to the amount of Postal box facilities and Canadians taking advantage of cross border shopping (the longest we’ve had to wait was about 45 minutes) but if you time it right (or come cheekily up the back way to the top of the hill, avoiding a chunk of the line up) it shouldn’t be more than 20 minutes. Saturday mornings are often busy and should be avoided if possible!

There isn’t much to do at the campground in the traditional sense of hiking and sightseeing, but there’s plenty of space for a game of bocce, the kids love hurtling round on their scooters and the beach provides hours of entertainment (in our case throwing rocks of various sizes into the ocean and building driftwood shelters that turn into restaurants selling mermaid milkshakes and crabby patties!)  You can swim from the beach if you’re so inclined (it’s cold and there’s a strong current) and we’ve biked along the beach road before which is very pleasant but at the end of the day, there’s just something magical about sitting in the sun listening to the waves lapping the rocky shore and feeling the salty breeze in your hair that makes Point Roberts such a great destination for a weekend away from it all!

Camping in Whistler, BC? Think Nairn Falls

Rushing river that runs past the campground provides a wonderful soundtrack to your stay!

Nairn Falls Provincial Park is one of my favourite ‘local’ campgrounds. Some might laugh at the use of ‘local’ as it’s actually a good 3 hour drive from home, but located close to Whistler – a Vancouver playground – it feels close and the Sea to Sky Highway drive is so spectacular that you almost wish it were longer (almost!)

Whistler is a popular mountain resort with hotels and condos and condos a plenty but for those looking to camp, the options are extremely limited: busy, privately run RV sites where you have to play that game, ‘Sardines’! Not much of an enticing option for us, so we drive 20 minutes past Whistler village to this little beauty of a site – Nairn Falls.

Swimming lake is accessible by a trail leading from the campground

We’ve been 3 times now and each time has been a real treat but the last time was even better having had the chance to scout out the best sites! (#11 and 16 or 48, 7 & 8 are good if you’re a group) What makes them good is that they are close to the toilet (pit toilets only at this campground!) relatively open for BC parks – not so many overhanging trees blocking out the sun but their best feature is that they overlook the rushing Green River which is truly breathtaking.

Surrounded by mountains, the campground is situated on a bend in the river; On one side a steep cliff, on the other a gentle slope and forest, with easy access to the bend from the trail at Coudre Point. Swimming is possible at a small but serviceable lake, which can be accessed by a trail leading from site 74. The lake has a beach, a dock and SUP boards for rent as well as nice boardwalk trail leading around it. If this lake doesn’t fit the bill, you can head to one of Whistler’s popular lakes! (Advice: take some inflatable toys as it’s a popular local activity to just float around on the lake and your kids WILL ask you for one!)

A bend in the river provides a great place to cool your toes at Coudre Point, a nice little trail next to site 17

Probably the biggest draw to Nairn Falls is, of course, Whistler. This fantastic resort has all the restaurants, coffee shops and bars you could ever want as well as grocery, liquor store and other amenities. Plenty of parking awaits you in Whistler and once there you can hike and mountain bike to your hearts content or watch other people doing it from the comfort of one of the many patios!

We love going up in the gondola – it’s not cheap but it is a full day once you’re up there. You can go up in a couple of different kinds of gondolas and ski lifts to the top of Whistler Peak where the views are spectacular then hop on the Peak to Peak gondola (the longest in the world) and go across to Blackcomb mountain where you can enjoy an ice cream of adult beverage treat, before heading down in the chair lift to Blackcomb base where it’s a short walk back to Whistler. On our first visit we saw bears from the chair lift and this is apparently quite common so keep your eyes open!

Black bear sighting from the Blackcomb gondola

Olympic rings photo opp in Whistler village

If the weather isn’t so fabulous or you just feel like a shower (there are none at this site) then head to the Leisure Centre, located just before the village turn off on the right, which has a great swimming pool complete with lazy river, climbing wall, swing rope and hot tub – we discovered this on our first visit and it was a good find with 2 hot and dirty children! The lakes can sometimes give swimmers itch apparently – not that we’ve had any trouble – so showering off either at the pool or with a portable shower is a good idea!

Lookout point at Nairn Falls – quite spectacular in early July when we were there one year!

Nairn Falls is a great way for campermamas to get their kids up to Whistler for some fun without having the heavy expense of hotels or condo rentals. There’s plenty to do for families including a whole ‘kids zone’ (be warned though, this is pricey!) as well as walks, lake swimming and plenty of biking. Whistler is a popular place for all ages but the nightlife can be noisy in the summer and Nairn Falls is far enough away to put off people looking to party. You can spend the day in the village soaking up the atmosphere with the crowds of tourists and then head back to the campground in the evening for some peace and quiet while you enjoy the stars and the crackle of the campfire! Whistler may have it’s attractions but Nairn Falls gets our best accommodation vote!

Large double site # 8-9

Beachside Camping at Rathtrevor Provincial Park

We first camped at Rathtrevor 3 years ago and wished we had booked in for longer than the 3 nights we had planned for! Our second visit was in July 2013 and it’s now my favourite BC family campground thanks to it’s enormous private sites, excellent adventure playground, paved roads for biking fun, large, clean washrooms with free hot showers (one of which is pictured above!) and last, but far from least – it’s fabulous beachside location!

Located just before Parksville, about 40 minutes north of the Nanaimo Duke Point ferry terminal, it’s easy to get to from the mainland and provides access to the sights of Vancouver Island such as Cathedral Grove, Coombs (‘Goats on the Roof’ is well worth a visit!) and some great hiking at Englishman River Falls – even the surfing haven of Tofino can be reached for a day trip. The waters of Rathtrevor bay are warm, thanks to the effect of the shallow tides and the summer sun and teeming with shells and crabs, making beachcombing and paddling fun for kids but there are other beaches at Qualicum Beach and Parksville itself if you’re looking for more of a swim!

Cathedral Grove, BC

The campsite is large but we have stayed at sites 74 (next to the playground – this was excellent at the time as our children needed supervision and we could see them from the comfort of our site, books and coffee and hand!) and 78. I liked these sites as they are close to the main washroom block, the playground and the beach access. Both are enormous (on site 78 we fit our camper, our huge 8 man tent, a car, chairs for 5 kids and 3 adults with tons of room for bikes, washing lines, inflatable beach toys and even though the site was full we couldn’t see our neighbours!) Although the site doesn’t sell supplies it is close enough to Parksville for this to not pose a big problem as the town has a couple of groceries, bakeries and liquor store.

Parksville is a seaside town complete with ice cream galore, a huge playground by the beach and mini golf for all! The ‘Riptide Lagoon’ mini golf is located beside the entrance to the campsite and our kids loved it.

Another good find on our last trip was ‘The Black Swan’ pub. An old building complete with historical photos and a really great selection of beer and pub style food. The thing that tipped it for us was the english style beer garden which overlooks the ocean (To find it, turn left on the way out of the campsite and follow the signs – you could walk along the beach if you were looking to walk off the calories from all the beer you’re sure to consume!)

Rathtrevor gets our vote and we’ll certainly be back, but make sure to reserve if you plan to go as it’s very popular and gets full fast!