End of Summer Camping at Camano Island State Park

Listen, I would love to call this procrastination, but the reality is – there was no way we were going to be able to go camping until the last weekend of summer. I regret nothing about it, and I’m thrilled to check it off my summer bucket list.

We couldn’t have asked for better conditions. We experienced it all: warm and cold weather, foggy mornings, inability to get a fire started, forgotten potatoes and puffy jackets, and figuring out organization and setup.

Table of Contents

Camano Island State Park

This park turned out to be the perfect campground for Future Mr Trip Side’s first time camping. For me, it was perfect because it was the right size – not too big and not too small. It carried noise, like the owl we heard all night hooting and the kids laughing and singing Pirates of the Caribbean, but it was cozy during quiet hours. Everyone was ultra respectful. The grounds were very well taken care of, and the hosts were amazing. More on that during our fire-starting issues.

The Bathrooms

Arguably one of the most important parts of camping is the bathroom situation. I feel like it speaks volumes of a park, and I’m thrilled to proclaim: these bathrooms were clean!

Running hot and cold water. The shower was amazing. It wasn’t gross to walk into, even with mud everywhere, and it didn’t smell bad.

The Site

We were in campsite 45. A bigger lot up against the trees in the back of the upper lot. It was so quiet besides Mr. Owl and the frogs we heard chatting all night. We scoped out two other sites we loved that we’d consider next time.

Park Location

Camano Island is a great spot for first-time campers. The grocery store (IGA) is about 17 minutes from the state park, so if you forget potatoes you can go pick them up. There’s a cafe up the way at Cama Park where you can get breakfast or coffee if you’re not into making your own. It’s also easy to navigate regardless of the low signal.

Park Hosts and Forest Rangers

Both were amazing. The hosts were so wonderful and even took pity on us and helped us start our fire! Special thanks to Laurie for her volunteerism, because we tried everything, including waterproof matches.

When we got to the campgrounds, the rangers were there to welcome us and tell us a bit about the facilities. Super kind and helped us feel a lot more confident about our endeavors.

We Packed Too Much And Somehow Not Enough

We learned a lot on this trip. Let’s get the worst out of the way.

Tent & Bed Situation

Turns out I can sleep on just about any kind of mattress if I’m tired enough. Future Mr. Trip Side cannot. He was so uncomfortable both nights, and that’s super important for next time we camp. We were sleeping on a rolled mattress, but it would have been better if it had been on a cot (next investment). He also needs to bring a real pillow. I ended up sharing my wonderful Sealy neck-supporting pillow. Poor guy.

The tent was 4-person and super easy to set up – even in the dark.

Cooking Setup and Food

For meals, we had an amazing gas stovetop ($30!), but realized a double burner would be better in the future. Since we have a Jackery, we also brought this Cuisinart electric grill press we got at the thrift store. It’s falling apart but worked great, until we realized how much battery it used up on the generator. It was great to have for our two-day stay, but we will not use it in an emergency.

We did not bring enough desserts. We destroyed the protein game (beef hot dogs, eggs, turkey bacon), but when we stopped at the store, we bought gummy fruit slices and tore the bag apart before getting back to the site.

We need to work on our coffee game too. Turns out tea just isn’t enough to wake me up, and the smell of coffee is so comforting. We couldn’t find our portable espresso maker, but we’ll be sure to bring it next time. The instant coffee we brought worked in a pinch though.

Too Much Doing, Not Enough Relaxation

Next time, we’re gonna bring a lot more easy meals and make cleanup faster and easier. We’re also gonna figure out a better washing station so it’s more efficient. We loved our meals, but should have prepped a little better.

Since this was Ad’s first time camping, understandably, he wanted to try every gadget he has. I’m used to camping with a group of people, so chores are broken up and there’s a lot more time to chill and play. I was really hoping to finish my book this weekend, and it just didn’t happen.

Our Next Camping Trip

We haven’t planned it yet, but I can tell Future Mr. Trip Side is already itching to get out there! We’ll either choose a much closer site so we don’t spend an hour in traffic, or, since we loved this site so much, make it an annual spot!

The last weekend of summer couldn’t have been more perfect. The leaves started to fall, and the air was so wonderfully crisp in the mornings. The air quality was amazing too, as the fires had finally let up and the burn ban was lifted.

Which reminds me. Next time – marshmallows!

Did you guys get to go camping this year? When’s your favorite time to go, and where’s your favorite campground?

Wishing you a happy start to autumn!

Xoxo