Beach Campground

We just camped here from 12/6 through 12/10. It's a beautiful place and has lots to do.

The only crazy thing was the weather (which has nothing to do with the campground). There was a high wind advisory for two of the nights we were there. 50 MPG gusts! We thought our pop-up tent trailer canvas was going to rip in half! Or, we thought we were going to blow over sideways. Scary!

We will camp here again, just not in the winter!

If you love long walks on the beach, lighthouses and views of the water, this park is perfect! The RV park is located right on the Straight of Juan deFuco and has beaches on two sides. The sites are extra large, with ample parking and most of the pull thru sites are situated so you have privacy on your front door and patio area. It's easy to navigate and check in can be done after you park and unhook.

Regarding reservations and check in: This is one of Washington's most popular parks so expect to make reservations months in advance to avoid disappointment. There are two campgrounds at Ft. Wordon, one is up on the hill (no view of the water but close to all the action in the Conference Center) the other is down on the beach. You must enter the Conference Center Grounds, via Cherry Street, to get to either one. Registration is in the Conference Center (follow the signs).

Ft. Wordon is a Washington State Park, perfectly located in the seaport town of Port Townsend. During the summer, this place is hopping with lots of music festivals, a sterling Farmer's Market, and no chain stores. Ft. Wordon has several art's programs and hosts many large events, thus its popularity.

Our site was a pull-through, and they're arranged like daisy petals around the main loop. There were only a handful of other campers in the whole place but even if the campground had been full we'd have had a nice amount of space between sites. Finding the check-in office took a little driving around, but once we got there it was a pleasant surprise.

Being able to wake up and see the Puget Sound from our bed made our trip super special.

The amenities at this state park were a pleasant surprise. I wouldn't have expected an actual gastropub inside a state park, but the Taps Guardhouse had some delicious snacks and craft cocktails. Craft cocktails!!! The atmosphere is unique, as it used to be the jailhouse and they've made two separate cells that you can dine in. You don't feel like you're being punished though. We didn't eat at the Commons, which was open only for breakfast and lunch on the days we were there, but the menu looked yummy and they always have a vegetarian option.

Because we were there in winter with freezing temps, the water at our site was turned off, but there was a potable water source a short ways away. Also, the showers were warm, but not hot. They appear to be solar heated, so we speculated that may be why.

As others have noted, Port Townsend is a cute town with lots of dining options. Even though we had to unhitch and drive there, having the private spacious sites was well worth the effort, as compared to campgrounds within walking distance of town.

We stayed in the beach campground and it was fantastic! We had a pull-through spot that was nice and had a bit of privacy due to the way the trailer shielded the site. Easy walk to the beach and lots of good hiking trails around the fort. It's a little awkward for checking in because you have to stop at the office (our camping buddies didn't realize that) but there are so many amenities on the property! It's a super short drive to the main part of Port Townsend for coffee, strolling through shops and quirky people-watching. This campground recently upgraded the beach sites to full hookups, including sewer, so it was practically like a resort! :) When it's sunny here, be sure you have a canopy of some sort because there is no shade at the beach sites (generally).

Fort Worden is more than just a fort or a campground! They have a lot going on there, from yoga classes to cultural events to "Farm to Fort to Fork" dining! At times it felt more like a resort than a state park camp ground.

The upper campground is in the forest and the lower campground is near the beach and lighthouse. Bathrooms were not as well maintained as most WA state parks. There is public WiFi, works best near the fireplace in the Commons. There is one washing machine and dryer they will let you use, ask at front desk for code.

Cell reception:
AT&T - 3 bars LTE - 7 Mb down, 2 Mb up
T-Mobile - 1 bar LTE - 3 Mb down, .1 Mb up
Verizon -2 bars LTE - 1.2 Mb down .01 up

We had a site just a sand dune away from the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We could hear, but couldn't see, the waves rolling in. We couldn't ask for a better location, but we could ask for better weather. We'll fondly remember this stay for the biking geocaches and for the great restaurants in downtown Port Townsend. The Rangers keep the other campers in line, which keeps the experience peaceful. There's a lot to do at this campground, ranging from touring the fort, to beach activities, to a sea museum. It's close to Port Townsend, which is a lovely town with shopping and restaurants. In early July, though, it was only in the low 60s for a high temperature, and it spit rain at us every day.

We stayed at the Fort Worden State Park Beach Campground for one night after taking the ferry to Port Townsend. This state park campground is administered by fortworden.org; the state park has 2 campgrounds and multiple other lodging options. We didn't have a reservation, and when we called ahead we never got through to a person. We stopped anyway and went to the reception building, the gentleman working told us that he had a couple of sites available, so we chose site 22 on the beach. The beach campground was full service - not cheap at $43/night, but we wanted the opportunity to flush our tanks out well and we wanted to see the beach, having spent a lot of time in the forest. The campground was a typical beach campground - open, flat and breezy. The sites were paved, well spaced and most could accommodate a larger RV. Both the state park and the town of Port Townsend have a lot of interesting historical sites, we easily could have spent several days exploring. We had a beer at the Port Townsend Brewing Company and bought some great seafood twice at the Key City Fish Company nearby.